The climate crisis: Politics, values, and activism My qualifications: I’m a citizen of the planet, and I’m terrified.

Temperatures 1880-2014 14 of 15 hottest years since 2000 According to the International Energy Agency (IEA), we’re on track for 6 degrees Celsius (10.8 degrees Fahrenheit)!

Greenhouse gas (ghg) emissions Carbon dioxide (from burning fossil fuels) Electricity generation Transportation Animal agriculture Methane Hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) Nitrous oxide

Contribution of coal to overall electricity production Speaking of California … Alabama? Shows it’s possible to have electricity without coal Los Angeles Times

consequences Extreme weather events Rising sea levels Melting of Arctic sea ice Disintegration of West Antarctic ice sheet Species extinction Persistent drought Decline in food production (famine) Displacement of populations, refugee crisis Poor nations will be hurt first and worst This list is not exhaustive. Feedback loops here: Melting arctic sea ice releases methane Disintegration of West Antarctic ice sheet accelerates rise in sea levels (irreversible)

THIS CHANGES EVERYTHING: Capitalism vs. The Climate by Naomi Klein (2014) Read the Introduction, and you’ll be hooked.

The climate crisis: contributing factors Really bad timing Extreme extraction methods Rather than reducing carbon emissions, we’re dousing the fire with gasoline. Social justice = climate justice Energy independence Magical thinking Stranded assets “Really bad timing” (Naomi Klein’s term) At slide title: Read passage, p. 18

Extreme extraction methods Bitumen from Alberta tar sands Keystone XL Coal from mountaintop removal Deep water drilling for oil Hydraulic fracturing (“fracking”) Natural gas as a “bridge fuel” DAPL Collateral damage: Tar sands High carbon process (use carbon to extract carbon) Damages aquifers and local water supply Devastating to the environment Produces dirty oil Mountaintop removal Pollutes water supply Health threat to Appalachian communities Environmental damage Deep water drilling Think BP Fracking Water intensive Threat to aquifers Releases methane Earthquake risk Stranded assets: Fossil fuel industry has made huge up-front investments in these extreme extraction technologies which will pay off only if the market for fossil fuels persists. They are doubling down on carbon-based energy.

Animal agriculture – the sustainability secret 70 billion 9 billion 970 – 2,700 billion 18% 660 349 pounds

obstacles Globalization Power of the fossil fuel industry Power of big agriculture Tension between rich and poor nations The China problem? Corporate focus on the bottom line Requires thinking in the long term Too many of us Globalization Transporting goods over long distances (using fossil fuels) Tension between nations Poor nations want more aggressive reductions from developed nations, as well as financial assistance in adapting to damage and transitioning to clean energy. China (also India) China is playing catch-up to U.S. Who is to blame for China’s emissions? U.S. has outsourced manufacturing and is biggest customer. U.S. hopes to profit from expanding nuclear energy in India Fossil fuel industry Doubling down with extreme extraction methods to prolong age of oil and coal Corporate capitalism’s focus Quarterly profits A culture of grow or die Long term thinking Something our political system is not very good at Too many of us Underlies everything World population 3 billion during JFK’s presidency 7 billion now 11 billion by 2050!

A typical fossil fuel executive Issac Cardal Fossil fuel executive

Leading the fight against climate change Recognize any members of Congress? Issac Cardal Leading the fight against climate change

Recognize any members of Congress? Issac Cardal

Positive developments U.S.-China climate deal Paris Climate Accord, December 2015 San Diego Climate Action Plan, December 2015 California SB 32, September 2016 Elon Musk Galvanized resistance, January 2017 U.S.-China climate deal U.S. and China account for a third of all greenhouse gas emissions U.S.: Cut greenhouse gases 26% by 2025 China: Cap carbon emissions by 2030, including 20% from renewable (as much as from coal now, and as much as U.S. total electricity generation) Straight path to 80% reduction from 2005 levels by 2050 (not soon enough per Naomi Klein) Demonstration of seriousness Brown’s 2030 goals for California 2020 goal of 33% renewable energy will be met 50% from renewables by 2030 Reduce petroleum use in cars/trucks by 50% Double energy efficiency of new buildings Challenges Coordinate new power with needs of the grid Power storage technologies California is currently third in wind power and first in installed solar capacity Drop in oil prices Per Naomi Klein, a temporary window of opportunity Economics of extreme extraction are bad right now Opportunity to pass a progressive carbon tax

What we must do Fundamentally change the way our free market economy operates, i.e., CAPITALISM Leave carbon in the ground Eat plants Adapt - Invest in infrastructure to mitigate damage from extreme climate events Easy, right? Coal generates more carbon emissions than oil (chart later). Methane is a more potent greenhouse gas than CO2 but doesn’t persist in the atmosphere as long (20 vs. 100 years). Universities, local governments, pension funds, churches A tactic Klein: “The fossil fuel business model is at war with life on earth. Their profits are illegitimate.” Even if we take these actions NOW, we still face adaptation to cope with levels of greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere.

Strategies for activism – demanding change Global / national / state / local Inside game / outside game

Orange county for climate action (occa) Origins What we’ve done Current projects Challenges Engage with us occlimateaction.org Facebook group: OC for Climate Action (OCCA) livingubuntu.org

What we’re fighting for now is each other: Dispatches from the Front Lines of Climate Justice by Wen Stephenson (2015) Read the Introduction, and you’ll be hooked.

Final thoughts We messed up; you have to fix it. We have the technologies we need to survive; politics and economics are the problem. “How sad to think that nature speaks and mankind doesn’t listen.” – Victor Hugo, 1840 Final statement (this has become my worldview): I believe that climate change will do us in. When and how badly depends on how aggressively we can address the challenges.

Two Content Layout with Table Group A Group B Class 1 82 95 Class 2 76 88 Class 3 84 90 First bullet point here Second bullet point here Third bullet point here