On The Legislation Of The Energy Sustainable Development In The USA

Because of the special nature, energy plays an extremely important role in the development of a country and the world economy. However, due to the gradual reduction in traditional energy sources and the difficult in the developing new energy and renewable energy, the supply of the energy use becomes a vital problem which constrains the rate of economic development. The energy distribution in the world is imbalance, which makes many countries accelerate the pace of macroeconomic regulation by law in this area. Therefore, it is necessary and urgent for a country to perfect the energy legal system.As the world’s largest capitalist country, the United States has vast territory, the traditional energy and renewable energy are very rich. However, the rapid development of the U.S. economy and the level of consumption are increasing far more than the energy production and supply level. So the United States has to rely on imported energy to meet the growing need of the economy and consumer demand. With the energy crisis of the1970s, the international environmental activities prevailed, the United States put the emphasize on the increment in the energy legislation, from the norms which regulate traditional energy such as《Surface Mining Control and Reclamation Act of1977》 and 《Emergency Petroleum Allocation Act of1973》, to 《The Public Utility Regulatory Act of1978》 which promote renewable energy development and 《National Energy Conservation Policy Act of1978》 which focus on the energy conservation. All acts demonstrated the concept of sustainable development, improving the traditional energy use structure, developing the new energy and energy-saving technology, coordinating the relationship between the social progress and the natural environment. In addition, the financial and policy support make the energy legal system into the practice easily. The awareness of energy conservation is gradually accepted by the public, the energy utilization structure is becoming more rational.Compare with the United States,the energy law in our country starts late. As the world’s second largest energy producer and consumer countries, energy developlnent faces more severe chalIenges to Solve the energy problems. Our country should stick to the principle "law operates first, energy develops second". We should establish a basic law in lilie with our energy situation,to protect the energy security to improve energy efficiency, to strengthen energy and environmental protection, achieving sustainable developl-nent.Author make use of the comparative method, historical analysis, documentary research and interdisciplinary research method.Frkom the introduction of basic concepts sueh as energy. energy law,the articlc point out that the sustainable developrnent will become the inlportant position in today’s national energy legislation and play a proglrammatic role in guiding the entire legal system.Then the article expound the sustainable developlnent of the U.S. energy on the legal protection system, including the improvement of the traditional energy use structure,the development of neW energ and renewable energy,the improvement of energy efficiency, the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. Afterwards, the author points out the achievements in the energy legislation in the united Stares which is to iInprove the structure of energy use, to protect the environment,achieving the role of sustainable development.FinalIy, the author Summarizes the U.S. legislative experience, analysis the China’s energy utiIization and the energy Iegislative status quo,raises a few suggestions to contribute to improve China’s energy legislation.