The Importance and the Power of Protest: Why We Must Stand Up to Trump

The need for protests challenging the Trump administration's destructive actions and their deceptive narrative have become even more glaringly apparent in the wake of the tragic murder of peaceful Muslims in a Quebec city mosque. Look at the face of terrorism, note the pale skin and the light blue eyes. The man who committed this barbaric crime was not an ISIS sympathizer he supported Donald Trump and other racist nationalistic movements. This man is what is called in French "pure laine" literally meaning pure wool, referring to those whose ancestry is exclusively French-Canadian.  As reported by The Independent, the killer's Facebook page indicates that he is a supporter of nationalistic movements including Donald Trump in the US, Le Pen in France, and the separatist Parti Quebecois.

The Quebec City massacre killed six Muslims and wounded many others who were attending a mosque for evening prayers. The criminal whose name should be forgotten is a 27-year-old resident of Quebec. He has been charged with six counts of first-degree murder and five counts of attempted murder with a restricted weapon.

"I wrote him off as a xenophobe. I didn't even think of him as totally racist, but he was enthralled by a borderline racist nationalist movement," Vincent Boissoneault, a fellow Laval University student, told The Globe and Mail newspaper.

Perpetrators of hate crimes

Trump has inspired hateful acts of violence before he was elected. Here are some of the hate crimes committed at Trump rallies during the election campaign and violence inspired by Trump before the election. After his electoral victory, there was another uptick in violent hate crimes. This is the demagogue who now leads the free world.

In the alternate universe promulgated by Trump and his people, the homeland must be protected from outsiders. That may be the narrative that some white people want to hear, but the truth is that the real terror threat is not from Muslim refugees seeking to escape the horrors of war, these refugees have committed zero acts of terrorism and they actually have a lower incidence of criminality than Americans born in the country.

According to Global Research, in both the US and Europe the overwhelming majority of mass shootings were perpetrated by non-Muslims. According to Charles Kurzman, Professor of Sociology at University of North Carolina at Chapel Hill, Muslim terrorism accounts for less than 1 percent of the 180,000 murders in the US since 9/11.

Some of the deadliest terrorist attacks in the US were perpetrated by white people. In 1995 Timothy James McVeigh killed 168 people and injured over 600 in Oklahoma. In 2015 Dylann Roof killed 9 black people in a South Carolina church.

Trump's revisionism

In yet another example of twisted logic, the Trump administration used this attack to support their xenophobic policies including the Muslim ban which has been condemned by world leaders. As they often do, DT co-opts real world events that challenge his legitimacy and revises the facts so that they support his narrative.

"We condemn this attack in the strongest possible terms. It’s a terrible reminder of why we must remain vigilant, and why the president is taking steps to be proactive, rather than reactive, when it comes to our nation’s safety and security," press secretary Sean Spicer said at his daily briefing on Monday.

The fact remains that Bissonnette is a Trump supporter who shares Trump's disdain for Muslims.

Control of the narrative

We cannot sit idly by and let the White House control the narrative. We must challenge their lies. Throughout his campaign, Trump lied repeatedly and even after being elected president he resorted to fake news with regard to Russia and he has attacked CNN dismissing the facts they report.  We must oppose fake news and the darkness of Trump's post-factual narrative.

Trump recently called the New York Times, the gold standard of fact-based reporting, "fake news" in a Twitter post. Donald Trump and his chief strategy advisor, a racist by the name of Steve Bannon are the real purveyors of fake news. What makes the situation even more troubling is that their deceitful narrative is now coming directly from the White House.

Power of protest

Now more than ever we need to acknowledge the importance and the power of protest. We must not forget that Trump lost the popular vote by an unprecedented three million people. There were massive protests against DT after he was elected. This continued on inauguration day and was followed by the Women's March on January 21. It is important to note that the Women's March had a far bigger turnout than Trump's Inauguration in Washington, D.C., a day earlier.

There are many who feel disheartened and beaten by the election of DT. However, we need to reflect upon what protest has accomplished. Consider what was accomplished through civil rights protests and the protest against the Vietnam war.

More recently climate protests have helped to augur change on the world stage. The People's Climate March in September 2014 helped to create momentum that ultimately culminated in the historic Paris Climate Agreement. Almost half a million people and more than 1,500 organizations took to the streets in New York City to demand climate action as world leaders convened at the United Nations headquarters. There were 2646 rallies in 162 countries. The event generated more than 5000 articles and over 630,000 social media posts.

The September 21st Climate March was the largest climate oriented march in history. There were a number of ground-breaking environmental protests that preceded it. In 2013 we were seeing signs of growing environmental activism and the beginnings of the new environmental movement. By the end of 2014 the people-powered environmental movement had come of age. In 2016 we saw how protest helped to kill the Dakota Access Pipeline. Previously, years of protest against the Keystone XL helped to create the support President Obama needed to cancel it.

Activists are also responding to DT's crimes against the environment and assaults on climate. This includes his revival of the KXL and DAPL pipelines, his war against the EPA (including naming a climate denier by the name of Scott Pruitt to head the agency), the nomination of Exxon CEO Rex Tillerson as the Secretary of State.

Recently, Greenpeace activists hung a massive, 70-by-35-foot banner reading "RESIST" from a crane only blocks from the White House Wednesday. Trump's Muslim ban has spawned ongoing protests in the US and around the world.

Trump's wall rhetoric spawned massive protests in Mexico and when Trump visits the UK this summer he will be greeted by what is being described as "the biggest protest ever" (tentatively scheduled for July 1).

This administration's is a kakistocracy and their unprecedented deceit warrants protest. There has never been a better reason to make our voices heard.

Another People's Climate March is scheduled to take place on April 29th, 2017. It will be a global opportunity to protest Trump's war against science, climate and the environment. This protest will take place in Washington, D.C., in cities nationwide and around the world.

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Event - Energy Storage 2017 Conference

This event will take place February 7 - 9, 2017 in Paris, France. This conference will bring together key industry stakeholders to address the current challenges of the energy storage market and discuss the latest developments. Energy Storage 2017 will offer insights on business cases, regulatory environment, financial aspects and technological advancements for the energy storage industry.

The Energy Storage 2017 Conference will demonstrate successful case studies, and explore the latest R&D projects.

Attendees will have excellent networking opportunities that will enable them to meet senior representatives from leading companies.

For more information or to register click here.

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Event - Training Programme to Support Renewable Energy Deployment in Asia-Pacific Island Nations

This event will take place on February 6 –- 10 February, 2017 in Kobe, Japan. This is a followup to the first "Training Programme to Support Renewable Energy Deployment in Asia-Pacific Island Nations" that took place in February 2016. This event is one of several co-organized by Japan's Ministry of Environment and IRENA.

The workshop is an opportunity for government officials from island nations in the Asia-Pacific to learn from experts and government officials within and outside of Japan, regarding effective policies for the deployment of renewable energy, best practices regarding the application of these policies, and financing schemes.

Participants will be asked to discuss current progress regarding their energy transition, and through this training programme, the capacity for renewable energy deployment in small island developing states (SIDs) is expected to be enhanced, and steps towards improved energy access and climate change mitigation in these islands are expected to be taken. Participants will also take part in site visits to renewable energy facilities in Awaji island or the Kobe city area.

For more information click here. 

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Event - People’s Climate March 2017: 100 Day Mobilization

This event will take place on April 29th, 2017 in Washington, D.C., cities nationwide and around the world. The People's Climate March in 2017 is being called the 100 Day Mobilization. It is being organized by a coalition of environmental and climate justice organizations (see list at the bottom of this page). These protests are intended to oppose the Trump administration's destructive environmental policies. This is a pivotal time in human history. We have come so far with the signing and coming into force of the Paris Climate Agreement.  This massive step forward is being undermined by the darkness of the Trump administration which is working to dismantle our hard-won progress. We are running out of time and we cannot afford to give up, too much is in the balance.

In the wake of the nomination of Tillerson and Pruitt and the commencement of the war against the EPA we must come to terms with the environmental catastrophe and climate hell that this administration augurs. The Green Market Oracle is a proud partner of the People's Climate Movement. To see the full list of partners click here.

The 100 Day Mobilization may be the most important day of protest in human history. The future of the planet and our children's lives are at stake. Whether or not you have ever protested before this is the time to make your voice heard. Don't wait until it is too late, stand up and be counted, for the sake of this and future generations.

This event will be the culmination of protests that started before Trump was inaugurated. This was followed by the Women's March which was attended by almost 3 million people, making it the largest protest ever. More protests are planned for the first 100 days of the Trump administration. The People's Climate Movement is organizing, "a country-wide arc of action, culminating on April 29th in Washington DC in a powerful mobilization to unite all of our movements." The Climate March will take place one week after Earth Day which takes place on April 22.

As explained on the Climate Movement site:

Donald Trump’s election is a threat to the future of our planet, the safety of our communities, and the health of our families. This new administration is attacking the hard-won protections of our climate, health, and communities, and the rights of people of color, workers, indigenous people, immigrants, women, LGBTQIA, young people, and more.

If the policies he proposed on the campaign trail are implemented, they will destroy our climate, decimate our jobs and livelihoods, and undermine the civil rights and liberties won in many hard fought battles.

It’s up to us to stop that from happening before it starts.

We’re ready to fight back, and we are ready to build a resistance to Trump and Congress’ attacks on our climate, our communities, and our jobs that stand alongside the unprecedented Women’s Marches and other powerful rallies that shook the globe in the hours and days following the inauguration of Donald Trump and the 115th Congress.

On April 29th, we will march for our families. We will march for our air, our water, and our land. We will march for clean energy jobs and climate justice. We will march for our communities and the people we love.

“On April 29th, it’s going to be much clearer to Donald Trump that he won’t drag America or the world backward on climate without the fight of his life,” Sierra Club Executive Director Michael Brune said in a release. “Our planet is in crisis, and voices from around the nation must and will be heard.”

The People’s Climate Movement is a project of dozens of organizations working together to solve the climate crisis. Below is a list of the steering committee members.

32BJ SEIU
350.org
Alliance for Climate Education
BlueGreen Alliance
Center for Biological Diversity
Center for Community Change
Center for Popular Democracy
Chesapeake Climate Action Network
Chispa
Climate Justice Alliance
The Climate Reality Project
Color of Change
Emerald Cities
Franciscan Action Network
Grassroots Global Justice
GreenFaith
GreenLatinos
Hip Hop Caucus
Indigenous Environmental Network
Labor Network for Sustainability
League of Conservation Voters
Moms Clean Air Force
NAACP
Natural Resources Defense Council
People’s Action
People’s Collective Arts/Colectivo de Arte Popular
People’s Climate Movement NY
Power Shift Network
Public Citizen
Service Employees International Union
Sierra Club
Union of Concerned Scientists
US Climate Action Network

For more information and to register click here.

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The State of Arctic Warming and Melting Ice in 2016 (Videos)

The trend of warmer Arctic temperatures and melting Arctic ice appears to be worsening. Less ice means more global warming. Last year was the warmest year on record replacing 2015. We saw a number of extreme weather events in 2016 and ongoing evidence of the global warming trend, particularly in the Arctic.

A WMO report presented at COP22 at the end of 2016 indicates that in recent years parts of Arctic Russia, temperatures were 6°C to 7°C above the long-term average. Many other Arctic and sub-Arctic regions in Russia, Alaska and northwest Canada were at least 3°C above average. The global average temperature increase is around 1.5°C above average.

The report also revealed a cascade of related phenomena including sea level rise associated with rapidly melting polar ice. Over the past five years, Arctic sea ice is 28 percent below the average of the previous 29 years. The impact from this melting trend is not only rising sea levels it is also decreasing global cooling from the ice associated with the albedo effect (light or radiation that is reflected by a surface). Simply put, less ice means more warming.

Arctic ice reached its equal second-lowest extent in the satellite record in September 2016 and in the fall of 2016 the Arctic was very hot and the extent of sea ice covering the polar ocean was at a record low. The ice was also slower to freeze in the fall of 2016 and it is much thinner than normal.

While the winter, spring, and summer were abnormally warm in the Arctic, the departure from the mean increased in October, November, and December.

In November, Arctic ice normally increases, however, over a period of five days it saw 19,000 square miles of ice cover melt away. NOAA said this was very unusual and almost without precedent. In November Arctic temperatures were 18 degrees warmer than normal. The abnormally warm Arctic was partly responsible for second-warmest November global temperatures on record.

Richard James, a meteorologist who is also the author of a blog on Alaska weather, analyzed 19 weather stations surrounding the Arctic Ocean and found that the average temperature was about 2 C (4F) above the record set in 1998. Since November, temperatures have risen even higher. "It is amazing to see that the warmth has become even more pronounced since the end of October," James wrote on his blog. Towards the end of last year, Arctic temperatures were about 20°C (36 F) higher than normal above 80 degrees North Latitude despite the onset of the polar night.

"Despite onset of #PolarNight, temperatures near #NorthPole increasing. Extraordinary situation right now in #Arctic, w/record low #seaice," Daniel Swain, a climate scientist at UCLA posted to Twitter.

As reported by NASA, a large hot cyclone that crossed the Arctic in December 2015 thinned and shrunk the sea ice cover during a time of the year when the ice should have been growing thicker and stronger.



This phenomenon repeated in December 2016. As reported by the Washington Post, Arctic expert, James Overland with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration {NOAA), said that the jet stream transported warmth northward into the Arctic. This is highly abnormal in terms of both persistence and magnitude.

As reported in Slate, much warmer than usual temperatures have dominated the Arctic at the end of 2015 and into 2016. "[T]he northernmost permanent settlement, Norway’s Svalbard archipelago, has averaged 10 degrees C (18 degrees F) above normal this winter, with temperatures rising above the freezing mark on nearly two dozen days since Dec. 1. That kind of extremely unusual weather has prompted a record-setting low maximum in Arctic sea ice, especially in the Barents Sea area north of Europe."

Writing on his blog, former NASA scientist Roy Spencer said that February 2016 featured “whopping” temperature anomalies especially in the Arctic.

In a Huffington Postarticle, Michael Mann said that February stands out for its record-setting heat particularly in the NortherHemispherere.

"For the first time on record, we crossed the 2 degrees C ‘dangerous’ level of warming (for the Northern Hemisphere, the best-measured part of the globe)...It is unlikely we will see this anomalous warmth sustained for the remainder of the year, but it is a reminder of how perilously close we are now to permanent dangerous levels of warmth. It is yet another warning of the urgency of reducing global carbon emissions."

According to Mashable , February’s warmth was especially pronounced in the north. The Arctic saw record low sea ice and temperatures that were about 6 degrees C (almost 11 degrees F) above normal.

Mark Serreze, who heads the National Snow and Ice Data Center in Boulder, Colo., agreed that something odd is going on. Both air and water temperatures unusually warm. "There are some areas in the Arctic Ocean that are as much as 25 degrees Fahrenheit above average now," Serreze said in December. "It’s pretty crazy...The sea ice is at a record low right now, for this time of year, that’s one thing," Serreze said. "And why it’s so low — again, there’s so much heat in the upper ocean in these ice-free areas, the ice just can’t form right now. The ocean’s just got to get rid of this heat somehow, and it’s having a hard time doing so."

Another Washington Post article said, "it’s premature to say if these events are becoming more frequent, the intensity of the warm air reaching the Arctic is almost certainly increasing. "

“[T]he warmest midwinter temperatures at the North Pole have been increasing at a rate that is twice as large as that for mean midwinter temperatures at the pole,” a Nature study published in mid-December 2016 said. “It is argued that this enhanced trend is consistent with the loss of winter sea ice from the Nordic Seas that moves the reservoir of warm air over this region northwards".

The trend is unmistakable. A study by National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) and NASA researchers revealed that the length of the melt season for Arctic sea ice is growing by several days each decade, and an earlier start to the melt season is allowing the Arctic Ocean to absorb enough additional solar radiation in some places to melt as much as four feet of the Arctic ice cap's thickness.



A Yale 360 article by Peter Wadhams indicates that melting sea ice is "triggering a cascade of effects that will amplify global warming and could destabilize the global climate system." Wadhams continued, "The planet is swiftly heading toward a largely ice-free Arctic in the warmer months, possibly as early as 2020."

Wadhams is a scientist who specializes in Arctic sea ice, he is professor emeritus of ocean physics at Cambridge University.  Wadhams says that over his 46-year career as a scientist he has observed the thickness and extent of Arctic sea ice shrink by 50 percent since the early 1970s. Even steeper declines (75 percent) in volume have been observed. Wadhams explains that there are global feedback effects associated with the arctic ice "death spiral":

"The great white cap that once covered the top of the world is now turning blue [changing the region's albedo causing only 10 percent of solar radiation to be reflected back into space compared to 50 percent when the surface is covered with ice.]— a change that represents humanity’s most dramatic step in reshaping the face of our planet. And with the steady disappearance of the polar ice cover, we are losing a vast air conditioning system that has helped regulate and stabilize earth’s climate system for thousands of years."

Arctic waters have been generally below zero for tens of thousands of years in the summer. With much less ice in the warmest months, Arctic ocean temperatures have risen as much as 7 F in some places. Now rather than cooling the Earth the Arctic is contributing to global heating.

According to one recent study, a warm Arctic is responsible for 25 percent of global warming.  Together these impacts are driving global warming. As explained by Wadhams, "overall ice/snow albedo effect in the Arctic could add as much as 50 percent to the direct global heating effect of CO2."

There are a number of complex feedback loops at play. Lower levels of sea ice increase ocean temperatures and warmer sea melt even more ice. declining sea ice creates another feedback loop. Less sea ice cover east of the Nordic Sea helps create a passageway for warm air. Other feedback loops affecting the Arctic include more waves that further dismantles ice, warmer terrestrial temperatures that increase the albedo effect on land and water runoff from the warming land or melting ice. Other feedback loops include water vapor, the slowing of the global ocean conveyor belt and major shifts in the northern hemisphere’s jet stream.

Wadhams says the most dangerous feedback loop is methane trapped in ice on the floor of the Arctic Ocean. Methane traps heat in the atmosphere 23 times more efficiently per molecule than carbon dioxide. More than five years ago Russian scientists had already documented methane seeping from Arctic ice.

"These changes represent a spiritual impoverishment of the earth, as well as a catastrophe for humanity" Wadhams said. This is a wake-up call Wadhams concluded, "the time for action has long since passed."

Maybe part of the problem is that people just don't relate to the Arctic on a personal level.  With that in mind here is a historic performance in the middle of the Arctic Ocean by acclaimed Italian composer and pianist Ludovico Einaudi. Described by Paul Hawkins as, "without question, the best video ever made on climate change."

"I've been about to see the purity and fragileness of this area with my own eyes and perform a song that I composed on the best stage in the world," Einaudi said. "It is important that we understand the importance of the Arctic, [and] stop its process and protect it." Einaudi is one of eight million people from across the world demanding protection for the Arctic.


Related
Rising CO2 Emissions and Ongoing Heat Records Especially in the Arctic
Arctic Sea Ice is Disappearing
Arctic Warming Feedback Loops: Algae Blooms and Thawing Permafrost

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Climate Optimism and Sustainability Initiatives at the World Economic Forum in Davos

The low-carbon transition was the central focus of the 2017 World Economic forum (WEF).
Considering the state of world affairs there was a surprising amount of optimism at this year's WEF. The theme of WEF 2017 was "Responsive and Responsible Leadership". This annual event took place in Davos Switzerland from January 17 to January 20. There were over 400 sessions on the official program, covering a wide range of subjects ranging from sustainability to inequality.

The WEF advocates, "economic opportunity through bold climate action." They state, "the importance of bold and transformative climate action has never been stronger".  However, climate change is a multifaceted issue with implications for energy, food security, immigration and health.

The challenges faced by the global community are daunting and they have become more difficult in the wake of populist movements in Europe and the US.

Geopolitical realities

Everyone appeared to be trying to fathom the implications of the dramatic geopolitical shift in the US and the UK. The rise of populism and the demise of America's role as a global superpower permeated the conference. There were concerns that this will lead to conflict on a number of levels.

Attendees at the Davos summit said goodbye to America and welcomed China's leadership. They also appeared to say goodbye to the UK in the wake of the Brexit vote with many of those in attendance planning to downsize their London offices. It was suggested that governance models should be overhauled and economic relations reformed.

China

The Chinese and others spoke about the value and importance of globalization. A large Chinese delegation was led by Xi Jinping who was the first Chinese president to attend the WEF. China has also indicated that it is prepared to lead on climate change to fill the void of created by the current administration. This includes a $360 billion investment in renewable energy by 2020.  This new leadership role for China is a function of the election of Donald Trump who has abdicated US leadership on issues like climate change.

Renewable growth powers optimism

Despite some concerning global trends they are remarkably optimistic about the prospects of climate action in 2017. Nigel Topping, the CEO of the We Mean Business Coalition, cites the accelerated growth of the low carbon economy. He specifically points to the growth of renewable energy and electric vehicles. Climate action also has private sector support and the support of governments. More than 630 businesses and investors have called on Washington to support the low carbon economy. Such economic opportunities are being pursued by the governments around the world including both China and India.

Christiana Figueres, Convenor, Mission 2020 is also optimistic. She points to the falling costs of renewables disrupting fossil fuels, the growth of battery storage capacity transforming the world transportation sector and the changing economics of resource exploitation.

Trump can't stop it

Referring to the Trump administration Figueres said that even if they eliminate support for renewables and double-down on fossil fuels, such a strategy that is doomed to fail.

 "[A] country cannot withstand the global shift forever, in particular with the state of public finances and the need to provide wage growth and jobs, any country that resists this trajectory also relinquishes potential competitive advantage in the new marketplace and in the long run, will only damage itself." Figueres said.

She believes that there is evidence to support the contention that everyone wants a safe environment (including a stable climate), even those that voted for a populist government. Figueres also says that, "leadership on climate change is proving to be remarkably resilient." She illustrated her point by citing the leadership at both the municipal level and in the private sector.

Fossil fuels 

In addition to the growth of renewables there has been massive divestment from fossil fuels. It is not estimated that the total amount of money divested from fossil fuels exceeds $5 trillion (76 countries 688 institutions).

Private sector efforts

At the beginning of Davos week, the world's first industry led initiative was launched. It is called Carbon Pricing Corridors, and its goal is to define the exact carbon prices required to meet the targets of the Paris Agreement. As part of the RE100 initiative 90 multi-nationals have already committed to get 100 percent of their energy from renewable sources and 200 businesses have set science-based emissions reduction targets. Entire industries are setting their own voluntary emissions limits.

Investing

Financial institutions are increasingly highlighting the merits of low carbon investments.  The financial industry is moving forward with "recommendations laid out by the Task Force for Climate-Related Financial Disclosure that should be adopted by the G20 in June." This will enhance accountability and transparency as well of the rusticity of their climate commitments.  In the US alone, SRI investing assets have grown by 33 percent in just two years to $8.72 trillion. As mentioned above industry is leading a new initiative to help identify carbon pricing targets for investors who want to meet the requirements of the Paris Agreement.

New sustainability initiatives

While the WEF is a four day event they support sustainability projects year round. This includes 50 Forum projects in support of the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals.

The Norwegian government submitted plans for a new $400 million fund aimed at reducimg deforestation and peat degradation. The hope is that this fund could lay the foundation for $1.6 billion deforestation free agriculture investments that would create jobs and promote growth.

A partnership between the Forum and the
University of California Santa Barbara’s Marine Science Institute seeks to build a coalition to protect the world's $2.5 trillion oceans and marine resources.

Another Forum initiative seeks to build a public private coalition to build a sustainable battery supply chain to capitalize on a market valued at 70 billion by 2024.

A total of 40 governments and businesses agreed to increase global reuse and recycling rates for plastic packaging from its current 14 percent to 70 percent.

A water.org initiative in oartnership with Stella Artois seeks to provide clean water to 3.5 million people.

GoodWeave international launched an initiative to end human slavery in supply chains titled "Sourcing Freedom". A total of 21 million people around the world are subject to forced and bonded labour. The program has widespread support from the business community.

A total of 100 leading businesses signed the Compact for Responsive and Responsible Leadership. This initiative was developed in partnership with the Forum’s International Business Council.
  
Conclusion

The WEF does important work and they paint an optimistic picture that most of us desperately want to believe.  Nonetheless we cannot discount scientific implications of Trump's stated policy agenda. Figueres, summarized the concerns associated with failing to meet the targets contained in the Paris
Climate Agreement, saying this could unleash, "natural feedback loops from which we may not recover..."

The way forward may seem almost impossible, but we cannot afford to let political outliers undermine so many years of hard fought progress. Particularly given that we were beginning to see consorted global climate action.  The following excerpt from a WEF article summarizes the situation accurately:

"We must remain optimistic and realistic, pragmatic and visionary. We need to work together in radical collaboration, reaching out across the divides that have grown within our societies. The next five years will make the difference, and this incredible opportunity demands immediate and urgent responsive leadership from us all."

The GOP and others are playing partisan politics with climate change while contributing to and spring-boarding off of voter ignorance. The logic of climate action is compelling and hard to rationally refute. Doing some about climate change may avert a catastrophe, and has been shown to benefit the bottom line.  Failing to act will be deadly and prove to be far more expensive than action.

"Averting climate change is not part of the partisan debate. We are all united in wanting to live in a safe, stable environment and to provide our families with good jobs that will serve the economy of tomorrow." Figueres said.

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Pipelines Reborn: They're Back Thanks to Trump

The day after Donald J Trump fired the first salvos in his war against the EPA and others, he delivered on his promise to double down on fossil fuels with the approval of two pipelines. On Tuesday, January 24th, Trump signed Executive Orders that overturn the Obama administration's decision on the Keystone XL (KXL) and the Dakota Access pipeline (DAPL). This authorizes TransCanada Pipelines to move forward with the 1,179-mile KXL and Energy Transfer Partners can also proceed with the 1,172-mile DAPL.

This is a blow for environmentalists and indigenous people who had fought hard to shut down the KXL and DAPL. Keystone was killed by President Barack Obama after years of protests and DAPL was stalled by the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers in the face of massive protests by indigenous people led by the Standing Rock Sioux.

Trump also signed an EO that will eliminate environmental regulations associated with the permitting process.

There are massive environmental costs associated with pipelines. They inevitably spill (click here to see a partial summary of oil spills in 2016). Even more importantly, they contribute climate change causing greenhouse gasses (GHGs) to the atmosphere at a time when we cannot afford further increases (we are currently 1.5 degrees Celsius above preindustrial norms and scientists conservatively estimate that we cannot afford to go beyond 2 degrees Celsius).

DAPL will ferry 570,000 barrels of dirty shale oil from North Dakota to the Gulf Coast. The pipeline imperils the drinking water of 17 million people. The emissions from this pipeline are equivalent to 30 coal plants. According to Oil Change International DAPL will create "101.4 million metric tons of CO2e per year. These emissions are equivalent to 29.5 typical U.S. coal plants or the average emissions of 21.4 million U.S. passenger vehicles."

Each day the KXL can transport 830,000 barrels of some of the dirtiest oil on Earth. The Friends of the Earth reports that the GHGs associated with this pipeline is equivalent to putting 5.6 million new cars on the roads.

The promised reopening of NAFTA will complicate the KXL which will ferry oil from Alberta's tar sands to Texas. Because it crosses a state boundary the permitting process is largely under state department control. However, there are questions as to the viability of the pipeline with oil prices seemingly stuck below $60 a barrel.

More protests and lawsuits can be expected to try to stop this administration from moving forward with pipelines that are harmful to this and future generations.

As explained Bill McKibben,

"This is not a done deal. The last time around, TransCanada was so confident they literally mowed the strip where they planned to build the pipeline before people power stopped them. People will mobilize again."

The DAPL protest has been called off with Sioux leaders looking to fight the decisions in the courts. It will also take time for the Army Corps of Engineers to conduct a full environmental assessment as required by law. But this could be overcome if the Army issues and easement.

Former Democratic presidential candidate Senator Bernie Sanders summed up the situation as follows:

"Millions of people came together all over this country to stop the Keystone XL and Dakota Access pipelines and say we must transform our energy system away from fossil fuels to renewable energy. Today, President Trump ignored the voices of millions and put the short-term profits of the fossil fuel industry ahead of the future of our planet."

Related
Dakota Access Pipeline Halted by Government Despite Judges Ruling (Videos)
The Dakota Access and Protest that Kills Pipelines
TransCanada's Keystone is Spewing Crude Adding Fuel to Pipeline Protests
A Brief Review of the Keystone XL Saga
Why the Keystone XL Pipedream Must Die
Republicans Keep Pushing Keystone XL Pipeline
Reasons Why the Keystone XL is a Pipedream
Keystone XL will Emit 4 Times More Pollution than Originally Thought
Buying Support for the Keystone XL
Business Leaders, Scientists, Economists and Ordinary People Reject the Keystone XL
Comparison of the Keystone XL and Renewable Energy
How Come the Keystone XL is so Hard to Kill

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Trump's War against the EPA has Begun

Donald J Trump has begun to deliver on his promise to gut the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA). The Trump administration announced that it has suspended all new business activities at the EPA.

In addition to silencing the EPA, The Washington Post also reports that Trump has muzzled the Interior department and the Agriculture department. Scientists at the agriculture department have been ordered to stop publishing "outward facing" documents and news releases.

"Starting immediately and until further notice, [the Agricultural Research Service] will not release any public-facing documents. This includes, but is not limited to, news releases, photos, fact sheets, news feeds, and social media content," wrote ARS chief Sharon Drumm in an email to employees.

In addition to the media blackout at the EPA, the Trump administration barred staff from awarding any new contracts or grants. "Incoming media requests will be carefully screened," one directive said. "Only send out critical messages, as messages can be shared broadly and end up in the press." Trump's pick to lead the EPA is a climate denier with ties to the fossil fuel industry by the name of Scott Pruitt.

Liz Perera, climate policy director for the Sierra Club, said Trump’s muzzling of the EPA should be seen as, "a major red flag for all Americans."

There are concerns that this will impede the agency's ability to deal with responsibilities that it commonly contracts out. This includes everything from toxic cleanups to water quality testing.

Related
GOP Trying to Kill the EPA
Republicans to Sell Off Public Lands and Strip Powers from Federal Agencies
The GOP Starts Gutting Environmental Protections and Transparency
The Importance and the Power of Protest: Why We Must Stand Up to Trump
Pipelines Reborn: They're Back Thanks to Trump
Camps Raided as Trump Moves Forward with DAPL
The Obama Legacy and How Trump Signals the End of an Era (Videos)
Trump's Inauguration Met with Protests as Darkness Officially Descends

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Trump's Victory has Spawned Unprecedented Opposition

The inauguration of Donald Trump marks the start of a very dark time in the history of the world. However, it has also given birth to a movement that gives us reason to hope.

The scale of the protests against Trump is unprecedented. The protests started even before inauguration day and they steadily grew. These protests culminated in the Women's March in Washington D.C., across the US and throughout much of the world. This was not your average protest. It was the largest March in US history with almost three million Americans participating in every state in the union. This protest was larger than even the biggest civil rights protests, there were more people present to protest Trump than there were at protests against the Vietnam war, this event even dwarfed the Million Man March.

People were protesting disparate issues and ideologies but they were all unified in their contempt for Trump. Democrats who were once bitterly divided came together with a common purpose. Republicans and independents that cannot bring themselves to support such a vile human being as the new commander and chief were also present. Many are protesting for the first time in their lives and some people who were previously apolitical vowed to get more involved in politics.

Widespread disdain for Trump is also borne out by the polls which show he has the lowest approval rating of any incoming president.

Rather than represent a resurgence of conservatism Trump's victory may actually signal the end of an era. The movement that now opposes Trump may eventually sweep away the last vestiges of irrational right wing conservatism. Although it may be difficult to see from the dark hole we are
in today, the Trump administration's denial may augur the end of political resistance to science. It may even force anti-science Republicans to accept the veracity of climate change.

Even if these hopes materialize, we are still in for an unimaginably horrible four years. Trump (or Pence if Trump is impeached) will do a lot of damage over the next four years. However, the unprecedented self interest of this administration suggests that even the under-educated racists that voted for Trump may realize that their leader is not working in their interests.

It is entirely plausible that this is the last hurrah of white people concerned about their loss of privilege. It will soon become obvious, even to learning disabled bigots, that Trump is not helping them he is hurting them.

The intolerant vitriol of modern day conservatism may signal the end rather than the beginning. The demise of conservatism being envisioned here is analogous to one of the explanations offered for the rise of religious fundamentalism. The savage manifestations of religious extremism or political conservatism can be construed as the last gasps of dying traditions.

The significance of the anti-trump movement was explored by Los Angeles Times reporter Cathleen Decker. She penned an article titled, "huge rallies may signal an emerging anti-Trump movement..." While protestors spoke of creating a lasting movement, Decker wonders if the movement can last. Trump is Trump and he will continue to give people reasons that drive them to protest.

While many men also showed their support, given Trump's overt misogyny, it was poetic justice to see women at the helm of this massive protest. "This is the moment of the beginning of the revival
of the women's movement," New York Senator Kirsten Gillibrand told the crowd.

If we are to change the tides of our political misfortune we must collectively challenge Trump's lies. Given their frequency, this is no small feat. However, together we can counter the cacophony of lies from this disturbing new government.

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Event - Do Oil and Water Mix? Strategies to Protect Our Offshore

This event will take place on Sunday, January 29th, 2017, 1-4 pm, at 45 School St. Mahone Bay, Nova Scotia, Canada. This afternoon meeting is designed to provide knowledge about offshore drilling on the Scotian Shelf and to strengthen strategies to address risks associated with oil and gas development, as well as the need to reform regulatory and environmental assessment processes. East coast offshore oil and gas operations generate more than 5 percent of Canada's oil per year.  Engage with organizational allies and invited speakers, and share ideas in the strategy session.


Invited Speakers:

Lisa Mitchell, Executive Director, East Coast Environmental Law John Davis, Clean Oceans Action Coalition, Shelburne County Michael Bradfield, retired Economics Prof., Dalhousie University Gretchen Fitzgerald, National Program Director, Sierra Club Cda

Participating Organizational Allies:

• Blue Dream Project
• Campaign to Protect Offshore Nova Scotia
• Clean Ocean Action Coalition
• Council of Canadians
• Divest Dal
• Ecology Action Centre
• East Coast Environmental Law
• Sierra Club Canada

Free Admission. Light refreshments provided. For more information click here or contact the South Shore Chapter of the Council of Canadians at southshore.cpons@gmail.com

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Event - Environmental, Energy and Land Use Law

This prescient and informative event will take place on January 24, 2017 from 6:30 p.m. to 8 p.m. at the NYU School of Law, Lipton Hall, D’Agostino Hall, 108 West 3rd Street, New York, NY 10012. US oil and gas policy may undergo substantial change in the next administration. Federal rules governing methane emissions, the leasing of government lands, exports, and much more could be revised in the coming years.

Please join experts from government, academia, and industry as they assess the changes that may be in store.

This event is being produced in collaboration with Vinson & Elkins Speakers: Thomas P.J. Cape, Senior Analyst, Evercore ISI; Jayni Foley Hein, Policy Director, Institute for Policy Integrity at NYU School of Law; Robert Seber (Moderator), Partner, Mergers & Acquisitions and Private Equity, Vinson & Elkins; and Alexandra Teitz, formerly (as of 1/20/17) Counselor to the Director, Bureau of Land Management, Department of Interior; previously Senior Counsel, Environment and Energy/Chief Counsel for Energy and Environment, Committee on Energy and Commerce, U.S. House of Representatives.

1.5 CLE credits offered in the areas of Professional Practice category. The credit is both transitional and non-transitional.

The event is free, but space is limited. Please sign up here.

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Event - Intersolar Europe 2017 Conference and Expo

The annual Intersolar Europe 2017 Conference and Expo will take place starting on Wednesday, May 31, 2017 and run until Friday, June 2, 2017 in Messe München, Munich, Germany.

Intersolar Europe is the world’s leading exhibition for the solar industry and its partners. It focuses on the areas of photovoltaics, energy storage and renewable heating, as well as on products and solutions for smart renewable energy.


The accompanying Intersolar Europe Conference consolidates selected exhibition topics and showcases international markets, financing and pioneering technologies. Since being founded 25 years ago, Intersolar Europe has become the most important industry platform for manufacturers, suppliers, distributors, service providers and partners in the global solar industry.

INTERSOLAR EUROPE EXHIBITION SPACE 80% BOOKED

The positive atmosphere of Intersolar Europe 2016 is still being felt, and the event is already providing more encouraging signs for the market. 80% of the exhibition space has already been booked. Around 1,200 exhibitors from all over the world are set to present their innovations over 77,000 sqm of exhibition space in conjunction with ees Europe, Europe's largest exhibition for batteries and energy storage systems.

Intersolar AWARD 2017 – Submit your application by March 17

Over a period of 10 years, the flagship AWARD for the solar industry has given solar companies a unique platform to distinguish themselves from the competition and prove just how innovative they really are. Intersolar focuses on the technologies and services which make solar power globally successful now and into the future

Click here for more information.

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The Obama Legacy and How Trump Signals the End of an Era (Videos)

The Obama Presidency will be remembered as one of the most competent and by far the greenest presidency in American history. His list of achievements will ensure that his climate legacy will be remembered, even if some do not yet fully appreciate the gift he has given to future generations. We who fight for the Earth and its inhabitants owe President Obama an eternal debt of gratitude.




Obama may be remembered for reversing the economic free-fall he inherited or saving the US auto industry. Under his leadership, the number of jobs steadily increased and he left office with one of the lowest unemployment rates in US history. When he took the oath of office in 2009 unemployment was just below 10 percent by the time he left it was halved to under 5 percent. However, the legacy that he leaves for future generations is his record of climate action. In all likelihood, Trump will be remembered for his denial that condemned future generations to a climate catastrophe.

For these and other reasons, people came together in Washington D.C. on January 19th, to thank the president for his service. They also came to protest Trump. Millions are committed to preserving Obama's stellar legacy. They have pledged to resist the dystopia of the Trump administration. If there is a silver lining to the Trump presidency it is that it has brought a divided Democratic party together. It has also encouraged concerned citizens to get more involved in the political process.

The arc of the Obama presidency

A GQ article early last year said that Obama will go down as one of the greatest presidents of all time. In Trump's alternate universe he is justified to villainize Obama. In his inauguration speech, Trump said he will end the "carnage". What carnage?

At the end of his presidency, a total of 57 percent of Americans said that economic conditions are good, compared with 13 percent in January 2009 when Obama took office. Obama's favorability rating stands at 63 percent, among the best for recent presidents. According to a CNN poll, almost two-thirds (65 percent) of Americans said that the Obama presidency was a success. Meanwhile, Trump has one of the lowest approval ratings at just over 40 percent (Obama's approval rating when he took office was 85 percent). The only carnage is the one that the Trump administration augurs.

As Obama said in his State of the Union Address, "after years of record corporate profits, working families won't get more opportunity or bigger paychecks by letting big banks or big oil or hedge funds make their own rules at the expense of everyone else."

In the final months of his term, Obama described climate change as "terrifying" and the greatest threat we face and he added that no other country is better equipped to lead the world on this issue than the United States. He also said that he sees his climate efforts as the key legacy issue of his presidency.




In July Obama introduced the Clean Energy for All initiative to ensure that every American household has access to clean and affordable energy. The goal is to bring 1 gigawatt (GW) of solar to low- and moderate-income families by 2020. Obama also protected dozens of places both on water and on land, this included one in Hawaii that is now the largest protected place in the world. On December 28, the President protected an additional 1.5 million acres of land for a total of more than 550 million acres (click here to access the full list). His efforts to protect and preserve our oceans (he has protected more waters than any of his predecessors)) drove the Atlantic to describe Obama as, "The Ocean President".

Before leaving office Obama threw a second $500 million into the Green Climate Fund. However there is still $2 billion remaining and Trump has promised to do what he does best, namely stiff those that he owes money to.

Trump will undermine Obama's legacy

Obama will be remembered as a climate leader and derivatives of his policies will return in earnest once sensible leadership returns to the white house, however, in the interim tremendous damage will be done to Obama's legacy and the planet.

We can expect Trump to lift restrictions and allow fossil fuel extraction to take place on public lands. However, this will be countered by ongoing litigation and protest. Market realities may also impede Trumps push to expand extraction. Obama has tried to erect roadblocks to limit Trump's fossil fuel expansion plans. He has all but shut down offshore drilling for the next few years. Although Trump could rewrite the plan this would take some time. Once again such an expansion would be curtailed by market forces.

Other Obama policies are much more vulnerable. For example, Trump could roll back Obama's rules on methane in the oil and gas industry. Obama's signature legacy action is the Clean Power Plan and Trump will likely be able to kill it.

Optimism from the architects 

Former Vice President Joe Biden has a more optimistic take on Obama (and his) legacy.  Biden was quoted in The Independent as saying Trump will not be able to undo Obama's environmental progress. Biden reassured people by suggesting that the Obama administration's green policies will survive President Trump.

"There is no way of turning back the tide that has begun to roll," Mr Biden said at a Canadian environmental summit. He explained that when it comes to things like renewable energy businesses are investing because it saves them money. Biden indicated that he is absolutely confident the United States will continue making progress on this path to a low-carbon future because they are market driven and not dependent on government initiatives.

"One of the things the President and I are proudest of accomplishing over the last eight years," Biden said, "is debunking the myth that America can't grow our economy and bring down emissions at the same time."

The contrast between Potus 44 and 45 is obvious. They are opposites in almost every way imaginable. Just days before Trump took the oath of office, he was tweeting insults while Obama was publishing an article about clean energy in a scientific journal. In this piece the president said there are four reasons why the trend toward clean energy is irreversible:

1. Economic growth and cutting carbon emissions go hand in hand. Any economic strategy that doesnt take climate change into account will result in fewer jobs and less economic growth in the long term.

2. Businesses know that reducing emissions can boost bottom lines and make shareholders happy. And efficiency boosts employment too: About 2.2 million Americans now have jobs related to energy efficiency, compared to about 1.1 million with fossil fuel jobs.

3. The market is already moving toward cleaner electricity. Natural gas is replacing coal, and renewable energy costs are falling dramatically — trends that will continue (even with a coal-loving president).

4. There’s global momentum for climate action. In 2015 in Paris, nearly 200 nations agreed to bring down carbon emissions.

The End of an Era

 With the end of the Obama administration and the dawn of the Trump administration, we are marking a radical shift that represents the end of an era. Some think of it as the death of neoliberalism. Others like
Peter Leyden, founder & CEO of media company Reinvent, think the big change in strategic direction is a function of moving too fast.  He quoted John Maynard Keynes, who in a book titled Economic Possibilities for our Grandchildren (1930) spoke of, "growing-pains of over-rapid changes, from the painfulness of readjustment between one economic period and another…"

Rather than look at Brexit and Trump as being indicative of a new global dystopia, he believes we are headed towards a new 21st-century civilization.  "Trump Begins The End."  Leyden explained. Brexit and Trump, "are not driving the change, they are reacting to the change. They are not showing the way forward, they are making desperate attempts to cling to the past, a past that is gone forever."

The 21st-century civilization Leyden envisages is rather optimistic in that it is defined by three characteristics, smart interconnectivity through digital technologies, globalized and sustainable. Speaking about the 1930's Leyden said, "that era’s right wing took those fears and drove a good chunk of the world into fascism and a world war. Today Trump is heading down that path — but he won’t get far. I think Trump ultimately is going to do America and the world a service by becoming the vehicle that will finally take down right-wing conservative politics for a generation or two."

Leyden sees leadership coming from California and he thinks that innovation will go into "hyper-drive". He also has a message for those who supported Obama, "stay hopeful. I truly believe that the politics and policies that President Obama helped usher in will prevail in the end. In the big-picture view of history, the brief Trump reign will be seen as a difficult but necessary step in the massive transition between one economic period to another. Obama’s decade of work will be seen, in the decades to come, as the truly enduring foundation. He laid the groundwork for what will certainly become the all-digital, fully global, sustainable civilization of the 21st century."

Obama also had a hopeful message in his farewell speech. He told the Times that he fully intends to be an active supporter of climate action. He even offered the lofty hope that he may be able to get through to science-resistant Republicans.

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Trump's Inauguration Met with Protests as Darkness Officially Descends

It has begun. As Donald J. Trump stepped up to the podium to take the oath of office the rain began to fall. The darkness officially descended at high noon on Friday, January 20th, 2017 as Trump was sworn in as the 45th president of the United States.

Trump's speech was identical to those he gave on the campaign trail, rather than take the opportunity to heal divisions. Trump's message to Americans and the world was a reflection of the same populist and nativist vision that made him president. Pundits have watched and waited for Trump to become presidential, but the promised pivot never occurred and if the inauguration is any indication, it never will.

As has been repeatedly said by his surrogates, "Trump is Trump" and anyone who is offended by racism and misogyny knows that Trump being Trump is not a good thing. Trump took an oath he will not be able to keep, but those who believe in freedom and reason have also made a pledge. They have promised to stand up and speak truth to power, they have pledged to expose the subterfuge of the incoming administration and defend progress, our planet, and the future.

The mood in the country could not be more different from the optimism that defined President Obama's inauguration in 2009. As revealed by the Washington Transit Authority, ridership on the public transportation system was among the lowest it has ever been for inauguration day.

Many Americans ignored the inauguration in favor of protest. People have come together to protest at events in Washington D.C. and all across the country. The first big post-inaugural protest will take place on Saturday, January 21 as women and their supporters will march in Washington D.C.

The disdain for Trump is unprecedented for a new commander and chief.  Hollywood dispises Trump as do musicians. Trump had a lot of trouble finding acts to perform at the inauguration. The one band that he had left (the East Street Band), pulled out at the last minute and many Washington restaurants are donating some of their inauguration day profits to charities opposed by Trump.

The president is widely despised because of what he has said and done, not because he is a Republican. Before the election many if not most well-known Republicans stood against him. In their hearts, good people know that Trump stands for all that is wrong with Amerca. This is not speculation about what he may do this is a matter of public record. He represents a vision of the country that is morally evil, politically divisive and flawed.

That is why civil rights pioneer John Lewis, led at least 60 lawmakers in a boycott of Trump’s inauguration. For a summary of reasons why legislators boycotted click here.

There are good reasons why people are protesting that transcend partisan politics. This is not like the protests against President Obama that were fueled by strident partisanship, racism, and lies about his citizenship. Those who oppose Trump are patriots who see him and his administration as a threat to reason, decency, and democracy.

People are rightly afraid of Trump and Republican control of the House and the Senate. Most, even those that oppose Trump do not fully appreciate the gravity of what his administration will do. It is not mere partisanship that compels many to stand up and oppose this president, it is fear of the harm he will perpetrate through the execution of his dark agenda.

We need to take stock of Trump's promise to dismantle the EPA, kill Paris Climate Agreement and end America's contribution to the Green Climate Fund. Trump's administration includes corporate raiders who will oversee the economy and climate deniers who will gut regulations. The fossil fuel industry which is at the core of our climate crisis, will set the foreign policy agenda and ratchet up extraction.

This is not a normal presidency and Trump is not a normal president. Now is not the time for dreamy-eyed optimism and platitudes about peaceful transitions of power.  Unless you are part of the wealthiest 1 percent or connected to the fossil fuel industry you cannot reasonably pretend that any benefits will come from this administration. This is the dark night of the soul for America's democracy.

Those who voted for him will rue their decision and the majority of Americans who did not vote for him will suffer along with them. Opposition to the coming dystopia may one day unite the country and depose him.

Americans need to ask themselves if they want polluted air and water, they must ask themselves if they want to condemn their children to a climate apocalypse. Perhaps the most important question they must ask themselves is whether they will suffer in silence or allow their voices to be heard.

In his oath of office, Trump promised to "protect and defend" the Constitution. He also repeatedly referred to this being a victory for the American people, saying this day belongs them. Let us hope that everyone, Democrats, Republicans, and independents, hold him accountable.

The most hopeful vision of this tragic event was offered by now former President Obama when he said at Andrews Airforce Base just after the inauguration: "This is just a pit stop...a comma not a period...To all who have put your heart and souls...making sure we left a planet that is safe for our kids...for all of you who have done the hard work...we could not be prouder. ... I can't wait to see what happens next and we will be right there with you."

Related
Global Warning 2017: Combating the Dystopia of the Trump Administration
How Conservatives Use Fake News to Control the Narrative
Trump and the Darkness of Post-Factual Media
The Coming Darkness: What the Election of Trump Means for our Planet
What the Election of Tump Means for Our Planet
The Implications of the Trump Administration's Disdain for Science
The Trump Administration and the Coming Kakistocracy
Facing the Truth About What A Trump Administration Means for Climate Action
Trump's Denial of Reality Makes Him Putin's Puppet (Videos)

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President Obama's Climate Achievements (2009 - 2016)

Here is a year by year account of President Barack Obama's long list of climate achievements. During his presidency, emissions and growth decoupled. Emissions from the energy sector fell by 9.5 percent while the economy grew by more than 10 percent.

Unlike the President-Elect and the incoming administration, Obama acknowledges the veracity of climate science and like any sane person he calls the warming trend "terrifying". Juxtapose Trump's dismissal of climate change as a "hoax" with the position of the Republican presidential nominee John McCain eight years ago. During the campaign Obama and McCain had the same take on climate change. Shortly after Obama's victory, the Republican party violently shifted to the right which led to knee-jerk obstructionism and party-wide climate denial.

Obama's agenda was also undermined by the fossil fuel industry (and their GOP minions), as well as related movements including the Tea Party and super PACs. Together these efforts eroded American's support for the veracity of global warming and by extension climate action.

Throughout his two terms, Republicans religiously opposed Obama's every move especially his climate action plans. In the absence of congressional support, President Obama found some creative ways to move the climate agenda forward. The Clean Power Plan was arguably his crowning achievement. Under the Clean Air Act, the EPA issued regulations on dangerous pollutants. Other notable achievements include Obama's leadership to secure the Paris Climate Agreement and toxic chemical reform legislation.

Here is a year by year breakdown of some of Obama's climate accomplishments during his eight years in office.

2008

In 2008 climate action gained a champion in the most powerful office on Earth. The election of Barack Obama buoyed the hopes of those who realized that environmental leadership must come from the world's preeminent economic and industrial power. President Obama embodied global hopes for a greener world. The Obama team pledged to invest in clean energy and create green jobs. Cynical chants of "drill baby drill" were drowned out by choruses of "yes we can."

2009

In 2009 Obama emerged as a climate leader who advanced the growth of the green economy with stimulus spending that helped to pull the nation and the world out of recession. In his Inaugural Address President Obama promised climate action and then he delivered. He did more in his first 100 days on climate than any President ever has.  He instructed the EPA to develop a rule to regulate emissions and he launched a renewable energy revolution. At the end of the year Obama helped to bring the world together to make progress at COP15.  For links to a more detailed summary of President Obama's achievements in 2009 click here.

2010

Both Republicans and many Democrats did not support the president's climate and energy agenda. Obama began to use his executive powers to enact change starting with an EO that mandates reductions in the federal government's GHG emissions. In his State of the Union address he reaffirmed his commitment to climate action. Throughout the year he continued working to advance clean energy and he launched the "HomeStar" program. He spearheaded the passage of the Affordable Health Act (Obama-Care) and the EPA moved forward with its cleaner air rules. For links to a more detailed summary of President Obama's achievements in 2010 click here.

2011

In 2011 President Obama instructed the EPA to provide improved fuel efficiency vehicle standards.  The President once again reiterated his commitment to climate action in his State of the Union Address. The US Supreme Court recognized the EPA's right to regulate carbon and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson proposed standards for the airline industry. For links to a more detailed summary of President Obama's achievements in 2011 click here.

2012

In his State of the Union speech, President Obama once again emphasized climate action. Climate change was one of the reasons that Colin Powell and  Mayor Bloomberg endorsed Obama. Although Obama was criticized for not doing more on climate there were some salient reasons why he was prevented from doing more.  Nonetheless, he was able to advance on a number of fronts. This included: Renewable energy, energy efficiency, vehicle standards, electric vehicles, and green jobs. As President Obama headed into the 2012 election he had already amassed a long list of climate accomplishments. The re-election of President Obama and more representation from democrats in Congress offered hope. Some saw it as a repudiation of Republican obstructionism. Regardless of the reasons for his reelection, it began a second term that saw far more action on the climate and environmental fronts.  As President Obama said in his victory speech: "the best is yet to come". For links to a more detailed summary of President Obama's achievements in 2012 click here.

2013

In the spring and summer of 2013, President Obama went into high gear on climate action. On both the domestic and international levels Obama made powerful strides.  He positioned the US as the true global climate leader. In April the US agreed to work with China, Japan, the EU, Brazil, India and South Africa to reduce climate change causing emissions. In a joint statement these countries announced that they would accelerate action by advancing cooperation on technology, research, conservation, and renewable energy. The President's climate action plan was announced in June and it has far reaching implications. Obama launched a clean energy trust fund and in his State of the Union address, he even resurrected Nixon to encourage Republicans to support his climate agenda.  He also said in this speech, "We Will Respond to the Threat of Climate Change". The President refuted the number of jobs claimed to be associated with the Keystone XL.  One of the most important moments for the President was his historic Georgetown University speech on June 25th. He made bold statements about energy, transportation, and homes. He also signed a raft of Executive Orders consistent with these statements. The DOE revised commercial energy efficiency standards. However, the crowning achievement of 2013 was the new carbon limits for power plants. For links to a more detailed summary of President Obama's achievements in 2013 click here.

2014

In 2014 the White House published a report that illustrated the cost of delaying action on climate change. The same year China and the US signed an agreement to lower emissions. The EPA's Clean Power Plan and vehicle emissions standards were introduced and we also saw serious progress to reduce short-lived pollutants like methane. Energy efficiency and the idea of putting a price on carbon are other powerful ways of combating climate change that gained some traction in 2014.  For links to a more detailed summary of President Obama's achievements in 2014 click here.

2015

President Obama emerged as the greenest president in American history and the most sustainable actor on the world stage in 2015. He promised to step up his climate efforts in a pledge he made in Alaska. This includes the release of his Clean Power plan, reducing Shell's drilling permits by half and then effectively shutting down Arctic drilling in US waters. He also killed the KXL pipeline project and he signed an Executive Order that mandates significant reductions to the amount of GHGs generated by the federal government. Obama also succeeded in bringing together some of America's leading corporations to combat climate change. He reached out to people and young people in particular through Facebook. In addition to cutting GHGs the President also announced a number of renewable energy initiatives designed to help the US move away from fossil fuels. Obama also signed ambitious agreements with other nations including China, France, Brazil and India. As the year came to a close Obama played a crucial role in getting the world on-board to sign the final agreement at COP21 in Paris. Obama also pledged $3 billion to the Green Climate Fund.  For links to a more detailed summary of President Obama's achievements in 2015 click here.

2016

In January President Obama delivered a State of the Union speech which emphasized climate change. In February Obama proposed an oil tax and clean energy infrastructure spending. Obama also signed a climate cooperation agreement with Canada and the two nations agreed to protect the Arctic. In April the President formalized his $3 billion pledge to the Green Climate Fund and in March Obama stymied offshore oil and gas drilling. At the end of the year, the Obama administration imposed more restrictions on oil and gas drilling. Obama reigned in methane emissions and the President found some clever ways of protecting the Paris Agreement. Obama delivered a powerful speech in support of democracy at the Democratic National Convention and he also led an initiative that saw the leaders of North America strike a deal on climate and the environment. For links to a more detailed summary of President Obama's achievements in 2016 click here.
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For a comprehensive summary of all of the Obama administration's climate accomplishments click here. For an expansive review of 450 Obama accomplishments click here.

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