Voters Say Climate Change Is Making Weather More Extreme (& Want Workers Protected)

 

The charts above are from the Data For Progress Poll -- done between July 2nd and 5th of a nationwide sample of 1,164 likely voters, with a 3 point margin of error.

Climate Change Is Happening - And Trump Is Making It Worse For The U.S.

 

From economic Paul Krugman. For more you can go here.

Most Believe In Human-Caused Climate Change (And Say They've Felt It)

 

The charts above reflects the results of the Economist / YouGov Poll -- done between May30th and June 2nd of a nationwide sample of 1,610 adults (including 1,436 registered voters). The margin of error for both groups is 3.2 points.

Most In The U.S. Believe Climate Change Is Due To Human Activity

The chart above reflects the results of the Economist / YouGov Poll -- done between January 26th and 28th of a nationwide sample of 1,577 adults (including 1,376 registered voters). The margin of error is 3.2 points for adults and 3.3 points for registered voters.

 

“We Are Marching Steadily To An Uninsurable Future”

The following is part of an article by Todd C. Frankel in The Washington Post: 

A growing number of homeowners nationwide are being dropped by insurance companies as firms and regulators struggle to deal with the unpredictable and costly risks of climate disasters.

Nonrenewal notices surged by nearly 30 percent from 2018 to 2022 to more than 620,000 a year, according to a Treasury report released Thursday that examined 246 million policies nationwide. Nonrenewal rates were nearly 80 percent higher in Zip codes that faced the highest risk from insurance perils such as strong winds and wildfires compared with the lowest risk areas.

The rise of nonrenewal notices, as they are called, has attracted attention and criticism during the ongoing Los Angeles wildfires, where some major insurance companies had said last year they were dropping thousands of homes that ended up burning down in the raging fires.

But it’s not just a California thing. Florida, Louisiana and North Carolina all posted nonrenewal rates higher than the Golden State in 2023, according to a Senate report released in December. Florida’s rate was nearly 3 percent, compared with California’s rate of about 1.8 percent. That report also found an increased rate of nonrenewals nationwide.

The spike in nonrenewals is being driven by the increasing severity of extreme weather events, higher inflation pushing up the cost of rebuilding and stiff regulations that make it harder for insurance companies to raise prices to cover their costs, according to industry officials and consumer advocates. . . .

Insurers also have struggled to accurately price in the risk of promising to rebuild homes in the many parts of the country vulnerable to wildfires, hurricanes and wind storms. The computer models used to identify the riskiest areas, built on historical weather patterns, have been upended by climate change. . . .

Homeowners have seen insurance premiums soar — up 33 percent from 2020 to 2023, according to a National Bureau of Economic Research report. Insurance is required in most cases on properties with mortgages.

As prices rise, some have turned to state-run insurance pools as a last resort to find coverage. But others have opted to drop insurance entirely — what’s known in the industry as “going bare.” The number of homes without insurance has nearly tripled since before the pandemic, according to survey estimates. . . .

Insurers have been hit with big losses in their homeowners policies in recent years. The U.S. homeowner’s insurance market paid out $15.2 billion more in claims and costs than it collected from policyholders in 2023, the worst result this century and double the loss in 2022, according to AM Best, a credit-rating agency focused on the insurance industry.

The numbers for 2024 are not expected to look any better. . . .

The problems for homeowners are expected to continue. The cost of insurance will continue to rise as companies try to price in the risk from a rising number of climate threats — potentially leading to some homes and locations becoming unaffordable.

“We are marching steadily to an uninsurable future,” said Davis, the former California regulator.

50% Of Voters Say U.S. Should Do More About Climate Change

The chart above reflects the results of the Economist / YouGov Poll -- done between June 30th and July 2nd of a nationwide sample of 1,392 registered voters, with a 3.1 point margin of error.

The U.S. Just Had Its Warmest Winter On Record

From the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration:

A very mild February wrapped up a record-warm winter for the U.S., according to experts from NOAA’s National Centers for Environmental Information (NCEI).

The average temperature across the contiguous U.S. last month was 41.1 degrees F, 7.2 degrees F above the 20th-century average and ranking as the third-warmest February in NOAA’s 130-year climate record. Iowa, Minnesota, Missouri and Wisconsin each had their warmest February on record. An additional 20 states saw their top-10 warmest February on record. 

Persistent winter warmth resulted in a steady decrease in ice coverage across the Great Lakes, which reached a historic low of 2.7% on February 11 — the lowest amount of ice coverage on record during mid-February.

Meteorological winter was the warmest winter on record for the contiguous U.S., with an average temperature of 37.6 degrees F — 5.4 degrees above average. Iowa, Michigan, Minnesota, New Hampshire, New York, North Dakota, Vermont and Wisconsin each had their warmest winter on record. Twenty-six additional states saw their top-10 warmest winters on record. 

Opinions Of U.S. Adults About Climate Change

The charts above are from a Pew Research Center survey -- done between September 25th and October 1st of a nationwide sample of 8,842 adults, with a 1.6 point margin of error. 

Trump/GOP Are On The Wrong Side Of The Climate Issue

The chart above is from a recent AP / NORC Poll -- done between August 15th and 18th of a national sample of 1,058 adults, with a 4.2 point margin of error.

It shows that a clear majority of Americans (64%) disapprove of the way Donald Trump is handling climate change. Also, a majority (58%) disapprove of his administration's energy policy. This puts Trump and his GOP henchmen in Congress at odds with the American people -- and that's not going to help them in next year's election (because climate change is real, and it's not going away).

That's not the only poll showing this. The charts below are from a CBS News / YouGov Poll -- done between September 6th and 9th of 2,143 U.S. residents, with a margin of error of 2.2 points.

Public Concerned About Climate Change & Wants Action

This past few days has once again made it clear that the climate is changing -- and it's not changing for the better. Seldom has almost the entire country seen bad weather at the same time, but it happened here at the end of 2015 (blizzards, floods, tornadoes, thunder storms w/heavy rains & high winds, etc.).

Fortunately, the public is concerned about the warming of the planet that is changing weather patterns (and making them more severe). Note in the top chart that a significant majority of the public (66%) say they are concerned about climate change -- and that includes significant majorities of every demographic group but one. Only Republicans claim not to be concerned -- evidently having drunk the denial kool-aid their party officials are selling.

And even better, it looks like the public wants the government to take action. About 69% of the public says they want the next president to institute policies to fight the climate change -- and that also includes significant majorities of all demographic groups (including a plurality of Republicans).

Elected Republican officials can continue their denials in an attempt to protect Big Oil and other polluters, but the public is no longer buying it. They want something done.

The charts above represent the results of a recent Quinnipiac University Poll -- done between December 16th and 20th of a random national sample of 1,140 registered voters, with a margin of error of 2.9 points.

White House Statement On The New "Clean Power" Plan

(This image of a U.S. coal-burning power plant is from greenpeace.org.)

On Monday, President Obama announced that the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is instituting tough new pollution standards for power plants in the United States. The plan will not only help to protect the world from the disastrous effects of climate change, but will also improve the health and safety of American citizens (by cleaning up the air we must breathe).

The Republicans have already started whining about the plan, which is no surprise, since they consider the campaign donations they will receive from the power industry much more important than citizen safety or the impending climate change disaster.

Before the media gives those Republican lies too much air time, I thought we should see what the real facts are about this new plan. Here is part of the statement released by the White House press office:

KEY FEATURES OF THE CLEAN POWER PLAN

The final Clean Power Plan takes into account the unprecedented input EPA received through extensive outreach, including the 4 million comments that were submitted to the agency during the public comment period. The result is a fair, flexible program that will strengthen the fast-growing trend toward cleaner and lower-polluting American energy. The Clean Power Plan significantly reduces carbon pollution from the electric power sector while advancing clean energy innovation, development, and deployment. It ensures the U.S. will stay on a path of long-term clean energy investments that will maintain the reliability of our electric grid, promote affordable and clean energy for all Americans, and continue United States leadership on climate action. The Clean Power Plan:   

• Provides Flexibility to States to Choose How to Meet Carbon Standards: EPA’s Clean Power Plan establishes carbon pollution standards for power plants, called carbon dioxide (CO2) emission performance rates. States develop and implement tailored plans to ensure that the power plants in their state meet these standards– either individually, together, or in combination with other measures like improvements in renewable energy and energy efficiency. The final rule provides more flexibility in how state plans can be designed and implemented, including: streamlined opportunities for states to include proven strategies like trading and demand-side energy efficiency in their plans, and allows states to develop “trading ready” plans to participate in “opt in” to an emission credit trading market with other states taking parallel approaches without the need for interstate agreements. All low-carbon electricity generation technologies, including renewables, energy efficiency, natural gas, nuclear and carbon capture and storage, can play a role in state plans.
   
• More Time for States Paired With Strong Incentives for Early Deployment of Clean Energy: State plans are due in September of 2016, but states that need more time can make an initial submission and request extensions of up to two years for final plan submission.  The compliance averaging period begins in 2022 instead of 2020, and emission reductions are phased in on a gradual “glide path” to 2030. These provisions to give states and companies more time to prepare for compliance are paired with a new Clean Energy Incentive Program to drive deployment of renewable energy and low-income energy efficiency before 2022.
   
• Creates Jobs and Saves Money for Families and Businesses: The Clean Power Plan builds on the progress states, cities, and businesses and have been making for years. Since the beginning of 2010, the average cost of a solar electric system has dropped by half and wind is increasingly competitive nationwide. The Clean Power Plan will drive significant new investment in cleaner, more modern and more efficient technologies, creating tens of thousands of jobs. Under the Clean Power Plan, by 2030, renewables will account for 28 percent of our capacity, up from 22 percent in the proposed rule. Due to these improvements, the Clean Power Plan will save the average American nearly $85 on their energy bill in 2030, and save consumers a total of $155 billion through 2020-2030, reducing enough energy to power 30 million homes.
   
• Rewards States for Early Investment in Clean Energy, Focusing on Low-Income Communities: The Clean Power Plan establishes a Clean Energy Incentive Program that will drive additional early deployment of renewable energy and low-income energy efficiency. Under the program, credits for electricity generated from renewables in 2020 and 2021 will be awarded to projects that begin construction after participating states submit their final implementation plans. The program also prioritizes early investment in energy efficiency projects in low-income communities by the Federal government awarding these projects double the number of credits in 2020 and 2021. Taken together, these incentives will drive faster renewable energy deployment, further reduce technology costs, and lay the foundation for deep long-term cuts in carbon pollution. In addition, the Clean Energy Incentive Plan provides additional flexibility for states, and will increase the overall net benefits of the Clean Power Plan.
   
• Ensures Grid Reliability: The Clean Power Plan contains several important features to ensure grid reliability as we move to cleaner sources of power. In addition to giving states more time to develop implementation plans, starting compliance in 2022, and phasing in the targets over the decade, the rule requires states to address reliability in their state plans. The final rule also provides a “reliability safety valve” to address any reliability challenges that arise on a case-by-case basis. These measures are built on a framework that is inherently flexible in that it does not impose plant-specific requirements and provides states flexibility to smooth out their emission reductions over the period of the plan and across sources.
   
• Continues U.S. Leadership on Climate Change: The Clean Power Plan continues United States leadership on climate change. By driving emission reductions from power plants, the largest source of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions, the Clean Power Plan builds on prior Administration steps to reduce emissions, including historic investments to deploy clean energy technologies, standards to double the fuel economy of our cars and light trucks, and steps to reduce methane pollution. Taken together these measures put the United States on track to achieve the President’s near-term target to reduce emissions in the range of 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, and lay a strong foundation to deliver against our long-term target to reduce emissions 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2025. The release of the Clean Power Plan continues momentum towards international climate talks in Paris in December, building on announcements to-date of post-2020 targets by countries representing 70 percent of global energy based carbon emissions. 
   
• Sets State Targets in a Way That Is Fair and Is Directly Responsive to Input from States, Utilities, and Stakeholders: In response to input from stakeholders, the final Clean Power Plan modifies the way that state targets are set by using an approach that better reflects the way the electricity grid operates, using updated information about the cost and availability of clean generation technologies, and establishing separate emission performance rates for all coal plants and all gas plants. 
   
• Maintains Energy Efficiency as Key Compliance Tool: In addition to on-site efficiency and greater are reliance on low and zero carbon generation, the Clean Power Plan provides states with broad flexibility to design carbon reduction plans that include energy efficiency and other emission reduction strategies.  EPA’s analysis shows that energy efficiency is expected to play a major role in meeting the state targets as a cost-effective and widely-available carbon reduction tool, saving enough energy to power 30 million homes and putting money back in ratepayers’ pockets.
   
• Requires States to Engage with Vulnerable Populations: The Clean Power Plan includes provisions that require states to meaningfully engage with low-income, minority, and tribal communities, as the states develop their plans. EPA also encourages states to engage with workers and their representatives in the utility and related sectors in developing their state plans.
   
• Includes a Proposed Federal Implementation Plan: EPA is also releasing a proposed federal plan today. This proposed plan will provide a model states can use in designing their plans, and when finalized, will be a backstop to ensure that the Clean Power Plan standards are met in every state. 

Since the Clean Air Act became law more than 45 years ago with bipartisan support, the EPA has continued to protect the health of communities, in particular those vulnerable to the impacts of harmful air pollution, while the economy has continued to grow. In fact, since 1970, air pollution has decreased by nearly 70 percent while the economy has tripled in size. The Clean Power Plan builds on this progress, while providing states the flexibility and tools to transition to clean, reliable, and affordable electricity.

And Here are some of the myths and facts about the new plan:

Myth: Carbon pollution standards will destroy jobs and hurt the economy.

Fact: Americans know we can cut pollution and protect the health of our kids while creating jobs.

Myth: Carbon pollution standards will cause Americans’ utility bills to spike.

Fact: Cutting carbon pollution will help eliminate waste and save families money on their electric bills.

Myth: Carbon pollution standards will hit low-income communities the hardest.

Fact: EPA’s Clean Power Plan will protect the health of low-income communities and help them save on their energy bills.

Myth: This administration is waging a war on coal.

Fact: For years, the President’s political opponents have been blaming him for market trends that started well before the President took office.

Myth: This rule threatens the reliability of Americans’ electricity.

Fact: This flexible proposal allows states to implement the standards without impacting reliability.

Myth: The Clean Power Plan is regulatory overreach.

Fact: The Clean Power Plan is clearly consistent with EPA’s legal authorities

Myth: The final Clean Power Plan drops energy efficiency.

Fact: Investment in energy efficiency will be a powerful strategy for compliance under the final Clean Power Plan.

Myth: Climate change isn’t real.

Fact: Climate change is real, it’s happening now, and it’s affecting every region of the country.

Are Humans In The Process Of Exterminating Themselves ?

This article (and these images) are from Phys.Org. The article, by Lin Edwards, was written in 2010 -- but it is still valid since nothing has been done to address the issues discussed in it. It is about Professor Frank Fenner (pictured), and his belief that humans could be extinct in another 100 years. It's worth reading and thinking about.

Eminent Australian scientist Professor Frank Fenner, who helped to wipe out smallpox, predicts humans will probably be extinct within 100 years, because of overpopulation, environmental destruction and climate change.

Fenner, who is emeritus professor of microbiology at the Australian National University (ANU) in Canberra, said homo sapiens will not be able to survive the population explosion and “unbridled consumption,” and will become extinct, perhaps within a century, along with many other species. United Nations official figures from last year estimate the human population is 6.8 billion, and is predicted to pass seven billion next year.

Fenner told The Australian he tries not to express his pessimism because people are trying to do something, but keep putting it off. He said he believes the situation is irreversible, and it is too late because the effects we have had on Earth since industrialization (a period now known to scientists unofficially as the Anthropocene) rivals any effects of ice ages or comet impacts.

Fenner said that climate change is only at its beginning, but is likely to be the cause of our extinction. “We’ll undergo the same fate as the people on Easter Island,” he said. More people means fewer resources, and Fenner predicts “there will be a lot more wars over food.”

Easter Island is famous for its massive stone statues. Polynesian people settled there, in what was then a pristine tropical island, around the middle of the first millennium AD. The population grew slowly at first and then exploded. As the population grew the forests were wiped out and all the tree animals became extinct, both with devastating consequences. After about 1600 the civilization began to collapse, and had virtually disappeared by the mid-19th century. Evolutionary biologist Jared Diamond said the parallels between what happened on Easter Island and what is occurring today on the planet as a whole are “chillingly obvious.”

While many scientists are also pessimistic, others are more optimistic. Among the latter is a colleague of Professor Fenner, retired professor Stephen Boyden, who said he still hopes awareness of the problems will rise and the required revolutionary changes will be made to achieve ecological sustainability. “While there's a glimmer of hope, it's worth working to solve the problem. We have the scientific knowledge to do it but we don't have the political will,” Boyden said. . .

Professor Fenner has had a lifetime interest in the environment, and from 1973 to 1979 was Director of the Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies at ANU. He is currently a visiting fellow at the John Curtin School of Medical Research at the university, and is a patron of Sustainable Population Australia. He has won numerous awards including the ANZAC Peace Prize, the WHO Medal, and the Albert Einstein World Award of Science. He was awarded an MBE for his work on control of malaria in New Guinea during the Second World War, in which Fenner served in the Royal Australian Army Medical Corps.

Van Os On "Deadly Climate Change"

Legislation is pending in the Congress at this moment that could take huge strides toward fighting deadly climate change. It is one of the most critical environmental bills in decades. I am forwarding the following message from the Texas Climate Emergency Team and respectfully urging you to take action as requested without delay. Thank you.

Sincerely,

David Van Os

Now is the time to make those climate change calls!

We have until Memorial Day at the very latest to strengthen the coming climate change bill. Rep. Waxman, chair of the Energy and Commerce Committee, has said his committee will pass it out of committee to the House floor by Memorial Day. Once on the House floor the fight will be to protect it from attack not strengthen it. Therefore, if you want a strong bill now is the time to make to act.

Call your Representative at the Congressional Switchboard at 202-224-3121. Direct numbers are below.. You can also visit your Rep's homepage to find out how to email them. Ask them to talk with those now writing the climate change bills. Ask them to demand that the authors of the coming legislation (Rep's Waxman, Markey and Doggett) listen to the demands of nature and do what the scientists say is absolutely necessary, which is to cut emissions by at least 25% under 1990 levels by 2020.

Rep. Charlie Gonzalez from San Antonio, Rep. Gene Green of Houston, and Rep. Michael Burgess of Dallas are all on the Energy and Commerce Committee, which seems likely to consider the primary bill, so it will be especially important to contact them. However, Rep. Lloyd Doggett of the Ways and Means Committee is also key, in that he is the author of their bill.

The U.S. bill will largely determine the quality of the new UN agreement that will be signed this coming December in Copenhagen. The world has been asking us from the early 90's to show some leadership but we have continued to undermine their process. We have to get our government to change.

The scientists have repeatedly and with increasing concern warned us that if we haven 't stopped the rise of emissions by 2015, it will be too late. After then, future generations will just watch what nature does, helpless to do anything. Clearly now is the time to act.

The congressional office numbers are below. Contact us at texasclimate@gmail.com if you want more information.

Sincerely,

TEXAS CLIMATE EMERGENCY TEAM

New Poll Says Humans Causing Climate Change

Over 150 countries just met at the United Nations to discuss global climate change. Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said, "If we do not act now, the impact of climate change will be devastating." It seems that world leaders are in agreement that humans are causing global climate change, and action must be taken soon to avoid disastrous consequences. But what do ordinary people think?

The BBC has just conducted a poll that answers that question. They surveyed over 22,000 people in 21 countries, including the United States. The results show that a huge majority (79%) believe that global climate change is caused by human activity. In fact, around 90% of the people believe that action should be taken to curb production of greenhouse gases, with nearly 2/3 believing that action must be taken soon.

It seems that only a tiny minority (around 10%) agree with George Bush that global climate change has not been proven. Personally, I think George believes it too -- he just can't bring himself to ask his corporate buddies to stop polluting. After all, too much money is being made by all this polluting, and it might cut into those windfall profits if corporations had to clean up their act.

But George is part of an ever dwindling minority. Over 59% in the United States believe action must be taken very soon, and another 33% believe some action must be taken in the next few years.

I don't think I've ever seen a president so out of touch with ordinary citizens. They disagree with him on the war, on how to fight terrorism, on the need for reform in medical care, and as this poll shows, they also disagree with him on global climate change. But like an ostrich, George keeps his head buried in the sand and refuses to see the real world.

It is becoming more obvious every day that we must put Democrats back in power in the next election, including a Democrat in the White House. The Republicans have had their chance, and refuse to take action to solve our problems.

Bill Richardson's Energy Plan

If the United Nations and most of the world's climate scientists are to be believed, then we are running out of time to do something about the greenhouse gases that are beginning to cause disastrous global climate changes. George Bush and his Republican cronies have already wasted the last seven years by denying that a problem exists.

This leaves us with precious little time in which to get started with the changes that need to be made. Since Bush has made it clear that nothing will be done during his administration, that makes it very important that the next president we elect have a clear and coherent plan of action.

I received the following letter from presidential candidate Bill Richardson. In it, he lays out his plan for dealing with energy concerns and global climate change. This is what he has to say:

It's time for a revolution.

We have been hearing about this country's energy crisis for years, yet our dependence on foreign oil has deepened, our fuel efficiency standards have stagnated, and our greenhouse gas emissions have multiplied exponentially. The time for incremental change and conventional thinking is long gone.
Today I'm calling for a New American Revolution - an energy and climate revolution.

There are five crucial elements to my plan:

Cut oil demand: 50% by 2020. Increasing the gas mileage of the average car to more than 50 mpg is just one way to help achieve this goal.

Change to Renewable Sources for Electricity: 50% by 2040. We could save customers $21 billion a year by 2020 by changing to alternative energy sources.

Dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions: 90% by 2050. We must set strict limits on emissions. We'll do it by instituting a market-based cap and trade system.

Restore America as the world's leader. We must return to the international negotiating table and support mandatory Kyoto-style limits on global warming pollution.

Get it all done without breaking the bank. By reducing oil imports and raising revenue from carbon permits, we will create more than 10 times more economic value than we spend to make this program happen.

The plan I'm proposing will inevitably draw questions. As when President Kennedy challenged this country to put a man on the moon, people will say it can't be done. But I believe that we are facing a global crisis where there can be no such thing as "can't be done."

My plan is more aggressive than any other candidate's. And I am the only candidate with the experience and record of accomplishment up for this challenge.

As Secretary of Energy, I pushed for a national renewable energy portfolio standard and the development of new vehicle technology. As Governor, I made New Mexico the Clean Energy State by supporting alternative energy tax incentives and setting aggressive targets to reduce global warming emissions.
As President, I will make this a Clean Energy Nation.

For too long, our leaders in Washington have denied and ignored the issue of global climate change. Now, it's up to us. The only way to reject the conventional wisdom that "it can't be done" is to build a movement that will not be denied. That movement can start with you.

Thank you for your commitment to a clean energy future,

Bill Richardson