Bill Gates
Date: 2021-02-15
In his new book -- How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: the Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need Microsoft multimillionaire Bill Gates acknowledges that he's an "imperfect messenger on climate change. "The world is not exactly lacking in rich men with big ideas about what other people should do, or who think technology can fix any problem," according to a book extract.

"And I own big houses and fly in private planes -- in fact, I took one to Paris for the climate conference, so who am I to lecture anyone on the environment? I plead guilty to all three charges. I can't deny being a rich guy with an opinion. I do believe, though, that it is an informed opinion, and I am always trying to learn more."

Gates notes that while he admires the passion of the "Extinction Rebellion", discounts Greta Thunberg's impact and sees the Green New Deal as "a fairy tale", he is convinced there isn't the time, money or political will to reconfigure the world energy sector in 10 years.

According to Gates, a meaningful reduction in emissions demands an all-encompassing approach -- "zero-carbon ways to produce electricity, make things, grow food, keeping our buildings cool or warm, and move people and goods around the world. People need to radically change how they produce the worst climate offenders: steel, meat and cement. In his view, the single most useful thing individuals can do is to educate themselves and better judge the impact of various solutions. (Source: Bill Gates, How to Avoid a Climate Disaster: the Solutions We Have and the Breakthroughs We Need, Feb., 2021) Contact: Bill Gates, Gates Notes, www.gatesnotes.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Bill Gates,  Climate Change,  

City of Seattle
Date: 2021-01-25
In Washington State, the City of Seattle reports it is proposing updates to the 2018 Seattle Energy Code. The proposed updates align with the Seattle 2030 District Goals, particularly that all buildings to be carbon neutral by the year 2050 -- a timeline that may be advanced to 2030 with the introduction of the Green New Deal.

In order for buildings constructed today to reach the 2030 or 2050 targets the updated code may include:

Building envelope that functions at Seattle's 2050 standard for dependable energy savings for decades.

Eliminate combustion -- buildings should be carbon neutral today to avoid major upgrades later.

Buildings should incorporate efficient electrical systems for space heating and water heating, heat pump systems and similar equipment.

Renewable energy -- on-site installations, solar readiness for larger future rooftop systems aligned with the City's building goals and be as cost effective as possible for both owners and tenants.

The code is intended to regulate the design and construction of buildings for the maximum energy efficiency and conservation as well carbon emissions reduction over the life of each building. Download code summary details HERE

(Source: 2030 Districts, City of Seattle, PR, Jan., 2021) Contact: City of Seattle, 2030 District, Matthew Combe, matthewcombe@2030districts.org, www.2030districts.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News City of Seattle,  Energy Efficiency,  Energy Consumptio,  

South Korea
Date: 2020-12-09
In Seoul, the South Korean Finance Ministry is reporting the government plans to overhaul its carbon emissions taxation scheme and create a tentatively named Climate Response Fund to fight climate change. The move is in keeping with a bid to transform the country's fossil-fuel reliant economy into a low-carbon economy and achieve its previously announced goal of carbon neutrality by 2050. The initiative is in line with the government's Green New Deal drive to slash GHG emissions by 24.4 pct by 2030 from 2017 levels to achieve sustainable growth through eco-friendly policies.

In a related effort, the country will increase its efforts to scale down its dependence on fossil fuels and further develop green energy sources such as hydrogen and renewable energy.

In 2019, coal accounted for 40.4 pct of the country's power generation followed by liquefied natural gas (LNG) at 25.6 pct and nuclear power with 25.9 pct. (Source: Yonhap, 7 Dec., 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Carbon Emissions,  Korea Carbon Emissions,  Low-Carbon Economy,  Low-Carbon Energy,  

Orsted
Date: 2020-11-25
At the Orsted 2020 Offshore Wind Industry Promotion Forum held in Seoul, Copenhagen-headquartered global energy player Orsted touted its 1.6-gigawatt offshore wind farm project to be built in the waters off Incheon. According to Orsted, the "Incheon offshore wind project will offer massive opportunities for local suppliers and support Korea's Green New Deal initiative, which aims to roll out 12 GW of offshore wind power capacity by 2030."

In particular, Orsted noted its $7.2 billion, 100-140 turbine project 70 kilometers off the coast of Incheon will generate sufficient electric power for 1.3 million households annually and curb 4 million metric tpy of carbon -- equivalent to the amount of carbon emitted by 1.9 million cars, according to the company. The Incheon offshore win project is expected to begin commercial operation in 2026. (Source: Orsted, Korea Herald, 24 Nov., 2020) Contact: Orsted, +45 99 55 97 22, www.orsted.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News Orsted,  Offshore Wind,  Korea Offshore Wind,  

Pittsburgh
Date: 2020-11-13
Pittsburgh Mayor Bill Peduto is promoting a new "Marshall Plan for Middle America" that would transition the Appalachian region away from fossil fuels and toward greener sources of energy and increased energy efficiency. The plan calls for $600 billion in investments over 10 years in Pennsylvania, West Virginia, Ohio and Kentucky, to fund renewable and energy efficiency projects.

The Appalachian region plan's lead author, Leslie Marshall, associate director of the University of Pittsburgh's Center for Sustainable Business, said the plan is aimed at trying to deal with a "confluence of crises" brought on by the region's reliance on fossil fuels and the treat of climate change.

The plan, which shares many of the goals of the Green New Deal, does not specify where the money will come from but suggests it could be funded through a mix of tax breaks, public-private partnerships, and alliances between labor, environmental, and academic institutions.

Research for the project received financial support from the Enel Foundation, which is run by Enel, an Italian energy company with significant renewable energy investments. (Source: State Impact Pennsylvania, The Allegheny Front, 13 Nov., 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency news,  Renewable Energy news,  

BNP Paribas
Date: 2020-11-06
South Korean asset management company Shinhan BNP Paribas Asset Management is reporting a $46 million commitment to ShinhanBNPP Green New Deal Fund No. 1, a new private fund targeting 17.325-MW wind turbines in South Jeolla Province, South Korea. The company also reports a second green finance fund -- Shinhan BNPP Green New Deal Fund No. 2 for photovoltaic power station on Jeju Island, South Korea. Shinhan BNP Paribas is also creating Shinhan BNPP Green New Deal Fund No. 3, a $178.2 million blind pool fund to finance wind power projects, fuel cells and biomass energy development projects.

Shinhan BNP Paribas is a 65/35 joint venture of Shinhan Financial Group and BNP Paribas Asset Management. Paris-headquartered BNP Paribas S.A. is the world's 8th largest bank by total assets with operations in 72 countries. (Source: BNP Paribas, Korea Herald, 5 Nov., 2020) Contact: BNP Paribas, www.group.bnpparibas/en

More Low-Carbon Energy News BNP Paribas,  Korea Renewable Energy,  Wind,  Solar,  Biomass,  

South Korea
Date: 2020-10-28
In Seoul, South Korean President Moon Jae-in has announced South Korea will invest in a "Green New Deal" that would see Asia's fourth and the world's tenth largest economy become carbon neutral by 2050.

To that end, South Korea would replace its coal power generation with renewable energy, replace old buildings and public rental housing with eco-friendly facilities, and expand its fleet of electric and hydrogen power vehicles and rapid EV charging infrastructure. Moon is aiming for renewable energy to generate 20 pct of the coal-reliant country's energy mix by 2030, while closing 40 existing coal-fired power plants by 2034. (Source: Yonhap, Korean Herald, 28 Oct., 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News South Korea,  Carbon Emission,  Carbon Neutral,  

C40 Cities
Date: 2020-09-30
In New York, 12 of the world's most influential cities representing over 36 million residents have signed on to C40 Groups Divesting from Fossil Fuels, Investing in a Sustainable Future declaration. The declaration champions fossil fuel-free, green finance as a key strategy for rebuilding equitable, sustainable urban economies and increasing resilience against future crises. Signatories pledge to use their financial might to promote a just and clean energy transition through concrete actions at the city, national and international levels.

Cities signing on to the new declaration -- Berlin, Bristol, Cape Town, Durban, London, Los Angeles, Milan, New Orleans, New York City, Oslo, Pittsburgh, and Vancouver -- commit to build momentum for fossil-free and sustainable investment by:

Taking all possible steps to divest city assets from fossil fuel companies and increasing financial investments in climate solutions to help promote decent jobs and a just and green economy.

Calling on pension funds to divest from fossil fuel companies and increasing financial investments in climate solutions to help promote decent jobs and a just and green economy.

Advocating for fossil-free and sustainable finance by other investors and all levels of government, including by promoting the importance of strong, long-term climate policies and demanding greater transparency.

According to Energy Policy Tracker, more than $200 billion in COVID-19 recovery funds are being pledged to fossil fuels, though risky investments in coal, oil, and gas are key drivers of the climate emergency. Continued investment in fossil fuels drives emissions that endanger the Paris Climate Agreement goals, jeopardize efforts to limit temperature rise to 1.5 degrees C, and threaten to lock dangerous carbon emissions into economies.

The Divesting From Fossil Fuels, Investing in a Sustainable Future declaration is a critical next step towards realizing the vision for a Global Green New Deal, announced last October at the C40 World Mayors Summit in Copenhagen, Denmark. Endorsed by a broad coalition of business and labor leaders, youth activists, and civil society representatives, the Global Green New Deal reaffirms a commitment to protecting the environment, strengthening the economy, and building more equitable communities through inclusive climate action, according to the release.

C40 Cities Climate Leadership Group, Inc. is a non-profit organization and is tax-exempt under section 501(c)(3) of the U.S. Internal Revenue Code. (Source: C40 Cities, PR, 22 Sept., 2020) Contact: C40 Cities Group, www.c40.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News C40 Cities,  Climate Change,  Renewable Energy,  

WELTEC BIOPOWER
Date: 2020-09-25
Vechta, Germany-headquartered biogas specialist WELTEC BIOPOWER GmbH reports it is set to start construction of a 7-MW, 93,000 tpy of locally-sourced food-waste biogas plant north of Seoul in Gyeonggi-do Province, South Korea. The anaerobic digestion facility will transform biogas into heat in an integrated gas boiler and is expected to come online as early as spring 2021.

South Korea's Green New Deal calls for net-zero carbon emission by 2050 making it the first East Asian country to set a time-frame to end its contribution to climate change. First efforts were already made in 2017 with the the South Korean Renewable Energies 2030 Implementation Plan which identifies biogas as a key to emissions reduction success.

WELTEC planned and built two biogas plants in South Korea based on the digestion of organic waste in 2012 and 2016. (Source: WELTEC BIOPOWER GmbH, PR, 23 Sept., 2020) Contact: WELTECH BIOPOWER GmbH, +49 (0) 4441-999 78-220, www.weltec-biopower.de

More Low-Carbon Energy News WELTEC BIOPOWER,  Biogas,  Anaerobic Digestion,  

Doosan Heavy Industries
Date: 2020-07-20
Changwon, South Korea-based Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Co., Ltd is reporting plans to boost its annual sales from its offshore wind farm business to over 1 trillion won ($830 billion US) by 2025, more than the 660 billion won the company generated since 2010.

Doosan's plan is in line with the South Korean government's recently released Green New Deal seeking to drastically transform the country's fossil fuel-reliant economy into a low-carbon, environmentally friendly green economy. To that end, Seoul plans to spend 73.4 trillion won for the initiative, including 14 trillion won on new offshore wind farms with a combined generation capacity of 2.4 gigawatts.

Doosan Heavy has reportedly developed technologies and equipment specifically fit for South Korea's lighter winds and to date has invested 180 billion won in the wind farm business and plans to expand its investment in related R&D and production facilities. (Source: Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction , Yonhap, 16 July, 2020) Contact: Doosan Heavy Industries & Construction Ltd., www.doosanheavy.com/en

More Low-Carbon Energy News Doosan Heavy Industries,  Wind,  Offshore Wind,  

Irish Institute of Digital Business
Date: 2020-06-29
In Ireland, the Irish Institute of Digital Business (IIDB) at Dublin City University reports it will lead a new €4.8 million , four-year project focused on developing solutions for the construction industry to accelerate the rate of energy inefficient upgrades to residential buildings around Europe, and thereby contribute to reaching the target of 32.5 pct in energy savings set by the EU Green New Deal. The effort is funded through European Commission's Horizon 2020 programme.

Approximately 77 pct of the EU residential buildings were constructed before 1990 and roughly 11 pct of Europe's population still experiences energy poverty due to poor building quality, and in particular, thermal inefficiency.

The European Commission estimates that a renovation rate of 3 pct per year is needed to accomplish the EU's energy efficiency and environmental ambitions in a cost-effective manner. (Source: Institute of Digital Business at Dublin City University, Irish Tech News, 29 June, 2020) Contact: Institute of Digital Business at Dublin City University Prof. Theo Lynn, +353 1 700 6873, www.iidb.ie

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  

Date: 2020-04-10
The COVID-19 crisis is having a direct impact on carbon emissions by reducing industrial activity and travel. Similarly, air quality has improved markedly in the UK and around the world, which will reduce the estimated 10 million people who die prematurely each year from poor air quality. In the absence of changes in behaviour, then a rebound would be expected which broadly depended on the strength of the economic recovery: a slow recovery would reduce emissions; a bounce-back would not. The tantalising question is whether employers and employees change their working practices and citizens change their personal ones.

More home-working would mean reduced travel to work and a likely improvement in air quality as well as reduced carbon emissions. Greater use of online meeting capabilities (especially if they improve rapidly with rapid uptake) could reduce longer range transport including air traffic. Comprises a major part of the carbon emissions of organisations which work internationally.

The response of government will be critical in determining the longer term impact. They could use the opportunity to advance green policies such as the development of low carbon technologies, a kind of ‘COVID-19 Green New Deal’. Now could be the time, for example, to really push ahead and use the fiscal stimulus to develop a 21st century transport infrastructure to connect our regions (including, for example, short-range electric aircraft) and fully finance the measures already outlined in the Agriculture and Environment Bills.

This ‘Build Back Better’ approach is being discussed by influential groups including the We Mean Business coalition and McKinsey & Company. Society is showing how quickly it can adapt – can the momentum be maintained and used to help solve the pressing issues of air quality and climate change? (Source: Cranfield University, Press Release, April, 2020) Contact:Cranfield University, Neil Harris, Professor of Atmospheric Informatics , Centre for Environment and Agricultural Informatics , +44 (0) 1234 750111, www.cranfield.ac.uk The COVID-19 crisis is having a direct impact on carbon emissions by reducing industrial activity and travel. Similarly, air quality has improved markedly in the UK and around the world, which will reduce the estimated 10 million people who die prematurely each year from poor air quality. In the absence of changes in behaviour, then a rebound would be expected which broadly depended on the strength of the economic recovery: a slow recovery would reduce emissions; a bounce-back would not. The tantalising question is whether employers and employees change their working practices and citizens change their personal ones.

More home-working would mean reduced travel to work and a likely improvement in air quality as well as reduced carbon emissions. Greater use of online meeting capabilities (especially if they improve rapidly with rapid uptake) could reduce longer range transport including air traffic. Comprises a major part of the carbon emissions of organisations which work internationally.

The response of government will be critical in determining the longer term impact. They could use the opportunity to advance green policies such as the development of low carbon technologies, a kind of ‘COVID-19 Green New Deal’. Now could be the time, for example, to really push ahead and use the fiscal stimulus to develop a 21st century transport infrastructure to connect our regions (including, for example, short-range electric aircraft) and fully finance the measures already outlined in the Agriculture and Environment Bills.

This ‘Build Back Better’ approach is being discussed by influential groups including the We Mean Business coalition and McKinsey & Company. Society is showing how quickly it can adapt – can the momentum be maintained and used to help solve the pressing issues of air quality and climate change? (Source: Cranfield University, Press Release, April, 2020) Contact:Cranfield University, Neil Harris, Professor of Atmospheric Informatics , Centre for Environment and Agricultural Informatics , +44 (0) 1234 750111, www.cranfield.ac.uk

Cranfield University
Date: 2020-04-10
According to a release from Cranfield University, "The COVID-19 crisis is having a direct impact on carbon emissions by reducing industrial activity and travel. Similarly, air quality has improved markedly in the UK and around the world, which will reduce the estimated 10 million people who die prematurely each year from poor air quality. In the absence of changes in behavior, then a rebound would be expected which broadly depended on the strength of the economic recovery: a slow recovery would reduce emissions; a bounce-back would not. The tantalizing question is whether employers and employees change their working practices and citizens change their personal ones.

"More home-working would mean reduced travel to work and a likely improvement in air quality as well as reduced carbon emissions. Greater use of online meeting capabilities (especially if they improve rapidly with rapid uptake) could reduce longer range transport including air traffic which comprises a major part of the carbon emissions of organizations which work internationally.

"The response of government will be critical in determining the longer term impact. They could use the opportunity to advance green policies such as the development of low carbon technologies, a kind of 'COVID-19 Green New Deal'. Now could be the time, for example, to really push ahead and use the fiscal stimulus to develop a 21st century transport infrastructure to connect our regions and fully finance the measures already outlined in the Agriculture and Environment Bills.

"This 'Build Back Better' approach is being discussed by influential groups including the We Mean Business coalition and McKinsey & Company. Society is showing how quickly it can adapt -- can the momentum be maintained and used to help solve the pressing issues of air quality and climate change? (Source: Cranfield University, Press Release, April, 2020) Contact:Cranfield University, Neil Harris, Professor of Atmospheric Informatics , Centre for Environment and Agricultural Informatics , +44 (0) 1234 750111, www.cranfield.ac.uk

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  Carbon Emissions,  COVID-19,  

New York City, Energy Efficiency
Date: 2020-04-03
In the Big Apple, Mayor Bill de Blasio is reporting passage of a new and updated 2020 Energy Conservation Code aimed at improving energy efficiency for new and existing buildings as part of New York City's Green New Deal.

The 2020 Energy Conservation Code was modeled after the 2020 New York State Energy Conservation Construction Code and the New York State Energy Research and Development Authority's (NYSERDA) NYStretch Energy Code, requires new and existing buildings meet the following, effective 12 May:

Improve the building thermal envelope by requiring better performing walls and windows;

Minimize and control air leakage by sealing and testing the building envelope;

Balconies and parapets must be continuously insulated;

Meet minimum energy efficiency requirements for heating and cooling systems;

More efficient interior lighting and additional lighting controls;

Perform commissioning on more HVAC alteration projects;

Efficiency measures on new elevators and commercial kitchen equipment;

Create the infrastructure for the future installation of electric vehicle chargers in one- and two-family homes;

Require whole building metering for new buildings greater than 25,000 square fee;

Allow source energy as a metric, instead of energy cost, for buildings choosing to comply with energy modeling;

Additional thermal envelope performance requirements for buildings choosing to comply with energy modeling. (Source: Office of Mayor Bill de Basio, NY Law School, City Land, 2 April, 2020) Contact: Office of Mayor Bill de Basio, Mark Chambers, Director of Sustainability, www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor

More Low-Carbon Energy News Energy Efficiency,  Bill de Blasio ,  

South Korea Carbon Emissions
Date: 2020-03-20
In Seoul, the South Korean government has announced plans to be the first East Asion nation to adopt a Green New Deal and deliver net-zero carbon emissions by 2050, if reelected in the upcoming legislative elections. To that end, the government would institute a carbon tax, phase out domestic and overseas coal project financing, and make large-scale investments in renewable energy.

South Korea, the world's seventh-largest carbon emitter as well as the third-largest public coal financier, is home to energy-intensive industries such as automotive and steel and likely to remain heavily dependent on climate-wrecking coal in the immediate future. (Source: Various Media, EcoBusiness, Mar., 2020)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Net-Zero Carbon,  Carbon Emissions,  

New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo
Date: 2020-03-09
In Albany, New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo has announced the launch of the New York Power Authority (NYPA)--Israel Smart Energy Challenge, a $2.5 million competition to attract Israeli companies with expertise in energy efficiency and clean energy generation to submit proposals to collaborate with New York's public utility on new clean energy technologies. NYPA is collaborating with the Israel Smart Energy Association on the project aimed at attracting Israeli companies that will advance power grid reliability, storage, sustainability and affordability, all of which benefit ratepayers, utilities and the environment.

The competition will focus on research areas centered around meeting digital utility challenges such as electric vehicle charging, distributed energy solutions, grid modernization, energy storage, microgrids, cybersecurity, blockchain and energy trading, buildings/campus energy management, data analytics, artificial intelligence, virtual reality and use of drones/autonomous robots in power systems.

Interested companies may apply and submit their proposals to the NYPA/Israel Smart Energy Challenge online. The deadline for submissions is April 20. A pre-bid conference for parties interested in applying to the Challenge is scheduled for Monday, March 16, 2020 from 2:30 p.m. to 5:30 p.m. at: Ha-Umanim Street 12, Tel Aviv-Yafo, Israel. Register on Eventbrite or meetup.

Governor Cuomo's Green New Deal climate and clean energy initiative puts the Empire State on a path to being entirely carbon-neutral across all sectors of the economy and establishing a goal to achieve a zero-carbon emissions electricity sector by 2040, faster than any other state. It builds on New York's ramp-up of clean energy including a $2.9 billion investment in 46 large-scale renewable projects across, the creation of more than 150,000 jobs in New York’s clean energy sector, a commitment to develop nearly 1,700 MW of offshore wind by 2024, and 1,700 pct growth in the distributed solar sector since 2012.

The recently passed Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act mandates the Green New Deal's clean energy targets: nine gigawatts of offshore wind by 2035, six gigawatts of distributed solar by 2025, and three gigawatts of energy storage by 2030, while calling for an orderly and just transition to clean energy that creates jobs and continues fostering a green economy. The CLCPA also directs New York State agencies and authorities to collaborate with stakeholders to develop a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 85 pct from 1990 levels by 2050 and aim to invest 40 pct of clean energy and energy efficiency program resources to benefit disadvantaged communities. (Source: New York State Governor's Office, PR, Google News, 6 Mar., 2020)Contact: Office of Governor Andrew M. Cuomo, www.governor.ny.gov; Israel Smart Energy Association, www.isea.org.il; NYPA, Gil C. Quiniones, Pres., CEO, www.nypa.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News New York Governor Andrew M. Cuomo,  New York Power Authority,  Clean Energy,  Renewable Energy,  

USDA
Date: 2020-02-24
"When the U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) announced its 'innovation agenda' to align USDA's resources, programs, and research to help the agriculture industry meet the 'climate demands of the future' the first reaction at Citizens Against Government Waste (CAGW) is that this looks and sounds far too much like more taxpayers subsidies for programs that already exist. According to an April 30, 2018 Government Accountability Office report, the Office of Management and Budget found $13.2 billion in climate change funding across 19 agencies in 2017. The GAO reviewed six agencies and found that 94 pct of their reported climate change funding went to programs that touch on, but aren't dedicated to climate change, such as nuclear energy research. The government should determine whether those are effective and consolidate or terminate ones that are not before creating costly new mandates and programs.

"The plan to reach 30 pct for biofuels in 2050 is especially troubling. The USDA's historic approach to 'market-driven blend rates' has been to aggressively pursue unachievable biofuel mandates that put manufacturing jobs at risk, result in more emissions and create a reliance on foreign fuels. Ethanol is cheaper than gasoline and does not need a mandate. If the USDA is truly interested in 'market driven' approaches, it should advocate eliminating the renewable fuel standard (RFS) so that renewable energy can economically compete on its own, rather than trying to promote mandates that drive quantities of ethanol-laced fuels that consumers may not want, while putting jobs at risk and raising costs at the pump. In fact, the blend rate is gradually increasing despite falling renewable identification numbers and small refinery exemptions. This shows that ethanol is economic on its own and that markets, not mandates, should determine our nation's fuel mix.

"Calling for a 30 pct biofuels goal for 2050 is not something that should be coming out of the Trump administration. It sounds like an objective of the $93 trillion Green New Deal which President Trump and every free market and taxpayers group including CAGW has said is both unachievable and devastating to the economy. The USDA should withdraw its proposal and the RFS should be eliminated."(Source: The Waste Watcher - Against Government Waste , 21 Feb. 2020) Contact: The Waste Watcher -Against Government Waste www.cagw.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News USDA,  Biofuel Blend,  RFS,  

Climate Change
Date: 2020-01-13
On Friday in Sacramento, Golden State Gov. Gavin Newsom (D) introduced a $12.5 billion 5-year budget proposal with ambitious goals for addressing climate change.

The budget proposal includes a Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund, a $4.75 billion climate resilience bond that would to encourage investments that reduce risks from water, fire, extreme heat and sea level rise, as well as partially fund the recently introduced California Green New Deal Act.

The climate budget also includes $66 million for reducing flood risks, $51 million to speed up the deployment of electric vehicle infrastructure and $103 million for water resiliency. The budget proposes a $4.75 billion climate resilience bond which would address risks especially in the state's most vulnerable communities. The bond would also allocate $500 million to harden infrastructure in high-fire-risk communities and $250 million for forest health projects -- that's in addition to fuel reduction activities paid for by the Greenhouse Gas Reduction Fund as well as the amount that the Legislature and governor have required utilities to contribute.

Additionally, the budget proposes a $965 million plan to spend cap-and-trade dollars on Cal Fire's forest health and fuel reduction program and reducing emissions from transportation -- "the largest greenhouse gas emissions source in California."

The budget includes $1 billion in general fund dollars -- $250 million this year and more in future years -- for a Climate Catalyst Fund that will offer low-interest loans for climate-related projects that help the state meet its climate goals. (Source: Office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom, Capital Public Radio, 10 Jan., 2020) Contact: Office of California Gov. Gavin Newsom , Kate Gordon, Director of the Governor's Office of Planning and Research, Snr. Climate Advisor, (916) 445-2841, (916) 558-3160 - fax., www.gov.ca.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  

Green New Deal,New York State
Date: 2019-08-16
New York State has adopted Gov. Andrew Cuomo's "Green New Deal of New York" -- the Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (CLCPA) -- an aggressive carbon-emissions-reduction plan for the Empire State to derive 100 pct of its electricity from zero-carbon emissions sources by 2040.

The CLCPA also commits New York to net-zero carbon emissions, economy-wide, by 2050, with an interim target of slashing emissions 40 pct below the state's 1990 emission levels by 2030. The Act also requires the state and industry to reduce their emissions by 85 pct , with the remaining 15 percent of the net-zero goal coming from carbon offsets.

For oversight and administration, the act will create a 22 member commission a various advisory panels to deal with buildings and construction, industry, land use and zoning, local governments, transportation, and more. These advisory panels are required to consult with a climate justice working group composed of representatives from low-income communities and environmental justice groups. (Source: Office of Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), Heartland Institute, 15 Aug., 2019) Contact: Gov. Andrew Cuomo (D), www.governor.ny.gov, www.governor.ny.gov/content/governor-contact-form

More Low-Carbon Energy News Andrew Cuomo,  Green New Deal,  Climate Change,  Renewable Energy,  

Clean New Deal,Cuomo
Date: 2019-07-10
In Albany, the New York State legislature is reporting the passage of SB 6599/AB 8429, the Climate Leadership And Community Protection Act (CCPA) requiring the Empire State to source 100 pct carbon-free electricity by the year 2040 and reach net-zero carbon emissions across the state's entire economy by 2050.

Under the CCPA, electric utilities will be forced to purchase around 9,000-megawatts of clean energy by 2035. The capital development and construction work related to converting the existing capacity to wind, solar and other clean and renewable sources will fall under the regulatory purview of the act which will make it illegal for hydroelectric power to receive subsidies because wind and energy will not be able to compete if long-term savings and reliability are taken into account..

"The [bill] will virtually eliminate New York's greenhouse gasses, foster renewable energy production, create green jobs, invest in lower-income communities, and protect our planet," according to the bill's sponsor and chair of the NY Senate Environmental Conservation Committee Sen. Todd Kaminsky (D). Both chambers of the state Legislature passed CCPA and it now awaits the expected signature of Democratic Gov. Andrew Cuomo. (Source: Various Media, Post Journal, 7 July, 2019) Contact: Office of NY Gov. Andrew Cuomo, www.governor.ny.gov, https://twitter.com/NYGovCuomo

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  Clean New Deal,  Renewable Energy,  Cuomo,  

LosAngeles
Date: 2019-07-10
In the Golden State, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti is touting his Sustainability pLAn 2019, a "Green New Deal" to help the city of approximately 4 million residents deal with climate change.

The Los Angeles Green New Deal is intended to: reduce by 50 pct the number of census tracks lacking equity and environmental parity; create a $100,000,000 Transformative Climate Communities program; include an "Equity and Environmental Justice Impact Statement" in official City reports; and analyze the LADWP budget for environmental equity metrics. The program calls for both mitigation and/or adaptation measures to climate change impacts and will be folded into all other area climate emergency plans covering: energy and climate; climate change preparedness; green buildings; transportation; air Quality; environmental justice; urban greening; green economy; and others.

Additionally, Los Angeles City Council is creating a new Office of Climate Emergency Mobilization that will in turn will create a Climate Emergency Commission, hire a director for the new Climate Emergency Mobilization Office, and draft a Climate Emergency Declaration.

Download the Sustainability pLAn 2019 HERE. (Source: City of Los Angeles, City Watch, July, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  Climate Change Mitigation,  Climate Change ,  

U.S. Conference of Mayors
Date: 2019-07-03
Reporting from the U.S. Conference of Mayors annual meeting in Honolulu, the mayors of hundreds of U.S. cities are calling for federal carbon tax price "sufficient enough to reduce carbon emissions in line with ambitions detailed in the Paris Agreement on climate change."

The mayors also voted in support of a resolution endorsing the idea of a Green New Deal, called for Congress to adopt "a comprehensive national response" to climate change, The mayors also voted to oppose President Donald Trump's plan to freeze vehicle fuel economy standards, and to endorse individual cities' right to sue over climate change damages and protect taxpayers from related mitigation and adaptation costs. The mayors also oppose any action by Congress or in state legislatures "to limit or eliminate cities' access to the courts by overriding existing laws or in any way giving fossil fuel companies immunity from lawsuits over climate change-related costs and damages."

The U.S. Conference of Mayors includes the leaders of about 1,400 cities with populations greater than 30,000. about 1,400 cities. (Source: U.S. Conference of Mayors, Inside Climate News, 2 July, 2019) Contact: U.S. Conference of Mayors, www.usmayors.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News U.S. Conference of Mayors,  Climate Change,  Green New Deal,  

Climate Change, Carbon Emissions
Date: 2019-06-05
Democratic former Vice President and 2020 Presidential hopeful this week launched his Climate Plan to attack climate change. The Biden climate plan calls for $1.7 trillion in federal money along with a mix of executive orders and legislation that would transition the U.S. to net-zero emissions "no later than 2050" while also protecting workers' rights to organize and a just transition for fossil fuel workers and communities of color. In short, Biden's plan is in line with freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez' (D-N.Y.) Green New Deal and various climate plans released by other presidential wannabes and contenders.

"The Biden plan will be paid for by reversing the excesses of the Trump tax cuts for corporations, reducing incentives for tax havens, evasion, and outsourcing, ensuring corporations pay their fair share," according to a Biden campaign press release.

Download Biden's Climate plan outline HERE. (Source: Joe Biden Presidential Campaign, Various Media, Earther, 4 June, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  Net-Zero Emissions,  Green New Deal ,  

Climate Change
Date: 2019-06-05
Recent polls suggest that climate change will be a central issue for voters in the upcoming 2020 U.S. presidential elections. Thirty-eight pct of poll participants indicated that the topic is "very important" for their decision, according to a George Mason University poll, the results of which are consistent with similar polls by Manmouth University and CNN.

A CNN poll found 82 pct of Democrats say it is "very important" that candidates take aggressive action to combat the climate crisis.

In 2016, no candidate had a specific climate platform, but reports indicate that this year, candidates will need to detail specific action plans if they hope to be taken seriously. Many progressive democrats are demanding candidates formally endorse the Green New Deal, while others expect candidates to refuse campaign donations from the fossil fuel industry. (Source: Inhabitat, CNN,Reuters, 20 May, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change news,  

Climate Change
Date: 2019-05-22
Reuters is reporting recent polls indicate that climate change will be a central issue for voters in the upcoming 2020 U.S. presidential elections. Thirty-eight pct of participants indicated that the topic is "very important" for their decision, according to a George Mason University poll, the results of which are consistent with similar polls by Manmouth University and CNN. A CNN poll found 82 pct of Democrats say it is "very important" that candidates take aggressive action to combat the climate crisis.

In 2016, no candidate had a specific climate platform, but reports indicate that this year, candidates will need to detail specific action plans if they hope to be taken seriously. Many progressive democrats are demanding candidates formally endorse the Green New Deal, while others expect candidates to refuse campaign donations from the fossil fuel industry. (Source: inhabitat, Reuters, 20 May, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  

Climate Change, Bill De Blasio
Date: 2019-05-15
"Our message is loud and clear. We're tackling climate change head-on with NYC's Green New Deal and are the first city in the world to require all big buildings to cut their emissions, with the goal of a carbon neutral city by 2050. President Trump -- you're on notice. Your polluting buildings are part of the problem. Cut your emissions or pay the price." -- New York City Mayor Bill de Blasio

Reducing emissions from buildings -- which are responsible for nearly 70 pct of all greenhouse gas emissions -- is a key strategy of New York City's Green New Deal and commit the city to carbon neutrality by 2050.

As we previously reported, Trump Tower uses more energy than 93 pct of New York City's large residential buildings. Across the Big Apple, Trump owns at least eight buildings that do not meet 2030 emissions levels under the law. These include the Trump International Hotel & Tower, the Trump Building, the Trump World Tower, the Trump Tower, Trump Park Avenue, Trump Parc, Trump Parc East and Trump Palace. If Trump fails to clean up these buildings, he will owe approximately $2.1 million in fines every year beginning in 2030. (Source: NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, 6sqft,Various Media, 14 May, 2019) Contact: NYC Mayor Bill de Blasio, www1.nyc.gov/office-of-the-mayor

More Low-Carbon Energy News Bill De Blasio,  Carbon Neutral,  Carbon Emissions,  

Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis
Date: 2019-05-01
According to the Cleveland, Ohio-headquatered Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis (IEEFA), April is projected to see renewable energy produce 2.322 million megawatt-hours per day, while coal will produce 1.997 million megawatt-hours.

Senator Ed Markey (D-MA), a co-sponsor of the Green New Deal tweeted "For the first time in history, we now have enough solar and wind installed in the US to generate more electricity from renewables than from coal." (Source: Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis, IFL Science, April, 2019) Contact: Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis, Sandy Buchanan, Exec. Dir., 216-688-3457 www.ieefa.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Energy,  Coal,  Institute for Energy Economics & Financial Analysis,  

Clean Energy
Date: 2019-04-15
The following appeared in the recent issue of Epoch Times: "Border wall debates have raged between political parties and the media in the United States for years. Many Americans are divided over the issue of the U.S.-Mexico border. Yet the heated controversy has generated some innovative solutions from the scientific community. Could science really hold the key to bringing the two sides together (three, including Mexico) while at the same time providing clean sources of energy for all?

"There are at least two dozen scientists from universities across the United States who think so, but wait until you hear the solution they've dreamt up. Imagine a 2,000-mile-long alternative energy industrial park, 62 miles wide, from sea to shining sea along the U.S. southern border.

"The potential envisioned for everything from the economy to fresh water solutions to an abundance of clean energy and, yes, border security present an opportunity worth considering. 'Given that most of the southern border lies in arid or semi-arid regions having high solar irradiation and wind, an energy park along the border is both feasible and desirable,' reads a statement by the Future Energy, Water, Industry and Education Park (FEWIEP), the name of the proposed mega project.

"Solar installations at various points across Arizona, Texas, New Mexico, and south of the border would accompany wind turbines stationed near both coasts. 'Areas of strong winds exist in the Gulf and Baja California regions, which are ideal for wind farms,' the report explains.

"Energy produced via wind turbines can be used to power water desalinization plants to provide valuable fresh water to drought-affected areas that have been living beyond their means in terms of ground water use.

"They estimate that 'wind power in the Gulf Coast and Baja California to operate reverse osmosis plants may provide 2.3 million acre-feet of water per year -- enough to satisfy the water needs for all of Texas' manufacturing, mining, livestock, and other power needs.' Which could literally cause the desert to bloom, potentially.

"Reduced tax zone incentives across the 62-mile strip could bring in massive amounts of business from solar energy innovators like Tesla and others. This subsidy cost could be recouped through selling energy or through taxes. An incentivized project of this size could greatly enhance and accelerate the local economy, and create a huge number of jobs on both sides of the border. More high-paying salaries are also likely to mean increased average quality of life for locals.

"In terms of security, the heavily protected area would serve a dual purpose. The proposed energy infrastructure can be incorporated into and be an integral part of a border security installation, such as a wall or a fence, states the report. 'This technological buffer can in turn also help to protect the energy infrastructure and prevent illegal immigration across the border.'

"At the same time, as parties on both sides of the aisle are starting to see eye to eye on border security, a project like this could tether the far extremes of the Green New Deal with staunch nationalists on the right. It could be just the kind of unifier to seal the deal for all parties, left and right, north and south." (Source: Epoch Times, April, 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Renewable Energy,  Wind,  Solar,  Clean Energy,  

Green New Deal, Climate Change
Date: 2019-03-25
"There's no question that we're experiencing climate change and that humans are a significant contributor to that. In my view, the course forward is going to require innovation and technology breakthrough because nothing I've seen is going to reverse the warming trend other than that."

"We better hope it's (climate change) man-made, because if it's not we're in trouble." -- Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah) www.romney.senate.gov

"The Green New Deal is kind of a ridiculous proposal, but denying the problem is equally as bad." -- Sen Lindsay Graham (R-SC) www.lgraham.senate.gov Graham was /commenting on freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) Green New Deal

"With the so-called Green New Deal, Washington Democrats want our government to spend more money than the entire gross domestic product of the entire world on the new spending programs to forcibly remodel Americans' homes, take away our cars, dramatically increase energy costs." -- Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky), (202) 224-2541, www.mcconnell.senate.gov (Source: Various Media, The Hill, 24 Mar., 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green New Deal,  Climate Change,  

Green New Deal
Date: 2019-03-25
"The Green New Deal is kind of a ridiculous proposal, but denying the problem is equally as bad." -- Sen Lindsay Graham (R-SC), www.lgraham.senate.gov. Graham was commenting on freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) Green New Deal.

"With the so-called Green New Deal, Washington Democrats want our government to spend more money than the entire gross domestic product of the entire world on the new spending programs to forcibly remodel Americans' homes, take away our cars, dramatically increase energy costs." -- Sen. Mitch McConnell (R-Ky), (202) 224-2541, www.mcconnell.senate.gov

"We better hope it's (climate change) man-made, because if it's not we're in trouble." -- Sen. Mitt Romney (R-Utah), www.romney.senate.gov. (Source: Various Media, The Hill, 24 Mar., 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green New Deal,  

Climate Change
Date: 2019-03-20
In the Golden State, Los Angeles City Council reports it is considering the development of a Green New Deal (GND) for Los Angeles that mirrors the "principles and priorities" of the GND proposed by Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY).

In April 2018, the Los Angeles City Council advanced a proposal to develop a Climate Emergency Mobilization Department to oversee efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions citywide, and also cleared up $500,000 in funding in seed money for the project. Now the Council is "fleshing out" the Climate Emergency Mobilization Department's responsibilities to include the development of metrics to measure and track the city's greenhouse gas emissions, and develop an annual climate budget of greenhouse gasses and criteria pollutants to determine the city's allowable annual emissions, similar to how the city's financial budget determines its monetary expenditures.

Los Angeles aims to be carbon neutral by 2050. (Source: Los Angeles City Council, City News Service, 19 Mar., 2019)Contact: Los Angeles City Council, 213-473-3231, www.lacity.org/your-government/elected-officials/city-council

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  Green New Deal,  

Green New Deal
Date: 2019-03-11
"I suppose my main objection is the effective elimination of 80 percent of the world's energy would likely eliminate 80 percent of the world's people in the end. I mean, just growing food, for example -- how would we grow food for the world's people without tractors and trucks, and all of the other machinery that is required to deliver food, especially to the inner cities of large centres like Moscow, Shanghai and New York City? How would we get the food to the stores? It's symptomatic of the fact that people who live in cities just take it for granted that this food appears there for them in supermarkets in great variety, healthy food to keep them alive when they couldn't possibly grow it for themselves with such dense populations. And if, in fact, fossil fuels were banned, agricultural productivity would fall dramatically and people would starve by the millions.

So, that is just a little bit of why I think it's (Green New Deal) a ridiculous proposal." -- Patrick Moore, Greenpeace Co-founder Patrick Moore (Source: Sputnick, Mar., 2019)

Editor's Note: The non-binding, Green New Deal framework basically combines big climate-change-related ideas with a wish list of progressive economic proposals that, taken together, would touch nearly every American and overhaul the economy including agriculture, bioenergy and fuels.

Download the complete Green New Deal proposal HERE. (Source: Various Sources, NPR, 7 Feb., 2019) Contact: Sen. Ed Markey, 617-565-8519, www.markey.senate.gov; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 929-388-6141, Twitter https://twitter.com/AOC

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green New Deal,  Renewable Energy,  Clean Energy,  Carbon Emissions,  

Green New Deal,Greenpeace
Date: 2019-03-11
"The alternative (to the Green New Deal proposal) is largely to continue as we are because the decisions that have been made to continue as we are have been based on what the best thing to do is. The real problem is [that] you've got this ridiculous notion that carbon dioxide is causing a global catastrophe and a global crisis, and as AOC says, the world is going to end in 12 years if we don't stop using fossil fuels. It's not about the fossil fuels themselves, it's about the carbon dioxide which is emitted when they are burned, the same carbon dioxide that was taken out of the air to make the plants that made the coal, oil and gas which was deposited in the earth in the first place.

"That's one thing that people don't realize: that all the CO2 that is being emitted from burning fossil fuels today was once in the atmosphere and has been taken out, and over the millennia CO2 levels in the atmosphere have constantly been declining. They just ignore this. Those numbers are available, all you have to do is be a good researcher on Google and on the Internet and you can see that over the millions of years CO2 has constantly declined.

"Carbon dioxide which they call carbon, which is completely wrong because carbon is soot, carbon is graphite, carbon is diamonds, carbon is not carbon dioxide. They should call it by its correct name, because all the carbon in all carbon-based life, which is all of life, came from carbon dioxide in the air or dissolved in the oceans, lakes and rivers. Carbon dioxide is essential for life to exist, if there were no carbon dioxide, or if there was not a high enough level of carbon dioxide, all the plants would die and would never have existed in the first place if there had not been carbon dioxide in the atmosphere." -- Greenpeace Co-founder Patrick Moore (Source: Sputnik, Mar. 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green New Deal,  Carbon,  CO2,  Carbon Dioxide,  

Greenpeace
Date: 2019-03-09
In commenting on Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) proposed Green New Deal 'Greenpeace Co-founder Patrick Moore commented that the politician’s call for drastically reducing fossil fuel use is “completely crazy.”

“The alternative (to the Green New Deal) is largely to continue as we are because the decisions that have been made to continue as we are have been based on what the best thing to do is. The real problem is [that] you've got this ridiculous notion that carbon dioxide is causing a global catastrophe and a global crisis, and as AOC says, the world is going to end in 12 years if we don't stop using fossil fuels. It's not about the fossil fuels themselves, it's about the carbon dioxide which is emitted when they are burned, the same carbon dioxide that was taken out of the air to make the plants that made the coal, oil and gas which was deposited in the earth in the first place.

“That's one thing that people don't realise: that all the CO2 that is being emitted from burning fossil fuels today was once in the atmosphere and has been taken out, and over the millennia CO2 levels in the atmosphere have constantly been declining. They just ignore this. Those numbers are available, all you have to do is be a good researcher on Google and on the Internet and you can see that over the millions of years CO2 has constantly declined.

“Carbon dioxide which they call carbon, which is completely wrong because carbon is soot, carbon is graphite, carbon is diamonds, carbon is not carbon dioxide. They should call it by its correct name, because all the carbon in all carbon-based life, which is all of life, came from carbon dioxide in the air or dissolved in the oceans, lakes and rivers. Carbon dioxide is essential for life to exist, if there were no carbon dioxide, or if there was not a high enough level of carbon dioxide, all the plants would die and would never have existed in the first place if there had not been carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.” -- Greenpeace Co-founder Patrick Moore (Source: Sputnik, Mar., 2019)

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green New Deal news,  Greenpeace news,  CO2 news,  Carbon news,  Carbin Dioxise news,  

California
Date: 2019-03-08
In Sacramento, Sen. Henry Stern and several Democratic California State lawmakers have tabled a proposal calling for the Golden State to invest $100 billion in clean energy to slash the state's carbon emissions and end its reliance on fossil fuels by 2030.

The resolution, which is seen as a response to freshman US Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's ballyhooed Green New Deal, would set non-binding goals and declare a climate emergency, citing recent devastating wildfires and the impacts of air pollution on child asthma.

The $100 billion would be spent over 12 years and come from existing funds, including the state's carbon emissions auction program and a gas tax increase to fund transportation projects. The resolution would say all of that money should be spent toward projects that reduce, sequester or remove greenhouse gas emissions.

California presently aims to eliminate fossil fuels for electric power generation and achieve carbon neutrality by 2045.

To refresh your memory, download the complete Green New Deal proposal HERE. (Source: The State, AP, 4 Mar., 2019) Contact: Calif. State Senator Sen. Henry Stern (D), https://www.facebook.com/HenrySternCA, sd27.senate.ca.gov

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green New Deal,  Clean Energy,  Carbon Emissions,  

Green New Deal
Date: 2019-02-27
"Even the solutions that we have considered big and bold are nowhere near the scale of the actual problem that climate change presents to us. It ( the Green New Deal) could be part of a larger solution, but no one has actually scoped out what that larger solution would entail. And so that's really what we're trying to accomplish with the Green New Deal." -- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Dem -NY) Contact: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 929-388-6141, Twitter https://twitter.com/AOC

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green New Deal news,  Climate Change news,  Carbon Emissions news,  

Green New Deal
Date: 2019-02-27
Following a confrontation with young people from the Sunrise Movement on Friday, Sen. Dianne Feinstein (D-Cal) released a draft resolution calling for a carbon tax and the restoration of Obama-era climate policies. Feinstein's proposal is intended as an alternative to Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez's (D) and Sen. Ed Markey's (D) recently released Green New Deal proposal.

According to the Center for Biological Diversity's senior council Bill Snape, " Senator Feinstein's climate resolution is outmoded and cynical politics at its worst. It's more of the same half-measures and loopholes for polluting industries that have failed us for more than three decades. Feinstein can't hide behind this anemic proposal to avoid supporting the real Green New Deal. She needs to get with it or get out of the way," Snape added.

The Center for Biological Diversity is a national, nonprofit conservation organization with more than 1.4 million members and online activists dedicated to the protection of endangered species and wild places. (Source: Center for Biological Diversity, PR, 25 Feb., 2019) Contact: Center for Biological Diversity, Bill Snape, (202) 536-9351, bsnape@biologicaldiversity.org, www.biologicaldiversity.org; Sen, Dianne Feinstein, (415) 393-0707,www.feinstein.senate.gov/public/index.cfm/contact Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (929) 388-6141, https://twitter.com/Ocasio2018

Editor's Note: The New Republic commented on Sen. Feinstein's encounter with school children as follows:

"The children pleaded with Feinstein to be 'brave' and to think about their future. "We're the ones who are going to be impacted," one girl pleaded. The 85-year-old (Sen. Feinstein) insisted she understood, citing her seven grandchildren, but then dashed the schoolchildren's hopes. "I've been in the Senate for over a quarter of a century." she said, "and I know what can pass and I know what can't pass." Later, Feinstein put out a statement calling climate change one of her top priorities and released a draft resolution of her alternative to the Green New Deal."

The Green New Deal basically sets goals for measures to cut carbon emissions from electric power generation to transportation to agriculture. The bill calls for a "10-year national mobilizations" toward accomplishing a series of goals, including "meeting 100 pct of the power demand in the United States through clean, renewable, and zero-emission energy sources." The ultimate goal is to stop using fossil fuels entirely, as well as to transition away from nuclear energy.

Download the complete Ocasio-Cortez,-- Markey Green New Deal proposal HERE.

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green New Deal,  Climate Change,  Carbon Emissions,  

Green New Deal
Date: 2019-02-22
As previously reported, the ambitious 10-year Green New Deal proposal recently released by freshman Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-NY) and Mass. Sen. Edward J. Markey (D) calls for an economy-wide effort to reduce carbon emissions and fight climate change. The non-binding proposal basically combines big climate-change-related ideas with a wish list of progressive economic proposals that, taken together, would touch nearly every American and overhaul the economy.

On 21 Feb, the Washington Post asked "Can the Green New Deal make it through Congress? -- "Passing a climate policy in the United States to combat climate change has long been politically challenging because it is opposed by powerful, well-financed groups such as fossil-fuel companies, electric utilities and automakers, research shows, and these groups have driven ideological polarization on climate policy. In a paper, my co-authors and I (Leah Stokes) show that congressional offices that meet with and receive funds from fossil-fuel organizations are more likely to believe the public does not want action on climate change.

"Congress has not passed a climate bill in a decade. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) last shepherded a cap-and-trade bill, aimed at reducing carbon emissions, through the House in 2009. That bill failed in the Senate after protracted negotiations with fossil-fuel industries.

"Despite successes in some states in the early 2000s, sub-national climate policy also has stalled. In Washington state, for example, the public voted down a ballot initiative in November that would have imposed a small tax on carbon pollution." -- The Washington Post

Download the complete Green New Deal proposal HERE. (Source: Washington Post, Leah Stokes, 21 Feb, 2019) Contact: Sen. Ed Markey, 617-565-8519, www.markey.senate.gov; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 929-388-6141, Twitter https://twitter.com/AOC

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green New Deal,  Climate Change,  

Green New Deal,American Institute of Architects
Date: 2019-02-13
"We applaud the efforts of Congress and its committees to find new ways to support achieving a carbon neutral future by 2030, which is critical to our global future. By investing in infrastructure, upgrading the existing building stock and improving resilience in the built environment, we can make progress towards AIA's 2030 Commitment goals. However, there's a great deal of work that needs to be done. AIA encourages Congress to swiftly enact public policies today that will address the dire consequences we're facing." -- William Bates, Pres., American Institute of Architects commenting on the recently proposed Green New Deal. Contact: American Institute of Architects, William Bates, Pres., www.aia.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green New Deal,  American Institute of Architects,  

Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez
Date: 2019-02-08
In Washington, DC, Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Dem -NY) and Mass. Sen. Ed Markey (Dem) have released their "Green New Deal" legislative proposal that sets broad goals to address climate change, cut carbon emissions, create jobs and boost the economy nation wide.

In broad strokes, the Green New Deal sets goals for measures to cut carbon emissions from electric power generation to transportation to agriculture. The bill calls for a "10-year national mobilizations" toward accomplishing a series of goals, including "meeting 100 pct of the power demand in the United States through clean, renewable, and zero-emission energy sources." The ultimate goal is to stop using fossil fuels entirely, as well as to transition away from nuclear energy. Specifically, the Green Deal calls for:

upgrading the energy efficiency of all existing buildings in the country;

working with farmers to eliminate pollution and greenhouse gas emissions to the degree technically possible;

an overhauling of transportation systems to reduce emissions -- including expanding electric car manufacturing, building charging stations, and expanding high-speed rail to "a scale where air travel stops becoming necessary";

a guaranteed job with a family-sustaining wage, adequate family and medical leave, paid vacations and retirement security for all Americans; and

high-quality health care" for all.

The non-binding, Green New Deal framework basically combines big climate-change-related ideas with a wish list of progressive economic proposals that, taken together, would touch nearly every American and overhaul the economy.

Download the complete Green New Deal proposal HERE. (Source: Various Sources, NPR, 7 Feb., 2019) Contact: Sen. Ed Markey, 617-565-8519, www.markey.senate.gov; Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 929-388-6141, Twitter https://twitter.com/AOC

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green New Deal,  Carbon Emissions,  Low Carbon Energy,  Sen. Ed Markey ,  

Date: 2019-02-08
"Even the solutions that we have considered big and bold are nowhere near the scale of the actual problem that climate change presents to us. It ( the Green New Deal) could be part of a larger solution, but no one has actually scoped out what that larger solution would entail. And so that's really what we're trying to accomplish with the Green New Deal." -- Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (Dem -NY) Contact: Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, 929-388-6141, Twitter https://twitter.com/AOC

More Low-Carbon Energy News Green New Deal,  Cliamte Change,  Low Carbon Energy,  

Climate Change
Date: 2019-01-02
In Washington, Nancy Pelosi (D-CA 12th District), the new Speaker Designate of the US House of Representatives reports she will create a new special committee on climate change to be headed by 7-term Florida Congresswoman Karen Castor (D). Pelosi created a similar committee during her last term as Speaker -- 2007 to 2011 -- but it was eliminated by the Trump administration's Republicans.

Although the membership and scope of the new panel has yet to be announced, it is not expected to have legal authority to demand documents under subpoena. Progressive democrats have been calling for a "Green New Deal" that promotes renewable energy and a new climate panel as part of a "green agenda." (Source: Nancy Pelosi, Various Media, AP, Guardian Various Media, 30 Dec., 2018) Contact: Nancy Pelosi, https://twitter.com/search/Nancy+Pelosi

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,  Trump,  

Food & Water Watch
Date: 2018-11-30
In Washington, D.C., Food & Water Watch is commenting on a bipartisan carbon tax proposal tabled by Reps. Ted Deutch (D-Fla.), Brian Fitzpatrick (R-Pa.) and Francis Rooney (R-Fla.): "With an increased national focus on the perils of climate change in recent weeks, it comes as no surprise that stale ideas would be trotted out anew in hopes of demonstrating an adequate response from lawmakers. Yet carbon pricing schemes like this one are false solutions to climate change, and they provide a dangerous distraction from the bold policies required to avoid the worst effects of climate chaos in decades to come.

"This carbon tax bill amounts to climate denial, not climate action. Emissions pricing schemes like this one are actually supported by the world's largest oil and gas corporations because they do nothing more than entrench the status quo -- an economy dependent on polluting fossil fuels. This particular bill is potentially even more egregious, as it would reportedly roll back existing environmental regulations on carbon emissions, amounting to a shameful, self-defeating giveaway to the industry.

"As Democrats look to formulate a strategy on climate for a new Congress, it is imperative that they flatly reject carbon pricing schemes that increase costs for consumers while cementing a future of fossil fuel business-as-usual.

"A Green New Deal that includes carbon pricing isn't green at all. The only legitimate path to moving off fossil fuels is to move off fossil fuels -- now."

Food & Water Watch is a non-governmental organization group focused on corporate and government accountability relating to food, water, and corporate overreach. (Source: Food & Water Watch, PR, 26 Nov., 2018) Contact: Food & Water Watch, Wenonah Hauter, Executive Director, Seth Gladstone, (917) 363-6615, sgladstone@fwwatch.org, www.fwwatch.org

More Low-Carbon Energy News Food & Water Watch,  Climate Change,  

National Climate Change Assessment
Date: 2018-11-28
In Washington, 350.org Executive Director May Boeve released the following comments on the Trump administration's just release National Climate Change Assessment:

"Not even the Trump Administration's own climate assessments can deny the severity of the climate crisis, as well as the risks for future generations. They can try to bury the findings of this report by releasing it quietly the day after Thanksgiving with hopes that people won't notice, but the realities of the climate crisis are stark and being felt by communities all over the country and the world right now.

"This report (National Climate Change Assessment) acknowledges much of what was outlined in the UN's IPCC report, noting that current efforts to mitigate climate change are not meeting the scale of the crisis. Yet, the report falls short of calling out the true culprit of the climate crisis: the fossil fuel industry. Meanwhile, the Trump Administration continues to roll back climate policy and prop up Big Oil, offering the fossil fuel industry tax subsidies at the cost of creating further conditions for devastating climate impacts.

"All the reports released this year point to the need for bold climate action now. For any shot at averting further climate catastrophe, all elected officials must reject dirty fossil fuel money and fight for a Green New Deal that puts climate and communities first. It's not enough to acknowledge the reality of climate change -- we need our members of Congress to walk the talk and support equitable solutions to this global crisis that lead to 100 pct renewable economies with no new fossil fuel projects."

350.org is U.S.-based, not-for-profit international environmental organization addressing climate change with the goal of reducing atmospheric carbon dioxide to 350ppm from the current level of 400 ppm.

Download the National Climate Assessment report HERE (Source: 350.org, 23 Nov., 2018) Contact: 350.org, (413) 678-5160, www.350.org.com

More Low-Carbon Energy News National Climate Change Assessment,  Climate Chane Assessment,  Climate Change,  

Climate Change
Date: 2018-09-17
Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D) is a 29 year old American politician, educator, and political activist. On June 26, 2018, Ocasio-Cortez won the Democratic primary in New York's 14th congressional district. She is widely heralded by the media as the "possible new face" of American politics.

"In order to address runaway global climate change, Ocasio-Cortez strongly supports transitioning the United States to a carbon-free, 100 pct renewable energy system and a fully modernized electrical grid by 2035. She believes renewable fuels must be produced in a way that achieves our environmental and energy security goals, so we can move beyond oil responsibly in the fight against climate change. By encouraging the electrification of vehicles, sustainable home heating, distributed rooftop solar generation, and the conversion of the power grid to zero-emissions energy sources, Ocasio-Cortez believes we can be 100% free of fossil fuels by 2035.

"Ocasio-Cortez believes in recognizing the relationship between economic stability and environmental sustainability. It's time to shift course and implement a Green New Deal -- a transformation that implements structural changes to our political and financial systems in order to alter the trajectory of our environment. Right now, the economy is controlled by big corporations whose profits are dependent on the continuation of climate change. This arrangement benefits few, but comes at the detriment of our planet and all its inhabitants. Its effects are life-threatening, and are especially already felt by low-income communities, both in the U.S. and globally. Rather than continue a dependency on this system that posits climate change as inherent to economic life, the Green New Deal believes that radically addressing climate change is a potential path towards a more equitable economy with increased employment and widespread financial security for all.

"Climate change is the single biggest national security threat for the United States and the single biggest threat to worldwide industrialized civilization, and the effects of warming can be hard to predict and self-reinforcing. We need to avoid a worldwide refugee crisis by waging a war for climate justice through the mobilization of our population and our government. This starts with the United States being a leader on the actions we take both globally and locally", Ocasio-Cortez says. (Source: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, Sept., 2018) Contact: Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez, (929) 388-6141. us@ocasio2018.com, https://twitter.com/Ocasio2018

More Low-Carbon Energy News Climate Change,