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Sigmetnow

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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #250 on: February 09, 2015, 02:13:34 PM »
Quote
The University of Sydney has revealed its plans to begin divesting from heavy-polluting and fossil fuel companies, in an effort to cut the carbon footprint of its investment portfolio by 20 per cent in three years.

The partial divestment plan, released by the University on Monday, brings it in line with a growing number of tertiary, religious and other organisations around the world that have divested over $50 billion in fossil fuel stocks for reasons both environmental and economic – that is, their business models are incompatible with the pledge by the world’s governments to tackle global warming.
http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/sydney-uni-to-divest-from-fossil-fuels-as-global-momentum-builds-79951
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #251 on: February 10, 2015, 01:53:34 AM »
Green Climate Bonds are popular, but need better certification.
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Until recently, only a few organizations or governments, including the World Bank, the American state of Massachusetts, and the French region of Île de France, issued green bonds, and generally the amounts involved were modest. But in the past two years, other players have entered the market, and volumes have skyrocketed. In 2014, emissions of green bonds exceeded the total in all previous years combined.

Indeed, demand is outstripping supply. The latest bond offers were all oversubscribed – and the trend is likely to continue. The insurance industry has committed to double its green investments, to $84 billion, by the end of 2015. And in September, three major pension funds from North America and Europe announced plans to increase their holdings in low-carbon investments by more than $31 billion by 2020.
http://www.project-syndicate.org/commentary/development-banks-finance-climate-change-by-anne-paugam-2015-02
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #252 on: February 10, 2015, 02:19:06 AM »
Bloomberg:  Pope Francis is one of the most skilled politicians on earth.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-08/pope-francis-is-one-of-the-most-skilled-politicians-on-earth
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #253 on: February 10, 2015, 03:13:13 AM »
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A growing number of institutions are committing to divest from fossil fuels. This page lists the commitments from colleges and universities, cities, counties, religious institutions, and other institutions. You can click on each name for more information about the type of commitment they’re making.
http://gofossilfree.org/commitments/
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #254 on: February 10, 2015, 02:00:36 PM »
Obama: Let's not build new federal projects in areas at risk for flooding.
GOP:  !?#%!

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The president’s order requires that new federal projects must be built at least two feet above the highest level that floodwaters are projected to reach in a 100-year period. It also mandates that any crucial infrastructure, such as a hospital, must be built an additional foot higher or built to the 500-year floodplain.
http://www.mcclatchydc.com/2015/02/09/256050/gop-challenges-obama-over-flood.html
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #255 on: February 11, 2015, 04:08:34 AM »
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Apple Inc. is investing $848 million in a solar farm to harvest electricity in a partnership with First Solar Inc.

Apple will receive power from 130 megawatts of First Solar’s California Flats Solar Project in Monterey County, California, under a 25-year power-purchase agreement, the companies said in a statement on Tuesday.
...
The iPhone maker already powers all of its data centers with renewable energy. Tim Cook, Apple’s chief executive officer, has advocated taking more steps to combat climate change. He unveiled the initiative during a presentation at the Goldman Sachs Technology and Internet Conference in San Francisco. The agreement is the largest in the solar industry for a single commercial customer, he said.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-02-10/apple-seals-850-million-solar-electricity-deal-with-first-solar
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #256 on: February 11, 2015, 02:51:22 PM »
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #257 on: February 11, 2015, 04:08:45 PM »
2015 Could Be The Year Canada Elects A Prime Minister Who Actually Cares About Climate
Or, Stephen Harper could be re-elected.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/02/10/3621509/canadas-next-prime-ministers-environmental-views/
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #258 on: February 11, 2015, 10:04:32 PM »
California Senate bill to force two state pensions funds – largest in US – to ditch coal is part of effort to generate 50% of power from wind and solar and halve gasoline use

http://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2015/feb/10/california-pension-funds-coal-divestment-call-climate-change
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #259 on: February 14, 2015, 12:02:31 AM »
February 13-14:  Global Divestment Day.  Scenes from around the world.
http://gofossilfree.org/divestment-day/
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #260 on: February 14, 2015, 12:21:33 AM »
Divestment Push Has More Small Investors Wanting Fossil-Free Portfolios
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Investors are particularly interested in so-called green bonds, which are issued much like the kinds of bonds that finance government infrastructure projects. The funds raised by the sale of green bonds, however, are earmarked for things like solar power facilities, energy-saving retrofits and commuter rail projects.

In 2014, investors worldwide snapped up $36.6 billion in climate-related bonds, more than triple the 2013 total of $11 billion, according to Sean Kidney, chief executive officer of the Climate Bond Initiative (CBI), a non-profit venture focused on steering part of the massive global bond market toward climate solutions. He thinks the market could nearly triple again this year to $100 billion.
http://insideclimatenews.org/news/13022015/divestment-push-has-more-small-investors-wanting-fossil-free-portfolios
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #261 on: February 15, 2015, 02:13:21 AM »
On Monday, Democratic lawmakers in California unveiled a package of four bills that aim to tackle climate change in the state. 
"One of the bills, SB 350, calls for a 50 percent reduction in petroleum use in cars and trucks, a 50 percent increase in energy efficiency in buildings, and a goal of 50 percent of state utilities’ power coming from renewable energy, all by 2030."
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/02/11/3621740/california-climate-legislation/
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #262 on: February 15, 2015, 03:16:07 PM »
@insideclimate: Britain's three main parties pledge to end coal burning for electricity in UK, unless it uses #CCS.
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The move will be noticed by the UK's European partners working towards a global agreement on climate change at the UN conference in Paris in December. Some of them had been nervous that the UK might soften its leadership position in the talks, given the level of climate scepticism expressed by some newspapers and Conservative backbenchers.

The statement will also please investors who have been deterred from sinking money into renewable energy systems because they feared a withdrawal from climate policies.

It has been brokered by Matthew Spencer of the think tank Green Alliance, who He told BBC News: "The purpose is to create space for the current and future PM to ensure that the UK can play a full role in securing a good outcome in Paris.

He added that another aim was "to reassure investors that agreement remains strong across current leaders on emissions reduction, and that we're unlikely to see a major change in direction whichever party forms the next government".
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-31456161
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #263 on: February 17, 2015, 01:32:16 AM »
The chairman of parliament’s energy and climate change committee has joined those warning the fossil fuel industry to take the threat of stranded assets seriously.
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Investors are starting to think by 2030 the world will be in such a panic about climate change that either by law or by price it will be very hard to burn fossil fuels on anything like the scale we are doing at the moment.”
...
There may well be national [carbon] performance standards. There may well be caps everywhere. We now have a nuclear non-proliferation treaty, we may have then a coa-fired power station non-proliferation treaty and you can monitor these things externally.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/feb/15/fossil-fuel-industry-must-take-stranded-assets-seriously-say-tim-yeo
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #264 on: February 17, 2015, 03:17:58 PM »
States shoot themselves in the foot, rather than (horrors!) be seen working with the EPA to address carbon emissions.
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If a state does not submit a plan or submits one that fails to meet the EPA’s requirements, then the federal agency must formulate a plan of its own for the state.
http://insideclimatenews.org/news/17022015/coal-states-building-wall-red-tape-resist-epas-clean-power-plan
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #265 on: February 18, 2015, 08:24:50 PM »
Naomi Klein on how to build a more kick-ass climate movement
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My hope is that the labor movement, the anti-cuts movement, the climate movement will really come together in a coherent demand for a just transition away from fossil fuels, using [the oil] price shock as the catalyst.

Because climate change is never going to be that shock. We think it is, that if we scare people enough, then that will shock them. There’s this great group in the Bay Area called Movement Generation that we work with at 350, an amazing group of thinkers and theorists, and they have this presentation that they do called “Shock, Slide, Shift.” It’s about how you have these punctuated shocks and these long slides. A disaster is a shock. Climate change is a slide. Our mission is to harness the shocks and the slides to win the shifts that we want. We’re in a slide, we just got a shock, and now we need to fight for the shift.
http://grist.org/climate-energy/naomi-klein-on-how-to-build-a-more-kick-ass-climate-movement/
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #267 on: February 19, 2015, 03:34:59 PM »
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Citigroup announced on Wednesday a commitment to lend, invest and facilitate $100 billion over the next 10 years to fund activities that mitigate the impacts of climate change.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/233067-citi-unveils-100b-program-to-fight-climate-change
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #268 on: February 19, 2015, 10:13:25 PM »
Author of Ohio Supreme Court decision ruling towns cannot ban fracking has received contributions from fossil fuel interests.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/02/19/3624553/ohio-supreme-court-fracking-ban-ruling/
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #269 on: February 20, 2015, 09:06:41 PM »
Illinois Lawmakers Introduce Far-Reaching Clean Energy Bill With Bipartisan Support
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On Thursday, lawmakers in Illinois introduced legislation that would dramatically improve energy efficiency, bolster the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard, and create a market-based strategy for cutting carbon emissions. Endorsed by the newly-formed Illinois Clean Jobs Coalition, a broad swath of 26 organizations and 33 businesses, the bill’s supporters also state that the law would create around 32,000 clean energy jobs per year.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/02/20/3625138/illinois-clean-energy-bill/
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #270 on: February 22, 2015, 07:53:41 PM »
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Senator Edward J. Markey is calling on coal and oil companies to reveal whether they are funding scientific climate change studies
http://www.bostonglobe.com/news/nation/2015/02/22/senator-edward-markey-investigate-energy-companies-climate-science-funding/Ex1QsGTBrCYRYlZTmruunO/story.html
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #271 on: February 23, 2015, 04:50:34 PM »
Obama's climate change wonk
EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy is in the forefront of President Obama’s climate change agenda, but don’t call her a politician.

http://www.politico.com/story/2015/02/barack-obamas-gina-mccarthy-climate-change-wonk-115372.html
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #272 on: February 23, 2015, 08:57:34 PM »
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Deutsche Bank today announced its intention to invest EUR 1 billion into a portfolio of high quality liquid assets in the form of Green Bonds. These will be held as part of the Bank’s Liquidity Reserve investments. Deutsche Bank has already made EUR 200 million in eligible Green Bond investments and plans for this portfolio to reach EUR 1 billion.

Green Bonds are fixed income instruments which finance environmentally sustainable projects while offering competitive returns. By establishing this portfolio, Deutsche Bank aims to support the development of the Green Bond segment. Deutsche Bank is one of the founding members of the Green Bond Principles which establish voluntary guidelines for transparency and disclosure for the benefit of both issuers and investors.
https://www.db.com/medien/en/content/5060_5123.htm
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #273 on: February 28, 2015, 12:16:19 AM »
After Senator James Inhofe trolled the entire Senate with his snowball on Thursday, Senator Sheldon Whitehouse stepped up to the mic with his fact snowplow to clear away the mess.
"You can believe NASA.  Or you can believe the senator with the snowball."
http://crooksandliars.com/2015/02/senator-whitehouse-rips-senator-snowball
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #274 on: March 01, 2015, 09:43:48 PM »
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Last week the nation’s top nutrition advisory panel unveiled 500-odd pages of advice for the federal agencies tasked with writing the nation’s dietary guidelines. Tucked among the usual recommendations—eat more fruit, vegetables, and whole grains; eat less fat, salt, and sugar—were a few small coffee- and egg-themed surprises and one giant green one. Americans, the panel said, should consider the environment when deciding what to eat and what not to
http://www.slate.com/articles/news_and_politics/politics/2015/02/the_climate_case_against_meat_u_s_nutrition_panel_suggests_americans_eat.html
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #275 on: March 02, 2015, 02:49:58 PM »
The "I Heart Climate Scientists" Facebook post says of the linked item, "Washington Post editorial calls Senator Inhofe's climate denial & snowball antics a 'national embarrassment.'"

http://www.washingtonpost.com/opinions/a-snowballs-chance/2015/03/01/46e9e00e-bec8-11e4-bdfa-b8e8f594e6ee_story.html
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #276 on: March 03, 2015, 01:17:26 AM »
Oslo divests $7million from coal – – the first capital city to do so.
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“The year of 2015 is important, both because this is the year when we need to come together globally and secure a path towards a carbon free society, but in Norway we’re also having local elections, and if there’s any time for local leaders to show what future they want – this is the time. 

The fact that Oslo is now divesting from coal is a victory for our hard work, and sends a strong signal to the government that is currently reviewing the investments of the national oil fund. We will regard it as poor leadership if the government choose to take a less powerful stand than Oslo when deciding their own strategy for a sustainable future.”
http://gofossilfree.org/oslo-divests-from-coal-the-first-capital-city-to-do-so/
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #277 on: March 04, 2015, 07:18:09 PM »
Money and Politics -- and Religion! -- as Climate Change drivers

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This summer, Pope Francis will issue a papal encyclical on the environment. In a year of unparalleled importance for climate change because of key UN meetings in Paris this December, his timing couldn't be better.
...

What's an Encyclical?

The two previous popes wrote extensively on environmental concerns. Pope Francis himself has referred to climate change in numerous speeches. But a papal encyclical, one of the highest forms of Catholic teaching, is different. By addressing these concerns in this format, undiluted by other concerns, the Pope makes the topic unavoidable for Catholics globally.

Once the encyclical is released, it will be shared throughout the Roman Catholic Church and incorporated into the Catechism of the Catholic Church, the foundational document for the moral formation of the world's 1.2 billion Catholics. The Church will have a high-status statement that engages the entire Catholic community on climate change, putting the environment squarely on the church's agenda for the foreseeable future.

Good for Non-Catholics Too

An essential document for Roman Catholics, the encyclical will also be influential for other Christians and people of all faiths and good will. When the encyclical makes headlines, diverse faith leaders globally will want to highlight their own traditions' eco-teachings.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/rabbi-lawrence-troster/getting-behind-pope-francis-on-climate-change_b_6780052.html
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #278 on: March 05, 2015, 09:54:35 PM »
A well-reasoned article on the financial advantages of divestment.
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If we agree that climate change is a huge threat that society will act on, then it necessarily follows that divestment will occur to limit losses, that fossil fuel company prices will drop substantially and that institutions with these stocks in their portfolios will experience large losses.
http://daily.swarthmore.edu/2015/03/05/the-financial-advantages-of-divestment/
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #279 on: March 06, 2015, 03:13:28 AM »
The USDA is helping farmers install clean energy and improve their energy efficiency.
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More than $280 million will be provided through the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP) in the form of grants and loans that can be used to install renewable energy sources such as solar panels, wind turbines, hydroelectric projects as well as improve heating and cooling efficiency and upgrading windows and insulation.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/03/05/3630185/rural-renewable-energy-program/
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #280 on: March 09, 2015, 03:31:11 PM »
Very strong editorial in the New York Times this morning regarding global warming and Senate majority leader Mitch McConnell.
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/03/09/opinion/a-reckless-call-from-the-senates-leader.html
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #281 on: March 11, 2015, 07:17:59 PM »
Over twenty thousand climate change protesters march in London.

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/07/time-to-act-climate-change-protest-london
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #282 on: March 11, 2015, 07:23:18 PM »
Koch Industries refuses to comply with Democrats' probe into fossil fuel money in climate science.
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In January, the political machine backed by the brothers told allies that spending across its conservative network would approach $1 billion ahead of 2016's elections.

That sum from Freedom Partners would dwarf expected spending from official GOP committees and many of the hopefuls expected to seek the Republican party's presidential nomination in 2016.
http://www.startribune.com/politics/national/295835161.html
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #283 on: March 11, 2015, 08:52:48 PM »
UN Green Climate Fund eyes crowdfunding as a source.
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The UN’s flagship climate finance body is considering a crowdfunding platform to boost its ability to back a wide range of projects in developing countries, documents show.

Green Climate Fund officials argue this approach could help drive investment to small-scale low-emission and climate-resilient projects, in a series of papers released last week.

“There is great potential in crowdfunding to complement traditional sources of finance and to channel and mobilize individual contributions into climate-sensitive investments,” they say.

“The use of such a platform can mobilize resources from individuals and organisations that are looking for innovative investment opportunities.”

http://www.rtcc.org/2015/03/10/green-climate-fund-looks-to-crowdfunding-for-cash-boost/#.dpuf
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #284 on: March 11, 2015, 09:23:03 PM »
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Hawaii is on track to pass legislation this year requiring the state to go 100 percent renewable by 2040.

Earlier this month, committees in the Hawaii House and Senate both unanimously recommended bills that would raise the state’s Renewable Portfolio Standard (RPS) from the current target of 70 percent by 2030 to the ultimate goal of 100 percent by 2040. Hawaii has had an RPS since 2001, and right now the state gets just over 21 percent of its power from renewable sources — a 12 percent increase in just six years.

This is huge for our state’s future.

“Even our utility is saying we can hit 65 percent by 2030, so 100 percent is definitely doable,” Sen. Mike Gabbard (D), sponsor of the Senate bill, SB 2181, and chair of Hawaii’s Energy and Environment Committee, told ThinkProgress. “This is huge for our state’s future. Each year, we spend $3 to $5 billion importing fossil fuels to power our economy. Our electricity bills are roughly three times the national average.”
...
As recently six years ago, more than 90 percent of Hawaii’s yearly electricity generation came from coal and oil. With renewable technologies rapidly advancing, Hawaii’s abundant solar, wind, hydro, and geothermal sources are moving in quickly as replacements for costly fossil fuels.

“We are on the leading edge of the 21st century renewable energy transformation,” Chris Lee (D), Sponsor of the House version of the bill, HB 623, and chair of the House Energy and Environment Committee, told ThinkProgress. Lee said he’s been pushing for a 100 percent RPS bill for three years, but that this is the first year there’s been overwhelming support to move forward.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/03/11/3631791/hawaii-ready-for-100-percent-renewable-energy/
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #285 on: March 12, 2015, 12:43:05 AM »
London's mayor Boris Johnson told to divest £4.8bn pension fund from fossil fuels.
http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/11/london-assembly-votes-to-divest-48bn-pension-fund-from-fossil-fuel
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #286 on: March 12, 2015, 09:10:51 PM »
Institutional investors want action regarding climate change financing leading up to the Paris agreement.
Quote
For these investors the ideal final agreement in December would ensure not only public financing for climate-friendly projects around the world but the ramp-up of government mechanisms like co-investing and derisking to encourage the private sector to get involved. Steps toward establishing carbon pricing in various markets would help provide the certainty that many investors seek to decarbonize their portfolios.
...
“Public finance needs to derisk; it needs to coinvest; it needs to absorb some volatility in the energy and emission reductions domains,” he says. Fabian thinks the dollar amounts contributed by individual countries will be less important than the wording around how that capital encourages private investment.

ERAFP’s Desfossés stresses that investors like his fund would be eager to allocate to low-carbon infrastructure such as upgrades to the energy grid if government policy made it easier. Until last month ERAFP wasn’t even allowed to invest in infrastructure funds, he notes. “We have a unique opportunity to fix this now.”
http://www.institutionalinvestor.com/article/3434922/banking-and-capital-markets-corporations/climate-change-talks-could-pave-the-way-for-private-investment.html
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #287 on: March 15, 2015, 06:32:43 PM »
Quote
The Obama Administration has announced plans to nearly triple the size of two major marine sanctuaries off the coast of Northern California.
... Extending north of San Francisco’s iconic Golden Gate Bridge, the sanctuaries will now be permanently off-limits to drilling.
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/03/14/3633852/california-gets-major-new-marine-haven/
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jai mitchell

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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #288 on: March 15, 2015, 08:40:49 PM »
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/03/15/3630404/nasa-hottest-12-months-record/

I don't believe that this pattern is a coincidence of natural forces.

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Sigmetnow

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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #289 on: March 16, 2015, 09:14:37 PM »
http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/03/15/3630404/nasa-hottest-12-months-record/

I don't believe that this pattern is a coincidence of natural forces.

Yes, it's clear Big Oil bought off the Arctic Freezer Doorman, in order to keep Washington in denial of global warming for one more winter.  :(
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #290 on: March 17, 2015, 12:23:51 AM »
In an open letter to Shell’s Ben Van Beurden, the UK’s former top climate envoy says now is the time for Shell to show leadership.
Quote
Stop frustrating ambition.

Talk to us about how you will play your part in a 2C transition.

Tell us the inspirational story of that transition, backed by your knowledge and experience. The electrification of vehicles and heating; the decarbonization of electricity; new frontiers in efficiency. A new golden age of energy.

And don’t tell us through crocodile tears that this will all take a long time. Tell us what you will do to hasten it, and what you need from government to do it faster.

Come clean on your 2C carbon risk, and get out of investments that would increase it.

Stop pretending that gas is part of the answer to climate change, rather than a necessary stage in a transition to be kept as short as possible. Stop pretending that gas will always crowd out coal rather than renewables, that it won’t blur the political focus we need on efficiency.

http://www.rtcc.org/2015/03/16/shells-climate-change-strategy-narcissistic-paranoid-and-psychopathic/#.dpuf
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #291 on: March 17, 2015, 12:33:18 AM »
Michigan governor sets 30-40% renewables, energy efficiency by 2025 goal.  Important message from a Republican governor of a heavily coal-dependent state.
Quote
"If you look at the greenest sources of energy, which would be waste reduction and renewables, by 2025 between 30% of our energy and 40% of our energy can come from the cleanest sources, which are renewables and elimination of our energy waste," he said.
http://www.platts.com/latest-news/electric-power/louisville-kentucky/michigan-governor-sets-30-40-renewables-energy-21142610
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #292 on: March 17, 2015, 05:07:28 PM »
Fossil fuel divestment campaign calls on Gates Foundation and Wellcome Trust to remove combined $70 billion from threatening industries.
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Having reached the mainstream with new backing from the United Nations, the global fossil fuel divestment campaign continues to gain momentum. On Monday, the Guardian news agency launched a campaign calling on the world's two largest charitable foundations, the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation and the Wellcome Trust, to follow the lead of the Rockefeller Foundation and nearly 200 other prominent universities and institutions by divesting their holdings from the fossil fuel industry.
http://www.commondreams.org/news/2015/03/16/guardian-publicly-challenges-worlds-largest-foundations-divest
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #293 on: March 19, 2015, 03:40:51 PM »
Warren Buffett on climate change: Friend or foe?

Berkshire Hathaway invests heavily in renewables -- but also in coal.  Analysts note that Warren Buffett does not call the shots on his coal-heavy investments.  But shareholders, state regulations and climate change disasters may soon force his hand.

http://www.cnbc.com/id/102515844
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #294 on: March 19, 2015, 09:11:56 PM »
Quote
President Obama signed an executive order Thursday to cut the federal government’s greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent over the next decade.

The effort will save taxpayers as much as $18 billion due to energy savings, the White House said.
...
Obama will also push federal agencies to get 30 percent of their power from renewable sources like wind and solar energy. Several major federal contractors and suppliers are announcing emissions reduction goals of their own.
...
Taken together, the actions will be the equivalent of taking 5.5 million average cars off the road for a year, saving 26 million metric tons of greenhouse gas emissions in carbon dioxide-equivalent terms, according to the administration. The reduction goal is based on a 2008 starting point.

As the top energy consumer in the nation, the federal government’s actions can make a huge dent. They can also represent a major part of Obama’s goal of reducing the United States’s total greenhouse gas emissions 26 percent to 28 percent by 2030, compared with 2005 levels.
http://thehill.com/policy/energy-environment/236249-obama-to-seek-40-cut-in-federal-greenhouse-gases
« Last Edit: March 19, 2015, 09:36:16 PM by Sigmetnow »
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #296 on: March 20, 2015, 08:56:44 PM »
U.S. Secretaries Ernest Moniz, Gina McCarthy, and Denise Turner Roth: "Leading by Example on Climate Change: Our New Federal Sustainability Plan"
https://www.whitehouse.gov/blog/2015/03/19/leading-example-climate-change-our-new-federal-sustainability-plan
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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #297 on: March 21, 2015, 03:54:18 PM »
The linked article states that beginning next year states will need to have a climate change plan if they are going to receive disaster preparedness funds from FEMA.  This will put pressure on states with denalist governors like Scott, Jindal and Christie:

http://insideclimatenews.org/news/18032015/fema-states-no-climate-planning-no-money
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #298 on: March 21, 2015, 11:39:17 PM »
The linked article states that beginning next year states will need to have a climate change plan if they are going to receive disaster preparedness funds from FEMA.  This will put pressure on states with denalist governors like Scott, Jindal and Christie:

http://insideclimatenews.org/news/18032015/fema-states-no-climate-planning-no-money

FEMA to deniers:  Gotcha!

Money and politics!   :)
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Sigmetnow

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Re: Money and Politics: The Drive for Climate Change Action
« Reply #299 on: March 24, 2015, 12:52:46 AM »
A sign pro-fossil-fuel ALEC is too extreme for even the fossil fuel companies?

Oil Giant BP Drops Membership With ALEC
The oil-and-gas super company is just the latest big firm to leave the conservative group in recent months.
http://www.nationaljournal.com/energy/major-oil-giant-bp-drops-membership-with-alec-20150323
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