Climate Capsule Week of November 24

Highlight of the Week
Obama Video Illustrates A Commitment To Climate Action

President-elect Barack Obama delivered a speech via video recently to the Governors Global Climate Summit in Los Angeles, which confirmed his commitment to address global warming. “Few challenges facing America, and the world, are more urgent than combating climate change,” Obama said in the webcast.

From December 1-12, world leaders will gather in Poland for the United Nations Climate Change Conference to negotiate a pathway out of the climate crisis. “President-elect Obama has kicked the gears of change into motion. The call for action will echo from the halls of Washington to the capitals of nations around the world,” said Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of National Wildlife Federation.

The American public stands behind Obama’s call for action. A new poll from Zogby International of 2008 election voters shows 78 percent of voters agree that investing in clean energy is important to revitalizing America's economy. Of Americans who voted in the elections, 60 percent believe combating global warming should be a ‘high priority’ for the next president and new Congress.

“The time for America to act is now…Clean energy investments create jobs, revitalize our economy, and reduce the pollution that is accelerating global warming. The investments in clean energy that forestall a climate meltdown will aid our recovery from the global financial meltdown,” Schweiger added.

Report: Southeast Water Becoming More Uncertain

National Wildlife Federation has released its new report about water use and drought in the southeastern United States.  Click here to read more and access the report.

Since 1960, the region’s population doubled and water use for municipalities, irrigation, and thermoelectric power more than tripled. The Southeast is one of the fastest growing parts of the country—58 of the fastest 100 growing counties in the nation are in the nine states of the Southeast.

More Variable and Uncertain Water Supply: Global Warming’s Wake-Up Call for the Southeastern U.S. details how:

·        Water supply in the Southeastern United States will be more variable and uncertain in the coming decades;

·        Rapidly expanding population, irrigation, and thermoelectric power use has increased water demand;

·        The astonishing biodiversity of the Southeast is also at risk; and

·        The Southeast should plan for increasing variability in water supply.

Strategies for meeting the increasing demand for water in the region have not typically accounted for the regular occurrence of drought, as illustrated by recent droughts. During 2007 alone, crop losses are estimated at more than $1.3 billion and wildfire ravaged 600,000 acres in Georgia and Florida.

Quote:

“We face serious challenges like climate change, and I believe that we need to commit to independence from fossil fuels within a generation. That will require major investments, a substantial shift in incentives, and a culture change as consumers.”

—Tom Perriello, the new Representative-elect for Virginia's 5th Congressional District.

Economic Message of the Week
Climate Partnership, Businesses Urge Climate Action Now To Recharge U.S. Economy

An increasing number of leading corporations and environmental organizations are calling on Congress and the incoming Obama Administration to pass meaningful climate protection legislation to drive economic recovery. Two major coalitions, USCAP and BICEP, point to the economic benefits and job creation that will result from taking such action.

Representatives for U.S. Climate Action Partnership, a coalition of 26 corporations and 6 non-profit environmental and conservation organizations, recently held a Washington press conference to make the economic case for cap-and-trade legislation.

USCAP said that cap-and-trade legislation is urgently needed to prevent the serious impacts of climate change. Legislation is necessary to spur innovation in green technologies that will create jobs, increase economic activity and provide the foundation for a vibrant, low-carbon economy.

Nike, Starbucks, Levi Strauss, Sun Microsystems and Timberland have formed a new coalition called Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy (BICEP). This new business coalition also calls for strong climate and energy legislation to spur the clean energy economy and reduce global warming pollution.

BICEP’s key principles include stimulating renewable energy, promoting energy efficiency and green jobs, requiring 100 percent auction of carbon allowances, and limiting new coal-fired power plants to those that capture and store carbon emissions.

Rep. Waxman: New House Energy And Commerce Chairman

House Democrats have selected Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) as the next chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee, succeeding current Chairman John Dingell (D-MI).

“We congratulate incoming Chairman Henry Waxman and applaud him for his commitment to 'achieve energy independence and tackle climate change' as top priorities for committee action,” said Larry Schweiger, president and CEO of the National Wildlife Federation.

“Congressman Waxman has laid out his climate legislation principles, which are supported by National Wildlife Federation and have already won support from more than 150 members of the House. We welcome the opportunity to work with him, the incoming Obama Administration and members of both sides of the aisle to enact climate legislation in 2009.

“We have been delighted to work with Congressman John Dingell and look forward to continuing our work together on wildlife conservation and climate change. He has been a conservation champion for more than a half century. We at the National Wildlife Federation owe him our deep appreciation for an extraordinary environmental legacy, a legacy that he will continue to build in the months and years ahead.”