Changing climate imperils global food and water supplies, new U.N. study finds
Agriculture and other land use accounts for 23 percent of human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
by Brady Dennis | Aug 8 2019 | Washington Post
The world cannot avoid the worst impacts of climate change without making serious changes to the ways humans grow food, raise livestock and manage forests, according to a landmark study Thursday from an international group of scientists.
The sprawling report from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) examines how land use around the world contributes to the warming of Earth’s atmosphere. But the report also details how climate change is already threatening food and water supplies for humans: turning arable land to desert; degrading soil; and increasing the threat of droughts, floods and other extreme weather that can wreak havoc on crops.
It makes clear that although fossil fuel-burning power plants and automobile tailpipes are the largest drivers of climate change, activities such as agriculture and forestry account for an estimated 23 percent of total human-caused greenhouse gas emissions.
“We already knew that humanity’s over-exploitation of the Earth’s lands is a key driver of climate change, and that we need to take urgent, ambitious action to address these issues,” Jennifer Tabola, director for global climate strategy at the Nature Conservancy, said in a statement. “We have a choice: do we balance the needs of human development and nature, or do we sleepwalk into a future of failing farmlands, eroding soil, collapsing ecosystems and dwindling food resources?”
Four years ago in Paris, world leaders agreed to take aggressive action to keep global warming to “well below” 2 degree Celsius, compared with pre-industrial levels. Their aspiration was to limit warming to no more than 1.5 degrees Celsius (the world has already warmed 1 degree).
But Thursday’s report, which includes the work of 107 experts from 52 countries, underscores that meeting those goals will require fundamental changes not only to the transportation and energy sectors, but also by cutting emissions from agriculture and deforestation — all while feeding growing populations.dd
Last fall, IPCC scientists found that nations will need to take “unprecedented” actions to cut their carbon emissions over the next decade to avoid devastating effects from rising seas, more intense storms and other impacts of climate change.
[The world has just over a decade to get climate change under control, U.N. scientists say]
They also detailed how such a radical transformation would require large swaths of land currently used to produce food to instead be converted to growing trees that store carbon and crops designated for energy use.
“Such large transitions pose profound challenges for sustainable management of the various demands on land for human settlements, food, livestock feed, fibre, bioenergy, carbon storage, biodiversity and other ecosystem services,” the authors wrote at the time.
A significant amount of agricultural emissions comes from livestock — primarily from the belches of cattle. Additionally, while all soils emit some nitrous oxide, soil on farms often emits higher levels because of nitrogen that is added in the form of manure, fertilizers or other material. Meanwhile, deforestation in places such as the Amazon and Indonesia has harmed the ability of forests to retain carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
Showing posts with label greenhouse gas emissions. Show all posts
Showing posts with label greenhouse gas emissions. Show all posts
Sunday, September 15, 2019
Sunday, July 28, 2019
NY State Assembly Passes Climate Leadership And Community Protection Act
Legislation sets the goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 85 percent by 2050, and having net zero emissions in all sectors of the economy
Speaker Carl Heastie and Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Steve Englebright today announced Assembly passage of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, a comprehensive bill that sets critical environmental standards, including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the use of renewable energy in order to address and mitigate the effects of climate change (A.8429, Englebright).
"Climate change is already having adverse effects on communities here in New York, and if it continues unchecked, it will wreak havoc on our environment, our economy and on the everyday lives of New Yorkers," Speaker Heastie said. "As the administration in Washington rolls back environmental protections, the Assembly Majority will continue to lead the way in developing green energy alternatives and sustainable policies and practices."
"People across the state, from Buffalo to Long Island, have urged New York to act on climate change. I am proud that the Assembly Majority has led the way on this issue and has now passed the most comprehensive climate legislation in the nation. This bill sets New York on a course for a sustainable future by transitioning our state to clean renewable energy, unleashing the genius of American industry, and ensuring good paying jobs that work for all New Yorkers," said Assemblymember Englebright.
The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act would require that the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) establish:
Speaker Carl Heastie and Environmental Conservation Committee Chair Steve Englebright today announced Assembly passage of the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, a comprehensive bill that sets critical environmental standards, including reductions in greenhouse gas emissions and increasing the use of renewable energy in order to address and mitigate the effects of climate change (A.8429, Englebright).
"Climate change is already having adverse effects on communities here in New York, and if it continues unchecked, it will wreak havoc on our environment, our economy and on the everyday lives of New Yorkers," Speaker Heastie said. "As the administration in Washington rolls back environmental protections, the Assembly Majority will continue to lead the way in developing green energy alternatives and sustainable policies and practices."
"People across the state, from Buffalo to Long Island, have urged New York to act on climate change. I am proud that the Assembly Majority has led the way on this issue and has now passed the most comprehensive climate legislation in the nation. This bill sets New York on a course for a sustainable future by transitioning our state to clean renewable energy, unleashing the genius of American industry, and ensuring good paying jobs that work for all New Yorkers," said Assemblymember Englebright.
The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act would require that the Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) establish:
- Statewide greenhouse gas emissions limits by regulation, to reduce emissions 85 percent by 2050;
- Regulations to achieve statewide greenhouse gas emissions reductions; and
- A process ensuring that a minimum of 35 percent of investments from clean energy and energy efficiency funds are invested in disadvantaged communities.
NY State Senate Passes Historic Climate Leadership And Community Protection Act
Albany, NY -- The Senate today [5.19.2019] passed the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) to address and mitigate the effects of climate change by drastically cutting greenhouse gases, diverting the state’s energy reliance to renewable sources, and creating green jobs to promote environmental justice across New York State. This bill is the most comprehensive and aggressive climate change legislation in the nation.
"Today marks a historic day for New York State in the fight against climate change," Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said. "As our leaders in Washington fail to take action, New York needs to lead in this time of great crises for our planet. I commend Senator Todd Kaminsky for championing this bill and protecting New York's future generations."
Bill Sponsor and Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee, Senator Todd Kaminsky, said, “While Washington is asleep at the wheel, New York is leading the way. The CLCPA will virtually eliminate New York’s greenhouse gasses, foster renewable energy production, create green jobs, invest in lower-income communities, and protect our planet. New Yorkers and the world cannot wait any longer. This is the moment for bold, global change--and I’m proud to say New York is leading the nation.”
The Senate Majority held a series of hearings on the Climate Leadership and Community Protect Act (CLCPA), led by Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee, Senator Todd Kaminsky, in Albany, New Paltz, Syracuse, New York City, and Long Island. These hearings allowed concerned citizens, stakeholders, and environmental experts to provide testimony on how climate change has impacted their communities and recommendations for New York State moving forward.
The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, S.6599, will:
"Today marks a historic day for New York State in the fight against climate change," Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins said. "As our leaders in Washington fail to take action, New York needs to lead in this time of great crises for our planet. I commend Senator Todd Kaminsky for championing this bill and protecting New York's future generations."
Bill Sponsor and Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee, Senator Todd Kaminsky, said, “While Washington is asleep at the wheel, New York is leading the way. The CLCPA will virtually eliminate New York’s greenhouse gasses, foster renewable energy production, create green jobs, invest in lower-income communities, and protect our planet. New Yorkers and the world cannot wait any longer. This is the moment for bold, global change--and I’m proud to say New York is leading the nation.”
The Senate Majority held a series of hearings on the Climate Leadership and Community Protect Act (CLCPA), led by Chair of the Environmental Conservation Committee, Senator Todd Kaminsky, in Albany, New Paltz, Syracuse, New York City, and Long Island. These hearings allowed concerned citizens, stakeholders, and environmental experts to provide testimony on how climate change has impacted their communities and recommendations for New York State moving forward.
The Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act, S.6599, will:
- Minimize the adverse impacts of climate change by reducing statewide greenhouse gas emissions.
- Improve the state’s resiliency to the certain effects and risks of climate change.
- Ensure that the ongoing transition of the state's energy sector will create good jobs and protect workers and communities during the transition process.
- Prioritize the safety and health of disadvantaged communities, control the potential regressive impacts of future climate change mitigation, and adopt policies for these communities.
Friday, January 25, 2019
Climate & Energy: Cuomo's 'Green New Deal' is not comprehensive, NY Renews says
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Gov targets 100% clean energy by ’40; Some say it’s not enough
January 21, 2019 | The VillagerBY SYDNEY PEREIRA | Governor Andrew Cuomo recently announced his version of a “Green New Deal” to tackle climate change and ramp up clean energy.
Under his plan, 100 percent of the state’s electricity would be generated by clean power by 2040. This would be achieved by using a mix of energy sources like solar, wind, nuclear and hydropower.
A new Climate Action Council would develop a plan for carbon neutrality across the entire economy — meaning reducing the carbon footprint across industries and sources of greenhouse gas emissions that are causing climate change.
“We know it’s coming,” Cuomo said in his State of the State address on Jan. 15. “Let the economy be here.”
Cuomo’s “Green New Deal” also includes green technology development, a $1.5 billion investment in offshore wind projects, and a $70 million property-tax compensation fund to help communities transition when old power plants close.
“We want those old plants closed. We want more efficient plants,” Cuomo said. But the state should fund the transition, so “those communities don’t shoulder the burden themselves,” he said.
Cuomo’s announcement comes after years of planning by a coalition of community groups, NY Renews, that have pushed for their own version of a climate action plan. Their plan forms the basis of the current Climate and Community Protection Act, sponsored by state Senator Brad Hoylman and Assemblymember Steve Englebright.
That bill would have mandated the state’s electricity be generated by 50 percent renewable energy by 2030, and that all industries eliminate 100 percent of greenhouse gas emissions by 2050. The community-initiated bill passed three times in the Assembly but has languished in the Senate.
NY Renews welcomed Cuomo’s announcement, but criticized his failure to set a timeline for a transition to clean power economywide.
“For years, the Climate and Community Protection Act has represented a true climate-justice agenda for our state,” NY Renews said in a statement in response to Cuomo’s address. “It is heartening to see progress toward a fossil-fuel-free New York.”
However, the coalition added, a “truly comprehensive plan to tackle climate change needs more specific deadlines, planning processes and accountability for moving our whole economy off of fossil fuels than are currently included.”
Thursday, January 3, 2019
Cuomo must Act to turn Climate Promises into Enforceable Policies
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| State Capitol Protest March - Cuomo: Walk the Talk on Climate! |
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Cuomo talks big about climate change.
Now it’s time for New York to pass actual policies.
By Greta Moran | Grist | Dec 31, 2018If you want to hear some fiery climate promises, just listen to a recent speech by New York Governor Andrew Cuomo. In the span of a couple minutes, he blasted the federal government’s inaction on climate change, vowed to “leave this planet better than we found it,” and promised to make New York’s electricity 100 percent carbon-neutral by 2040 — and eventually, completely eliminate the state’s carbon footprint.
Despite these strong words, some aren’t holding their breath until they see concrete steps from Cuomo (after all, this is the same governor who just in May headlined a gala funded by oil companies.) “It’s only a statement, and that’s not strong enough,” says Patrick Houston, an organizer with New York Communities for Change. “We urgently need bold climate goals to be written into the law.”
New York state has its best chance in years to pass progressive climate legislation in 2019, when Democrats will take control of the state Senate for the first time in a decade. (They already have a majority in the state House.) The midterm elections positioned many states to take bolder action, ushering climate champions to governorships and state legislatures in Colorado, Nevada, and Maine.
It’s good timing, because the federal government led by President Trump is dismantling environmental policies that are more critical than ever. And if we don’t act soon, climate change will bring a future of food shortages, mass extinctions, and natural disasters like we’ve never seen, as the United Nations’ IPCC report laid out in October.
“The IPCC report is harrowing,” says Kevin Smiley, a professor of environmental sociology at the University of Buffalo. “This is a time when a few states or cities have the opportunity to make a big stamp.”
Cuomo hasn’t released the details of his climate proposal yet, so we’ll have to wait and see if his promises carry weight. In the meantime, it’s worth asking: What would an ideal state climate plan look like, anyway? And how can states make sure their pledges are more than empty promises? I spoke with climate organizers and policy experts about what the states — New York as well as the other 49 — need to do to meet the very real, ever-knocking demands of climate change.
Think beyond electricity
Electricity accounts for only 30 percent of greenhouse gas emissions in New York, according to the state’s Greenhouse Gas Inventory, last updated in 2015. That’s a sizable chunk, but to take on that other 70 percent, Cuomo’s plan would need to consider every sector of the economy. That means all sources of greenhouse gas emissions, including buildings, transportation, and all forms of infrastructure, says Ann Carlson, a UCLA law professor who focuses on climate change and policy.
States can work together on their emissions targets, like the coalition of Northeastern and mid-Atlantic states that agreed on regional transportation goals, and the other state-based coalition that has set shared caps on greenhouse gas emissions through the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative. “We have a lot of small states that collectively can make a big difference,“ Carlson says.
Put the people most affected by climate change first
“Across the state, we can see that there are communities that have existing inequalities that are exacerbated by climate change,” says Adrien Salazar, a lead organizer with New York Renews, a coalition of more than 100 climate and labor groups. “When think about putting our economy on a path to 100 percent renewable energy, we want to make sure that those communities are invested in.”
New York state’s current energy plan doesn’t include explicit protections for these communities. New York Renews has been working to change this and pass the Climate and Community Protection Act, which would put the state on the path to running solely on renewable energy. It requires 40 percent of clean energy projects to be in communities impacted by climate change. The act would also give those communities ownership over these projects and ensure fair labor standards are in place.
Make it a law, not a suggestion
Monday, December 17, 2018
Pending Climate Bill could Transform NY Energy Market
Could New York go carbon free by 2050?
The Climate and Community Protection Act could transform New York’s energy market.
By Susan Arbetter | December 12, 2018 | Excerpt
The Climate and Community Protection Act, sponsored by state Sen. Brad Hoylman and Assemblyman Steve Englebright, is an expansive bill that requires New York state to generate 50 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030. By 2050, the bill would require the elimination of all greenhouse gas emissions.
The bill is process-oriented. Baked into the plan is a climate action playbook that proponents say will guide the state from its current level of fossil fuel use down to zero.
For workers who may be displaced by the proposed transition to renewables, the bill includes prevailing wage standards and addresses the needs of environmental justice communities where many fossil fuel plants are currently located. The bill is, in one activist’s words, “a B-12 shot for the state’s renewables.”
Currently, New York only uses 3 percent wind energy and less than 1 percent from solar energy. “This is the most important issue on Earth,” said Englebright, who chairs the Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation. “States now have to pick up the slack that has been created by the inaction of the federal government.”
State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, who was recently tapped to chair the state Senate’s Environmental Conservation Committee starting in January, agreed. “There is no doubt we need to take aggressive steps to address climate change,” he said. “This bill will be the central vehicle by which we will accomplish that.”
Peter Iwanowicz, executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York, said the state needs a strong foundation for setting its clean energy goals in law. “Right now the goals don’t exist in law,” he said. “They are at the whim of the executive.”
The Climate and Community Protection Act could transform New York’s energy market.
By Susan Arbetter | December 12, 2018 | Excerpt
The Climate and Community Protection Act, sponsored by state Sen. Brad Hoylman and Assemblyman Steve Englebright, is an expansive bill that requires New York state to generate 50 percent of its electricity from renewable energy by 2030. By 2050, the bill would require the elimination of all greenhouse gas emissions.
The bill is process-oriented. Baked into the plan is a climate action playbook that proponents say will guide the state from its current level of fossil fuel use down to zero.
For workers who may be displaced by the proposed transition to renewables, the bill includes prevailing wage standards and addresses the needs of environmental justice communities where many fossil fuel plants are currently located. The bill is, in one activist’s words, “a B-12 shot for the state’s renewables.”
Currently, New York only uses 3 percent wind energy and less than 1 percent from solar energy. “This is the most important issue on Earth,” said Englebright, who chairs the Assembly Committee on Environmental Conservation. “States now have to pick up the slack that has been created by the inaction of the federal government.”
State Sen. Todd Kaminsky, who was recently tapped to chair the state Senate’s Environmental Conservation Committee starting in January, agreed. “There is no doubt we need to take aggressive steps to address climate change,” he said. “This bill will be the central vehicle by which we will accomplish that.”
Peter Iwanowicz, executive director of Environmental Advocates of New York, said the state needs a strong foundation for setting its clean energy goals in law. “Right now the goals don’t exist in law,” he said. “They are at the whim of the executive.”
Saturday, October 13, 2018
Public Meeting: Importance of Transit in Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions
Citizens for Regional Transit
Quarterly Public Meeting
The Importance of Transit for Meeting U.S. Target
Greenhouse Gas Reductions and
Ongoing Efforts to Meet Those Targets
Thursday, October 18
5:30 - 7:00 p.m. (doors open at 5:00)
Central Library
1 Lafayette Square, Buffalo
Central Meeting Room (upstairs)
PRESENTERS:
- Bonnie Lawrence, Erie County Dept. of Environment & Planning
- Doug Funke, Citizens for Regional Transit
- TBD, Representative from the NFTA
FREE AND OPEN TO THE PUBLIC
Thursday, February 8, 2018
Presentation: LOCAL CLIMATE GOALS - What are they? How can we meet them?
The Sierra Club
Climate & Clean Energy Writers Group
Thursday, February 15, 2018
LOCAL CLIMATE GOALS
What are they? How can we meet them?
County
Executive Mark Poloncarz recently released the report Erie County
Commits to Paris - How Erie County Can Meet U.S. Target Reductions for
Greenhouse Gas Emissions. Come get the facts on what the local sources
are for greenhouse gases (GHG). Learn about the County's plans to reduce
GHG emissions both in-house and in the community.
6:00-7:30 PM
Crane Branch Library
633 Elmwood at Highland
2nd Floor Meeting Room
Free & Open to the Public - Writers and Non-Writers alike
BillNowa@gmail.com for informationSunday, November 6, 2016
Paris Climate Agreement Is Now International Law
Environmentalists say the agreement is just the first step of a much longer and complicated process of transitioning away from fossil fuels.
AP Report
The Paris Agreement to combat climate change became international law on Friday — a landmark deal about tackling global warming amid growing fears that the world is becoming hotter even faster than scientists expected.
So far, 96 countries, accounting for just over two-thirds of the world's greenhouse gas emissions, have formally joined the accord, which seeks to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit). More countries are expected to come aboard in the coming weeks and months.
U.N. Secretary General Ban-Ki moon praised the civil groups for mobilizing hundreds of millions of people to back fighting climate change, but warned the outcome remained uncertain.
"We are still in a race against time. We need to transition to a low-emissions and climate-resilient future," Ban said. "Now is the time to strengthen global resolve, do what science demands and seize the opportunity to build a safer more sustainable world for all."
Scientists praised the speed at which the agreement, signed by over 190 parties last December in Paris, has come into force, saying it underscores a new commitment by the international community to address the problem which is melting polar ice caps, sending sea levels rising and transforming vast swaths of arable land into desert.
But environmentalists say the agreement is just the first step of a much longer and complicated process of transitioning away from fossil fuels, which currently supply the bulk of the planet's energy needs and also are the primary drivers of global warming.
Naomi Ages, climate liability project lead at Greenpeace, said that it was up to civil society groups to hold governments and corporations responsible.
"We know that existing fossil fuel projects will push us past 2 degrees, so we're mobilizing around the world to keep it in the ground and stop development of new fossil fuel projects," Ages said.
While the Paris agreement is legally binding, the emissions reductions that each country has committed to are not. Instead, the agreement seeks to create a transparent system that will allow the public to monitor how well each country is doing in meeting its goals in hopes that this will motivate them to transition more quickly to clean, renewable energy like wind, solar and hydropower.
The agreement also requires governments to develop climate action plans that will be periodically revised and replaced with new, even more ambitious, plans. Many of these details will begin to be addressed at the COP22 climate change meeting that begins next week in Marrakech, Morocco.
 | ||
| 1.5 deg. C limit prevents flooding Island Nations and coasts |
U.N. Secretary General Ban-Ki moon praised the civil groups for mobilizing hundreds of millions of people to back fighting climate change, but warned the outcome remained uncertain.
"We are still in a race against time. We need to transition to a low-emissions and climate-resilient future," Ban said. "Now is the time to strengthen global resolve, do what science demands and seize the opportunity to build a safer more sustainable world for all."
Scientists praised the speed at which the agreement, signed by over 190 parties last December in Paris, has come into force, saying it underscores a new commitment by the international community to address the problem which is melting polar ice caps, sending sea levels rising and transforming vast swaths of arable land into desert.
But environmentalists say the agreement is just the first step of a much longer and complicated process of transitioning away from fossil fuels, which currently supply the bulk of the planet's energy needs and also are the primary drivers of global warming.
Naomi Ages, climate liability project lead at Greenpeace, said that it was up to civil society groups to hold governments and corporations responsible.
"We know that existing fossil fuel projects will push us past 2 degrees, so we're mobilizing around the world to keep it in the ground and stop development of new fossil fuel projects," Ages said.
While the Paris agreement is legally binding, the emissions reductions that each country has committed to are not. Instead, the agreement seeks to create a transparent system that will allow the public to monitor how well each country is doing in meeting its goals in hopes that this will motivate them to transition more quickly to clean, renewable energy like wind, solar and hydropower.
The agreement also requires governments to develop climate action plans that will be periodically revised and replaced with new, even more ambitious, plans. Many of these details will begin to be addressed at the COP22 climate change meeting that begins next week in Marrakech, Morocco.
Read more here and at The Guardian.
One of the main focus points of the COP22 meeting will be how to make the abstract goals outlined in the Paris agreement - to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future - a concrete reality.
Hundreds of engineers, researchers and scientists will be attending what the UN has described as a "brainstorming session" to look at ways to de-carbonise our lives.
They will consider a wide range of clean energy technologies, including renewables, carbon capture systems, battery technology, and green transport.
The Paris agreement does not detail how the private sector or carbon markets can be used in emission-reductions efforts, but does endorse them as a way of reducing carbon emissions.
The Paris agreement, however, sends a clear signal to companies around the world that they must look to reduce emissions now, or end up paying a high price later.
Read more here: The Paris climate agreement and why it matters
~ ~ ~
One of the main focus points of the COP22 meeting will be how to make the abstract goals outlined in the Paris agreement - to accelerate and intensify the actions and investments needed for a sustainable low carbon future - a concrete reality.
Hundreds of engineers, researchers and scientists will be attending what the UN has described as a "brainstorming session" to look at ways to de-carbonise our lives.
They will consider a wide range of clean energy technologies, including renewables, carbon capture systems, battery technology, and green transport.
The Paris agreement does not detail how the private sector or carbon markets can be used in emission-reductions efforts, but does endorse them as a way of reducing carbon emissions.
The Paris agreement, however, sends a clear signal to companies around the world that they must look to reduce emissions now, or end up paying a high price later.
Read more here: The Paris climate agreement and why it matters
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| [Click image to enlarge] |
Thursday, August 4, 2016
We Need to Stop Dangerous Global Warming
By David Kowalski
Excess greenhouse gas in the atmosphere caused by burning fossil fuels - coal, oil, or natural gas - is now resulting in dangerous global warming. Fifteen of the sixteen warmest years have occurred since the year 2000. 2014 set a new record and 2015 topped it. 2016 is on track for even more extreme warming, with January through June showing record-breaking global temperatures (NASA graph, below).
Burning fossil fuels emits carbon dioxide (CO2), a greenhouse gas that traps heat and is raising Earth’s temperature. Human-caused CO2 levels in the atmosphere are now about 40% greater than the highest levels detected in Nature in the past 650,000 years (NASA graph with annotations by D.K., below).
We are now in uncharted territory. Human activity, specifically the burning of fossil fuels, is generating more CO2 gas than Nature can absorb from the atmosphere.
The persistent accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere, which began with the Industrial Revolution, is raising the temperature of our planet. This is certainly cause for alarm, since rising global temperatures are impacting weather patterns, driving climate change and having dire consequences.
It’s Getting HOT in Here!
Nowhere is the fingerprint of climate change more evident than with extreme heat.
This year, summer got it's hottest start ever in three states: California, New Mexico and Arizona. Over 30 million people were under heat warnings or advisories. Record-shattering temperatures of 109° occurred in Los Angeles and 122° in Palm Springs. Tragically, on June 20th, six people died outdoors in 118° heat in Arizona. Between 600 and 1,500 heat-related deaths occur in an average summer in the U.S.
Heat waves last for days and are deadly. Severe heat waves in Europe in 2003 and Russia in 2010 resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. In 2015, thousands died in heat waves that occurred in India and Pakistan. A Chicago heat wave with temperatures up to 104° killed nearly 750 people in 1995. A California heat wave with temperatures as high as 119° caused up to 450 deaths in 2006.
A combination of heat and humidity (the Heat Index) that makes it feel like it’s 105° or hotter is termed a ‘danger day’. Warming temperatures are about to push U.S. cities into a new mode where danger days happen regularly. By 2030, 84 cities with nearly one-third of the U.S. population are projected to deal with at least 20 danger days annually if carbon emissions continue unabated. In the South, Miami is projected to have 126 danger days by 2030.
Buffalo is projected to have fewer danger days (6) by 2030, but the number will increase to 15 by 2050 if carbon emissions continue unabated. By 2030, Buffalo is projected to have 38 ‘extreme caution’ days, when the heat index tops 90°. The latter days are the greatest threat to children and the elderly, who are more sensitive to the heat, and to those in residences without air conditioning.
Cutting carbon emissions worldwide is vital to reducing the risk of heat-related death and illness.
Drought, Flooding, Wildfires and Extreme Weather
Higher temperatures increase the amount of moisture that evaporates from land and water, and have contributed to drought in some areas. At the same time, increased water vapor in the atmosphere caused by the elevated warming has resulted in heavy downpours in other areas.
Extreme events linked to global warming and predicted earlier by climate scientists are in fact occurring now around the world and here at home: unprecedented drought in California, destructive downpours and historic flooding in Texas and West Virginia, more intense hurricanes like Sandy in New York, and raging wildfires in the Southwest U.S. and in Canada.
Drought, flooding and excess heat threaten human health and safety. Such events can also cause crop destruction, food insecurity and human conflicts, threatening our ability to sustain life on this planet.
Ocean Warming, Ice Melting, and Sea-level Rise
Oceans, which cover 70% of our planet, are absorbing 93% of the excess heat of global warming. Hot ocean waters are bleaching and killing coral reefs, disrupting ecosystems that harbor fish, an important food source. Continued warming of oceans will increase melting of polar ice sheets, cause extensive sea level rise and flood coastal cities, including New York City and Miami. This would be catastrophic -- displacing large populations, causing unrest and costing trillions of dollars. Low-lying island nations face the threat of being swallowed by rising seas.
What Can YOU Do?
There is no doubt that global warming and climate change are happening now. We all need to take action locally to help end human-caused global warming.
It is essential that we push our governments at national, state and local levels adopt measures to prevent the worst impacts of global warming. Bold energy policies with mandates and timelines are urgently needed to shift to clean, renewable energy, increase energy efficiency, and cut carbon emissions that cause global warming.
Let your elected officials know that ending global warming pollution by transitioning to clean, renewable energy also presents real opportunities. It will not only stabilize the climate and energy prices, but also lead to good-paying jobs, healthier communities and a more just society.
And don't forget to Vote! Vote for candidates who seek to protect People and the Planet.
Get more informed and involved with activists in the Sierra Club Niagara Group through monthly Executive Committee meetings, presentations/discussions at a Writers Group, and a Climate & Energy Committee meeting (Email: NiagaraSierra@gmail.com)
Join one of the groups affiliated with the Climate Justice Coalition of Western New York, including faith groups, labor unions, social/economic justice groups, Working Families Party and others. For more information, Email ClimateJusticeBuffalo@gmail.com.
Request a presentation on Environmental Stewardship, Climate Change and Clean Energy Solutions for your group. Email ClimateJusticeBuffalo@gmail.com
Excess greenhouse gas in the atmosphere caused by burning fossil fuels - coal, oil, or natural gas - is now resulting in dangerous global warming. Fifteen of the sixteen warmest years have occurred since the year 2000. 2014 set a new record and 2015 topped it. 2016 is on track for even more extreme warming, with January through June showing record-breaking global temperatures (NASA graph, below).
[Click image to enlarge]
[Click image to enlarge]
The persistent accumulation of CO2 in the atmosphere, which began with the Industrial Revolution, is raising the temperature of our planet. This is certainly cause for alarm, since rising global temperatures are impacting weather patterns, driving climate change and having dire consequences.
It’s Getting HOT in Here!
Nowhere is the fingerprint of climate change more evident than with extreme heat.
This year, summer got it's hottest start ever in three states: California, New Mexico and Arizona. Over 30 million people were under heat warnings or advisories. Record-shattering temperatures of 109° occurred in Los Angeles and 122° in Palm Springs. Tragically, on June 20th, six people died outdoors in 118° heat in Arizona. Between 600 and 1,500 heat-related deaths occur in an average summer in the U.S.
Heat waves last for days and are deadly. Severe heat waves in Europe in 2003 and Russia in 2010 resulted in tens of thousands of deaths. In 2015, thousands died in heat waves that occurred in India and Pakistan. A Chicago heat wave with temperatures up to 104° killed nearly 750 people in 1995. A California heat wave with temperatures as high as 119° caused up to 450 deaths in 2006.
A combination of heat and humidity (the Heat Index) that makes it feel like it’s 105° or hotter is termed a ‘danger day’. Warming temperatures are about to push U.S. cities into a new mode where danger days happen regularly. By 2030, 84 cities with nearly one-third of the U.S. population are projected to deal with at least 20 danger days annually if carbon emissions continue unabated. In the South, Miami is projected to have 126 danger days by 2030.
Buffalo is projected to have fewer danger days (6) by 2030, but the number will increase to 15 by 2050 if carbon emissions continue unabated. By 2030, Buffalo is projected to have 38 ‘extreme caution’ days, when the heat index tops 90°. The latter days are the greatest threat to children and the elderly, who are more sensitive to the heat, and to those in residences without air conditioning.
Cutting carbon emissions worldwide is vital to reducing the risk of heat-related death and illness.
Drought, Flooding, Wildfires and Extreme Weather
Higher temperatures increase the amount of moisture that evaporates from land and water, and have contributed to drought in some areas. At the same time, increased water vapor in the atmosphere caused by the elevated warming has resulted in heavy downpours in other areas.
Extreme events linked to global warming and predicted earlier by climate scientists are in fact occurring now around the world and here at home: unprecedented drought in California, destructive downpours and historic flooding in Texas and West Virginia, more intense hurricanes like Sandy in New York, and raging wildfires in the Southwest U.S. and in Canada.
Drought, flooding and excess heat threaten human health and safety. Such events can also cause crop destruction, food insecurity and human conflicts, threatening our ability to sustain life on this planet.
Ocean Warming, Ice Melting, and Sea-level Rise
Oceans, which cover 70% of our planet, are absorbing 93% of the excess heat of global warming. Hot ocean waters are bleaching and killing coral reefs, disrupting ecosystems that harbor fish, an important food source. Continued warming of oceans will increase melting of polar ice sheets, cause extensive sea level rise and flood coastal cities, including New York City and Miami. This would be catastrophic -- displacing large populations, causing unrest and costing trillions of dollars. Low-lying island nations face the threat of being swallowed by rising seas.
What Can YOU Do?
There is no doubt that global warming and climate change are happening now. We all need to take action locally to help end human-caused global warming.
It is essential that we push our governments at national, state and local levels adopt measures to prevent the worst impacts of global warming. Bold energy policies with mandates and timelines are urgently needed to shift to clean, renewable energy, increase energy efficiency, and cut carbon emissions that cause global warming.
Let your elected officials know that ending global warming pollution by transitioning to clean, renewable energy also presents real opportunities. It will not only stabilize the climate and energy prices, but also lead to good-paying jobs, healthier communities and a more just society.
And don't forget to Vote! Vote for candidates who seek to protect People and the Planet.
Get more informed and involved with activists in the Sierra Club Niagara Group through monthly Executive Committee meetings, presentations/discussions at a Writers Group, and a Climate & Energy Committee meeting (Email: NiagaraSierra@gmail.com)
Join one of the groups affiliated with the Climate Justice Coalition of Western New York, including faith groups, labor unions, social/economic justice groups, Working Families Party and others. For more information, Email ClimateJusticeBuffalo@gmail.com.
Request a presentation on Environmental Stewardship, Climate Change and Clean Energy Solutions for your group. Email ClimateJusticeBuffalo@gmail.com
Sunday, June 5, 2016
New York State is Leading the Way on Climate Change
By Lynda Schneekloth
In December over 190 nations signed the U.N. Paris Climate Agreement. Imagine. The nations of the Earth came together and agreed that all are threatened by global warming caused mostly by the burning of fossil fuels. Each country made a commitment to set goals and policies, to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and move to renewable energy.
But how is that going to happen here in the United States, where the federal government seems incapable of action and the fossil fuel corporations have so much power? It is going to happen state by state, and New York is leading the way.
In January, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the goal of 50 percent renewable energy by 2030, a reduction of 45 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and a rapid program for energy efficiency. At the same time, a coalition, New York Renews, was formed to move on the climate crisis.
NY Renews is made up of environmental organizations, labor, social/economic justice groups, the Working Families Party and other groups that have drafted legislation: the New York State Climate and Community Protection Act. This bill, which has already passed two committees, mandates climate goals, creates a process to ensure that resources are equitably allocated toward vulnerable communities and works to ensure clean energy jobs with binding labor standards. It also requires all state agencies to evaluate their climate and equity impacts.
Another action is the investigation of ExxonMobil by Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman to determine whether the company lied to the public and investors about the risks of climate change. It has been documented that Exxon has known and researched climate change since the 1970s and has used data from various climate models in the design of infrastructure and future planning.
At the same time, Exxon sent millions of dollars to climate denier groups working to manufacture doubt about the reality of global warming to protect its interests. Critics of Schneiderman and the 16 other attorneys general working on this investigation are claiming a violation of the First Amendment, saying the corporation is protected as a “person.” While lying is not illegal under U.S. law, fraud is. The First Amendment does not protect fraud, which is lying to or misleading investors to make a profit or influence business decisions.
We stand with the attorney general, the governor, Legislature and NY Renews. New York State is moving on climate justice. We need to raise our voices in support of climate action to protect our families, our livelihoods, future generations and, indeed, life on this planet by mandating the economically and sustainably sound energy transformation to renewables.
Lynda Schneekloth is chairwoman of the Sierra Club’s Niagara chapter.
This article first appeared at BuffaloNews.com
Note, this article was submitted to the Buffalo News before the NYS Assembly passed the bill: The Climate and Community Protection Act. See: Important Climate Bill Passed by NY State Assembly - Fueled by People Power
In December over 190 nations signed the U.N. Paris Climate Agreement. Imagine. The nations of the Earth came together and agreed that all are threatened by global warming caused mostly by the burning of fossil fuels. Each country made a commitment to set goals and policies, to take action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and move to renewable energy.
But how is that going to happen here in the United States, where the federal government seems incapable of action and the fossil fuel corporations have so much power? It is going to happen state by state, and New York is leading the way.
In January, Gov. Andrew Cuomo announced the goal of 50 percent renewable energy by 2030, a reduction of 45 percent of greenhouse gas emissions and a rapid program for energy efficiency. At the same time, a coalition, New York Renews, was formed to move on the climate crisis.
NY Renews is made up of environmental organizations, labor, social/economic justice groups, the Working Families Party and other groups that have drafted legislation: the New York State Climate and Community Protection Act. This bill, which has already passed two committees, mandates climate goals, creates a process to ensure that resources are equitably allocated toward vulnerable communities and works to ensure clean energy jobs with binding labor standards. It also requires all state agencies to evaluate their climate and equity impacts.
Another action is the investigation of ExxonMobil by Attorney General Eric T. Schneiderman to determine whether the company lied to the public and investors about the risks of climate change. It has been documented that Exxon has known and researched climate change since the 1970s and has used data from various climate models in the design of infrastructure and future planning.
At the same time, Exxon sent millions of dollars to climate denier groups working to manufacture doubt about the reality of global warming to protect its interests. Critics of Schneiderman and the 16 other attorneys general working on this investigation are claiming a violation of the First Amendment, saying the corporation is protected as a “person.” While lying is not illegal under U.S. law, fraud is. The First Amendment does not protect fraud, which is lying to or misleading investors to make a profit or influence business decisions.
We stand with the attorney general, the governor, Legislature and NY Renews. New York State is moving on climate justice. We need to raise our voices in support of climate action to protect our families, our livelihoods, future generations and, indeed, life on this planet by mandating the economically and sustainably sound energy transformation to renewables.
Lynda Schneekloth is chairwoman of the Sierra Club’s Niagara chapter.
This article first appeared at BuffaloNews.com
Note, this article was submitted to the Buffalo News before the NYS Assembly passed the bill: The Climate and Community Protection Act. See: Important Climate Bill Passed by NY State Assembly - Fueled by People Power
~ ~ ~
Saturday, April 2, 2016
Monday, December 14, 2015
Landmark Climate Deal Approved by All Nations at Paris Talks
Historic deal sets the world on a course to a low carbon future
fueled by clean, renewable energy
In a statement from the White House, President Obama said “This agreement sends a powerful signal that the world is fully committed to a low-carbon future."
Obama added, "We’ve shown that the world has both the will and the ability to take on this challenge. It won’t be easy. Progress won’t always come quick. We cannot be complacent."
“The world finally has a framework for cooperating on climate change that’s suited to the task,” said Michael Levi, an expert on energy and climate change policy at the Council on Foreign Relations. “Whether or not this becomes a true turning point for the world, though, depends critically on how seriously countries follow through.”
Prior to the Paris talks, 186 nations put forth public plans detailing how they would cut carbon emissions through 2025 or 2030. Enacting those plans will cut emissions by half the levels required to fend off the worst effects of global warming.
There is no legal requirement dictating how, or how much, countries should cut emissions. So the Paris accord has built in a series of legally-binding requirements that countries ratchet up the stringency of their climate change policies in the future. Countries will be required to reconvene every five years, starting in 2020, with updated plans that would tighten their emissions cuts.
U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry, Obama’s top negotiator in Paris and who has spent the past year negotiating behind the scenes with his Chinese and Indian counterparts in order to help broker the deal, defended the agreement. While the deal includes no mechanism that would force countries to cut pollution, it will make every nation report emissions, upping the pressure on governments to act, he said.
“There is a uniform standard of transparency and therefore, we will know what everybody is doing,” Kerry said. “The result will be a very clear signal to the marketplace of the world that people are moving into low-carbon, no-carbon, alternative, renewable energy.”
Despite the historic nature of the Paris climate accord, its success still depends heavily on two factors outside the parameter of the deal: global peer pressure and the actions of future governments.
A deal that would have assigned legal requirements for countries to cut emissions at specific levels would need to go before the United States Senate for ratification. That language would have been dead on arrival in the Republican-controlled Senate, where many members question the established science of human-caused climate change, and still more wish to thwart Mr. Obama’s climate change agenda.
The Republican-controlled Congress already voted this month to block the centerpiece of Obama’s climate agenda, rules that would cut emissions by one third from the U.S. fleet of power plants. However, Obama can veto the measure.
As with health care, opponents may find it hard to undo Obama’s environmental legacy. The power-plant rules will probably end up before the U.S. Supreme Court, where the administration has a strong track record on pollution cases. And in the private sector the tide has, arguably, been turning. Utilities have already shuttered dozens of coal-fired power plants in recent years. Last week, Ford Motor Co. said it plans to invest $4.5 billion in electric vehicles to meet ambitious new auto emissions standards put in place by the Obama administration.
“People in the Republican party I speak with know they’re on the wrong side of history on this issue, like with gay marriage,” said Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists. “And Obama is sticking it to them. He’s saying, do you really want to be the party that’s against science and against what people want?”
Read more online at:
The New York Times: Nations Approve Landmark Climate Accord in Paris
The Bloomberg Politics report at the Buffalo News: Like Obamacare, Climate Gives President Huge But Fragile Win
The Washington Post: 5 things you should know about the historic Paris climate agreement
Tuesday, October 20, 2015
Call on Obama for Bold Action at UN Climate Talks in Paris
The RISE UP FOR CLIMATE JUSTICE campaign needs YOUR Help
A diverse group of people in Western New York are involved in a campaign for climate action and justice. Recently, over 300 citizens rallied in support of the campaign in Buffalo.
Now, we want to draw attention to President Obama who will play a major role in the outcome of the United Nations Climate Conference in Paris.
With your help, we want to send out huge numbers of a message using social media. In the message, we call on President Obama for bold cuts in greenhouse gas emissions at the UN Paris Talks to protect people and the planet.
You can view our message in context by clicking on this link http://thndr.me/3mTlLv. To support the message, simply click the Facebook or Twitter button and agree to support.
That's it. Done. Easy!
With your support, our message will be greatly amplified. Also, the message from every supporter will be released at the same time through the Thunderclap website, creating a virtual 'thunderclap' on social media.
The release is scheduled for 1:00 pm on Friday, October 23, the day before United Nations Day. Check for the 'thunderclap' on Facebook or Twitter after 1:00 pm on Friday.
Please help us do this. Thanks!
The Rise Up for Climate Justice Campaign
Monday, August 3, 2015
National and Global Climate Actions leading up to Paris Talks
The United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP21) will be held in Paris, France from November 30 to December 11, 2015. The conference objective is to achieve a legally binding and global agreement on climate from all the nations of the world.
In anticipation of the Paris Conference and in the face of environmental impacts fueled by continuously rising global temperatures, people across nations and around the world are mobilizing and calling on government leaders to take bold action to reduce global warming pollution in order to stabilize the climate.
In anticipation of the Paris Conference and in the face of environmental impacts fueled by continuously rising global temperatures, people across nations and around the world are mobilizing and calling on government leaders to take bold action to reduce global warming pollution in order to stabilize the climate.
NATIONAL & GLOBAL CLIMATE ACTIONS:
Important Dates - Events - Organizers
August 29 - Commemoration of 10 years since Hurricane Katrina - PCMSeptember 24 - People’s Rally for Climate Justice - MAC
October 14 - National Day of Action - PCM
November 29 - Global Climate March - AVAAZ
December 4 - Pathway to Paris: Concert & Speakers - Pathway2Paris and 350.org
Action Updates January 1, 2016: 350.org
Brief Details, Websites and Registration Forms:
Peoples Climate Movement (PCM)
To Change Everything, We Need Everyone. Everywhere!
Last year we made history. This year we start building the future. Our work is far from done, and this summer and fall we will continue to build a powerful movement for change. Together, before the Paris Climate Talks in December, we will bring the demand for bold action to our leaders.
Will you join the People's Climate Movement?
Website under construction: http://peoplesclimate.org/ NEW one coming soon!
PCM Call to ACTION
Want your organization to be listed as part of the People's Climate Movement?
Want to participate in calls to discuss and help plan for summer/fall actions?
Want to help build the Commemoration of 10 years since Hurricane Katrina on August 29?
Want to help build the National Day of Action on October 14?
Fill in the form here:
https://docs.google.com/forms/
People’s Rally for Climate Justice - Moral Action on Climate - MAC
On September 24, Pope Francis will address a joint session of Congress, and we will gather in support of his call for urgent action to address the climate crisis and create a new future of economic equality, social justice, and environmental equity.
Join us in Washington DC or plan events where you are, and post them here!
READ the People’s Climate Covenant: A Formula for U.S. Leadership at the Paris Climate Talks Link: http://www.moralactiononclimate.org/index.php/about-us/people-s-climate-covenant
Week of Moral Action for Climate Justice - MAC
During the week of September 21-25, thousands of people will come together - in Washington DC and across the country - joining with Pope Francis to underscore the moral aspect of the climate crisis, and to call America to heed its moral duty to act for climate justice.
MAC Website: http://www.moralactiononclimate.org/
Join the GLOBAL People’s Climate March - AVAAZ (means "voice")
On November 29th, hours before world leaders meet at the Paris climate summit, we will create a Global Climate March, taking to the streets across thousands of cities to demand a safe future and planet powered by 100% clean energy.
Save the date - November 29 - for the Global Climate March!
- Host an event
- Volunteer
- Attend
Register at this Website: https://secure.avaaz.org/en/
Climate countdown to Paris -- the AVAAZ blog
In December 2015, world leaders will meet in Paris to agree on how the world will respond to climate change. We have until then to build the public pressure and political support necessary for them to agree to a strong deal.
Check Here for regular updates on Avaaz's climate work: http://www.avaaz.org/en/
About AVAAZ: http://www.avaaz.org/en/about.
'Pathway to Paris' and 350.org Announce Concert with Thom Yorke, Patti Smith, and Speakers.
Pathway to Paris is an initiative in partnership with 350.org that brings together musicians, artists, activists, academics, politicians and innovators to participate in a series of events and dialogues to help raise consciousness around the urgency of climate action and the importance of establishing an ambitious, global, legally binding agreement at the UN Climate Change Conference in Paris in December 2015.
See: http://350.org/press-release/
Speakers include Bill McKibben (350.org. Author, Eaarth) and Naomi Klein (Author, This Changes Everything).
Humorous Tweet from Pathway2Paris Speaker, Bill McKibben:
https://twitter.com/
Website: Pathway to Paris (Pathway2Paris)
Go to: http://pathwaytoparis.com/
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May 7-15, 2016: Break Free from Fossil Fuels
We are mobilizing to keep fossil fuels in the ground and accelerate a just transition to 100% renewable energy and a sustainable future for all.
After the Climate Summit in Paris we need to redouble efforts to end the use of destructive fossil fuels and choose a clean and just energy future.
Actions are being planned at locations all over the world, and plans are coming together quickly — be a part of it from the very beginning.
GO TO: BreakFree2016.org
Hard Truth about Paris Climate Deal - 350.org
GO TO: 350.org/Paris
Add your voice. Tell world governments:
We need a climate deal that's in line with the imperatives of science and justice. Keep 80% of fossil fuels in the ground and finance a just transition to 100% renewable energy by 2050.
Politicians don’t lead movements — people do.
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