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December 8, 2014
This image is a screenshot of a new NASA animation of the accelerating ice sheet melt off the West Antarctica land mass. If these ice shelves collapse, it could add close to 11 feet to global sea level rise. Image courtesy of NASA. Click here to watch the video.
On December 3, the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP) announced a new “Climate Education and Literacy Initiative” to scale up national climate change education. Educators, government officials, philanthropic leaders and private sector representatives gathered at the White House the same day for a roundtable discussion on how educators, both formal and informal, can help to further the public’s climate education. The Administration announced six new commitments to expand learning opportunities using federal agencies, and external organizations announced 19 new programs. These programs will include climate fellowships; free online courses; exhibitions in zoos, aquariums and museums; and extra training for teachers. The OSTP announcement called education the next step that needs to be taken on climate action, stating, “Continued progress into the future will depend on ensuring a climate-smart citizenry and a next-generation American workforce of city planners, community leaders, engineers and entrepreneurs who understand the urgent climate change challenge and are equipped with the knowledge, skills and training to seek and implement solutions.”
For more information see:
US News & World Report, White House press release
On December 1, United Nations (UN) officials from 190 countries gathered in Lima, Peru as the 12 day-long UN climate talks began. These talks are expected to resolve remaining “technical and financial issues” as they lay the final groundwork for the next global climate treaty, which is expected to be signed into effect in Paris late next year. For a successful final agreement, however, the countries must overcome a series of obstacles, including the joint issues of money and fairness, both of which had derailed past negotiation attempts. One large issue under discussion is whether or not the climate agreement should be legally binding. Smaller nations favor the legally binding approach, as it lowers the risk that wealthy, large countries will renege on their commitments. However, some larger nations including the United States prefer a voluntary global deal, citing potential domestic opposition to legal commitments. Despite these persistent issues, many remain positive about the outcome of these talks, especially in light of last month’s joint climate agreement between the United States and China. “This [agreement] sends an important signal for the rest of the world to come forward as early as possible with their own contributions,” said the European Union’s chief negotiator, Elina Bardram.
Daily Climate, NY Times, Washington Post, International Business Times, Business Green, Climate Central
On December 1, U.S. envoy for climate negotiations Todd Stern stated that he believed that developed nations will succeed in reaching goals set in 2009 for assisting nations who lack the resources to combat global warming. The promise is to raise $100 billion per year in public and private funds by 2020, which poorer nations will use to cut carbon emissions and increase resiliency. Last month, President Obama pledged $3 billion over a four year period in U.S. support to the Green Climate Fund to support such efforts. This has “very, very strong support from this White House,” said Stern. However, Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), who will lead the Senate environmental committee in the new Congress, calls the pledge “misguided.”
Bloomberg
On November 28, Spain made a pledge to the United Nations-backed Green Climate Fund that brought the fund closer to its interim goal of $10 billion. The Green Climate Fund (GCF), based in Seoul, raises money to help protect the poorest countries in the world from the devastating impacts of climate change and to support low-carbon development. Spain pledged $150 million – a significant increase over its original pledge of $16.3 million – which brought the GCF up to $9.7 billion total in pledges from 22 nations. Leading the effort is the United States, which has the largest pledge to-date with $3 billion. Other nations that have also made substantial donations include: Japan ($1.5 billion), the United Kingdom ($1.2 billion), France ($1.1 billion) and Germany ($1 billion). Hela Cheikhrouhou, GCF executive director, said, “We call upon all countries who have not yet contributed to join in.”
Bloomberg, Reuters, RTCC
On November 21, at the conclusion of the annual Meeting of Parities of the Montreal Protocol, countries took several significant steps in the effort to amend the treaty to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), powerful greenhouse gases up to 10,000 times more potent than carbon dioxide. These steps include an extra meeting in April, replenishing the Multilateral Fund with more than a half billion dollars, and solidified support from major countries for the HFC amendment. During his speech at the high segment level, Indian Environmental Minister Shri Prakash Javadekar underscored India’s stake in the phasedown, stating, “HFCs are the issue of common man, farmers and emerging middle class who need refrigeration and AC at affordable cost and also energy security.”
IGSD press release, Hydrocarbons21, EuroActiv
On December 3, the German government announced plans to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by 78 million tons in the next five years. The new effort is part of Germany’s effort to cut emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020, and would require the use of energy efficiency, as well as the closing of some coal plants. Coal currently accounts for a third of the country’s carbon emissions. To fulfill the nation’s goals, the coal power sector must cut emissions by 22 million tons. According to the Economy and Energy Ministry, “It is clear that further measures are necessary to achieve the climate goal of 40 per cent by 2020. All relevant sectors must achieve reductions.” Germany’s plans are more ambitious than the collective European Union climate plan to cut emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2030. Currently, Germany uses coal for 45 percent of its energy, with renewable energy producing 25 percent. A successful plan would require 25-30 million tons of CO2 emissions to be reduced through energy efficiency improvements to buildings. The Federation of German Industries (BDI) has doubts about these plans, fearing they “will hurt Germany's export-oriented industry and cost jobs and the output gap will simply be offset by imports from mostly coal-fired plants in neighboring states, making the overall contribution to climate change negligible.”
Reuters, Engineering and technology Magazine
In a recently released letter dated October 30 to members of Parliament on the House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee (EAC), the Bank of England stated it would investigate its exposure to the “carbon bubble.” This refers to loss in value of fossil fuel companies if climate action rules are successful, leading to “stranded” fossil fuel assets. Mark Carney, the Bank’s governor, said, “In light of these discussions, we will be deepening and widening our enquiry into the topics.” This was met with positive response from the EAC, which has been conducting its own inquiries into stranded fossil fuel assets. Member of Parliament Joan Walley , chair of the EAC said, “Policy makers and now central banks are waking up to the fact that much of the world’s oil, coal and gas reserves will have to remain in the ground unless carbon capture and storage technologies can be developed more rapidly. It’s time investors recognized this as well and factored political action on climate change into their decisions on fossil fuel investments.” The letter follows comments by Carney in October at the World Bank in which he said that fossil fuel companies will not be able to burn all of their reserves and that investors should consider the risks their investments could face from climate change.
The Guardian, Business Green
In a letter to his supporters, Bill McKibben said he is stepping down as chairman of 350.org, the environmental group he has led since co-founding it in 2007, in order to spend more time to write and organize campaigns. The group, named from a comment made by climate scientist James Hansen saying that the atmospheric carbon dioxide levels should be limited to 350 parts per million to avoid major climate change, has helped organize opposition to the Keystone XL pipeline, joined campaigns against hydraulic fracturing, and discouraged investment in energy companies producing or using fossil fuels. The group has grown rapidly since its founding, requiring a board chairman who according to McKibben “is as good at dealing with organization budgets as carbon budgets.” “If this sounds dramatic, it's not,” McKibben writes. “I will stay on an as active member of the board, and 90 percent of my daily work will stay the same, since it's always involved the external work of campaigning, not the internal work of budgets and flow charts.” He was recently awarded the Right Livelihood Award from Parliament in Sweden, which has been called the “alternative Nobel Prize.”
Bloomberg, Inside Climate News
On December 2, the world’s largest reinsurance firm, Munich Re America, released its 2014 Climate Change Barometer survey. The European firm conducted the study to gauge American feelings toward climate change. The results showed that 83 percent of Americans believe in climate change, with the most concerned Americans residing in the West. Sixty-three percent of respondents showed concern over natural disaster frequency and intensity, including hurricanes, tornadoes, and floods. "Our survey findings indicate that national sentiment over whether or not climatic changes are occurring has finally reached a tipping point," stated Tony Kuczinski, president of Munich Re America. The survey was conducted by ORC International from October 9-12. The 1,008 adults who were surveyed were asked, "In your opinion, do you believe that climate change is occurring?" with no reference to the cause. The survey also found that 71 percent of Americans believe the most effective method of combating climate change would be the use of alternative energy.
USA Today, Insurance Journal
The public comment period for Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed Clean Power Plan closed on December 1. The next day, 223 companies released a joint letter in support of EPA’s carbon reduction plan for existing power plants. This effort was lead and organized by Ceres, a non-profit advocate for sustainability leadership. Mindy Lubber, president of Ceres, said, “These companies recognize that the EPA’s power plant rule is a critical step in mitigating climate ricks and accelerating low-carbon technologies that hold enormous economic promise.” The letter was sent to EPA, the White House, and Congressional leaders. The companies, including Ikea, Nike, Nestle, Levis Strauss, and Kellogg, commended the proposed regulations as “a win economically and a win environmentally.”
In related news, on December 1, the Evangelical Environmental Network (EEN) and Environmental Entrepreneurs (E2) both submitted comments in support of EPA’s Clean Power Plan, announcing their comments together in a joint press release. Rev. Mitchell Hescox, president and CEO of EEN, brought together more than 100,000 Evangelical Christians to sign onto EEN’s comments, citing their concerns about children’s health. Hescox commented, “From acid rain to mercury to carbon, the coal utility industry has never acted as a good neighbor and cleaned up their mess on their own. Instead of acting for the benefit of our children’s lives, they’ve internalized their profits while our kids [have] borne the cost in their brains, lungs and lives.” E2 convened 350 entrepreneurs, investors and CEOs in the entrepreneurial community to sign onto their comments. E2 says their members have funded or founded over 1,700 companies, and manage over $100 billion in venture or private capital destined for funding future companies.
Ceres, USA Today, Huffington Post, Washington Post
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1. Former Secretary of State George Schultz Calls for Climate Adaptation Measures
2. Lawsuits in California Aim to Make Spenders of Government Money Consider Climate Change
3. Japanese “Climate Finance” For Coal Plants Shows Lack of UN Rules
4. Largest Power Company in Germany Splinters
5. Mexico’s Emissions Reduction Efforts are Falling Short
6. Chairman of National Intelligence Council Says Climate Change is a Security Consideration
7. Rushing to Study Himalayan Glaciers As They Melt
8. Barbra Streisand is Behind Global Warming “Hoax,” Senator Inhofe Says
9. California-Quebec Carbon Auction Raises $407 Million
Authors: Emily Jackson, Angelo Bardales, Carlos Villacis and Brendan Ingargiola
Editor: Laura Small
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