Reports from Bali
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| Louisville Climate Action Network |
This page was most
recently updated on
13 Dec 07.
recently updated on
13 Dec 07.
Art Williams, the director of Louisville's Air Pollution Control
District, is in Bali, Indonesia, representing the National
Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA) at the United
Nations conference for constructing efforts to build upon the
Kyoto Protocol. Read Art's fourth report below:
District, is in Bali, Indonesia, representing the National
Association of Clean Air Agencies (NACAA) at the United
Nations conference for constructing efforts to build upon the
Kyoto Protocol. Read Art's fourth report below:
On Tuesday, I again focused largely on side events with topics related to
domestic US policy and strategies (with a bias on local level actions). I again
attended sessions where the US Congressional staff were featured focusing on
the proposed federal legislation.
There seemed to be consensus that the toughest issues to be addressed are
targets (the toughest of the tough issues), cost containment, the scope and
coverage of the targets (economy wide or lesser coverage), whether to auction or
allocate allowances (Rep. Markey wants to auction all allowances--and his staff
noted that he was enormously influenced by the RGGI work on this issue) and
details on offsets.
Also, it seems clear the House doesn't intend to be a junior partner or rubber
stamp what might come out of the Senate. Dingell's staffer said that he intends
to write a new bill.
On the issue of auction versus allocation, McIntosh put a shaper point on the issue
by noting that part of the issue is the enormous amount of dough an auction could
raise and that a number of members are very uncomfortable with the federal
government getting its hands on that much cash. I liked hearing that Bingaman
is for an auction approach and wants to get a large chunk of it to the states. (Hey,
what about us locals?? We want a piece of the action too!)
McIntosh also noted re auction proceeds that Lieberman believes they should be
used for two main things--technology development (and he noted specifically
carbon capture and storage) and defraying energy cost impacts on low income
consumers (US adaptation).
[During this event's Q&A a Scottish person, in commenting on EU approaches,
noted that one problem the US wouldn't face that the EU did was the language
barrier. (I thought--this guy has never been in my shoes--being from the South
and trying to translate Dick Valetinetti's English (if that's what it is).....]
I also heard a nice presentation by Peter Iwanowicz, Director of the New York
Climate Change Office and, in another event, a presentation from Rocky Anderson,
the Salt Lake City Mayor. Anderson noted that his City is the first US city, he
thinks, to offset 100% of all air travel. They buy offsets from Pax Natura which
protects forests in Costa Rica. They also offer free parking to low emission/high
mileage vehicles and all new City buildings must meet at least silver LEEDS
standards.
I also took in the de rigour presentation from the Hadley Centre, the British
science shop which does some of the best climate change forecasting and modeling
work around. Though for some unknown reason the session was not well-attended
it was nevertheless excellent. Their presentation was a thorough review of the
modeled projections and relationships between atmospheric concentrations and
temperature change. Go to their web site and take it all in.
The day wrapped up with a fine dinner hosted by the large California delegation
with about 50 folks in attendance--including David McIntosh from Sen.
Lieberman's staff and Chelsea Maxwell from Sen. Warner's staff. There is no
rest for the weary and apparently as a trade for the fine meal and good company
David and Chelsea had to, once again, sing for their supper. Joined by Steve
Harper of Intel and Nancy McFadden of PG&E (formerly Gore's Deputy Chief
of Staff), they led a 40 minute discussion (after appetizers but before the
entre) again on matters pertaining to the pending legislation. But this discussion
was almost entirely about state preemption issues. Suffice it to say that we
were very strongly urged to strongly engage on the issue to preserve and maintain
the Lieberman bill's current protections for state authority (I'm assuming this
will also preserve any comparable local authority and action).
domestic US policy and strategies (with a bias on local level actions). I again
attended sessions where the US Congressional staff were featured focusing on
the proposed federal legislation.
There seemed to be consensus that the toughest issues to be addressed are
targets (the toughest of the tough issues), cost containment, the scope and
coverage of the targets (economy wide or lesser coverage), whether to auction or
allocate allowances (Rep. Markey wants to auction all allowances--and his staff
noted that he was enormously influenced by the RGGI work on this issue) and
details on offsets.
Also, it seems clear the House doesn't intend to be a junior partner or rubber
stamp what might come out of the Senate. Dingell's staffer said that he intends
to write a new bill.
On the issue of auction versus allocation, McIntosh put a shaper point on the issue
by noting that part of the issue is the enormous amount of dough an auction could
raise and that a number of members are very uncomfortable with the federal
government getting its hands on that much cash. I liked hearing that Bingaman
is for an auction approach and wants to get a large chunk of it to the states. (Hey,
what about us locals?? We want a piece of the action too!)
McIntosh also noted re auction proceeds that Lieberman believes they should be
used for two main things--technology development (and he noted specifically
carbon capture and storage) and defraying energy cost impacts on low income
consumers (US adaptation).
[During this event's Q&A a Scottish person, in commenting on EU approaches,
noted that one problem the US wouldn't face that the EU did was the language
barrier. (I thought--this guy has never been in my shoes--being from the South
and trying to translate Dick Valetinetti's English (if that's what it is).....]
I also heard a nice presentation by Peter Iwanowicz, Director of the New York
Climate Change Office and, in another event, a presentation from Rocky Anderson,
the Salt Lake City Mayor. Anderson noted that his City is the first US city, he
thinks, to offset 100% of all air travel. They buy offsets from Pax Natura which
protects forests in Costa Rica. They also offer free parking to low emission/high
mileage vehicles and all new City buildings must meet at least silver LEEDS
standards.
I also took in the de rigour presentation from the Hadley Centre, the British
science shop which does some of the best climate change forecasting and modeling
work around. Though for some unknown reason the session was not well-attended
it was nevertheless excellent. Their presentation was a thorough review of the
modeled projections and relationships between atmospheric concentrations and
temperature change. Go to their web site and take it all in.
The day wrapped up with a fine dinner hosted by the large California delegation
with about 50 folks in attendance--including David McIntosh from Sen.
Lieberman's staff and Chelsea Maxwell from Sen. Warner's staff. There is no
rest for the weary and apparently as a trade for the fine meal and good company
David and Chelsea had to, once again, sing for their supper. Joined by Steve
Harper of Intel and Nancy McFadden of PG&E (formerly Gore's Deputy Chief
of Staff), they led a 40 minute discussion (after appetizers but before the
entre) again on matters pertaining to the pending legislation. But this discussion
was almost entirely about state preemption issues. Suffice it to say that we
were very strongly urged to strongly engage on the issue to preserve and maintain
the Lieberman bill's current protections for state authority (I'm assuming this
will also preserve any comparable local authority and action).
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