COP21 Preliminaries

On the day before the opening events at the Paris climate summit, there were some preliminaries for many participants.

United Nations climate head Christiana Figueres gathered "civil society" participants, including environmental groups and non-profit citizen organizations, for a briefing on security and related issues.

Over 150 heads of state are gathering tomorrow (Monday) for the start of the conference.  Figueres said that never before have that many "heads of state ... ever, under any circumstance, under any convening power, come together under one roof in one day."  This created logistical and security issues that have been compounded by recent events in Paris.  With all of the security, Figueres said, "there is no safer place on the face of this planet right now than this venue."

Christiana Figueres speaks to Civil Society groups 11/29//15

Figueres was joined by the United Nations head of security for the conference.  He was introduced simply as "Kevin."  Figueres and Keven stressed that they are open to displays of views by participants buy wanted "no surprises."  They explained why, within the secure section of the venue, anything out of the ordinary, including spontaneous demonstrations of any sort, will lead to quick intervention by security personnel.  They did say, however, that they will work with individuals and organizations on ways to show their views that will not surprise security personnel.

UN COP21 Security Head Kevin 11/29/15

Within the secure venue, upwards of 40,000 or more individuals will be registered, including government representatives and non-government representatives from environmental groups, educational groups and institutions, business organizations, and others.

The security outside the venue is also very visible.  Several peaceful legal protests were held in Paris today, including placing over eight tons of shoe in and around the Place de la Republique to represent individuals who could not gather because of new, temporary restrictions on concentrated public gatherings in France.  That didn't stop some individuals from massing resulting in a police response and some arrests.

Riot police get ready to disperse climate protesters 11/29/15

Back at the COP21 venue, transportation options are stressed.  The registered participants were given passes to ride public transit for free during the conference.  Conference vehicles include electric minibusses.

COP21 participants lining up to get transit passes 11/29/15

Electric minibus at COP21 11/29/15

The conference site includes two "wind trees."  The "leaves" are all mini-windmills.  Each tree can produce 4.3 kw of power.

"Arbre a Vent" Wind Trees 11/29/15

I can't write about my first day in Paris without a note of sadness for the victims of the terrorist bombings earlier this month.  At the Place de la Republique, there are an overwhelming number of makeshift memorials and related offerings, including the one pictured below for 37 year old Thibault Rousse Lacordaire who died at the concert venue.  It was hard for anyone, myself included, to avoid tears as we saw the many hand-made tributes.

Heading to Paris for Climate Action

I’m heading to Paris this weekend for the United Nations climate meeting commonly referred to as COP21 (21st "Conference of the Parties").   

I share the sadness of all decent people over recent events in Paris and elsewhere.  While compassion for those affected by tragedy and heightened security concerns will certainly impact the attendees, the government of France, world leaders and the United Nations feel it is vital for the gathering to take place. 

Nearly 200 nations and their leaders, including President Obama, will be attending for at least some portion of the two week meeting.  The general sense is that the resolve among world leaders is stronger than ever to unify around a common goal of addressing climate change.

COP21 will not be the final resolution of climate issues. Rather, success should be measured by nations unifying around the need to address climate change and the related commitment to hold global warming to an average of about 2 degrees centigrade or less.  

Even at a 2 degree increase, we can expect notable impacts, including sea level rise of up to three feet by the end of this century.  Nations have submitted plans to get on the 2 degree path.  However, their pathways are just the beginning steps.  If they only do what they've committed to so far, the world will do well for a few years, but ultimately temperatures will exceed the 2 degree goal.  Commitments will need to be regularly revisited, deployment of alternative energy accelerated and the phase down of fossil fuel use will have to be very rapid.

Plenty will be written about the proceedings as they begin on November 30 and reach an anticipated conclusion on December 11.  While in Paris, I plan to post a few updates and photos on this blog.  I won't try to duplicate the news stories about the conference, but I will try to pass along some of the items of interest.

Michael Paparian and United Nations Framework Convention on
Climate Change Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres,  June, 2015

In addition to the national government representatives, there will be upwards of 40,000 or more representatives of scientific institutions, environmental groups, businesses, state/local governments, universities and others.  The meeting will include hundreds of workshops and other “side events” discussing everything from the latest scientific research to local government roles, financing and public engagement.  I wil go to many of these.

I’ll be attending as a representative of the InterEnvironment Institute.  I am on the Board of the Institute and have been to a number of international environmental meetings with them.  The Institute has been “accredited” by the U.N., thus allowing us access to the more central U.N. meeting areas.

Since leaving the Treasurer’s office earlier this year, one of my projects has been to help environmental finance efforts, including establishing a network to promote “green bonds” in California.  I’ll be meeting with others who share similar interests, including those who are establishing green bond groups in other countries with assistance from the Climate Bonds Initiative.  I also plan to assist the efforts of the Climate Reality Project (Al Gore’s Group) and reconnect with some old colleagues from the Sierra Club.

Science Fiction Meets Climate Change Reality

Kim Stanley Robinson has been writing science fiction for over three decades.  That's long enough for some of his themes of ecological calamities, weather extremes and climate decay to become strikingly real.

He's thought a lot about climate change and climate solution and.is frequently called on to give his perspective.  Robinson was the keynote speaker recently at the 350 Sacramento town hall on climate change.

Author Kim Stanley Robinson speaking at
350 Sacramento Climate Town Hall Nov. 14, 2015

Successfully addressing climate change is now defined by many environmental and world leaders as limiting the increase in global temperatures to about 2 degrees centigrade (about 3.5 degrees farenheit).  Even if we achieve that cap on warming, we're likely to see many negative impacts, including sea level rise of about 3 feet by the end of this century, more extreme weather events and very high localized temperatures.

Robinson thinks of success as reducing CO2 levels to levels to pre-impact levels.

"It's also true that complete success is not going to come in our lifetimes," he told the audience in Sacramento.  "It's going to be a multi-generational effort and yet here at the start of it we can't let that discourage us. We can't quit just because we're going to have to pass on to the next generation the semi-damaged world where the solutions are not yet fully in place."

"We do what we can in our generation," Robinson said.  "We pass it on in a kind of scaffolding system, build the scaffold as strong as we can and hopefully the next generation will stand on that scaffold and do a little better and we'll get ourselves to sustainability at last."

Participants at 350 Sacramento Town Hall Nov. 14, 2015

How do you avoid becoming overwhelmed?

Robinson spoke of keeping the vision in mind.  "The long term project is a vision so it orients you like you're driving at night and you have something on the horizon.  A vision of what it can be like when it is going well.  That's the utopian mindset.  ... 350 Sacramento?  That's the long term goal.  If you say to a politician you need 350 ppm of CO2 in the atmosphere tomorrow ...  well it's not possible ... but then it's like building a bridge and you put the footing in on your shore and you have a vision of where you're headed."

Kim Stanley Robinson continues to write about climate issues.  He said his next novel will be about massive sea level rise.  He also recently republished the climate "Science in the Capital" trilogy he wrote a decade ago.  He condensed the books into one volume and updated some of the information based on the latest science.  The new volume is "Green Earth."

"I will keep pounding away on these issues," he says.  He is optimistic about the prospects for a better future.  "When you get together in groups like this and you see the people devoting their time to this cause, you realize it can work .. it can be done"

Americans Want Climate Action

Overwhelming Agreement on Climate

Americans not only agree that climate action is needed, they so overwhelmingly see the threat and want action that it is "hard to find this many Americans agreeing about anything."

That's the bottom line conclusion of Dr. Jon Krosnick of Stanford University.  Having studied and surveyed American attitudes about climate change for two decades, he's in a position to know.  Dr. Krosnick spoke recently at the University of California Sacramento Center, presenting his findings from years of survey work.

Dr. Jon Krosnick in Sacramento Nov 12, 2015

Over the years, Dr. Krosnick's surveys have gotten more sophisticated in addressing various misconceptions about public attitudes and opinions on climate.

Since 1997, Dr. Krosnick has seen a consistently high belief that global warming is or probably will happen, with between 82% and 88% of those surveyed recognizing the problem.

Support for Government Action Widespread

Fully 78% of Americans support government action on climate, according to the surveys.  "You only get up to these numbers at this level if there is endorsement of this policy not only be people who are comfortable with government action but a considerable number of americans who say, as a general rule, they prefer for government to stay out of the activity," said Dr. Krosnick.  "So this is remarkable issue in the sense that this is a place where people who are in general skeptical about government involvement support government activity."

One of the issues Dr. Krosnick says he hears is that there are geographic differences of opinion regarding global warming.  When he tested for this, he found that strong majority belief that global warming is happening in every area of the country.  "There is not a single state that is majority skeptic on this issue, said Dr. Krosnick.  The lowest number in any state is 75%.  Interestingly, some of the highest numbers are in Oklahoma, home of climate denier Senator Jim Inhofe.

Parakeets and Science

Dr. Krosnick got a laugh from the audience in Sacramento when he recounted getting a call from the New York Times asking for his response to the assertion by politicians that they have nothing to say about climate change because they are not scientists.  He said, "For a politician to say I am not a scientist is like saying I'm not a parakeet."  His polling shows that the not-a-scientist statement resonates better that absolute climate denial among very conservative voters.

Summary of Climate Polling:  Americans Green & Want Action

Dr. Krosnick gave the Sacramento audience a summary of his findings:

"A majority of Americans are green on this issue, There seems to be no regions of skepticism as far as we can tell ... It is in fact a priority for people .. They want their government to address it. People do appear willing to pay to reduce emissions. Taking green positions seems to help candidates win an election. A not-green position can hurt a candidate."

More on Dr. Krosnick's most recent national polling can be found at the New York Times site here and Resources for the Future here.

Climate Dispatch: 5 Most Viewed Posts

I started Climate Dispatch earlier this year with the hope of providing information and viewpoints of interest.  There have been 24 posts so far.  I'm working on more and plan to provide updates when I attend the United Nations climate meeting in Paris early next month.

What's been most interesting to Climate Dispatch readers?  The five most viewed posts to date are:

1.  Traitors to Humanity

The most viewed post, Traitors to Humanity, offers some thoughts on how climate deniers will be remembered in the future, concluding:

For a bit of political self-gratification now, the climate denial leaders are condemning themselves to be forever remembered as betraying humans and the planet.

2.  Some Recent Climate Change Videos I Liked - August 2015

Never underestimate the power of visual media.  I enjoy learning about issue through a variety of sources, including videos and video clips.  I guess I shouldn't be surprised that the second most viewed post was a compilation of six videos ranging from an overview of cap and trade to an analysis of the Pope's encyclical to climate impacts on the wine industry. The post is linked here.

3.  California Coast:  Get Ready for Sea Level Rise

The California coastline is already seeing the impacts of rising tides and warmer waters.  What is not generally known is that our best efforts to address climate change will likely lead to a sea level increase of about 3 feet in the next 85 years.  Without aggressive efforts, the rise could be 6 feet.  Even a few inches causes dramatic impacts, so we better get ready.  The third most viewed post relates to climate impacts on our coast and is linked here.

Source:  PG&E presentation to CEC/PUC Adaptation Workshop 7/27/15

4.  Clean Coal:  This Hydra Needs to Die

Promoting "Clean Coal" has become a favorite energy source for many of the Republican presidential candidates and some are even distancing themselves from cleaner energy like solar and wind.  The fourth most viewed post compares "clean coal" to the many-headed hydra that sprouts more heads each time you cut one off.  The post is linked here.

Hydra: Digital image courtesy of the Getty's Open Content Program

5.  California 2030 Climate Goals: Renewable Energy

The fifth most viewed post was part of a series covering summertime workshops to assess progress towards California climate goals for 2030.  The renewable energy post is the only one of the series in the top five list.  The other posts covered transportation (#8) and energy efficiency (#11).

Source:  E3 Dr. Nancy Ryan presentation

4.  

California Climate Investment Plan Draft Is Good Primer on California Strategies

California's climate strategy includes a robust cap and trade program that is generating billions of dollars.  The money is invested in climate solutions at a level surpassing climate investments by almost all national governments.  The California Air Resources Board is assisting the state Department of Finance in developing the latest version of a forward-looking plan for investing future revenues.

The 2015-16 California state budget allocated over $2.2 billion in cap and trade revenue to programs, ranging from $20 million for healthy soils to $350 million for low carbon transportation and $765 million for transit and rail projects.  Billions more in revenues are expected over the next few years.

The allocation of cap and trade revenue is subject to negotiations between the governor and legislature, but it is guided by an intensive review of potential climate investments in many program areas.  The review is mandated by legislation signed by Governor Brown in 2012 (AB1532, by Assemblymember John Perez).  The legislation requires regular preparation and updating of three-year climate investment plans for cap and trade auction revenues.

The California Air Resources Board has released the latest draft of the investment plan.  The plan will serve as background for the governor and legislature as they guide the expenditure of several billion dollars in auction revenue expected from 2016 to 2019.  Revenues will be used for a variety of public investments and incentives.

http://www.arb.ca.gov/cc/capandtrade/auctionproceeds/
draft-second-investment-plan.pdf

Hearings on the plan will take place in early November and comments will be accepted until November 13. A new draft will be released in early December, followed by another comment period and a hearing before the Air Resources Board on December 17-18.  The plan will be submitted to the legislature in January.  (Details on the hearings here)

The draft document, Cap-and-Trade Auction Proceeds Second Investment Plan:  Fiscal Years 2016-17 through 2018-19 (Draft) (linked here), includes detailed background and serves as a very useful primer on the California climate program and related investments/expenditures.  The plan has already been the subject of several workshops and over 200 written comments have been received to date (written comments can be viewed here).

The draft plan provides detailed background on the investment areas and programs.   There is also a good discussion of how investments will target disadvantaged communities, as required by state law.

The Air Resources Board staff has done an excellent job of preparing a series of graphics that provide an overview of the California climate program and related uses of auction proceeds.  Below is a selection of graphics covering the overall California strategy and summarizing expected investment areas for the next few years:

Overview of California Climate Goals for 2030:

Source: (10//27/2015 Draft) Cap-and-Trade Auction Proceeds Second
Investment Plan: Fiscal Years 2016-17 through 2018-19

Additional Detail on California Climate Goals & Targets Through 2050

Source: (10//27/2015 Draft) Cap-and-Trade Auction Proceeds Second
Investment Plan: Fiscal Years 2016-17 through 2018-19

CO2 Emissions at 2020, 2030, 2050

Source: (10//27/2015 Draft) Cap-and-Trade Auction Proceeds Second
Investment Plan: Fiscal Years 2016-17 through 2018-19

Overview Of Proposed Investment Areas

   Source: (10//27/2015 Draft) Cap-and-Trade Auction Proceeds Second
Investment Plan: Fiscal Years 2016-17 through 2018-19

Proposed Transportation Investment Concepts, Including Recipients

Source: (10//27/2015 Draft) Cap-and-Trade Auction Proceeds Second
Investment Plan: Fiscal Years 2016-17 through 2018-19

Proposed Energy Efficiency/Renewables Concepts Including Recipients

Source: (10//27/2015 Draft) Cap-and-Trade Auction Proceeds Second
Investment Plan: Fiscal Years 2016-17 through 2018-19

Proposed Resources/Waste Concepts Including Recipients

Source: (10//27/2015 Draft) Cap-and-Trade Auction Proceeds Second
Investment Plan: Fiscal Years 2016-17 through 2018-19

Proposed Transportation & Sustainable Communities Concepts Including Recipients

Source: (10//27/2015 Draft) Cap-and-Trade Auction Proceeds Second
Investment Plan: Fiscal Years 2016-17 through 2018-19

Small Bits of Climate Hope from Europe

I returned last week from a vacation in Europe.  We had a thoroughly enjoyable time hiking in the mountains of Tuscany and visiting our son in the Netherlands.

Climate solutions were not the intended focus of our trip, but I couldn't help but notice the many energy conservation and renewable energy efforts in the countries we visited. I came away feeling more optimistic that needed climate solutions are being implemented and can be accelerated.

Solar is much more commonplace than I expected. We spent a week in an Italian Agritourismo originally built in medieval times in a remote mountain area. It is now largely run by solar. In a neareby hillside village in the Garfagnana area north of Lucca, homes with photovoltaic panels are easily spotted.

Solar panels on homes in the hills of Garfagnana, Italy

Even very old homes are are adding solar as they are remodeled, as the home below shows.

In the small town of Maastricht in the southeastern corner of the Netherlands, homes have many energy conservation features such as motion sensors for lights, heavy insulation, CFL and LED lighting and efficient windows.  These simple features are common throughout the areas we visited in Europe.  Solar is also increasing, as the roof of the home next to our Bed and Breakfast shows.

Solar Panels on Roof in Maastricht, Netherlands

Our journeys between towns were on electrified trains that were reliable and generally faster that auto travel.  Electric cars and plug-in hybrids are becoming much more commonplace.  Paris has had an electric car-sharing program since 2011.  There are now about 3000 cars in the Paris program being used for over 10,000 rentals a day (source here).  The Paris program is now rolling out to other cities.  Paris also boasts a robust bicycle sharing program.

AutoLib Paris Shared Electric Cars at one of about 1000 charging locations

Tesla and one other car charging in Maastricht, Netherlands

Cars charging at train station in Dusseldorf, Germany

Often forgotten among the climate solutions are steps to reduce waste, recycle and compost.  Not only are resources used more efficiently, but greenhouse gas emissions from rotting garbage can be minimized or eliminated with proper management.  In Florence, Italy, there are separate streetside bins for organic waste and recyclables, offering residents a convenient way to assure proper handling of materials.

Food and organic waste collection bin on street in Florence, Italy

Recyclables collection bin on street in Florence, Italy

These are just a sampling of the measures we saw.  Windmills were seemingly everywhere, as were larger solar installations.  Passive solar design is incorporated in buildings,  LED lighting is becoming widespread.  Bicycle use is emphasized through workable bike lanes bike share availability.

The nations of the world will be gathering in Paris in early December to craft agreements with the goal of keeping temperature rise under about 3.6 degrees farenheit in the coming decades.  To be successful, sweeping changes in our approach to energy production, transportation systems and resources utilization will be critical.  But rapid implementation of the large-scale solutions will require many small scale actions by communities and individuals.  

Our recent trip to Europe helped convince me that the needed steps are taking hold in many areas.  With aggressive commitments and incentives for governments, it will be possible to take both the large and small steps needed to slow and eventually stop climate change.

I'll be returning to Paris for the U.N. Climate Summit in December.  

California Climate Solutions: BioFuels

BioFuels Contributing to California Climate Goals

Ethanol from sugar cane and sorghum.  Diesel from waste vegetable oils.  Natural gas from food and yard waste.

These are just a few of the green fuels that are in the process of commercialization in California.

A key "pillar" in Governor Brown's California plan to reduce greenhouse gases by 40% by the year 2030 is to cut fossil fuel use in the transportation sector by 50%.  As I described in a prior blog post (California 2030 Climate Goals:  Transportation Fuel Use), the fossil fuel reduction goal is attainable with current technologies through a combination of electric/hydrogen vehicle deployment, efficiency improvements, expanded use of alternative transportation modes, and noticeable increases in the use of low carbon fuels.

Relative carbon intensity of current standard diesel fuel (ULSD) and
various substitutes.  Source:  ARB 2/19/15 Presentation

While electrification of the transportation sector remains a central policy goal of the state, there will continue to be some transportation modes that will be slower to electrify, including long haul trucks and other non-automobile vehicles and equipment.  In addition, traditional and hybrid cars will continue in use for the foreseeable future.  Vehicles that traditionally used fossil fuels can still contribute to the state climate goals through the use of renewable fuels.

For several years, the California Energy Commission (CEC) has been providing strategic grants to assist in the commercialization of alternative and renewable fuels.  The grants are a real climate success story.  With CEC assistance, many companies are now providing low-carbon fuels for direct use or to blend with existing fuels to lower the carbon intensity and climate impacts.  

Several of the projects were highlighted at a recent workshop convened by CEC Commissioner Janea A. Scott.

Harry Simpson of Crimson Renewable Energy said their facility in Bakersfield is the largest biodiesel plant in California.  They use used cooking oil, inedible corn oil from ethanol plants and animal fats as feedstock, but could use other sources in the future.  They are in the process of expanding their plant from 10 million gallons per year capacity to 22 million gallons per year.

Harry Simpson, President
Crimson Renewable Energy 9/18/15

Mr. Simpson cited state policies and incentives as key to their ability to expand production.  One of the policies is the state "Low Carbon Fuel Standard" (LCFS).  The LCFS is in the process of being renewed by the California Air Resources Board.  He also said that crops could be used as a feedstock for renewable diesel, but there are challenges assuring a consistent and adequate supply.  He said that some of these challenges could be overcome if there were a crop insurance program available for energy crops.

Susan Kennedy of South San Francisco Scavenger Company and Evan Edgar of Edgar and Associates described facilities to take food and yard waste and convert it to fuel and compost.  As the graphic below illustrates, food and yard waste would go through an anaerobic digestion facility.  Biogas would be processed and used by the trucks of the local waste company and displace traditional fossil-fuel based natural gas.  Residual material would become compost to use on farms.  The farms could grow food and the waste products from the food preparation could again be used as feedstock for fuel and compost.

Source:  Edgar/Kennedy Presentation to California Energy Commission 9/18/15

Mr. Edgar said that any community of 100,000 or more people could support an economically viable facility.  He said that the fuel used by the trucks would be "carbon-negative" based on the carbon calculation methodologies approved by the Air Resources Board.  Using the community size of 100,000 as an example, Mr. Edgar said a facility in such a community could produce enough fuel for a fleet of 35 waste/recycling trucks that would normally use about 330,000 gallons of fuel in a year.  Ms. Kennedy pointed out that, in addition to all the other benefits, their facility will help her company achieve their goal of reducing waste going to landfill.

Susan Kennedy, Evan Edgar and Paul Relis 9/18/15

Paul Relis of southern California waste management company CR&R described their anaerobic digestion facility under construction in Perris, California (Riverside County).  Their facility will be larger than the ones previously described.  The gas will be used to fuel about 70 CR&R trucks and they plan to have a system in place to clean and condition the gas so it can be injected into the local natural gas pipeline for residential and commercial use.

CR&R Faciity.  Source:  CR&R CEC Presentation 9/18/15

Projects like these benefit from a range of California policies and incentives, including the Low Carbon Fuel Standard which the Air Resources Board is scheduled to update in a few days.  The Energy Commission continues to put in about $20 million a year to support biofuels.  As of early this year, they had supported 45 projects with $135 million.  The Energy Commission expects to enter into a new funding round for projects later this year.

Source:  California Energy Commission Investment Plan Update April, 2015

BioFuel proponents are hoping for additional funds to accelerate commercialization of biofuels.  The source most often mentioned is the California Cap and Trade funds.


More Information:

California Energy Commission Renewable Fuel Program
ARB Low Carbon Fuel Standard Program
UC Davis Status Review of California LCFS
BioEnergy Association of California
California BioDiesel Alliance

"Clean Coal" - This Hydra Needs to Die

Presidential Candidates Promote Damaging Energy Source

In Greek mythology, the Hydra is a creature that belches poison gas and sprays caustic blood when injured. And, every time you try to kill it by chopping off the head, two more heads grow to replace the lost one.

According to one description, "this monster was so poisonous that she killed men with her breath, and if anyone passed by when she was sleeping, he breathed her tracks and died in greatest torment."

Hydra: Digital image courtesy of the Getty's Open Content Program

"Clean coal" reminds me of the Hydra.  Just when you think it has been slain in favor of better technology, the ugly head of  "clean coal" resurfaces and seems to multiply.  Clean or not, coal breathes noxious gas into the atmosphere and bleeds poisonous materials like mercury.

I'm not the first to see this analogy.  Mat McDermott discussed the clean coal hydra in 2008 here.  I'm sure others have too.

"Clean coal" is a mirage created by a coal industry desperate to revive an energy source that has no role in a climate challenged world.  Despite billions spent chasing the technology, it remains elusive, unproven and unreliable, while giving some a false hope that coal can be cleaned and the carbon emissions captured and stored or neutralized.  The reality is that "clean coal" is a distraction from the truly clean technologies that must be deployed to address climate change.

The latest "clean coal" hydra-head emerged from Republican Presidential candidate Carly Fiorina.  In response to questions about climate change, she has delighted climate deniers by dodging the issue and saying there are dozens of priorities more important than thinking about climate.  She is quick to promote "clean coal" and trash other technologies like wind and solar. "To say we’re basically going to outlaw coal, which is what this administration is doing, is so self-defeating. It destroys jobs, communities," Fiorina said in an interview with Katie Couric. She worries that China is going to get ahead of us in pursuing clean coal unless we start pushing clean coal technologies.

"Carly Fiorina (13045502775)" by Gage Skidmore from Peoria, AZ, United States of America
Licensed under CC BY-SA 2.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

"Clean coal" isn't a new concept for Fiorina. In her failed California Senate race in 2010, she said, "We also need to use every source of energy we have, including nuclear power and natural gas to reduce our dependence on oil from other countries. At the same time, we need to build on advancements in technology that make clean coal more affordable and more realistic." (source here)

What is new for her is a series of mis-informed attacks and outright lies about clean energy such as solar and wind (see detail from David Roberts on Vox here). She says she is uncomfortable with solar because of the huge amounts of water it consumes and wind due to bird kills. (Never mind that solar panels use no water and wind technology has advanced to the point where cell phone and radio towers are 10 times more dangerous for birds.)

Ad in Wall Street Journal May 9, 1979

Fiorina isn't the only candidate promoting coal, "clean" or otherwise.

Candidate John Kasich says of coal: "we are going to dig it, we are going to clean it, and we are going to burn it in Ohio, and we are not going to apologize for it." (source here)

"Obama’s war on coal is killing American jobs, making us more energy dependent on our enemies & creating a great business disadvantage" says Donald Trump (source here)

"Donald Trump Laconia Rally, Laconia, NH 4 by Michael Vadon July 16 2015 19"
by Michael Vadon - Own work. Licensed under CC BY-SA 4.0 via Wikimedia Commons 

“When it comes to coal, there is no industry in this country that has been more of a target of an outright assault from the federal government than has the coal industry" said Ted Cruz in Wyoming (source here)

"God blessed America with abundant coal, oil and natural gas. Let's open up more federal lands for safe and responsible exploration." said Marco Rubio in Iowa (source here)

Coal Plant; Source: USGS

"... we should utilize our existing coal reserves cleanly, both through our existing plants and through the development of new cleaner coal technologies," says Bobby Jindal in a report on energy (source here).

Jeb Bush recently met with CEOs of coal companies (source here) and got a financial boost from "King Coal" (source here)

Scott Walker "has not made climate change a focus of his campaign, but he has spoken at the Heartland Institute, a group that denies man-made climate change. Walker also joined more than a dozen other coal-reliant states suing the Environmental Protection Agency to block the so-called Clean Power Plan" (source here)

Like the mythical beast, the modern "clean coal" Hydra threatens the world with fumes and poison.  In mythology, a giant crab defended Hydra.  Today, it is a group of misguided politicians helping a desperate coal industry survive.  In mythology, it took the cleverness of Hercules to slay the Hydra. Today, it will be the ingenuity of the renewable energy industry that slays coal through cost savings, environmental benefits and technology that works.

Hercules slaying Hydra; Beham 1545;  ©Trustees of the British Museum

Addendum .... Despite the seriousness of climate change and the threats from continued use of coal, it is possible to maintain some humor, as evidenced in this clean coal "ad" produced by the Coen Brothers in 2009:

Some Recent Climate Change Videos I Liked - August 2015

Climate Change, Consumerism and the Pope

Synopsis from UCTV:  After being summoned to the Vatican to advise on climate change, Dan Kammen of UC Berkeley shares an insider's view on what inspired Pope Francis to issue such a passionate plea to protect the earth in Laudato Si, his 2015 encyclical on the environment. As a practicing Catholic, former Michigan Governor Jennifer Granholm (now with U C Berkeley Energy and Climate Institute) praises the Pope for presenting "human ecology" as a moral issue in this lively exchange with Kammen and Henry E. Brady, dean of the Goldman School of Public Policy at UC Berkeley.

This video is about 28 minutes .. if you want to watch the 1 minute 20 second synopsis, click here.

Cap and Trade Simplified

New media website CalMatters provides an animation overview of the California Cap and Trade system.

Climate Change Affecting Wine Grapes

Al Jazeera America Reports on how the wine grape industry is impacted by climate change.

Climate Change and California's Dying Forests

Canadian network CBC reports on how climate change is impacting California forests.

Climate Change and Lake Mead

Pat Mulroy, former general manager of the Southern Nevada Water Authority, talks about the growing water crisis in the West, where Lake Mead is now at its lowest level since the Hoover Dam was built in 1939.  Mulroy is now associated with the Brookings Metropolitan Policy Program.

Carbon Negative Fuels

Evan Edgar of Clean Fleets talks about carbon-negative fuels and California Cap and Trade.

Traitors to Humanity

I consider myself an optimist.  I believe people are generally good hearted, honest and well meaning.  I believe world leaders will finally recognize that climate change must be addressed and must be addressed quickly.

My optimism is validated by recent climate actions of President Obama, Pope Francis and others.

However, my optimism is tempered by the scientific reality and the persistent denial from leaders who know better.

The problem is that quick climate action is now defined as taking steps that will limit global warming to about 2 degrees centigrade.  We're already at about a .8 degree increase and we're seeing impacts: more frequent and intense extreme weather events; melting ice in the Arctic, Antarctica, Greenland and glaciers; rising sea levels impacting low lying coastlines; increased droughts; and, the first waves of climate refugees escaping climate impacted areas.

The United States Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the 2 degree limit will help to mitigate sea level rise, but we’ll still see an increase of a foot or more in my lifetime and over 3 feet by the end of the century.  That means a lot more human, environmental and economic hardship could face humanity in the coming decades.

The optimist in me believes we'll find ways to cope with the changes, but we better not let it get any worse than a 2 degree increase.  Anything above 2 degrees and the scientists tell us that we could get into an irreversible acceleration of impacts that will ultimately raise seas to levels unseen in human history and make large portions of earth uninhabitable.   Some scientists are now questioning whether 2 degrees is the right number or whether the cap should be much lower to avoid the worst devastation.

The potential for climate change has been known for many years.  In the 1980s, the science became clear enough that our leaders should have taken steps to limit global warming to a much lower level than 2 degrees.  But they didn't.  In the 1990s, then President George H.W. Bush and other Republican leaders took some preliminary steps to begin to address climate change. 

But then fossil fuel companies and their surrogates convinced some politicians and opinion leaders that the climate solutions would hurt their business interests.  They funded some of the same public relations and psuedo-scientists who were used to delay regulation of cigarettes and toxic chemicals.  They created doubt about the science and provided cover to Congressional leaders who wanted to placate their oil patrons.  Their work was surprisingly successful.  According to polls, only 50-some percent of Americans believe there is a scientific consensus on climate change or that we are already seeing impacts.  And Americans are among the least informed on climate of the major industrialized countries.  The reality is that over 99% of climate science studies agree there is a problem and scientists are telling us it is already affecting us.

By the early 2000s, opponents to climate action convinced the Republican leadership that climate could be used as a partisan issue.  With some exceptions like Senator Lindsay Graham of South Carolina and former Ronald Reagan Secretary of State George Shultz, most Republicans who previously believed action on climate was needed, back-peddled.  Then, one very conservative Congressman, Bob Inglis of South Carolina, looked at the science carefully and realized earth was in big trouble.  He started advocating for climate change action and, as a result, conservative activists rallied around a Republican opponent who soundly defeated him.  The message to Republican members was clear -- back climate science at your own peril.  

Opinion polls in the U.S. now reflect a sharp partisan divide on climate, with Democrats much more likely to believe climate science than Republicans.  The Public Policy Institute of California released a poll last month showing California Democrats twice as likely as Republicans to believe climate impacts have already begun (73% vs. 37%) and more than twice as likely to see global warming as serious threat.

Source:  Public Policy Institute of California Survey Californians and the Environment July 2015

Climate deniers among the Republican Presidential candidates and in Congress have been emboldened and continue in their efforts to dismiss scientific reality.  Despite overwhelming irrefutable evidence, they continue to resist needed action.

I was thinking about the future recently and wondered how the climate deniers will be remembered in the future.  The deniers have managed to stall climate action for several decades.  I believe their days of obstructionism are waning in the face of public and world insistence for action – that’s the optimist in me coming out again. 

But these climate deniers will be remembered in the future for their tremendous success at obfuscation and delay.  And this remembrance will not be a positive one.  I expect people in the future will look back in anger at our failure from the late 1980s to 2015 to take steps to limit global warming to a level lower than 2 degrees centigrade.

People in the future will want to know who was responsible for inaction.  And, for the displacement, environmental damage and human suffering, those responsible will be remembered with disgust and disdain.

Others have used the phrase “traitor to humanity” to describe leading climate change deniers.  Traitor is a harsh word, but I can think of none better to describe the reckless disregard for our planet and the humans that live on it.  For a bit of political self-gratification now, the climate denial leaders are condemning themselves to be forever remembered as betraying humans and the planet.