By Lucía Oliva Hennelly

(This post originally appeared on EDF Voices. Para leer in Espanol haga clic aquí)

In 2012 Latinos made up 1 in 10 voters and helped decide the Presidential election with record-setting voter margins. Last month in California, the most populous state in the nation, the Hispanic population surpassed that of non-Hispanic whites. The only other state to reach this benchmark is New Mexico, where the Latino population is almost 10% larger than that of non-Hispanic whites.

As the Latino population continues to grow across the country, so does its influence in key political arenas. In battleground states like Florida, Colorado, and Nevada, Latinos accounted for 17, 14, and 18 percent of voters in 2012, respectively, an increase from previous elections. The trend has reignited a lively discussion about the influence of the American Latino community, the “sleeping giant” of American politics.

There’s also a lesser-known political trend that is emerging among the country’s youngest and fastest-growing demographic: the demand among Latinos for action to address climate change. In a new national poll released last month by the Natural Resources Defense Council and Latino Decisions:

• 9 out of 10 Latino voters “want the government to take action against the dangers of global warming and climate change”
• 8 in 10 Latinos want the President to curb the carbon pollution that causes climate change
• 86% of Latinos support limits on carbon pollution from power plants

How is this demographic shift significant to environmental advocacy?

The implications of this demographic moving so clearly in favor of pro-environmental policies is significant. For one, environmental policy issues are likely to fast become determining issues for Latino voters on both sides of the aisle. According to Latino Decisions, a leader in Latino political opinion research, the only other policy issue that has received such high levels of support is immigration reform, an issue in the lead among the most significant deciding issues for Latino voters across the political spectrum.

This demographic shift is also significant as the impacts of climate change become more severe. In recent months, key electoral states with large Latino populations have felt the devastating effects of climate change, from the unprecedented flooding in Colorado to California’s historic drought. With 50,000 Latinos turning 18 every month, a solid stance on environmental policy may fast become a make or break issue for elected officials in these states and at the national level.

Combined, these trends paint a clear picture, one of a Latino population that disproportionately supports action on climate change and that is increasingly influential in key political states.

Environmentalists, take note: this is a major opportunityfor the environmental movement to move forward policy that has stalled in the past. Equally as urgent, it is a tremendous opportunity to elevate the voices of Latinos, among other communities of color, disproportionately affected by environmental issues. A few examples:

• It’s a chance to build support for green jobs initiatives, many of which will be undertaken by Latinos and Latinas
• It’s a call to arms to better address the environmental health impacts that disproportionately affect Latino communities

Perhaps most important, it’s an open door to create more space for diversity in a movement that needs broader support to succeed, and one that will be more effective by better engaging underrepresented communities. How well we do this will be a measure of how quickly and how equitably we hope to meaningfully address climate change, the defining issue of our time.

As we have highlighted before, Texas is experiencing significant population growth, adding around 1,000 people a week to the state, which increases the need for both water and electricity. The US Energy Information Administration estimates that electricity demand in this region will increase by more than 30% by 2035, yet, like many states in water-strained […]

By Kate Zerrenner

Source: Chenected

As we have highlighted before, Texas is experiencing significant population growth, adding around 1,000 people a week to the state, which increases the need for both water and electricity. The US Energy Information Administration estimates that electricity demand in this region will increase by more than 30% by 2035, yet, like many states in water-strained areas, it is not taking full advantage of new policies to address the energy-water nexus, such as increased use of solar PV, wind and energy efficiency. 

The energy-water nexus is gaining traction with diverse stakeholders around the world and it is becoming increasingly clear that we cannot plan for our planet’s future if we do not consider energy and water together.

Most recently, the United Nations celebrated World Water Day, launching a yearlong effort to highlight the global energy-water nexus, the chosen theme for 2014. In honor of World Water Day, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its annual World Energy Outlook report, the first analysis of its kind to look at the impacts of water scarcity on the global energy sector. This signals a big step in the global understanding of the importance of the energy-water nexus, and reveals important insights on how regions, nations, and industries must cope with less water in a changing climate.

The global energy-water nexus challenge

The IEA focuses on energy, so it makes sense for them to look at the inextricable link between water and power generation, as water will continue to present a challenge to energy management throughout all regions of the world. In its analysis, IEA looked at several different scenarios for power generation out to 2035, including a New Policies Scenario. This scenario takes into account the commitments and plans various countries have stated regarding their energy use, including policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation.

Naturally, the biggest water users for energy production are also the world’s largest electricity generators: the United States, the European Union, China, and India. All four regions/countries have power plants to meet their populations’ energy demands, but water plays a big role in ensuring those countries can continue providing enough electricity. For instance, IEA notes that a delayed monsoon season in 2012 led to blackouts in India that lasted two days and impacted more than 600 million people, and a 2011 drought in China reduced hydropower generation, leading to increased demand for coal, which forced electricity rationing and worsened air quality.

Looking at the US in particular, we have an interesting challenge: the general water situation in the country is not dire (yet), but it is severely constrained in the western half of the country. Yet the energy-water nexus crisis is not just relegated to the water-stressed West. During the2008 Southeastern drought as well as the 2012 drought that pummeled the Midwest, we saw shutdowns and near shutdowns of nuclear power plants in states like Alabama, North Carolina, and Illinois. Additionally, the Southeast, California, and the Pacific Northwest (like many regions in the world) are struggling to provide hydropower in the midst of droughts. And let’s not forget the ongoing fight of the Tri-State Water Wars between Alabama, Georgia, and Florida over distribution of increasingly scarce water for many uses, including power.

All of this adds up to a very uncertain future for the conventional use of water in global energy production. And yet for international entities like the UN and the IEA considering the full-spectrum of global resource challenges and opportunities, the energy-water nexus is just the tip of the iceberg.

The missing link in the energy-water nexus

Energy and water are fundamentally intertwined, but the linkages of these two vital resources also greatly impact the food sector.  More and more we hear about the energy-water-food nexus and how we are going to manage growing populations and the demands on all three resources. Plus, when we take into account the global impacts from climate change, we’re looking at some big challenges – but also some incredible opportunities.

We need a systematic approach to solve the interconnected issues that link energy, water, food, and climate change. Earlier this month, 300 delegates from 33 countries convened in Chapel Hill, North Carolina to talk about how these four issues intersect, and submitted a declaration to the Secretary General of the United Nations to figure out how to meet sustainable development goals. The basic premise of all the findings and recommendations centered around the fact that Earth and the communities that live upon it are part of a system. By approaching these massive problems from an integrated standpoint, we begin to solve problems in a more systematic way, uncovering efficiencies that cross sectors—like lowering the water intensity of our power choices and improving crop irrigation through smart electricity meters.

The solutions exist. We just have to put our heads together to find them. And as more stakeholders from different sectors and parts of the world understand this, we will begin to tackle this challenge together.

This commentary originally appeared on our Energy Exchange blog. 

By Kate Zerrenner

Source: Chenected

As we have highlighted before, Texas is experiencing significant population growth, adding around 1,000 people a week to the state, which increases the need for both water and electricity. The US Energy Information Administration estimates that electricity demand in this region will increase by more than 30% by 2035, yet, like many states in water-strained areas, it is not taking full advantage of new policies to address the energy-water nexus, such as increased use of solar PV, wind and energy efficiency. 

The energy-water nexus is gaining traction with diverse stakeholders around the world and it is becoming increasingly clear that we cannot plan for our planet’s future if we do not consider energy and water together.

Most recently, the United Nations celebrated World Water Day, launching a yearlong effort to highlight the global energy-water nexus, the chosen theme for 2014. In honor of World Water Day, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its annual World Energy Outlook report, the first analysis of its kind to look at the impacts of water scarcity on the global energy sector. This signals a big step in the global understanding of the importance of the energy-water nexus, and reveals important insights on how regions, nations, and industries must cope with less water in a changing climate.

The global energy-water nexus challenge

The IEA focuses on energy, so it makes sense for them to look at the inextricable link between water and power generation, as water will continue to present a challenge to energy management throughout all regions of the world. In its analysis, IEA looked at several different scenarios for power generation out to 2035, including a New Policies Scenario. This scenario takes into account the commitments and plans various countries have stated regarding their energy use, including policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation.

Naturally, the biggest water users for energy production are also the world’s largest electricity generators: the United States, the European Union, China, and India. All four regions/countries have power plants to meet their populations’ energy demands, but water plays a big role in ensuring those countries can continue providing enough electricity. For instance, IEA notes that a delayed monsoon season in 2012 led to blackouts in India that lasted two days and impacted more than 600 million people, and a 2011 drought in China reduced hydropower generation, leading to increased demand for coal, which forced electricity rationing and worsened air quality.

Looking at the US in particular, we have an interesting challenge: the general water situation in the country is not dire (yet), but it is severely constrained in the western half of the country. Yet the energy-water nexus crisis is not just relegated to the water-stressed West. During the2008 Southeastern drought as well as the 2012 drought that pummeled the Midwest, we saw shutdowns and near shutdowns of nuclear power plants in states like Alabama, North Carolina, and Illinois. Additionally, the Southeast, California, and the Pacific Northwest (like many regions in the world) are struggling to provide hydropower in the midst of droughts. And let’s not forget the ongoing fight of the Tri-State Water Wars between Alabama, Georgia, and Florida over distribution of increasingly scarce water for many uses, including power.

All of this adds up to a very uncertain future for the conventional use of water in global energy production. And yet for international entities like the UN and the IEA considering the full-spectrum of global resource challenges and opportunities, the energy-water nexus is just the tip of the iceberg.

The missing link in the energy-water nexus

Energy and water are fundamentally intertwined, but the linkages of these two vital resources also greatly impact the food sector.  More and more we hear about the energy-water-food nexus and how we are going to manage growing populations and the demands on all three resources. Plus, when we take into account the global impacts from climate change, we’re looking at some big challenges – but also some incredible opportunities.

We need a systematic approach to solve the interconnected issues that link energy, water, food, and climate change. Earlier this month, 300 delegates from 33 countries convened in Chapel Hill, North Carolina to talk about how these four issues intersect, and submitted a declaration to the Secretary General of the United Nations to figure out how to meet sustainable development goals. The basic premise of all the findings and recommendations centered around the fact that Earth and the communities that live upon it are part of a system. By approaching these massive problems from an integrated standpoint, we begin to solve problems in a more systematic way, uncovering efficiencies that cross sectors—like lowering the water intensity of our power choices and improving crop irrigation through smart electricity meters.

The solutions exist. We just have to put our heads together to find them. And as more stakeholders from different sectors and parts of the world understand this, we will begin to tackle this challenge together.

This commentary originally appeared on our Energy Exchange blog. 

By Lucía Oliva Hennelly

To read this post in English, click here.

En el 2012, los latinos fueron 1 de cada 10 votantes y ayudaron a decidir las elecciones presidenciales, estableciendo un margen récord de votantes.  El mes pasado en California, el estado más populoso de Estados Unidos, la población hispana sobrepasó la de blancos no hispanos.   El único otro estado a llegar a este punto es Nuevo México, cuya población hispana-latina es casi un diez por ciento mayor que la de blancos no hispanos.

Así como la población latina continúa a crecer en todo el país, así crece su influencia en áreas de política claves.  En aquellos estados que son campos de batalla de las elecciones, como Florida, Colorado y Nevada, los latinos representaron el 17, 14 y 18 por ciento de votantes en el 2012, respectivamente, lo que refleja un aumento con relación a elecciones anteriores.  La tendencia ha reavivado una animada discusión sobre la influencia de la comunidad latina estadounidense, el “gigante dormido” en la política del país.

También hay una tendencia política menos reconocida que está surgiendo entre los grupos más jóvenes y de más rápido crecimiento: la demanda entre latinos para actuar con el fin de hacerle frente al cambio climático.  Según una nueva encuesta nacional publicada el mes pasado por Natural Resources Defense Council y Latino Decisions:

• 9 de cada 10 votantes latinos “quieren que el gobierno actúe en contra de los peligros del calentamiento global y el cambio climático”
• 8 de cada 10 latinos quieren que el presidente frene la contaminación de carbono que causa el cambio climático
• 86% de latinos apoyan limites en contaminación del carbono de centrales eléctricas

El cambio demográfico ¿cómo es significativo para la defensa del medioambiente?

Las consecuencias de que estos grupos se manifiesten tan claramente a favor de las políticas pro-ambientales son significativas.  Para empezar, los temas relacionados con las políticas medio-ambientales probablemente se volverán temas decisivos para los votantes latinos, tanto republicanos como demócratas. De acuerdo con Latino Decisions, un líder en la investigación de las opiniones políticas de los latinos, sólo hay otro tema que ha recibido niveles tan altos de apoyo: la reforma migratoria, el cual ocupa el primer lugar entre los temas más significativos para los votantes latinos a través de la gama política.

Este cambio demográfico también es significativo ya que los impactos del cambio climático se vuelven cada vez más serios.  En los últimos meses, estados políticos claves con grandes poblaciones latinas han sentido los efectos devastadores del cambio climático, desde las inundaciones sin precedentes en Colorado hasta la sequía histórica en California.  Con 50.000 latinos que cumplen los 18 años cada mes, una postura sólida sobre la política medio-ambiental podrá rápidamente convertirse en la clave del fracaso o éxito de funcionarios electos en estos estados y a nivel nacional.

Photo credit: Rob Boudon cc

Juntas, estas tendencias pintan un cuadro claro, el de una población latina que desmesuradamente apoya la acción positiva por el cambio climático y que es cada vez más influyente en estados políticos claves.

Ambientalistas, pongan atención: ésta es una gran oportunidad para que el movimiento medio-ambiental avance políticas que se han estancado anteriormente.  Igualmente urgente, es una gran oportunidad para alzar las voces de los latinos, entreotras comunidades de color, que son desproporcionadamente afectadas por los problemas del medio ambiente.  Por ejemplo:

-          Es una oportunidad para conseguir apoyo para iniciativas de empleos verdes, muchas de las cuales serán emprendidas por latinos y latinas

Es un llamado para abordar los impactos que el medio ambiente tiene en la salud y que de manera desmesurada afectan a las comunidades latinas

Quizás lo más importante es que ésta es una puerta abierta para crear un mayor espacio para la diversidad en un movimiento que necesita apoyo más amplio para poder alcanzar el éxito y que puede ser más eficaz si logra captar la participación de comunidades que hasta el momento no están bien representadas.  La forma en que esto se haga será una medida de que tan rápido y equitativamente esperamos abordar de manera significativa el cambio climático, la cuestión que define nuestros tiempos.

By Lucía Oliva Hennelly

Para leer in Espanol haga clic aquí

In 2012 Latinos made up 1 in 10 voters and helped decide the Presidential election with record-setting voter margins. Last month in California, the most populous state in the nation, the Hispanic population surpassed that of non-Hispanic whites. The only other state to reach this benchmark is New Mexico, where the Latino population is almost 10% larger than that of non-Hispanic whites.

As the Latino population continues to grow across the country, so does its influence in key political arenas. In battleground states like Florida, Colorado, and Nevada, Latinos accounted for 17, 14, and 18 percent of voters in 2012, respectively, an increase from previous elections. The trend has reignited a lively discussion about the influence of the American Latino community, the “sleeping giant” of American politics.

There’s also a lesser-known political trend that is emerging among the country’s youngest and fastest-growing demographic: the demand among Latinos for action to address climate change. In a new national poll released last month by the Natural Resources Defense Council and Latino Decisions:

• 9 out of 10 Latino voters “want the government to take action against the dangers of global warming and climate change”
• 8 in 10 Latinos want the President to curb the carbon pollution that causes climate change
• 86% of Latinos support limits on carbon pollution from power plants

How is this demographic shift significant to environmental advocacy?

The implications of this demographic moving so clearly in favor of pro-environmental policies is significant. For one, environmental policy issues are likely to fast become determining issues for Latino voters on both sides of the aisle. According to Latino Decisions, a leader in Latino political opinion research, the only other policy issue that has received such high levels of support is immigration reform, an issue in the lead among the most significant deciding issues for Latino voters across the political spectrum.

photo credit: Rob Boudon cc

This demographic shift is also significant as the impacts of climate change become more severe. In recent months, key electoral states with large Latino populations have felt the devastating effects of climate change, from the unprecedented flooding in Colorado to California’s historic drought. With 50,000 Latinos turning 18 every month, a solid stance on environmental policy may fast become a make or break issue for elected officials in these states and at the national level.

Combined, these trends paint a clear picture, one of a Latino population that disproportionately supports action on climate change and that is increasingly influential in key political states.

Environmentalists, take note: this is a major opportunity for the environmental movement to move forward policy that has stalled in the past. Equally as urgent, it is a tremendous opportunity to elevate the voices of Latinos, among other communities of color, disproportionately affected by environmental issues. A few examples:

• It’s a chance to build support for green jobs initiatives, many of which will be undertaken by Latinos and Latinas
• It’s a call to arms to better address the environmental health impacts that disproportionately affect Latino communities

Perhaps most important, it’s an open door to create more space for diversity in a movement that needs broader support to succeed, and one that will be more effective by better engaging underrepresented communities. How well we do this will be a measure of how quickly and how equitably we hope to meaningfully address climate change, the defining issue of our time.

This post originally appeared on EDF Voices

By Kate Zerrenner

Source: Chenected

The energy-water nexus is gaining traction with diverse stakeholders around the world and it is becoming increasingly clear that we cannot plan for our planet’s future if we do not consider energy and water together.

Most recently, the United Nations celebrated World Water Day, launching a yearlong effort to highlight the global energy-water nexus, the chosen theme for 2014. In honor of World Water Day, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its annual World Energy Outlook report, the first analysis of its kind to look at the impacts of water scarcity on the global energy sector. This signals a big step in the global understanding of the importance of the energy-water nexus, and reveals important insights on how regions, nations, and industries must cope with less water in a changing climate.

The global energy-water nexus challenge

The IEA focuses on energy, so it makes sense for them to look at the inextricable link between water and power generation, as water will continue to present a challenge to energy management throughout all regions of the world. In its analysis, IEA looked at several different scenarios for power generation out to 2035, including a New Policies Scenario. This scenario takes into account the commitments and plans various countries have stated regarding their energy use, including policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation.

Naturally, the biggest water users for energy production are also the world’s largest electricity generators: the United States, the European Union, China, and India. All four regions/countries have power plants to meet their populations’ energy demands, but water plays a big role in ensuring those countries can continue providing enough electricity. For instance, IEA notes that a delayed monsoon season in 2012 led to blackouts in India that lasted two days and impacted more than 600 million people, and a 2011 drought in China reduced hydropower generation, leading to increased demand for coal, which forced electricity rationing and worsened air quality.

Looking at the US in particular, we have an interesting challenge: the general water situation in the country is not dire (yet), but it is severely constrained in the western half of the country. Yet the energy-water nexus crisis is not just relegated to the water-stressed West. During the2008 Southeastern drought as well as the 2012 drought that pummeled the Midwest, we saw shutdowns and near shutdowns of nuclear power plants in states like Alabama, North Carolina, and Illinois. Additionally, the Southeast, California, and the Pacific Northwest (like many regions in the world) are struggling to provide hydropower in the midst of droughts. And let’s not forget the ongoing fight of the Tri-State Water Wars between Alabama, Georgia, and Florida over distribution of increasingly scarce water for many uses, including power.

All of this adds up to a very uncertain future for the conventional use of water in global energy production. And yet for international entities like the UN and the IEA considering the full-spectrum of global resource challenges and opportunities, the energy-water nexus is just the tip of the iceberg.

The missing link in the energy-water nexus

Energy and water are fundamentally intertwined, but the linkages of these two vital resources also greatly impact the food sector.  More and more we hear about the energy-water-food nexus and how we are going to manage growing populations and the demands on all three resources. Plus, when we take into account the global impacts from climate change, we’re looking at some big challenges – but also some incredible opportunities.

We need a systematic approach to solve the interconnected issues that link energy, water, food, and climate change. Earlier this month, 300 delegates from 33 countries convened in Chapel Hill, North Carolina to talk about how these four issues intersect, and submitted a declaration to the Secretary General of the United Nations to figure out how to meet sustainable development goals. The basic premise of all the findings and recommendations centered around the fact that Earth and the communities that live upon it are part of a system. By approaching these massive problems from an integrated standpoint, we begin to solve problems in a more systematic way, uncovering efficiencies that cross sectors—like lowering the water intensity of our power choices and improving crop irrigation through smart electricity meters.

The solutions exist. We just have to put our heads together to find them. And as more stakeholders from different sectors and parts of the world understand this, we will begin to tackle this challenge together.

By Kate Zerrenner

Source: Chenected

The energy-water nexus is gaining traction with diverse stakeholders around the world and it is becoming increasingly clear that we cannot plan for our planet’s future if we do not consider energy and water together.

Most recently, the United Nations celebrated World Water Day, launching a yearlong effort to highlight the global energy-water nexus, the chosen theme for 2014. In honor of World Water Day, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its annual World Energy Outlook report, the first analysis of its kind to look at the impacts of water scarcity on the global energy sector. This signals a big step in the global understanding of the importance of the energy-water nexus, and reveals important insights on how regions, nations, and industries must cope with less water in a changing climate.

The global energy-water nexus challenge

The IEA focuses on energy, so it makes sense for them to look at the inextricable link between water and power generation, as water will continue to present a challenge to energy management throughout all regions of the world. In its analysis, IEA looked at several different scenarios for power generation out to 2035, including a New Policies Scenario. This scenario takes into account the commitments and plans various countries have stated regarding their energy use, including policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation.

Naturally, the biggest water users for energy production are also the world’s largest electricity generators: the United States, the European Union, China, and India. All four regions/countries have power plants to meet their populations’ energy demands, but water plays a big role in ensuring those countries can continue providing enough electricity. For instance, IEA notes that a delayed monsoon season in 2012 led to blackouts in India that lasted two days and impacted more than 600 million people, and a 2011 drought in China reduced hydropower generation, leading to increased demand for coal, which forced electricity rationing and worsened air quality.

Looking at the US in particular, we have an interesting challenge: the general water situation in the country is not dire (yet), but it is severely constrained in the western half of the country. Yet the energy-water nexus crisis is not just relegated to the water-stressed West. During the2008 Southeastern drought as well as the 2012 drought that pummeled the Midwest, we saw shutdowns and near shutdowns of nuclear power plants in states like Alabama, North Carolina, and Illinois. Additionally, the Southeast, California, and the Pacific Northwest (like many regions in the world) are struggling to provide hydropower in the midst of droughts. And let’s not forget the ongoing fight of the Tri-State Water Wars between Alabama, Georgia, and Florida over distribution of increasingly scarce water for many uses, including power.

All of this adds up to a very uncertain future for the conventional use of water in global energy production. And yet for international entities like the UN and the IEA considering the full-spectrum of global resource challenges and opportunities, the energy-water nexus is just the tip of the iceberg.

The missing link in the energy-water nexus

Energy and water are fundamentally intertwined, but the linkages of these two vital resources also greatly impact the food sector.  More and more we hear about the energy-water-food nexus and how we are going to manage growing populations and the demands on all three resources. Plus, when we take into account the global impacts from climate change, we’re looking at some big challenges – but also some incredible opportunities.

We need a systematic approach to solve the interconnected issues that link energy, water, food, and climate change. Earlier this month, 300 delegates from 33 countries convened in Chapel Hill, North Carolina to talk about how these four issues intersect, and submitted a declaration to the Secretary General of the United Nations to figure out how to meet sustainable development goals. The basic premise of all the findings and recommendations centered around the fact that Earth and the communities that live upon it are part of a system. By approaching these massive problems from an integrated standpoint, we begin to solve problems in a more systematic way, uncovering efficiencies that cross sectors—like lowering the water intensity of our power choices and improving crop irrigation through smart electricity meters.

The solutions exist. We just have to put our heads together to find them. And as more stakeholders from different sectors and parts of the world understand this, we will begin to tackle this challenge together.

By Kate Zerrenner

Source: Chenected

The energy-water nexus is gaining traction with diverse stakeholders around the world and it is becoming increasingly clear that we cannot plan for our planet’s future if we do not consider energy and water together.

Most recently, the United Nations celebrated World Water Day, launching a yearlong effort to highlight the global energy-water nexus, the chosen theme for 2014. In honor of World Water Day, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its annual World Energy Outlook report, the first analysis of its kind to look at the impacts of water scarcity on the global energy sector. This signals a big step in the global understanding of the importance of the energy-water nexus, and reveals important insights on how regions, nations, and industries must cope with less water in a changing climate.

The global energy-water nexus challenge

The IEA focuses on energy, so it makes sense for them to look at the inextricable link between water and power generation, as water will continue to present a challenge to energy management throughout all regions of the world. In its analysis, IEA looked at several different scenarios for power generation out to 2035, including a New Policies Scenario. This scenario takes into account the commitments and plans various countries have stated regarding their energy use, including policies to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from electricity generation.

Naturally, the biggest water users for energy production are also the world’s largest electricity generators: the United States, the European Union, China, and India. All four regions/countries have power plants to meet their populations’ energy demands, but water plays a big role in ensuring those countries can continue providing enough electricity. For instance, IEA notes that a delayed monsoon season in 2012 led to blackouts in India that lasted two days and impacted more than 600 million people, and a 2011 drought in China reduced hydropower generation, leading to increased demand for coal, which forced electricity rationing and worsened air quality.

Looking at the US in particular, we have an interesting challenge: the general water situation in the country is not dire (yet), but it is severely constrained in the western half of the country. Yet the energy-water nexus crisis is not just relegated to the water-stressed West. During the2008 Southeastern drought as well as the 2012 drought that pummeled the Midwest, we saw shutdowns and near shutdowns of nuclear power plants in states like Alabama, North Carolina, and Illinois. Additionally, the Southeast, California, and the Pacific Northwest (like many regions in the world) are struggling to provide hydropower in the midst of droughts. And let’s not forget the ongoing fight of the Tri-State Water Wars between Alabama, Georgia, and Florida over distribution of increasingly scarce water for many uses, including power.

All of this adds up to a very uncertain future for the conventional use of water in global energy production. And yet for international entities like the UN and the IEA considering the full-spectrum of global resource challenges and opportunities, the energy-water nexus is just the tip of the iceberg.

The missing link in the energy-water nexus

Energy and water are fundamentally intertwined, but the linkages of these two vital resources also greatly impact the food sector.  More and more we hear about the energy-water-food nexus and how we are going to manage growing populations and the demands on all three resources. Plus, when we take into account the global impacts from climate change, we’re looking at some big challenges – but also some incredible opportunities.

We need a systematic approach to solve the interconnected issues that link energy, water, food, and climate change. Earlier this month, 300 delegates from 33 countries convened in Chapel Hill, North Carolina to talk about how these four issues intersect, and submitted a declaration to the Secretary General of the United Nations to figure out how to meet sustainable development goals. The basic premise of all the findings and recommendations centered around the fact that Earth and the communities that live upon it are part of a system. By approaching these massive problems from an integrated standpoint, we begin to solve problems in a more systematic way, uncovering efficiencies that cross sectors—like lowering the water intensity of our power choices and improving crop irrigation through smart electricity meters.

The solutions exist. We just have to put our heads together to find them. And as more stakeholders from different sectors and parts of the world understand this, we will begin to tackle this challenge together.

Wildlife in Gulf of Mexico still suffering four years after BP oil spill: report
By Suzanne Goldenberg, The Guardian. April 9, 2014.
“The BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico caused dangerous after-effects to more than a dozen different animals…” (read more)

Four years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, wildlife still struggling
By Brook Hays, UPI. April 8, 2014.
“Roughly four years after BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, spilling 200 million gallons of oil…” (read more)

Barrier islands are a priority
Editorial by The Daily Comet (Lafourche Parish, La.). April 8,2014.
”A vital project aimed at rebuilding barrier islands off the coast of Lafourche Parish has received $145 million…” (read more)

Terrebonne to discuss flood zone regulations
By Xerxes Wilson, The Houma Courier. April 7, 2014.
“The Terrebonne Parish Council is to consider ordinances this week that govern development in the parish…” (read more)

Laf. headland project receives another $144.6M
By Eric Besson, The Tri-Parish Times (Houma, La.). April 8, 2014.
“Nearly $144.6 million in oil-spill fines have been pledged to construct the second phase of the massive…” (read more)

The Economic Case for Restoring Coastal Ecosystems
By Michael Conathan, Jeffrey Buchanan, and Shiva Polefka, Center for American Progress. April 9, 2014.
“As America’s coastal cities expanded throughout the 19th century, the wetlands were often considered a nuisance…” (read more)

Wildlife in Gulf of Mexico still suffering four years after BP oil spill: report
By Suzanne Goldenberg, The Guardian. April 9, 2014.
“The BP oil disaster in the Gulf of Mexico caused dangerous after-effects to more than a dozen different animals…” (read more)

Four years after the Deepwater Horizon oil spill, wildlife still struggling
By Brook Hays, UPI. April 8, 2014.
“Roughly four years after BP's Deepwater Horizon oil rig exploded, spilling 200 million gallons of oil…” (read more)

Barrier islands are a priority
Editorial by The Daily Comet (Lafourche Parish, La.). April 8,2014.
”A vital project aimed at rebuilding barrier islands off the coast of Lafourche Parish has received $145 million…” (read more)

Terrebonne to discuss flood zone regulations
By Xerxes Wilson, The Houma Courier. April 7, 2014.
“The Terrebonne Parish Council is to consider ordinances this week that govern development in the parish…” (read more)

Laf. headland project receives another $144.6M
By Eric Besson, The Tri-Parish Times (Houma, La.). April 8, 2014.
“Nearly $144.6 million in oil-spill fines have been pledged to construct the second phase of the massive…” (read more)

The Economic Case for Restoring Coastal Ecosystems
By Michael Conathan, Jeffrey Buchanan, and Shiva Polefka, Center for American Progress. April 9, 2014.
“As America’s coastal cities expanded throughout the 19th century, the wetlands were often considered a nuisance…” (read more)

Written by Judith A. Ross

“Years of Living Dangerously,” a  new documentary series airing this Sunday on Showtime reminds us that our planet is a unified system. What happens in one corner of the globe, impacts us all — and in more ways than we can imagine.

Actor and series correspondent, Harrison Ford opens the premiere episode by hitching a ride on a NASA jet that measures carbon dioxide and methane in the atmosphere.

Upon landing, he asks NASA scientist Laura Iraci how she feels when she sees these levels rising. Her answer sets the tone for the rest of the episode.

“Personally, it’s pretty scary. The world is going to be suffering in a lot of ways from this physical reality for a long time to come.”

Indeed, we are already suffering. Episode 1, “Dry Season,” puts a very real face on climate change by tying it to job losses in Texas and civil war in Syria.

It also cuts right to the root of the problem, beginning with deforestation in Indonesia, which has turned the country into “one of the largest emitters of greenhouse gases — THE driver of human-caused climate change,” notes Climate Mama, Harriet Shugarman. 

Moneyed interests set fire to dense jungles so that they can plant palm plantations and harvest highly lucrative palm oil. In the process, they aren’t just causing the extinction of irreplaceable natural resources, they are releasing tons of carbon into the air that had been stored for hundreds of years both in the trees and in the peat-laden ground supporting them.

You not only see, but you also share the anger on Ford’s face as he later views the devastation to Indonesian rain forests from a helicopter. “I can’t WAIT to see the minister of forestry,” he says, practically gnashing his teeth in anticipation, and viewers aren’t able to wait either.

How does this connect to the civil war in Syria, and a plant closing in Texas? The greenhouse gases resulting from those fires drive climate change, which, in turn, has caused severe droughts in different parts of the world.

New York Times columnist Thomas Friedman traces the roots of Syria’s civil war to the worst drought in the country’s modern history—lasting from 2006 to 2010. Year after year, the farmers suffered and they told Friedman that the government did nothing to help them.

In all, over 2 million people were displaced, moving from the country to the city, and 1 million of  these farmers found themselves living in extreme poverty. Over time, their anger only increased. According to one of Friedman’s sources, “Most people in the revolution are from the countryside.”

Indeed, National Security Advisor Susan Rice tells Friedman that,

“Climate change is now understood to be a national security issue.”

Actor, Don Cheadle takes us to Plainview, Texas, where 10 percent of the area’s workforce lost their livelihood when the local meat packing plant closed after a three-year drought devastated the state’s cattle herd.

Cheadle also tackles the conflict between religion and science, asking climate scientist and devout Christian, Katherine Hayhoe, to help deeply religious Plainview residents understand what was behind their job loss.

“God’s creation is speaking to us,” Hayhoe tells them, “When I look at the data, I have no doubt that God’s creation is telling us that it is running a fever.”

After hearing Hayhoe, one of the unemployed workers tells Cheadle, that until that day, she hadn’t heard of climate change.

For me, that admission was the most shocking of the episode. It proves that now, more than ever, we must heed Climate Mama’s advice, and “Grab the kids in your life and watch it now.”


TELL EPA YOU SUPPORT NEW LIMITS ON CARBON POLLUTION


Written by Moms Clean Air Force

This is a Moms Clean Air Force exclusive interview with Michigan State Senator for the 18th District, Rebekah Warren:

MCAF: What is unique about protecting your district’s resources?

State Senator Warren: My District, Senate District 18, is home to a wealth of natural resources, including a portion of the Waterloo Recreation Area — the largest state park in Michigan’s Lower Peninsula — and is host to a number of diverse ecosystems, some of which include geographic features dating back to the ice age. In addition to this incredible natural asset, Washtenaw County is also known for the Huron River and its corresponding recreational trails, Pinckney State Recreation Area, numerous county parks, city parks and rural nature preserves that are spread all across the district. Each one of these spaces is directly impacted by the quality of air surrounding it, and the citizens I represent are incredibly active in ensuring these areas are protected, due in large part to their first-hand knowledge of all these areas have to offer. Residents of Michigan’s 18th Senate District have displayed a longstanding respect for the environment, which has always helped drive my steadfast dedication to preserving our area’s incredible natural beauty with my legislative efforts.

Are you worried about any specific effects of climate change on your nieces and nephews, and the children of your district?

While we are fortunate to live in an area that has yet to experience the type of changes that have already started to alter day-to-day life in other geographic locations, I do worry about what stands to come our way in future years if we do not take action now to address climate change. While this year’s winter was certainly harsh, I am concerned that our young people could experience unbearable weather condition as they grow older. Now is the time for us to educate the next generation of Michiganders on this issue so that they enter the working world as informed citizens who can help make a difference. Scientists agree that climate change is upon us as a direct result of human activities, and we must be sure that today’s children understand the very real consequences they could face as adults if we continue to downplay our role in altering the earth’s weather patterns.

Why is a bipartisan effort so important to you when working on issues of air quality?

Environmental issues cross all party lines. The quality of our air affects every single person in our state, and I believe that makes it every person’s responsibility to protect it, regardless of political affiliation. As a legislator, I have always taken this responsibility very seriously; fighting for quality policy-making through the Senate Natural Resources, Environment and Great Lakes Committee and the Great Lakes Commission. The quality of our health is undeniably dependent upon the quality of our air, and furthermore, many policies that protect Michigan’s air by promoting energy efficiency and renewable energy, also create good-paying jobs throughout our state. As a legislator, I believe that this issue, which is both environmental and economic, is one that transcends all partisanship.

Is there anything you’d like to share that is important for Moms Clean Air Force members to know?

Your voice matters. With a growing coalition of moms who are out to seek change in the policies that affect the quality of our air, Moms Clean Air Force is compelling people and politicians to listen to the facts about climate change and pollution. Thank you for all that you do on behalf of our environment and our future generations.

Thank you, State Senator Warren!

A long-time resident of Ann Arbor, Rebekah was first elected to the Michigan House of Representatives in 2006, where she represented the 53rd District for four years. Now in her first term as State Senator for the 18th District, she is proud to serve the majority of Washtenaw County, an area known for world-class higher education, a vital artistic community, a diverse and engaged citizenry, and so much more.

During her tenure in the Legislature, Rebekah has been an ardent champion of our precious natural resources. As a freshman State Representative, she was chosen to chair the House Committee on Great Lakes and the Environment, where she received statewide acclaim for negotiating the bipartisan passage of landmark legislation effectively banning Great Lakes water diversion. She is now the Democratic Vice-Chair of the Senate Committee on Natural Resources, Environment and Great Lakes, and in 2011, she was appointed to represent Michigan on the prestigious Great Lakes Commission, an interstate compact focused on water use and conservation.

READ MORE MCAF INTERVIEWS HERE.

TELL EPA YOU SUPPORT NEW LIMITS ON CARBON POLLUTION

Written by Moms Clean Air Force

We salute the many people of faith, from world leaders to citizen congregants, who are doing so much to lead the way in tackling the most urgent problem humanity faces: global climate change. Whatever your beliefs, there is much to learn, and admire, in the thoughts that follow. Please read, and share, our eBook on faith voices for a healthy climate. Hope springs from many sources. We honor them everywhere, and in everyone.

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LEARN MORE ABOUT OUR CHANGING CLIMATE:

• eBook: Extreme Weather & Our Changing Climate
• Armed With the Facts: Extreme Weather
• Q&A: What You Need to Know About Climate and Weather
• Armed With the Facts: Global Climate Change

TELL EVERYONE YOU KNOW:

• 10 Tweetable Facts About Extreme Weather
• 10 Tweetable Facts About Climate Change

Health of Gulf species suggests problems, raises questions almost four years after BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, report says
By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune. April 8, 2014.
“The health of bottlenose dolphins, predators at the top of the food chain in the Gulf of Mexico…” (read more)

Diversions are part of the plan
Editorial by The Houma Courier (Houma, La.). April 7, 2014.
“The annual presentation of the state’s master coastal plan at the Legislature got a little more controversy…” (read more)

Architects chosen for downtown Water Campus
By Timothy Boone, The Advocate. April 7, 2014.
“Coleman Partners in Baton Rouge and global architecture firm Perkins+Will have been chosen to design…” (read more)

Parts of lakefront shoreline getting new look to stop erosion (+video)
By Bill Capo, WWL TV (New Orleans, La.). April 7, 2014.
“A strong north wind from the latest cold front sent waves crashing over the seawall along Lakeshore Drive…” (read more)

Health of Gulf species suggests problems, raises questions almost four years after BP Deepwater Horizon oil spill, report says
By Benjamin Alexander-Bloch, The Times-Picayune. April 8, 2014.
“The health of bottlenose dolphins, predators at the top of the food chain in the Gulf of Mexico…” (read more)

Diversions are part of the plan
Editorial by The Houma Courier (Houma, La.). April 7, 2014.
“The annual presentation of the state’s master coastal plan at the Legislature got a little more controversy…” (read more)

Architects chosen for downtown Water Campus
By Timothy Boone, The Advocate. April 7, 2014.
“Coleman Partners in Baton Rouge and global architecture firm Perkins+Will have been chosen to design…” (read more)

Parts of lakefront shoreline getting new look to stop erosion (+video)
By Bill Capo, WWL TV (New Orleans, La.). April 7, 2014.
“A strong north wind from the latest cold front sent waves crashing over the seawall along Lakeshore Drive…” (read more)

If you love seafood, the six weeks between Mardi Gras and Easter is likely one of your favorite times of the year. It doesn’t hurt that restaurants, fish markets and grocery stores are awash with Lenten promotions, resulting in the most profitable period for seafood sales. So why not use this time to get out […]

If you love seafood, the six weeks between Mardi Gras and Easter is likely one of your favorite times of the year. It doesn’t hurt that restaurants, fish markets and grocery stores are awash with Lenten promotions, resulting in the most profitable period for seafood sales. So why not use this time to get out […]

Written by Marcia G. Yerman

Since the newest information from the IPCC came out last week, I have immersed myself in reading the details of the report. The New York Times captured the essence of the Working Group II findings with the headline: “Panel’s Warning on Climate Risk: Worst is to Come.”

Yet in every conversation that I read online, there were two categories of commenters:

1. Those who have given up on our national political system to mobilize (“lost cause”).
2. Those who were indignant about the “climate hoax,” especially as a thinly veiled excuse to “redistribute wealth” to poorer nations.

I wrestled for seven days with an inner dialogue on how to frame a story that most Americans are resistant to considering. Then I had a moment of realization when I heard that the new movie Noah had made $44 million in ticket sales at the American box office. The religious right has already accused director, Darren Aronofsky of tampering with the Biblical text and giving his movie an “environmental message,” but that hasn’t deterred movie audiences. While I have only seen the trailer, I can intuit how those parallels are being drawn. You’ve got a major flood and “violent conflict.” In addition, Aronofsky has referenced the recent IPCC findings in interviews.

The IPCC underscores how climate change will impact the world’s population through changes in crop production, yielding an increased chasm between supply and demand. Those without resources and capital will be more drastically affected — such as in the poorer nations in Sub-Saharan Africa.

If I made a word cloud of the top phrases pulled from the report they would be: drought, extreme heat, floods, coastal erosion, disease, hunger, food instability, war and refugees.

Which brings us to a different set of words: managed risk, mitigation, moral responsibility, and political will. To me, the natural ensuing question is, “If you thought there was a chance that something bad could happen, would you do something to prevent it?”

Insurance companies have been one of the earliest mainstream adopters of advocating the need for readiness. That’s their business, and they are basing their position on science. Nothing ever seems like it can happen, until it happens to you personally. I was in Vermont “on vacation,” when they had torrential rains and everything from bridges to graves were washed away. I was in Manhattan when Hurricane Sandy hit. The subways were underwater and I had friends stranded without electricity or food. All over the country, we’re finding out how vulnerable our infrastructure is.

“Impacts, adaption, and vulnerability.”

It’s interesting that wildlife has already responded intuitively. Birds have changed their migration patterns, which were previously established based upon the “seasons.”

ExxonMobil told shareholders they have no plans to change their trajectory. Sen. James Inhofe (R-OK), author of The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future, dismissed the report as a “distraction from real problems — like poverty and violence.” To which I respond, “Sen. Inhofe, sir, refusing to acknowledge the findings of 97 percent of scientists is paving the road to global poverty and violence.”

• Why aren’t we pushing our politicians and lawmakers to insist on sustainable practices to manage risk now, while promoting renewable energy?
• How much longer can we as individuals, and as a nation, look away from our moral responsibilities to future generations?

“It’s going to affect nearly every aspect of human life on this planet.” ~ climate scientist, Katharine Hayhoe

 


TELL EPA YOU SUPPORT NEW LIMITS ON CARBON POLLUTION


Written by Gretchen Alfonso

Do you do everything in your power to protect your children? I wouldn’t think of getting into my car without checking, and double-checking, that my children’s car seats were buckled properly. And, I’d never turn on the ignition until my own seat belt was buckled. Would you?

Did you know that air pollution KILLS more people than AIDS, diabetes, and traffic accidents combined?

Do you check, and double-check, multiple times a day the air your children breathe?

I don’t know about you, but I am fed up – and angry – that so little is being done to protect my precious children from toxic air pollution.

For Mother’s Day I don’t want jewelry, I don’t want flowers, and, while a morning in bed would be nice, I would forgo all the yummy brunches in the world if I could just get one powerful wish – a healthier world for my kids: Reny, Fiona, and Declan.

This Mother’s Day please join my friends and family from across the country to ask our elected officials to protect my children from the effects of toxic air pollution:

• Monday, May 5th — Join my friend, Trisha and I in Trenton, NJ.
• Tuesday, May 6th — Join Yvonne and Ronnie in Concord, New Hampshire.
• Wednesday, May 7th — Join my kids, my own mother, and our friends in Harrisburg, PA.
• Wednesday, May 7th — Join Tracy and Marnie in Columbus, OH; Vee and Melissa in Lansing, MI; or Jose and our friends from Climate Parents in Sacramento, CA.
• Friday, May 9th — Join my friend, Erica and sister, Tricia in Springfield, IL.

As parents we have to ACT.
We have the POWER to act NOW.

Please REGISTER to join the MCAF community in your state, as we defend our children’s basic right to breathe clean, fresh air.

Thank you!


REGISTER