ABSTRACT
Competitive and cooperative federalism are examined in the context of the relations between localities and states in energy policies. The focus is on trends in energy politics and policy, traditional and innovative sources of energy efficiency financing, and the effects of the federal economic stimulus funding on state energy plans, local building codes, and utility rates. Concepts of green jobs and green economy, and tools for assessing the effectiveness of state clean energy policy have emerged in recent years. State-of-the-state messages delivered between 2001 and 2012 reveal the principal topics that governors have set as priorities, such as renewable energy technologies, energy efficiency, clean energy, and climate change. Governors have provided leadership in climate and clean energy and but the agenda is jobs. The federal government plays an important enabler role in supporting state and local efforts for climate and clean energy support, as well as related job creation. But Washington can learn from the states and apply successful innovations to national policies and programs. The approaches to these global challenges are multi-level, multi-layered, and multi-jurisdictional and subject to partisan, legal, and philosophical differences among political leaders. The problems are worldwide, but they require localized solutions which defy simple resolutions.
