The investment firm Goldman Sachs has released an environmental policy framework (PDF) and invested billions of dollars in clean energy and research into environmentally-friendly markets, a stark contrast with the inaction of our own government.

high riseIn their environmental policy framework, Goldman Sachs recognizes climate change and its threat to financial markets and general livelihood. Consequently, they advocate limiting emissions, participate in Europe’s carbon market, and have agreed to voluntarily report and cut their own emissions by 7 percent by 2012.

You can find their progress in their 2006 Year-End Report (PDF), which includes the partnerships they have forged, research papers they have commissioned, and even exact numbers for emissions from their real estate utilities.

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Market analysts have called the U.S carbon market a “hibernating giant.” With Goldman Sachs leading the way, the conservative wing of Wall Street seems to have woken up. And so the question is: when will lawmakers on Capitol Hill follow suit?

This post was created for ClimateProgress.org, a project of the Center for American Progress Action Fund.