Advanced Search
April 13, 2015
On April 7, Yale University and George Mason University released an interactive map which highlights the public opinion of Americans on climate change on a national, state, congressional district and county level. Image courtesy of Yale University.
On April 7, President Obama announced a set of new initiatives and executive actions to collect data and spread information about how climate change-associated risks will impact the nation’s public health system. The five executive actions are designed to “identify solutions to minimize impacts,” by gathering more data on health impacts, making current data more accessible, and training future health professionals. In addition, nine private companies, including Google and Microsoft, have pledged to use their technical knowhow to monitor the spread of infectious diseases and methane leaks, and 30 deans of medical, public health and nursing schools, have committed to incorporate the effects of climate change on public health into their schools’ curriculums.
For more information see:
NBC News, The White House, US News, Bloomberg News
On April 7, Judge Karsten Rasmussen from Lane County Circuit Court in Oregon held proceedings on a lawsuit filed by two teenagers claiming that state government officials have failed to stay on target to reach greenhouse gas emission reductions, violating the public trust doctrine. Oregon’s public trust doctrine declares all waterways to be a public resource which needs to be protected for future generations. The case says the state’s failure to stay on track with its pledge to reduce emissions to below 1990 levels by 2050 is a violation of this trust. “The government works for us. If you’re not doing your job, then I’m going to call you out on it,” 19-year-old Kelsey Juliana, one of the teens who filed suit, told Huffington Post in January. The lawsuit is supported by Our Children’s Trust, a Eugene, Oregon-based nonprofit.
Oregon Live, International Business Times
On April 7, the Wisconsin Board of Commissioners of Public Lands banned its ten employees from “engaging in global warming or climate change work” in a 2-1 vote. Matt Adamczyk, Wisconsin’s State Treasurer, initiated the rule in an effort to cut government spending. “Why would the staff have to talk about it?” Adamczyk said. “I don’t think that’s our role there. [Climate change] has nothing to do with our agency.” Secretary of State Doug La Follette voted against the ban because he views climate science as a necessary component of the Board’s expertise. “The big important thing here is the attitude and the trend of public officials who, either out of ignorance or out of political expediency, deny the climate issue,” said La Follette. The Board of Commissioners of Public Lands’ portfolio consists of over $1 billion in trust assets, including 77,000 acres of land in northern Wisconsin.
The Guardian, The New York Times
On April 3, the Washington Post released a poll finding 59 percent of voters want the next president to be someone who “favors government action to address climate change;” 31 percent of the voters opposed having a president who is favorable towards government action on climate change. Among the 59 percent of voters who want a president who would act on climate change, 68 percent said that action was “extremely” or “very” important to them.
The Hill, Washington Post-ABC
On April 7, Yale University released an interactive map which highlights the public opinion of climate change in the United States, on national, state, congressional district, and county levels. The map aggregates data from 12 polls carried out between 2008 and 2013, where new techniques allowed researchers to predict local opinions, which were then verified by local polls. The poll asked if people felt climate change was happening and if humans were responsible, their perceptions of who is/will be at risk to climate change, and opinions on public policy ideas to fight climate change. On a national level, 63 percent say global warming is happening, and 48 percent think it is caused by humans. In addition, 63 percent of those polled ‘support setting strict [carbon dioxide] CO2 limits on existing coal-fired power plants,’ on a national level.
Bloomberg News, Yale, The Hill
On April 6, Nature Geoscience published a study, “Projected deglaciation of Western Canada in the twenty-first century” which predicts Western Canada will lose 70 percent of its glaciers due to rising temperatures. Garry Clarke, lead author of the study, stated, “This is a very conservative scenario . . . all the others lead to total loss of ice in the mountains here.” Clarke added that glacier runoff cools nearby freshwater streams, so that the loss of the glaciers could greatly alter the temperature of streams, potentially negatively impacting salmon populations. Clarke warned the world needs to reach peak greenhouse gas emissions by 2040, because, “The glaciers are responding to climate . . . they don’t have a response to weather.”
The Washington Post, Phys Org, The New York Times
On April 6, a study on city density and transportation emissions was published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. The study found that cities with high per-capita emissions, such as Denver or Salt Lake City, face an upward battle in reducing emissions because of their sprawling suburbs and the emissions those residents release when they drive to work. Green transportation policies inside cities such as dense housing, better transit and increasing bike lanes are offset by growth in suburban communities. Cities have to reach a critical density of 1,650 people per square kilometer before emissions begin to drastically fall. Researchers used U.S. highway emission data from 1980-2012 to map emission data nationwide and determine the relationship between vehicle emissions and population density.
Climate Central, Study
=====================
1. ALEC Threatens Lawsuits Against Groups Accusing It of Climate Change Denial
2. Southern Company to Stop Funding Dr. Willie Soon
3. New NORAD Chief Warns of Climate Change Security Threats
4. Report Suggests National Flood Insurance Reform Could Incentivize Americans to Move Out of Vulnerable Areas
1. ACORE Policy Forum
APRIL 22-23, 2015 THE WESTIN, WASHINGTON, D.C. CITY CENTER WASHINGTON, D.C.
ACORE’s Policy Forum champions the progress of the industry in reducing costs and deploying at scale, and will feature policymakers, industry leaders and other perspectives to outline challenges and highlight opportunities facing the sector. The Forum will drive bipartisan renewable energy policy priorities and strategy for the next two years, setting up a successful long-term outlook for the industry. The outcome of the Forum – the policy agenda for renewable energy policy – will be shared with the President and Congress, as well as governors, legislators, and regulators in the states.
Use 20% discount code: SPT20EE and REGISTER TODAY at www.acorepolicyforum.com!
EESI is a sponsoring organization for this forum.
2. WIRES University: Electric Transmission - The Survey Course
Tuesday, April 21 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
Reserve Officers Association 5th Floor One Constitution Ave NE
This year's WIRES University provides an understanding of the basic operational facts about the high-voltage grid (including a basic understanding of how it is regulated and by whom), the technologies that animate it, and the major policies and economic realities that drive it.
This event is free, but restricted to 150 guests. Register here for the event.
Author: Rachael Shook, Caitlin Madera, and Samuel Beirne
Editor: Laura Small
Top-Rated Climate Nonprofit – 4-Star Charity