CCL exists to create the political will for climate solutions by enabling individual breakthroughs in the exercise of personal and political power. -- Mission Statement
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While the world talks, the planet bakes:
This is why we need a global carbon price!
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After 26 massive "Conferences of the Parties," (tens of thousands fly in), despite all the international agreements, (Kyoto, Copenhagen, Paris), after so many self-congratulatory proclamations, grand promises and noble targets coming due decades down the road on someone else's watch -- here's what has happened with atmospheric CO2 and temps: It's getting hotter, fast. Those dark red zones represent a dangerous failure.
Isn't it time to try something different? Like, harnessing the global economy to the task of bending the emissions curve far more forcefully than the current 196 national good intentions with no enforcement mechanism?
The UN simply can't solve this problem, but a border carbon adjustment (BCA) among the big emitters (US, China, EU) could incentivize effective global carbon pricing. Piecemeal domestic policies, while necessary supplements to a carbon tax, can't do it alone. But a US carbon tax with BCA could. The EU is considering one, so the US may soon be forced to enact a carbon tax. Why not lead?
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Wondering what's going on in D.C.? You're not alone.
It's been pretty quiet recently regarding carbon pricing as President Biden's BBB plan has run aground. Join our chapter meeting on Saturday, February 12th, 9 AM PT to hear CCL's Manager of Government Affairs, Kyle Kammien give an update from D.C. We'll also discuss local business endorsements, opportunities for you to engage and CCL's future direction.
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Marin County Organizations Endorsing
As of 2/7/22
Businesses
Crook Beales Design, Novato
Good Earth, Fairfax & Mill Valley
Jayli Imports, Point Reyes Station
KW Botanicals, San Anselmo
Marin Sanitary Service, San Rafael
Mikes Bikes, San Rafael
San Rafael Airport, San Rafael
Solarcraft, Novato
The New Wheel, Larkspur
Wild Minimalist, San Rafael
Xtracycle, Mill Valley
Non-Profits and Governments
Rep. Jared Huffman, CA-02
Canal Alliance, San Rafael
Climate Now, Corte Madera
College of Marin, Kentfield
Indivisible Marin, San Rafael
Marin Bicycle Coalition, San Rafael
Marin Bd of Supervisors, San Rafael
MCE, San Rafael
North Bay Leadership Council, Marin & Sonoma Co's
Turning Green, Ross
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Two Essays by "the grandfather of climate change awareness," Dr. James Hansen
Dr. James Hansen, considered the "grandfather of climate change awareness," is the former NASA chief climate scientist and the first to warn Congress, in 1988, about global warming. He serves as a CCL advisor and tireless advocate for carbon fee and dividend. His TED talk is a classic. After watching it, you will understand the root cause of global warming -- Earth's energy imbalance. It's just physics.
Dr. Hansen's no nonsense appeal to young people (warning: contains the word "bulls**t")
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“Imagine a giant asteroid on a direct collision course with Earth. That’s the equivalent of what we face now.” That’s what I said in my TED talk on global warming a decade ago. Don’t Look Up uses the same idea to telescope time by two orders of magnitude – from half a century needed to change global energy systems down to half a year to divert an asteroid. Six months is an action timescale that can engage the public.
Scientists are frustrated as they try to communicate the emergency in both the asteroid story and the real-world climate story. Villains in the asteroid story include greedy industrialists, incompetent and corrupt government, media that abdicate responsible reporting in favor of ratings, and a public focused on tabloid entertainment. With all that headwind, can the asteroid story have a happy ending?
The real climate story faces those headwinds and more. Its long timescale brings intergenerational conflict: today’s adult leaders fail to take needed actions, but today’s young people and offspring will bear the consequences. The story is complex because the villain is also a hero: Fossil fuels are remarkable, condensed energy that has raised living standards in most of the world. The world won’t turn its back on fossil fuels without better alternatives.
The climate story could have a happy ending – but young people must play a leading role to achieve that. They have incentive and tools to fight with, but winning requires understanding the big picture. Perhaps we old people can provide information, so I address my comments to young people."
Read Dr. Hansen's full essay here.
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Study shows that carbon cashback must be coupled with education
By Dana Nuccitelli,
CCL Research Coordinator
"A new study published in Nature Climate Change made some waves with its assertion that dividends do not increase the popularity of a carbon price. The reason — somewhat buried in the paper and associated stories from the Atlantic and David Roberts’ Volts newsletter— is that citizens in countries with carbon fee and rebate systems (Canada and Switzerland) tend to overestimate their carbon costs." Read on.
The problem? Poor citizen education, marketing and messaging. The solution? Good citizen education, marketing and messaging.
If the bottled water industry can convince entire populations to buy water that's often no better than their tap water and pay more for it than for gasoline, surely people can be made comfortable with a refunded carbon fee. But it will take a concerted effort and smart marketing. Is that so difficult? After all, "69% of Americans support requiring fossil fuel companies to pay a tax on the carbon pollution they produce and using that revenue to reduce other taxes (such as the federal income tax) by an equal amount (i.e., a revenue-neutral carbon tax.)" -- Yale Project on Climate Change Communication
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You're invited, but...
This is how one behaves inside The Capitol:
Make an appointment. Business attire recommended. Bring nothing that even looks like a weapon.
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If you know someone who would like to be added to this distribution list, please send their email after obtaining their permission, or better yet, have them join CCL.
Prepared by Peter G. Joseph, M.D.
Apologies for cross postings
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