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Quiz: What if we could have known long ago that global warming was happening, assuming we'd had the ability to measure it?
A. 1776
B. 1890
C. 1950
D. 1995
Answer: Find out at the Marin/Sonoma chapter meeting on February 8 at 9 AM PT.
Our guest will be acclaimed climate scientist Dr. Benjamin Santer, former researcher at the Lawerence Livermore National Lab, now Scholar in Residence at the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution. He served as lead convening author of the 1995 IPCC second assessment report, which declared that "the balance of evidence suggests that there is a discernible human influence on global climate." That was the shot heard 'round the world that launched an industrial scale campaign of doubt, denial and delay, which we're still paying for. (See below, The Power of Big Oil.)
And here we are, thirty years later, and that conclusion is totally obvious. But, when might global heating had been discernible if today's satellites, sensors and computers had been available shortly after the industrial revolution began?
Dr. Santer has now performed a "thought experiment," the kind Albert Einstein used to do, to discern just when that influence might have been evident had we possessed the technology to detect it. While his paper awaits publication in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, he'll share its conclusions with us. Take a guess, then tune in for the answer.
We'll also briefly update the state of legislation aimed at reducing California's high electricity rates, then have open group discussion of how you're all doing in light of Trump's attack on science, and how we should react.
Zoom in just before 9 AM here.
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Drs. Ben Santer and Peter Joseph, Marin CCL group leader, at Point Reyes National Seashore observing the the Marine Mammal Center's release of rehabilitated elephant seals | |
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Then attend the CCL National Call
Saturday, February 8 @ 10 AM PT
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Danielle Watson manages American Forests’ climate policy portfolio, focusing on empowering those who steward state, private and Tribal lands. She also supports policy and government relations needs for American Forests' Tree Equity and Resilient Forests programs. Prior to joining American Forests, Watson worked for over a decade in the forest policy arena with the Society of American Foresters. On CCL's February call, she will discuss American Forests' work and their support of the new bipartisan Fix Our Forests Act.
Join here at 10
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What to know about Trump’s first executive actions on climate and environment
Watch this short video featuring CCL Advisory Board member Prof. Michael Gerrard, founder and director of the Sabin Center for Climate Change Law at Columbia University. He's one of the foremost environmental lawyers in the nation and an advocate, litigator, teacher, and scholar who has pioneered cutting-edge legal tools and strategies for addressing climate change.
President Trump’s first week in office included a flurry of executive orders with implications for Earth’s climate and environment.
While President Biden made climate change a hallmark of his administration and some of his policies remain -- for now -- Trump is quickly unraveling that, even as many of his moves are likely to be challenged in court.
Experts say Trump’s moves to step away from global climate action, ramp up domestic oil and gas production and remove incentives for electric vehicles are worrisome as the planet continues to heat up. 2024 was Earth’s hottest year on record, and climate scientists say the rising heat is contributing to extreme weather affecting millions.
“These orders will make our air dirtier, make people sicker, make energy more expensive, and make our communities less prepared for extreme weather,” wrote Ayana Elizabeth Johnson, a marine biologist, policy expert and author who co-founded the non-profit think tank Urban Ocean Lab.
Take a deep breath and read it here:
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Thursday, February 13, 7 PM
at the Rafael Cinema
Come for some calming, healing energy
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VIEW TRAILER
SCREENING + CONVERSATION including Marin CCL's group leader and the filmmaker.
A filmmaker who late in life acquired an organic apple farm, Alexandra Lexton found herself searching for “stories of others who’d reconnected with nature in different ways, then brought their experiences in some meaningful way into the world.”
This beautifully photographed documentary elicits wisdom from 10 such interviewees, including a globetrotting photographer, a journalist, a Navajo scholar, an ecotherapist, Marin’s famed “planetwalker” Dr. John Francis, and experts in mindfulness and climate change. They explore how one person can indeed make a difference amidst escalating planetary crises.
Sprawling from an orchard meditation class to a Tanzanian tribe’s foraging terrain, Fools’ Paradise is a personal journey, inviting viewers to “defend, protect and celebrate” our “sacred bond” with Mother Earth—before that opportunity is, indeed, a Fools’ Paradise (lost?)
MVFF47 OFFICIAL SELECTION
Tickets here
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Carbon Pricing:
Why We Need It,
How It’s Working, and How to Build Support
Research posts
by Jonathan Marshall
2nd edition, January 2025
Marin CCL member Jonathan Marshall, former economics editor at the S.F. Chronicle, has updated his collection of essays on carbon pricing. As we head into a year where taxes, border carbon tariffs and domestic carbon pricing will be center stage, these essays will help anyone wishing to better understand the big, big picture.
Download it here
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These Graphics Help Explain What Climate Change Looked Like in 2024
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Inside Climate News
Take a spin through the year in climate. These graphics are both alarming (rising emissions, CO2 and temps) and (somewhat) hopeful (falling prices for batteries). Here are just a few. Check out the rest on ICN.
And remember the "Law of Demand" from Econ 101: The lower the price, the higher the demand. Thus, we'd better move more quickly on carbon pricing. (See Musk, below.)
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Elon Musk explains why
delaying the transition to renewable energy is "the dumbest experiment in history" and why a revenue neutral carbon tax is essential.
It was 9 years ago, in Paris during COP 21, when Musk was perceived as a visionary, trusted hero by many. He pulls together the physics and economics into an airtight case for eliminating massive subsidies for unpriced carbon emissions via a carbon tax. The transition to clean energy being inevitable, he advocates doing it immediately, before locking in catastrophes whose damages and suffering will surpass that of all the wars in human history.
Let's hope he continues to influence the current administration, in which he's now embedded, in this direction.
Here's his (somewhat unusual) 12 minute talk,
and the subsequent interesting Q&A
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The Tipping Points of Climate Change — and Where We Stand | Johan Rockström | TED
Should your climate anxiety level need to be further jolted into the stratosphere, tolerate 18 minutes with this world renowned scientist, who explains why earth scientists are "getting nervous" to say the least.
He demonstrates that climate and other environmental tipping points are already here, that the changes are accelerating, buffering systems are weakening, we are way behind and about to lose control....
But there is still hope that if we act really fast we might be able to stabilize Earth's climate in a habitable zone, a great reason to finally harness the enormous power of the global energy economy by deploying CCL's (and the US economics profession's) proposed carbon fee, dividend and border carbon policy to forcibly apply the brakes on fossil fuel demand -- thus supply and emissions -- before it's too late. It's not the only thing we must do, but it's essential. Focus on demand reduction by raising the price in a way people will tolerate --by governments not keeping the revenue -- rather than focusing on throttling supply, which may be inexhaustible if we drill deep enough.
Watch it here
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Do Not Miss This Series!
If you've already seen it, watch it again. You'll then understand how we got into this mess -- Denial, Doubt and Delay -- and what it will take to get us out: Massive popular political pressure supporting robust solutions that this industry and their agents will inevitably oppose.
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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.
Long live Democracy.
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Prepared by Peter G. Joseph, M.D.
Peter.Joseph@cclvolunteer.org
Apologies for cross postings.
If you know someone who would like to be added to this distribution list, please suggest they join CCL.
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