[TheClimate.Vote] November 16, 2017 - Daily Global Warming News Digest
Richard Pauli
richard at theclimate.vote
Thu Nov 16 10:29:34 EST 2017
/November 16, 2017
/
*10 Science Must Knows on Climate Change Presented at COP23
<https://cop23.unfccc.int/news/10-science-must-knows-on-climate-change-presented-at-cop23>*
... presented to the Executive Secretary of the United Nations Framework
Convention on Climate Change:
Summary of "The 10 Science Must Have's"
1. Much evidence suggests that the planet has entered a new geologic
epoch - called the Anthropocene. The rate of change of the Earth
system is accelerating as a result of humans' impact on the planet's
biology, chemistry, and physics. Earth's climate has been remarkably
stable since before the dawn of civilization. This stability is at risk.
2. Earth is approaching critical "tipping points". By crossing these
thresholds, the planet may see abrupt, and possibly irreversible,
shifts in the workings of the Arctic, Amazon, and other parts of the
globe.
3. The record-breaking 2017 Atlantic hurricane season provides a
glimpse at the increased risks of extreme weather events that the
planet may experience in the future. These events include severe
flooding, heat waves and droughts.
4. Changes are occurring quickly in the ocean, with accelerating
sea-level rise and ocean acidification.
5. The economic costs of climate change are already being felt, and
the some of the world's poorest nations are bearing the heaviest burden.
6. Climate change will have a profound impact on human health by
placing new pressures on the food and water security in nations
around the world.
7. Climate change is likely to exacerbate migration, civil unrest
and even conflict. In 2015, more than 19 million people globally
were displaced by natural disasters and extreme weather events, and
climate change will likely cause that number to grow.
8. The world needs to act fast: If humans continue to emit
greenhouse gases at current rates, the remaining carbon budget to
reduce risk of exceeding the 2 degrees Celsius target will be
exhausted in around 20 years. Emissions should peak by 2020 and
approach zero by around 2050 if the world is serious about reducing
risk. As a simple rule of thumb, this means halving global emissions
every decade.
9. A fossil-fuel free society is economically attractive: renewable
energy sources increasingly compete with fossil fuels, even when
these are priced at historic lows. Moreover, the estimated costs of
inaction range from 2-10% of GDP by 2100 by some estimates, to a
fall in projected global output by 23% in 2100 in others.
10. Even if the world meets the Paris Agreement targets, communities
across the globe will still need to build resilience and adapt to
the changes already under way.
https://cop23.unfccc.int/news/10-science-must-knows-on-climate-change-presented-at-cop23
*prepared text of the speech
<https://cop23.unfccc.int/news/ten-must-knows-about-climate-change-at-cop23>*
https://cop23.unfccc.int/news/ten-must-knows-about-climate-change-at-cop23
*Today, at COP23 a high-level closing ceremony *
<http://unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9951.php>
The Yearbook of Global Climate Action 2017 by the Climate Champions will
be presented to the Parties, providing an annual overview of action in
key GCA thematic areas, highlighting the achievements made under the
Marrakech Partnership, and showcasing progress in the run-up to the
Talanoa Dialogue. The Yearbook will be made available online
<http://unfccc.int/paris_agreement/items/9951.php> after the launch.
*/Yearbook of Global Climate Action 2017
<http://unfccc.int/tools/GCA_Yearbook/GCA_Yearbook2017.pdf> /*
*Summary for Policymakers 2017
<http://unfccc.int/files/paris_agreement/application/pdf/summary_for_policymakers_2017.pdf>(991
kB)*
*Democrats Are Shockingly Unprepared to Fight Climate Change
<https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/11/there-is-no-democratic-plan-to-fight-climate-change/543981/>*
ROBINSON MEYER
There's no magic bill waiting in the wings - and no quick path to
arriving at one.
There's a wrinkle in how the United States talks about climate change in
2017, a tension fundamental to the issue's politics but widely ignored.
On one hand, Democrats are the party of climate change. Since the 1990s,
as public belief in global warming has become strongly polarized, the
Democratic Party has emerged as the advocate of more aggressive climate
action. The most recent Democratic president made climate policy a
centerpiece of his second term, and the party's national politicians now
lament and oppose the undoing of his work. Concern for the climate isn't
just an elite issue, either: Rank-and-file Democrats are more likely to
worry about global warming than the median voter.
On the other hand, the Democratic Party does not have a plan to address
climate change. This is true at almost every level of the policy-making
process: It does not have a consensus bill on the issue waiting in the
wings; it does not have a shared vision for what that bill could look
like; and it does not have a guiding slogan - like "Medicare for All" -
to express how it wants to stop global warming...
https://www.theatlantic.com/science/archive/2017/11/there-is-no-democratic-plan-to-fight-climate-change/543981/
*RELEASE: Climate and Nuclear Security Framework Issued by Leading
Experts
<https://climateandsecurity.org/2017/11/15/release-leading-experts-issue-new-framework-for-managing-intersection-of-climate-and-nuclear-security/>*
by Caitlin Werrell and Francesco Femia
Working Group on Climate Nuclear and Security Affairs_Report OneRELEASE:
Leading Experts Issue First-of-its Kind Framework for Managing the
Intersection of Climate Change and Nuclear Security
Washington, DC, November 15, 2017 - In its initial report released
today, the Working Group on Climate, Nuclear, and Security Affairs,
chaired by the Center for Climate and Security, has articulated a
first-of-its kind framework for understanding and addressing the complex
connections between climate change, security, and nuclear issues. The
report arrives as the 23rd Conference of the Parties concludes its
meeting in Bonn, Germany to plan implementation of the Paris Climate
Change Agreement, and in the aftermath of President Trump's tour of
Asia, during which nuclear weapons issues featured prominently.
In the first report in a planned series, the CNSA recommends beginning
with a few broad but clear steps to begin advancing U.S. interests
regarding intertwining climate, nuclear, and security affairs. These
include developing realistic planning scenarios, improving communication
regarding existential nuclear and climate risks, and educating policy
makers about the practical ways they can protect America's capacities
for navigating these challenges. For example, the report suggests that
U.S. governmental and non-governmental leaders:
Focus on potential crisis regions and game out ways in which applying
specific policies, technologies, normative structures, and other
measures can be stabilizing or destabilizing
Promote more robust public and policy maker engagement on existential
risks like nuclear conflict and climate change
Convey risks in relatable and immediate ways, for example emphasizing
ways to reduce threats to vulnerable infrastructure across the country
https://climateandsecurity.org/cnsareport1/
*Climate change will determine humanity's destiny, says Angela Merkel
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/15/climate-change-will-determine-humanitys-destiny-says-angela-merkel>*
Merkel, who as an environment minister chaired the first climate summit
23 years ago, has been under pressure this week to phase out Germany's
large coal-fired power stations, which are likely to bust Germany's
climate targets.
"We still use a lot of coal, particularly lignite," she said,
acknowledging the issue is controversial, but she said jobs had to be
taken into account too. She added that progress was expected in the next
few days as she settles the terms of a new governing coalition with the
Green and Liberal parties.
However, Prof John Schellnhuber, at the Potsdam Institute for Climate
Impact Research in Germany, and who has advised both Merkel and the
pope, said the 20,000 German jobs in coal would be lost to mechanisation
in any case, and were a small number compared to the 600,000 created in
the wider economy each year.
Macron set out unusual detail for a head of state in his speech, saying
France would close all its coal power plants by 2021 and would ban all
new exploration for fossil fuel in its territories. He also said France
would fund interconnectors and energy storage technology to spread
renewable energy around Europe and work to push the cost of CO2
emissions to €30 a tonne, which would end the viability coal and drive
out gas.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2017/nov/15/climate-change-will-determine-humanitys-destiny-says-angela-merkel
*New guidebook: Localizing the Paris Agreement: A Guide for Local
Governments* <http://icleiusa.org/localizing-the-paris-agreement/>
Released by ICLEI USA this week at COP23, Localizing the Paris
Agreement: A Guide for Local Governments in Support of the U.S.
Nationally Determined Contribution is intended to help cities, counties
and regional authorities in the United States go beyond pledges and move
toward action on implementing the Paris Agreement.
Included with U.S. context:
• What does Paris ask of signatories?
• What does the U.S. NDC call for?
• The relationship between community GHG inventories and national inventory
• Localizing the NDC: Actions by sector
• Prioritizing reduction measures
• Reporting local climate actions
• Climate adaptation and the NDC
As the COP23 negotiations close, ICLEI-Local Governments for
Sustainability USA is proud to bring the outcomes home to the United
States where local authorities are forging ahead on commitments to Paris.
Download the guide
<http://icleiusa.org/localizing-the-paris-agreement/>, and please share
in your network
<https://docs.google.com/document/d/1HizZBR0CMpX4gQfyRdTUYkcLnViYEe-rkYmnXw26eJE/edit>.
Download: Localizing the Paris Agreement
<http://icleiusa.org/localizing-the-paris-agreement/>
*
**Bigotry against indigenous people means we're missing a trick on
climate change
<https://www.theguardian.com/working-in-development/2017/nov/15/bigotry-against-indigenous-people-means-were-missing-a-trick-on-climate-change>*
Prakash Kashwan
Traditional farming strategies could protect humanity against global
warming and prevent deadly wildfires. Yet scientists seem determined to
ignore them
But it's arguable that these prejudices also influence our science and
policy. Take, for example, the specialised method of rotational farming
used by many indigenous farmers all over the world but particularly in
the global south. Farmers use seasonal fires to clear and farm parcels
of natural landscapes and rotate their crops while the previously farmed
parcel is allowed to regain fertility and natural vegetation – a method
known asswidden agriculture
<https://www.survivalinternational.org/about/swidden>. This technique
helps preserve the soil quality and creates variation that helps counter
the dominance of a few species andpromotes biodiversity
<https://forestsnews.cifor.org/22137/rural-forests-nurture-healthy-socio-environmental-activity-scientists>.
Italso helps
<http://rstb.royalsocietypublishing.org/content/371/1696/20150174>prevent
larger wildfires of the type that ravaged California recently, leaving41
people dead
<https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2017/oct/16/california-wildfire-death-toll-recovery>and
causing financiallosses worth $30bn
<https://psmag.com/environment/prescribed-burning-in-the-american-west>(£22.7bn).
After decades of neglect, the US Forest Serviceis now embracing
<http://www.yesmagazine.org/issues/science/wildfires-are-essential-the-forest-service-embraces-a-tribal-tradition-20170403>the
Native American methods of fire management.
And yet, despite these potential benefits to the environment, and its
crucial role in the wellbeing of many millions of indigenous families
throughoutthe global south
<https://books.google.co.uk/books?id=F4gcBgAAQBAJ&pg=PA292&redir_esc=y#v=onepage&q&f=false>,
swidden is neglected in science and policy research related to landscape
conservation.
The huge internationally financed programme ofReducing Emissions from
Deforestation and Forest Degradation
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2012/dec/19/what-is-redd-climate-change-deforestation>(Redd)
encourages governments in developing countries to plant new forests on
"barren" lands to offset carbon emissions responsible forglobal climate
change
<https://www.theguardian.com/world/2015/nov/24/redd-papua-new-guinea-money-grow-on-trees>.
Swidden landscapes, which are left fallow for several years before they
are farmed again, are an easy target for governments and"carbon cowboys"
looking to profit from Redd
<https://news.mongabay.com/2015/08/will-redd-help-save-indonesias-forest-or-create-carbon-cowboys-instead/>,
who may sow fast-growing and ecologically harmful commercial plantations
in swidden lands...
...This year, as we celebrate the completion of a decade of the adoption
of theUnited Nations Declaration on the Rights of Indigenous Peoples
<https://www.google.co.uk/url?sa=t&rct=j&q=&esrc=s&source=web&cd=1&ved=0ahUKEwis8f6Rx8DXAhXLPRoKHSC4AlsQFggmMAA&url=http%3A%2F%2Fwww.un.org%2Fesa%2Fsocdev%2Funpfii%2Fdocuments%2FDRIPS_en.pdf&usg=AOvVaw2GK6XE6j77rXccT_O6eJHF>,
we would do well to incorporate indigenous wisdom in our science and
policy. Respecting indigenous rights will also give humanity better
protection against catastrophic climate change.
https://www.theguardian.com/working-in-development/2017/nov/15/bigotry-against-indigenous-people-means-were-missing-a-trick-on-climate-change
*A spider-obsessed artist is collaborating with MIT to spin the
architecture for climate change
<https://qz.com/1107935/spider-obsessed-artist-tomas-saraceno-is-spinning-the-architecture-for-climate-change/>*
https://qz.com/1107935/spider-obsessed-artist-tomas-saraceno-is-spinning-the-architecture-for-climate-change/
*
****Pharrell's Song That Won't Be Released for "100 Years" is a
Statement About Climate Change
<https://www.wmagazine.com/story/pharrell-song-that-wont-be-released-for-100-years-climate-change>*
Pharrell Williams just dropped a new song, but you'll have to wait until
2117 to hear it. That is, unless you were one of the 100 people he
premiered it to - who were prohibited from recording it - in Shanghai at
a listening party thrown by Louis XIII cognac, which teamed up with
Pharrell on the project designed to raise awareness for climate change.
Fittingly dubbed "100 years," the song is a statement about the
disastrous effect humans have on the environment, including a rising sea
level. If humans continue to contribute to the rising sea level,
however, even in 100 years people may not get to hear the song as it's
currently being stored in a clay vessel that will be destroyed should
its storage unit ever flood...
If Pharrell's elaborate attempt to curb climate change doesn't sway you
to change your consumption habits and encourage everyone else around you
to do so as well, perhaps his words will. "I want to be really clear
that I am not a tree hugger," he told Vogue. "I think it's important
that every human being - from the most eco-aware person to someone
that's driving a diesel truck - always has a sense of terrestrial
awareness. That's what it boils down to."
https://www.wmagazine.com/story/pharrell-song-that-wont-be-released-for-100-years-climate-change
*This Day in Climate History November 16, 2005 - from D.R. Tucker*
November 16, 2005: The Washington Post reports, "A White House document
shows that executives from big oil companies met with Vice President
Cheney's energy task force in 2001 -- something long suspected by
environmentalists but denied as recently as last week by industry
officials testifying before Congress.
The document, obtained this week by The Washington Post, shows that
officials from Exxon Mobil Corp., Conoco (before its merger with
Phillips), Shell Oil Co. and BP America Inc. met in the White House
complex with the Cheney aides who were developing a national energy
policy, parts of which became law and parts of which are still being
debated."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2005/11/15/AR2005111501842.html
/
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