1.8.2022 accelerating-climate-action-us

1.8.2022 accelerating-climate-action-us

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  Copyright © byR Jay Olson 2022 Accelerating action on climate change in the U.S.: bold leadership and grassroots efforts matter By R. Jay Olson, advocate for action on climate change, January 8, 2022 Since Joe Biden took office in 2021, bold steps have been taken to address climate change and reengage in international diplomacy. But on December 19, 2021, Senator Manchin torpedoed Biden’s signature $1.9 trillion Build Back Better bill. So, what’s next? What can be done now to heighten urgency around the climate change crisis and accelerate transformation to a clean energy future in the U.S.? The U.S. remains highly dependent on fossil fuels and is deeply divided along partisan lines. Action on climate change by most stakeholders falls woefully short. The nation is a major contributor to greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The need has never been more acute for the U.S. to embrace its role as a global leader in collaboration with the international community to solve this existential crisis. GHG emissions from fossil fuels must drop dramatically by the middle of the century, according to leading climate scientists. Otherwise, say hello to more extreme heat, fires, floods and hunger. In most scenarios, meeting the net-zero goal means swapping out most or all fossil fuels for renewables like wind and solar or other carbon-free energy alternatives.
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  Copyright © byR Jay Olson 2022 High dependence on fossil fuels Fossil fuels (petroleum, natural gas, and coal) accounted for 79% of U.S. energy consumption in 2020. According to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, the combustion of fossil fuels to transport people and goods was the largest source of CO2 emissions, accounting for about 35% of total U.S. CO2 emissions in 2019. This was followed by the combustion of fossil fuels to generate electricity which was the second largest source of CO2 emissions in the nation, accounting for about 31% of total U.S. CO2 emissions in 2019. While total U.S. renewable energy consumption reached record highs in 2020 driven primarily by increased production of wind and solar, it represents only 12% of the total U.S. energy consumption mix. Slow EV adoption The Center for Sustainable Energy states that battery electric vehicles currently only makes up 1.8% of all light-duty vehicles sold in the U.S. Automakers are now shifting to electric vehicles, which could make up one-quarter of new sales by 2035. However, analysists predict at that point only 13% of vehicles would be electric due to older vehicles still on the road. The U.S. lags other developed countries in electronic vehicle adoption ranking 18th in EV market share. By comparison, Norway for example ranks 1st with a market share of 74.7%, representing an improvement of almost 20% over the previous year. Norway’s goal is to transition to 100% EV’s by 2025. A deep divide along partisan lines According to USA Facts, the U.S. emitted 5.3 billion metric tons of CO2 in 2018, making up 15% of the world’s emissions. This represents 16.2 metric tons of CO2 per person, ranking 3rd among the world’s top 15 gross emitters. Nearly two-thirds of Americans now believe that climate change is an urgent problem to address, but they aren’t enthusiastic about giving up oil and gas, according to a new survey by the Pew Research Center.
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  Copyright © byR Jay Olson 2022 Attitudes toward climate change and environmental policy in the U.S. don’t tend to be influenced by actual science and data. Political affiliations are the biggest driver behind the beliefs people have about climate change. • About half of Democrats (49%) say addressing climate change is a top concern to them personally, and another 43% call this one of several important concerns. For Democrats, climate change ranks alongside addressing racial justice (51% top concern) as among the issues they express the most personal concern about. By contrast, just 10% of Republicans say addressing climate change is a top personal concern (32% say it is one of several important concerns). A majority of Republicans (58%) say climate change is not an important concern to them. • Most Democrats (69%) expect that in 50 years major lifestyle changes in the U.S. will be needed to address the problems caused by climate change. By contrast, among Republicans, two-thirds (66%) say it’s likelier that new technology will be able to address most climate change problems. Among Republicans, this view is widely held (81%) among the those who do not view climate change as an important personal concern. • While Americans broadly favor increasing the use of renewable energy sources, a majority reject the idea of phasing out fossil fuel energy sources completely. And Americans are about evenly divided on the idea of phasing out the production of new gasoline cars and trucks by 2035. • Most Democrats (81%) see a need for government regulations to increase reliance on renewable energy. On the other hand, two-thirds of Republicans (67%) say the private marketplace alone will be enough. • Large majorities of Democrats favor requiring power companies to use more energy from renewable sources (92%), raising corporate taxes to pay for energy efficient buildings and improved roads (84%) and building a network of electric vehicle charging stations across the country (82%). About half of Republicans (52%) support requiring power companies to use more energy from renewable sources. There is less support for federal spending to build a nationwide network of electric vehicle charging stations (38%). Only 38% of Republicans support the idea of raising taxes on corporations to pay for more energy efficient buildings and better roads. • Democrats are largely optimistic that the Biden administration’s plan to rebuild the nation’s infrastructure in ways aimed at reducing the effects of climate change will help the economy. About eight-in-ten Democrats (78%) say this. Among Republicans, a majority (59%) thinks this proposed plan will hurt the economy, while only about two- in-ten (18%) say it will help.
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  Copyright © byR Jay Olson 2022 Policy and governance – too little, too late • While former President Donald Trump officially withdrew the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement in November 2020, President-elect Joe Biden reversed that decision on his first day in office in January 2021. • Biden’s $1.2 trillion infrastructure bill which was signed into law includes $7.5 billion for zero- and low-emission buses and ferries, aiming to deliver thousands of electric school buses to districts across the country, and another $7.5 billion will go to building a nationwide network of plug-in electric vehicle chargers. • Joe Biden has directed heads of agencies to identify fossil fuel subsidies and take steps to stop them, suspended oil and natural gas drilling leases in the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge and revoked the permits for the Keystone XL pipeline, according to Climate Action Tracker (CAT). • The recent COP26 global methane pledge made at COP26 agreed to by the U.S. can buy valuable time while continuing efforts are made to lower harder-to-cut carbon dioxide emissions. A 30% cut in methane emissions could reduce projected warming by 0.2 degrees Celsius, according to European Union estimates. President Biden’s larger $1.9 trillion, Build Back Better bill is now in serious jeopardy of not being passed by Congress. Even if a completely overhauled version of this bill were to be passed by law makers, it would likely be substantially reduced in size. The components of Biden’s BBB bill related to climate change as it stands right now include: • Consumer rebates and tax credits to reduce costs for middle class families shifting to clean energy and electrification. These measures include expansion of existing home energy and efficiency tax credits, as well as the creation of a new, electrification-focused rebate program. The framework will cut the cost of installing rooftop solar for a home by around 30 percent, shortening the payback period by around 5 years. The framework’s electric vehicle tax credit will lower the cost of an electric vehicle that is made in America with American materials and union labor by $12,500 for a middle-class family. In addition, the framework will help rural communities tap into the clean energy opportunity through targeted grants and loans through the Department of Agriculture. Since President Biden became President in 2021, progress has been made to combat climate change and transition to a renewable energy future, yet climate change activists believe more action is needed by the Federal government.
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  Copyright © byR Jay Olson 2022 • Incentives to grow domestic supply chains in solar, wind and other critical industries in communities on the frontlines of the energy transition. In addition, the framework will boost the competitiveness of existing industries, like steel, cement and aluminum, through grants, loans and tax credits to drive capital investment in the decarbonization and revitalization of American manufacturing. • A new Clean Energy and Sustainability Accelerator that will invest in projects around the country, while delivering 40% of the benefits of investment to disadvantaged communities. The framework will also fund port electrification; facilitate the deployment of cleaner transit, buses, and trucks; and support critical community capacity building, including grants to environmental justice communities. • Creation of a new, 300,000-member, Civilian Climate Corps. This diverse new workforce will conserve our public lands, bolster community resilience, address the changing climate and provide good-paying union jobs for more Americans. • A historic investment in coastal restoration, forest management and soil conservation to bolster resilience and natural solutions to climate change. The framework will provide resources to farmers, ranchers and forestland owners, supporting their efforts to reduce emissions. At its peak, the increased investments in climate smart agriculture alone could reach roughly 130 million cropland acres per year, representing as many as 240,000 farms. The Biden Administration is not standing still even though the BBB agenda has been stalled. Three new initiatives, while not widely publicized, have been implemented through the use of executive authority: • Ending foreign aid for funding of fossil fuel projects. The goal of the policy,” the cable said, “is to ensure that the vast majority of U.S. international energy engagements promote clean energy, advance innovative technologies, boost U.S. cleantech competitiveness, and support net-zero transitions, except in rare cases where there are compelling national security, geostrategic, or development/energy access benefits and no viable lower carbon alternatives accomplish the same goals. • Biden signed an executive order on Dec. 9 directing the federal government to transition its 600,000 cars and trucks to electric vehicles, to move its 300,000 buildings to carbon- free energy, and to institute a “Buy Clean” policy for the $650 billion in goods and services it purchases annually. Biden is aiming not only for direct emissions reductions, but to achieve an impact that will ripple throughout the economy by creating new demand for clean technologies. By making the Federal government an early customer, it is hoped that this will pave the way for American businesses and workers to shift more quickly. • On Dec. 6, the Biden administration took a first step toward reversing Trump era rollbacks on lighting efficiency standards that advocacy groups say cost U.S. consumers $300 million in higher electricity bills every month. The proposal would require that new consumer bulbs produce at least 45 lumens per watt—an efficiency rate that is achievable by the LED bulbs currently on the market.
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  Copyright © byR Jay Olson 2022 The missing link According to Climate Action Tracker (CAT), U.S. policy and action on climate change have thus far been insufficient. While progress is being made to reduce fossil fuel consumption, it isn’t happening soon enough to achieve net-zero emissions by 2050. As Chris Malley from the Stockholm Environment Institute states: “We need to halve emissions by 2030 if we are to keep global temperatures below 1.5°C.” The preliminary analysis at COP26 shows that “we will only reduce emissions 12% by 2030.” It’s not impossible for the U.S. to dramatically cut fossil fuel consumption and achieve its net- zero GHG emissions goal, but more urgent action and massive collaboration is needed by all stakeholders – Federal, state and local government policy makers and law makers; the business community; our institutions; and, importantly, our citizens. The stakes are high. The health of our planet and wellbeing of future generations hangs in the balance. We must all boldly take action now to elevate the importance of climate change and accelerate our nation’s transformation to a clean energy future. Time is running out. People are not born leaders. Leadership skills are learned. Everybody is a leader, including people with titles and everyday citizens. Here are some characteristics of what bold leadership looks like in the war against climate change. Bold leaders: • Inspire others – Action speaks louder than words. They stay true to their purpose and values at all costs. Guided by deeply-rooted principles, bold leaders embrace uncertainty, confront cynics and stand up for what is right even when their constituents disagree. They work hard to build trust and inspire others to take action as well. • Seek common understanding – They reach out to neighbors, fellow employees and citizens in their communities to start open, honest dialog about the climate change crisis. They listen with an open mind and heart to better understand other’s opinions and perspectives, even when others may disagree. They search for common ground where agreement can be reached on the problem to be solved – in this case, the existential threat posed by climate change and the urgent need to protect the safety and wellbeing of our planet for future generations. • Paint a picture of what a better future looks like – As visionary thinkers, bold leaders are adept at communicating their dreams in clear, concise language focusing on the benefits that a low- or no-carbon world could provide for mankind and our planet. The missing link needed to heighten urgency and action on climate change is BOLD LEADERSHIP – not just by people with titles of authority but by everyone. We are all co-contributors to the problem. It is our responsibility to own it. This is our opportunity to step up as leaders in our communities and help solve this crisis with a collective mindset.
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  Copyright © byR Jay Olson 2022 • Coalesce action – They seek like-minded individuals and opportunities to unite them in pursuit of common goals. This can take the form of informal communities embedded in larger organizations (businesses, institutions, local government) and other grassroots efforts. A collective voice can be a powerful force to influence strategy, policy and decision making. • Remain optimistic – The war on climate change is perhaps the singular, most crucial and massive challenge we will ever face. There will be many setbacks along the path to a clean energy future. While much is outside of our control, we do have control over the personal choices we make, including our feelings, beliefs and behavior. In spite of all odds, bold leaders are a pillar of strength, hope and optimism for others. How you can make a difference now Below is a list of some of the more immediate and tangible things you can do (in no particular order) to step up as leader. Together, let’s ratchet up intensity around climate change and accelerate action towards a safe, healthy, clean energy future. 1. Like this paper, commit on it and share it. Let’s create a groundswell of interest and engagement to keep climate change top of mind. 2. Share your story. If you or loved ones have been directly affected by the wrath of climate change (e.g., loss of a home, loss of a job, etc.) share your story. People will listen. Personal accounts of disaster, angst and stress caused by global warming can have a powerful influence. They touch people’s lives in heartfelt ways and make the threat of climate change more real. 3. Use your voice. Write to your congressman/woman and ask him/her to back Biden’s “Build Back Better” legislation and embrace it. 4. Use your vote. Vote for the best candidate who supports climate change action and has the courage to do the right thing even if it isn’t the most popular among their constituents (i.e., campaign supporters and voters). 5. Use your wallet. Choose to do business with those organizations that do the most to embrace sustainable business practices. Check reviews and carefully research websites of companies on your short list before you decide to do business with them. One helpful resource is the Global 100 list compiled by Corporate Knights, a Canadian research firm, which ranks corporations with revenue in excess of $1 billion based on key metrics of sustainability, such as carbon footprint and gender diversity.
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  Copyright © byR Jay Olson 2022 6. Get involved. Volunteer your time and/or donate to your favorite climate change organization or activist group. Every hour and dollar spent helps increase awareness and understanding so people can make informed choices about climate change and learn to live more sustainable lifestyles. a. One of the nation’s most well- established organizations is the Midwest Renewable Energy Association. MREA is dedicated to expanding renewable energy adoption through innovative programs, renewable energy training and educational events. Its programs and services are responsive to evolving energy issues and empower people to make wise lifestyle choices. Each June MREA holds the longest-running grassroots renewable energy event in the nation bringing 11,500 plus attendees together to learn about clean energy, connect with other like-minded individuals and take action toward clean energy transformation. b. The Sunrise Movement is an excellent grassroots initiative. The mission of this youth movement is to “stop climate change and create millions of jobs in the process.” Their efforts focus on “making climate change an urgent priority across America, ending the corrupting influence of fossil fuel executives on U.S. politics, and electing leaders who stand up for the health and wellbeing of all people.” c. The Third Act is a recently formed, activist community that coalesces action by older Americans (age 60+) to “muster political and economic power to move Wall Street and Washington in the name of a fairer, more sustainable society and planet.”