Environmental Roundup - October 10, 2008‏

Environmental Roundup: October 10, 2008

Bailout Fallout

The notorious bailout bill -- or as generously titled, "Emergency Economic Stabilization Act of 2008" -- was passed and signed last Friday. Some oversight over Treasury Sec. Paulson was included, thanks in part to the Friends of the Earth activists who sent thousands of emails to their Representatives. Yet while the bill took certain minimal steps toward accountability, it fell far short of what's needed to truly protect taxpayers and prevent a similar crisis in the future. Some important short-term tax credits for renewable energy were also included, which was vital to maintain jobs in that sector. Unfortunately, some funding for dirty fuels like oil shale and tar sands also was attached. Friends of the Earth will be working over the winter months to expand upon our original recommendations and provide Congress with the kinds of fundamental reforms necessary to make our economy more fiscally and environmentally sustainable.

Also in this issue:

• Nuclear Bailout Ad Generates Strong Response
• Voice Your Choice
• Ship Shape: At the IMO
• Friends of the Earth Takes on World Bank's Climate Policy
  

Nuclear Bailout Ad Generates Strong Response

The nuclear bailout ad we sent you last week has been gaining a lot of attention. Our ad criticizes the nuclear industry's attempt to win a pre-emptive multi-billion-dollar bailout from taxpayers, given that there are cleaner, more affordable forms of energy. Our ad generated coverage in publications such as Grist and Politico, and we've received lots of supportive comments from you, our members and activists.

We received two questions and will take a shot at answering them here. First, some of you noted that France gets most of its energy from nuclear power and asked why the U.S. shouldn't embrace a similar approach. There are a number of reasons why the French model isn't a good one to follow, and one is that the nuclear system there still isn't safe. For example, a spill of 8,000 gallons of radioactive waste shut down two major French rivers just this summer. Second, some of you were curious why our ad didn't focus more on safety and environmental impacts. While the safety and environment message wasn't the focus of this 30-second ad, rest assured it is a case Friends of the Earth will continue to make. The fact is, nuclear reactors aren't safe, and the long-term storage problem that comes with nuclear waste threatens severe environmental harm.

What do you think about the bailout? It was a good framework, executed well It was a good framework, with some bad aspects It was a bad framework but the government was right to act Doing nothing would have been best

Friends of the Earth and Friends of the Earth International have been working tirelessly with the International Maritime Organization (IMO) to revise an international agreement that would strengthen ship emissions standards and allow countries to apply for Emission Control Area (ECA) expansions along their coastlines. This work is about to pay off!

Our staff has been in London, England this week to participate in a major IMO meeting on ship pollution. The IMO is poised to formally approve revisions to MARPOL Annex VI. Within the ECAs, dramatic reductions in ship emissions would be required, improving air quality and significantly benefiting public health and the environment.

Friends of the Earth has participated in negotiations at the IMO, generated extensive coverage of the negative health impacts of ship emissions, and submitted technical papers supporting stronger standards. Our policy successes at the state and national levels to reduce air pollution from ships also helped push the IMO into finally adopting stronger international air pollution standards. With victory at the IMO, we will turn our attention to establishing an ECA along the entire North American coastline.

IMO discussions will also cover the Secretariat's call to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from ships, which contribute over 1 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide annually to the atmosphere - nearly 4 percent of all human-produced carbon dioxide worldwide.

Click here to read John Kaltenstein's blog about the IMO meeting and its developments.

Friends of the Earth Takes on World Bank's Climate Policy

The World Bank is holding its annual meetings this weekend and Friends of the Earth is using the opportunity to rally opposition to the Bank's proposed "Climate Investment Funds." The Bank recently financed one of the largest coal-fired power plants in the world (the Tata plant in India) and claimed that the plant was a "clean" energy investment. Now the Bank is trying to oversee billions of dollars of global clean energy investments that will likely be mandated through the international climate agreement that is currently being negotiated.

We've got a simple message for the World Bank: clean up your act or stop asking up for money so you can invest in dirty projects and call them clean. We and allied groups have just released a new report on the Bank's failed climate strategy, we have been holding panel discussions and educating activists all week, and we have been calling attention to the Bank's flaws in the media (you can read some of the coverage here and here). Today, we'll be organizing a demonstration near the World Bank headquarters, and this weekend, Friends of the Earth staff from around the world will attend the Bank's meetings and hold it accountable for its polluting ways.

To learn more, check out our factsheet (pdf) here.

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