Climate News Round-Up | October 16 - October 29 2019 | Article

Welcome to Climate Change Solutions for October 29!

Newly published research discussed impacts of climate change including flood pattern changes, Alaska’s rapid warming, and beaches disappearing due to rising seas and over-development. Concurrent policy discussion and developments may provide guidance on how to answer these and other pressing climate issues.

Nature-based solutions for adaptation surfaced in Washington, D.C. last week during a Congressional hearing that facilitated remarkable consensus between parties--solutions which are also being promoted in a new UN Foundation campaign leading up to the COP25 meeting in Chile. Wealthy countries pledged $9.8 billion to the Green Climate Fund to promote adaptation measures in the Global South, and the U.S. made $1.2 billion in commitments to protect oceans at the Our Ocean conference. These funds undoubtedly will include nature-based solutions.

While the Trump administration made controversial initial moves to withdraw from the Paris Climate Agreement, legislators found common ground around emissions reductions through improving energy efficiency, highlighted during a hearing with the Senate Committee on Energy and Natural Resources. A bombshell report from the New York Times additionally uncovered roadblocks to achieving higher energy efficiency in buildings, and EESI’s new fact sheet on commercial aviation outlines emissions reduction challenges in that sector.

Both nature-based solutions and energy efficiency could be topics of discussion for the recently announced, first-ever, bipartisan Senate Climate Solutions Caucus.

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The climate fight was taken to courts across the globe the past two weeks -- Oil giant Exxon got hit with two lawsuits from New York and Massachusetts attorney generals for purposefully misleading investors on potential impacts of carbon regulation, alleging that the company knew about, but did not disclose, the dangers of climate change.

Other notable lawsuits the include Canadian kids suing their government for climate-related damages, a German farmer suing his government for lack of climate action, and the Trump administration sued the state of California for entering into a cap-and-trade program with the Canadian province of Quebec.

Jane Fonda has so far been arrested three times for her weekly “Fire Drill Fridays” climate protests at D.C.’s Capitol building that began October 11. Fonda intends to protest--and get arrested--until the end of the year.

Across the States

Florida legislators discussed “lost decade” of climate inaction, California is dealing with a new bout of wildfires forcing evacuations and polluting the air, and Wisconsin Governor takes Tony Evers takes initiative and signs an executive order creating a climate task force.

Headlines:

Climate Change is Affecting the Way Europe Floods, Experts Warn, Phys Org

New Report Highlights Alaska’s Last Five Years of Dramatic Climate Change, NOAA

Your Favorite Beaches around the World Could Disappear because of the Climate Crisis, Development, CNN

House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis Finds Common Ground on Nature-Based Solutions, EESI

#EyeOnClimate Campaign Features Solutions for Nature, from Nature, UN Foundation

Wealthy Countries Pledge $9.8 Billion Climate Fund to Aid Poorer Nations, DW

Ahead of Paris Climate Deal Withdrawal, Trump Admin Makes $1.2B Investment in Oceans, ABC

EESI Executive Director Testifies Before Senate on Energy Efficiency, EESI

Secret Deal Helped Housing Industry Stop Tougher Rules on Climate Change, New York Times

Fact Sheet: The Growth in Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Commercial Aviation, EESI

Senators Launch Bipartisan Climate Change Initiative, NBC