Transcript Climate Change and the Case for Northwest Leadership

Climate Change and the
Case for Northwest
Leadership
2008 PERFORMANCE
TRACK STATE CONF.
010.29.08
Ross Macfarlane
Senior Advisor, Business
Partnerships
“We are addicted to oil”
Symptoms:
Economic hemorrhaging: Over $50 million a
day in Washington alone
Fever: 5-8 degrees F. increase likely this
century in PNW
“We are addicted to oil”
Symptoms:
Economic hemorrhaging: Over $50 million a
day in Washington
Fever: 5-8 degrees F. increase likely
Acute national insecurity: “Right now
we're borrowing money from China to
buy oil from the Middle East to burn
oil that's destroying our environment.
Every part of that has got to change.”
Treatments for fossil fuel
addiction

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Gas tax holiday: Make the drugs
cheaper
Expand exploration and production –
“drill, baby, drill”: Increase the supply
of drugs
• Quit: Steadily reduce
dependence…..
….by building a clean
energy economy….
Not a New Concern…
Approaching the Tipping Point:
Clean energy transition drivers
 Energy independence and security
 Economics/Technology
 Fossil fuel prices high, volatile
 Peak oil?
 Clean energy coming of age
 Climate disruption:
Environmental necessity drives
economic opportunity
“The Stone Age didn’t end
because they ran out of stones”
Climate and National Security
"If you're thinking
about this as an
environmental issue
first and foremost,
you're missing the
point. -- Frank Gaffney, Center
for Security Policy
Energy insecurity
and climate stresses
likely to pose
biggest national
security threats for
this century

“Global” warming is a local, state,
regional issue
Causes
Impacts
Populations:
•Washington=6.1 million
•Iraq=24.7 million
“Global” warming is a local, state,
regional issue
Solutions
To Solve a Problem, It helps to
know the causes
Gross GHG Emissions by
Sector
No single solution…
Stabilization Wedges: Solving the climate problem for
the next 50 years with current technologies
“wedges”
Historical
emissions
Flat path
Stabilization
0
1955
2005
R. Socolow and S. Pacala Princeton University
2055
2105
Climate Policy – Federal,
State and Regional Efforts

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Local, State and Regional efforts have
lead the way in the absence of federal
leadership
Federal – Game finally on, but awaiting
new administration
Response at scale will require
coordinated action at all levels
Taking the Kyoto Pledge:
From 1 City to More than 880
Washington’s Response to
Climate Change
• Required all new fossil fuel power
plants to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions
(RCW 80.70)
• Adopted the California Car
Standards (ON HOLD DUE TO
EPA FAILURE TO PROVIDE
WAIVER)
• Reduces CO2 emissions in
newer cars and light trucks by
more than 30% and in SUVs
by 25%
• Adopted renewable fuels
standards for transportation by
requiring 2% of fuel sold is
biodiesel or ethanol
• Instituted high-performance green
building standards
Washington’s Response
•
Passed a renewable and energy
Cont’d
efficiency Initiative 937Energy Independence Act
•
Reduced energy use by state
agencies through EO 05-01
•
Adopted appliance efficiency
standards
•
Have one of the most energyefficient building codes in the
nation
Washington Climate Action
Critical Importance of
Energy Productivity as a
Climate Solution
Efficiency
Why Efficiency is Wedge
#1… and 2 and 3
1. Get the tons
2. Overwhelmingly positive economics,
with negligible environmental impact
3. We can all do it and we can all benefit
“Conservation may be a sign of personal virtue
but it is not a sufficient basis for a sound,
comprehensive energy policy." Vice President
Dick Cheney, 2001
Can We Afford a Livable Planet?
Solutions are affordable; the problem isn’t

Stern report:
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
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Cost of action: 1% of GDP
Cost of inaction: 20% of GDP
EPA draft -- $2 trillion economic benefit
from reductions
Studies consistently underestimate
effect of innovation and waste
avoidance in reducing costs
Solutions are affordable – 2007 McKinsey Report
Source: McKinsey
“What we have before us
are some breathtaking
opportunities disguised
as insoluble problems.”
John W. Gardner
Carbon-Free Prosperity 2025
Published By:
and
Download the report at:
www.cleanedge.com
or
www.climatesolutions.org
The Big 5 Opportunities
1. Solar PV Manufacturing
2. Green Building Design Services
3. Wind Power Development
4. Sustainable Bioenergy
5. Smart Grid Technologies
These industries have the potential to create more than
63,000 direct new jobs in the Pacific Northwest by 2025
Scale and hope:
Small steps help us engage, and we need to
be part of something big
Change a bulb.
Change the world.
What can you do now?
1. Get it: Be aware and engaged
2. Do it: Be the solution


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Clean, efficient energy
Transportation choices
Seattle CAN, Climate
Partnership
3. Change


it: Citizenship
Business Leaders for Climate Protection
Climate Action and Green Jobs
2 Final thoughts……
Climate Change and the
Case for Northwest
Leadership
2008 PERFORMANCE
TRACK STATE CONF.
010.29.08
Ross Macfarlane
Senior Advisor, Business
Partnerships