• Climate Change

EU To Pass Europe-Wide Climate Law, But Will Miss Current Emission Reduction Goals

• #climatecrisis
• climate change
• Green New Deal
• Paris Agreement

In a report published on Wednesday, the European Environment Agency said that Europe’s progress towards cutting greenhouse-gas emissions and boosting the share of renewables in the energy mix is not happening quickly enough and as a result, the EU will miss its goals.  Moreover, the EU can expect to confront heat waves that are more severe than recent record-breaking events every two years from 2050 on, The Telegraph reported.

Why This Matters:  The EU considers itself a climate leader globally and so missing these targets is a big deal.

• Climate Change

Annual UN Climate Meeting Opens With Strong Admonition by the Secretary General

• #climatecrisis
• climate change
• COP 25
• Gap Report

After another UN Environment Program report last week made clear that the gap between climate action and necessary progress continues to widen, the Secretary-General excoriated the assembled 190 governments’ climate negotiators on Sunday, saying that so far the world’s efforts to stop climate change have been “utterly inadequate” and warned that global warming could soon pass the “point of no return.” 

Why This Matters:  Unfortunately, the three largest emitting countries — the United States, China, and India — have sent only lower-level officials to represent their governments at the UN meeting.

• Politics

Climate Change And Environment Get Little Time In Democratic Debate – Again

• #climatecrisis
• #DemocraticDebate
• climate change

Two hours, ten candidates, four moderators, and less than 10 minutes of serious discussion of climate change in the Democratic Debate last night.  Only four of the ten candidates were asked a direct question or given a chance to provide a significant follow-up response on the issue that most agree is an “existential crisis” and the “#1 Priority” of several of the candidates.

Why This Matters:  Two questions and ten minutes is not enough time to discuss the existential crisis of our time. Period.

• Politics

Environment Breaks Through In Politics – Sierra Club Launches New Digital Ads

• #climatecrisis
• climate change
• Sierra Club

Environmental issues are breaking into the top tier for the 2020 election cycle as evidenced by the Sierra Club’s new digital advertising campaign calling on five senators and President Trump to address the climate crisis impacting communities across the country.  The ads highlight the poor environmental track records of President Trump and U.S. Senators Cory Gardner (R-CO), Joni Ernst (R-IA), Martha McSally (R-AZ), Mitt Romney (R-UT), and Thom Tillis (R-NC) — click on each name to watch the ad.

Why This Matters:  Environmental issues are much more important to voters now than in prior elections

• People

Climate Forum Countdown – Two Days Until Candidates Take Student Questions

• #climatecrisis
• #ClimateForum2020
• climate change

This week young people are raising their voices – holding a press conference on Capitol Hill today and organizing a nationwide “Climate Strike” on Friday — in an effort to get all our attention on the topic of climate change. Just yesterday, The Washington Post published the results of a new Post-Kaiser Family Foundation poll […]

• Politics

#ClimateForum2020 Announces First Wave of Candidates Participating

• #climatecrisis
• #ClimateDebate
• #ClimateForum2020
• climate change
• Georgetown University
• New York Magazine

The first wave is official!  The #ClimateForum2020 — a two-day forum on September 19-20 featuring 2020 Presidential candidates in conversation with young voters on the issue of climate change — will include at least 11 Presidential candidates.

• Climate Change

The U.S. Waives Sanctions for Iranian Gas Sales to Iraq During Heat Wave

• #climatecrisis
• air conditioning
• climate change
• gas
• heatwave
• Iran
• Iraq
• protests
• sanctions

This summer has been unusually hot for Iraq, and a June heatwave is impacting the Trump Administration’s policy to sanction Iranian exports of gas — they had to waive the sanctions they recently re-imposed in order to ensure that Iraq could get the extra fuel they need to power air conditioning systems.