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Climate Change, Energy, and Texas

Climate Change, Energy, and Texas. Why we are focused on decarbonizing the electric grid?. A quick look at the science of climate change. Coal? In Texas? The role of coal on Texas and U.S. climate change pollution. Responsibility: The clean energy future of Texas.

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Climate Change, Energy, and Texas

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  1. Climate Change, Energy, and Texas

  2. Why we are focused on decarbonizing the electric grid? A quick look at the science of climate change. Coal? In Texas? The role of coal on Texas and U.S. climate change pollution Responsibility: The clean energy future of Texas

  3. 2011: 86.8 F, 4.05 inches rain

  4. Who began the concern that the burning of fossil fuels and the rising levels of CO2 in the atmosphere might affect the climate? • Al Gore - 1995 • Robert Goddard – 1940 • Albert Einstein - 1930 • Charles Darwin - 1870

  5. ArvidHögbom Swedish Chemist 1857-1940 Högbom was the first scientist to realize that coal combustion could significantly increase the amount of CO2 in the air

  6. Joseph Fourier French Mathematician 1768-1830 Discovered through mathematical calculations that the earth must be heated with something more than the visible light from the sun.

  7. Sealing Off the Ice Accumulation Rates Greenland = 0.5 m/yr Antarctica = 0.05 m/yr

  8. Ice Core Recovery

  9. National Ice Core Laboratory (NICL) Core Processing Line

  10. CO2: where we are today because of last 200 years

  11. Svante Arrhenius 1896: Calculated what would happen if atmospheric CO2 changed by 50%. 9 degrees F change in temperature

  12. Gilbert Plass Canadian Physicist - 1956 Lockheed Worked on heat(IR)-seeking missiles spare time: access to one of the first digital computers – confirmed Arrhenius was right – CO2 absorbs enough IR that planet is going to warm because of emissions

  13. The Drought: We are doing this to ourselves, Texas

  14. Change in Precipitation Because of Climate Change by Year 2100. Source: USGCRP 2009

  15. The Roll of Coal Power Plants

  16. Texas: Driving the Economy...of Wyoming $1.85 billion leaving Texas annually to pay for imported coal Credit: Union of Concerned Scientists

  17. Texas: Driving the Economy..of Wyoming $71 per person per year from Texans for Wyoming coal Credit: Union of Concerned Scientists

  18. National average is $18 per person / year Texas spending at $6 per person / year Texas: top on coal, near bottom on conservation

  19. The Economics of The Carbon Rule • Texans are paying for carbon emissions and climate change today and reducing emissions will save Texas money and help drive the economy. • Texans today are spending $71 per capita and $284 per family of 4 annually for Wyoming coal. Approx. $1.8 billion per year in lost economic opportunity. • Large and growing federal taxpayer exposures, per year (2012): • $20B Congressional Disaster Appropriations • $10B National Flood Insurance Program • $4B to 20B Federal Crop Insurance Program • $300 per capita from every Texan for 2012 federal weather/climate disaster payments • Climate and weather disasters in 2012 cost the American economy more than $100 billion. • CPP climate &health benefits worth an estimated $55-$93 billion per yrin 2030. This includes avoiding 2,700-6,600 premature deaths & 140,000 -150,000 asthma attacks in children • Outweighs the annual CPP compliance costs of $7.3 billion to $8.8 billion in 2030.

  20. Texas: Slowly Getting Worse Total CO2 via statewide total from Clean Air Markets 2013 annual data; Power MWh data via ERCOT.

  21. Texas: Largest Emitter in the Country

  22. Texas: Largest Emitter in the Country

  23. 167 plants defeated (89,830 MW) Source: Sierra Club New Coal tracker, April 14th 2012

  24. New coal projects defeated. 175 plants defeated (95,000 MW) Source: Sierra Club New Coal tracker, April 14th 2012

  25. Announced retirements 2010 – May 2013 Stats to Date: • 413 units • 145 whole plants • 54,665 MW • 258 million MWh/yr • 209 million tons CO2/yr

  26. Habitat Loss

  27. Habitat Loss

  28. Coal’s share is plummeting.

  29. Why we are focused on decarbonizing the electric grid? A quick look at the science of climate change. Coal? In Texas? The role of coal on Texas and U.S. climate change pollution Responsibility: The clean energy future of Texas

  30. Responsibility

  31. Who created this problem? Who did this? Who is responsible for the increase in CO2 from 280 to 400 ppm?

  32. China and India?

  33. Who created this problem? source: U.S. Dept of Energy – CDIAC – Oak Ridge National Laboratory; Global Carbon Project

  34. Who created this problem? A closer look.

  35. Who should lead the world?

  36. Fair play The citizens of the industrialized Democracies are responsible for much more carbon pollution per person than anyone in China or India .

  37. Responsibility to Clean Up Our Messes

  38. Responsibility to Clean Up Our Messes

  39. Responsibility to Lead the World

  40. Climate change is real Texas leads in carbon pollution Coal power plants are a huge source The drought will become the new normal for our kids and grandkids I can use your help

  41. Thanks.

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