This from my friend Bob Freeman, posted with his permission:
Subject: Comments on Proposed Endangerment and Cause or Contribute Findings for Greenhouse Gases under the Clean Air Act (Docket ID No. EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0171)
I urge EPA to proceed rapidly to develop regulations on the emission of greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. I understand that this action would take place under EPA's authority to protect the health of the public. A recently-published article in "The Lancet", one of the world's leading medical journals, addresses the question of the relationship of greenhouse gases to public health directly, calling it the century's biggest health threat" The article shows that climate change, caused by the accumulation of greenhouse gases, will result in the spread of diseases, increased malnutrition, and other severe medical problems. Based on this and other scientific studies, EPA has the opportunity to act now before t... Read more
In April, the EPA published its finding that elevated levels of greenhouse gases do in fact pose a threat to public health and welfare. This is a major step towards regulating GHG and addressing global warming. As with all such agency rulings, there is now a public comment period (open until June 23, 2009).
I strongly encourage you to submit a comment in support of this finding. If you go to http://www.regulations.gov and search on EPA-HQ-OAR-2009-0171 (the docket ID), you will find hundreds of comments. I looked at about twenty-five comments, and nearly all of them are from people who oppose the finding without having a clue about the science or reality of climate change.
Of course, they're not going to change Lisa Jackson's mind, but they may influence the political calculus. And on a deeper level, I fear the sheer, angry cluelessness of these folks may cause the hearts and minds at EPA to feel that th... Read more
Last Monday, over 2500 people participated in civil disobedience, blockading a coal-fired power plant in Washington, DC.. Since I needed to go the east coast anyway, I timed my visit to be able to participate. Below is an account of my experience.
I arrived in DC Sunday morning, one day before the action, and headed over to the Warehouse Theater where non-violence trainings were being held. All participants were urged to attend one of these trainings, and a great amount of attention went into ensuring that people really committed to non-violence and maintained a safe space for this action. We were also briefed on all the possible legal outcomes, ranging from citation and fine to felony charges, for those of us who intended to get arrested.
I planned to be arrested. I believe that Gandhi's idea of satyagraha -- the force of truth/love -- is profoundly true, and that it often requires personal sacrifice to break through to the conscience of others. Protest and ar... Read more
I am ecstatic about Obama's selection of Stephen Chu as the next Secretary of Energy. This choice speaks louder than words about his commitment to get the job done. Chu is a brilliant scientist (Nobelist) and a seasoned administrator (Lawrence Berkeley National Labs), with a deep grasp of the technological challenges that we will need to meet in order to transition to a zero-carbon economy. He has also been outspoken on the urgent need to address climate change.
To understand what a profound shift this selection represents, consider that our current Energy Secretary has had a career in the financial industry -- he is the former President/COO of Fidelity Investments. Thinking about this made me curious to know the history of this cabinet post. Here it is, in brief:
The cabinet-level Department of Energy was created in 1977 in response to the oil shocks of the early 70s. Here are the energy secretaries, in reverse order:
BUSH II: S...
Read more
I attended a roundtable discussion on Carbon Trading: Solution to Climate Change or Corporate Resource Grab last night hosted by an indigenous environmental justice (?) group (Community Alliance & Peacemaking Project) and featuring Larry Lohmann of the Corner House as main speaker. It's really important that the climate movement connect to indigenous communities and movements, and it was great to be in a discussion with numerous members of these groups.
Unfortunately, the main thrust of this evening was that carbon pricing is bad, just another corporate scam, and should be opposed. It was disturbing to see the room line up in support of this misguided idea. It is not only wrong, but adopting such an ill-considered stance will utterly marginalize the climate justice movement.
Lohmann is on a book tour to spread this idea that carbon trading is bad. His argument in a nutshell is this: We need... Read more
This weekend, the WA state party caucuses meet to choose delegates and begin to draft a party platform. I plan to attend, primarily to be a voice for the strongest possible climate platform.
If you'd like to do the same, here's where to find your precinct-level caucus:
Democrat: http://www.wa-democrats.org/caucusfinder
Republican: http://www.wsrp.org/News/Read.aspx?ID=6885
Here is the resolution that I plan to offer for consideration:
Climate Crisis Resolution
Whereas we recognize that disruption of the global climate threatens to undermine our ability to achieve all other Democratic Party goals including economic prosperity, national security, social justice, and a healthy environment.
Whereas the window of opportunity to forestall climate chaos is rapidly closing a... Read more
There is a public comment period still open on scoping for the Puget Sound Regional Council's update of the Destination 2030 transportation plan. Their website is pretty frustrating, and I'm not an insider on these issues, but here are my comments. Comment period ends Jan. 30, 2008.
What priorities should the plan update address?
Because of the long time lags in transportation planning, it is critical that we fully take account of the implications of climate change in Destination 2030. It is not enough to address average or "most likely" scenarios. Our evolving understanding suggests that climate impacts may be occurring faster than anticipated, and it is probable that our current GHG reduction efforts are not ambitious enough. All transportation planning should take this into account, by including a scenario under which in the next ... Read more
My previous post gave comments on CAT emissions reductions recommendations, and here are the comments I submitted for citizen engagement (Part Three):
Dear friends and colleagues,
This draft is a good start and all the elements included are reasonable. But I fear it is not ambitious enough. Aside from the green jobs components, the current draft would primarily set up an information clearinghouse and use existing channels to ensure that citizens get education and technical assistance in reducing GHG emissions. One would expect no less from a plan to reduce waste oil dumping in storm drains. Let's think to the scale of the problem.
We now face what may be the defining challenge of our civilization. The rate of loss of Arctic sea ice has far outpaced climate models, and the melt of the Greenland ice sheet is causing astonishment and concern among scientists. Here is a blog excerpt from a scientist at the annual meeting of the American Geophysical... Read more
At the end of December, the Washington Climate Advisory Team released its draft recommendations, in three parts:
- A Comprehensive Climate Approach for Washington: Policies and Strategies to Jump-start the Clean Economy and Reduce GHG Emissions
- Preparing for the Impacts of Climate Change
- Citizen Engagement and Action Framework
Here are the comments I submitted for part one:
Dear friends and colleagues,
First, I want to express my sincere appreciation for the hard work and careful thought that has gone into these recommendations. My comments are meant to build on, not detract from this great start.
REVENUE RECYCLING
In the discussion of market-based mechanisms (cap-and-trade and carbon tax), there is no mention of reve... Read more
Here's my op-ed piece that got published in the Seattle P-I recently. My original title was as above ...
(And no, I don't normally go by 'Paul'!)
Acting on climate from ground up By PAUL MITCHELL
GUEST COLUMNIST
Isn't it odd?
My friend said, the other day, "I'm too busy to save the world. But I hope someone else does."
Isn't it odd that (if you believe the scientists) we're on the verge of fundamentally disrupting the climate patterns of our planet, and yet no one has called us? Our phones are not ringing off the hook.
Renowned venture capitalist John Doerr says, "I'm scared. I don't think we're going to make it."
Isn't it extremely odd that we're not meeting every night, that neighborhoods are not organizing by block, that the bells atop town halls are not clanging, that our elected leaders have not cal... Read more
