अमरीका को शून्य उत्सर्जन ट्रैक पर लाने का रोडमैप आज होगा जारी

Embargoed until 7:30 pm today  

2050 तक  अमरीका को  शून्य उत्सर्जन  ट्रैक पर लाने का रोडमैप जारी

 अमेरिकी डेमोक्रेट ने 2050 तक कांग्रेस के द्वारा अमेरिका को पूरी तरह से शून्य उत्सर्जन के ट्रैक पर लाने के लिए एक रोडमैप जारी किया। जलवायु संकट पर हाउस सिलेक्ट कमेटी की रिपोर्ट महत्वाकांक्षी जलवायु नीतियों के एक सेट की मशविरा करती है - और नए मतदान से पता चलता है कि अमेरिकी 2050 तक 100% स्वच्छ अर्थव्यवस्था प्राप्त करने का समर्थन करते हैं और मानते हैं कि इसका नौकरियों और आर्थिक विकास पर सकारात्मक प्रभाव पड़ेगा।

क्लाइमेट क्राइसिस एक्शन प्लान (जलवायु संकट कार्य योजना) में नीतिगत मशविरे शामिल हैं, जैसे के:

• 2040 तक विद्युत क्षेत्र में शुद्ध-शून्य उत्सर्जन प्राप्त करने के लिए स्वच्छ ऊर्जा मानक लागू करना

• 2035 तक शून्य-उत्सर्जन कारों की 100% बिक्री और 2040 तक भारी-शुल्क वाले ट्रकों की बिक्री को प्राप्त करना

• 2030 तक सभी नए आवासीय और वाणिज्यिक भवनों को शुद्ध-शून्य उत्सर्जन करना

• कार्बन पर मूल्य लगाना

• क्लाइमेट-स्मार्ट खेती, कार्बन निष्कासन अनुसंधान और ऊर्जा भंडारण नवाचार में निवेश करना

• संघीय जलवायु और पर्यावरण नीति के केंद्र में पर्यावरण न्याय को रखना

26 जून को जारी नए मतदान से पता चलता है कि, बोर्ड भर में, अमेरिकी मतदाता एक स्वच्छ ऊर्जा भविष्य के निर्माण का समर्थन करते हैं:

• 71% अमेरिकी 2050 तक 100% स्वच्छ अर्थव्यवस्था प्राप्त करने का समर्थन करते हैं

• मतदाताओं का मानना है कि इस परिवर्तन का नौकरियों और आर्थिक विकास पर सकारात्मक प्रभाव पड़ेगा

• 67% मतदाता जलवायु प्रभावों से कम्युनिटीज़ ऑफ़ कलर की रक्षा करने का समर्थन करते हैं, 65% कार्बन टैक्स का समर्थन करते हैं, और 65% 2040 तक स्वच्छ स्रोतों से 100% बिजली उत्पन्न करने के लिए उपयोगिताओं की आवश्यकता का समर्थन करते हैं। 

• कारों और ट्रकों के लिए 73% मजबूत ईंधन दक्षता मानकों का समर्थन करते हैं

• मतदाता महामारी उत्तेजना प्रतिक्रियाओं में जीवाश्म ईंधन के बजाय स्वच्छ ऊर्जा के वित्तपोषण के लिए समर्थन करते हैं

• डेमोक्रेटिक उम्मीदवारों के पास कांग्रेस और राष्ट्रपति दोनों नवंबर की दौड़ों में बढ़त है

शहर, राज्य, व्यापार और निवेशक नेताओं ने जलवायु नीतियों को प्रेरित करने और स्वच्छ ऊर्जा अर्थव्यवस्था का निर्माण करने के लिए पिछले चार वर्षों में महत्वपूर्ण प्रगति की है। हाउस सेलेक्ट कमेटी की रिपोर्ट केंद्रीय शासन/सरकार को इन प्रयासों में शामिल होने और इसमें तेजी लाने के लिए नींव रखती है।

यूसी बर्कले गोल्डमैन स्कूल ऑफ पब्लिक पॉलिसी  के अमोल फड़के(पीएचडी) ने अपने हाल ही के एक अध्ययन में  लिखा है कि अमेरिका 2035 तक 90% स्वच्छ बिजली , उपभोक्ताओं को बिना किसी अतिरिक्त लागत के मुहैया करा सकता है।

"पिछले चार वर्षों में, रिन्यूएबल बिजली और बैटरी भंडारण की लागत 50% तक कम हो गई है - और कुछ साल पहले 2030 और 2050 के लिए अनुमानित लागत में कमी का एहसास पहले ही हो चुका है। ये घटती लागत अमेरिका को उपभोक्ता की लागत में वृद्धि के बिना 2035 तक 90% स्वच्छ बिजली तक पहुंचाने में सक्षम बनाएगी। क्लाइमेट क्राइसिस रिपोर्ट के मुताबिक  रिन्यूएबल बिजली 90%  लोगों तक पहुंचना आवश्यक है और लागत में कटौती अकेले एक रिन्यूएबल बिजली का भविष्य सुनिश्चित नहीं करेगी। ”

आंशिक रूप से इन हालिया लागत कटौती से प्रेरित होकर, अमेरिका में इंटरकनेक्शन पाइपलाइन में लगभग 500 GW रिन्यूएबिल ऊर्जा परियोजनाएं हैं और भंडारण में  लगभग 70 GW परियोजनाएं हैं। "

भारत में  - "भारत ने बड़े पैमाने पर प्रतिस्पर्धी नीलामी आयोजित करके सौर, पवन और भंडारण के लिए सबसे कम लागत हासिल की है। इसके के नतीजों में रिन्यूएबिल और भंडारण के लिए राउंड द क्लॉक (RTC) बिजली की आपूर्ति की कीमतें नए कोयले की तुलना में कम हैं जो इस संभावना को इंगित करते हैं कि रिन्यूएबिल और भंडारण RTC बिजली आपूर्ति के लिए कोयले से भी सस्ता है।

चीन पर - "हमारे हालिया पेपर से पता चलता है कि यदि नवीकरण के लिए लागत का रुझान जारी रहता है, तो चीन का 62% बिजली गैर-जीवाश्म स्रोतों से 2030 तक लागत पर आ सकती है जो  बिजनेस एस यूज़ल (बीएयू) से 11% कम है।"

DETAILS IN ENGLISH

Embargoed until 7:30pm today 

Couple of key developments from the US. 

1- The US is set to join a summit on global green recovery from Covid-19 crisis, along with major global economies such as India and China. Hosted by the International Energy Association, the summit is being termed as the only major climate summit since the cancellation of COP26 due to the pandemic. More on this here - 

2- US Democrats will today release a roadmap for how Congress could put the US on track for net zero emissions by 2050. The report from the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis recommends a set of ambitious climate policies. In addition to this, a new polling shows that Americans support achieving a 100% clean economy by 2050 and believe that it will have a positive impact on jobs and economic growth. The only reference to coal in the plan is to support the health care needs of veteran coal miners and to create jobs through conservation, reclamation, and restoration of coal mines. 

Background on - US Democrats roadmap to net zero emissions by 2050

Despite Trump’s efforts to halt climate action and “bring back coal,” public concern about climate change and the clean energy sector both continue to grow. In 2019, US energy consumption from renewables exceeded coal consumption for the first time in 130 years. Over the past five years, employment in the clean energy industry has grown 70 percent faster than the economy overall. And wind and solar energy are now so affordable that the US could scale up to 90% renewable electricity generation by 2035 at no added cost.

In 2019, responding to increasing public concern about climate change, the House of Representatives created a committee to deliver ambitious climate policy recommendations to Congress. On 30 June 2020, the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis will release their Climate Crisis Action Plan calling on Congress to build a clean energy economy and providing a legislative blueprint for how to put the US on track for net zero emissions by 2050. 

Modeling from Energy Innovation finds that implementing these recommendations would reduce net US greenhouse gas emissions by at least 39% below 2010 levels in 2030 and 88% below 2010 levels in 2050 -- and with carbon drawdown, would reach net zero emissions by 2050. If 2005 is used as the baseline (as it is for the US NDC), Energy Innovation finds that these policies would cut net US emissions by 40% below 2005 levels by 2030 and 86% below 2005 levels by 2050. It is important to note that this legislative agenda does not account for additional emissions reductions that could be achieved with Executive presidential action in a next administration or US subnational action, which is growing fast.

What comes next? The Senate Democrats' Special Committee on the Climate Crisis will release their own report on recommended climate solutions later this summer. These blueprints will serve as a starting point for a legislative discussion on how the US might come back to the table as a leader on climate policy. The polling showing high levels of public support for these policies, four months from the congressional and presidential elections in November, offers a glimpse of what might be a changing political scene in the US.

The Climate Crisis Action Plan includes policy recommendations such as: 

• enacting a Clean Energy Standard to achieve net-zero emissions in the electricity sector by 2040
• achieving 100% sales of zero-emissions cars by 2035 & heavy-duty trucks by 2040
• making all new residential & commercial buildings net-zero emissions by 2030
• putting a price on carbon
• investing in climate-smart farming, carbon removal research, and energy storage innovation
• putting environmental justice at the center of federal climate and environmental policy

New polling released on 26 June shows that, across the board, American voters support building a clean energy future:

• 71% of Americans support achieving a 100% clean economy by 2050
• Voters believe this transition will have a positive impact on jobs and economic growth
• 67% of voters support protecting communities of color from climate impacts, 65% support a carbon tax, and and 65% support requiring utilities to generate 100% of electricity from clean sources by 2040
• 73% support stronger fuel efficiency standards for cars and trucks
• Voters support funding clean energy over fossil fuels in pandemic stimulus responses
• Democratic candidates have an edge in both the congressional and presidential November races

City, state, business and investor leaders have made significant progress over the past four years to incubate climate policies and build a clean energy economy. The House Select Committee report lays the foundation for how the Federal government should join and accelerate these efforts. 

Additional Info

ENERGY STATS  -- In addition to bringing the US back to the global table on climate, doubling down on clean energy long-term ability to create jobs, rebuild the economy, and make the US competitive on the global stage. Beyond increased political will among American Democrats to act on climate, there are trends from the past 4 years of Trump, and even during the pandemic lock-down, that set up clean energy to accelerate. 

• Clean energy is eclipsing coal - Despite Trump’s best efforts, more coal has retired under his presidency than in Obama's 2nd term and the industry is facing a continual decline. In 2019, US energy consumption from renewables exceeded coal consumption for the first time in 130 years. Last year, the market capitalization of 5 of the top 10 US coal companies fell nearly 60%. Increasingly U.S. power companies are decarbonizing, with over a dozen - including major utilities Duke and Southern Co. -  committed to achieving net-zero emissions by midcentury. According to EIA, coal is expected to make up 17% of US electricity generation for 2020, down from 24% in 2019, though this may rebound slightly to 20% in 2021. 
• Clean energy creates jobs - Meanwhile, clean energy is increasingly competitive. Prior to the pandemic, clean energy jobs, such as wind technicians and solar installers, were one of the fastest growing of any industry in the U.S. Over the past five years, employment in the clean energy industry in the U.S. has grown 70 percent faster than the economy overall. Renewable energy in the past few years has been shown to directly and indirectly generate roughly three times as many jobs as a comparable investment in fossil fuels. 
• Clean energy is a good financial bet - US clean power stocks rose 2.2% in the first four months of the year, despite the pandemic, while their fossil fuel peers fell 40.5% and the S&P 500 fell 9.4%. A recent study found that wind and solar energy are now so cheap that the U.S. could scale up to 90% renewable electricity generation by 2035 at no added cost to consumers. 

POLLING STATS -- 

• Congressional action -- 72% of American voters say it’s important for Congress to address climate change. 71% voters support legislation to achieve a 100% clean economy by eliminating fossil fuel emissions from the transportation, electricity, buildings, industry, and agricultural sectors in the US by 2050. By more than a two-to-one margin, voters believe this transition will have a positive rather than a negative impact on jobs and economic growth.
• Clean transportation -- There is broad support for a variety of investments in clean transportation, including electric vehicles, and expanding access to transportation. Close to three-quarters (73%) support setting stronger fuel efficiency standards for cars, trucks, and SUVs, and about seven in 10 support investing federal funding to expand public transportation (72%) and replace gas- and diesel-powered buses with electric buses (69%). More than six in 10 support investing federal funding to build electric vehicle charging infrastructure (65%) and invest in manufacturing electric vehicles and parts (62%).
• Energy efficiency & grid modernization- Voters strongly favor public investment to modernize the power grid and encourage consumer energy efficiency. More than three-quarters support federal funding to upgrade the electric grid and expand the production of renewable energy (78%), help local governments improve the energy efficiency of new and existing buildings (78%), and install solar panels to reduce electricity bills in low-income communities (77%). There is also strong support for tax credits and other incentives for individuals to improve the energy efficiency of their homes (84%).
• Protecting against climate impacts - Nearly three-quarters (73%) of voters support increasing federal funding to protect vulnerable low-income communities and communities of color from immediate environmental dangers and extreme weather. And roughly two-thirds (66%) support creating a National Climate Bank to fund public and private sector projects to reduce carbon pollution and prepare communities to withstand the effects of climate change.
• Electing Democrats - A few months ahead of the November elections, Democratic candidates have the edge in both the congressional and presidential races. Nearly half (48%) of voters say if the election for Congress in their district were held today, they would vote for the Democrat, while 42% would vote for the Republican, and 11% would vote for neither candidate or for another candidate. And when voters were asked how they would vote if the election for president were held today, Joe Biden (48%) enjoys a seven-point advantage over Donald Trump (41%).

Quotes you could use:

Chair of Climate Mayors, Los Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti:  

“The climate crisis affects our cities and our states, our nation and our entire world -- and if Congress is looking for a roadmap for climate action, then our bipartisan coalition of 448 mayors can point the way to a more fair, equitable, and sustainable future for our workers, families, and communities. Cities stand on the front lines of the ill effects of climate change -- and the innovative solutions -- and the Climate Crisis Action Plan is the kind of bold, comprehensive step we need at the federal level to protect our planet, invest in clean energy, support our workforce, and build a more just economy for every American.”

Amol Phadke, Ph.D., UC Berkeley Goldman School of Public Policy (author of a recent study showing the US can reach 90% clean electricity by 2035 at no added cost to consumers):

"Just in the last four years, the cost of renewable electricity and battery storage has reduced up to 50% - and cost reductions projected for 2030 and 2050 just a few years ago have already been realized. We've shown that these plummeting costs will enable the US to reach 90% clean electricity by 2035 without increasing consumer costs. We also show that concerted policy effort, like the one recommended in the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis's report, is required to reach 90% and cost reductions alone will not ensure a clean electricity future."

"Partly driven by these recent cost reductions, there are about 500 GW of renewable energy projects in the interconnection pipeline in the US with about 70 GW including storage" 

On India -- "India has realized one of the lowest costs for solar, wind, and storage by conducting large scale competitive auctions. Recent results for the Round the Clock (RTC) power supply auctions for renewables and storage have resulted into prices that are lower than new coal indicating the possibility that renewables + storage are cheaper than coal even for RTC power supply, which is game changing for the future of the power sector in India" 

On China -- "Our recent paper shows that if cost trends for renewables continue, 62% of China’s electricity could come from non-fossil sources by 2030 at a cost that is 11% lower than BAU"

Sharon Weston Broome, Mayor of Baton Rouge, Louisiana and Co-Chair of the Mississippi River Cities & Towns Initiative

"The Mayors along the Mississippi River are encouraged that the House Select Committee on the Climate Crisis is showing the kind of long-term thinking that is necessary to meet the ‘challenge of our time.’ Working together, local governments and our federal partners can take bold action to keep our communities safe and our economy strong. The report anticipates some of the much-needed natural infrastructure solutions our Mayors have been urging including: securing land to store flood waters, investing in resilience and adaptation, and valuing ecosystem services and projects that address multiple risks at once.

Orlando Mayor Buddy Dyer:

“Florida is uniquely vulnerable to climate change impacts, such as hurricane storm surge and flooding, sea-level rise, and extreme heat. The City of Orlando is committed to eliminating our own emissions by 2050 and doing our part to lower the future risk to residents. We are already well on our way to powering our city on 100 percent clean energy, transitioning our City of Orlando fleet and buses to zero-emission electric, and retrofitting homes and buildings to be more efficient and resilient. Cities cannot face climate change alone and we welcome the House Select Committee's plan for action to address the challenges that we face.

Dr. Edward Maibach, Director of George Mason University’s Center for Climate Change Communication

“The public is eager to see their elected representatives take action against climate change. Specific, aggressive policies to reduce heat-trapping pollution and protect against climate impacts have widespread support.

Dr. Anthony Leiserowitz, Director of the Yale Program of Climate Change Communication

“Americans prefer stimulus funding go to the renewable energy industry, rather than the fossil fuel industry. Across the board, voters support using the recovery to fight climate change and build a clean energy future.”