President Obama's Budget Request for International Climate Action Strong But Short of the Need

Jake Schmidt, International Climate Policy Director, Washington, DC

Under the Obama Administration, the United States has invested internationally in addressing climate change. These investments have helped developing countries speed up the deployment of clean energy reduce the loss of forests around the world, and assist the most vulnerable in adapting to the impacts of climate change. They are smart investments that benefit American citizens in many ways. President Obama's budget request for this upcoming year continues to support these international climate investments, but unfortunately his request is short of what is needed.

In the last fiscal year, Congress dedicated $858 million towards international climate action. Unfortunately, the President's request comes in 2.5 percent below that amount (at $837 million). In an era of growing clean energy deployment opportunities, extreme weather events leaving devastation around the world, and significant progress on deforestation reductions, now is not the time to scale-back our efforts.

Now is the time to strengthen our investments and help secure a livable planet for our children and grandchildren. Secretary Kerry understands the need for climate action as he has repeatedly stressed that:

"If we waste this opportunity, it may be the only thing our generation - generations - are remembered for. We need to find the courage to leave a far different legacy."

Here are details on the President's budget request for international climate action.* [Thanks to Michael Wolosin of Climate Advisors for this detailed breakout.]

It is critical that we continue to significantly invest in these actions as 60 leading environmental, conservation, development, and faith-based organizations urged Secretary Kerry to invest in international climate action. Financing for international climate action serves vital U.S. interests by promoting global stability and human security, creating economic opportunities for U.S. businesses and workers, helping to alleviate global poverty, protecting past U.S. development investments, complementing global health and food security efforts, protecting critical forest areas and biodiversity, and ensuring significant cost-savings through disaster preparedness measures.

U.S. investments in international global clean energy deployment help spur demand for renewable energy around the world. These investments benefit American workers and companies who are already tapping into the global clean energy market. As John Doerr, partner in the venture capital firm Kleiner

Perkins Caufield & Byers, and Jeff Immelt, chairman and chief executive of General Electric, pointed out:

"America confronts three interrelated crises: an economic crisis, a climate crisis and an energy security crisis. We believe there's a fourth: a competitiveness crisis. This crisis is particularly evident in America's worldwide standing in the next great global industry, green technology...The question is whether the United States will lead or lag in tomorrow's global energy markets. And the difference between these two futures is dramatic."

Targeted and well-planned U.S. climate change investments in climate resilience and adaptation are helping communities in developing countries build capacity to adapt to and prepare for impacts from climate change. The consequences of a changing climate are already fast pushing communities, particularly the poorest and most marginalized around the world, beyond their capacity to respond. Data on efforts to reduce disaster risk show that investments in pre-disaster risk management in developing countries result in a savings of $7 for every $1 spent. As Admiral Mullen, the former Chairman of the Joint Chiefs of Staff, stated:

"...climate change's potential impacts are sobering and far-reaching. Glaciers are melting at a faster rate, causing water supplies to diminish in Asia. Rising sea levels could lead to a mass migration and displacement similar to what we saw in Pakistan's floods last year. And other shifts could reduce the arable land needed to feed a growing population in Africa, for example. Scarcity of water, food and space could create not only a humanitarian crisis, but create conditions that could lead to failed states, instability and, potentially, radicalization."

Halting forest loss is a vital part of the fight against climate change. Sustainably managing forests to support local communities has been a key component of international development for decades. As Lynn Scarlett, former Deputy Secretary of the Interior under George W. Bush stated:

"Seeing firsthand the devastating effects of tropical deforestation is humbling. Many local communities, through conservation partnerships, are conserving tropical forests, but only U.S. policy leadership can galvanize global action with the speed, scope, and scale necessary to prevent catastrophic forest losses."

Now is the time to ensure robust investments in international climate action. The President's budget request for this upcoming year continues to support these international climate investments, but unfortunately his request is short of what is needed. We strongly urge that Congress continue to significantly investing in international climate action.

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* Note that these amounts are the core budget as appropriated by Congress. The U.S. also makes investments in international climate action through programs that don't require annual appropriations from Congress, such as the Overseas Private Investment Corporation which has significantly invested in clean energy deployment support.

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/jschmidt/president_obamas_budget_req

Backing Away from the Climate Cliff

Dan Lashof, Program Director, Climate & Clean Air, Washington, D.C.

The long run up to the fiscal cliff is finally, and thankfully, over.

Now, it's time for the president to address an even more serious cliff: the climate change cliff-the one we're fast approaching as the amount of global-warming pollution in our atmosphere continues to rise.

That's why today, NRDC and a broad coalition of environmental, civic, labor and healthcare groups urged the president to take bold and decisive action to help protect the nation against climate change's ravages.

"Dear Mr. President," we wrote in a letter, representing the millions of Americans who are members of the 69 signatory groups. "Thank you for repeatedly raising the threat of climate change as you have outlined your priorities for your second term.... It is the great challenge of our time and our response will leave an historic legacy."

In particular, this broad coalition has coalesced around three things we're asking the president to do, three things that can make the biggest difference on climate right now, three things President Obama can do on his own, without needing the divided Congress to act:

The first of those is to "elevate the issue of climate disruption and climate solutions in the public discourse."

Why?

Because leadership matters. Because the president has to rally public support for the bold steps he must take to address climate change and to make sure those steps aren't undone by Congress.

If you think talking about global warming isn't important, think again. Drexel University sociologist Robert Brulle and colleagues have documented how political leaders's statements about climate have extremely significant effects. In one of Brulle's recent studies, in fact, statements by political leaders were "found to be the largest single factor in explaining the ups and downs of public worries about the threat of climate change," Brulle explains.

"If the President starts talking about climate change more, it will get more media coverage, and maybe more statements of support about climate change from other important players will emerge," Brulle said in an email.

The second thing we're asking the president to do is to use the EPA's existing authority under the Clean Air Act to limit global-warming pollution from existing power plants. Right now, America's fossil-fuel-fired power plants produce a full 40 percent of our global warming pollution, making them by far the largest source. A new proposal NRDC put forward last month shows that EPA can set standards that will achieve big reductions at low cost. In fact, our analysis shows, the EPA can cut power plant carbon pollution by 26 percent by 2020 and 34 percent by 2025 compared to 2005 levels.

The plan's benefits-worth between $25 and $60 billion in 2020-far outweigh its costs-about $4 billion. And not only that, implementing the plan will drive investments in energy efficiency and clean energy, creating thousands of jobs across the country.

The last thing we're asking the president in this letter is to reject use of the dirtiest fuels. With the world's climate increasingly fragile, and our need to reduce production of global-warming pollution increasingly clear, the last thing we need to burn is high-carbon fuel, like tar sands. In fact, trying to cut carbon pollution while increasing our use of tar sands is a bit like trying to diet while binging on hot fudge sundaes. It's not going to work (believe me, I've tried it). That's why we're urging the President to reject the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline, which would transport a huge amount of tar sands across the highly sensitive aquifers that supply much of the water for the agricultural plains, and will endanger our health and safety.

As the president begins his second term, we know we're not the only ones thinking about his legacy. What will it be?

Reflecting on that, Mr. Obama said, in a recent Time magazine interview:

...On an issue like climate change, for example, I think for this country and the world to ask some very tough questions about what are we leaving behind, that weighs on you. And not to mention the fact I think that [my daughters'] generation is much more environmentally aware than previous generations.

There is that sense of we've got to get this right, and at least give them a fighting chance.... [Y]ou don't want them inheriting the consequences of bad choices that you make. We have to think about that as a society as a whole.

In our letter today, Mr. President, we ask that you keep your daughters and their generation foremost in mind.

We know where the carbon pollution is coming from. We know how to cut it. Let's get after it!

http://switchboard.nrdc.org/blogs/dlashof/backing_away_from_the_climat