Climate change is a national/global issue and requires a national/global response.
California going green while Virginia stays with coal while Florida floods is objectively bad for the nation. The carbon footprint of the nation isn't going to be balanced by only a few states taking serious measures.
We are a union under the federalist system and we're all in this together, despite what people seem to think.
I'm a climate activist, and I can't control how others act, but I'm in favor of, like you say, anything that works.
The Citizens' Climate Lobby is focusing on a carbon fee and dividend. I'm new to the movement (so take what I say with a grain of salt) but I like what I see so far. We're very focused on one particular legislative approach, not because other things won't help, but because it's hard enough getting legislation like H.R. 763 through congress already, and distractions dilute our precious time and energy. So the CCL is pushing on just this one bill, which we think is the most effective approach for us.
But I'd love to see people work on everything and everything. I just think it's probably most effective for most organizations to focus on a relatively narrow area.
The Democrats are willing to make slight changes, but at the end of the day, Americans are pumping 15-20 gigs tons per year of CO2 into the atmosphere and that number wouldn’t change under either Democrat or Republican policies. (Indeed, its not clear that when you account for Democrats’ opposition to nuclear power, which set of policies would’ve led to lower CO2 output in a counterfactual scenario.) And to keep warming to 1.5C, that number needs to go to zero this decade, then negative shortly after that. Also, this needs to happen in china and India, not just the US.
Note that measures to actually address climate change are unpopular even among Democrats. Sure, they like it when it’s articulated as a jobs program (“green new deal”) but they still oppose things like carbon taxes, which experts have offered forth as the solution. State level measures along those lines got strong push back in very blue and very environmentally conscious Oregon and Washington
This is the one mechanism that actually has the potential to turn the entire economy around without directly making politicians look bad, so it has a nonzero chance of passing.
The best thing you can do for the climate today is to call your representatives about this bill, or better, send handwritten letters or letters to the editor.
They're pushing a carbon tax policy in the house right now https://citizensclimatelobby.org/energy-innovation-and-carbo.... It's a little silly since it seems like there's little appetite for a bill like this with conservatives. I still think it's important to try.
I'd say there's a lot of opportunity to do things on a state or local level. Reducing your state's carbon emissions has a real impact. Push for renewable energy sources. Fight to make the process of rezoning for higher density housing easier in your community and improve public transit.
I agree full-heartedly as a dutiful member of Citizens Climate Lobby. However, if we can’t pass this legislation with a Democratic political stack in place, then when?
Folks will argue how much and when, but the US state is still a democracy and people elected people who oppose action on climate change... it makes sense.
All eight Senators from CA, AZ, NV, and NM are Democrats, and I assume they "believe in climate change," although I'm not sure whether simply believing is going to make much of a difference.
If you're interested in getting involved in addressing climate change, here are two options for citizens to get involved:
1) The Citizens Climate Climate Lobby has been around ten years, and it currently has a bill in Congress that has bipartisan (1 Republican) support: The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (http://energyinnovationact.org/). With this plan, all the revenue from a carbon tax* is directly returned to citizens as a yearly check--no enlargement of the state. This is the organization cofounded by NASA scientist James Hansen, who first testified to Congress about the perils of climate change over 30 years ago.
2) If you're a millennial/gen Z, and you're more skeptical of a market-based solution, the Green New Deal and Sunrise Movement are making waves. Rather than a concrete policy in Congress, they have a set of principles/values that they are pushing forward. This includes economic and social justice issues.
*Carbon pricing (which can come in the form of a tax or cap and trade) is the single most effective mechanism to address climate change. The idea is to internalize the _real_ costs of climate change into the price we actually pay--ramping up the price on carbon over time until it is prohibitively expensive to use fossil-fuel-expensive products, and incentivizing the economy to adapt. That fundamental price signal, where renewable energy becomes cheaper relative to fossil fuels (and similarly less fossil fuel-intensive goods are cheaper relative to fossil-fuel-expensive ones) reverberates throughout the economy. However, it's worth noting that while this solution should theoretically appeal to Republicans, almost none have stepped forward...
For anyone who wants to know how they can help with this, personally: Citizens' Climate Lobby is a nonpartisan group that is trying to get a revenue-neutral carbon fee and dividend (The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act, H.R. 763) through Congress. https://citizensclimatelobby.org/ CCL promotes a measured approach, focused on this single task -- it's not about protesting or venting frustration. I personally think it's the most effective way to make a real difference.
And H.R. 763 has strong support of both climate scientists and economists as an effective way to reduce our emissions and mitigate climate change.
In the United States, meaningful climate action is primarily a political problem to be solved -- not technology, policy, technology research, or policy research.
If you're interested in getting involved in addressing climate change, here are two options for citizens to get involved:
1) The Citizens Climate Climate Lobby has been around ten years, and it currently has a bill in Congress that has bipartisan (1 Republican, 30+ Dems) support: The Energy Innovation and Carbon Dividend Act (http://energyinnovationact.org/). With this plan, all the revenue from a carbon tax* is directly returned to citizens as a yearly check--no enlargement of the state. This is the organization cofounded by NASA scientist James Hansen, who first testified to Congress about the perils of climate change over 30 years ago.
2) If you're a millennial/gen Z, and you're more skeptical of a market-based solution, the Green New Deal and Sunrise Movement are making waves. Rather than a concrete policy in Congress, they have a set of principles/values that they are pushing forward.
In addition, if you live in the states of Oregon and New York, both are on the cusp of passing similar legislation. And there are many more out there in various stages of development...
*Carbon pricing (which can come in the form of a tax or cap and trade) is the single most effective mechanism to address climate change, according to economists. The idea is to internalize the _real_ costs of climate change into the price we actually pay--ramping up the price on carbon over time until it is prohibitively expensive to use fossil-fuel-expensive products, and incentivizing the economy to adapt.
You are not powerless. Cities & states have huge power to help curb emissions. Check out the work by David Roberts over at Volts on WA’s amazing climate legislation that was passed in the last year.
Legislation like that is possible because of average citizens. Find a local political climate group in your area. Work with them.
Check out the recent Green Amendment that was passed in NY. That movement started from the everyday person. It’s passing as huge implications for future environmental law cases in the state. A similar amendment in other states has stopped the passage of expanding fracking operations, etc
Keystone XL was stopped by everyday people. Line 3 is facing a resistance made up of everyday people.
This narrative that we are “powerless” is exactly what the powers against us want. Research shows that climate anxiety increases inaction. Research also shows that people involved in community campaigns have lower rates of climate anxiety.
If you live in WA or FL feel free to PM me. I have a lot of resources that could get you started
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