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Statement: Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change Approves Physical Science Report

Posted by Becky Fried on September 27, 2013 at 6:19 AM EDT

Following today's release by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) of its Working Group Report on the Physical Science Basis of Climate Change, OSTP Director John P. Holdren released the following statement:

Today the United States joined other member nations of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in approving the Fifth IPCC Working Group Report on the Physical Science Basis of Climate Change.

The IPCC’s report is the result of more than five years of intensive work by hundreds of expert scientists from the United States and partner nations to comprehensively assess the current state of scientific knowledge about climate change.

The report reflects a further strengthening of the already robust scientific consensus that the Earth’s climate is changing in ways not explainable by natural variability and that the primary cause is emission of heat-trapping substances by human activities. It also conveys scientists’ strengthened confidence in projections that the kinds of harm already being experienced from climate change will continue to worsen unless and until comprehensive and vigorous action to reduce emissions is undertaken worldwide.

I applaud the collaborative efforts of the many scientists who contributed to this report, which represents the most comprehensive and authoritative synthesis of scientific knowledge about global climate change ever generated.

Consistent with the Global Change Research Act of 1990—and across four Administrations—the Federal Government has supported gold-standard research to advance global-change science, including research to understand how humans are contributing to climate change; the impacts of climate change on people, communities, and ecosystems; and ways to address and minimize those impacts. U.S. Government investments enabled many of the peer-reviewed scientific findings that are at the core of the IPCC Working Group Report released today. In addition, scores of American scientists—including dozens of Federal researchers—served as contributing authors of the new report.

The U.S. Government is committed to continued participation in IPCC activities and to the rigorous use of scientific information about climate change to support sound decision making, as outlined in the Climate Action Plan released by the President in June. The Administration looks forward to collaborating with international partners to finalize the remaining reports making up the IPCC Fifth Assessment, all of which are expected to be released in 2014.

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Making Energy More Accessible in Africa: The Power Africa Off-Grid Energy Challenge

Posted by Shari Berenbach on September 24, 2013 at 3:00 PM EDT

President Barack Obama tosses a Soccket ball in the air at the Ubongo Power Plant in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania, July 2, 2013. As it is used, the ball is able to create and store kinetic energy as a battery. Standing with the President, from left, are: Paul Hinks, CEO Symbion Power; Jay Ireland, President and CEO of GE Africa; President Jakaya Kikwete of Tanzania; Victor Angel, Vice President of Product Development at Uncharted Play; and Jessica Matthews, Co-founder and CEO of Uncharted Play. (Official White House Photo by Pete Souza)

Millions of African communities need access to reliable, affordable power to grow their businesses and transform their lives. Power Africa, an initiative President Obama announced during his trip to Africa this summer, is building on Africa’s enormous power potential, helping countries responsibly develop newly-discovered vast oil and natural gas reserves and build out power production and transmission to meet their energy needs with the goal of doubling electricity access across sub-Saharan Africa. Yet, with more than 85 percent of those in rural areas lacking access to electricity, many are calling for a new wave of off-grid, renewable approaches to energy generation, opening access to communities outside the mainstream.

To accelerate the delivery of electricity to rural populations, the U.S. African Development Foundation has teamed up with GE Africa to launch the $2 million, three-year Power Africa Off-Grid Energy Challenge. The first Request for Proposals is open from September 17 to October 16, with the call to African applicants with initiatives in Kenya and Nigeria to expand markets, test innovations, and leverage financing to increase the delivery of off-grid energy to marginalized populations. Successful proposals may also introduce innovative payment and collection methods that can extend the reach of power delivery – both areas of significant need and opportunity. This initial funding round will award $500,000 of grants, of up to $100,000 each, followed by an additional $1.5 million of grants in the next two years.

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Join a White House Google+ Hangout with Energy Secretary Moniz & EPA Administrator McCarthy Moderated by Grist

Posted by aoken on September 20, 2013 at 1:00 PM EDT

Update: Unfortunately, due to a scheduling conflict, the Google+ Hangout with Secretary Moniz and Administrator McCarthy has been cancelled.

Less than three months ago, President Obama delivered an address at Georgetown University that underscored the moral obligation we have to leave our children a planet that’s not polluted or damaged. The President issued a Climate Action Plan for his second term that laid out commonsense steps to reduce carbon pollution and address the effects of climate change both here and across the globe.

Today, the Administration issued a Climate Action Plan progress report detailing important implementation milestones on everything from cutting carbon pollution, preparing the United States for the impacts of climate change and ways we are leading global efforts to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions, advance international negotiations and promoting new actions to promote energy efficiency. Check out highlights from our progress since the President announced the Climate Action Plan.

Want to know more about President Obama's Climate Action Plan? Join us Monday, September 23rd at 12:15 p.m. EDT for a White House Google+ Hangout with Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz and Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Gina McCarthy, and moderated by Lisa Hymas, Senior Editor of Grist.org.

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Meeting the Challenge of Climate Change

Posted by Heather Zichal on September 20, 2013 at 10:36 AM EDT

In June, President Obama laid out the case for action on climate change and the steps his Administration will take to address it. In his Climate Action Plan, the President announced steps to cut the emissions of carbon pollution, prepare the United States for the impacts of climate change, and lead international efforts to combat global climate change.

Three months later, the Administration is well on its way implementing the President’s plan. Already, the Administration has announced new renewable energy projects on public lands, we are taking steps to make our communities more resilient to the effects of severe weather, and we are working with our international partners to reduce emissions of powerful greenhouse gasses. At home and abroad, we are making real progress, and we have results to show for it.

Today, the EPA announced another milestone by re-proposing carbon pollution standards for new power plants. With this announcement, the EPA is taking responsible, steady steps to cut carbon pollution, protect the air we breathe, and develop affordable, American-made clean energy. For years we have had limits in place for arsenic, mercury and lead that power plants can release, and today we are taking a common-sense step to reduce the carbon pollution that is contributing to higher rates of asthma attacks and more frequent and severe floods and heat waves. The President is serious about taking on the challenge of climate change, and with today’s announcement we are proving that we can deliver on that promise.

Here are some more highlights from our progress since the President announced the Climate Action Plan.

Progress Report: President Obama’s Climate Action Plan
Taking Action for Our Kids

Less than three months ago, President Obama delivered an address at Georgetown University that underscored the moral obligation we have to leave our children a planet that’s not polluted or damaged. The President issued a Climate Action Plan for his second term that – building on the accomplishments of the first four years – advances policies to cut carbon pollution, keeping our air and water clean and protecting our kids.

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A Clean Energy Revolution -- Now

Posted by Dr. Ernest Moniz on September 19, 2013 at 3:30 PM EDT

For decades, America has chased after the promise of clean, domestic energy. But even as costs fell and technology matured, that clean energy future seemed to linger just beyond our reach. Critics often said this new world would “always be five years away.” Today, that is changing.

In recent years, costs for numerous critical clean energy technologies -- wind power, solar panels, super energy-efficient LED lights and electric vehicles -- have fallen significantly. The accompanying surge in deployment has been truly spectacular. Such a surge is tantamount to topping the barricades -- a level of cost reduction and market penetration that will enable a full scale revolution in the relatively near term. A new Department of Energy report, "Revolution Now: the Future Arrives for Four Clean Energy Technologies" documents this transformation and what it means for America’s energy economy. The clean technology revolution is upon us.

While these technologies still represent a small percentage of their respective markets, that share is expanding at a rapid pace and influencing markets. For instance:
- In 2012, wind was America’s largest source of new electrical capacity, accounting for 43 percent of all new installations. Altogether the United States has deployed about 60 gigawatts of wind power -- enough to power 15 million homes.
- Since 2008, the price of solar panels has fallen by 75 percent, and solar installations have multiplied tenfold. Many major homebuilders are incorporating rooftop panels as a standard feature on new homes.
- In that same five years, the cost of super-efficient LED lights has fallen more than 85 percent and sales have skyrocketed. In 2009, there werefewer than 400,000 LED lights installed in the U.S.; today, the number has grown 50-fold to almost 20 million.
- During the first six months of 2013, America bought twice as many plug-in electric vehicles (EVs) as in the first half of 2012, and six times as many as in the first half of 2011. In fact, the market for plug-in electric vehicles has grown much faster than the early market for hybrids. Today, EVs rangingfrom the Chevy Volt to the Tesla Model S also boast some of the highest consumer satisfaction ratings in America. And prices are falling and exportmarkets are opening up. Since 2008, the cost of electric vehicle batteries -- which really drive the economics of EVs -- has dropped by 50 percent.
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Prioritizing Native Hawaiian and Pacific Islander Engagement in the Pacific

Posted by Rhea Suh on September 13, 2013 at 3:42 PM EDT

Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell speaks with participants at an event in the Marshall Islands. (by Louis Shelden)

This past week I had the distinct privilege to engage with Native Hawaiian leaders in Hawaii. In partnership with the White House Initiative on Asian Americans and Pacific Islanders, we met with a diverse group of leaders and public officials on a range of issues impacting Native Hawaiians, including education, health, preservation of cultural and native historic sites, fish and wildlife, Hawaiian homelands, and federal recognition.

On Wednesday, September 4, Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell delivered the keynote address at the 12th annual Council on Native Hawaiian Advancement (CNHA) Convention in Honolulu, HI – one of the largest gatherings focused on Native Hawaiian issues. She received a special welcome – fourteen leis that represented each decade the Department of Interior has worked with the Native Hawaiian community, and the 40 years since an U.S. Interior Secretary has met with Native Hawaiians. In her remarks, the Secretary underscored the importance of Native Hawaiian issues within the Department of the Interior, and the Department’s special oversight role under the Hawaiian Homes Commission Act.

The Secretary highlighted the Department’s commitment to consulting with and strengthening its relationship with Native Hawaiians. Finally, Secretary Jewell reiterated the President’s support for congressional efforts to establish federal recognition for Native Hawaiians.

Our two days of activities in Hawaii ended with a traditional luau in Papakolea, a Native Hawaiian Homestead, organized by the Papakolea Community Association. Homesteaders from around the islands traveled to Oahu to meet with the Secretary, share their culture, and discuss issues important to Native Hawaiians.

In the same week, Secretary Jewell led a U.S. government delegation to a dialogue hosted by the Pacific Islands in Majuro, the Republic of the Marshall Islands. The dialogue was held to highlight and build upon our historic relations with the peoples and nations of the Pacific. The delegation consisted of senior officials from the U.S. Coast Guard, Departments of State, Defense (United States Pacific Command), Interior, Energy, Health and Human Services, USAID and the White House.

Secretary Jewell’s participation in the Dialogue and meetings with Pacific leaders addressed a range of issues with Pacific Island nations, including global climate change and natural resource management, sustainable development, economic growth and security. During her remarks, Jewell unveiled a $24 million Pacific Climate Fund to help small island-nations prepare for the impacts of climate change.

Our trip to the Pacific marked an important milestone in the Interior Department’s commitment to Native Hawaiians and Pacific Islanders and our obligation to all our citizens.

Rhea Suh is the Assistant Secretary for Policy, Management, and Budget, at the U.S. Department of the Interior.

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