At least, it was until a grassroots movement—driven by strong action—threw a major monkey wrench into the process. This afternoon the cards collapsed for TransCanada, the corporate giant behind the proposed 1700-mile tar sands pipeline. It looks like we stopped the Keystone XL.

Today, the U.S. State Department announced that the proposed route for the pipeline is getting scrapped. Citing the outcry from every sector of society, President Obama confirmed that he is sending the project back to the drawing board for further review. This process will continue at least through 2013.

Why does a “delay” deserve so much excitement? Pipeline supporters hoped the permit for the pipeline would be approved within the next month, but this new review will last at least into 2013. Manyy analysts and even the developer of the pipeline has stated that a change in the route will kill the project. And with the past reviews being full of rampant corruption, a new honest review will reflect that the pipeline should not be built, ever.

Communities and organizations like RAN have been opposing the development of Tar Sands for decades. In the past four months, a grassroots, actions-based strategy called Tar Sands Action emerged to challenge the Keystone XL pipeline, and inspired the kind of energy that the environmental movement hasn’t seen in decades.

Bringing together groups like RAN, 350.org, Indigenous Environmental Network, and many others — Tar Sands Action showed that grassroots organizing and people-powered action can win campaigns AND build a movement.

In late August, 1,253 people were arrested in a peaceful sit-in at the White House — one of the largest acts of civil disobedience the environmental movement has ever seen. Droves of protestors have confronted President Obama on the pipeline at one public speaking event after another for months. And this past Sunday, over 12,000 people rallied in DC to link hands in several concentric circles around the White House.

Nov 5 Tar Sands Action: Photo by Shadia Fayne Wood

Days after this historic rally, we see that when people act, change is made. We have put out the fuse to this very large carbon bomb… for now. And we will remain diligent in our efforts to ensure that the Keystone XL will never be part of our energy future.

While there is still much more to accomplish, there is much to celebrate today. Thanks to all who spread the word, took strong action, and donated to this campaign. We did it together.

Nov 6 Tar Sands Action: Photo by Christine Irvine

"Pipeline" by DC 51 Art Collective: Photo by Christine Irvine

• Rockport, MO town goes 100% wind! This rural town installed wind turbine to generate its entire annual electricity usage from clean energy. This also means that as the costs of coal/gas/nuclear skyrocket – they will have fixed power costs that will stay cheap. Some people seem to think expanding our use of dirty coal will alleviate poverty but this shows a much better model for development – smart investments that aren’t based on expensive fluctuating commodities, support for local self-reliance, and clean sustainable energy solutions.

www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5fXXDU_oYw

• Land Use of Solar vs Coal I’m sure we’ve all heard the offhand comments that “… solar panels covering 1% of the Sahara desert could power the whole world…”. Which is true, but obviously not that practical or even desirable. There still seems to be a mythology that solar (either photovoltaic or concentrated) require massive amounts of land. But it’s just not true – when you factor in the millions of acres lost to coal and uranium mining, natural gas wells, oil drilling, and the related infrastructure like railways and refineries- solar provides far more energy per acre of land than even hydroelectric dams! And solar can be installed amongst our daily lives – on rooftops of residences and schools and offices – furthering goals of locally-controlled energy.

Gar Lipow made an excellent post over at Grist on this very subject comparing Nevada’s Solar One project to a mountain top removal mine. While he openly admits to using back-of-the-envelope math – he illustrates the point the fact that solar is a far better use of land resources than coal. (not to mention the environmental and economic benefits!)

• Greenpeace successfully blockaded a coal power plant in the Philipines last week for three days. The action finally ended when the Secretary General of the Philippine ruling party stated “I will file a resolution in the Senate seeking a halt in the construction of new coal fired power plants in the country. In tandem will be a strong Renewable Energy Bill that shall allow us to shift towards a low carbon economy, and away from dependence on fossil fuels, particularly coal. Coal carries huge environmental, health and social costs.”

• Duke Energy to buy largest photovoltaic solar farm in country. Yes, even Duke Energy is slowly jumping on the solar bandwagon. Last week they announced they will create a 16 megawatt PV farm in North Carolina. While it will likely be the largest PV installation in the US when it opens in 2 years, it isn’t large enough to cover it won’t excuse the fact that Duke is planning to build 2 new coal power plants at Cliffside, North Carolina and Indiana. Never mind that those dirty coal plants will be nearly 1000 times larger than the proposed solar plant, or Duke’s offensive attempt at an energy efficiency program that will charge consumers for NOT using energy.

• Billions Wasted on UN Climate Programme (Guardian UK) It’s no secret that the United Nation’s Clean Development Mechanism (part of the Kyoto Protocol) is rife with controversy and corruption. But this recent article by the UK Guardian points to studies than up to 2/3rd’s of carbon credits (essentially offsets) are bogus – and not actually reducing emissions. The European Unions Emissions Trading Scheme is widely recognized to have been a failure, and while the controversy is raging on the Lieberman-Warner bill here in the states – the allowance of dubious offsets in the bill aren’t even the worst of it.

• Joyce Foundation – giving $$$ to environmental groups to promote coal while making money off coal? There has been some past discussion about the Joyce Foundation – a philanthropic group that has given out millions of dollars in grants to environmental groups to actively promote “clean coal” across the US. Groups like NRDC, Clean Air Task Force and others have accepted large grants to actively promote technologies like IGCC and CCS. But some recent research from Carol Overland over at Legalectric Blog shows that not only is Joyce Foundation giving OUT money for coal – they made quite a tidy sum in recent years from the stocks they hold in coal companies like Foundation Coal, Alpha Natural Resources, American Electric Power, Duke Energy, Dominion and more.

I spent this past weekend in Charlotte, NC – the headquarters of Bank of America. Their annual shareholder meeting is this Wednesday, and I’ve also been attending a number of Earth Day events around town – helping answer the question: What IS Bank of America doing for Earth Day?

More than a few people came to our table somehow thinking we were actually from Bank of America – before seeing giant posters of mountain-top removal and coal-fired power plants. Sadly – this is the reality of what BoA is using their customer’s money for. I even talked to a lot of employee’s from the bank (it is Charlotte, after all) and many were quite supportive of getting the bank to do the right now.

I’ll give credit where credit is due. Sure, they are donating a few bucks here and there for some mostly-good purposes. They have incentives for their employees to buy hybrid cars. They are building a LEED-certified skyscraper in New York (Though I wouldn’t exactly agree that any skyscraper could ever be considered sustainable in the slightest!). And they spend millions on slick marketing campaigns, public relations firms, and well-crafted speeches to convince the world that they are doing the right thing for our communities, our climate, and our future.

But to quote my friend and dedicated Charlotte activist Beth Henry: “Bank of America is watering the flowerpot while they help burn the whole house down.” What’s more important – the skyscraper, or where the billions of dollars inside that skyscraper go? Earlier this month Bank of America signed the “Carbon Principles” – implying that they might actually stop lending money to dirty coal. But also last month, they helped finance $3.2 billion to Duke Energy – helping them build two new coal plants at Cliffside, NC and in Indiana. The truth is they DO invest in clean energy. It’s just that they invest nearly 100 times more money in dirty energy like coal.

So, I’m out here not just for Earth Day, but for Bank of America’s annual shareholder meeting. It’s this Wed (April 23rd), and people from all over the region are coming here to set the bank straight. Joining those of us from Rainforest Action Network will be retired coal-miners from Kentuckians for the Commonwealth, local Charlotte community members, members of Rising Tide Asheville, students from the Carolina’s, Georgia and South Carolina, to a van-load of people from Appalachian Voices. Even the labor union SEIU will be here – holding the bank accountable for pillaging the pockets of working-class people across the country.

Here’s the Action Alert below – if you are in the region and want to join us – be in touch!

Are you concerned about climate change? Clean air? A clean energy future?

Bank of America is having its annual shareholders meeting in Charlotte, NC, on Wednesday, April 23. Join us to demand that the company stop financing mountaintop removal mining, new coal-fired power plants, and climate change!

Come to Charlotte, bring your friends, and be ready to make a ruckus! We’d especially love to have musicians, street theater, self-organized actions, colorful banners and signs. The meeting and protest will be in central downtown Charlotte at a theater adjoining Bank of America’s headquarters. Some housing will be available for out-of-town folks in Charlotte on the 22nd and 23rd. Contact me (Matt) at matt@ran.org or Abigail at abigail@risingtidenorthamerica.org for housing or to get involved!

What: Protest Bank of America’s shareholder meeting!
When: Wednesday, April 23 at 9:30 a.m.
Where: Blumenthal Performing Arts Center, located at 130 N. Tryon Street, Charlotte, NC

While the world is calling for immediate action to confront climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and end our reliance on dirty coal energy, Bank of America is continuing to use your money to invest in the most destructive and polluting industries.

Join me in Charlotte, and we can help stop Bank of America and push for a clean energy future that prioritizes energy efficiency and clean renewable sources like solar and wind power!

www.dirtymoney.org

From hundreds of rallies and protests at bank branches; guerilla theater closing ATM’s; shareholder resolutions, confronting bank executives, and direct action at their offices, Bank of America is feeling the pressure to rethink their investment policies! Come join us at Bank of America’s annual shareholder meeting this month – and make sure every one of their executives, board members, and shareholders hear our demands for a just, sustainable future!

Please help promote this call to action, and organize your community to join us in Charlotte April 23rd!

Fore more info, visit www.dirtymoney.org or contact mleonard@ran.org

CALL TO ACTION – Protest Bank of America’s Shareholders meeting!

Spread the word! Bank of America is having their annual shareholders meeting in Charlotte, NC on Wednesday, April 23rd. Join us to demand that they stop financing mountain top removal, new coal-fired power plants, and climate change!

Come to Charlotte, bring your friends, and be ready to make a ruckus! We’d especially love to have musicians, street theater, self-organized actions, colorful banners and signs. The meeting and protest will be in central downtown Charlotte at a theater adjoining B of A’s headquarters. Some housing will be available for out of town folks in Charlotte on the 22nd and 23rd – contact matt (at) ran.org or abigail (at) risingtidenorthamerica.org for housing to get involved!

Protest Bank of America’s shareholder meeting!
April 23rd in Charlotte, NC
10am at the Blumenthal Performing Arts Center – 130 N. Tryon Street

While the world is calling for immediate action to confront climate change, reduce greenhouse gas emissions, and end our reliance on dirty coal energy – Bank of America is continuing to use your money to invest in the most destructive and polluting industries.

Coal is:

• Responsible for nearly 40 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions.
• The largest source of toxic mercury contamination in the world and a major contributor to acid rain, smog, water contamination, and depletion of freshwater supplies.
• A leading cause of asthma and lung cancer. Power plants are responsible for more than 24,000 deaths annually.
• The cause of 554,000 asthma attacks, 16,200 cases of chronic bronchitis, and 38,200 non-fatal heart attacks annually. That adds up to $160 billion in coal-related health care expenses every year.
• Destroying hundreds of mountains, burying thousands of miles of streams, poisoning water supplies, and devastating local communities throughout Appalachia as a result of Mountain Top Removal coal mining practices

James Hansen (NASA’s top climate scientist), Al Gore, Senators John Edwards, John Kerry, Harry Reid, and many governors across the country have called for an immediate halt to new coal development. But in the US alone, over 120 new coal plants are proposed, and Bank of America is lining up to cash in on this “Coal Rush”. They are major investors of thee worst coal companies, including Duke Energy, Dominion Resources, Dynegy Corporation, Massey Energy, Arch Coal, Peabody Energy, Southern Power and many more.

By transitioning to a clean energy future that prioritizes energy efficiency and clean renewable sources like solar and wind power; we can meet our energy needs, build a stronger economy, keep our communities healthy, and curb climate change.

COAL IS OVER. FUND THE FUTURE!

www.dirtymoney.org

Fossil Fools Day is making a splash around the world. We’re following dozens and dozens of actions in the US, UK, Europe, Australia, and New Zealand! Here’s a brief update on some of the bigger actions thus far – but more are still to come! Solid media coverage on many of these actions on Reuters, BBC, Associated Press and beyond! For the latest news all day- check out FossilFoolsDay.org

8 Arrested as North Carolina, USA Residents Shut Down Construction at Cliffside Coal Plant

At 6:30 this morning, North Carolina residents locked themselves to bulldozers to stop the construction of Duke Energy’s massive Cliffside coal-fired power plant being built 50 miles west of Charlotte, NC. “In the face of catastrophic climate change, building a new coal plant is tantamount to signing a death sentence for our generation,” said local farmer Matt Wallace, while locked to a bulldozer. The concerned citizens also roped off the construction site with “Global Warming Crime Scene” tape and held banners that read “Coal Fuels Climate Change” and “Social Change, not Climate Change.” (more…)

We’re actively looking for donations to get people out of jail!

Billionaires for Dirty Energy blockade Citibank in New York, USA. 2 arrested

At 12:30pm today over 25 people dressed as “Billionaires for Dirty Energy” blockaded the main entrance of Citibank’s Upper East Side headquarters in New York City. Protesting Citi’s role at the lead financier to the dirty coal industry – two were arrested after chaining themselves to the front doors and refusing to leave. Police eventually sawed them out of the chains, and a rally continued in front of the bank. (more…)

Activists Blockade Bank of America to Protest Funding of Coal, Boston, Massachusetts,

Boston, MA – As of 9:00AM, in conjunction with a downtown rally, four activists have locked themselves to the front entrance of the Bank of America branch in Copley Square. They are protesting the bank’s funding of coal and energy companies who are among the worst contributors to climate change, and directly responsible for innumerable human rights abuses in communities where coal is extracted and burned.Update: Four arrests in Boston, some lock boxes were cut, but others were loaded into the police wagon still locked to each other. (more…)

Please support legal costs for this action!

Dynegy’s Houston HQ Gets Fossil Fool Award Left on Their Ceiling.

Ten activists with Rainforest Action Network Houston showed up to take action on Dynegy’s headquarters. While two activists delivered our Fossil Fool of the Year award to CEO of Dynegy, Bruce Williamson, eight others released a balloon banner in the Wells Fargo Plaza’s main lobby. Dynegy is currently proposing to build numerous coal-fired power plants across the US – and is the leading company of the US coal-rush. Everyone then proceeded to pass out literature about Dynegy, coal, and wind power in Texas to passers-by and people entering/exiting the building. The security, though unaware, reacted quickly – however not timely enough to stop the two activists from delivering the award to Dynegy’s secretary or stop the balloon banner from making it to the lobby’s ceiling. No arrests were made.

Fossil Fools Day at the University of Kentucky, USA

At the University of Kentucky, students protested the university’s coal-fired power plant by climbing atop the coal stockpile, and raising giant wind turbines. Raising a mock wind turbine on top of the UK power plant’s coal fuel pile was designed to show the futility and myopic vision of the University’s current energy policy. While happy to learn that UK does not use coal from mountaintop removal sites, the State of Kentucky’s flagship university is a fossil fool and it must demonstrate leadership and a far-thinking approach to its energy sourcing and usage. (more…)

Cambridge, UK Fossil Fools Day Protest at RBS Bank

The Royal Bank of Scotland is one of the main financiers of climate crime, in the form of oil and gas exploration. After targeting the Trinity Street branch last year, this time protesters paid a visit to the Hills Road Branch to mark the occasion of Fossil Fools Day. See UK Indymedia.

Protesters Shut down open-cast coal mine, Wales

Protesters Shut Opencast Coal Mine Direct action exposes ‘black hole’ in climate change policy Tuesday, 1st April, 2008: At 7am this morning, protesters halted work at one of the biggest opencast coal mines in Europe, on the outskirts of . They intend to remain on the site for several days.(more…)

EV-EON Carbon Capture launched on Southbank!

Posted Apr 1st, 2008

The first ever Fossil Fools day has been given a terrific christening today with the launch of EV-EON Unnaturally Carbonated Water. This innovative new technology will be used at E.ON’s Kingsnorth PowerStation and used to capture the carbon dioxide given off by the burningof coal.The carbon di-oxide is then bubbled through fresh spring waterfrom nearby Kingsnorth Hills to create carbonated drinking water whichis bottled and sold in Italian restaurants. (more….)

Banner drop in Portland, OR, USA

In support of Fossil Fool’s Day, Stumptown Earth First! in protest of the LNG Oregon Pipelines, performed a four-story banner hang off of the Burnside Bridge in downtown Portland, OR. The banner reads No New Pipelines with a no LGN logo directly in the middle. The Liquefied Natural Gas (LNG) Pipeline is a proposed project that involves three LNG processing terminals and over 600 miles of new pipeline throughout Oregon. Stumptown Earth First! is a non-violent direct action group based out of Portland, OR.

AntiWar@Laurier blockades local Shell station on “Fossil Fools Day.”

Waterloo, Ontario – Just before rush hour today, student and community activists from AntiWar@Laurier (AW@L) blockaded the Shell gas station at the corner of Westmount Road North and Father David Bauer Drive. AW@L’s “Climate Change Containment Unit” deployed to address the gross violation of the environment constituted by the planned increase in production of the Albertan oil sands, by shutting down Shell’s primary outlet in Waterloo. Shell is a leading offender with regard to profiteering from climate change causing activities, especially in the tar sands.

Plum Creek Receives “Fossil Fool’s Award”, Maine, USA

Plum Creek Receives “Fossil Fool’s Award” For Contributions To Climate Change

Fairfield, ME – Volunteers with the Native Forest Network (NFN) staged a mock “Fossil Fool’s Day” awards ceremony today at the offices of the Plum Creek Timber Company to draw attention to the potential impacts of the company’s Moosehead region development proposal on the regional and global climate. Continue Reading »

“We are taking action to prevent the fossil fuel industry from destroying our future,” said Brian Kelly from Rising Tide. “Vested interests in business and government are bent on pursuing economic growth at all costs. We need to shrink, not protect, the fossil fuel economy if we are to survive climate change.”

Rising Tide claim that E-ON are stoking up pressure on planners to grant permission for these new power stations, when the real solution is a huge reduction in the over all use of fossil fuels.

Stay Tuned – International action reports will be updated continuously at: www.FossilFoolsDayOfAction.org

A few months ago, a group of us revived Direct Action To Stop The War (which organized tens of thousands of people to shut down San Francisco 5 years ago when the war started), and worked in conjunction with local Richmond community groups mobilize a diverse, multi-generational, multi-issue coalition to non-violently shut down one of Chevron’s largest oil refineries in the nation.

The demonstration was endorsed by Direct Action to Stop The War, Greenaction, West County Toxics Coalition, Amazon Watch, Richmond Progressive Alliance, Richmond Greens, Community Health Initiative, Communities for a Better Environment, Global Exchange, and Rainforest Action Network. The purpose of this action was to shut the Chevron refinery down for the day – to do our best to prevent oil from entering or leaving the refinery. By boat, by bike, and by foot – we mobilized a broad coalition of groups working on climate change, environmental justice, and anti-war efforts. This action is supporting ongoing community efforts to stop Chevron from expanding its refinery, which will increase pollution and further increase asthma, cancer and rising death rates in surrounding communities. Chevron is driving the war and occupation in Iraq, refining over a million barrels of stolen Iraqi oil in Richmond a month, and actively lobbying for the privatization of Iraq’s oil fields to further increase profits for the oil industry, and maintaining our addiction to climate-destroying fossil fuels.

No War! No Warming! No Pollution!

After a large rally with dozens of musicians and speakers on stage (including the Mayor of Richmond!), we marched to the refinery. Despite a massive police presence (225 officers on call), the large crowd surrounded the gate where trucks come in to refuel. About 75 people then sat down and blockaded the entrance to the refinery – many locking themselves to oil barrels and creating a massive, immovable human chain. Hundreds more rallied around those committing civil disobedience, and 2 woman scaled traffic poles to hang a giant banner above the crowd. Radical Cheerleaders, the Brass Liberation Orchestra, creative street theater and more kept the energy high. We watched as several tanker trucks remained parked on the inside of the gate for the rest of the day. (Typically, a truck leaves this gate every 5 minutes, throughout the day).

After a few hours of blockading the entrance, the group decided to take their demands even closer to Chevron. With the goal of “arresting Chevron” – people began unlocking from each other, proceeded to dismantle the police barricades, and marched directly onto the refinery property. After a tense standoff with police, the group continued their peaceful blockade of the entrance. Once dusk started to fall, 24 people refused to leave, and were eventually arrested by police. All were released later that night.

And on this Wednesday, March 19th – join thousands of people on the 5th anniversary of the Iraq War. Major protests will be held in San Francisco, Washington D.C., and around the country!

I’ll list a few corporate media stories below – this action was the lead story for several news cycles around the region and across the country. Check out the photos below, or visit www.indybay.org for more photos and stories.

NO WAR! NO WARMING! RESISTANCE IS FORMING!

No Blood For Chevron
March 15, 2008
Antonia Juhasz, Alternet

Protest held at Richmond Chevron refinery
March 15, 2008
Sue Thompson, ABC 7 News

24 arrested at war protest outside Chevron
March 15, 2008
Tom Lochner and Mike Taugher, San Jose Mercury News

Antiwar Rally at Richmond Chevron
March 15, 2008
KPFA

Evening News
March 15, 2008
KPFA

Anti-War Protest Outside Chevron Refinery
March 15, 2008
Ken Pritchett, KTVU

Protest, attempted blockade at Chevron refinery in Richmond
March 15, 2008
Anastasia Ustinova, San Francisco Chronicle

March 15 protest scheduled at Chevron Richmond Refinery
March 14, 2008
East Bay Business Times

It is time for American citizens to take leadership & direct action and make our politicians accountable to us. To this end we announce a Citizens Direct Action Training Camp in June 2008 in Montana to oppose and confront the massive fossil fuel development of the Rocky Mountain Corridor from Fort MacMurry, Alberta all the way to New Mexico. We oppose:

• Alberta Tar Sands and Coal Development
• Development of Coal in Montana and Wyoming feeding America’s electricity appetite
• Montana Governor Schweitzer’s plan to import Alberta dirty fossils into the USA through transmission lines from coal plants in Alberta, and 7 proposed Tar Sand refineries in Montana
• Proposed massive oil shale developments in Utah and Colorado
• Transmission lines off of coal fired power plants proposed all over US
• Mountain Top Removal coal mining

The Action Training will be five day training and include skills needed to do effective Direct Action Campaigning against dirty fossil projects and for a clean energy future. Sessions will include History and Practice Non Violent Direct Action, Campaign Strategy, Direct Actions Skills, Media Skills, Community Organizing

Where: Montana – site to be announced
When: June 1st – June 6th 2008

This camp sponsored by ClimateGroundZero.org and GlobalWarmingSolution.org and is being hosted and organized by:

Mike Roselle- Founder – Earth First!, RAN, and The Ruckus Society
JR Roof - Former Director of Greenpeace International Ships and Direct Action Division, Co-founder The Ruckus Society, ClimateGroundZero.org

For further information or to apply to attend – contact: JR Roof at jr@globalwarmingsolution.org

We live in a time that requires citizens to take Action on Global Warming. While our national politicians and leaders propose compromise and weak measures the situation gets worse day by day and year by year. Despite urgent warnings, and the steadily intensifying climate crisis, the strongest bills in both houses of the US Congress call for reducing emissions 80% below 1990 levels by 2050. 42 years from now. We believe waiting 42 years WILL NOT SOLVE the climate problem and demonstrates a clear lack of vision, courage and leadership from our national politicians, and also demonstrates how much the fossil fuel industry controls our politicians, our laws and our democracy.

GlobalWarmingSolution.org has a plan for getting off of fossil fuels as fast as possible. Entitled “Rosie Revisited: A U.S. –Led Solution to Global Warming”, it demonstrates how U.S. and global emissions could be cut 80% by 2025. This plan can be accomplished with present technology and has been endorsed by two of the nations leading energy analysts and is in the best interest of our national economy, national security and combating global warming. See Rosie Revisited – 80% by 2025 at www.GlobalWarmingSolution.org

Confirmed Trainers to Date: (Additional trainers & keynotes will be added as confirmed)

Ingrid Gordon (Climb Trainer Coordinator) Ingrid is Founder and Director of Gear For Good an organization that works with outdoor gear companies to attain gear needed for field and action work with non profit advocacy organizations such as Amazon Watch, The Ruckus Society and Buffalo Field Campaign amongst others. She is a former member of Greenpeace USA Direct Action Team 1988- 1996 and one of the original Ruckus Society trainers in 1995/96. Ingrid brings years of campaign and direct action experience to bear on her climb trainings to our camps.

Celia Alario (Lead Media Trainer) Celia is a media strategist with an expertise in grassroots environmental, human rights and economic justice campaigns. Her past collaborators include the Los Angeles Alliance for a New Economy, the Liberty Hill Foundation, Institute for Policy Studies, The Ruckus Society, Amazon Watch, Global Exchange, the Mobilization for Global Justice, the United Steelworkers of America, School of the Americas Watch, the Women’s International League for Peace and Freedom (WILPF), Sea Shepherd Conservation Society and many others. In addition, Alario is the founder of PR for People and the Planet

Matt Leonard (Campaign Finance Strategies and Climb Trainer) Matt works on Global Finance Campaign at Rainforest Action Network. He works to get big banks out of big coal – and help build a movement demanding an economy in sync with our ecology. He’s worked as an action trainer with RAN, Ruckus and Greenpeace and others for over a decade and organized on campaigns around ending war, opposing corporate globalization, promoting revolutionary ecology and confronting the root cause of the climate crisis. He is also a member of Rising Tide North America and Bay Rising Affinity Group. He prefers dog to cats, whiskey to rum and rock climbing over Frisbee.

James Brady (Non Violent Direct Action Training) James has been involved with environmental and huma rights campaigns, non violent direct action and trainings for nearly 15 years with Greenpeace and The Ruckus Society. He currently works with Greenpeace USA in the Direct Actions Unit. James has developed highly extensive and practical non violence trainings

Mike Hudema (Greenpeace Canada Tar Sands Campaign Leader). Mike is a long time member of the Albertan activist scene. He was part of a motley band of activists that took to the streets of Quebec City for the FTAA protests, slept on the steps of the legislature to protest rising tuition rates when he was President of the University of Alberta Students’ Union, and occupied Anne McLellan’s office to defeat Canada’s anti-terrorism legislation. In his spare time he co-hosts CJSR’s alternative news program Rise Up: Radio Free Edmonton and co-writes books like the recently published “An Action a Day Keeps Global Capitalism Away”. Mike currently works for Greenpeace as the Tar Sands Energy Campaigner. He is also a climb trainer with the Ruckus Society.

Hillary Hosta (Lead Climb Trainer). Hillary has worked on Mountain Top Removal the last 3 years and lives in West Virginia. Hillary has over a decade of experience in non violent direct action and public advocacy campaigns with various environmental and human rights organizations. Hillary was one of the original Ruckus Society trainers in the mid 1990’s.

Endorsing organizations include California Communities Against Toxics, California Environmental Rights Alliance, Carbon Trade Watch, Communities for a Better Environment, GreenAction, Rainforest Action Network, West County Toxics Coalition and many more.

Interesting factoid - Does anyone know what organization had the largest delegation in Bali? It wasn’t the usual suspects of Greenpeace, or Friends of the Earth – it was the pro-carbon trading lobbing group – the International Emissions Trading Association. Why? Because the idea of creating a trade-able commodity of our atmosphere means trillions of dollars – in a market that working-class people have no access to – but multi-national corporations, banks, brokers, and investors are giddy over.

In addition to the myriad reasons to oppose carbon trading – here’s a big unintended, but very real consequence. We have a hard enough battle in the climate movement already fighting the lobbying interests of Big Oil, King Coal, and the Big 6. But a carbon trading scheme entails a whole new cadre of lobbyists – the brokers and traders and middle-men who have a vested interest in trading away our atmosphere and our future. A zero-carbon economy doesn’t leave many carbon credits to play and profit with – and they will help further delay our transition to a clean energy future.

• Press Release – Download PDF
• California Environmental Justice Movement’s Declaration Against Use of Carbon Trading Schemes to Address Climate Change – Download PDF
• Signatories - Download PDF
• Factsheet: The Cap and Trade Charade for Climate Change – Download PDF
• Article - “Cap and Charade: The political and business self-interest behind carbon limits,” Wall Street Journal, March 2007. – Link to article.

See the entire press release below – or visit www.ejmatters.org to learn more or sign the declaration!

BROAD ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE COALITION RELEASES DECLARATION AGAINST CARBON TRADING AND OFFSET USE TO ADDRESS GLOBAL WARMING IN CALIFORNIA

The Coalition Demands that California Adopt Policies that Truly Address Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Protects Communities

On Tuesday, February 19, 2008, Environmental Justice (EJ) advocates gathered at 5 locations across California for a teleconference to discuss the release of The California Environmental Justice Movement’s Declaration Against Use of Carbon Trading Schemes to Address Climate Change. The Declaration details the environmental justice community’s opposition to the use of carbon trading and offsets to address climate change because of their failure to achieve actual emissions reductions, the irreconcilable problems with trading experiments and offset use, and because of their inability to cause a timely change in the way we make and use energy.

Rather, Environmental Justice advocates are calling for policies that focus on moving the state away from burning fossil fuels for energy because such fuels are the overwhelming contributor to climate change and have devastating impacts on poor, low-income and communities of color in California and around the world. The coalition supports use of transparent carbon pricing mechanisms such as a carbon fee.

Environmental Justice advocates from around the state as well as internationally known environmental expert, Larry Lohman from the UK (a founder of the international Durban Group and editor of Carbon Trading: A Critical Conversation on Climate Change, Privatisation and Power, which documents the numerous failures of the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) and oppression in the Global South from the use of carbon “offsets”), were on the call. The Declaration currently has support from xxx organizations and individuals from throughout California and beyond. The Coalition urges others to join this Coalition to demand that California reject the fundamentally flawed trading and offsets approach but instead adopts policies that directly and significantly reduce emissions, require the shift away from use of fossil fuels and nuclear power, and do not cause or exacerbate the pollution burden of poor communities of color in the United States and developing nations around the world.

To get the full text of the declaration, to join the coalition, to subscribe to our new newsletter, for additional information about the failures of trading, learn about the problems with offset use, read about how carbon fees can help, and to hear the discussion, visit our new website at http://www.ejmatters.org

While the banks don’t go so far as to say they WON’T finance coal-fired power plants – if I were the CEO of a utility or coal company – I’d be worried. Here’s my analysis of these principles:

WHAT’S GOOD:

• Banks are REALLY keen on not having any accountability for their investments -legally, or for their brand image. They want to pretend an economy is only numbers and to be accountable only for the math and profits – not for the real-world, on-the-ground impacts their participation in the economy has. Banks are happy to address the carbon footprint of their internal operations (pushing papers around is relatively benign, atmospherically-speaking) – but if their footprint includes their “financed emissions” – they start to look bad. REALLY bad. The fact that banks are even talking about the impacts of their investments, and that they have a responsibility they have towards socially and ecologically responsible lending practices is a good first step. Banks weren’t even really talking about coal or their financed emissions a year ago.
• The banks pledge “Enhanced Diligence” in evaluating the carbon risks of coal-fired power plants, which includes the potential liability for future carbon regulation, requirements for carbon storage and sequestration, and to prioritize zero/low carbon projects. Again – the banks aren’t saying straight-up they won’t fund coal – but they at least appear to putting up a few hurdles for carbon-intensive projects to gain financing. I can’t see how they would be able to fund a coal-fired power plant if they are actually honestly abiding by these principles.
• Utility companies were rumored to have involved in drafting these principles initially – but in the end they were not signatories to the principles, they are merely listed as being “consulted”. Did they get coal cold feet in the process of drafting this document? Does this mean that the utilities see serious intent from the banks’ to put a damper on coal? That remains to be seen – but it’s a good sign.

WHAT’S LACKING:

• These principles don’t have any sort of binding commitments to reduce their financed emissions. While guidelines are nice – there simply needs to be a complete moratorium on coal-fired power plants and other carbon-intensive industries. This is the crucial step for our climate – and banks should have an outright moratorium on financing new coal development – not merely guidelines.
• These principles only partially address the problems of coal – they still ignore incredibly destructive extraction methods such as mountaintop removal mining.
• Environmental Defense and NRDC are not listed as signatories either – does this mean even they see this document as not being substantive enough to fully endorse? That too, remains to be seen.
• Bank of America is noticeably absent from the principles. As a leading financier to some of the dirtiest coal developments in the country – where are they in this process?
• Despite big past commitments to “green banking” – Wall Street still pours money to King Coal hand over fist. Banks need to be much more transparent about where their investments are going – all the major Wall Street banks finance hundreds of times more money to dirty energy than to clean energy. I hope the tides are changing – but so far they haven’t walked their own talk.

You can see the banks’ press release here, and Rainforest Action Network’s official response here.

For the past year, a huge coalition of groups has been campaigning on Wall Street Banks’ to end their financing of the dirty coal industry. Groups such Rainforest Action Network, Energy Action Coalition, Rising Tide North America, Coal River Mountain Watch, and many more have been leading the campaign – holding hundreds of public demonstrations, filing shareholder resolutions, and taken non-violent direct action to demand that banks stop banking on the destruction of our climate.

Our strategy of campaigning against the financing of coal is two-fold. First – we are demanding that banks (where many of us hold our checking accounts, credit cards, mortgages, or student loans) should not be profiting from, nor accelerating the destruction of our climate, environment, and communities. We are taking the money out from under carbon-intensive industries like coal and tar sands – rather than fighting one destructive project at a time.

But just as importantly – we are demanding a future where our economy is in sync with our ecology – where investments are made in clean energy, sustainable development, and justice for our communities. As we are seeing now with a looming recession, the credit crisis, and mortgage meltdowns across the country – our current economy is destroying the social and ecological fabrics of our society. People are demanding a new world – based on clean energy, ecological principles, social justice, and an economy that works for people, not profit.

-Matt

But Fox news has forgotten to mention that in 2007, all our organizing has started to pay off on the fight against coal-fired power plants! Based on research compiled by Coal Moratorium Now! - 59 proposed coal plants were cancelled or severely delayed last year!

Despite the attempts of coal-industry front groups (like Americans for Balanced Energy Choices) to portray coal as a necessary or desirable aspect of our future – the fact is it’s a dirty thing of the past. They can pump millions of dollars into sponsoring presidential debates, slick advertising campaigns, or dishonest marketing slogans like “clean coal” – but the fact is, we aren’t buying it. And slowly but surely, regulators, politicians, utilities, and investors (what RAN is focusing on) aren’t buying it either – they are moving to energy efficiency and clean renewable sources as the smart choices for our future.

Check out the press release below – and help spread the word! Thanks for the hard work and support – your efforts make ARE making a difference!

-Matt

Proposed Coal Plants Losing Steam

59 Coal Plants Cancelled or Shelved in 2007

SAN FRANCISCO—Fifty-nine proposed coal-fired power plants were cancelled or shelved during 2007, according to research compiled by Coal Moratorium NOW! and Rainforest Action Network. Both groups are calling for a moratorium on the construction of new coal-fired power plants.

The list, including documentation, is posted online at “Coal Plants Cancelled in 2007.” It includes data supplied by Sierra Club, coalSwarm, the U.S. Department of Energy’s National Energy Technology Lab, and utility industry sources.

“Coal-fired power plants are the wrong investment for our climate, our health, and our economy,” said Becky Tarbotton, director of Rainforest Action Network’s Global Finance Campaign. “Utilities, regulators, and investors are realizing that the path ahead is energy efficiency and renewable energy. It’s time to stop financing and building coal and to start funding the future.”

Ted Nace, founder of Coal Moratorium NOW! said, “Although we knew that many plants were being nixed, we were stunned by the total number. It spells real hope for the movement seeking to blunt the coal rush.”

Because coal is the largest contributor to the human-made increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide, coal plants are at the top of the list of global warming threats cited by climate scientists. Dr. James Hansen, director of NASA’s Goddard Space Center, the world’s largest climate research agency, told Congress on April 26, 2007, that a moratorium on new coal plants is “the most critical action for saving the planet at this time.”

Among the study’s conclusions:

· Climate concerns played a role in at least 15 plant cancellations. These included five plants in Florida, where Gov. Charlie Crist has made global warming a top issue; a three-unit plant in Kansas opposed by Gov. Kathleen Sibelius; and several plants affected by strict new carbon regulations in western states.

· Coal plants disappeared entirely from some utilities’ long-range plans: Increasingly, coal plants were cancelled before they could even be named, due to increasing regulatory scrutiny of long-range integrated resource plans by states such as Oregon and California.

· Renewables began elbowing out coal: Regulators in several states favored utility-scale renewables over coal. In Delaware, regulators cancelled a coal power plant proposed by NRG Energy in favor of an alternative proposal that combined wind and natural gas. In California, the combination of a strict carbon emissions standard and a renewable portfolio standard prompted utilities to enter into contracts for large thermal solar projects sponsored by Ausra, BrightSource, and Solel.

· Grassroots opposition mounted, financial markets cooled to coal: After a spate of enthusiasm in 2006, coal plant financiers in 2007 recoiled from escalating construction costs; litigation by environmental groups; and public opposition to coal expressed through rallies, sit-ins, petitions, and local referenda in Texas, Maine, Montana, Utah, Iowa, Minnesota, Virginia, and elsewhere. As sponsors ran into difficulty raising funds, numerous projects were quietly abandoned.

· More plants were abandoned than rejected: Of the 59 cancelled or sidetracked projects, only 15 were rejected outright by regulators, courts, or local authorities. In the remaining 44 cases, the decision was made by the sponsors themselves. Besides climate concerns, leading reasons for abandoning plants include (1) rapidly rising construction costs, (2) insufficient financing or failure to receive hoped-for government subsidies, and (3) lowered estimates of demand.

· Heavy spending but poor results for “clean coal”: Despite a multi-million dollar advertising campaign by the coal industry in support of its “clean coal” message, the public was unconvinced. An October poll by Opinion Research Corporation showed that 75 percent of American adults would support a five-year moratorium on new coal plants if funding for renewable alternatives was increased and efficiency standards were tightened.

Background on the Coal Boom

After mainly building natural gas turbines during the 1980s and 1990s, utilities returned to coal when natural gas prices jumped in 2000. In May 2007, the Department of Energy’s “Tracking New Coal-Fired Power Plants” (5/07) study counted 151 proposed coal plants. Five months later, “Tracking New Coal-Fired Power Plants” (10/07) counted 121 proposed plants. According to a survey completed in the first week of January 2008 by Coal Moratorium NOW! and Rainforest Action Network, the number of proposed plants (including those under construction or recently completed) now stands at 113. Details on the study may be seen at the following links:

· “Coal Plants Cancelled in 2007”

· Proposed Coal Plants: state-by-state descriptions

· Proposed Coal Plants: spreadsheet

· Table of Proposed Coal Plants by Expected Year of Completion

· Table of Proposed Coal Plants by Type of Utility

· Table of Proposed Coal Plants by Region

###

Coal Moratorium NOW! (http://cmNOW.org) tracks the coal boom and advocates for a moratorium on new coal plants. Together with the Center for Media and Democracy, Coal Moratorium NOW! also co-sponsors www.coalSwarm.org, a coal-oriented wiki. Contact: info@cmNOW.org or Ted Nace at 510-331-8743.

Rainforest Action Network (http://www.dirtymoney.org) runs hard-hitting campaigns to break America’s oil addiction, reduce our reliance on coal, protect endangered forests and indigenous rights, and stop destructive investments around the world through education, grassroots organizing, and non-violent direct action.

While I won’t rehash the ongoing debates over the merits of carbon capture and sequestration yet again – I will throw out a different angle for why we should oppose the FutureGen project.

Most of us agree that at best, CCS takes much-needed money, research, and energy away from scaling up renewable sources like wind and solar. But while we can debate if coal has a place in our energy future – I would hope we all agree that public money should be focused on renewable options – and we should force the same dirty energy companies who made the mess and created our reliance on coal to clean up that mess. If research on CCS is going to go forward for the benefit of private corporations – they should be the ones footing the bill and taking the economic and technological risk of that technology.

So, FutureGen wouldn’t be quite as disturbing if private industry were funding the research and development of this project, assuming the risks involved of the plant not being viable, and also assuming the market risks when clean energy overtakes them with cleaner, cheaper solutions. And advocates of CCS have been clear – it’s not a viable technology unless the government assumes liability for disposal, accidents, and leaks of stored C02. Which could be catastrophic. But instead, taxpayers are footing the bill for this $1.8 billion dollar project – which is essentially a very expensive life vest (that may or may not work) for the coal industry.

275 megawatts? $1.8 billion? That’s $6,500 per kilowatt installed – already more expensive than wind or solar, not even counting operational and fuel costs! While FutureGen hopes to up and running by 2012 – recall the DOE’s three IGCC project plants in the past decade. All three had massive operating problems, and one was shut down entirely, unable to overcome those hurdles. So who knows what will happen with FutureGen – but we certainly don’t have the time to wait for emissions to keep spiraling out of control – we need emissions reductions now.

It’s also telling that the costs for the FutureGen have already nearly doubled since inception (before even breaking ground). Given the explosive costs for every other proposed coal project in the country, they will only continue to rise. And who will pay for those overruns? I leave you the quote below from Representative Shimkus:

“we must now turn to focusing on keeping FutureGen funded at the necessary levels of construction and then future operations”.

-Matt

Officials Pick Site for Coal Plant

By H. JOSEF HEBERT – 1 hour ago

WASHINGTON (AP) — A futuristic power plant aimed at burning coal without emitting global warming gases will be built in Illinois, an industry group said Tuesday.

Known as FutureGen, the $1.8 billion facility near Mattoon, Ill., is expected to bring hundreds of jobs, but Congress has placed the private-government research project under increasing scrutiny because of cost and long delays.

The price tag is nearly double the $950 million originally projected, with three-fourths of the cost coming from taxpayers.

The industry group selected Mattoon in southern Illinois over another Illinois site at Tuscola, and two locations in Texas — Odessa and Jewett — all of which had received favorable environmental reviews last month.

Michael Mudd, president of the FutureGen Alliance, said at a news conference the decision was not based on politics but on science and the technical benefits shown by the Mattoon location.

“Downstate Illinois has the coal, the geology and the commitment needed to make this project a success,” said Sen. Richard Durbin, D-Ill., who had lobbied the Energy Department and the industry alliance on the issue.

Rep. John Shimkus, R-Ill., said that “we must now turn to focusing on keeping FutureGen funded at the necessary levels of construction and then future operations.”

The FutureGen Alliance, a consortium of 12 U.S. and foreign energy companies, hoped to have the facility, first proposed eight years ago, completed and operating by 2012.

It is supposed to be virtually pollution-free and produce electricity and hydrogen. Its carbon dioxide, a leading greenhouse gas, is to be captured and buried.

The plant is expected to require at least 700 workers during construction and will employ several hundred people when operating, according to the industry group.

President Bush has touted FutureGen as a key to developing carbon-free coal-burning power plants and essential for the emergence later this century of a hydrogen-based energy economy.

A Chinese utility is among the alliance members. A year ago, Energy Secretary Samuel Bodman, during a trip to Asia, hailed China’s decision to participate in a government steering committee.

Congress is giving the program $75 million this year, $33 million less than the administration had wanted. Committees overseeing Energy Department spending expressed concern that FutureGen was siphoning money away from other clean-coal programs.

The alliance members — including major U.S. coal-burning utilities American Electric Power and Southern Co., and the country’s largest coal producer, Peabody Energy — have committed $400 million over 10 years.

Illinois officials were excited about the selection.

“We all let out a cheer when he said Mattoon,” said Jack Lavin, the Illinois Department of Commerce and Economic Opportunity’s director.

The FutureGen project has been the subject of intense lobbying by lawmakers from the two rival states.

Texas’ large GOP-tilted delegation has been pressing administration officials on the value of that state’s two sites — Odessa in western Texas and the Heart of Brazos near Jewett in the eastern part of the state.

“Texas is the ideal location,” argues Sen. John Cornyn, R-Texas, and one of the most consistent supporters of the White House on Capitol Hill.

Associated Press writer Suzanne Gamboa contributed to this report

The take-away of the report? Implementing CCS on a typical coal plant will nearly double the water consumption of an already huge water consumer – upwards of 4 billion gallons a day. And in some regions (namely California, Florida, and New York), water usage could rise by 250%-350%.

So wait – if one of the major impacts of a changing climate is water shortages, why would we promote a “solution” that involves doubling (or tripling) water usage?

To be a little fair(er), there is lots of ongoing debate in our movement around CCS. There are plenty of lively discussions and perspectives on whether CCS is something climate activists should support, or whether it is simply the dying gasp of the dirtiest industry waging a massive PR campaign to keep coal alive. (can you tell which side I’m on?) Check out a sampling of articles on Alternet, It’s Getting Hot In Here, and here on Grist. And check out these two fact sheets about the “clean coal” myth and CCS from the Energy Justice Network and one I prepared with Rainforest Action Network. For the pro-”clean coal” side of the debate, just tune into you local presidential debate, or check out industry-sponsored “grassroots” front groups like America’s Power.

Just to be clear – this latest report furthers the reasons CCS should not be a priority for the climate movement. CCS is an unproven technology that may or may not even work commercially, will raise electricity costs substantially, lower efficiency, double the water usage, maintain our dependence on dirty fossil fuels, continue to destroy communities from mining practices, provide rationale to keep building coal plants, excuse private corporations from any liability for catastrophic leaks or problems, entail building thousands of miles of new pipelines to transport C02, and further deprive proven clean energy development of much-needed funding.

CCS sounds like the time-honored Pentagon “Star Wars” boondoggle, or a typical corporate handout – not a solution to the climate crisis. We’ve got until 2010 (3 years!) to stabilize our emissions and begin dramatic reductions. The most hopeful estimates of CCS don’t see widespread deployment for 2 decades or more. We don’t have two decades. The only way we can avert catastrophic climate change is immediately transition to low/no-carbon energy sources. Energy efficiency, conservation, and clean renewables are proven solutions to reduce our emissions- and it’s time we stop letting fossil fuels trample them down for funding, access, and prioritization.

CCS is a pipe-dream, a distraction, and a gamble. And it’s a gamble that our future hinges on. Don’t let the coal industry flip the coin – we need to change the game.

-Matt

What Bush’s statements on the matter (see below) fail to mention that US emissions in 2006 were 15% higher than in 1990, and still 3.2% higher than when he took office. Bush will no doubt claim the reduction was due to his hard work and dedication confronting climate change. Bush is create some support for his climate policies, given that the recent leadership change in Australia may soon leave the US as the only industrialized country that hasn’t signed Kyoto.

But a closer reading of the Energy Information Agency’s report lays bare the real reasons for the slight decline. Says the Department of Energy: “Favorable weather patterns, where both heating and cooling degree-days were lower in 2006 than 2005, and higher energy prices, were the primary causes of lower total energy consumption.”

The first major factor for the decline cited was, “favorable weather conditions,” which the Bush administration had no hand in creating. (Al Gore may have created the internet, but Bush certainly didn’t invent sunny weather) The second factor cited was higher energy prices and increased use of cleaner-burning natural gas. The administration also tries to avoid any responsibility for higher energy prices. And while cleaner-burning natural gas has been on the rise in recent years – the administration’s big push to increase coal usage will overwhelmingly negate this trend. It’s ironic – they lock us into a future generation of dirty coal – but the next administration will be the ones with higher emissions on the statistics books. Similar to how today’s youth will be ones dealing with the messes made by energy choices from our parents’ generation.

The real kicker – is that Bush focuses on “greenhouse gas intensity” – because it makes the story sound better. In 2002 Bush set a goal of cutting “greenhouse gas intensity” 18% by 2012. Sounds like a good start – right? As a recent survey verifies, the average US citizen doesn’t have a strong grasp of essential energy and climate concepts and terms – and Bush is disgustingly exploiting that to his benefit. The concept of “emissions intensity” is to compare emissions in relation to something else – like population, or economic growth, or square footage. Bush’s statements mean that in relation to our economy, our emissions per-dollar of economic activity went down. Which translates to, well, a bunch of nothing – at least in terms of the climate.

Our economy, the GDP, per-capita income – all these things are abstractions that our atmosphere cares absolutely nothing about. What really matters is our absolute emissions – the actual amount of carbon that we are adding to the atmosphere. By the pound. While looking at “emissions intensity” can be a useful viewpoint for some analytical comparisons – this is often a shady method that our government and corporations use to pull the wool over the average Joe and Jane’s eyes. By using “emissions intensity” as the marker – it allows a company or country to grow-grow-grow and claim they are reducing emissions – while the actual damage they are causing to the climate grows as well.

Beyond being deceptive – the real danger in Bush’s statements is that they attempt to neutralize substantive action on climate. Regardless of what numbers may show today – our current energy policies are locking us into skyrocketing emissions for decades to come. Let’s make sure our demand for an immediate moratorium on coal is heard loud and clear – in Congress AND on Wall Street

-Matt

STATEMENT BY THE PRESIDENT

I was pleased to receive the Energy Information Administration’s final report today, which includes U.S. greenhouse gas emissions for 2006. The final report shows that emissions declined 1.5 percent from the 2005 level, while our economy grew 2.9 percent. That means greenhouse gas intensity — how much we emit per unit of economic activity — decreased by 4.2 percent, the largest annual improvement since 1985. This puts us well ahead of the goal I set in 2002 to reduce greenhouse gas intensity by 18 percent by 2012.

My Administration’s climate change policy is science-based, encourages research breakthroughs that lead to technology development, encourages global participation, and pursues actions that will help ensure continued economic growth and prosperity for our citizens and for people throughout the world. Since 2001, we have spent almost $37 billion on climate science, technology development, and incentives and international assistance. Recently, we convened representatives of the world’s major economies — the largest users of energy and largest producers of greenhouse gas emissions, from both developed and developing nations — to discuss a new international approach on energy security and climate change. Our aim is to agree on a detailed contribution for a new global framework in 2008 that would contribute to a global agreement under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change by 2009. The United States looks forward to working with partners to reach consensus on a “Bali Roadmap” at the upcoming UN meeting on climate change in Indonesia in December.

Energy security and climate change are two of the important challenges of our time. The United States takes these challenges seriously, and we are effectively confronting climate change through regulations, public-private partnerships, incentives, and strong investment in new technologies. Our guiding principle is clear: we must lead the world to produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions, and we must do it in a way that does not undermine economic growth or prevent nations from delivering greater prosperity for their people.

And then I ran across this great graphic showing the money spent on various energy sources, compared with the Iraq War.

It’s shocking. As state and federal budgets are going bankrupt, money for schools is disapearing, real-wages are down, and people are dying left and right from our oil-hungry foreign policy – our politicians and business leaders are still ignoring the greatest threat facing our planet. Have you seen the latest IPCC report on climate change impacts? It’s frightening – the next 2-3 years are crucial in confronting energy issues, and our politicians are still busy bickering over sending even more money to Iraq. There’s no more delaying action – no waiting for techno-fixes or distant promises – we’ve got to priortize clean energy and climate change NOW.

Let’s get the troops (and the money) out of Iraq, and into communities and a green energy revolution. No War, No Warming.

Our goals of this action were many, and we feel very successful. The banking center of downtown Charlotte woke up to see the truths behind Bank of America’s investment polices; that they are accelerating global warming, polluting our air, and destroying lives and communities across the globe. As executives and employees started their work day at Bank of America’s headquarters -the banner sent a powerful message to America’s largest retail bank that being one of the top financiers of coal and climate change is unacceptable business, and not something they can hide from their customers. Beyond the direct statements to thousands of Charlotte residents and bank employees (who were actually a receptive crowd on the ground), we also received excellent media coverage – including the top story on most regional TV news stations. And good lord – did you see the controversy earlier on the RAN blog?

Most importantly – ones of our goals was to inspire others to act. While the fight against coal is being largely led by communities across Appalachia, it is an imperative global issue if we are to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. To really shift our economies and industries away from destructive industries like coal – the Inconvenient Truth is that if we are to have a livable future planet, some things will be inconvenient to “business as usual”. Charlotte hasn’t seen civil disobedience since the Vietnam war, so while the event shut down the city center for a while – the disruption was nothing compared to what residents of coalfield communities are experiencing every day, and what will we all experience if we keep destroying our atmosphere. The crowds on the street (and arresting officers and firefighters) were all incredibly supportive of our issues and actions, offering an “official” scolding but with “unofficial” admiration, respect, and support. While we don’t expect people to mimic our actions (at least not unless you are expert climbers!), we hope it will encourage people to take a deeper look inside, and ask themselves what else they can do to ensure a livable planet.

WHAT YOU WE CAN DO:

First off – the most important thing is to realize just how serious the climate crisis is. We’ve got a pretty short time frame to completely revolutionize our entire economy and our industry. This will take a huge diversity of tactics from all corners of the globe – but no major social movement has won it’s demands without strategic use of civil disobedience. The climate movement will be no different – in fact I’d argue that we need to put our bodies on the line more than ever. The clock is ticking – and if we are to avoid catastrophic tipping points – we must be making a lot more progress in this movement than we are thus far.

I don’t mean to belittle our efforts – as we are building a powerful movement. And inspiring actions are happening all around us – from last week’s No War No Warming mobilization in DC, to the tireless efforts of Dooda Desert Rock, to the growth of Rising Tide around the globe – people are saying enough is enough. We can’t wait for politicians to come around, or just cross our fingers that the next Congress will save us. We are starting to reframe the climate movement to be people-led – rather than dictated by the very corporations, politicians, and systems that created this mess. We need to do more than ask Congress to Step It Up – we must Step It Up ourselves.

But enough with waxing philosophical. Here’s two things you can do right now. And I hope other readers will contribute their action ideas as well. Get involved! Step it Up! Do what you can – where you can!

On Nov 16th and 17th -

join Rainforest Action Network, Coal River Mountain Watch, Appalachian Voices, Mountain Justice Summer, SEAC, Rising Tide North America and a cast of thousands as we mobilize to stop Bank of America and Citi’s investments climate change and the dirty coal industry. Our goal is to have over 100 actions across the country – sending the message load and clear to Wall Street that Coal is Over! Who knows – you might even see Al Gore doing an action with us…. (but no promises!)

Contact dirtymoney@ran.org to help organize an action in your town, or plug into existing actions. Get more information about the campaign, the day of action, and downloadable materials!

Are you are you coming to Washington DC this weekend for Powershift? Come to this panel:

The Role of Civil Disobedience in the Climate Movement
The panel will provide a variety of perspectives on the importance of civil disobedience and non-violent direct action. If our federal government continues to stall on aggressively addressing climate change, what is the point at which we escalate our demands with direct action tactics. What does this escalation look like? This panel will also discuss the current laws and regulations surrounding non-violent direct actions. Saturday, November, 3 2007 Marriott Rooms 1109 and 1111

Panelists include Adrienne Marie Brown (The Ruckus Society), Matt Leonard (Rainforest Action Network), Marty Aranaydo (The Ruckus Society), Ted Glick (U.S. Climate Emergency Council), Hillary Hosta (Coal River Mountain Watch), and Nadine Bloch (Oil Change International)

Hope to see you there! (or on the streets!)

-Matt

Last week, Bank of America’s San Francisco offices got a present courtesy of Rainforest Action Network. A banner saying “Bank of America: Funding Coal, Killing Communities” was tied to a bouquet of helium balloons, and set sail in their lobby. Finally coming to rest on the ceiling of their lobby, the banner spent the rest of the day informing thousands of people in the building the dirty secret behind Bank of America and their investments that are killing our climate.

Check out the video of the action – it’s easy to do in your town! On November 16th and 17th we’ll be having a National Day of Action Against Coal – targetting the two banks that are leading the US coal rush: Bank of America and Citi. With your help – we’ll have over 100 actions across the country, from leafletting and flyering to street theater or non-violent direct action. But no need to wait until then – get involved today and help build a clean energy future!

You can read all about the campaign at the Global Finance homepage, see our press release announcing the campaign, and read our latest report: Banks, Climate Change, and the New Coal Rush. If you missed out on the great conference this morning – you can listen to the recording here:

The call featured:

• Becky Tarbotton (Director of RAN’s Global Finance Campaign)
• Bill McKibben (Author and founder of Step It Up!)
• Judy Bonds (West Virginia coal-field resident, and founder of Coal River Mountain Watch)
• Leslie Lowe (energy and environment program director at the Interfaith Center on Corporate Responsibility)

Join us in an ambitious campaign targetting the two largest banks in the world to address the world’s largest problem: climate change. Get involved!

-Matt

The money is supposed to offset 500,000 tons of C02 that the expansion would release every year, once operating in 2009. The money will be used on various offset projects, including:

• $7 million to start a fund that will finance projects to cut carbon dioxide in the Bay Area operated under guidelines to be developed by the Bay Area Air Quality Management District
• $2.8 million to grow trees in mature forests that absorb carbon dioxide.
• $200,000 would help restore wetlands on San Pablo Bay.
• 70,000 tons of greenhouse gas emissions would be cut from a ConocoPhillips facility in Santa Barbara County.

You can read the CNN story, the SF Chronicle story, or my critical take on it below.

So, I’m generally not a fan of offsets. I’ve written about it before, our friends at Grist have had a raging debate on it, and I’ll spare you by not totally rehashing the argument. While I’m not saying ALL offsets are all bad – a huge chunk of “action” being taken on climate change these days is via offsets, either at the personal level, the corporate level, or the international Kyoto/Clean Development Mechanism level. Offsets allow one source (person, power plant, company, country etc) to keep on polluting, while theoretically reducing emissions from another source somewhere else that would (sic) have theoretically happened if it weren’t for our intervention. But if we are to seriously tackle climate change, we can’t offset forever – we have to make tangible reductions in emissions from all sources. Given that we have a decade at best to make some serious headway on reducing our emissions – we need to get a lot more serious about restructuring our energy systems, not just offsetting. So here are my thoughts on this deal:

THE GOOD:

• While California’s new law AB32 (which calls for the state to reduce greenhouse-gas emissions by 25% in order to reach 1990 levels by 2020) doesn’t take affect until 2012, this is a decent interim step to at least get some sort of positive steps from Conoco.

• The $7 million spent to create a fund for carbon reductions is a good start. Hopefully this fund will be well-managed – but this is what we need. Start taxing companies that are big polluters to create pools of money that can get conservation, efficiency, and renewable projects off the ground. We need to level the playing field – and stop subsidizing dirty energy. Remember California’s Prop 87? This type of seed money is crucial.

THE BAD:

• Conoco is still expanding our addiction to fossil fuels. This plant locks us in to dirty energy for decades to come. While offsets may theoretically balance out emissions from this specific plant- any new fossil-fuel infrastructure commits us to a path of dirty energy. This expansion further invests Conoco to fossil fuels, and they can’t (well, won’t) switch gears anytime soon and suddenly start supporting renewables. For every major investment in fossil fuels – we are not just losing that direct money to dirty energy (rather than solutions), we are creating that much more economic, political, and industry determination to continue using that technology for years to come.
• While C02 emissions may be offset, this doesn’t address concerns for other pollutants, like mercury and selenium. Communities located nearby the plant, which have been ravaged by environmental justice issues for decades, are still suffering. Communities for a Better Environment has been organizing against Conoco and Chevron’s dirty refineries there for years, and this compromise by the state will only make their struggle more difficult.
• Chevron (just down the road from ConocoPhillips) is also trying to expand their operations. And they’ll likely get a very similar deal to Conoco. Again, further increasing our reliance on fossil fuels for decades to come, investing billions of dollars in the wrong direction.
• Plating trees just shouldn’t fly as an acceptable means of offseting emissions. Check out this post at Grist for a good explanation. Luckily the tree-planting portion of the deal is not the bulk of it, but it shouldn’t be any part of it. Trees serve a valuable role beyond carbon storage – and we need to be protecting the biodiversity of existing old-growth forests, not planting little tree farms while the same economic system chops down actual forests.

The offsets are better than nothing, but should not be viewed as a solution to climate change. It’s time to stand up to fossil fuel and simply say no. While I don’t want Chevron controlling renewable energy either – that should be the only way they get to expand ANYTHING in their business – if it gets us off fossil fuels.

-Matt