(From a Press Release on October 31 by the World Wildlife Fund submitted by Vivian Stockman.

WASHINGTON - October 31 - A new World Wildlife Fund study released today indicates that energy efficiency policies and development of renewable energy resources could result in 750,000 new jobs nationwide over the next nine years and 1.3 million new jobs by 2020. According to the study "Clean Energy: Jobs for America's Future," the US gross domestic product (GDP) would also increase by $23 billion by 2010 and continue to grow under such conditions. The net increase in US GDP would be $43.9 billion by 2020.

"This study shows that a responsible approach to energy policy can help us meet the challenge of climate change while still benefiting the economy and creating new jobs," added Brooks Yeager, vice president of Global Threats for World Wildlife Fund. "A serious and sustained national effort to improve the energy efficiency of our cars, trucks and buildings will offer us a better future with sustainable economic growth and allow us to conserve irreplaceable wilderness refuges for future generations."

A related benefit would be an additional $220 increase in annual wage and salary earnings per household by 2010, increasing to $400 per household by 2020.

The policies analyzed in the WWF study would serve national interests in reducing American demand and therefore, dependency on oil. The study shows that these policies also create more jobs and offer greater economic benefits than can be generated by drilling in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge despite the unsubstantiated claims of drilling proponents.

The portfolio of policies analyzed in the study are as follows.

Buildings and Industry Sector

-- Appliance Standards

-- Building Codes

-- Voluntary Measures

-- Research and Development

-- Public Benefits Fund

-- Tax Credits

-- Combined Heat and Power and District Energy Systems

Electric Sector

-- Renewable Portfolio Standard

-- NOx/SO2 Cap and Trade

-- Carbon Cap and Trade

Transport Sector

-- Light Duty Vehicle Efficiency Improvements

-- Heavy Duty Vehicle Efficiency Improvements

-- Aircraft Efficiency Improvements

-- Greenhouse Gas Standards for Fuels

-- Travel Demand Reductions and High Speed Rail

The study is based on research and analysis conducted by the Tellus Institute on behalf of the World Wildlife Fund. The data used in the study is from the U.S. Department of Energy, Energy Information Administration's Annual Energy Outlook for 2001 and Bureau of Labor Statistics' Economic and Employment Projections.