HOW DARE YOU!
On September 23, 2019 Greta Thumberg, age 16, bravely stood before world leaders at the United Nations speaking about climate change: "This is all wrong. I shouldn't be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction and all you talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. For more than 30 years, the science has been crystal clear; political and needed solutions are still nowhere in sight. How dare you!"
December 2021 article on Thunberg's thoughts on COP 26:
https://www.washingtonpost.com/magazine/2021/12/27/greta-thunberg-state-climate-movement-roots-her-power-an-activist/?utm_campaign=wp_post_most&utm_medium=email&utm_source=newsletter&wpisrc=nl_most&carta-url=https%3A%2F%2Fs2.washingtonpost.com%2Fcar-ln-tr%2F359dc99%2F61c9f1419d2fdab56be36207%2F59860c62ade4e26514e257f2%2F8%2F72%2F61c9f1419d2fdab56be36207
International Treaties, Agreements, Aspirations:
The Paris Accord
Since the Paris Agreement was signed, just six US banks have loaned more than $1 trillionto the fossil fuel industry.
https://stopthemoneypipeline.com/glasgow/Our
COP 26
https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=6-iwCscVeAw
COP 26, Glasgow summit Nov. 1-12, 2021
Demand of KERRY: all countries Break Ties with Fossil Funders:; in US:
JP Morgan Chase, Citi, Bank of America all loan to FF industry
Liberty Mutual
Blackrock
IPCC August 2021 Report on state of the climate:
https://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar6/wg1/downloads/report/IPCC_AR6_WGI_SPM.pdf
Notably, the latest reportby the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) more clearly attributes extreme weather events to humans’ influence on the climate, pointing out that fossil fuels have caused 86% of carbon-dioxide emissions in the past decade.
Only after the last tree has been cut down
Only after the last river has been poisoned
Only after the last fish has been caught
Only then will you find that money can not be eaten.
Cree Indian Prophecy
Only after the last river has been poisoned
Only after the last fish has been caught
Only then will you find that money can not be eaten.
Cree Indian Prophecy
A Fossil Fuel Non Proliferation Treaty?
"For decades, a small number of extremely rich and powerful private and state-owned firms have profited greatly from selling these fuels while deceiving the public and influencing governments to forestall political action to tackle climate change. Big Oil’s strategies to preserve its business model for as long as possible are well documented. Facebook ads promoting their “climate friendliness” and “green gas” were viewed 431 million times in 2020 alone.
Corporate deceit is especially problematic for countries in the Global South, which are striving to improve their economic security and risk locking themselves into dirty infrastructure assets that will become stranded. In fact, every region has high renewable energy potential. International collaboration and support, particularly finance from the Global North, is essential to realizing it.
The lack of an international mechanism directly addressing fossil fuels means that the industry has continued to expand significantly, even since the 2015 Paris climate agreement was signed. According to the United Nations’ Production Gap Report, planned fossil-fuel production in 2030 is currently 120% greater than would be allowed under a 1.5° Celsius carbon budget" from:
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/the-case-for-a-fossil-fuel-non-proliferation-treaty-by-tasneem-essop-and-lili-fuhr-2021-09
A Non Fossil Fuel Proliferation Treaty would be based on the three pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
First pillar of a future treaty – non-proliferation. The International Energy Agency said that any new fossil-fuel development will conflict with the Paris agreement’s goals, G7 members agreed to stop financing new coal projects, and many jurisdictions banned all new fossil fuel permits.
Second pillar - feasible phaseout. Most climate scientists agree that we need to wind down existing fossil-fuel stockpiles and production. Even without any new coal, oil, or gas projects, the world would produce 35% more oil and 69% more coal by 2030 than is consistent with a 1.5°C pathway.
Third pillar- enable a just transition away from fossil fuels through a process of international cooperation that has equity at its core. Wealthy fossil-fuel-producing economies would lead the way and share the benefits and burdens of the transition with poorer countries, workers, and affected communities. This should include the provision of financial resources to enable policymakers to implement and sustain necessary climate policies. (same link as above)
"For decades, a small number of extremely rich and powerful private and state-owned firms have profited greatly from selling these fuels while deceiving the public and influencing governments to forestall political action to tackle climate change. Big Oil’s strategies to preserve its business model for as long as possible are well documented. Facebook ads promoting their “climate friendliness” and “green gas” were viewed 431 million times in 2020 alone.
Corporate deceit is especially problematic for countries in the Global South, which are striving to improve their economic security and risk locking themselves into dirty infrastructure assets that will become stranded. In fact, every region has high renewable energy potential. International collaboration and support, particularly finance from the Global North, is essential to realizing it.
The lack of an international mechanism directly addressing fossil fuels means that the industry has continued to expand significantly, even since the 2015 Paris climate agreement was signed. According to the United Nations’ Production Gap Report, planned fossil-fuel production in 2030 is currently 120% greater than would be allowed under a 1.5° Celsius carbon budget" from:
https://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/the-case-for-a-fossil-fuel-non-proliferation-treaty-by-tasneem-essop-and-lili-fuhr-2021-09
A Non Fossil Fuel Proliferation Treaty would be based on the three pillars of the Nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty.
First pillar of a future treaty – non-proliferation. The International Energy Agency said that any new fossil-fuel development will conflict with the Paris agreement’s goals, G7 members agreed to stop financing new coal projects, and many jurisdictions banned all new fossil fuel permits.
Second pillar - feasible phaseout. Most climate scientists agree that we need to wind down existing fossil-fuel stockpiles and production. Even without any new coal, oil, or gas projects, the world would produce 35% more oil and 69% more coal by 2030 than is consistent with a 1.5°C pathway.
Third pillar- enable a just transition away from fossil fuels through a process of international cooperation that has equity at its core. Wealthy fossil-fuel-producing economies would lead the way and share the benefits and burdens of the transition with poorer countries, workers, and affected communities. This should include the provision of financial resources to enable policymakers to implement and sustain necessary climate policies. (same link as above)
The Green New Deal on a National Level
Shown Here:
Introduced in House (04/20/2021)by Alexandria Ocasio CortezThis resolution calls for the creation of a Green New Deal with the goals of
- achieving greenhouse gas and toxic emissions reductions needed to stay under 1.5 degrees Celsius of warming;
- establishing millions of high-wage union jobs and ensuring economic security for all;
- investing in infrastructure and industry;
- securing clean air and water, climate and community resiliency, healthy food, access to nature, and a sustainable environment for all; and
- promoting justice and equality.
- building smart power grids (i.e., power grids that enable customers to reduce their power use during peak demand periods);
- upgrading all existing buildings and constructing new buildings to achieve maximum energy and water efficiency;
- removing pollution and greenhouse gas emissions from the transportation and agricultural sectors;
- cleaning up existing hazardous waste and abandoned sites;
- ensuring businesspersons are free from unfair competition; and
- providing higher education, high-quality health care, and affordable, safe, and adequate housing to all.
The NYS Green Amendment
Dominick Calsolaro1
to people-of-albany-united-for-safe-energy@googlegroups.com
https://www.timesunion.com/opinion/article/Commentary-On-Nov-2-affirm-that-a-clean-16552907.php
"The Green Amendment was passed into law in Nov. 2021 by the voters of NYS.
background:
On October 8, the United Nations Human Rights Council took a historic
action and voted 45-0 to recognize “the human right to a safe, clean,
healthy and sustainable environment.” In the general election on
November 2, New Yorkers followed the UN’s lead and
to voted “yes” on Ballot Proposal 2, the Environmental Rights Amendment.
The proposal amends the New York state constitution by adding the right
of each person to clean air, clean water, and a healthful environment.
Ballot Proposal 2 is commonly referred to as the “Green Amendment.” This
simple, fifteen word constitutional amendment will guarantee us the
right to clean air and water and the right to enjoy a healthy environment.
The passage of the Green Amendment, like the action taken by the UN’s
Human Rights Council, will be historic for New York. It will reverse the
longstanding tradition of government agencies and departments approving
corporate projects over the health and safety of citizens. The coalition
Vote YES for Clean Air and Water explains the proposed amendment this
way: The amendment is a value statement that declares every New Yorker —
regardless of the color of their skin, ZIP code, or how much money they
have — has the right to clean air and clean water and a healthful
environment. It puts these rights in front of every decision the
government makes. For example, before a legislative body passes a law or
a government agency issues a permit or provides a grant, such body or
agency will have to consider if doing so would violate a person’s right
to clean air or water. Decision-makers would be obligated to minimize
pollution, degradation, and environmental harms. And if they fail to
protect these environmental rights, this amendment could be used by the
community, government, and business interests to protect themselves. In
states where environmental rights are in place, the public benefits from
enhanced legal standing in enforcement of environmental laws and
consideration of public trust values.
exp-player-logo
Simply put, instead of siding with those who profit from actions that
hurt our environment, legislative bodies and regulatory agencies will
have to put people first and consider the proposed project’s affect on a
healthy environment.
This amendment was approved by the voters in November 2021;
Ideally there will be no more
Hoosick Falls, where residents have used water contaminated for decades
with perfluorooctanoic acid or PFOA, a toxic chemical linked to a
plastics plant. No longer will public housing complexes, such as
Albany’s Ezra Prentice Homes, be built in an industrial-zoned area of a
city. No longer will landfills, such as the S.A. Dunn landfill in
Rensselaer, be allowed to be built and continuously operated next to a
school. No longer will incinerators such as Norlite be allowed to
operate within city limits.
The Green Amendment, though short on words, is a powerful document. It
affirms the UN Human Rights Council’s recognition that the pollution of
air, land and water, and the unsound management of chemicals and waste,
interfere with the enjoyment of a safe, clean, healthy and sustainable
environment."
Dominick Calsolaro of Albany is a South End resident and former Common
Council member.
--
Faith Based Ethical advocacy:
Karenna Gore Union Theological Seminary;
Greenfaith
Actions by governments, individuals
The Montreal Protocol of 2016- engage global industry
"Were Still In" Town of Queensbury signed 2019. Thanks to Council woman Atherden the Town of Queensbury has singed a mission based statement asserting its support of the Paris Accord: Bloomberg Mayor compact
https://laserfiche.queensbury.net/WebLink/DocView.aspx?id=263453&dbid=0&repo=TownOfQueensbury&searchid=74b2c119-9695-423d-9e0c-cd616f0899f4
