Reflections on the 28th UN Climate Conference in Dubai
Submitted by Kim Cameron, delegate to COP28 and former Secretary of CCAA
Image from googleimages.com
A final Consensus Report was agreed and signed in Dubai Wednesday morning, Dec. 13th. For the first time it references a “transition” away from fossil fuels. A step in the right direction, but only a step. Sadly, the United States, the world’s largest fossil fuel supplier joined the other petrostates in resisting more urgent language.
Media coverage has focused on the failure to call for a ‘just and equitable elimination of fossil fuels’ as well as pointing to other issues: countries didn’t agree on a method to measure emissions, and adequate monies for loss and damage in developing countries fell far short of need. While this is all true, it’s important to identify some of the major positives.
Fossil fuel was mentioned. Youth had a voice at the negotiating table. Cities are developing partnerships to accelerate transition to net-zero emissions. The health care sector has begun articulating the relationship between the pollution that causes our climate crisis and the health effects of that pollution. Collaboration and sharing of ideas and solutions between countries, cities, municipalities, is at an all-time high.
Here in the United States, there is little focus on the consequences of polluting our atmosphere with heat trapping molecules that wrap our planet in an ever-warmer blanket. The planet, our home, has worsening fever.
To address the climate crisis we must put climate causing pollution and its effects in the forefront of political issues. Climate crisis impacts and solutions must become a vital part of public education and civic engagement. We cannot wait for climate leadership to emerge from politics as usual. We need to demand it of our elected representatives and of ourselves.
WAER Interview With Kim Cameron
Taken from transcript of interview with Chris Bolt on WAER
Editor’s Note: Kim Cameron was among the 84,000 attendees at COP28, representing the League of Women Voters with observer status. In her interview, she said that despite its global scale, issues discussed at the conference do have local implications. Here are some of her takeaways.
Q: “How do I take information learned at COP28 to think globally and act locally, because we do have flooding, air pollution, fires, drought and heat.
A: Cameron learned about an online tool, Climate Trace, that uses satellites and other technology to identify 350,000 polluting sites around the world.
Q: “Using that technology, can you put in Syracuse, NY and find out where pollution is occurring?”
A: Yes. Most Syracuse emissions in 2022 appeared to have come from cars and trucks. Power plants and the airport also generate their share of greenhouse gases. But that’s a small fraction of what’s generated across the country and world.
Q: “Policy wise, what has Cameron discovered that can have an impact on tipping points that we will not be able to get back from?”
A: Cameron says she’ll take what’s she’s learned to help create policy at the League of Women Voters as well as prepare state and national presentations.
Good News for 2023
Submitted by Peter Wirth, CCAA Vice President
Image from googleimages.com
It is easy to get discouraged as we see our climate change in CNY. This winter in particular seems quite odd when I think of winters past as a freshman at ESF in 1967. So we need good news to keep us moving ahead.
The U.S. installed nearly 33 GW of solar
In 2023, the U.S. added almost 33 GW of new solar capacity to the grid, the largest expansion yet in a single year — and a roughly 50% jump from 2022. Even the residential sector, which has faced numerous challenges this year, grew by 12%. Most solar capacity growth came from utility-scale projects. Developers added about 20 GW of utility-scale solar in 2023, up nearly 100% from the year before.
China is on track to meet its 2030 renewable goal early
Renewable energy growth, taking off in China, is on track to achieve its ambitious 2030 target — building 1,200 GW of renewable capacity — five years ahead of schedule according to a recent report by Global Energy Monitor.
Global renewable growth is on track to triple by 2030
Countries around the world built between 440 and 500 gigawatts of new renewable energy capacity in 2023, according to a recent report by Ember. If renewable growth continues at the same pace it has since 2016, then the world will triple renewable capacity by 2030, one of the goals of COP 28.
EV sales kept growing
U.S. annual EV sales reached one million for the first time
2023 was also a breakout year for EVs in the U.S. and around the world. Through the first 11 months of the year, one million battery electric vehicles (BEVs) were sold in the U.S. That’s up 50% compared to a year ago when EV sales were already surging. Last month, battery electric vehicles market share climbed to just over 7% according to Argonne National Lab. Three years ago, BEVs only had a 2% market share.
EV Range Anxiety
Submitted by Dale Sherman, CCAA Member
Image from googleimages.com
One of the early concerns with Electric Vehicles (EVs) was called range anxiety. You could only drive 70-100 miles before needing a recharge. But where did one find a fuel station for electrons? Level 3 DC fast chargers were rare just 10 years ago.
In the past 10 years, range anxiety has greatly diminished and has been replaced with charging-time anxiety as battery technology and efficiency have greatly boosted the range one could drive before needing a refill. [More on that in my next article].
There are over 126,500 Level 2 and 20,431 Level 3 charging stations in the U.S. as of early 2023. But these are typically a mix of CCS, CHAdeMO, and Tesla charging standards. Now as one auto manufacturer after another announces a switch to NACS (J3400), the Society of Automotive Engineers (SAE) which sets standards for everything automotive is making the Tesla charging plug the North American Charging Standard (NACS) as of the end of 2023. This is a sleeker design than the large clunky plugs like CCS and CHAdeMO.
With funding from Biden’s Bipartisan Infrastructure Law, $7.5 billion will be invested in EV chargingto install 500,000 more chargers by 2030. And because Tesla Supercharger technology has proven to be very reliable, two gas station corporations have struck deals to buy Tesla Supercharger hardware and install them around the U.S. and Europe at their stations. There are over 126,500 Level 2 and 20,431 Level 3 charging stations in the U.S. as of early 2023. But these are typically a mix of CCS, CHAdeMO, and Tesla charging standards.
To read more about this news, follow these links.
Tesla strikes deal with BP to sell Supercharger hardware
Now that the SAE has finalized the Tesla-designed NACS (North American Charging Standard) as a new charging standard, it will help boost EV sales for all brands. Auto manufacturers will come out with charging adapters to ensure legacy EVs will still be able to charge at a NACS charger.
Every gallon of gasoline we burn puts 20 lbs. of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The more people switch to EVs, the better for our climate. Now all we need is a sub-$20,000 EV.
Trees: An Environmental Bonus
Researched and submitted by Alice Massa, CCAA Member
Image from googleimages.com
DID YOU KNOW: A healthy 100-foot-tall tree… can take 11,000 gallons of water from the soil and release it into the air again, as oxygen and water vapor, in a single growing season. “https://extension.psu.edu/the-role-of-trees-and-forests-in-healthy-watersheds. A street tree’s crown can intercept 760 gallons to 3000 gallons per tree, per year. http://www.gicinc.org/PDFs/TreesStormwaterSummaryReportJune2019
Trees mean less flooding in neighborhoods, decreased runoff and reduced stress on storm drainage pipes and less money spent treating water through municipal storm systems.
Common themes that surface at town and village meetings include the need to work with developers to reduce negative impacts on neighborhoods from flooding, erosion, loss of buffers against noise and pollution and loss of air quality, due in part to the removal of existing trees. Research on cities and flood management indicates clearly that Town Codes should include protection of trees during development to reduce flooding and erosion.. https://www.scfc.gov/wp-content/uploads/2021/06/gic-stormwatersummary12. “Leaving stream and river banks as natural as possible — with the soil undisturbed and covered with trees, shrubs, wildflowers, mosses and ferns — helps prevent erosion ” Role Trees Play In Water Quality” Educational in Nature Vol.1, Forests Water and Forests EIN-3/89
Long lived trees will pay cities dividends for years to come in improved property values, energy savings, increased sales taxes, shade and beauty. Municipalities are losing four million trees annually nationwide due to population growth and pressures to clear land for commercial and residential development (Nowak 2010). In addition to development pressures, cities are also losing older, established trees from storms, diseases, old age and other factors (Nowak and Greenfield 2012). As more areas are paved for development, water also does not replenish underground aquifers and land subsides, exacerbating the problems of rising water.
Cities can do a better job in protecting and planting trees in conditions that will support them, such as having adequate planting wells and selecting the right species for each location. They also can ensure better tree care as guided by clear municipal tree codes.
DeepEnergy Retrofits: What’s This?
Information sourced from the Syracuse University Website
Image from retrofitlivinglab.syr.edu
Buildings are responsible for 40% of energy use and carbon emissions in the United States, and 600 million tons of construction and demolition waste is generated annually. At the same time, we spend over 90% of our time indoors and the air quality and thermal comfort of our homes and offices has a significant impact on our health and well-being. New York State has launched initiatives aimed at reducing the energy use and carbon emissions of buildings through the implementation of Deep Energy Retrofits (DERs). Inspired in part by the Energiesprong movement developed in the Netherlands, DER approaches in New York update the structures and systems of buildings to address key energy and health issues found in the older, poorly performing buildings that make up the majority of NY building stock. Residents of DER buildings have lower energy costs, breathe better air, and live more comfortably. New York’s Climate Action Plan aims for zero emissions statewide by 2050, and DERs will play a major role in reaching that goal, with millions of residential units slated for retrofit in the coming years.
Syracuse University is leading research efforts to develop replicable, economical
approaches to Deep Energy Retrofits by aligning laboratory testing of new technologies, computational modeling, and full-scale physical testbeds. The Net Zero Retrofit Living Lab at Syracuse University is a three-year project that identifies, develops, implements, and tests retrofit approaches, including a demonstration project with campus apartment housing. Our team is collecting data on building energy performance, indoor air quality, thermal comfort, and the effects of human actions like opening windows on systems performance, and tying these metrics, or measures, to important outcomes like energy savings and human health and wellbeing.
Editor’s note: Read about this exciting new technology on the Syracuse University WEBSITE.
DEC Delivers
Information released by the Department of Environmental Conservation
Image from dec.ny.gov
DEC Files Draft Regulations to Reduce Hydrofluorocarbons and Sulfur Hexafluoride Emissions
Annual Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report Tracks Statewide Emissions Trends
New York State Department of Environmental Conservation (DEC) Commissioner Basil Seggos recently announced three actions to support the State’s ongoing efforts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions as required by the 2019 Climate Leadership and Community Protection Act (Climate Act). DEC is filing draft regulations to reduce emissions of two potent greenhouse gases, hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) and sulfur hexafluoride (SF6). In addition, DEC released the 2023 annual “Statewide Greenhouse Gas Emissions Report,” which tracks trends of these and other emissions as part of the state’s implementation of the Climate Act.
“New York State continues to advance efforts to help reduce climate-altering greenhouse gas emissions and bolster community resilience,”Commissioner Seggos said. “HFCs, SF6, and other greenhouse gases are accelerating the costly economic, public health, and environmental impacts of climate change in New York State and across the globe. The draft regulations filed today help bring New York closer to realizing the Climate Act’s ambitious emission reduction requirements.”
For a full understanding of the report, you can access it HERE.
Volunteers For CCAA
If you are looking to volunteer your time, we’re currently looking for volunteers to join in the following:
The Carbon Challenge Committee –looking for volunteers to help relaunch the challenge and encourage individuals to take steps in reducing their carbon footprint by completing 6 missions. Volunteers are needed to help with planning, design, marketing, education, and tabling. Visit our website for more information about the challenge:CNY Carbon Challenge
CCAA Sustainability Committee *NEW* – This committee has recently been formed to encourage residents to push for local towns and cities to take on strong sustainability measures. The committee will report on current efforts and share successes that could be used as case studies as well as support the efforts of individuals or groups that want to work with their local government to create a sustainability plan or to build on one that currently exists.
If interested in either of these committees, please contact us atcc.awareness.action@gmail.comor reply to this email.
CCAA Film Series and Discussion
YOU ARE INVITED! This winter starting in February and continuing in March and April, CCAA is hosting films at the home of Holly Greenberg, 304 E. Genesee St, Fayetteville. In a comfortable atmosphere, we encourage members and friends to watch these films and participate in facilitated discussions. Refreshments provided. Pre-registration required (Link sent later). Attendance limited to 30.
A Sea Change is the story of Sven Huseby, whose love for his grandson and the world he will inherit compelled him to travel thousands of miles interviewing scientists on ocean acidification – the little-known flip side of global warming. Stunning photography, sobering interviews, and a hopeful ending, focusing on solutions being implemented today.
Nature photographer James Balog documents melting glaciers in Alaska, Iceland, Greenland and Montana. His videos compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate. The visuals are riveting, and they drive home the point that the film makes in voice over narration by Balog, interviews with glaciologists and climate scientists and occasional charts and graphs: Ice is melting at an alarmingly unglacial pace. Sunday, April 14: 3:00 – 5:30pm Earth Emergency. (53 minutes) www.pbs.org/show/earth-emergency
This revealing film examines how human activity is setting off dangerous warming loops that are pushing the climate to a point of no return – and what we need to do to stop them. With captivating illustrations, stunning footage and interviews with leading climate scientists as well as support from Greta Thunberg, “Earth Emergency” adds the missing piece of the climate puzzle. The program conveys the urgent necessity to stop these cycles and let natural systems do their job of removing carbon, preserving the delicate balance necessary to maintain Earth’s temperature. For more information contact:pwirth2@verizon.netor call 315-476-3396
CCAA Checklist (What have we been doing?)
At the end of December 2023, CCAA Board members approved signing on to a letter addressed to State Senate Majority Leader Andrea Stewart-Cousins and State Assembly Leader Carl Heastie, urging them to support speedy passage of the NY PackagingReduction and Recycling Infrastructure Actin 2023. Among other things, this bill supports:
reducing plastic packaging by 50% gradually over 12 years
reducing pollution in low income communities and/or communities of color
prohibiting the use of certain toxic chemicals in packaging
January’s GreenBag Lunch will be devoted to organizing a proposed CNY Sustainability Coalition, composed of organizations interested in advocating for social, environmental and economic justice surrounding the Micron project.
You can view recordings of pastGreeningUSA events on GreeningUSA’s YouTube Channel! https://tinyurl.com/yyl4jh9a
EVENT: Cazenovia Earth Day Planning Meeting, sponsored by UCAN.
DATE: January 15, 2024
TIME: 6:30 p.m.
PLACE: Cazenovia Public Library Community Room
“All Are Welcome”
EVENT: The New York State Green Building Conference
Former CCAA Secretary Kim Cameron was a delegate to the recently held COP28 in Dubai. Her interview with Chris Bolt on WAER 88FM is highlighted in an article in this issue. If you missed her daily blog, you can retrace her steps at this LINK.
If you are considering electric lawn equipment, READ “The pros and cons of electric lawn equipment” from Yale Climate Connection.
CLIMATE: IT’S STILL REALLY HOT! You can read about it HERE.
Rebecca Solnit writes in the Washington Post: There is hope for the Earth as top climate scientists involved with the U.S. Fifth National Climate Assessment see balancing the bad news about the physical state of the planet with good news about solutions, implementations and public engagement. Here’s the STORY.
New research: Fivefold increase in the melting of Greenland’s glaciers over the last 20 years. Here’s the STORY.
The Twentieth Annual Symposium on Energyin the 21st Century will be held April 12, 2024. Corporate, labor and environmentalists will be working together toward a renewable energy future. Registration is now open and you can take advantage of a discount ending soon. You can REGISTER now.
As a member of Climate Change Awareness and Action, you are cordially invited to mark your calendar for the upcoming Film Series sponsored by CCAA. The first film showing of “A Sea Change” will be shown on Sunday, February 25. (See article in this issue of the newsletter for details and description of the film.) Registration is necessary and a link will be sent shortly to all members.
Feel like saving the world?Why not donate a few dollars to CCAA? Maybe it won’t be quite enough to save the whole planet, but it will help keep us going, and that’s the next best thing! We appreciate your support.
CCAA Internships and Other Volunteering Opportunities If you are interested in volunteering with CCAA in any capacity, please contact us at newsletter@climatechange-action.com or call 315-308-0846. Don’t worry about your skill level. We are all learning. We need people who can:
Within NY Renews, the Youth Committee is a space mostly for high school and college age individuals. We’re moving towards bi-weekly trainings followed by community organizing to support our campaigns. Joining the youth committee is a great opportunity to level up your organizing, learn about campaigning, and get involved in the climate justice movement.
We meet every other week with additional time on projects for those interested. If you are interested, please fill out the sign-up form so we can get more info about your interests and experiences (it’s not competitive). We would love to hear from you!
We encourage you to follow our social media accounts to support CCAA and stay up to date on other environmental news.
Newsletter Committee Staff Writers: Marie Stewart, Anthony Bailey, Olivia Eden Fried, and Stella Simeonova Publishing and Design: Yvonne Chu, Annalena Davis Editor: Roseann Lorefice
CCAA Interns: Marie Stewart, Anthony Bailey, Olivia Eden Fried, Katie Daley, Andrea Hayman, Stella Simeonova, Olivia Elise Morton, and Glenn Urgola
