It’s Getting Hot In Here

Photo Credit: Christine Irvine

This week the bell sounded for round 2 in the US climate change saga with the opening hearing of Sen Boxer’s Environment and Public Works Committee. Over 100 youth organized by the Avaaz Climate Action Factory DC were there, in senators faces, showing them how to get a strong climate bill. Kanye West and Daft Punk provided the inspiration for the week with the theme: Harder, Better, Faster, Stronger.

Harder – oversight on coal plants.
Better – Renewable Portfolio Standard and investments in international adaptation.
Faster – emissions reductions targets.
STRONGER – leadership in the Senate and a stronger bill!

Continue reading ‘Avaaz Action Factory helps Senators pump it up and make a STRONG climate bill’

According to The Center for Public Integrity, more than 770 companies and interest groups hired an estimated 2,340 lobbyists to influence federal climate policy in 2008.  That means every day, 2,340 briefcase-holding and business card-carrying bodies walk through the halls of Congress with the sole aim of either strengthening or weakening the policies that will help spark a clean energy revolution and combat the climate crisis. From Chevron to Chevrolet, from Alcoa to Xerox, everybody is funding somebody to argue their case. This Washington insider game is what’s determining the climate policies that make it out of Congress.

When you think of it though, why should these inside-the-beltway lobbyists have all the clout? Our future as individual human beings is at stake along with the future of major corporations and utility districts! How can the everyday citizen get on the same playing field as these lobbyists? These questions encouraged us, two college students who are part of the youth climate movement, to set out writing a guide to climate policy that would help every American understand the policy details and political context around the climate debate in Congress. The result is “The Citizen’s Guide to Climate Policy,” a short booklet that will prepare you to become a lobbyist for change. The only way we’re going to get the strong climate policy we need is if a group of impassioned citizens engage their elected officials , and are so well versed on the implications of specific policies that we can battle on the same ground as the industry lobbyists who are walking the halls of Congress. Continue reading ‘Introducing “The Citizen’s Guide to Climate Policy”’

By Devon Swezey, Breakthrough Fellow
Cross-posted from Breakthrough Institute

President Obama’s national energy education program designed to create a generation of clean energy innovators has been cut from $115 to $7 million by a House subcommittee. The cuts could mean that fewer than 100 scholarships, not 1,500 scholarships, will be available annually.

Energy analysts say that one of the key barriers to developing clean energy technologies that can compete with fossil fuels is the lack of scholarships both for young scientists to do basic research and for engineers seeking to apply discoveries in the real world.

The Administration’s energy education program, called RE-ENERGYSE (REgaining our ENERGY Science and Engineering Edge), would have resulted in “the development of leading edge undergraduate and graduate programs and between 5,000 and 8,500 highly educated scientists, engineers, and other professionals to enter the clean energy field by 2015; and approximately 10,000 to 17,000 professionals by 2020,” according to the Department of Energy (DOE).  The initiative, which would be jointly supported by DOE and the National Science Foundation, was modeled after the Breakthrough Institute’s National Energy Education Act proposal and would have been the largest federal initiative to focus exclusively on clean energy education.

Continue reading ‘House Committee Cuts Funding for Obama’s Energy Education Initiative’

On July 1st, New York Times published an op-ed by 2002 Pulitzer Prize winner and noted author Thomas Friedman. The article titled “Just Do It”, calls out the flaws of the ACES bill. Friedman, author of “The World is Flat: A Brief History of the World”, agrees with many scientists, economists and environmental journalist, Brentin Mockr, that the ACES bill is weak and cannot afford to get any weaker. Friedman goes off in this op-ed calling out Republicans, President Obama and the American public for making this bill weak. Here’s a piece of what he had to say:

“Attention all young Americans: your climate future is being decided right now in the cloakrooms of the Capitol, where the coal lobby holds huge sway. You want to make a difference? Then get out of Facebook and into somebody’s face.”

We hear you Friedman and we here at www.checktheweather.net
have been hitting the concrete talking to real people about this “ACES” Climate Bill. Last night we went out to Horace and Dickie’s Chicken and Fish Carry Out in Northeast, Washington, DC and asked Dennis “Chico” Jackson what he felt about Climate Change, Michael Jackson and most importantly what he knew about the Waxman Markey climate bill.

Visit Checktheweather.net to watch the video, download our mixtape for climate justice and get in the KNOW on real people talking real about the Green Movement. www.checktheweather.net

Join ACE this July 4 as we break up with oil! Declare your Independence from Fossil Fuels and Sign the Declaration:

www.climateeducation.org/petition

Guest post by Julie Erickson

All the climate buzz this week has been about the now notorious ACES bill that comes to a floor vote in the US House of Representatives today. But anyone who wants real action on climate change must remember the ultimate prize – the UN treaty to be negotiated in Copenhagen this December.

It was with international politics in mind that a group of activists showed up this morning at the German embassy ahead of German Chancellor Angela Merkel’s arrival. Anticipating the Chancellor’s scheduled Friday meeting with President Obama, they put on a performance with larger-than-life cutouts of the two leaders surrounded by enthusiastic, dancing, six-foot wide green hard hats. The activists called for the two leaders to commit to keeping the international limit of warming to 1.5°C (above pre-industrial levels) and reminded them that climate

change presents an opportunity to create green jobs and new economic prosperity if we make a bold transition to clean energy.

Obama and Merkel are meeting this week and are expected to talk about what positions they will take on climate at the upcoming G8 Summit and at the UN negotiations leading up to Copenhagen. If both convey that their respective countries take climate change seriously and are ready to lead by committing to no more than 1.5° of warming, it could have a significant impact on the negotiations. While the EU has committed to keeping warming below 2°, and Obama has been an outspoken advocate for green jobs since before even taking office, neither leader has shown the leadership or made the commitments necessary for a strong global agreement.
Continue reading ‘GIANT DANCING HARD HATS WELCOME MERKEL TO THE US’

This April, the roots of leadership were laid in the Climate movement.  From Powershift to the FTN Town Hall Campaign, young people across the country moved into positions of leadership, and engaged their community and policy makers on our vital clean energy future.  A sea change in the quality and quantity of leadership occurred, and on the eve of the first ever US climate legislation it continues to breed success and momentum.

Since April, certain needs have arisen that must be addressed. First, we must continue pressure on policy makers and institutions to accelerate our transition to clean energy sources, and to strengthen ACES and our local legislation. At the same time, we must fulfill the less noticed need of developing and empowering our new climate leaders.

Continue reading ‘From Coal to Copenhagen: An Opportunity for Leadership’

Last week, eight young leaders and intellectuals from around the country arrived at the Breakthrough Institute for the 2009 Breakthrough Generation Fellowship. Breakthrough Generation is the young leaders initiative of the Breakthrough Institute, a public policy think tank, and this summer represents our second annual fellowship program.

Selected from a large pool of applicants from the world’s top universities, this year’s fellows will continue Breakthrough Generation’s efforts to empower progressive young leaders to advance bold ideas for a stronger, safer, and more prosperous world. I invite you to follow their writing and join the discussion at the Breakthrough Generation website:

Follow Breakthrough Generation’s writing and ideas

Our 10-week fellowship includes a two-week introductory program, including a graduate-level reading course, daily blogging, and presentations from some of the country’s top energy and economic experts (reading syllabus is available for PDF download here). After this introduction, the fellows will perform research and writing throughout the summer to develop and advance the Breakthrough Institute’s efforts on energy, climate, and economic policy.

Learn more about Breakthrough Generation below the fold…

Continue reading ‘Breakthrough Generation Launches 2009 Fellowship Program’

On Wednesday, June 10th, Representative Nikki Tsongas (D-MA) officially congratulated both houses of the Massachusetts State Legislature for passing a resolution written by Mass Power Shift student leaders in partnership with State Senator Marc Pacheco and Representative Frank Smizik in a statement in the congressional record.  

In her statement, Representative Tsongas highlighted the efforts of Mass Power Shift in helping secure the passage of the resolution that called on congress to RePower America with 100% Clean Electricity in the next 10 years.  MAPS Campaign Co-Coordinator Nick Dahlberg, a rising senior at Boston University, expressed his gratitude to Representative Tsongas: “We really appreciate the Congresswoman’s recognition of our hard work and persistence.  It’s good to know that congress has officially received word about our efforts here in Massachusetts.”  His fellow Campaign Coordinator, Meredith Annex, a rising junior at Williams College, adds: “But we could not have succeeded without strong leadership in the State House.  We are really grateful for the partnership our network has established with Senator Pacheco and Representative Smizik, and look forward to continuing our work with them in the years ahead.”

Massachusetts Power Shift is continuing forward with its campaign towards 100% Clean Electricity within the next 10 years, seeing it as a serious solution to a serious crisis.  This summer, the network has twenty students bicycling around the state, spreading awareness about the climate emergency, and the 100% Goal.  They are also proud to partner with students at Clark University, who are hosting Summer of Solutions – Worcester.  Stay tuned to itsgettinghotinhere for updates!

For more stories on the RePower America Resolution and other Mass Power Shift successes, please visit www.masspowershift.org/media

Alliance for Climate Education (ACE) is very excited to announce that this spring, we’ve been able to award 5 junior and 11 senior high school students with ACE Action Scholarships! The quantity and quality of the applications we received was incredible and first and foremost we must say a sincere THANK YOU to everyone who applied, for their ongoing efforts to lower their carbon emissions and raise their voices.

The Winners
From designing eco-conscious fashion, to researching fuel originating from microscopic bugs, to banning plastic bags in cities, the winning students’ projects really encapsulate the diversity of thought and solutions needed to overcome the climate crisis. There is no silver bullet when it comes to solving the climate crisis. We need all of you, all of your ideas, your creative energy. And while climate news seems to get worse each day, student projects happening around the Bay Area (and no doubt our country) are reasons to be optimistic.

The Full Scoop
Want to read more? Find out who these Action Scholars are?? We won’t keep you in the dark any longer! Click here to read all about this year’s ACE Action Scholars.

And in case you missed us this time around, check back in the fall as we’ll be opening our scholarship and grant program back up to more applicants.

Rock on, and thank you for all of your hard work!