Climate Capsule Week of October 6

Highlight of the Week
Tonight’s Presidential Debate: Will Candidates Address Climate Change?

The rise in global warming pollution—in the form of carbon dioxide emissions—is happening faster than expected. Tonight is the perfect time for our next president to address the need to cut emissions by two percent per year and move to a clean energy and green job economy. 

People produced so many carbon-based pollutants in 2007 that our atmosphere could soon fit under the “worst case scenario” category once outlined by the U.N.’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

The current concentration of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) is the highest during the last 650,000 years, and probably during the last 20 million years, according to the Global Carbon Project.

Carbon dioxide emissions increased by 3 percent from 2006 to 2007, new numbers considered surprising to many who thought an economic downturn would slow energy consumption.  

China is the world’s greatest emitter, but the United States follows in second, the Associated Press reported. Though some nations slightly decreased CO2 output, the U.S. pumped out more in 2007.

With this newly released information detailing our unsustainable fossil fuel use, will Barack Obama or John McCain address the imperative to get serious about reducing greenhouse gas emissions? Watch the town hall style debate tonight at 9 PM Eastern on any major broadcast network and see if our next president addresses global warming.  

Nations Donate Billions To New Climate Investment Funds

The world’s industrial nations recently pledged more than $6.1 billion to the Climate Investment Funds, to aid developing nations in the fight against climate change.

The funds, approved this summer by the World Bank, aim to provide interim funding to help developing nations ease increases in global warming pollution, develop green technologies, and adapt to the catastrophic impacts of global warming.

“Today, we are uniting to fight global climate change,” said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick.  “These funds are a concrete step forward toward reconciling the challenge of global climate change with the challenge of development and overcoming poverty.”

Representatives of 10 developed nations—Australia, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, the United Kingdom and the U.S. —attended the donor conference hosted at the World Bank in Washington.

The U.S. pledged $2 billion over three years, Britain announced a commitment of $1.5 billion, and Japan pledged up to $1.2 billion.

Happening This Week

Congress is on recess this week.

Tuesday, October 7: Winter Fuels Outlook Conference, 8:30 AM - 3:30 PM, Rotunda Room, Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center, 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, DC 20004

Friday, October 10: Ecosystem Health in a Rapidly Changing Climate Seminar, 10:00 AM - 12:00 PM, 253 Russell Senate Office Building

Quote:

“Conservation…means guarding our spectacular wildlife populations—not just for our own time, but for all time. Conservation also means passing on a way of life to the next generation—a tradition of sportsmanship, cooperation, and respect for the natural world.”

—Vice President Dick Cheney’s remarks at a recent White House conference on wildlife policy. National Wildlife Federation’s new poll shows that 80 percent of America's hunters and anglers believe the next administration should set a bold, new vision on energy policy. Visit TargetGlobalWarming.org for more information.

Economic Message of the Week
Google’s Clean Energy 2030: Proposal To Reduce Dependence On Fossil Fuels

Web giant Google was right when a press release stated “We can put a big dent in climate change.” Technologies are available or under development to help cut energy costs and improve national security. Strong climate legislation via responsible leadership and a realistic timeline are all important aspects of Google’s Clean Energy 2030 proposal.

Over the next 22 years, Google says, we can save billions for our economy and create millions of green economy jobs by reducing our dependence on fossil fuels.

To start on this path immediately, the U.S. must take leadership on three fronts: reduce demand by doing more with less, develop renewable energy that is cheaper than coal, and electrify transportation and re-invent our electric grid.

Firstly, the proposal says we can reduce our energy demand by increasing energy efficiency of buildings, computers, lighting, waste management – to name just a few. Secondly, the plan strives to make renewable energy cheaper than coal through the RE<C Initiative. This stage involves investments in startup companies with breakthrough wind, solar and geothermal technologies.

The third phase of the proposal that must be implemented immediately is the modernization of our power grid. Google has partnered with GE to accelerate the development of a “smart grid”, aimed to help harness our nation's vast renewable energy resources. 

When effectively partnered together, our economy and environment provide a huge opportunity for us to confront today’s pressing financial and energy challenges.

Clean-Energy Industry Will Boost Northwest Economy, Job Creation

A Clean Edge and Climate Solutions report called Carbon-Free Prosperity 2025 details specific potential for 63,000 new jobs in the Pacific Northwest, and ways for this region to become a global leader in the clean energy industry.

According to the report, the following five emerging clean technology industry sectors offer Oregon and Washington one of the best opportunities for sustained economic vitality and job growth:

     • Solar Photovoltaic Manufacturing, projected to provide up to 22,560 new jobs in the region by 2025;
     • Wind Power Development, projected to reach up to 6,000 new jobs; 
     • Green Building Design Services, projected to provide 16,834 new jobs; 
     • Sustainable Bioenergy, which could account for 10,419 new jobs; and
     • Smart-Grid Technologies, projected to create up to 7,000 new jobs.