Open Discussion: Climate and America’s Migration Issues

THE SIERRA CLUB

CLIMATE AND CLEAN ENERGY WRITERS GROUP

Thursday, November 15, 2018

Climate and America’s Migration Issues

Climate Change is driving migration throughout the world by demolishing homes, destroying harvests and disrupting local economies.  The UN states that “An annual average of 21.5 million people have been forcibly displaced by weather-related sudden onset hazards – such as floods, storms, wildfires, extreme temperature – each year since 2008”.  At the same time, immigration policy is an issue that is dividing America.  

Join a discussion of this crucial issue!

6:00-7:30 PM - Crane Branch Library - 633 Elmwood at Highland 
2nd Floor Meeting Room
  
Free and open to the public – writers and non-writers alike
billnowa@gmail.com for info

Climate Change Roundup: Social Injustice, Refugee Crisis, Energy Solutions and Economic Impacts

Pope urges closer cooperation to tackle climate change 

(Vatican Radio) Pope Francis on Friday greeted participants at an international meeting of the Foundation for Sustainable Development which is focused on environmental justice and climate change. Noting the grave threats that our environment is facing today, the Pope stressed that the poor are always those who suffer most from the consequences of climate change.

The issue of climate change is a question of justice and solidarity, Pope Francis said, which affects the dignity of individuals, communities and nations. Science and technology, he continued, have placed in our hands unprecedented power: it is our duty to humanity, and in particular towards the poor and the future generations, to use it for the common good.
Read more Here.

Climate-forced migrations and prospect of refugee crises concern experts

President Barack Obama, speaking this month to an international conference in Alaska about the impact of climate change in the Arctic, cited longstanding concerns that climate change may create more refugees to underscore his call for international action at a diplomatic climate conference in Paris later this year.

If the climate-change “trend lines” charted by scientists continue, “there’s not going to be a nation on this earth that’s not impacted negatively,” Obama said. “People will suffer. Economies will suffer. Entire nations will find themselves under severe, severe problems. More drought; more floods; rising sea levels; greater migration; more refugees; more scarcity; more conflict.

Drought and its consequences are everywhere in the news these days. Scientists recently calculated that global warming has intensified California’s record-breaking drought, now in its fourth year, by as much as 20 percent. The Syrian civil war, which has displaced millions and fed into what is thought to be the largest mass migrations since World War II, was primed by warming-enhanced drought at home that crippled growers, researchers concluded in another study published this year. And drought inspired Russia, a major supplier to the Middle East, to stop all wheat exports.

And while it hasn’t received as much media attention in the U.S., droughts of similar intensities have been unfolding across Central America, Colombia and Brazil.

Read more Here.


VIDEO: "Dear World"
Pope Francis has called on people of all faiths to come together to take action on climate change and protect “our common home.”

NextGen Climate launched a national campaign calling on our leaders to stand with Pope Francis and embrace clean energy solutions that protect our common home and secure our children’s future. 

Will you stand with Francis? Will you embrace clean energy solutions? 

Candidates shouldn't wait to address climate change

What should we do about climate change? When Jake Tapper asked that question at the Republican debate Wednesday night, the candidates were united in their view that the economic costs of fighting climate change are much larger than the potential benefits.

Given that, and the voluminous scientific evidence indicating that global warming is a substantial threat, it's important to understand the extent to which climate change will affect the economy. 

The Stern review, an often cited, well-known study of the effects of climate change commissioned by the U.K. government, found that the impacts would be substantial:

...if we don't act, the overall costs and risks of climate change will be equivalent to losing at least 5% of global GDP each year, now and forever. If a wider range of risks and impacts is taken into account, the estimates of damage could rise to 20% of GDP or more.

In contrast, the costs of action - reducing greenhouse gas emissions to avoid the worst impacts of climate change -- can be limited to around 1% of global GDP each year. ...

The message was clear. We must act now to mitigate the effect of greenhouse gas emissions, or face dire consequences in coming decades.

Read the full article at CBS Money Watch. 

PUBLIC MEETING: State and County Funding for Local Transit

~ CITIZENS FOR REGIONAL TRANSIT QUARTERLY MEETING ~

STATE AND LOCAL FUNDING FOR TRANSIT:

PAST, PRESENT, AND FUTURE OPPORTUNITIES

Wednesday, April 15, 5:30–6:30pm  ~  Doors open at 5:00pm
United Way, 742 Delaware Avenue, Buffalo

Free and Open to All

  
Panel Speakers:

• State Assemblyman Sean Ryan
• Erie County Legislator Patrick Burke
• Lynda Stephens, Subsidy Action Committee, Coalition for Economic Justice

President Doug Funke will moderate a panel discussion on the need for increased state and local funding for the Niagara Frontier Transit Authority and its impact in sustaining and growing Western New York’s economic renaissance. This discussion will consist of brief talks on the need to increase transit funding from New York State and Erie County and the role of the Erie County Industrial Development Agency’s tax exemptions, followed by a question and answer component. The impetus for this needed increase is to address a $10 million shortfall in the NFTA’s current budget. 

Assemblyman Ryan has been leading the recent charge in Albany to address this need. His plan recognizes the positive economic impact of encouraging increased ridership on public transportation as a caveat of additional funding for the system.

Erie County currently provides minimal portions of tax revenues to the NFTA. The Erie County IDA exempts some of these taxes in its incentives to developers and businesses, further limiting the funds available to transit from Erie County.

The Western New York region has recently seen cutbacks in transit services and is now threatened with further cutbacks of critical routes if budget solutions are not found. These transit services facilitate the upward mobility of urban residents who otherwise lack access to well-paying jobs and are needed by area businesses.

Not investing in Western New York’s public transportation is sure to impede future growth and lead to ever worsening traffic congestion on already over-used public thoroughfares such as the Youngman, Kensington and Interstate 90.  Concern about Buffalo’s sustained commercial and labor market growth is everybody’s business, come join us and learn more on April 15th.

Symposium on Fracking and NY State Law [Updated 9.24.2013]

Fractured Communities -

Hydraulic Fracturing and the Law in New York State.

Tuesday, September 24, 2013.

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Organized by the Albany Law Review

Co-sponsored by the Government Law Center

Where: Dean Alexander Moot Courtroom, Albany Law School, Albany, NY 12208

UPDATE - 9.24.2013: Watch the event via live webstream starting at 11:00 a.m. on Tuesday, Sept. 24.

When: 11:00 a.m.

Welcome by Michael White '14, Executive Editor for Symposium

Opening remarks and introductions by President and Dean, Penelope (Penny) Andrews

Panel discussion: Four hydraulic fracturing experts will discuss climate impacts, land use and real estate issues, and economic impacts associated with natural gas drilling.

Speakers include:

• Elizabeth Burleson, Pace Law Professor and Fulbright Senior Specialist on Climate Change

• Sorell E. Negro, Associate, Robinson & Cole

• Karen Moreau '85, Executive Director, New York State Petroleum Council

• Elisabeth Radow, Chair, Committee on Energy, Agriculture and the Environment of the League of Women Voters of New York

Moderator: Tom Wilber, author, Under the Surface: Fracking, Fortunes, and the Fate of the Marcellus Shale

1:30 p.m.

Debate: The legal and policy implications of Norse Energy Corp., USA v. Town of Dryden, the Third Department's decision upholding municipal bans on natural gas drilling, and the future of natural gas extraction in New York.

Featuring:

NY State Won't Fund Hydrofracking Health Impact Study

By David Kowalski  

 

An Economic Impact Study was Funded Last Year

The $132,600,000,000 budget passed by New York State last week did not include funds for a $100,000 study intended to protect the health of NY residents from the fallout of high-volume hydraulic fracturing (hydrofracking) already seen in other states.

Many lawmakers, as well as the governor and the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC), seem bent on moving forward on unconventional shale-gas drilling. Sadly, they ignored sound advice from 250 physicians and healthcare/scientific experts [1] who recognize the lack of a Health Impact Assessment as a major flaw in the DEC’s draft hydrofracking regulations.

Dr. Gina Solomon, a physician with the Natural Resources Defense Council, said health concerns include air pollution, potential contamination of ground or surface water with methane or chemicals used in fracturing fluids, fires or explosions, heavy truck traffic, and altered social conditions.
 
In a Senate Session on the 2012-2013 Budget last week, Senator Mark Grisanti (R-Buffalo), Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee, spoke on the budget. He said that "in other states where high-volume hydraulic fracturing is occurring there are health impact studies that I believe that the DOH [Dept. of Health] to the advisory council is going to be taking a look at. It's very difficult to do a health study on high-volume hydraulic fracturing in NY state when it's not occurring here." [see video here]

Human health impacts deserve far more investigation than "a look." A proper study requires research and funding. Also, the fact that high-volume hydraulic fracturing is "not occurring here" in NY did not stop the DEC from hiring a consulting firm, Ecology and Environment Inc., to do an economic study at a cost of $223,000. That study [4Mb PDF] was in fact based primarily on the occurrence of hydrofracking in the neighboring state of Pennsylvania.

The Assembly Majority had already passed a bill calling for a health study. The $100,000 study would include research into other states' experiences with fracking. It would estimate costs of any health impacts to the state, insurers, employers and the health care system and include a long-term plan for monitoring and mitigating health impacts.

The Senate drafted a health impact assessment bill to fund an in-depth $300,000 study. Sen. Tony Avella (D-Queens), the bill's sponsor and a member of the Environmental Conservation Committee, said in a statement, "Before we allow companies to start drilling for gas and pumping chemicals near our watersheds, it is only reasonable that a study be conducted to provide us with more information about the hydrofracking process and the potential health impacts."

At the 2012-2013 Budget session last week, Sen. Avella introduced an amendment to environmental budget legislation that would have included a health impact assessment on hydrofracking. Avella said, "No matter which side of the aisle you are on, whether you are for hydrofracking or against hydrofracking, the very fact that we could do this process without analyzing the seismic or health impacts of hydrofracking, in my opinion is an absolute disgrace." [see video here]

Senator Avella, the Senate Democratic Conference, and the Assembly Majority should be commended for demonstrating their leadership and dedication to protecting the health and well-being of the people of New York. The bill (S.6772) sponsored by Avella is currently in the Environmental Conservation Committee chaired by Senator Grisanti.

Claire Sandberg, Executive Director of Water Defense, said, “One only need to look at the devastation wreaked by fracking in Pennsylvania to see that gas drilling cannot be done safely. There are perhaps hundreds of families just across the border who are without access to safe drinking water because of fracking-related contamination. How can we trust our elected officials who say we can regulate this inherently dangerous practice, if they don't even support basic funding to study its effect on our public health?"

A full assessment of its health impacts must be completed before a decision can be made about whether or not hydrofracking is permitted in New York.

Kate Hudson, Watershed Program Director at NY Riverkeeper said, "We would still call on the governor to take action. He is in a position to accept or reject any of the proposed change. We think this is way too important and we are going to continue to lobby the Legislature."

Dr. Sandra Steingraber speaks to the DEC about their recent Environmental Impact Statement (SGEIS) and calls for a comprehensive study on the Health Impacts of hydrofracking. Listen: 

Footnote:
[1] Experts included the Medical Society of the State of New York, the American Academy of Pediatrics of New York State, the NY State Nurses Association, the Academy of Family Physicians of New York State, and over 250 individual physicians and scientists.