Climate Change Policy Exam 2 – Flashcards
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what is cap & trade?
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caps emissions at certain amount that certain polluters can put out
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if we give out too many rights to pollute, then the price (of emissions reductions) will be ___
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low
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what happened when the European Union tried cap & trade?
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- gave out too many - no trading took place because no one had to reduce emissions
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what is the goal of cap & trade?
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- economic incentive - flexibility mechanism
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what is grandfathering?
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emissions permits go to companies and we allow them to put out pollution similar to the past
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how is grandfathering determined?
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- how much pollution have you put out in the last 10 years - add it up and divide by 10 - that is how much is allowed out
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what are auctions in relations to emissions permits?
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- companies have to pay to gets permits to pollute/put out emissions
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what is the majority party?
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- majority party control committees - republicans, democrats, independents
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what is the majority party right now?
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- republican
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which party(ies) are in favor of doing something about climate change?
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- democrat - independent
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what is the 112th congress known for?
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most anti-environmental congress ever
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what is the clean air act?
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made legislation that protects the air in the US
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how many votes to block action on climate change from 112th congress?
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27 votes
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how many votes to weaken the clean air act from 112th congress?
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77 votes
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what has to happen for legislation to be enacted?
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both house and senate have to enact same legislation
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what is the waxman-markey proposal?
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- obama's cap & trade program that he wanted to enact at the time
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what was the outcome of the waxman-markey proposal?
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- passed in house - senate did not pass because some democrats crossed over
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what would legislation on climate change impact?
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- environment - economy - jobs - social welfare
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what is ACES?
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american clean energy and security act
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did ACES get passed?
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- passed in house - did not pass in senate - needs to pass in both for it to be enacted
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how does a bill get reconciled?
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- house and senate make changes on the bill - try to get house and senate to agree on same thing - goes back to house and senate - after, president can sign/veto
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can the president pass legislation on his own?
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- no - congress must first - president can only sign/veto
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what is the current policy on climate change?
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- lacking - do nothing state
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what has the lack of federal policy for climate change caused states to do?
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- initiate climate change policy themselves - try to reduce emissions - try to force federal government to do something
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what happened in 2007 with northeastern states vs federal government?
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- number of states combined to sue federal government - said that they needed to do something about reducing carbon dioxide
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what is the clear air policy?
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- first major piece of legislation in US
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what does nixon have to do with climate change?
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- president in 1970 - clean air act - smart enough to see that public was calling for environmental action so he passed CAA
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what is the CAA?
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- clean air act (1970) - about reducing the concentration of certain criteria pollutants in US
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what is PM?
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- particulate matter - when burning something like coal, small flecks of things - dust
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where does sulfur dioxide come from?
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coal plants
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criteria for laws during 1970
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- protect human health (more important) - protect human welfare (biodiversity, climate)
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what were the government standards set during the 1970?
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- air can only have certain levels of particulate matter, etc. - split US in 297 air quality districts
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how did the air quality districts work in 1970?
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- 297 - monitoring stations in all districts to see if they were meeting standards - some still did not meet standards
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who founded clean air act amendments and when?
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- ford then carter - 1977
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what is the global 2000 report?
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- by carter - whole chapter on climate change
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what was reagan's stance on climate change?
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- anti-environmental - no legislation on clean air/climate change
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what did bush senior do for climate change?
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- put together coalition - clean air act amendments - first cap & trade legislation - 1990
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what was discovered about carbon dioxide in 1990?
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- carbon dioxide not concern - sulfur dioxide is
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what did sulfur dioxide lead to and where did it come from?
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- respiratory diseases & acid rain - coal power plants
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what did the original c&t program allow?
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- reduce cost of compliance by allowing different coal power plants to trade right to pollute
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what did bill clinton do for climate change policy?
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- tried - not focused on environment - 1993-2000
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what is the dirty water bill?
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- newt gingrich - 1994 - passed in congress - vetoed by president
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what was the 1997 kyoto protocol?
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- industrial countries reduce emissions by 5% - developing countries reduce by 0% - clinton signs this
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scientists said we need to reduce emissions by _______%
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80
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what is the byrd-hagel resolution?
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- in response to kyoto - says senate will not approve any legislation to reduce greenhouse gas emissions if they feel that it will hurt the US economy - says kyoto is unfair to the US if other countries (developing) do not have to reduce their emissions
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how did the senate vote for byrd-hagel resolution?
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- 95 to 0 - 100% opposition
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what was bush junior's stance on climate change?
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- believes it - says, if elected, he will sign kyoto
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what happens to climate change after bush jr is elected?
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- does not sign kyoto - 9/11 is priority - later agrees with byrd-hagel - becomes anti climate change policy (2001)
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what initiative does bush jr argue for? outcome?
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- clear skies initiative which weakens clean air act - did not get passed
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what was the case involving nasa employee?
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- used to work at exxon mobil - now works for bush administration - went through nasa report on climate change - every time it said "uncertainties" he changed it to "significant uncertainties"
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how does bush suppress science of climate change?
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- nasa employee case - EPA environmental report - CDC report
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what was the case of the EPA report?
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- 2002 environmental report was sent to the white house - white house took out section about climate change
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what was the case of the CDC and bush's administration?
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- 15 page report about implication of climate change - goes to white house - report comes out 6 pages instead of 15
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what was the american clean energy and security act?
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- obama tries to pass in 2009 - cannot get through senate
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what is the american reinvestment & recovery act?
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- passed in 2009 - obama - 2008 recession - federal government pumps money into public to get things going again
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______% of money from american reinvestment & recovery act goes into renewable energy companies
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10
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how much money did obama put into economy with american reinvestment & recovery act?
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$800 billion
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what is the clean power plan?
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establishes state-by-state targets for carbon emissions reductions, and it offers a flexible framework under which states may meet those targets
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who and when was clean power plan established?
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- obama - 2015
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1998-2007 clean energy jobs increase by ____%; all other jobs by ____%
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9.1% 3.7%
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what is a floor/minimum?
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- set by federal government - set minimum of what states have to do when it comes to policy -
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how can states help get climate change policy passed federally?
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- can see what works/what doesn't - momentum
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how many states adopted climate change action plan?
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34 states
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what is RPS?
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- renewable energy portfolio standard - plans that force energy providers to generate power using renewable sources
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how many states are on RPS?
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30 firmly 8 voluntary
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for delaware by 2025, ____% of all energy must come from solar power
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25%
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what is the 2006 global warming solutions act?
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- arnold - plan to reduce emissions faster than anyone else - plan to reduce emissions of every sector of the state
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utah's stance on climate change
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- does not want any state to do anything about climate change - sued EPA for regulating CO2 emissions
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types of plans that can be put out by states about climate change
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- from governor - are laws
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how to make a climate change policy successful
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- policy must be meaningful - policy must be enforced
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why is california so important to climate change?
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- 12th largest source of GHG emissions - most populated state - low energy intensity - led the way for innovative policies
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what the best law the US has for climate change?
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2006 global warming solutions act
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what goal did california achieve involving cars?
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- certain percent of cars must be electric - 55% of reductions from electricity - 30% of reductions from transportation
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in order to reach the goal (80%) in 2050, california says...
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- 40% from transportation - 23% from industry - 22% from electricity/energy - 8% agriculture - 7% residency/commercial
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what happened with electricity in california?
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- by reducing emissions, the price in CA has increased - effects poor people
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what did california do for poor people?
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- provide funds to reduce electricity emissions and put better insulation in their homes
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what percentage of california's population supported climate change policy?
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54% then 75%
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how much money goes to the california institute for climate change solutons every year?
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$60 million
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what are ZEVs?
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- zero emissions vehicles - 100% electric cars
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what issues of environmental justice have come up involving CAT programs?
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- groups have sued saying CAT programs negatively effect their health - created hot spots
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when did california put together a CAT program?
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2013
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what is the regional greenhouse gas initiative?
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- CAT program - first market driven
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what states are in the regional greenhouse gas initiative?
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DE, MD, NY, CT, RI, MA, ME, VT, NH, NJ
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what does the regional greenhouse gas initiative cover?
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- only covers powerplants of certain capacity (certain amount of emissions)
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how does the regional greenhouse gas initiative work?
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- set initial cap for powerplants - decided to auction off tradeable permits - allowed government to make money
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what group wants to do something about climate change (USA)?
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scientific community
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what group does not want to do something about climate change (USA)?
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- congress - oil/gas interests
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what group is mixed about doing something about climate change (USA)?
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- presidents - states - media - public
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who is in the european union?
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- 28 nations/states - 500+ million people
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where does france's electricity come from?
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nuclear power
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who is the leader of the EU?
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germany
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where is nuclear power no longer allowed?
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germany
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is western europe wealthy or poor?
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wealthy
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is eastern europe wealthy or poor?
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not wealthy
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who is pulling out of the EU and when?
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- great britain - 2019
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why was the eu formed?
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- originally for trade and economic reasons - they were able to trade between different countries without restrictions or different laws - same currency
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is climate change a core issue of the eu?
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no, secondary
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who is the world leader for climate change policy?
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european union
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why did the eu embrace the role of being climate change leader?
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1. they were in a state of crisis - didn't have anything they were known for (made relevant again) 2. achieve climate change targets with little impact to eu as a whole (west - lots of emissions, east - little) 3. politically feasible
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what governments does the eu have?
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- coalition - parliament/green parties
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what can green parties do?
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combine with other parties to control the government
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what is the 20-20-20 plan?
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- 2008 european union - reduce ghg by 20% - increase renewable energy sources by 20% - increase energy efficiency by 20% - want to achieve this all by 2020
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what is ets?
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- emissions trading system - eu originally against this - cap and trade
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what is the grandfathering method?
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- gives out ets based on past emissions levels of companies - originally gave out too many
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what is ownership of emissions?
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- china is world leader of emissions - first to point out that they produce emissions for the things they make for other countries - should the countries buying or making goods be responsible?
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what are outsourcing emissions?
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emissions from the production of goods
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what does the south need to do anything about emissions?
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money and technology
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what was the issue with wind?
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- germany formerly relied on nuclear energy - when wind didn't blow, they used coal - led to increased emissions
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if we increase energy efficiency, does it lead to less emissions?
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- more money = more spending - more spending = more things that require more energy - JEVON'S PARADOX
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what does germany now use instead of coal?
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natural gas
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eu policy on plane travel
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- plane travel is subject to emissions reductions - transnational airlines have to pay fee to go there (but they won't pay)
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____% of population living in poverty in china but then reduced to ____%
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27% 11%
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in 2007, who became the #1 source of greenhouse gas emissions?
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china
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in 2010, who became the #1 country in energy use?
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china
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what does china rely on for energy?
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2/3 coal
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what is the hope/promise policy?
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- china - peak on energy reuse 2020-2030 - fully industrialized 2030 - world's economic power 2050
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who is world leader investments in the market for renewable energy?
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china
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what is china's stance on climate change?
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- impacts of CC is one of their top concerns - see CC as a development issue
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contradictions to china view on climate change?
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- building many coal power plants to supply the energy that it needs for manufacturing - not do anything to reduce emissions because it would hurt them economically
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who leads in per capita emissions of CO2?
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australia 18.6 tons
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world's largest democracy
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india
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___% of people in india living in poverty
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58%
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what resources is india reliant on?
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- fisheries - agriculture - forestry products
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what energy source does india use?
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coal
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what other emissions does india have? where does it come from?
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methane - cow shit/toots - rice paddies
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2 largest growing economies
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china and india
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what is india's 2008 climate change action plan?
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- focused on seriousness of impacts - agriculture: 65% is reliant on rain water - hazards: flooding - human health: malaria can come if there are more hot seasons (flies)
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mitigation will only work if...
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- all countries involved - need rich / industrialized / northern countries to do something but also need the developing/southern/poorer countries to do something
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what are ways to enforce policy?
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- economic (embargo) - political (overthrow government) - military (send troops)
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how can a global cap work?
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- rich countries prefer grandfathering - poor countries prefer all emissions rights to go to poor countries so the rich can buy from them
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what is the fair way for a global cap to work?
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- split up based on population
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what is the problem will splitting up emissions rights based on population?
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some smaller countries have a lot of emissions
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what does political vulnerability mean?
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- more vulnerable to cc impacts more likely to want mitigation - put country in weaker position during negotiations
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if people in a country believe the science of climate change, they are ____ likely to want to do something which puts them in a _____ positions for negotiations
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- more - weaker
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what do industrialized countries believe?
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- should put out their business as usual emissons - not reduce
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what do developing countries believe?
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- allow them to keep up higher emissions until they reach a certain per capita amount
