This is the 621st edition of the Spotlight on Green News & Views (previously known as the Green Diary Rescue). Here is the November 30 edition. Inclusion of a story in the Spotlight does not necessarily indicate my agreement with or endorsement of it.
“We have to choose between the path of surrender—letting the climate emergency jeopardize everyone on this planet—or the path of hope, sustainable solutions and successful.”
~~UN Secretary-General António Guterres
OUTSTANDING GREEN STORIES
OceanDiver writes—The Daily Bucket - GB heron, master fisher: “Wiley Slough, Skagit Flats, PacificNorthwest. Besides the shorebirds on that calm sunny Thanksgiving day, I saw a Great Blue heron fishing, closeup. Herons are masters at fishing, due to a variety of specialized adaptations. This was in a flooded channel formed by taking out a dike that had separated Skagit Bay from the delta flatland. It’s called Wiley slough again after the estuary reclamation project and you can see a sign of its earlier use as dry land in the dead trees nearby. They were drowned once the saltchuck was free to flood this piece of flatland during high tides. The dike, breached in 2009, was built in the 1950s and had kept tidal waters out for enough years to allow trees to grow tall.[...] Herons have spectacularly specialized necks that enable them to strike with great force and speed, in much the way a spear thrower uses leverage. The sixth of their 21 cervical vertebrae (that’s the horizontal one a third of the way down in this image) is longer than the others and gives them that sharply S-shaped neck. Combined with the configuration of muscle attachments in their neck, the heron can whip its head forward in a flash.”
boatsie writes—Pelosi @COP25. Day 2 News Roundup of Climate Conference: “On a day when WHO announced ‘the environmental risks linked to climate change represent more than 12 million deaths annually,’ Speaker of the House Nancy Pelosi participated in a press conference at COP25, recommitting the US to aggressively embrace action on climate change. Day two of the talks focused on health and climate change and the role cities can play in decarbonization efforts.‘ As C40 Chair, my agenda is clear: it is time for us to collectively enact a Global #GreenNewDeal,’ said LA Mayor Eric Garcetti. ‘The time for promises is over, the time for action is underway.’ About 30 cities in the US, as well as cities globally, now employ stricter building codes to lower carbon footprints. A recent report noted that investing $1.83 trillion a year in ‘16 low-carbon measures in cities – about 2 per cent of global GDP – could reduce global urban emissions by 90 per cent by 2050.’ (See Climate Emergency, Urban Opportunity: How national governments can secure economic prosperity and avert climate catastrophe by transforming cities.)”
Don’t miss the links to Mokurai’s terrific new five-day-a-week renewables series scattered throughout this spotlight.
CRITTERS AND THE GREAT OUTDOORS
Walter Einenkel writes—Young sperm whale who beached himself had huge 220 pound 'ball of debris' in stomach: “A necropsy on a young male sperm whale that died after it became beached in Scotland, has revealed the mammal had a ‘ball of debris’ in its stomach weighing around 220 pounds. CNN reports that the whale died at the end of November on the Seilebost beach on the Isle of Harris. The whale was 10 years old, ‘46 feet long and weighing more than 20 tons.’ Scottish Marine Animal Stranding Scheme (SMASS) workers discovered the trash, saying it consisted of fishing nets, tubing, and plastic cups, amongst other things. SMASS says that while there was no evidence that the 220-pound garbage ball had blocked the whale’s intestines, it very well could have been a factor in the stress that led to the juvenile’s beaching. The group also posted images to a Facebook page, detailing the dead mammal as well as the grotesque garbage pulled from its stomach. Local environmentalist Dan Parry wrote about the tragic death of the whale in a Facebook post, and the continuing waste found on the beaches, saying, ‘After seeing the fishing debris pulled from the whale's stomach yesterday, we headed to the beach today to dig out another massive tangle of fishing related rope and net that we had spotted right up at high tide mark. Couldn't believe how much was actually there. I feel much better knowing that this can no longer be washed into the ocean potentially killing more aquatic life’.”
Walter Einenkel writes— 'Nemo' cannot survive climate change according to new genetic research: “The clownfish, made famous by the 2003 Pixar film Finding Nemo, will not be able to sustain itself as its home amongst sea anemones is threatened by climate warming. This is what researchers from France's National Centre for Scientific Research (CNRS) found when they studied the fish population’s genetic code and diversity. The international team was able to analyze clownfish populations’ DNA in Papua New Guinea for over a decade, giving them one of the largest samples to study in the history of marine biology, and unfortunately revealing this troubling news. ‘The findings reported here were made possible by a huge sampling and DNA sequencing effort that had not been attempted for any marine species before,’ says WHOI biologist Simon Thorrold, a coauthor of the paper. ‘The biggest surprise to us was also the most troubling: conservation efforts cannot rely on genetic adaptation to protect clownfish from the effects of climate change. It seems that Nemo won't be able to save himself’."
Lenny Flank writes—Photo Diary: Six Mile Cypress Slough Preserve, Ft Myers FL: “Back in the 90s this was just an empty patch of land in Ft Myers FL that had become infested and overgrown with non-native Brazilian Pepper. With some help from the community, the county cleared it all out, replanted it with Bald Cypress, and turned it into a county park and wildlife refuge. Some photos from a day in the park.”
CaptBLI writes—The Daily Bucket: Lamar Park in Oxford, Mississippi: “An old golf course was converted to a public park in the late 1990’s. The improvements benefit humans and wildlife equally. Here are some of my findings on a lovely late November day. [...] Passing the huge Oak with the green tufts, I noticed various trees that feed, shade and provide nesting space for all sorts of animals. [...] The seed pods were abundant on the Catalpa. The fuzzy Plum buds looked ready to bloom even though the leaves were dry and shedding. The Hornbean was full of ripe seeds ready to fall.”
CaptBLI writes—The Daily Bucket: Chicks and Juveniles: “I checked my old photos to be sure I identified the title picture correctly. I found a photo of a parent feeding a pair of chicks the day they left the nest. I noticed the distinct white flecks along the tail of the adult (though the head is hidden behind the electrical wire nut) I was able to notice the longer beak that slightly turns down. Having the chick land on my leg was a thrill I can’t explain. [...] Here is another picture of the chicks ready to fly. I have found nothing about the tuff-feathers over the chicks ears.”
6412093 writes—The Daily Bucket--Odyssey of the Ancient Lotuses: “A year ago, I attempted to resurrect a handful of lotus seeds, that had sat, forgotten, on a high shelf, for almost 20 years. I dutifully roughed up one corner of the seed with 30 grit sandpaper, to expose the tip that would germinate, like YouTube told me to. I put the seeds into a vase, filled it with tap water, and kept it inside at 70 degrees F. I changed the water now and then. After a month, to my great delight, the seeds persevered, and sprouted thin shoots. I replanted the lotuses into a 5 gallon aquarium, pressing each seedling into an inch of local mud, and filling the aquarium with water. Soon afterwards, the sprouts began to produce leaves. The glass sides of the aquarium allowed me to observe the seedlings underwater. [...] But algae began to grow on the sides. I bought two trapdoor snails, which were relentlessly effective against the algae, and which also had a litter of baby snails, with cute polka dot faces.By now, I had quite the little indoor ecosystem in my study. And it was March. The froggies arrived at my backyard ponds and laid thousands of tadpole eggs.”
6412093 writes—The Daily Bucket--I Shouldn't Wear White, and You Can't Afford a Ring: “I began tracking the migrations of the Great Egret (ardea alba), when I worked at a golf course near Banks in NW Oregon. An Egret would migrate to the golf course ponds every late Fall, leaving the frozen ponds of eastern Oregon behind for the season. Egrets (and herons) are fond of the fish and frogs that overpopulate the golf course ponds, and also feast on the countless voles darting between their burrows in the long fescue grass. [...] In later years, I did not see the Egret at the golf course, maybe because of the herons’ objections. But I did spot an egret at a large stormwater pond, a few miles farther east, that returned year after year. Now I check the stormwater pond every late Fall. The Egret’s there now. The stormwater pond is chock full of minnows, frogs and other small creatures. It’s almost dry in August but in December it’s full to the brim.”
Marissa Higgins writes—On remote islands, plastic pollution confused, trapped, and killed half a million hermit crabs: “More than half a million hermit crabs have died after getting stuck in plastic pollution on two remote tropical island groups, according to a new study. Researchers behind the study, published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials, say that plastic pollution served as “deadly traps” for the crabs. The result? Tons of dead hermit crabs—and bigger picture concerns about ecosystems and tourism. Researchers estimate that around 508,000 hermit crabs in the four Cocos Islands in the Indian Ocean died this way, while about 61,000 on Henderson Island in the Pacific Ocean met the same fate. Loss of hermit crabs could have a real impact on ecosystems, as hermit crabs fertilize the soil and disperse seeds. Researchers stress the need to have more research on how plastic affects nature and wildlife populations, especially on land. While this study’s focus was on just these two island groups, plastic pollution is a growing problem around the world.”
Kestrel writes—Dawn Chorus: The Wintering Ducks and Geese Have Arrived: “I’ve mentioned before that I live in Sacramento, the state capital and the jewel in the crown of California. The Sacramento Valley is one of the great valleys of the world, with a vast and fertile soil area. The Valley’s farmland is unique in the way it provides habitat and food for salmon and birds along the Pacific Flyway. The Sacramento Valley has a deep connection between the urban and rural areas that is reflected in Sacramento’s designation as America’s Farm-to-Fork Capital. Crops grown in the Valley include rice, almonds, walnuts, plums, peaches, tomatoes, wheat, olives, corn, alfalfa, pears, sunflowers, grapes, kiwifruit, and hay. [...] Northwest of Sacramento is the Sacramento National Wildlife Refuge Complex [the total of area of which is] 140 square kilometers (35,000 acres).”
OceanDiver writes—The Daily Bucket - ducks at dusk: “Salish Sea, PacificNorthwest. If it seems like I’m always out on my walkies at dusk that’s because I pretty much am these days. Dusk starts at around 2, and even midday is fairly dark when the maximum elevation of the sun is 20° above the horizon. It’s just that time of year. Many animals are very busy as night approaches though, so even if it’s getting quite dark, there’s activity to see. Geese, gulls, otters, seals, grebes, eagles, and of course, ducks. Many many ducks. They hunt by vision which means making the most of daylight hours, whatever the weather. Birds of North America says sometimes Buffleheads will continue to hunt at night. I can't know since I’m not out there in the dark, but I wouldn’t be surprised if these ducks have found enough to eat by nightfall, given the richness of these eelgrass beds and the time they spend during daylight doing other things besides foraging.”
Dan Bacher writes—Fishing and environmental groups sue Trump administration over violation of Endangered Species Act: “Fishing and environmental groups today sued the US Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries Service for acting in an “arbitrary and capricious manner” in their failure to uphold the protection of imperiled salmon and other species under the federal Endangered Species Act (ESA) in their recent adoption of biological opinions. They filed their complaint in the United States District Court for the Northern District of California. You can read the complaint here: www.courthousenews.com/… The suit is an environmental and administrative law action brought by the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations, Institute for Fisheries Resources, Golden State Salmon Association, Natural Resources Defense Council, Inc., Defenders of Wildlife, and Bay.org d/b/a The Bay Institute. ‘Contrary to the requirements of the Endangered Species Act, 16 U.S.C. §1531, et seq., the biological opinions at issue in this case were blatantly and improperly shaped by political motivations and authorize Water Project operations that will cause grave harm to species and their critical habitat, increasing the risk of extinction of endangered and threatened salmon, steelhead, and Delta Smelt,’ according to the lawsuit.”
Username4242 writes—Among the prairie dogs! Exploring and filming a prairie dog colony in eastern Montana (Video): “Hunting season is finished, which means back to filming again! Was super windy today, but made it work somehow.”
CLIMATE CRISIS
COP25
gmoke writes—Live COP 25 reports: We Don't Have Time invites you to take part in what's happening in Madrid and in Stockholm online. All you need to do is sign up to get daily email of the Nordic Co-operation's program and development during COP25 Dec. 2-13th at https://www.wedonthavetime.org/cop25#register. We will broadcast more than 20 live events online from Madrid and Stockholm. Having signed up for updates and by following us on YouTube (http://wedonthavetime.tv), Twitter (https://twitter.com/wedonthavetime0) and Facebook (https://www.facebook.com/wedonthavetime.org/) - you will get the information before the rest of the world.”
boatsie writes—Day 1 of COP25/A trillion trees to tackle climate crisis: “UN Secretary-General António Guterres kicked off this year’s COP25 in Madrid this morning with sobering yet inspiring opening remarks designed to galvanize action at the conference and around the world to insure the global temperature does not rise by more than 1.5%. [...] So what can you do over the next few weeks as negotiators at the UNFCCC gather with hopes of incentivizing more radical action from member organizations? How about getting out your shovel and planting a tree? Recent research reports that 2/3 of emissions from human activities could be removed from the atmosphere if there was a global effort to plant up to a trillion trees. ‘This new quantitative evaluation shows [forest] restoration isn’t just one of our climate change solutions, it is overwhelmingly the top one,’ said Prof Tom Crowther at the Swiss university ETH Zürich, who led the research. ‘What blows my mind is the scale. I thought restoration would be in the top 10, but it is overwhelmingly more powerful than all of the other climate change solutions proposed’.”
boatsie writes—Pollution Pods & a 20-mile solar bike path: @COP25: “Pollution pods premiered today at COP25: an interactive art installation where visitors can experience the poor quality of air in such cities as New Delhi, London, and São Paulo. Many experience shortness of breath after just a few minutes inside the pods, although there is no danger to their health. Michael Pinsky’s Pollution Pods use fog machines and blends of perfumes to recreate poor air quality. Another pod replicates the clean atmosphere in Tautra, Norway. Outside the pods, however, air pollution has been declared a public health priority by WHO: largely caused by the same burning of fossil fuels that is driving climate change, polluted air is poisoning nine out of ten of us and killing over seven million of us prematurely every year. Children are especially vulnerable: 600,000 children die prematurely every year from air pollution related diseases. ‘The true cost of climate change is felt in our hospitals and in our lungs. The health burden of polluting energy sources is now so high, that moving to cleaner and more sustainable choices for energy supply, transport and food systems effectively pays for itself,’ said Dr Maria Neira, WHO Director of Public Health, Environmental and Social Determinants of Health. “When health is taken into account, climate change mitigation is an opportunity, not a cost’.”
Mokurai writes—Renewable Tuesday: COP25 Climate Conference Begins: “Since I started this series, I have reported good news, better news, bad news, and worse news. To my mind, one of the worst aspects of the whole business is that so few trusted sources of news will tell us about any of the good news, but are happy to sell ads to the Denialists and have their paid shills on to spread their lies. Of course the scientific press, the tech press, the trade press, and the financial and economic press, report on these things with great frequency. The Conference. Climate Action Summit Coalitions Outline Expected Outcomes under Each of Nine Tracks. 1. Mitigation Strategy 2. Social and Political Drivers. 3. Youth Engagement and Public Mobilization 4. Energy Transition 5. Industry 6. Resilience and Adaptation 7. Infrastructure, Cities and Local Action 8. Nature-based Solutions 9. Climate Finance and Carbon Pricing. It's as if they were writing a global Green New Deal, isn't it? No room for all of that today, but there are plenty of other Days with Ys in Them, now that we are doing this five days a week.”
Mokurai writes—Renewable Wednesday: Carbon-Negative Cement Plus COP25 Day 2: “Making more than 4 billion tons of cement each year is responsible for about 8% of CO2 emissions worldwide. We don't have a substitute for it, but there are ways to cut those emissions that scientists and industry are exploring, and even to sequester CO2 in making cement. I have been wanting to get to this for some time. Going to five days a week opens up that opportunity, and many others. BBC: Climate change: The massive CO2 emitter you may not know about. Not only does the production of Portland cement involve quarrying—causing airborne pollution in the form of dust—it also requires the use of massive kilns, which require large amounts of energy. The actual chemical process of making cement also emits staggeringly high levels of CO2. Below, we look at several proposed solutions.”
progressive2016 writes—Architect creates gorgeous "Vertical Forest" tree-lined high-rises that absorb 30 tons of CO2 a year: “These are amazing! I would love to live in a building like this. Right now these are just in Milan, Italy, but I hope this becomes common throughout the world’s cities! The project's two residential towers -- measuring 80 meters (262 feet) and 112 meters (367 feet) respectively -- play host to around 20,000 trees, shrubs and plants. They spill out from irregularly placed balconies and crawl up the structures' sides. By Boeri's estimates, there are two trees, eight shrubs, and 40 plants for each human inhabitant…. But the architect's proudest claim is that the buildings absorb 30 tons of carbon dioxide and produce 19 tons of oxygen a year, according to his research, with a volume of trees equivalent to more than 215,000 square feet of forestland…. Other energy-efficient features, including geothermal heating systems and wastewater facilities, have attracted less attention. Nonetheless, they help the towers to not only resemble trees, but function like them too, the architect said…..”
••• ••• •••
Pakalolo writes—Quantifiable evidence that Antarctica's weakened ice shelves cause ice to 'move from land to sea' “Ice shelves are the most vulnerable parts of Antarctica's ice sheet system and we know that they are shrinking, but what we didn't know before this work was how that was impacting the grounded ice behind them.’ Helen Amanda Fricker, Scripps Institution of Oceanography. Disheartening news out of Antarctica, once again, as researchers found the ‘first physics-based quantifiable evidence that thinning ice shelves in Antarctica are causing more ice to flow from the land into the ocean.’ In other words, ice shelf buttressing is no longer a guarantee to protect us from land ice. The marine extensions of the glacier does not raise sea levels as it is already floating in the water. It is the land ice that will flood some of the most populous areas on the planet. This is all happening faster than predicted. Research published in Geophysical Research Letters found significant changes in ice shelf loss. The shelves underbellies are being carved by upside rivers of warm ocean water which find the weakest part of the shelf causing fracturing and, inevitable cracking and, calving of enormous icebergs.”
Meteor Blades writes—Climate science denier says he resigned from White House post because officials are 'brainwashed' “If you’re shocked to learn that any officials in the White House can be labeled ‘brainwashed’ for rejecting claims that the climate crisis is a hoax, you’re not alone. Of course, Happer thinks this about a lot of people: ‘I feel bad about the younger generation. They have been brainwashed.’ Pretty bold claim for a guy who ran a propaganda organization designed specifically to brainwash people into believing that climate scientists are just in it for the government grants and that carbon dioxide emissions are harmless. In 2014, Happer went even further off the rails in an interview on CNBC’s Squawk Box: “The demonization of carbon dioxide is just like the demonization of the poor Jews under Hitler. Carbon dioxide is actually a benefit to the world, and so were the Jews.” He later apologized for this, but only after he had made the comparison several times.”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—Happer Tells Heartland That many Trump Officials Were “Brainwashed” By 97% Consensus: “On Tuesday, Heartland convened some counter-programming to the COP25 negotiations in Madrid with a day-long, old-dudes-only denial-fest at a hotel conference room in the Spanish city. There were zero women on the agenda, but one did end up speaking at the end: an 18 year-old, far-right German YouTuber Naomi Seibt, who got the final 6 minutes of the 5 and a half hour stream. After she concluded, Heartland’s James Taylor said that he could never invite her back to speak at a Heartland event, because ‘about ten times more people were taking your picture and videotaping you then they were during my talk.’ (Seems Heartland’s found its anti-Greta…) Beyond the surprise guest, the conference was mostly the same song and dance from the same set of old guys that have been wasting funders’ money on for years now and who have little to no impact on the actual negotiations or notice from the media. But this year did offer at least one segment we figured was worth watching: former Trump science advisor William Happer, who since resigning has resumed working with his industry-funded CO2 Coalition, discussed his time in the administration.”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—During COP25, Judith Curry Drops Denial Into Madrid Media: “On Monday, Judith Curry scooped herself, posting to her blog the text of an op-ed she was apparently invited to write for a Madrid newspaper during COP25. The annual UN negotiations are in the unique position of having to balance the Trump administration’s intransigence with the rest of the planet’s aims to put rules in place and ramp up ambition to meet the Paris agreement targets. There’s plenty of interesting things that could be said about COP this year. Instead, Curry sticks to what she knows: arguing that nobody knows enough to act on climate change, and giving bargain-basement denier talking points a pseudo-intellectual sheen. Curry laments that the UNFCCC treaty was signed in 1992, before the IPCC report confirmed that humans were having a discernible influence on the global climate. She then says that the “political pressure” on researchers ‘resulted in a drive to manufacture a scientific consensus.’ Curry’s deception here is subtle but serious. The second IPCC report, which carried the fateful ‘discernible human influence’ line, was confirming the consensus from the mid-90s! The one that Curry STILL does not acknowledge today. And it’s that exact denial mindset and talking point that motivated the 97% consensus study in the first place!”
maggiejean writes—Overnight News Digest: Despite Trump, US Congress Commits to Act on Climate Crisis Edition: “Confronted with a climate crisis threatening civilisation itself, humanity must choose between hope and surrender, UN chief Antonio Guterres told the opening plenary of a UN climate conference Monday. ‘One is the path of surrender, where we have sleep-walked past the point of no return, jeopardising the health and safety of everyone on this planet,’ Guterres said. ‘Do we really want to be remembered as the generation that buried its head in the sand, that fiddled while the planet burned?’ Some 40 presidents and prime ministers took turns working that theme as the 12-day talks began, with Austrian President Alexander Van der Bellen at one point holding up a plush polar bear. ‘All of you, just like me, are so-called decision-makers, and probably have children or grandchildren who you love,’ he said in a scolding tone. ‘Think about those children when you take a decision on behalf of your country’."
mastergardener2k writes—Florida Considers Abandoning Roads and Homes to Rising Seas: “The Miami Herald reports that Monroe County Florida is considering abandoning low lying roads in the Florida Keys that will be extremely expensive to continually raise above the encroaching sea. While this might seem like a mostly local problem, it really brings home the cost of global warming--something that many dismiss as a problem for the distant future that will mostly affect other people. It comes more into focus if it costs Florida taxpayers hundreds of millions of dollars, a cost that will rise exponentially along with the sea level. The county has 314 miles of road to care for — or choose to abandon. Half of them are susceptible to sea rise in the next 20 years. The cost to keep them dry has county government officials openly questioning whether the math is worth it. “Are we really going to spend $128 million to elevate three miles of road where 30 people live? It’s not up to me, but I don’t think so,” said Rhonda Haag, Monroe County’s head of resilience.”
ECO-ACTION & ECO JUSTICE
Angmar writes—John Kerry launches coalition to fight climate crisis: ‘We are way behind’: “Former US secretary of state and Democratic senator John Kerry has launched a new coalition of power-brokers, including top politicians, military leaders, and Hollywood celebrities, to fight for addressing the climate crisis. This coalition—named World War Zero, in reference to the national security danger presented by global heating – aims to convince people that rapid mobilization is required to halt the increase in carbon emissions within 30 years. According to United Nations scientists, global carbon emissions must be halved by 2030 – and eliminated completely by 2050 – to restrict warming to comparatively safe levels. The US and China are the top polluters in the world. While other countries are working to bolster the 2015 Paris Agreement on climate, Donald Trump has withdrawn the US from the pact. The bipartisan bloc includes Democratic presidents Bill Clinton and Jimmy Carter, as well as moderate Republicans such as former California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, the New York Times reported. Celebrities such as Sting, Leonardo DiCaprio, and Ashton Kutcher are also among the some 60 original members, the newspaper said.”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—John Kerry Launches World War Zero As Researchers Coin ‘Climate Mobility’: “A pair of posts published at WUWT recently highlight an emerging concept in the climate community that’s worth some serious consideration. The first was a response to John Kerry’s World War Zero effort, which uses big names and a national security focus to create bipartisan support for climate action. At WUWT, ommenters baselessly questioned (attacked) both Kerry’s intelligence and his military service. Real classy stuff. WW0 seems like a promising way to appeal to its target audience, but there is a growing examination of the use of militaristic or security-focused environmental advocacy. Ironically, one of the most recent developments in that area was the subject of another WUWT post that went up shortly before the Kerry announcement. The post is mainly just a press release for a new comment piece in Nature Climate Change with the denier-enticing title ‘Climate Migration Myths.’ The study, by a group of some 32 researchers, calls for “a new research agenda on ‘climate mobilities’ that moves beyond simplistic assumptions and more accurately advances knowledge of the nexus between human mobility and climate change.’
AKALib writes—World War Zero - John Kerry's Climate Coalition launches today (Sunday Dec 1): “Former Secretary of State John Kerry is launching World War Zero, a coalition aimed at building public support to tackle climate change and global warming. The New York Times reports that the name, World War Zero, is supposed to evoke both the national security threat posed by the earth’s warming and the type of wartime mobilization that Mr. Kerry argued would be needed to stop the rise in carbon emissions before 2050. The initiative has been in the works for months but the official unveiling of the coalition will take place tomorrow Sunday Dec 1, a day ahead of the big U.N. climate conference COP25 that begins in Madrid, Spain on Monday. The founding membership includes some prominent leaders and celebrities that have been active in the climate change fight. ”
Idontknowwhy writes—World War Zero - Enlist Now to Fight Climate Change:
eeff writes—Greta has arrived in Lisbon: “Greta will spend the day in Lisbon meeting with Portuguese activist & rest before heading to Madrid.”
ENERGY
Fossil Fuels & Emissions Controls
Mokurai writes—Renewable Thursday: Oil and Gaslighting III, by the "EcoRight": “The best lies contain a kernel of truth. We have seen that Oil and Gaslighting has to start by throwing coal under the electric bus, and here it is again. republicEN. We are the EcoRight. We want to solve climate change. We believe the free market is the answer. Yes? What was the question, then? Oh, wait, I have this. A fantasy answer deserves a fantasy question. Me: I'll take Alternative Economics for ten trillion, Alex. Alex Trebek: The Bonus Answer! Board: The doctrine of the Free Market. Alex: And remember that your response has to be in the realm of Alternative Economics. Me: What is Milton Friedman's Market Fundamentalism? In what is often laughingly known as reality,”
Mokurai writes—Renewable Friday: Carbon Tax Proposals No Longer Denied Outright: “Carbon taxes used to be anathema to the fossil fuel industry. But now that they are throwing coal under the electric bus, there are forces on the Left and the Right converging on new carbon tax proposals, especially the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act. We will examine it and three alternative bills in Congress below. This bill imposes a fee on the carbon content of fuels, including crude oil, natural gas, coal, or any other product derived from those fuels that will be used so as to emit greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Sponsor: Rep. Deutch, Theodore E.(Introduced … Latest Action: House - 01/25/2019 Referred to … Committees: House - Ways and Means; Energy … Cosponsors · Text · 116th Congress · Amendments. The tax will rise every year. Receipts will be distributed among those hit by higher prices. The bill calls for a pause in new EPA regulations while we see how this works. There are some in the industry who would rather pay a known tax than risk unknown regulations.”
gmoke writes—The Pentagon, Greenhouse Gases & Climate Change: “ ‘On November 20, the Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future hosted a seminar exploring how the Pentagon thinks about its fuel use and climate change, featuring Neta C. Crawford, Professor and Chair of the BU Department of Political Science and a Pardee Center Faculty Research Fellow’
The video of the talk is available at https://www.bu.edu/pardee/2019/11/21/upcoming-seminar-the-pentagon-greenhouse-gases-climate-change/ Here are my notes: Professor Crawford is with the Cost of War Project (https://watson.brown.edu/costsofwar/) and has been looking at the USA wars since 9/11 in which an estimated 800,000 have been killed, including 7000 US military with 50,000 seriously wounded. Just one of the many troubling issues about this is that civilian casualties in Afghanistan have increased over the years, with the last few years producing more and more casualties. Wars have been institutionalized in the USA budget and are being paid for by borrowing rather than through taxes, with the USA involved in 80-90 countries for counter terrorism and the Department of Defense being 77-80% of the Federal government's carbon footprint.”
Renewables, Efficiency, Energy Storage & Conservation
Mokurai writes—Renewable Monday: Record Fall in Coal Production: “Renewable Friday is expanding to every weekday, starting today. Goldman-Sachs called Peak Coal in 2013, but that was while India and China were planning on building lots more coal plants. So we don't know for sure that the current drop is Peak Peak Coal, the last peak ever. But we do know that the Bucky Fuller trim tabs were set quite a while ago, and the national rudders have been coming around, even in the worst cases, India and China. Coal in the rest of the world including the US has been in decline for years.”
cultureanimal writes—The New Right and A Global Green New Deal: “The new right has achieved political success with its attacks on globalization in a way the left failed to do. But the new right has a key failing: It has nothing to say about an ever-worsening climate crisis. The 80 international experts overwhelmingly identified the school climate strikes as the present moment’s most promising international action and the Green New Deal as a framework that could defeat the right’s global narrative. A Global Green New Deal wouldn’t just address the environmental crisis. By creating enormous numbers of well-paying jobs, it would also speak to those left behind by economic globalization. Such a narrative would undermine the new right’s anti-globalist appeals while offering up a positive vision to rally around within and across borders.”
REGULATION & PROTECTION
Meteor Blades writes—Study: Trump regime's plan to give states more EPA tasks guarantees weaker environmental protection: “ Goal 2 of the Environmental Protection Agency’s 2018-2022 Stategic Plan is ‘Cooperative Federalism: Rebalance the power between Washington and the states to create tangible environmental results for the American people.’ Translation: How can we cut the EPA budget even further than it has been over the past decade and turn over more of its functions to the states where industries know they have an advantage in getting their way regarding relaxed enforcement of environmental protections. The write-up underpinning that goal is brimful of buzzwordy mush. In addition to “cooperative federalism, there’s ‘transparency’ and ‘shared responsibility,’ with the EPA working together with the states and tribes in a spirit of trust, collaboration, and partnership.’ In most cases, however, as a new study from the Environmental Integrity Project found, the bottom line in transferring more EPA tasks to the states—as the rightist ideologues who laid out goals in the plan were well aware—means cuts in funding, which means cuts in enforcement, which means environmental damage going unaddressed. This isn’t theory.”
ClimateDenierRoundup writes—Industry-Stacked Air Pollution Panel Faces Question: Protect Polluters, Or Public Health? “We’ve spent the past couple of years watching as Trump’s EPA has acted at the behest of polluters to transform the agency’s scientific advisory panels into industry-approved rubber stamps. Those efforts will likely pay off this week, as the EPA’s Clean Air Scientific Advisory Committee (CASAC) meets to discuss whether pollution limits should be lowered, or if we should allow more Americans to die so polluters can earn a little more money. Unfortunately, because the CASAC have been stacked with faux-experts handpicked by polluters, odds are slim the outcome will be a win for public health. And new reporting this week by PoliticoPRO’s Alex Guillén shows just how broken the EPA’s advisory system has become. In normal times, these sorts of panels consist mainly of university scientists who study the details of the issue, with one or two experts there to represent the industry. For example, 90 percent of members of the PM2.5 (soot) panel that Wheeler disbanded were from academia, and 77 percent of the ozone panel were researchers.”
TRANSPORTATION & INFRASTRUCTURE
Mokurai writes—Electric Vehicle Tuesday: California Kicks Complaining Car Companies to Curb: “The state of California is taking aim at GM (GM), Chrysler, Toyota, Nissan and other automakers that are aligning with the Trump administration in its battle over emissions rules. California issued a statement late Monday saying that as of January the state would only buy vehicles from automakers that recognize the California Air Resources Board's authority to set tough greenhouse gas emissions standards for vehicles. California also pledged only to do business with automakers that committed to stringent emissions reduction goals. Separately, the state also said it will no longer buy sedans that are powered only by internal combustion engines, no matter who manufactures the car. It will buy only plug-in electric or hybrid sedans, although California would make an exception for certain public safety vehicles. That rule does not apply to SUV or truck purchases. Electric vehicles of all sizes and types save money. So why is California buying any gas guzzlers at all? Well, we'll get to the rest. Remember, this is still sausage-making.”
OCEANS, WATER, DROUGHT
Dan Bacher writes—Public comment period for preliminary draft of Delta Plan Chapter 4 extended to January 21, 2020: “An amendment to Chapter 4 of the Delta Plan (Protect, Restore, and Enhance the Delta Ecosystem) is currently under consideration by the Delta Stewardship Council (Council), to ‘address a fundamental shift in how conservation is being planned and implemented in the Delta,’ according to an announcement from the Council. A preliminary public review draft of Chapter 4 was developed based on robust stakeholder engagement and scientific synthesis. It provides a brief history of the Delta ecosystem, describes current conditions in the estuary, and presents five core strategies that form the basis for the policies and recommendations pertinent to the coequal goal of protecting, restoring, and enhancing the Delta ecosystem,’ the Council stated.”
Dan Bacher writes—Water Board Approves Grasslands Permit Despite Testimony by Fishing, Tribal and Conservation Groups: “The Central Valley Regional Water Quality Control Board today voted 4-1 to issue a 25-year permit to continue discharges of selenium and other toxins from commingled agricultural and stormwater runoff into the San Joaquin River and the San Francisco Bay Delta, despite testimony from dozens of representatives of fishing, tribal, environmental justice and conservation groups challenging the permit. The staff promised the board that they would revisit the permit for the Grasslands Bypass Project in two years. In November, five groups filed suit against the San Luis and Delta-Mendota Water Authority and the US Bureau of Reclamation for what they described as ‘the failure to adequately review the environmental impacts from continued operation of the Grasslands Bypass Project to drain agricultural pollution.’ ‘These contaminants would impair the survival of commercially harvested salmon, degrade the quality of the freshwater environment downstream, and poison the drinking water supply for tens of thousands of Californians,’ according to a press release from the Pacific Coast Federation of Fishermen’s Associations (PCFFA) and Save California Salmon.”
AGRICULTURE, FOOD & GARDENING
robctwo writes—Saturday Morning Garden Blogging vol. 15.49: Preparing for winter: “Dad was born December 6, 1923, so as I write this I am thinking he would have been 96 today. He passed away in February 2010. Mom had her 92nd birthday on November 26th. Unfortunately she fell and has a compression fracture of T7, one of the ones she hurt leading to her stay in the assisted living. So things look a little bleak, which is also seasonal around here. [...] Things are growing along. I am looking for an explosion of geranium blooms in the next few weeks. The led lights are again helping dispel any SAD, so far.”