President Gorbachev Calls for Dramatic Boost to Solar Energy GlobalGreen USA, March 30, 2009 http://www.dallasnews.com/sharedcontent/APStories/stories/D978G0KO0.html Green Cross International Founder Mikhail Gorbachev urged world leaders and the private sector to make big investments in solar energy swiftly as a way out of the current economic crisis and as part of an emergency response to climate change. "For the 2 billion people currently living without electricity, the sun is the best hope. He referred to the "Global Solar Report Card," the first of its kind, analyzing 16 countries investments in solar energy. It outlines successes and failures in 16 countries (and the state of California's) efforts in designing promising policy frameworks for sustained solar development. The United States (C+), with the extension of its only federal-level financial support for solar, assured a much needed long term commitment to the sector. Additional support has since been allocated in the context of the stimulus package. Still, much more could be done in a country with such solar, financial and technological resources. The full report can be found at www.globalgreen.org/solarreportcard .