Lisa Jackson, Image: Newscom

The Business Coalition for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP) announced today that three new members would be joining this organization, which was started four months ago by Ceres. Joining founding companies Timberland, Nike, Sun Microsystems, Starbucks, and Levi Strauss are Gap, eBay, and Symantec.

The new members were introduced at a business breakfast and policy forum, hosted by Ceres at the Willard Hotel in Washington, D.C. The group hopes that by joining forces, they’ll have a louder voice in calling for strong U.S. climate and energy policies over the next year. EPA administrator Lisa Jackson opened the forum today, saying,

“Leadership from the business community is essential to our success in protecting human health and the environment. BICEP is pioneering change, and proving every day that the environmentally sound thing to do is also the economically sound thing to do. We are here to partner with you so that we can lay the foundations for that change together, and bring our shared vision to life.”

Some of the goals of the coalition are to help pass legislation consistent with key principals, which include:

• Setting aggressive GHG reduction levels
• Establishing a economic cap-and-trade system that auctions off all carbon allowances
• Doubling the historic rate of energy efficiency improvement
• Creating green-collar jobs
• Adopting renewable energy standards

Founder Ceres is a coalition of investors, environmental groups, and organizes that works to address global climate change.

Post from: EveryJoe

BICEP Adds Three New Members