Transcript Code Black: A Campaign to Move from Coal to Renewables

Code Black
A Campaign to Move from Coal to
Renewables
The Iowa PSR Experience
Maureen McCue MD PhD
Global Health Studies
Center for Human Rights
University of Iowa International Programs
Medical Officer Johnson County Board of Health
Coordinator Iowa Physicians for Social Responsibility
[email protected]
Context: What is/Why all the concern re.
Coal and Global Warming?
• GW -- Not Just an Environmental Issue…
• GW is an economic issue, a human
rights issue, a lifestyle issue, and a
health issue.
• Global Warming is about race, class and
democratic participation. It's about
globalization, global democracy….about
national security, and global security. It
will affect all of us; some of us more or
faster than others!
Context: Motivating Urgency!
“Exceeding climate scientists' worst
fears, a new global study shows that
greenhouse gas emissions are
continuing to rise at dangerous, lifethreatening levels.” *
The 3% increase in climate-destabilizing CO2
emissions for the period of 2006-07 exceeds
the most dire worst-case projections by the
IPCC in 2007!
* From AP Sept 28, 2008
Associated motivating phenomena of concern to the rural Midwest….
Changing Weather = Changing
Agriculture, Foods & Economies
Food Crops, fish, & life supporting bio-systems are sensitive
to drought, floods, temperature, & changing pests
• Almost 1 billion already face chronic hunger around globe
• Floods, Droughts Heat Waves → ↑frequent & more costly
• Drought brings ↑ fires, loss of crop land, changing pests,
stresses H2O quality, availability—as does flooding!
• Most devastating effects will
occur in poor countries/communities (IA, WI) that can’t
afford seed stocks developed
for changes in temperature
for staple crops like wheat,
rice or corn.
Reminder: Carbon Emissions
2000
We have a moral/ethical responsibility to address the threats which historically
& currently we have disproportionately and adversely affected
U.S. Contributions/Responsibility
• Emissions in the United States rose nearly
2% in 2007 alone when the U.S. produced
1.75 billion tons of carbon.
• The new data also shows the average
U.S. consumer generates more carbon
dioxide pollution by far than anyone
else in the world!
CO2 Emissions in tons of carbon
equivalent / capita.
We are < 5% of the world’s population, but are responsible for nearly 25% of
the world’s GHG emissions, i.e. almost 5 times more than our “fair share”
Greenhouse Gas Emissions By Type
Nitrous Oxide
(5.1%)
Methane
(8.6%)
HFCs, PFCs, SF6 (2.2%)
Carbon
Dioxide
(84.1%)
Note: Global Warming
Potential*
Methane = 25
NO = 298
*The ability of a GHG to
trap heat in the
atmosphere relative to an
equal amount of CO2
Source: Energy Information Administration. Emissions of Greenhouse Gases in the United States 2005.
Coal generates roughly half the energy
& electricity used in the U.S. for:
• Energy Utilities—Residential, Municipal,
Rural Coops
• Ethanol and Agricultural Processing Plants
• Industrial Energy Sources
• Universities, Colleges, & other Large
Business operations
Coal/Cars: Global Warming
Comparisons
The 790MW Council Bluffs plant that went on
line in 2007 and a single 650MW coal-fired
power plant together add greenhouse gas
& air pollution emissions equivalent to well
over a million cars on our roads!
Significant scientific evidence exists regarding
the role of coal in climate change. The data
supports retiring coal as a necessity to
support and achieve GHG emissions
reduction efforts. BAU predicts ↑4° C by
century’s end. Small changes in
temperature bring big changes in the
ecosystem.
Code Black:
• Coal is “carbon-heavy”: It releases
more carbon per unit of energy
generated than do other fuels.
Coal-fired power plants are the
single most important source of
CO2 emissions in the U.S.
• Through Code Black, PSR’s
national office and its chapters
work to stop new coal plants and
retire older plants by sharing
medical information about coal’s
impact on human health & global
warming.
COAL Threatens LIFE!
• Coal is the largest source of greenhouse gas
emissions in the country, the largest—fastestgrowing source of greenhouse gas emissions on
the planet!
• The largest source of mercury
poisoning in the country
• One of the largest sources of air
& water pollution on the planet
• Each molecule of CO2 is likely to
remain in the atmosphere > 100 yrs
Multipart Complex Picture
Burning Coal Involves:
Health/environmental threats at each step of its
life cycle:
• Mining: Underground, Strip, & Mountaintop
Removal
• Washing – toxic coal slurries
• Transit from distant origins
• Combustion & use of for production of biofuels
(Ex: ethanol plants that burn coal produce twice as much GHGs/gal of fuel
manufactured as those that burn natural gas)
• Waste disposal or storage
Burning Coal Threatens Health
in Iowa & the world throughout the coal
life cycle—from mining to ash
Mountaintop removal has damaged or
destroyed nearly 2,000 miles of streams in
America’s oldest mountain range
And When it’s Done!
12/08 Fifteen homes one in Harriman, Tenn., were flooded
with fly ash sludge on Monday after a storage pond wall
broke; 5.4 million cubic yards of wet coal ash spewed over
homes, farmland and rivers
Burning coal releases a multitude of
other toxins into the environment in
addition to CO2
Tens of tons of Nitrogen Oxides, Sulfur Dioxides,
Small Particulates—a.k.a. PM2.5, Volatile Organic
Compounds are released contributing to development
of Ozone/Smog and…,
over 67 other toxic Chemicals** in thousands of
pounds/year/plant, including (but not limited to):
Antimony compounds
Chromium compounds
Manganese compounds
Vanadium compounds
Hydrofluoric acid
Selenium
Arsenic compounds
Copper compounds
Mercury compounds
Zinc compounds
Sulfuric acid
Other hydrocarbons
Barium compounds
Lead compounds
Nickel compounds
Hydrochloric acid
Ammonia
+ Cadmium, Thallium, etc.
**which can cause cancer and neurological problems
About PM2.5: Found in smoke & haze
The greatest threats to health come from particles under
2.5 µm in diameter (PM 2.5). These are just one-twentieth
the width of a human hair – they can penetrate deeply into
the lungs to trigger:
• Irritation of the airways, coughing, and difficulty breathing
• Reduced lung function
• Aggravated asthma
• Chronic bronchitis
• Irregular heartbeat
• Nonfatal heart attacks
• Some cancers
COAL— Threatens Health
An Energy Source that Contributes to:
•
•
•
•
•
•
•
Eye, Nose, Throat, Respiratory Irritation
Asthma, Respiratory Diseases, Cancer
Exacerbations Heart disease, Stroke Risk
Cognitive behavioral disorders, Autism
Missed School- Work Days
Increased Health Care Costs
Premature Death
COAL: Threatens Health
The American Lung Association estimates
24,000 Americans die prematurely/year
from coal-fired power plants pollution.
Additionally, the ALA estimates power plant
pollution causes > 550,000 asthma
attacks, 38,000 heart attacks & 12,000
hospital admissions annually.
Climate Change: Compounds
Public Health Challenges of Coal
• Temperature Extremes → Excess Death
• Worsening Air Quality→ Respiratory Dx
• Mosquitoes & other Vector Borne
Diseases (ex: West Nile Virus, many
others)
• Extreme Storms/Floods→ Injuries, Crop
Losses, Job losses, increased food prices,
food insecurity, hunger & violence!
• Mental Health → Anxiety, Depression
Coal/Climate Change’s
Most Vulnerable Populations
• Children Pediatr Clin N Am 2007
• Women
• Elders
• Disabled
Chronic Medical Conditions
• Chronically Mentally Ill
Counter Lies & Distortions-There is NO Such Thing As Clean Coal!
• Unless, if/until we are able to capture the CO2
from the burning of coal, our use of it will continue
to drive up global warming emissions.
• Given the weight of scientific & public health
evidence, … moving ahead with plans to expand
the sources of high carbon based fossil fuels
(whether coal, off-shore oil drilling, processing
oil shale, or tar sands) or BAU, = moving ahead
to public health, environmental & economic,
disasters!
Caution: Predicting Health Outcomes
--inexact at best!
Relationships, cause & effects in the chain from coal or
climate change to changing health determinants &
health outcomes is complex.
Precise Health impacts of coal or future climate
related events will be determined concurrently by
interactions of numerous non-climatic factors:
↑↑ or shifting populations Availability of health care
Resource depletion
Environmental degradation
Poverty/wealth
Education/powerlessness
Adaptation of measures to alleviate their impacts
How Bad? Acting in Uncertainty
Is Climate
TAKE ACTION
Change Threat
YES
Real??
Possibly…
False
Possibly…
True
Risk Costs $$
Economic
Depression?
Cost $$
(but well
spent)
☺
TAKE ACTION
NO
Continued
Prosperity☺
Catastrophe
[Global Environmental
Economic, Political,
Social, Public Health]
Worst Case
Scenario!
Politics & Partnerships
Maintaining reliance on coal fired power plants greatly
hamstrings the battle against global warming, & sends
a negative signal about how serious we are about
tackling the climate threat or protecting health.
Join other activists/students in law, policy, medicine,
nursing, public health -- speak out, prod, urge
businesses & elected officials: change our energy
systems and RETIRE COAL PLANTS !
Remember such changes have tremendous benefits
for the environment, economy and our health.
Real Homeland Security
Disaster Prevention/Planning
Our Real Security Need: Pre-emptive public health!
• Public Health Surveillance, Monitoring, Prediction,
Warning, & Response Plans
Ex: Municipal Heat Wave Response Plans
• Strengthen Community Resilience through Adaptation
Focused Development and Improved infrastructure
• Promote Inclusive Global Adaptations- Agriculture, Building
Codes, Urban planning, Household preparedness must all be adapted to
provide protection from storms, flooding, possible heat waves.
•
We have the money, can we create the political will?
There is Survival After Coal
Economic growth, sustainable development is
not only possible while also reducing GHG
emissions—but it very well could flourish!
New Technology solutions based on sound
science are critical & can be developed;
continued research & demonstration studies
should be supported….
But first, Let’s focus on what’s already proven!
Energy Efficiency
“There’s no cheaper, cleaner power
than power you don’t have to produce.”
- Gary Zarker, Seattle City Light
Energy Conservation
Clean Renewable Energy
WIND
SOLAR
GEOTHERMAL
WAVES
and
TIDES
Clean Energy Could Create 850,000 New Jobs
Partners in I-PSR Coal Work
• **Universities: Students & Colleagues
– Global health, engineering, human rights, public health
• Concerned local citizens, health professionals
(especially in impacted areas)
• Environmental Justice Law Firm: Plains Justice
• Local Boards of Health
• Local Elected Officials - City & County
• Iowa Public Health Association, NACCHO
• Sierra Club, NRDC, Environmental Defense,
UCS, Worldwatch—especially reports & studies
Highlights/Events
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Letter to Governor by local BOH- oppose new plants
Letter to all 99 BOH – oppose new plants
Meetings with regional BOHs; Medical Society
4th of July Parades x3 with Climate/Coal Messages “Cool
It” Fans, “Don’t be a Sucker!”
Development of Ad, Brochures, Shirts, etc.
Testimony Iowa Utilities Board
Conferences: International Climate Change/ Local
Powerlines
Presentations to Med Staff, Church Groups, Classes
Most Recent: Participate in 350 Day – sponsor letters,
essays, help other groups promote efforts
We have time for
questions/comments –
especially re. the Iowa
campaign. Does anyone
have questions?
Additional information to
share?
For more info: http://www.psr.org/environment-and-health/code-black/
Finally: Don’t Forget
Act Locally, but Think Globally:
Global efforts are needed -- requiring
international cooperation and support.
GHG reduction efforts need not be targeted
at just one industry alone, but need to
include consideration of other sectors:
(Agriculture, Transportation, Housing,
Industry, Hospitals etc)
There’s a lot of work yet to be done!
Related to your Political Activism:
Personal Energy Choices, Behaviors
-Eat lower on the food chain!
-Choose high efficiency vehicles and
appliances - drive earth smart
-Leave your car at home-walk, bike, bus
-Turn off, unplug unused electrical devices
-Buy less, share more, always consider hidden costs!
-Calculate your Carbon footprint--Join Local Efforts to
go Green; find local resources to help, support and
motivate you!
-Get engaged with the political process—work for a
clean energy and a sustainable future!
-Support Clean Sustainable Overseas Development