[TheClimate.Vote] January 16, 2020 - Daily Global Warming News Digest
Richard Pauli
richard at theclimate.vote
Thu Jan 16 07:53:39 EST 2020
/*January 16, 2020*/
[new coal plant canceled]
*Kansas energy company abandons plans for $2.2 billion coal power plant*
Two companies that battled for more than a decade to expand coal power
in Kansas say they've abandoned their plans to build a $2.2 billion
coal-fired power plant.
Sunflower Electric Power Corp., based in Hays, announced Wednesday that
it will let its air permit for a proposed coal-fired plant in Holcomb
expire in March, signaling an end to a project that drawn criticism from
environmentalists. It was first blocked by Gov. Kathleen Sebelius in
2007 and then cleared for construction by the Kansas Supreme Court in 2017.
But during that time, coal fell out of favor for environmental and
economic reasons. It has been on a decline nationwide for at least a
decade as public concerns about coal's contribution to climate change
have risen. At the same time, competing energy sources, such as cheaper
natural gas and heavily-subsidized solar and wind energy, have taken
off. The Kansas plant would have been the first one brought online in
the United States since 2015...
more at -
https://www.kansas.com/news/politics-government/article239319253.html
https://twitter.com/brucenilles/status/1217598667760136192
[BBC 3 min video situation]
*Our Planet Matters: What is climate change?*
The 10 years to the end of 2019 have been confirmed as the warmest
decade on record by three global agencies.
This year, climate change has been linked to Australian bushfires,
torrential rains in Indonesia and record-breaking temperatures in Europe
- but just what is climate change?
The BBC's global science correspondent Rebecca Morelle explains.
This video is part of Our Planet Matters, a special year-long series
covering climate change.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/science-environment-51129250/our-planet-matters-what-is-climate-change
[law students walk out of Exxon's law firm recruitment]
*HARVARD LAW STUDENTS SHUT DOWN RECEPTION FOR LAW FIRM DEFENDING EXXON'S
ROLE IN**
**THE CLIMATE CRISIS *
Students push partners at Paul, Weiss to #DropExxon: "We won't work for
you while you work for them."
Find full footage of the action:
https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/1393557204148425/
CAMBRIDGE - In the first action of its kind, and perhaps a harbinger of
a new front in the youth climate movement's campaign against the fossil
fuel industry, 30 students at Harvard Law School disrupted a first-year
student recruitment reception held by Paul, Weiss, Rifkind, Wharton &
Garrison LLP, a corporate law firm of over 1,000 attorneys around the
world. The law students' message: "We won't work for you as long as
you're working for ExxonMobil."
Paul, Weiss is currently defending ExxonMobil against the public in at
least a dozen cases related to the multinational oil and gas
corporation's role in damaging the climate. The firm's tactics are
extreme: the Attorney General of Massachusetts Maura Healey called Paul,
Weiss "absurd" and "blatantly obstructionist." And, student organizers
argued today, the firm's stance - that ExxonMobil did "absolutely
nothing wrong" - is incompatible with a livable future.
As law students and firm partners mingled at the upscale reception with
glasses of wine and hors d'oeuvres, a representative from Paul, Weiss
began to address the room. Within seconds, a group of students unfurled
a banner reading "#DropExxon" and began chanting over the firm's
speaker. "We, students of Harvard Law School, will not work for you as
long as you work for ExxonMobil. Our future is on fire, and you are
fanning the flames. If you want to recruit us, then drop Exxon and join
us in fighting for a livable future."
After continuing to fill the reception with chants and songs for 15
minutes, the law students left the room to rally with fellow students
and community members who had come together outside the reception to
show their support for the action. Among those outside were members of
Fossil Fuel Divest Harvard, which staged a high-profile disruption at
the Harvard-Yale football game in November.
"This is a do-or-die moment in human history," said Aaron Regunberg, a
first-year student at Harvard Law School and former Rhode Island state
representative. "We have just a few years left to rein in corporate
polluters and address the climate crisis. This firm's enabling of
corporations like Exxon to continue blocking climate action and evading
accountability for their malfeasance is, simply put, not compatible with
a livable future."...
- - -
The organizers of this action plan to continue their campaign for Paul,
Weiss to #DropExxon, and say they look forward to welcoming more law
students to join the fight. Students at other law schools are already
getting involved. Tyler Creighton, a second-year student at Boston
University School of Law, said, "I was proud to join in solidarity with
the Harvard Law community at tonight's historic action and look forward
to spreading this critical movement to Boston University and other law
schools to end the legal industry's defense of our climate's
destruction." Karen Anderson, a co-chair of the Yale Environmental Law
Association, said, "We join the Harvard Law community in their call for
Paul, Weiss to drop their representation of Exxon, rather than enable
continued public deception and profit from mass climate suffering."
"It's often said that law students are some of the most cautious people
around, since our reputations are established right away," says Amy
Frieder, a first-year student at Harvard Law School, "But we're here
today, standing up and taking this risk because we know we can't address
the climate crisis without dismantling the institutions that shield the
fossil fuel industry from accountability for the harm they've caused.
And as the future lawyers Paul, Weiss depends on to recruit, we believe
we are actually in a position to do something about it."
###
https://www.facebook.com/EcoWatch/videos/1393557204148425/
https://twitter.com/climatebrad/status/1217661300093878273
- - -
[corporate villainy]
*ExxonMobil Is the Most Damaging Tech Company*
Facebook, Google, and Palantir don't even come close.
By SIVA VAIDHYANATHAN
For all its sins, Facebook never contributed to wildfires in Australia
that have killed 24 people and perhaps a billion animals. Google has not
made cities and islands around the world more vulnerable to hurricanes.
Even Palantir, with its secretive defense and intelligence contracts,
has yet to desiccate soil and destroy crops, thus eroding agricultural
economies and sparking massive migration that destabilizes governments
and societies throughout a region.
If we consider which technology company bears the greatest
responsibility for the greatest suffering, ExxonMobil, the largest
petroleum company in the history of the world, wins the prize...
- - -
The fact is oil is the new oil. It's been the new oil since whale oil
became scarce and expensive--the first sign that we were abusing the
planet with our habits of production and consumption.
This argument should not be taken to minimize the damage to which
Facebook, Google, and Palantir contribute. All of that is so well
documented that it's undermining the faith of those who work at those
companies (except, perhaps, at Palantir). But if we define technology as
a fundamentally human phenomenon, recognize the investments and
innovations that ExxonMobil and its ancestors have made for nearly 150
years, and acknowledge the clear damage that Exxon, Mobil, and
ExxonMobil have done to the public understanding of science and the
possibilities of addressing the climate challenge, we must conclude that
no technology company has done more damage to the planet and its
inhabitants--and will continue to do so--than ExxonMobil.
https://slate.com/technology/2020/01/exxonmobil-most-damaging-tech-company.amp
[Politics]
*Ocasio-Cortez accuses Rand Paul of taking climate change comments out
of context, compares GOP agenda to 'Spaceballs' plot*
Rep. Alexandria Ocasio-Cortez (D-N.Y.) accused Republican Sen. Rand Paul
(Ky.) of taking her comments on climate change "out of context" and hit
the senator's party for its "fictional" climate agenda.
Ocasio-Cortez, the first-term lawmaker championing the progressive Green
New Deal plan, shot back at Paul on Twitter after he said the Democrat
has said the world would "end in 12 years."
"Hey Senator! Would you like me to also take your comments out of
context and pose them as your earnest position, as you have chosen to do
with me?" Ocasio-Cortez asked.
https://thehill.com/homenews/house/478449-ocasio-cortez-accuses-rand-paul-of-taking-climate-change-comments-out-of
[BBC confirmed record]
*Climate change: Last decade confirmed as warmest on record*
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-51111176
[paying attention to the "fine print"]
*It's not easy being green, as Big Coal escapes BlackRock's climate plan*
Jan. 14, 2020
By: Carl Surran, SA News Editor
BlackRock's (NYSE:BLK) bid to become one of global finance's most
powerful advocates of green investing does not mean it is selling out of
the biggest fossil fuel producers.
BlackRock's actively managed funds will sell out of all companies that
get more than 25% of sales from thermal coal, but that revenue threshold
means large, diversified miners including BHP, Peabody Energy (NYSE:BTU)
and Anglo American(OTCQX:AAUKF, OTCPK:AAUKY) are not affected.
The $1.8T asset investment manager owns a 6% stake in Glencore
(OTCPK:GLCNF, OTCPK:GLNCY), but thermal coal revenues of the world's
biggest coal shipper account for less than 10% of the total.
"We believe constructive engagement is the answer, as opposed to broad
divestment that fails to differentiate among public coal companies with
strong [environmental, social and governance] practices," Peabody says.
BlackRock's approach contrasts with Norway's $1T sovereign wealth fund,
which said last year it would stop investing in companies that mine more
than 20M tons/year of thermal coal; Anglo, BHP and Glencore all exceed
that requirement.
ETF: KOL
https://seekingalpha.com/news/3531775-not-easy-being-green-big-coal-escapes-blackrocks-climate-plan
- - -
[Larry's Letter]
*Our in-depth analysis of BlackRock's climate announcement*
The Good, the blah, and the gaps ...
The bottom line: Massive capital shifts away from fossil fuels and
deforestation-risk commodities are necessary to mitigate the worst of
the climate crisis and set the world on a path toward sustainability. As
the world's largest asset manager, BlackRock must play a leading role
in, as Larry Fink put it, 'fundamentally reshaping finance to deal with
climate change.'
Today's announcement begins that reshaping, but is not enough. BlackRock
must implement additional shifts of capital out of fossil fuels. It must
acknowledge and take action on the fact that its portfolios, which still
contain fossil fuels and deforestation-drivers, are actively
contributing to climate change and thus contribute the risk that climate
change poses to the global financial system. It must clearly define what
it means by "sustainable" and improve its criteria around ESG to be
Paris-compliant or better. And it must engage with companies in a
concrete, transparent, time-bound way with consequences for inaction
like voting against board members.
With that said, there is still a lot to celebrate in BlackRock's
announcement, as well as many lingering questions and areas that
BlackRock needs to improve:
*Coal Divestment:*
Summary:
Companies with 25% or higher revenue from thermal coal production
excluded from all actively managed funds.
Thermal coal out of all ESG funds.
No direct thermal coal investments through alternatives business at same
exclusion (25% revenues from thermal coal production)...
- - -
*Engagement/Voting on Climate: *
Summary:
Mapped engagement priorities to specific UN Sustainable Development Goals.
Incorporated key performance indicators in engagement policies,
providing clarity on expectations for companies.
Joined Climate Action 100+.
Enhanced transparency on: high profile vote explanations (immediately)
and topics discussed during each engagement with companies (yearly)...
- - -
*ESG:* [Environmental, Social, and Governance -- the three central
factors in measuring the sustainability and societal impact]
Summary:
All active funds fully "ESG integrated" and managed for exposure to ESG
risks. This includes reducing exposure to higher-risk industries like
thermal coal.
Improved BlackRock internal ESG analysis via Aladdin.
Thermal coal (following BlackRock's criteria) out of ESG funds.
Doubling BlackRock offerings of ESG ETFs.
Working with index providers to expand and improve the universe of
sustainable indexes
Transparent disclosure of carbon footprint of all mutual funds...
- - -
*Climate Risk Disclosure: *
Summary:
Ask companies to give a clear analysis of their preparedness to
transition their business model to address risks associated with climate
change.
BlackRock's head of sustainability Brian Deese commented that companies
need to address their business' physical limitations related to climate
change as well as their social license to continue to operate.
Commits to active and transparent engagement with companies to ensure
adequate disclosure of climate-related risks...
- - -
*Sustainable Index Investing**:
*Summary:
Larry Finks boldly states that he wants to create "Sustainability as Our
[BlackRock's] Standard Offering" by fundamentally reshaping finance
Blackrock commits to offer sustainable versions of BlackRock flagship
model portfolios, including Target Allocation range of models
Larry notes that "Many more steps will follow to make sustainable
investments the standard."
- - -
Gaps in the announcement:
*More Capital Shifts Out of Financially Risky Fossil Fuels... *
*Deforestation Risk and Indigenous Rights...**
**Lobbying on Climate Risk**...
**BlackRock's Own Disclosures...*
More at -
https://www.larrysletter.com/post/our-in-depth-analysis-of-blackrock-s-climate-announcement
[important, well-crafted activism message}
*Australia is Burning | Extinction Rebellion*
Jan 15, 2020
Extinction Rebellion
On the 10th of January rebels took to the Australian High Commission in
London to demand that urgent action be taken in the face of the
devastation happening, not only in Australia, but around the world.
Similar actions #BushFireRebellion took place in dozens of countries, as
people from all backgrounds stood in solidarity with all those suffering
due to the climate crisis.
Although what is currently happening in Australia is a tragedy beyond
measurement, it is not confined to Australia. The climate crisis is an
international crisis and we must start treating it as such!
Filmed and edited by Talia Woodin (@taltakingpics)
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Xj0PiWf-svY
[new book coming in May]
*How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate Change*
Turning Angst into Action
by Harriet Shugarman
With catastrophic global warming already baked into the climate system,
today's children face a future entirely unlike that of their parents.
Yet how can we maintain hope and make a difference in the face of
overwhelming evidence of the climate crisis?
Help is at hand. Written by Harriet Shugarman - the Climate Mama and
trusted advisor to parents - How to Talk to Your Kids About Climate
Change provides tools and strategies for parents to explain the climate
emergency to their children and galvanize positive action. Coverage
includes:
The unvarnished realities of the climate emergency, where we are at, and
how we got here
Strategies for talking to kids of different ages about the climate
crisis, including advice from engaged parents on the ground
How to maintain our own hope and that of our children
A list of practical actions families can take to tackle the climate
change crisis
Ideas for helping children follow their passions in pursuit of a
livable, just, and sustainable world.
A lifeline for parents who are feeling overwhelmed with fear and grief,
this book provides both hope and practical ways to engage children in
pursuit of a better world
*About the Author*
Harriet Shugarman is Executive Director of ClimateMama, professor of
Global Climate Change Policy and World Sustainability, and Chair of
the Climate Reality Project, NYC Metro Chapter. She is a nationally
recognized influencer, connector, and trusted messenger for parents
on solutions to our climate crisis. A recipient of the prestigious
Climate Reality Green Ring Award and praised by Al Gore as "an
outstanding Climate Reality Leader who has demonstrated an
exceptional commitment to her role as a climate communicator and
activist." She lives in New York and shares her message of hope and
action at www.climatemama.com.
https://www.newsociety.com/Books/H/How-to-Talk-to-Your-Kids-About-Climate-Change
[Digging back into the internet news archive]
*On this day in the history of global warming - January 16, 2006*
At a speech in Constitution Hall, Washington, D.C.,
former Vice President Al Gore declares:
"[T]he American people, who have a right to believe that its elected
representatives will learn the truth and act on the basis of knowledge
and utilize the rule of reason, have been let down.
To take another example, scientific warnings about the catastrophic
consequences of unchecked global warming were censored by a political
appointee in the White House with no scientific training whatsoever.
"Today one of the most distinguished scientific experts in the world
on global warming, who works in NASA, has been ordered not to talk to
members of the press; ordered to keep a careful log of everyone he
meets with so that the executive branch can monitor and control what
he shares of his knowledge about global warming.
"This is a planetary crisis. We owe ourselves a truthful and reasoned
discussion."
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2006/01/16/AR2006011600779.html
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=mD_2e1dIl2s
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