CCL exists to create the political will for climate solutions by enabling individual breakthroughs in the exercise of personal and political power. -- Mission Statement
We hope all of you are staying safe and sane. Our hearts go out to those affected by the fires, the virus and all their impacts. We must carry on with increased energy and focus.
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Looking for something to do?
Here are perfectly safe ways to educate yourself:
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ICYMI:
The Essentials:
Robert Archer
Yale trained, veteran USAID energy economist,
Marin CCL steering committee member and
Lead, CCL Economics Policy Network
Deeply understand the wisdom of carbon fee and dividend
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"But it's not a Silver Bullet"
You bet it's not! And...
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We often hear the dismissive trope that carbon taxes "aren't a silver bullet," as though they're inferior to regulations. They're foundational.
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Marin CCL Virtual Membership Meeting
Saturday, September 12 at 9 AM,
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Hear from Marin CCL's Youth Action Team members, ask your questions of the steering committee, find out more about how you can participate.
Followed by the
CCL National Call
Featuring Tina Johnson, Director of the National Black Environmental Justice Network. Timely!
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Youth speaks:
For one student, new proposed climate policy bill makes sense
By Kaitlynn Fetterman-Riggle
Marin School of Environmental Leadership
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Behavioral Contagion Could Spread the Benefits of a Carbon Tax
Robert H. Frank, Cornell economics professor, author of “Under the Influence: Putting Peer Pressure to Work”
This is how a carbon tax could catch on.
"The economics of climate change is straightforward. Earth is warming both because greenhouse gases are costly to eliminate and because governments have permitted people to emit them into the atmosphere without penalty.
The classical remedy is a carbon tax, a fee on the carbon content of fossil fuels. Generally levied where fuels are extracted or imported, it discourages carbon emissions by making goods with larger carbon footprints more expensive. The World Bank reports that as of 2019, 57 local, regional and national governments have either enacted some form of carbon tax or plan to do so. When people must pay for their emissions, they quickly discover creative ways to reduce them.
Why, then, hasn’t the United States adopted a carbon tax? One hurdle is the fear that emissions would fall too slowly in response to a carbon tax, that more direct measures are needed. Another difficulty is that political leaders have reason to fear voter opposition to taxation of any kind. But there are persuasive rejoinders to both objections.
Many legislators remain unenthusiastic because they perceive a carbon tax as being unpopular with voters. Many families have been struggling to make ends meet, and the last thing they need is a stiff new tax on energy use. But this problem has a simple solution, which is to adopt what economists call a revenue-neutral design. Under one version, all revenue from the tax would be returned to consumers in the form of monthly rebate checks. (Sound familiar?)
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Earth's Future Is On The Ballot This November
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Biden’s Early Climate Focus and Hard Years in Congress Forged His $2 Trillion Clean Energy Plan
Biden, known in the Senate for his work on foreign relations, focused on climate change early as a matter for international diplomacy. In 1986, after testimony by NASA scientist James Hansen on the greenhouse effect, Biden introduced his Global Climate Protection Act.
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President Donald Trump’s Climate Change Record Has Been a Boon for Oil Companies, and a Threat to the Planet
Pursuing an unrelenting fossil fuel agenda, Trump has scaled back or eliminated over 150 environment measures, expanded Arctic drilling, and denied climate science.
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On Climate, Kamala Harris Has a Record and Profile for Action
"A true environmental champion," said Tiernan Sittenfeld, vice president of government affairs for the League of Conservation Voters, noting that Harris has had a 91 percent pro-environmental lifetime voting record on the LCV scorecard (that's better than Biden's lifetime score of 83 percent). "Senator Harris has been a long-time champion for climate action and environmental justice....We know she will continue the fight for a more just solution to the climate crisis."
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A Climate Change Skeptic, Mike Pence Brought to the Vice Presidency Deep Ties to the Koch Brothers
"It has long been a goal of the liberal left in this country to advance a climate change agenda," Pence said in a June 2017 interview on Fox & Friends to laud Trump's decision to exit the Paris climate accord. "For some reason or another, this issue of climate change has emerged as a paramount issue for the left in this country and around the world."
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Speaking of the "liberal left's" agenda: |
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Scientists “too frightened” to tell truth on climate impacts
Professor Peter Wadhams, an expert on the disappearing Arctic ice, says that while countries in North America and Europe are ignoring the threat that changing weather patterns are causing to the world food supply...changes in the jet stream caused by the melting of the ice in the Arctic are threatening the most productive agricultural areas on the planet.
“The impact of extreme, often violent weather on crops in a world where the population continues to increase rapidly can only be disastrous,” he warns.
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While sheltering in place, have you been active? (Yes, it's still possible.) |
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Better days: Bay Area CCL members with Dr. Katharine Hayhoe (front row, blue blazer, big smile) last year when she was awarded the Stephen Schneider Award by the Commonwealth Club, before social distancing became de rigeur.
If you've (safely) done something that qualifies as a CCL activity -- interactions with the media, the public, contact with elected representative -- please let us know. These important stats continue to be very impressive, despite the shutdowns. Please contact Ray Welch with details.
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What's New with the Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act?
82 Congressional Cosponsors
614 Businesses
98 Faith Groups
100 Local governments
168 Nonprofits
21 News Media
384 Prominent Individuals
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Wondering what works?
Become an expert modeler:
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Learn from this deep, well documented and fun MIT model what works, how well and what doesn't in lowering emissions and eventual global temperature rise. You'll be surprised. (Trees? Not so much.)
A carbon price is the most powerful tool in the tool box but alone is insufficient. Multiple tools are needed, but without an effective price to incentivize and amplify their impacts, nothing else gets the job done -- not even close.
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Please contribute to Marin CCL
Help cover printing and other expenses for tabling, outreach, youth participation, etc.
Send your (non-tax deductible) check to:
Marin Citizens' Climate Lobby
95 Central Avenue, Sausalito, CA 94965
If everyone contributed 10 bucks we'd be more than fine!
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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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