It’s Getting Hot In Here

Right now there is a UN climate meeting happening in Bonn. We got a fun update from one of the US youth in attendance.

During Yvos de Boer’s (Yvos is the UNFCC Executive Secretary) briefing to the NGO community today he had a picture of Power Shift ’09 up and said the next 6 weeks are essential in reaching a global deal, and said everyone needs to be mobilizing in capitol cities (obviously referencing Power Shift ’09.

Looks like we’re going to be busy for the next 6 weeks. And months. And, heck, probably years. A climate activist’s work is never done.

The next 6 weeks are essential for reaching a global climate deal. They’re also essential to strengthen and go wild in our efforts to get bold, scientifically-based, EQUITABLE climate policy. So far we’ve got about 100 meetings or town-halls planned for face-t0-face conversations between young people and their reps.

Ooh. Ooh. And Obama just announced he’s convening a meeting of the major emitters (or economies, potatoes, potatos) April 27-28 at the State Department. Sounds like a good place for US youth to continue the clarion call that international youth have been sounding in Bonn, Poznan, and all the other UN meetings where the major emitters continue to gamble with our future. What should we do?? Let’s get the good ideas flowing!

This is a guest post from Lucy Richards, Colorado Trek organizer.  The Trek to Re-Energize America is a bike ride to D.C. in support of clean energy solutions and a sustainable future, summer 2009.

Now that the sun is making its temperamental debut here in Durango, my bike is waking from its winter hibernation. I glide out of the driveway, relishing the pressure on the pedals and the click of my chain. It’s a relief to escape spin classes and humid indoor air. I feel free, fast, and powerful under the fresh sun.

Nine months ago, I thought of bikes as just one more way to get from A to B. Since then, I’ve ridden from Colorado to Yorktown, VA on my leggy 18-speed, following a whim and a vague dream. As I peddled, I began to understand for the first time the passion and admiration only a bicycle can excite. Bikes are a true panacea—they address climate change, obesity, traffic, pollution, and the stresses of modern life. They’re fast, versatile, compact, efficient. They’ve even been hailed as the catalyst for the women’s rights movement. In fact, our brain’s ability to process information is compromised at speeds greater than 15 miles per hour. We are naturally suited to the speed of the bicycle.

This summer I’ll be on my bike again, but this time as part of a national movement, The Trek to Re-Energize America. Riders from across the United States will be braving the ride to Washington DC, calling for strong, immediate action on climate change. Us Coloradoans are riding because climate change is a problem dire enough to warrant a 2000 mile journey. We are riding to see the United States, talk to the people, and feel the wind on our faces. We are celebrating the beauty of the bike. Join us.

There’s no rest for the wicked. Whether it’s a mass action or a handful of people crashing a conference, we’re not giving the fossil fool’s a moment’s rest.

Here’s a round-up of Fossil Fool’s Day actions that went on the past couple of days.

Asheville, NC: Asheville Rising Tide declared NC Gov. Beverly Perdue to be in bed with Duke Energy. They set up a bed in front of Governor Perdue’s office with people in business suits representing Duke CEO Jim Rogers, DAQ head Keith Overcash, and Governor Perdue under sheets and covered in money. Banners reading, “Governor Purdue in bed with Duke Energy” and “Stop Cliffside” were held in the background. Protesters also roped off the office entrance with Global Warming Crime Scene tape.

Boston: A lone protester representing “Mannequins for Climate Justice” locked down to the doors of a Bank of America branch in central Boston with the message “Even a dummy like me knows that funding climate change is bad idea.” The mannequin left at the bank held the space for over an hour as the Boston Police Dept. promptly shut down the area and called the bomb squad. We’ve heard that on April 1, police/security presence was heavy at Bank of America branches around the country, coincidence? We’re highly skeptical. Continue reading ‘Fossil Fool’s Day Round Up’

The mainstream media imagery that emerged this morning in London, England was largely focused on the violent demonstrations, graffiti and the broken windows at the Bank of Scotland. It seems that while holding to the mantra that destruction and violence sells papers, they missed the non-violent civil disobedience images of Climate Camp in the City.

Workshops, music, games and free vegan food were the order of the day outside the European Climate Exchange on Bishopsgate in London. Campers were spotted reading papers outside their tents, growing flowers, gardening bus stops and cooking meals. The camp was complete with a free vegan kitchen and composting toilets.

Despite the non-violent actions of all the campers, the police tactics changed abruptly after dark as they kettled the camp. (Kettling is a controversial police tactic to encircle the protest and not let anyone out or in, including families and children). After 3+ hours of kettling, those campers that were caught and wished to return home were allowed to go free. Several hundred chose to stay and were forcefully and violently evicted by the police early in the morning. Despite the police actions, the campers maintained a spirit of satyagraha until the end.

More images here (©Robert vanWaarden)

Second time’s a charm. Deuxième fois, ça suffit.

Yesterday, Canada’s parliament voted in support of the second reading of Bill C-311 (French and English full text here, summary here and below) the country’s first national commitment to greenhouse gas reductions. As a ratifying member of the Kyoto Protocol, the government has now committed, through this bill, to reduce emissions by 25% below 1990 levels by 2020, and by 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.

The Bill now needs to be passed in its third reading and then approved by the Senate. Once this happens, Canada will be committed to meeting scientifically required levels of greenhouse gas emission reductions.

This is an excellent move forwards, and the complete passing of the Bill would be a big step forwards for Canada, a country that has been known to show up at the UN climate negotiations in recent years to speak misleadingly of its commitments relative to current emissions, when the world talks in terms of the internationally-accepted baseline of 1990. Continue reading ‘MPs Vote YES to Bill C-311, Canada’s Climate Change Accountability Act’

The first draft of the American Clean Energy and Energy Security Act of 2009 (ACES) was released yesterday (full text here, summary here).  Now, I haven’t had the time to read through the full 648 pages of the draft bill, but I’d like to draw your attention to a few crucial aspects of this bill.

First, it is more than just a climate bill.  This bill has four main parts: Clean Energy, Energy Efficiency, Reducing Global Warming Pollution, and Transitioning to a Clean Energy Economy.  If we can pass most of what is in the first two sections (with the carbon capture and sequestration not among that “most”), these policies will be massive steps in the right direction.  The most crucial step we can take to transition to a nationwide clean energy economy is the first one.  I don’t say that to be cliche, I honestly mean this.  These are great first steps, and many more will be needed. Continue reading ‘ACES: More Than Just a Climate Bill’

Yesterday, Congress began the debate that will determine our nation’s energy future. Congressmen Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Ed Markey (D-MA) introduced a mammoth 648-page bill designed to fundamentally change the way we make and use energy in this country. The “American Clean Energy and Security Act” may look complicated, but it’s really all about the cold hard cash. Or should I say, the coal hard cash.

The bill will establish a limited supply of permits allowing the release of greenhouse gas emissions by major polluters as part of an emissions reduction plan known as cap-and-trade. Those emissions permits are collectively worth tens or even hundreds of billions of dollars annually. That’s a lot of cash. And yet the bill is remarkably silent about where all that money will go.

Silent that is, except for on one front: coal.

With billions of dollars up for grabs, the coal industry went straight for a big stack of cash. With the help of allies in Congress, the coal sector has already snagged at least a billion dollars each year in new subsidies to support the development of technologies the industry promises will reduce emissions at coal-burning power plants.

That sweet deal for the coal industry is the only spending the bill specifies so far. And coal companies are likely to snag even more cash as the debate unfolds and deals are cut.

So where is the money for truly clean energy sources? There isn’t any. Yet.

This is only a discussion draft, I’ve repeatedly been reminded, and how to allocate the billions of dollars in value created by the emissions permits is still very much up for discussion (aka vigorous debate).

But the draft we see before us very much reflects the vision of the environmental groups leading the so-called U.S. Climate Action Partnership, including Environmental Defense and NRDC. And with these leading green groups setting the agenda, here’s what’s so telling: with billions of dollars sitting on the table, these well-known green groups leading the climate charge simply left it there — or worse yet, looked the other way while the coal industry grabbed their pile of cash.
Continue reading ‘Climate Bill is All About the Coal Hard Cash’

Five actions in one day in downtown Toronto? No foolin!

Today Rainforest Action Network activists kicked Fossil Fools Day off with a bang, dropping banners off of a highway, greeting over 4,000 cars (we counted) stuck in deadlock traffic over a period of two hours. From bridges, we broadcast messages about Royal Bank of Canada (RBC)’s financing of the Canadian Tar Sands from our makeshift Pirate Radio station. Our banners read “Pirate Radio 89.9 FM Tune in now” and “Royal Bank creates climate chaos. Renewables not tar sands.” The pouring rain didn’t block our view of car after car reaching for the radio dial as they drove under us. Listen to the audio broadcast we played here!

We moved on to RBC’s headquarters downtown, and throughout the day were joined by over 30 activists filtering in and out for the festivities.

We began by dressing up and impersonated bank employees. About 16 of us rode elevators for up to two more hours, chatting up other RBC personnel – “Hey, on my way to work today I heard about how RBC is financing the destruction of Native territories in Alberta, causing people cancer and polluting the water! Tar Sands are the world’s dirtiest oil. Did you know that? I had no idea! I’m telling my manager right away!”

Meanwhile, outside the HQ, several more of us leafleted and held banners reading “RBC Creates poisoned water in our community,” “Renewables not tar sands” and “RBC: financing cancer and toxic sludge.”

Back inside, a lone Torontan walked inside the main office with a beautiful bouquet of balloons. I don’t know where he got the idea to release them in the atrium, or how a banner reading “ROYAL BANK CREATES CLIMATE CHAOS” got attached….I also don’t know how they’re gonna get it down. We have undercover footage of the prank here:

Later that evening, dozens of activists reconvened outside RBC headquarters alongside “Tarbie,” an oil-soaked version of RBC’s prized mascot “Arbie” who explained to passersby that he and RBC are helping finance one of the fastest growing sources of water pollution and greenhouse gas emissions on the planet, and how they conflict with the financial giant’s PR promises to promote clean water.

Continue reading ‘Toronto activists award RBC “fossil fool of the year” for Tar Sands financing’

reposted by RAN’s fabulous grassroots Agribusiness organizer Levana Saxon

Go rock the vote!

This is democracy at its finest people – you choose the fool and then we’ll all go challenge them to stop their ridiculous and destructive fantasies of converting land for fuel.

This is no April fools joke. If you haven’t heard, biofuels are naaaasty. People are already being displaced by big agribusiness to grow crops for fuel. And, biofuels won’t get us off of fossil fuels anyway. Replacing just 10 percent of world demand for diesel for road transport with biodiesel would require 75 percent of the world’s existing soy, oil palm and rapeseed crops. Even current government mandates for these so-called renewable fuels will create enough demand for biofuels to cause food shortages and human rights and environmental catastrophes around the world. Continue reading ‘Happy Biofools Day!’

Wednesday, April 1^st

Asheville, NC – In response to the North Carolina Division of Air Quality (DAQ) ruling that Duke Energy’s Cliffside coal plant is a “minor source of emissions”, 30 protesters gathered at noon today outside Governor Perdue’s Western North Carolina office in downtown Asheville to demand that she revoke the plant’s permit.

In a demonstration organized by Asheville Rising Tide, protesters set up a bed in front of Governor Perdue’s office with people in business suits representing Duke CEO Jim Rogers, DAQ head Keith Overcash, and Governor Perdue under sheets and covered in money. Banners reading, “Governor Purdue in bed with Duke Energy” and “Stop Cliffside” were held in the background. Protestors also roped off the office entrance with Global Warming Crime Scene tape.

While Beverly Perdue publicly opposed Cliffside during her campaign for the Governorship, following the DAQ’s ruling she sent out a press release defending the decision to classify Duke’s new coal plant as a “minor emitter.” A report released last month by the Civil Society Institute found that Duke Energy contributed nearly $30,000 to Gov. Purdue’s election campaign and $40,000 to Lt. Governor Walter Dalton. Since the report was released there have been calls for corruption inquiries into the relations between Duke Energy and Purdue. “We know who Governor Purdue and the DAQ are taking their marching orders from,” stated Jill Walker of Asheville Rising Tide. “With this ruling it is clear that they are more interested in protecting Duke’s bottom line than the health of North Carolinians.”

Throughout Duke’s application process, the DAQ, controlled by the Governor’s office, has consistently showed favoritism to the industry they are charged with regulating, at the expense of public health, water conservation, and attempts to curb climate change. “It is absurd that the DAQ could rule that the dirty Cliffside coal plant, which will emit millions of tons of pollutants each year, including greenhouse gases, mercury and other heavy metals, could even be considered a minor source of emissions,” stated local farmer Tobias Wolfe. “Still, it is not too late for Governor Perdue to do the right thing for the people of North Carolina and call for the cancellation of Cliffside.” Continue reading ‘Asheville Rising Tide declares NC Gov. Perdue in bed with Duke Energy. Happy Fossil Fools Day!’