Climate Change Reality

Dear Friends,

As you all know, China and the United States have reached an agreement to reduce carbon emissions which as environmental activist Josh Fox said on "All in with Chris Hayes" on November 12th, "The United States and China are entering reality together."  The two largest carbon emitters in the world, responsible for 40% of the world's carbon emissions are finally publicly saying they will lead the world in reducing carbon emissions.  What a powerful statement!  The European Union has already entered reality so now the focus can turn to India, Brazil, Russia and other major carbon emitters to also enter climate change reality.

In terms of a wonderful legacy for President Obama, this agreement is a perfect example of great diplomacy serving the best interests of the United States and the world.  Secretary Kerry initiated the idea with his Chinese counterpart and after nine months of negotiations it fell to President Obama to President Xi of China to spend five hours together reaching final agreement.  Doing this is exactly what great leaders do.

The Republicans are reacting as you might expect with outrage and illogical fear mongering.  Senator Inhoff, who will be the Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee in the next Congress and who is a climate change denier, said that the agreement is "a non-binding charade."  Senator McConnell said,

I was particularly distressed by the deal he’s reached with the Chinese on his current trip, which, as I read the agreement, it requires the Chinese to do nothing at all for 16 years, while these carbon emission regulations are creating havoc in my state and other states across the country.

Presumably the carbon emission regulations he is referring to are those requiring coal fired electrical plants to dramatically reduce their emissions.  Those regulations are critical to fighting climate change and are long overdue.  They are also necessary for us to stop killing people.  Here is a brief summary of a report by the American Lung Association (here):

The Lung Association’s report reveals the real public health threat from coal-fired power plants.

• Coal-fired power plants that sell electricity to the grid produce more hazardous air pollution in the U.S. than any other industrial pollution  sources.
• More than 400 coal-fired power plants located in 46 states across the country release more that 386,000 tons of hazardous air pollutants into the atmosphere each year.
• Particle pollution from power plants is estimated to kill approximately 13,000 people a year.

“Power plant pollution kills people,” said Charles D. Connor, President and CEO of the American Lung Association. “It threatens the brains and nervous system of children. It can cause cancer, heart attacks and strokes.

So Senator McConnell and his fellow Republicans who are so concerned about protecting life are happy to have us continue to kill people so that we can have a few very dangerous jobs mining coal.

The other part of Senator McConnell's statement that the Chinese do not have to do anything for 16 years is absolutely false.  Either Senator McConnell does not understand reality or he is simply lying to appeal to his base and continue his fear based politics.  Or maybe it is both.  In any case for the person who is to be the next Majority Leader in the Senate to say these things demonstrates what a sorry state our country is in.

The reality of the Chinese agreement is that they will peak in their carbon emissions by 2030 and at that point will generate 20% of their electricity from renewable, non-carbon sources.  This agreement is the first time that the Chinese have acknowledged publicly that they will cap their emissions.  In addition, in order to achieve the goal of producing 20% of their electricity from renewable, non-carbon sources they will need to build renewable, non-carbon electrical plants equal to all of their current coal fired plants and also equal to the entire United States electrical generating capacity and do that in 16 years.  They can and likely will accomplish that goal for several reasons.  First, they are under significant domestic pressure to reduce air pollution.  Second, these goals in China have the effect of law.  Third, investing heavily in renewable, non-carbon energy sources will make them the undisputed leader in that technology unless the United States is smart enough to compete for that title.

If the Chinese can build renewable, non-carbon electrical generating facilities large enough to provide enough electricity to meet the needs of the United States, why can't we do that?  We could be the first country in the world to generate its energy needs from renewable, non-carbon sources.  Can you imagine what that would do for our economy and our national security?  Historically the United States has thrived on taking on big, long-term challenges and that is what made us a super power.  We can do that again, but we must have leaders with vision and guts and backbones.  If we let the current energy companies drive our policies, we will be relegated not only to a world completely degraded by the impact of climate change, but we will be left behind economically and morally.

I have from time to time accused President Obama of making great speeches but failing to follow through with actions.  In order to avoid that criticism and to really secure as part of his legacy fighting climate change, President Obama needs to take immediate actions to be clear that the United States will work hard to meet its goals under the agreement, carbon emissions that are 26% to 28% below 2005 levels by 2025.  The first thing that he should do is deny the permit for the XL Pipeline.  Why would anybody take us seriously as a leader in fighting climate change if we facilitate the production and burning of the dirtiest carbon on the earth?

Please join me in congratulating President Obama on this historic agreement with China and urging him to cancel the XL Pipeline (here).

Thanks for reading and please comment,
The Unabashed Liberal