NWF Applauds Nomination of Sen. Kerry to be Secretary of State

December 21 – President Obama is expected today to nominate Senator John Kerry to be the next Secretary of State.

Larry Schweiger, CEO, and president of National Wildlife Federation, issued the following statement:

“National Wildlife Federation enthusiastically supports Senator’s Kerry’s nomination to be Secretary of State.  President Obama has promised to make climate change a top priority for his second term and Senator Kerry is a great addition to his cabinet to help get the job done. Senator Kerry is a leader on the environment and climate change and he has worked across the aisle to build bipartisan support for action in the Senate.  Senator Kerry understands the urgent need for U.S. leadership and global cooperation to tackle climate change and speed the transformation to a clean energy economy.  National Wildlife Federation looks forward to supporting him as he tackles these critical threats to wildlife and our children’s future.”

New Plan Balances Wildlife Conservation with Drilling in Western Arctic

December 19 – The U.S. Department of the Interior’s Bureau of Land Management (BLM) today announced a final management plan that will determine how oil and gas leasing can move forward while protecting wildlife in the National Petroleum Reserve-Alaska, also known as the Western Arctic Reserve.

“Today’s release of the final Integrated Activity Plan/Environmental Impact Statement represents a balanced approach to managing the Western Arctic Reserve, taking into account the needs of local wildlife, local communities and for oil and gas production,” said Adam Kolton, executive director of the National Wildlife Federation’s National Advocacy Center. “We commend the Interior Department for providing vital protections for Teshekpuk Lake, Kasegaluk Lagoon and the Colville River Special Area.”

And here are highlights from NWF in the News:

• UPI: Alaska oil plans draw fire, praise
• Reuters: U.S. unveils plan to manage huge Alaskan oil reserve
• Seattle Times: With climate change, winter isn’t what it used to be
• The Coloradoan: Report: Climate change already altering the rhythms of nature
• Deseret News: Climate change already playing out in West, report says
• Dot Earth (NYTimes blog): Scientists See Big Impacts on U.S. Ecosystems from Global Warming

For more, visit www.nwf.org/News

In addition to the wind, rain, and cherry blossom pollen, there’s tension in the air this week as questions abound. Will certain Congressmen keep trying to attach riders that destroy our environmental protections to the budget bill? Are those in favor of the Dirty Air Act trying to “lose the future”? Will the government shut down? I know I’m in suspense.

Thanks for reading!

Amanda

This week’s stories:

1. Highlight of the Week: Growing Momentum for a “Clean” Continuing Resolution
2. Quote: Larry Schweiger on the Clean Air Act
3. Economic Story of the Week: High-rollers back EPA on GHGs
4. Editorial of the Week: No to a New Tar Sands Pipeline
5. Senators Stand up for Clean Air Act
6. Fighting The Good Fight Against Dirty Energy
7. Happening this Week

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Highlight of the Week

Growing Momentum for a “Clean” Continuing Resolution

The House, Senate and White House are still racing to reach an agreement on a six-month spending plan to avoid a government shutdown, with a deadline of April 8th, when the current interim measure will expire.

The budget bill has been loaded up with riders that have nothing to do with fiscal discipline, but instead are trying to limit the power of the EPA and shed decades of bipartisan support for our most basic clean water and clean air protections.

Belinda Serata/NWF

“Voters didn’t go to the polls last year worried that our air is too clean or our water too safe to drink,” said NWF Senior Vice President of Conservation and Education Jeremy Symons. To the contrary, a recent poll confirms that 77 percent of Americans, including 61 percent of Republicans, believe that “Congress should let the EPA do its job.”

The White House stated their opposition to environmental riders in the budget bill. “As the administration has made clear, the funding bill should not be used to further unrelated policy agendas, and we remain opposed to riders that do that, including as it relates to the environment,” said Clark Stevens, a White House spokesman.

Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev) told reporters that Senate Democrats won’t “accept any of the EPA riders they have in their bill.”

On NBC’s “Meet the Press” Senate Majority Whip Dick Durbin (D-Ill.) called the EPA riders “totally unacceptable. The idea that we are going to close down the Environmental Protection Agency’s efforts to keep our air clean and our water pure, I mean, that sort of thing is irresponsible.”

NWF has been working hard to have all environmental riders removed, as well as maintain sensible investments for conservation programs.

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Quote:

In response to National Journal’s blog question today “Does Sen. Lindsey Graham’s decision to quit the climate and energy negotiations with Sens. John Kerry and Joe Lieberman spell the end of such legislation this year?” I posted the following response.  Our leaders must seize this moment to act now.

With the Senate so close to the goal line on a new energy path for America, we can’t call a time out now. Every day our Senators fail to pass clean energy & climate legislation, we put our economy, our national security & our environment at greater risk. The Senate needs to stay focused and finish the job.

Read more…

By Larry Schweiger

Take a look at Al Gore’s piece in yesterday’s The New York Times We Can’t Wish Away Climate Change. I found it to be an insightful, thoughtful piece on what has stymied our energy and climate progress to date and the economic and national consequences if we fail to move forward at this time. The timing of this piece is important since later this week Senators Graham, Kerry and Lieberman are expected to present energy and climate legislation for consideration that will put us on the path forward to enhance our national security, create economic opportunities and increase our energy independence.

The urgency of this moment is captured very well at the end of the piece:

“The pathway to success is still open, though it tracks the outer boundary of what we are capable of doing. It begins with a choice by the United States to pass a law establishing a cost for global warming pollution…

“We have overcome existential threats before. Winston Churchill is widely quoted as having said, ‘Sometimes doing your best is not good enough. Sometimes, you must do what is required.’ Now is that time. Public officials must rise to this challenge by doing what is required; and the public must demand that they do so — or must replace them.”

By Larry J. Schweiger

Senator Murkowski of Alaska has a unique opportunity to lead America’s response to slow climate change and respond to the damage already occurring in her state by working with Senators Graham, Lieberman and Kerry to advance a legislative solution to our global warming crisis that works for Alaska and America.

Instead, Ms. Murkowski’s may put forth two misguided proposals to delay action on climate change described in the New York Times Editorial “Ms. Murkowski’s Mischief.” One proposal would limit or delay the Clean Air Act and its measures to reduce pollution that contributes to climate change. The other would veto the Environmental Protection Agency’s recent scientific determination that climate change endangers public health and environment.

Either of these efforts would allow unlimited emissions of carbon pollution from the biggest corporate polluters and could stall the growth in clean energy jobs by creating uncertainty about our government’s commitment to a cleaner energy future.

Any delay will be particularly bad for Alaska, as Alaska is responsible for less than 1% of the U.S. carbon pollution yet Alaska’s climate is changing far more rapidly than the rest of the country, threatening Alaska’s economy, public health and wildlife. The very existence of several villages is now threatened, millions of acres of forests have died from climate-related stressors, and much of the state’s infrastructure is bracing for damage from thawing permafrost. Recognizing the importance of leadership at this critical time, a number of Alaskan leaders (including Republicans for Environmental Protection) are vigorously opposing Sen. Murkowski’s “Dirty Air Act.”

I hope Senator Murkowski will reconsider her proposals and instead take this opportunity to lead the Senate in delivering more jobs, less pollution and greater security for Alaska and America by passing comprehensive climate and energy legislation.

His appearance at the talks is considered especially important given that healthcare continues to dominate the Senate. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has promised to move forward with healthcare reform hoping to hold votes in December. The timing of these votes could directly interfere with the Copenhagen meetings, preventing Senate climate leaders John Kerry (D-MA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA) from traveling to Copenhagen and build support.

Obama’s announcement also coincides with the announcement of a provisional greenhouse gas emissions target for 2020 in the range of 17% below 2005 levels. These levels will be placed on the bargaining table at Copenhagen and closely parallel with levels included in the House climate bill passed earlier this year, as well as the Senate bill that will likely reach the floor in the spring.

Possibly due to the youth campaigns that have urged Obama to action,the White House will host a Clean Energy Economy Forum with youth leaders from around the country on Wednesday, December 2 from 4:00-7:00 pm. Campus Ecology’s own Praween Dayananda will be in attendance, along with Secretary of the Interior Ken Salazar, Labor Secretary Hilda L. Solis, Energy Secretary Steven Chu, and Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Lisa P. Jackson, and other Administration officials. The forum will address the benefits of the clean energy economy for younger generations and the role young Americans have in being leaders in and benefiting from those opportunities.

The forum will be webcast live here, and will also be open to the public through a Facebook application which allows the public to watch and discuss the event live. The White House will be keeping up with the chat, taking questions, and incorporating feedback from chat participants during the event.

Hope springs eternal, but the idea of waiting to “spring” for Senate action doesn’t fill me with hope. In 2010, the Senate will convene in January, not March. The Senate’s unfinished business on clean energy and climate should be on deck as the Senate’s highest priority after health care. Speaker Pelosi and the House worked impressively already this year to pass a clean energy jobs bill that puts America on a leadership pathway for reducing pollution and tackling climate change. When health care is done, the Senate needs to turn to the energy reform and climate package that Majority Leader Reid has put in motion. As we head into 2010, President Obama should make clear that delivering the clean energy jobs & climate bill to his desk is his top priority for unfinished business.

In the meantime, President Obama will send a team to the climate negotiations in Copenhagen. He has been an impressive leader on climate change in his first year — from tailpipe standards to a promising new dialogue with China. But Copenhagen and the coming months will be the pivotal test of whether he can break through the politics of inaction and the millions of dollars spent by oil companies and their allies to block progress. It is unlikely that the President will close the final deal on a new global agreement in December. More likely, he will prepare the way with an interim deal and ask the world to wait on Congress for the final package. If so, it will take a vigorous White House determination to move advance the bipartisan efforts being led by Senators John Kerry, Lindsey Graham and Joe Lieberman to the front of the line.

Americans have had enough delay. We can’t afford to wait and let clean energy jobs go to other countries ready to invest in clean energy. We can’t wait to break our addiction to oil. We can’t wait to take the responsible steps necessary to protect people and wildlife from a warming world.

Carbon dioxide pollution knows no political boundaries. Decarbonizing every economy around the world must be our common goal.

In a few weeks, National Wildlife Federation will send a team to the United Nations Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen to support world leaders striving to create an enforceable global agreement to cut carbon dioxide pollution. We will be demanding that assembled leaders produce a roadmap–with every nation participating this time–to collectively curb this massive pollution threat before it’s too late to avoid catastrophic climate changes that will spell unprecedented losses of wildlife all over the world in every ecosystem. We will demand firm reductions and timetables that match the best available science and we will press for the establishment of specific, enforceable targets proportional to each country’s contributions. Here are some of the key elements to a global deal.

Bold and verifiable goals

The 20 largest emitters known as the G-20 produce eighty percent of the carbon dioxide pollution. They include Argentina, Australia, Brazil, Canada, China, France, Germany, India, Indonesia, Italy, Japan, Mexico, Russia, Saudi Arabia, South Africa, South Korea, Turkey, United Kingdom and the United States. These nations must lead the way and be accountable to cut their emissions on an aggressive timetable. Discussions leading up to Copenhagen have been marked by wrangling about who should do what and which countries should make the biggest emissions cuts. The U.S. and China together, now represent more than 40 percent of annual emissions so we both must do our fair share to cut future emissions. Copenhagen will fail unless scientifically-sound 2020 emissions targets are established for each of these countries and to establish a firm date for industrialized nations to begin cutting overall emissions. The actual atmospheric declines should start by no later than 2015 to minimize the real risks of runaway global warming.

Skipping 20th century mistakes

Many developing nations are rightfully looking for ways to build their own economies to provide for their people. It is critically important that we help them build clean energy economies, while avoiding fossil-fuels that increase global emissions. Instead, we need to help them adopt and deploy new, clean energy technologies to meet their needs. In other words, we want to help developing nations to go from the 19th century right into the 21th century bypassing our 20th century mistakes.

Think of it this way, many of the world’s poorest people have never made a phone call, if and when they do, it will be on a cell phone. When they get their first lights, they will be solar or wind-powered. They will be able to stop burning wood and dung for cooking and replace these soot-producing stoves with solar cookers.

Protecting Forests

Deforestation and continual degradation of forests represents about 20 percent of the total human-caused atmospheric carbon dioxide as trees remaining tropical rain forests, are vital stores of carbon. We must forge a global deal that helps developing countries protect remaining uncut forests by providing financial incentives to reduce future deforestation and degradation. Properly executed, this will help mitigate climate change, provide protection for extravagant biodiversity in rainforests and help the poor develop in sustainable ways. All of this must be sensitive to and address various social, institutional and political drivers that trigger destructive forest losses.

Storing Carbon in Second-Growth Forests and Agricultural Soils

Because it will take time to transition large coal-fired power plants and industrial facilities, we must invest in carbon offsets that fund farmers who increase their carbon storage in soils and pay forest landowner for delaying timber harvests by 30-40 years to get additional carbon storage from older trees.

The December meeting will bring together world leaders and their environmental ministers to forge an agreement to succeed the Kyoto climate change treaty that expires in 2012. Many of us were hoping that the election of Barack Obama signaled to the world that the US would now play a strong leadership role in Copenhagen by tackling climate change with a new law that would set a firm foundation for U.S. action. President Barack Obama went to Copenhagen in October in a failed attempt to support Chicago’s bid for the 2016 Summer Olympic and Paralympic Games, it is yet to be seen whether or not he will return as a world leader determined to forge a climate agreement that protects the future of all children.

The U.S. House of Representatives under the able leadership of Speaker Pelosi has passed a foundational bill that will enable President Obama to lead. As of this writing, the Senate has not matched the House action. It is unclear whether the U. S. Senate will pass a bill in time to help shape the President’s role in the treaty decisions ahead. I remain hopeful that Senator Kerry and Senator Boxer can reach out to the Republican Senators and those swing Democrats from high-carbon states to forge a deal.

We are running out of time to save the planet, and the Copenhagen summit is a terribly important milestone. You should urge President Obama to lead the charge for a global deal and urge your Senators to act now to pass climate legislation to create millions of clean energy jobs, make our world more secure and to give wildlife this last chance.

Since the Chamber has recently experienced some high profile departures over this issue, I welcome their clarification of support for the principles put forth by Sens. Kerry and Graham that will revitalize our economy with investments in clean energy, create new jobs, and enhance our national security.

I was glad to see renewed momentum this week for bipartisan Senate action on an energy and climate bill. President Obama said yesterday at a New Orleans town hall meeting that the White House is ready to fight for a climate and energy package after the health care debate.

And Senator Graham hit the nail on the head in his response to some pushback at Furman University about his alignment with Senator Kerry this week to support a climate and energy bill that will put America back in control of our national security. I love Senator Graham’s response:

“The reason I’m talking to John Kerry is because I’m trying to find a way to get energy independence off the sidelines and become a reality.”

I’m so proud of the leadership of National Wildlife Federation’s affiliate South Carolina Wildlife Federation which is supporting Senator Graham’s work to reduce America’s dependence on foreign oil.

With all this leadership it’s time to get ready for a Senate energy and climate bill before the negotiations in Copenhagen. We’re up next.