Steven Chu pledges $350m clean tech fund to sweeten deal at Copenhagen

US energy secretary attempts to show Obama administration is serious about action on climate change

Suzanne Goldenberg, US environment correspondent
guardian.co.uk, Monday 14 December 2009 18.42 GMT
The Obama administration tried to sweeten a climate change deal for developing countries today with the promise of a $350m fund for the development of new clean energy technologies.
The fund will be used to encourage the development of renewable energy projects such as wind and solar power and more energy efficient appliances in the developing world.
In an appearance at the climate change summit in Copenhagen, the energy secretary Steven Chu likened the initiative to the breakthrough of seed technology which helped lift countries in Asia out of poverty. "We need a gamechanger like the green revolution was for agriculture," he said.
Chu's appearance before a packed hall at the US pavilion was part of an ambitious outreach effort by the Obama administration to persuade a sceptical international community it is serious about taking action on climate change. It comes amid rising rancour between rich and poor countries. The talks were suspended for five hours today, with negotiators from African and other developing countries accusing the Danish chair of ignoring their concerns.
But Chu said he detected no sign of resentment from the developing countries. "I don't feel that at all that there is any mistrust," he said. "Perhaps in discussion they may see me as a scientist and say: 'let's just get on with it. let's solve the problem'."
He followed up with an appeal for cooperation. "Rather than competing and trying to bargain to the last advantage let's approach this all with a feeling of will and compassion and endurance for the long road ahead," he said. "In the end whatever happens the world has to act on it."
Obama has dispatched more than half a dozen senior members of his team to try to demonstrate America's commitment to cutting emissions and bringing in new energy-efficient technoogies.
Chu described the initiative as an expansion of agreements reached earlier this year with India and China for joint research on energy efficiency, electric vehicles, and carbon capture and technology. Under the initiative, the US will provide $85m over five years to the fund. Italy will provide $30m and Australia $5m.
Chu used charts to show the Obama administration committing to the highest levels of spending on energy research since the oil crisis of the 1970s, with the $80bn investment in green technology in the American economic recovery package.
He singled out two promising areas of research: batteries and the development of powerful wind turbines in a more compact size.
But despite the high-visibility campaign – and the huge crush of people trying to get into the room – America still has some explaining to do.
"Because the Senate hasn't acted [to pass climate change legislation], I think there is quite a lot of interest in what the US is willing to commit," said Jane Lubchenco, who heads the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
But there is one American whose green credentials are often seen as impeccable - Al Gore. The former vice-president was treated like a rock star when he made his debut at the conference centre to release two new reports on the melting of polar ice in the Arctic. He told the packed room that there was a 75% chance that the entire ice cap could be ice-free by summer in the next five to seven years.