Vermont Oxfam Action Corps

We're recruiting! Join the Oxfam Action Corps and fight hunger worldwide

2012-01-03T15:51:00.002-05:00

Hey Everyone,

Oxfam America is currently recruiting new volunteers for 2012-2013. If you are interested in joining the Oxfam Action Corps please sign up and spread the word by February 14th at http://www.oxfamactioncorps.org/.

Join the Oxfam Action Corps to support women farmers, fight global hunger, and build a better food system! You will meet great people and work together to change laws that can save lives, defend the rights of the world’s poorest farmers, and protect communities from rising food prices and climate change. You will gain leadership skills, have fun, and change the world!

Anybody can join the local effort! All levels of experience are welcome. You can also apply for Oxfam’s free four-day leadership training in Washington D.C. May 12 – May 15.

This year, we will mobilize for the GROW campaign for global food justice. The women and men in poor countries who struggle to grow enough food to feed their families are facing competition for land and water, rising prices, and climate change. We will call for laws that support women and farmers, sustainable practices, and resilience to climate change, and ensure a better future for people in the poorest regions of the world.

This is a year-round volunteer opportunity, with a deadline of February 14 to apply for the spring training. Find out more and sign up at http://www.oxfamactioncorps.org/ .

Check out this video to see what we are all about:

Earth Week at UVM

2010-04-19T13:44:00.003-04:00

http://www.uvm.edu/bored/calendar/category/earth-week

Sister on the Planet will be showing on Earth Day, April 22nd at 5pm at UVM's Brennan's Pub. Please join local Oxfam American supporters and learn from firsthand accounts of how climate change is impacting women leaders throughout the world!

Share your Citizen Climate Activist Story!

2010-04-19T13:37:00.002-04:00

President Obama Wants Your Story! And so do we (by 4/21 if possible).

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=sVs5_nbdxVo

* * *

Over the past 12 months, while lobbying for comprehensive climate and energy legislation, I’ve met with dozens of members of Congress. Over and over they’ve said to me: “My constituents don’t care about climate change.”

I’ve also met with many individuals and citizen groups, students and members of faith-based communities, business leaders and municipal employees and I know you do care.

To help get this message across to our elected leaders, the Natural Resources Defense Council and I are asking you to tell the story of what you and your group are doing to address the climate crisis and create a green energy economy for America.

Once we’ve gathered these stories, a team of citizen lobbyists will deliver them to Congressional and White House Administration offices, to let our government know we do care.

Forty years ago, on the first Earth Day, tens of millions of Americans joined their voices to show they cared, and government responded by creating the Environmental Protection Agency and passing the Clean Air and Clean Water Acts.

Once again let’s show our leaders that people from all parts of America want them to complement our local actions by passing an effective climate and energy bill.

Please join us in changing the public conversation in America about energy and climate by sharing your story. And while you’re at it, please feel free to pass this on to others who have their own stories to share.

Sincerely, Barbarina Heyerdahl

Vermont Mom and Climate Activist

* *

Instructions for sharing your story:

Here’s what we need from you to get started:

Basic organization/business information:
Name, Number of members, Location (city, state)
Focus area (e.g. education, industry, community, faith-based)

A few paragraphs (about 500-600 words) on what your organization is doing to reduce global warming, promote clean energy, and/or help the environment.

Any other stories you would like to tell, such as a best practice for greening your community or a profile of a star worker/volunteer.

Photos! Interesting images will help illustrate your work. Especially compelling will be shots of your team in the field helping to clean up or green your community.

We want your stories by April 21st, when we have a special opportunity to present them to President Obama. But feel free to contribute stories throughout the rest of 2010. We’ll give them a basic copy edit for consistency, send them to a designer to package with the stories of other groups, and distribute them throughout all levels of government. The end result will be information that amplifies all of our voices!

We are excited to share your stories with decision makers all over the country.

Send your information to us at citizenclimatestories@gmail.com

p.s. email us for a .pdf file to give you an idea of what your group’s story will look like.

Apply to be an Organizer with the Oxfam Action Corps!

2010-01-25T15:22:00.000-05:00

Volunteer opportunity: Oxfam Action Corps organizer

Apply by February 15, 2010

Stand up to poverty and climate change – Join the Oxfam Action Corps!

Oxfam America, an international relief and development organization, invites you to join the Oxfam Action Corps, an exciting effort to cultivate grassroots leaders working to enact solutions to poverty and climate change!

The Oxfam Action Corps is a group of dedicated volunteer organizers in more than a dozen US cities who campaign with Oxfam in their towns, engage their elected officials, and reach out to community members at events and concerts. Anyone can join, but those willing to make a time commitment of one-year become eligible for a free Oxfam training in advocacy and organizing in Washington DC.

This year, Oxfam Action Corps organizers will mobilize around one of the greatest challenges of our time: climate change and its impact on the world’s poorest communities.

Apply online at: http://www.oxfamactioncorps.org

The deadline to apply is Monday, February 15, 2010.

Oxfam Action Corps teams will be formed in the following cities:

Albuquerque, NM
Austin, TX
Boston, MA
Burlington, VT
Chicago, IL
Columbus, OH
Des Moines, IA
Indianapolis, IN

Kansas City, MO

Madison, WI
Minneapolis/St. Paul, MN
New York City, NY
Philadelphia, PA
San Francisco, CA
Seattle, WA

As an Oxfam Action Corps organizer you will help convene activities and inspire action—from house parties and film screenings to visits with elected officials—all with ongoing training and coaching from dedicated Oxfam staff. You and your local team will gain practical skills and leadership experience. Corps organizers commit to one year of volunteer service, giving approximately 5-8 hours/week.

Oxfam Action Corps organizers are eligible for selection to attend a 4-day training and day of lobbying in Washington, DC from Saturday, April 18 to Tuesday, April 21 (spaces limited). Travel and accommodation are provided.

Here is what previous Oxfam Action Corps organizers said:

“As an activist, I had done fundraising. But the Oxfam Action Corps was about public education and raising awareness, and I found people really appreciated my work.” Khadija, Mechanical Engineer, Pennsylvania.

“My work with the Oxfam Action Corps has helped immensely in building organizing and mobilization skills. It was a great way for me to start reaching out and getting to know the people in the community.” Julie, Assistant Human Resources/Office Manager, Colorado.

To sign up go to: http://www.oxfamactioncorps.org

The deadline to apply is Monday, February 15, 2010.

Final Instructions: TOMORROW'S SLO-MO Flash Mob

2009-12-11T12:19:00.001-05:00

Dearest VT Oxfam Action Corps members and fellow flash-mob participants!

Since we will NOT be gathering ahead of time to deliver specific instructions to flash mob participants, we are counting on you to PLEASE READ THE FOLLOWING & SHARE OUT THE INFORMATION (especially to those not RSVP through facebook or evite -- our central communication mechanisms).

We've got over 100 people RSVP'ed!! All of these folks will gather to demand that world leaders SEAL A REAL DEAL: one that is FAIR, AMBITIOUS & BINDING (F.A.B.). We will be moving in SLOW MOTION throughout the Burlington Town Center Mall to draw attention to the molasses-like speed of the international climate negotiations. Please join us!

INSTRUCTIONS:

BEFORE NOON

SET YOUR CELL PHONE ALARMS TO GO OFF AT NOON
If you feel so moved, prepare signs sharing your take on what is needed for a real deal (find ready-made "Real Deal" & F.A.B. posters here)

AT NOON

"SHOP" IN SLOW MOTION FOR FIVE (5) MINUTES
Start making your way from wherever you happen to be in the downtown mall to Church Street -- the gathering of zombie-like people all walking in the same direction, will surely draw a crowd.

AT 12:15PM

GATHER FOR A PHOTO ON CHURCH STREET (OUTSIDE the mall, between Starbucks & Old Navy)
Expect media coverage and bring a camera!
A small group of event organizers and volunteers will be wearing t-shirts that spell out our "ask" and gathering signatures from supporters in the crowd to be delivered to the Senators Leahy & Sanders. If you would like to help, please approach someone with a t-shirt and introduce yourself! :)

ASAP AFTER (12:30PM?)

SEND YOUR PHOTOS TO directly to photos@tcktcktck.org (and copy Vermont@OxfamActionCorps.org, please!) -- these photos will be displayed immediately to world leaders at Copenhagen!
Give yourselves a pat on the back for pulling off a powerful, fun & peaceful (read: LEGAL & NON-VIOLENT) direct action in the struggle for climate justice!
Consider participating in one of the Climate Justice Vigils being organized throughout Vermont -- http://www.350.org/map

Many thanks to all for your time and support!

Happy Holidays,

the VT Oxfam Action Corps

SLOW MOTION FLASH MOB

2009-12-01T23:27:00.007-05:00

On the weekend of December 12th, 2009, climate activists all over the world will be gathering to demand a REAL climate DEAL from their world leaders -- one that is simultaneously FAIR, AMBITIOUS & BINDING (FAB!).

In Burlington VT, at noon on the 12th (12/12 @ 12pm), join the VT Oxfam Action Corps in delivering our message by continuing your holiday shopping IN SLOW MOTION to call attention to the molasses-like speed of climate action.

WORLD LEADERS: The world wants a fair, ambitious and binding international treaty -- SEAL A REAL DEAL!

To RSVP, please visit our event links on Facebook and/or Evite. We hope to see you there! (in slow-mo!)

A few instructions:

1) set your cell phone alarm for 12pm so that we all start at the same time, regardless of where we are inside the mall
2) shop in slow-motion for 5 minutes!
3) make your way towards the Church St entrance to the mall (near Old Navy and Starbucks) to take a photo which will be displayed to world leaders at Copenhagen!

International Day of Climate Action

2009-10-26T19:51:00.003-04:00

Written by Andy Burkhardt.

Last Saturday, October 24th I took part in the International Day of Climate Action. It was organized to send a message to world leaders that we need a strong, binding, international agreement to combat climate change.

The first activity I took part in was being a part of an aerial photo of humans spelling out "350 Vermont." It was pouring rain on us, but it didn't dampen our spirits. In fact it was pretty fun even though we got soaked. I even got interviewed by the Burlington Free Press (on page 2) when I was there.

From there we slowly ambled down along a winding route towards City Hall Park while church bells were ringing 350 times. It was pretty moving and probably got a number of people wondering what was going on. There were a lot of people marching which made it even more powerful.

Nearing the end of the night I attended a dance party at Slade Hall where the band Dubnotix performed in support of climate action. It was a great day, and even better because similar things were happening all over the world. It was nice being able to participate in something much larger than myself, and to see people all over the world organizing for a single important cause.

Burlington, VT Major 350.org action!

2009-10-23T19:12:00.001-04:00

Fossil Fuel Free Adventures with the Outdoor Gear Exchange

2009-10-23T19:05:00.000-04:00

Saturday October 24th is the International Day of Climate Action organized through 350.org.

350.org is a climate change campaign organization bringing together community voices in over 150 countries worldwide for a one day event.

The Outdoor Gear Exchange is hosting Fossil Fuel Free Adventures, on October 24th, to help 350.org create national and international pressure on climate change legislation. We are organizing community biking and hiking adventures, with a variety of difficulty levels. In an effort to encourage participation in these trips, the Outdoor Gear Exchange will be donating money to 350.org for every fossil fuel free adventurer. In addition we will be rewarding every participant with a free pair of Teko Eco-Merino wool socks! Please come prepared to take care of yourself and the group. The sign up for trips is in the entryway of the OGE, or email chriss@gearx.com for RSVPs. Our trips all start at the OGE, 152 Cherry Street, Burlington and details are as follows:

Organized Group Trips:

Mount Mansfield Epic:

Meet at the Outdoor Gear Exchange at 7:30 AM ready to ride, leaving by 8AM, bring everything needed for a full day (food, water, tubes, lights, etc.). Bike out Rt 15to Smugglers Notch hike up to the top of Vermont, take a group picture with a 350.org banner and then ride the loop back to Burlington via Waterbury and Rt 2. OGE donation: $20 to 350.org for each participant and a free pair of socks for each participant!

Mount Philo Adventure:

Meet at the Outdoor Gear Exchange at 10AM ready to ride, bring everything needed for a biking adventure (food, water, tubes, etc.). Bike out to Mount Philo on Spear Street, bike up to the top, take a group picture with a 350.org banner and then bike back to Burlington. OGE Donation: $10 to 350.org for each participant and a free pair of socks for each participant!

Do It Yourself Fossil Fuel Free Adventures:

We have created a selection of group and family local fossil fuel free adventures. All do it yourself adventures will start at the OGE to pick up suggested route maps and 350.org banners to take group pictures with. Do it yourself adventure groups are required to provide their own camera, so we can submit pictures to 350.org. Each participant will receive a free pair of socks and the OGE will make donations to 350.org in amounts determined by difficulty of the adventure.

Biking:

-North on the bike path to the water gap on the causeway. OGE donation: $20 to 350.org per group and a pair of socks for each participant!

-To the Ethan Allen tower in Ethan Allen Park. OGE donation: $15 to 350.org per group and a pair of socks for each participant!

-Down the paths through the Intervale Community Farms. OGE donation: $10 to 350.org per group and a pair of socks for each participant!

-North on the bike path to Bayside Park in Colchester. OGE donation: $15 to 350.org per group and a pair of socks for each participant!

-Out to Shelburne Pond. OGE donation: $20 to 350.org per group and a pair of socks for each participant!

-To Dorset Nature Park in South Burlington. OGE donation: $15 to 350.org per group and a pair of socks for each participant!

-To East Woods in South Burlington. OGE donation: $20 to 350.org per group and a pair of socks for each participant!

Hiking / Walking:

-Centennial Woods trails. OGE donation: $10 to 350.org per group and a pair of socks for each participant!

-Up the bike path to North Beach. OGE donation: $15 to 350.org per group and a pair of socks for each participant!

-Down the bike path to Oakledge Park. OGE donation: $15 to 350.org per group and a pair of socks for each participant!

-In the Intervale Community Farms. OGE donation: $15 to 350.org per group and a pair of socks for each participant!

-Out to the fishing pier by the Coast Guard station. OGE donation: $5 to 350.org per group and a pair of socks for each participant!

Joining Forces with State Radio

2009-10-18T13:00:00.005-04:00

On Friday, October 30th (from 1-3pm at the Great Room of the Main Street Landing), the Vermont Oxfam Action Corps will be joining forces with the non-profit branch of the bands State Radio and Dispatch, to draw attention to the ways in which climate change exacerbates gender inequalities in vulnerable communities throughout the world.

After a screening of the short film, Sisters on the Planet, we will hear from Arshinder Kaur, a consultant with the Women's Earth Alliance and recipient of the Environmental Leadership Fulbright who will share some of her experiences as an environmental organizer in India.

Join us at 1pm for lunch (catered by Sugar Snap), followed by the film and discussion. State Radio will also be doing an acoustic set to round it all out!

We hope to see you there. Please spread and word and bring friends!

To RSVP and for more information, please visit callingallcrows.org or email Vermont@OxfamActionCorps.org

Two very timely articles on International Adaptation

2009-10-15T19:03:00.004-04:00

The International Institute for Environment and Development does a fantastic job of highlighting the need to address adaptation as part of the international climate change negotiations. Please see below for two very relevant and timely articles showcasing recent research:

Cost of Adapting to Climate Change significantly Underestimated

Tazania has just 20 years to adapt agriculture to climate change, economists warn

We have the power to influence the outcomes of the international negotiations in favor of the world's poor. Let's use our power for good!

Blog Action Day!

2009-10-15T12:48:00.002-04:00

Happy Blog Action Day! Bloggers around the world are all posting about climate change today to raise awareness and take action on this great threat that is facing us.

We need to act now to make sure irreparable harm is not done to our world. Because of this 350.org is hosting events around the globe on October 24th to send a message to wolrd leaders that we need decisive action on climate change.

There's even events going on here in Vermont. So get involved and take action on climate change today!

World Bank Estimate cost of adaptation: $75-100 billion/year!

2009-10-02T08:39:00.000-04:00

World Bank Estimates Costs of Adaptation

30 September 2009: The World Bank has presented the results of an Economics of Adaptation to Climate Change (EACC) study, which estimates costs of adaptation to climate change in developing countries will be in the order of US$75-100 billion per year for the period 2010-2050, considering a 2°C warmer world.

The EACC study, funded by the Governments of the Netherlands, Switzerland and the United Kingdom, has two broad objectives. The first is to develop an estimate of the global costs of adaptation in developing countries. The second is to help decision makers in developing countries to better understand and assess the risks posed by climate change and to better design strategies to adapt to climate change, particularly keeping the most vulnerable communities in focus. A second report, based on seven country case studies, will be produced by the first half of 2010, focusing on the second objective. [The study website] [World Bank press release]

Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act

2009-10-01T14:47:00.000-04:00

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE:

September 30, 2009

Oxfam welcomes climate bill as a step toward addressing needs of the hardest hit Robust resources needed for global deal

Washington, DC – International development organization Oxfam America today made the following statement on the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act introduced by Senators John Kerry (D-MA) and Barbara Boxer (D-CA). Raymond C. Offenheiser, president of Oxfam America, made the following statement:

"Oxfam America welcomes today's introduction of the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act by Senators Kerry and Boxer. It marks a critical step forward in addressing the climate crisis facing the most vulnerable communities around the world.

“The bill does not yet address the allocation of emission allowances. We look forward to working with Senators Kerry and Boxer to ensure that this bill devotes the substantial resources needed to help hard-hit communities adapt to the serious consequences of climate change already underway. Doing so is essential to protecting security and achieving a global solution to climate change.

“As we head toward the international negotiations in Copenhagen where world leaders will hammer out a global agreement this December, the U.S. Senate must demonstrate global leadership by acting to pass a strong climate bill."

/ENDS

New Science Report Underlines Urgency for Governments to Seal the Deal in Copenhagen

2009-10-01T09:33:00.000-04:00

Impacts of Climate Change Coming Faster and Sooner: New Science Report Underlines Urgency for Governments to Seal the Deal in Copenhagen

Washington/Nairobi, 24 September 2009 -The pace and scale of climate change may now be outstripping even the most sobering predictions of the last report of the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC).

An analysis of the very latest, peer-reviewed science indicates that many predictions at the upper end of the IPCC's forecasts are becoming ever more likely.

Meanwhile, the newly emerging science points to some events thought likely to occur in longer-term time horizons, as already happening or set to happen far sooner than had previously been thought.

Researchers have become increasingly concerned about ocean acidification linked with the absorption of carbon dioxide in seawater and the impact on shellfish and coral reefs.

? Water that can corrode a shell-making substance called aragonite is already welling up along the California coast?decades earlier than existing models predict.

Losses from glaciers, ice-sheets and the Polar Regions appear to be happening faster than anticipated, with the Greenland ice sheet, for example, recently seeing melting some 60 percent higher than the previous record of 1998.

? Some scientists are now warning that sea levels could rise by up to two metres by 2100 and five to ten times that over following centuries.

There is also growing concern among some scientists that thresholds or tipping points may now be reached in a matter of years or a few decades including dramatic changes to the Indian sub-continent's monsoon, the Sahara and West Africa monsoons, and climate systems affecting a critical ecosystem like the Amazon rainforest.

The report also underlines concern by scientists that the planet is now committed to some damaging and irreversible impacts as a result of the greenhouse gases already in the atmosphere.

? Losses of tropical and temperate mountain glaciers affecting perhaps 20 percent to 25 percent of the human population in terms of drinking water, irrigation and hydro-power.

? Shifts in the hydrological cycle resulting in the disappearance of regional climates with related losses of ecosystems, species and the spread of drylands northwards and southwards away from the equator.

Recent science suggests that it may still be possible to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of climate change. However, this will only happen if there is immediate, cohesive and decisive action to both cut emissions and assist vulnerable countries adapt.

These are among the findings of a report released today by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) entitled Climate Change Science Compendium 2009.

The report, compiled in association with scientists around the world, comes with less than 80 days to go to the crucial UN climate convention meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark.

In a foreword to the document, the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, who this week hosted heads of state in New York, writes, "This Climate Change Science Compendium is a wake-up call. The time for hesitation is over".

"We need the world to realize, once and for all, that the time to act is now and we must work together to address this monumental challenge. This is the moral challenge of our generation."

The Compendium reviews some 400 major scientific contributions to our understanding of Earth Systems and climate change that have been released through peer-reviewed literature, or from research institutions, over the last three years.

Achim Steiner, UN Under-Secretary General and UNEP Executive Director, said, "The Compendium can never replace the painstaking rigour of an IPCC process?a shining example of how the United Nations can provide a path to consensus among the sometimes differing views of more than 190 nations".

"However, scientific knowledge on climate change and forecasting of the likely impacts has been advancing rapidly since the landmark 2007 IPCC report," he added.

"Many governments have asked to be kept abreast of the latest findings. I am sure that this report fulfils that request and will inform ministers' decisions when they meet in the Danish capital in only a few weeks time," said Mr. Steiner.

The research findings and observations in the Compendium are divided into five categories: Earth Systems, Ice, Oceans, Ecosystems and Management. Key developments documented since the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report include:

Earth Systems

? A new climate modeling system, forecasting average temperatures over a decade by combining natural variation with the impacts of human-induced climate change, projects that at least half of the 10 years following 2009 will exceed the warmest year currently on record. This is despite the fact that natural variation will partially offset the warming "signal" from greenhouse gas emissions.

? The growth in carbon dioxide emissions from energy and industry has exceeded even the most fossil-fuel intensive scenario developed by the IPCC at the end of the 1990s. Global emissions were growing by 1.1 percent each year from 1990-1999 and this accelerated to 3.5 percent per year from 2000-2007.

? The developing and least-developed economies, 80 percent of the world's population, accounted for 73 percent of the global growth of emissions in 2004. However, they contributed only 41 percent of total emissions, and just 23 percent of cumulative emissions since 1750.

? Growth of the global economy in the early 2000s and an increase in its carbon intensity (emissions per unit of growth), combined with a decrease in the capacity of ecosystems on land and the oceans to act as carbon "sinks", have led to a rapid increase in the concentrations of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. This has contributed to sooner-than-expected impacts including faster sea-level rise, ocean acidification, melting Arctic sea ice, warming of polar land masses, freshening of ocean currents and shifts in the circulation patterns of the oceans and atmosphere.

? The observed increase in greenhouse gas concentrations are raising concern among some scientists that warming of between 1.4 and 4.3 degrees Centigrade above pre-industrial surface temperatures could occur. This exceeds the range of between 1 and 3 degrees perceived as the threshold for many "tipping points", including the end of summer Arctic sea ice, and the eventual melting of Himalayan glaciers and the Greenland ice sheet.

Ice

? The melting of mountain glaciers appears to be accelerating, threatening the livelihoods of one fifth or more of the population who depend on glacier ice and seasonal snow for their water supply. For 30 reference glaciers in nine mountain ranges tracked by the World Glacier Monitoring Service, the mean rate of loss since 2000 has roughly doubled since the rate during the previous two decades. Current trends suggest that most glaciers will disappear from the Pyrenees by 2050 and from the mountains of tropical Africa by 2030.

? In 2007, summer sea ice in the Arctic Ocean shrank to its smallest extent ever, 24 percent less than the previous record in 2005, and 34 percent less than the average minimum extent in the period 1970-2000. In 2008, the minimum ice extent was 9 percent greater than in 2007, but still the second lowest on record.

? Until the summer of 2007, most models projected an ice-free September for the Arctic Ocean towards the end of the current century. Reconsideration based on current trends has led to speculation that this could occur as soon as 2030.

? Melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet surface also seems to be accelerating. In the summer of 2007, the rate of melting was some 60 percent higher than the previous record in 1998.

? The loss of ice from West Antarctica is estimated to have increased by 60 per cent in the decade to 2006, and by 140 percent from the Antarctic Peninsula in the same period.

? Recent findings show that warming extends well to the south of the Antarctic Peninsula, to cover most of West Antarctica, an area of warming much larger than previously reported.

? The hole in the ozone layer has had a cooling effect on Antarctica, and is partly responsible for masking expected warming on the continent. Recovery of stratospheric ozone, thanks to the phasing out of ozone-depleting substances, is projected to increase Antarctic temperatures in coming decades.

Oceans

? Recent estimates of the combined impact of melting land-ice and thermal expansion of the oceans suggest a plausible average sea level rise of between 0.8 and 2.0 metres above the 1990 level by 2100. This compares with a projected rise of between 18 and 59 centimetres in the last IPCC report, which did not include an estimate of large-scale changes in ice-melt rates, due to lack of consensus.

? Oceans are becoming more acidic more quickly than expected, jeopardizing the ability of shellfish and corals to form their external skeletons. Water that can corrode a shell-making carbonate substance called aragonite is already welling up during the summer along the California coast, decades earlier than models predict.

Ecosystems

? Since the 2007 IPCC report, wide-ranging surveys have shown changes to the seasonal behaviour and distribution of all well-studied marine, freshwater and terrestrial groups of plants and animals. Polar and mountaintop species have seen severe contractions of their ranges.

? A recent study projecting the impacts of climate change on the pattern of marine biodiversity suggests dramatic changes to come. Ecosystems in sub-polar waters, the tropics and semi-enclosed seas are predicted to suffer numerous extinctions by 2050, while the Arctic and Southern Oceans will experience severe species invasions. Marine ecosystems as a whole may see a species turnover of up to 60 percent.

? Under the IPCC scenario that most closely matches current trends ? i.e. with the highest projected emissions ? between 12 and 39 percent of the Earth's land surface could experience previously unknown climate conditions by 2100. A similar proportion, between 10 and 48 percent, will see existing climates disappear. Many of these "disappearing climates" coincide with biodiversity hotspots, and with the added problem of fragmented habitats and physical obstructions to migration, it is feared many species will struggle to adapt to the new conditions.

? Perennial drought conditions have already been observed in South-eastern Australia and South-western North America. Projections suggest that persistent water scarcity will increase in a number of regions in coming years, including southern and northern Africa, the Mediterranean, much of the Middle East, a broad band in Central Asia and the Indian subcontinent.

Management

? The reality of a rapidly-changing climate may make conventional approaches to conservation and restoration of habitats ineffective. Drastic measures such as large-scale translocation or assisted colonization of species may need to be considered.

? Eco-agriculture, in which landscapes are managed to sustain a range of ecosystem services, including food production, may need to replace the current segregation of land use between conservation and production. This could help create resilient agricultural ecosystems better able to adapt to the changing climate conditions.

? Experts increasingly agree that active protection of tropical forests is a cost-effective means of cutting global emissions. An international mechanism of reducing emissions from deforestation and forest degradation (REDD) is likely to emerge as a central component of a new agreement in Copenhagen. However, many issues need to be resolved, such as how to verify the reductions and ensuring fair treatment of local and indigenous forest communities.

? A number of innovative approaches are emerging to keep carbon out of the atmosphere, including the use of "biochar", biologically-derived charcoal. It is mixed in soils, increasing fertility and potentially locking up carbon for centuries. This is a 21st century application of a technology known as Terra Preta, or Black Earth, used by Amazon peoples before the arrival of Europeans in South America.

To download the full report, visit http://www.unep.org/compendium2009/

For more information please contact:

Nick Nuttall, UNEP Spokesperson and Head of Media, on Tel: +254 20 7623084, Mobile: +254 733 632755, or when travelling: +41 795965737, or e-mail: nick.nuttall@unep.org;

Elisabeth Guilbaud-Cox, Senior Communications Officer, UNEP Regional Office for North America, Tel: 1 (202) 974-1307, Mobile: 1 (202) 812-2100, Email: elisabeth.guilbaud-cox@unep.org

What's the G20 doing about Climate Change?

2009-10-01T09:31:00.003-04:00

Leaders of countries representing 85 percent of the world’s economy agreed on commitments on climate change and energy, among others, during the G-20 Summit held on 24-25 September 2009, in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania, US.

UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon addressed the G-20 leaders on 25 September 2009, stressing that “recovery and sustainable development are, and will continue to be, undermined by accelerating climate change.” He called on leaders to support and go beyond the proposal for a climate finance package of US$100 billion per year during the next decade, from a combination of public and private sources. Secretary-General Ban further urged G-20 leaders to agree on principles and options for managing and delivering these funds “well before Copenhagen.”

The Summit outcome document – the G-20 Leaders’ Statement – contains a section on energy and climate. On energy, leaders committed to: increase energy market transparency and market stability; improve regulatory oversight of energy markets; rationalize and phase out over the medium term inefficient fossil fuel subsidies that encourage wasteful consumption; stimulate investment in clean energy, renewables and energy efficiency; and provide financial and technical support for such projects in developing countries. They also agreed to take steps to facilitate the diffusion or transfer of clean energy technology, noting that the reduction or elimination of barriers to trade and investment should be pursued on a voluntary basis. On climate change, leaders committed to take “strong action to address the threat of dangerous climate change” and to intensify efforts, in cooperation with other parties, to reach agreement on mitigation, adaptation, technology and financing in Copenhagen.

In the concluding section of the Statement (“The Path from Pittsburgh”), leaders “designated the G-20 as the premier forum for international economic cooperation” and agreed to future meetings in June 2010 (Canada), November 2010 (Korea) and 2011 (France).

"I Believe"

2009-09-22T12:30:00.004-04:00

Hi all!

I was a featured essayist in this weekend's Burlington Free Press Green Mountain Section! Read the article here.

The article is about my environmental philosophy and reason for organizing. I hope you like it.

Cheers,

Nat

Planning Meeting Thursday September 3rd!

2009-08-26T18:00:00.006-04:00

Join local CLIMATE JUSTICE activists to discuss how to strengthen current climate legislation.

We'll be planning and brainstorming different ways that we can make a real difference in the upcoming climate bill.

We'll be meeting upstairs at City Market in Burlington, VT.

Join us at 7pm on September 3rd by the Member Services desk.

And as if you didn't already have enough reason to come, there will also be refreshments.

Can't wait to see you there!

Sweet Roll Call graphic

2009-07-10T12:18:00.002-04:00

Shows voting record in visual form for the latest climate bill that just barely passed in the House. Many thanks for Peter Welch for his yay vote!

http://www.nationaljournal.com/img/news/20090626_RollCall.html

In need of climate change cash: Politico.com

2009-05-31T15:58:00.003-04:00

By: Lisa Lerer
May 13, 2009 04:36 AM EST

A loose coalition of international aid organizations, religious groups,
environmental advocates and some businesses are lobbying Congress to
include billions for international aid in the forthcoming climate change
bill.

The groups argue that helping developing countries cut greenhouse gases
and protect against the effects of global warming is a key to success at
the international climate talks scheduled for December in Copenhagen.

"The U.S. can't go completely empty-handed to Copenhagen," said Oxfam
America President Raymond Offenheiser.

Existing problems of poverty and malnutrition in poorer countries have
been exacerbated by climate change, experts say, as changing weather
patterns and intensified storms hurt agricultural yields and
infrastructure.

Roughly 262 million people were affected by climate disasters annually
from 2000 to 2004, with over 98 percent of them in the developing world,
according to the Human Development Report issued last year by the United
Nations Development Program.

Developing nations argue that richer countries should help them offset
these effects, given that they produce significantly more of the other
greenhouse gas emissions that contribute to global warming. Rich
countries "containing just 15 percent of the world's population" account
for almost half of carbon dioxide emissions, according to UNDP.

Connie Hedegaard, Denmark's minister for climate and energy, told
reporters that a deal at Copenhagen would be impossible unless richer
nations bridge the divide between developed and developing countries
with additional funds.

"Politically, it must be additional, and that could be a game changer,"
she told reporters last week.

The UNDP estimated that by 2015, developing countries would require $86
billion a year for climate adaptation, which includes measures such as
reinforcing infrastructure, making sure water supplies are potable and
helping poor countries adapt to changing agricultural conditions.

Last month, 23 Democrats sent a letter to Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.),
pushing the Energy and Commerce Committee chairman to include "robust"
international financing in his energy and climate bill. The committee is
expected to vote on the bill before the Memorial Day recess.

"Comprehensive climate change legislation should devote a significant
portion of generated revenues to investments in international
adaptation, clean technology cooperation and forest protecting
activities in the developing world," the Democrats wrote. "It is an
opportunity for leadership, innovation, economic growth at home and
abroad, and trust building with developing countries."

Waxman's draft bill proposes the creation of a specialized international
climate change program at USAID to provide assistance to the "most
vulnerable developing countries."

Some aid organizations, religious and environmental groups would like 7
percent, or $7 billion, of any revenues generated by Waxman's
legislation devoted to international adaptation efforts. The funding
would have to be flexible enough to help communities deal with different
needs, such as reinforcing buildings to deal with flooding from melting
glaciers, reducing soil erosion with reforestation programs and
diversifying agriculture practices to cope with changing environmental
conditions.

Religious groups cite funding for international adaptation as their No.
1 priority for the bill.

"The moral measure of climate change legislation is how it treats the
poor and vulnerable in our own country and around the world," John Carr,
director of justice, peace and human development for the U.S. Conference
of Catholic Bishops, said in a statement.

Religious groups, sponsored by the faith-based, nonprofit American
Values Network, are running ads on Christian radio in key districts in
seven states and e-mailing more than 5.3 million evangelicals and
Catholics, urging them to support climate change legislation that pays
special attention to the needs of vulnerable communities at home and
abroad.

The prospective funding could also help mitigate the new national
security risks created by changing weather conditions, the groups argue.
Droughts, famines and floods caused by global warming could destabilize
regions around the world as competition increases for food and water.

"Supporting climate readiness now can help avert global instability and
will save billions of dollars down the road in emergency relief and
military engagement by reducing the worst effects of climate-related
disasters," a group of 24 international aid and environmental groups
wrote in a March letter to the heads of the House Energy and Commerce
Committee and its Energy and Environment Subcommittee.

Cap and Trade: Swallow That Term

Democrats are getting their talking points in order as the climate
change debate heats up this week.

On Monday, pollster Mark Mellman briefed Democratic press aides in the
House on the most politically savvy ways to talk about climate change.
The briefing aimed to prepare the press secretaries for the crush of
coverage expected this week, after Energy and Commerce Committee
Chairman Henry Waxman unveils his complex climate and energy bill.

The meeting, a weekly confab for House press secretaries, was one of the
most well-attended since January, according to one participant.

The phrase "clean energy jobs" is the best way to explain the benefits
of climate change legislation, according to polling presented in
PowerPoint by Mellman.

Using "cap and trade" to describe the legislation - which creates an
auction market for carbon emissions - is a mistake, because voters find
the term confusing. Also to be avoided is "green jobs," a phrase popular
with environmentalists to describe careers in renewable energy, energy
efficiency and other types of sustainable technologies. Voters think the
term describes white-collar jobs for highly educated professors,
according to Democratic aides at the meeting.

A Rasmussen poll released on Monday found that just 24 percent of voters
correctly identified the cap-and-trade proposal as dealing with
environmental issues. Slightly more - 29 percent - thought the term was
about regulating Wall Street, and 17 percent thought it had to do with
health care reform. Thirty percent had no idea.

Oxfam America Reaction to Climate Bill

2009-05-26T11:25:00.002-04:00

HISTORIC HOUSE CLIMATE BILL PASSES FIRST TEST,

DISTANCE REMAINS TO SECURE GLOBAL DEAL AND HELP THOSE HARDEST HIT

Washington, DC – International development organization Oxfam America praised members of the House Energy and Commerce Committee for passing the American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454), but urged for the international provisions of the bill to be strengthened in order to enable President Obama to lead negotiations for a global climate deal in Copenhagen this December.

The bill is historic as it commits to curbing global warming pollution, puts our nation and others on a clean energy development pathway, and addresses and finances the needs of vulnerable communities both at home and abroad who are on the front lines of climate change.

“Getting the Waxman-Markey bill out of the Energy and Commerce Committee is a history-making effort in enacting US climate and clean energy legislation,” said Jim Lyons, vice-president of Oxfam America. “But while this bill is a giant leap in US climate change legislation, it is too small of a step towards what’s needed for a global climate deal in Copenhagen this December.”

Last minute attempts to eliminate important international provisions in the bill were rejected. If passed, these amendments would have seriously undermined the United States’ leadership role in the international climate negotiations and would have shortchanged significant business opportunities abroad for America companies.

“Poor countries didn’t create the problem, but they have to deal with the consequences. It’s in America’s best interest to help the most vulnerable adapt to global warming’s consequences and cooperate with them to pursue clean energy pathways,” said Lyons.

“Developing countries have made it crystal clear that without real cooperation and resources, there won’t be a global climate deal,” said Lyons. “A substantial increase in resources for the most vulnerable countries will be essential for the President to strike a global climate deal.”

It PASSED!! 2 articles on the American Clean Energy and Security Act

2009-05-26T11:20:00.004-04:00

CongressDaily AM for Friday, May 22, 2009

ENVIRONMENT: PANEL COMPLETES CLIMATE MARATHON By Darren Goode

On a near party-line vote, the House Energy and Commerce Committee Thursday approved a climate and energy strategy after four days of public debate, offering a taste perhaps of the tough talks ahead that the panel's leaders will have with other Democratic committee chairs.

After roughly 37 hours and 94 amendments, the panel approved the bill, 33-25.

Four in the Blue Dog Coalition -- Reps. Charlie Melancon of Louisiana, Mike Ross of Arkansas, Jim Matheson of Utah and John Barrow of Georgia -- voted "no." California Rep. Mary Bono Mack was the only Republican to support it.

Bono Mack afterward said she voted yes despite one last pitch from Energy and Commerce ranking member Joe Barton during the final round of votes on the House floor before the committee's final roll call vote. "Still a long way to go, but I think it's important to move the process forward, and I do believe that the full House of Representatives deserves a debate," she said.

Among other things, she wants the bill to better address nuclear energy.

She was a rare Republican on the panel not to cite fundamental opposition to a cap-and-trade program. "Being from California changes things significantly, the fact that we are already doing this," she said.

While Energy and Commerce Chairman Henry Waxman and Energy and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Edward Markey, D-Mass., have gotten enough backing for their plan so far, some Democrats on their committee are seeking changes, including scaling back the bill's 2020 emission reduction goal. "I think a lot of us are interested to see what this looks like once it's gotten past the other committees," Rep. Mike Doyle, D-Pa., added.

There are clearly differences to hash out with Democratic leaders on a couple of those other panels.

Agriculture Chairman Collin Peterson said Thursday that while he is waiting to see the final version, the Energy and Commerce Committee has "an urban-dominated bill" that "is going no place in the Senate."

Such sentiment compounds his concern about EPA proposing to count international land-use toward calculating the climate-impact of using corn-based ethanol.

Waxman's committee Wednesday defeated an amendment from Rep. Lee Terry, R-Neb., that would have done away with the bill's requirement that an EPA lifecycle greenhouse gas analysis for ethanol had to take into account possible international deforestation. Peterson said that language and other concerns he has would each on their own keep him from supporting the bill. "In my district, no vote would be a good vote," Peterson said.

He is concerned about allowing international activities such as agriculture and forestry to be used to offset emission reduction targets. Peterson wants all of the offsets to be domestic.

He says rural electricity cooperatives -- as well as municipal plants -- receive three-quarters of the free emission credits that larger utilities receive. He also echoes some Ways and Means Democrats who fear a carbon market would lead to widespread speculation and manipulation that will adversely affect commodity and financial markets. "I'm not for Wall Street having anything to do with carbon ... because you can't trust them,"

Peterson said

He promised that 45 or so other House Democrats share at least some of these concerns, particularly regarding ethanol. Four Democrats -- Reps. Zack Space of Ohio, Baron Hill of Indiana and Ross and Barrow -- voted for Terry's amendment.

Rep. Earl Pomeroy, D-N.D., a member of the Agriculture and Ways and Means panels and a Blue Dog alongside Peterson, said no Agriculture Democrats spoke up when Peterson voiced his reservations at a recent meeting. "So I don't think he's bluffing," Pomeroy said. "I think he's got the support he's saying he does."

While Pomeroy is not as worried about setting up a carbon market, he says the bill's 17 percent by 2020 cap-and-trade emission reduction target is "steeper than can be reasonably reached."

Rep. Rick Boucher, D-Va., has said he wants to scale that back to 14 percent, which President Obama has recommended.

Peterson said he has not yet set up a meeting with Waxman for after the recess. "Henry has got enough problems dealing with his committee members," said Peterson, comparing it to farm bill negotiations he helped lead.

He met with House Speaker Pelosi Wednesday and "she understands my concern [and] wants to pass a bill." Peterson also lunched with Agriculture Secretary Vilsack Wednesday and spoke previously to EPA Administrator Jackson and said the administration "is hanging their hat" on a peer review of EPA's plan to take international land use changes into account when determining the climate impact of ethanol.

Peterson said the peer review is just a formality. "We don't need to peer-review anything to know what the outcome is going to be," he said.

Waxman said he will draw up language on the dicey issue of siting a renewable energy electricity transmission network after Markey holds a hearing and by the time the bill reaches the House floor.

Matheson wants to add free credits for small business refiners. The bill currently gives credits to refiners generally. Waxman said he would work with him on a possible floor amendment.

Ways and Means Chairman Charles Rangel has indicated that healthcare reform is a bigger priority for him than finishing a climate bill, though Pelosi will obviously dictate the floor schedule. House Democratic Caucus Chairman John Larson of Connecticut, also a Ways and Means member, said both climate and healthcare legislation are important and will get done in the full House before August. "It's just that when you go home, you run into people who are losing their job and losing their health care," he said.

Energy and Commerce panel passes cap-and-trade bill, 33-25 (05/21/2009 at 08:34 PM)

Darren Samuelsohn, E&E senior reporter

The House Energy Commerce Committee voted 33-25 tonight to pass sweeping legislation that would overhaul U.S. energy and global warming policy.

Democrats largely held together in support of the 946-page bill shaped over several months of closed-door negotiations and nearly 40 hours of debate this week. Only one Republican supported the bill, as GOP opponents unified against the measure, insisting it was a costly and unattainable measure to be pushing in a tight economy.

While Democrats have long been promising success in committee, several Democratic swing votes remained at the center of attention. Reps. John Barrow of Georgia, Jim Matheson of Utah, Mike Ross of Arkansas and Charles Melancon of Louisiana voted with the Republicans against the bill.

On the GOP side, Rep. Mary Bono Mack of California bucked her party leadership and supported the legislation. Mack was the only committee Republican to publicly remain neutral on the climate bill.

"While I still have significant concerns about this bill, particularly with regard to its cost and its failure to recognize innovative technologies like advanced nuclear energy, I believe this is the right direction for our district, for our nation and for our future," Bono Mack said in a statement.

During the weeklong markup, Democrats defeated a suite of GOP amendments that would have scuttled the cap-and-trade program if it prompted job losses or energy price increases. But lawmakers made several other changes, adding amendments to create a federal "clean energy" bank and a "cash for clunkers" plan that gives consumers $3,500 to $4,500 vouchers toward replacing gas-guzzling cars with efficient models.

Democratic sponsors hailed the bill's historic passage through the powerful panel, the first time a House committee has ever endorsed a mandatory cap on the industrial pollutants that scientists have linked to global warming.

But now comes the hard part. Several committees will have a chance to assert their jurisdiction over the legislation, with the Democratic leaders of the Agriculture and Ways and Means committees threatening to hold up the bill for their own reasons.

House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) is expected to play a key role in shepherding the legislation onto the floor, perhaps before the August recess. Senate action remains a work in progress, particularly on the cap-and-trade provisions that remain well short of the 60 votes needed to defeat a filibuster.

President Obama backs the climate and energy bill but has largely stayed away from the details of the legislation.

Will our mail to the Congress work?

2009-05-21T10:26:00.003-04:00

It's different for some states as opposed to others, but here in Vermont where our representatives are taking a stand for energy efficiency and clean technology programs, the matter is more about speaking up for a part of the bill that can easily be overlooked -- climate adaptation.

To read a bit about how other states may or may not be responding to constituent appeals, check out this NYT article: http://www.nytimes.com/cwire/2009/05/21/21climatewire-will-mail-to-congress-influence-the-outcome-12208.html

Follow the Action on the House's Climate Bill

2009-05-20T15:32:00.003-04:00

Congressional markup is underway in the Energy and Commerce Committee. You can watch the action online! It's a great civics lesson, and quite a change of pace from typical prime time entertainment. :-D

If you hear anybody making statements in support of adaptation and helping reduce impacts on low-income people, please let us know who said what by emailing Vermont@OxfamActionCorps.org. Here are links to use:

Energy and Commerce video live:

http://energycommerce.edgeboss.net/wmedia-live/energycommerce/11990/100_
energycommerce-2123_060901.asx

C-SPAN3 has been carrying it today on and off:

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/C-SPAN3_wm.aspx

For video of the opening session Monday (5/18), including opening
statements, go to:

http://www.c-span.org/Watch/Media/2009/05/18/HP/A/18669/House+Energy+Com
merce+Cmte+Markup.aspx

URGENT ACTION NEEDED: Help VT Oxfam Action Corps pass a strong bill on climate change and impact on the poor

2009-05-20T15:25:00.005-04:00

Dear VT Oxfam Action Corps Members,

Thank you for your interest in the Oxfam Action Corps and dedication to Oxfam’s work to end poverty, hunger, and injustice. I'm writing to present an important action for you to take right now.

At this moment we urgently need support for a climate bill being debated right now in an influential committee of the US House of Representatives, the Energy and Commerce Committee, of which Congressman Peter Welch is a member. We are asking for your specific help to call upon Representative Welch in the House to not only support this climate change bill, but also to be a champion of international adaptation funding.

Currently, the Energy and Commerce Committee is drafting the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009. This bill has the ability to transition our nation to clean and affordable energy, create quality jobs, and could generate crucial international financing to help vulnerable communities cope with the devastating impacts of increased floods, droughts, famine, water scarcity, disease, environmental migration, and armed conflict over resources.

It is essential that we get Congress to support a fair and safe bill by taking these two simple actions.

First, click this link and send this e-action. It only takes a moment.
https://secure.oxfamamerica.org/site/Advocacy?cmd=display&page=UserAction&id=983

Secondly, please call Peter Welch's office at:
DC office: 202-225-4115. *If possible, ask to speak with Andrew Savage (Deputy Chief of Staff/Legislative Director). Tuipate and I met with him in April regarding this legislation.

VT office: 802-652-2450. * If possible, speak with Patricia Coates (State Director). Tuipate and I stopped by yesterday morning to drop off handwritten letters from the Sisters on the Planet screening on Saturday. She is highly supportive of our work for climate justice and needs the constituent backing to show the Congressman that Vermonters want him to stand up for international adaptation funding.

Simply call his office and ask him to support international adaptation on the Clean Energy and Security Act. We have provided you with sample text below that you can use as a guide. Call during business hours. If you can’t, then call anytime and leave a message.

If you don't live in VT, or have roots in another home state, other important committee members to reach out to are: Bobby Rush (IL), Jan Schakowsky (IL), Elliot Engel (NY), Charles Gonzalez (TX), Anna Eshoo, (No. CA), Doris Matsui (No.CA), Jane Harman (So.CA), and Henry Waxman (Chair of Committee, So. CA). If you have family or friends in any of these states, please forward this action alert to them.

The full list of members can be found at
http://energycommerce.house.gov/index.php?option=com_content&view=category&layout=blog&id=160&Itemid=61

Lastly, please write us back!!

Once you call, email us back at Vermont@OxfamActionCorps.org and let us know
how it went.

******************************

WHAT TO SAY: Draft phone text:

Hello, my name is [fill-in] and I am a resident calling to voice some comments
on the American Clean Energy and Security Act of 2009 that Representative
[fill-in name] and other members of the Energy and Commerce Committee are
currently working on.

First, it is very important that the bill allows for substantial funding for
international and domestic adaptation by auctioning carbon permits. Adaptation
funds will help poor and vulnerable communities around the world cope with more
erratic weather and increased floods and droughts. Climate change is a global
problem and it will require global solutions. Investing in international
adaptation helps our world become less prone to conflict and migration. It is
the right thing to do especially since the U.S. emits over 25% of the world's
greenhouse gases.

Adaptation funding also gives low-income consumers in the U.S. access to
affordable clean energy, and will allow our state and the larger U.S. to invest
in green-collar jobs, energy efficiency, and renewable energy.

Finally, I want to voice my support for maintaining the emission reductions
proposed in the original draft of the bill. In order to avoid future disasters
we need an 80% decrease in greenhouse gas emissions below 2005 levels by 2050.

I want to thank Rep. Welch for his active leadership as a member of the Energy
and Commerce Committee. His guidance can help pass strong and effective climate
legislation.

*****************************************

Thank you for all your hard work in helping us create solutions to poverty and
injustice!

Sincerely,

Nathaly Agosto Filion, Co-Organizer
Tuipate F. Mubiay, Co-Organizer

Vermont Oxfam Action Corps

Oxfam Action Corps, VT
Working together to end poverty and injustice.

http://www.oxfamactioncorpsvermont.blogspot.com/
OxfamActionCorps.Vermont@gmail.com
802-578-6277

UVM Carbonators: The Movie!

2009-05-20T15:12:00.002-04:00

This is really hilarious! Talk about fighting climate change!

Check it out: http://www.vimeo.com/4724851

End-of-Year Evaluation

2009-04-28T21:32:00.006-04:00

Hello friends!

thanks so much to the many supporters from throughout VT for helping to launch the Oxfam Action Corps in Vermont! As this was our first year working on the ground (starting with the April 2008 Earth Day action pictured in the header of this blog), we have learned much and have many ideas for how to make the coming year even better than the last! Please take a few minutes to share your ideas for how to improve our actions for the coming year:

End-of-Year VT Oxfam Action Corps Survey link .

It's only 10 questions long (that's the limit to the free survey website! hah) and your responses will really help us focus our efforts!

Many thanks for your participation!

2009-02-27T17:32:00.003-05:00

The following are two local events taking place in Burlington which embody Oxfam America's goals of "working together to fight hunger, poverty, and injustice". Please show your support by coming out to participate!

1. International Women's Day at UVM
Sunday, March 1st at 5PM Davis Center, Grand Maple Ballroom
Vermont Oxfam Action Corps volunteers will be screening Oxfam America's short film, Sisters on the Planet, and collecting petition signatures, urging our elected officials to take action for climate justice.

2. Freedom in Creation
Presenting an exhibition of drawings & paintings by northern Uganda’s children. Opening reception and film preview on
Friday eve, March 6th, 2009 6 to 9pm@ FLYNNDOG Gallery,
exhibit thru March

January Monthly Meeting

2009-01-08T21:07:00.000-05:00

Happy New Year Oxfam Action Corps!

I look forward to seeing you at our first Monthly Meeting for 2009 on:

Monday, January 12th
from 6 p.m. - 7:30p.m.
3rd floor of the UVM Davis Center (we'll meet in lobby area)

In the January Monthly Meeting, we will be discussing strategy for engaging our
elected officials on climate equity and begin to plan out our participation in
the following events/actions:

- Sisters on the Planet Screening on International Women's Day
- Focus The Nation session at UVM and other college campuses
- Participation in DC Power Shift action with Wendell Berry and Bill McKibben
- Oxfam America DC Lobby Day
- Lobby Visit to Montpelier
- Concert Tabling at Higher Ground

I hope to see new faces at the upcoming meeting so please invite your friends!

Cheers,

Nathaly

Oxfam America: Unwrapped!

2008-12-18T12:04:00.005-05:00

What would the holiday season be without its requisite onslaught of holiday gift ideas? Well, here's one that is fantastic and fits any price range: Oxfam America's Unwrapped. For only $40, you can donate a dozen chicks to a family in need; for $25 you can provide a child with school supplies for a year, for $125 you can buy a camel; or for $30 you can plant 50 trees and help a community while also protecting the environment by capturing carbon!

Another climate-friendly idea come by way of the One Day campaign where A Brighter Planet offsets your emissions for a day - check it out!

Whatever you end up doing, have a safe and happy holiday!

Oxfam America Hunger Banquet: What Now?

2008-12-10T08:55:00.009-05:00

This blog post goes out to all of you who attended our Oxfam America Hunger Banquet this past Saturday and are in search of some meaningful ways to be involved in the cause of advocating for climate equity. I share only a few ideas -- there are MANY ways to make a difference -- and invite you to reply with other ideas!

First of all, thank you so much for your participation. Hopefully, the stories shared Saturday evening have sparked an interest in you to get involved or have re-fed your existing drive to make a difference. Wherever you stand, I'd like to offer up some ideas for where to channel that energy.

1. Join the Vermont Oxfam Action Corps!
As you can tell from browsing the blog, we are a group of grassroots volunteers who meet once a month to decide how we can make the most impact in educating, raising awareness, and advocating on behalf of climate justice. We consist of professionals, students, business people, religious leaders, non-profit leaders, and regular ol' Vermonters. We decide as a group what the most effective use of our time and energy is and are continually striving to build a community of concerned citizens who will mobilize when the time is right to call up our Senators and Representative in support of just legislation.

Our next community-wide event will be a screening of Sisters on the Planet -- a
film which highlights the story of four women from Uganda, Brazil, Bangladesh,
and the US Gulf Coast -- on International Women's Day (March 1st) at
Burlington's Main Street Landing. Mark your calendars!

If you would like to participate in planning this event, please join us for our
next monthly meeting on Monday, January 12th at 6pm, at the Skinny Pancake.

2. Be a part of the work being done by any of the organizations presented during the Hunger Banquet or other local groups.
Our Oxfam America Hunger Banquet guest speakers and performers are each involved in amazing causes of their own. Climate Justice is just one piece of the struggle to alleviate world hunger and poverty, so if this doesn't float your boat, please follow your passion and get involved in organization that most attracts YOU! Below is a small list of some of our allies in this struggle. Please visit their websites for more information on their campaigns and how to get involved:

Association of Africans Living in Vermont. Alex Pial inspired us with his story of a lifelong journey from war-torn Sudan to his current activism on behalf of the friends and family he left behind.
NeighborKeepers. Dr. Hal Colston shed light on solutions that strengthen communities, one family at a time, through his anti-poverty non-profit, NeighborKeepers.
African Djolie lifted our spirits with music and dance of West Africa. Much of the money they raise goes to feeding and supporting poor communities in Guinea.
Vermont Campaign to End Childhood Hunger. Although Joanne Heidkamp was not able to be with us on Saturday night, her work at the VCECH does a lot to reverse inequity that exists right here in Vermont.
Vermont Interfaith Power and Light. Betsy Hardy is an ally to the climate equity campaign and works on her own part to mobilize spiritual communities to do their part to Eco-teams, energy audits, and a local conference.
The Legacy Project. This "Vision for a Sustainable Burlington" promotes 4 E's: Environmental Protection, Social Equity, Education, and Economic Development.
The Peace & Justice Center. Is there really any way to talk about social justice initiatives in Burlington without mentioning the PJC? Go here to educate yourself on the issues and be a part of a larger community working towards the interconnected issues of economic and racial justice, peace, and human rights through education, advocacy, training, nonviolent activism and community organizing.

3. Educate those closest to you on the issue.
At some point in our lives, each of us has to stop and reflect on the limits of our abilities. During the Oxfam America Hunger Banquet, Lee H. Gross, a graduate fellow of the Gund Institute for Ecological Economics at the University of Vermont shared a story regarding the "power of one" and his group of close friends who host an annual "Uganda-thon" to raise money for a community in need. All of the time, and energy put into these events, and all of the money raised and projects completed as a result of the events, can be directly linked back to the energy of a single person.

Strive to be that stone which causes the ripple effect. You have the power to make a difference, if only through educating those closest to you and making throughtful personal and consumer choices.

4. Visit with, call, email, or write a letter to your elected official
When I started getting involved in this work, I was the tiniest bit put off by the lack of "sexiness" to this work. Although I have marched in both Burlington and the Bronx, raising awareness about climate equity, the most impactful work consists of communicating this message to the folks in power to make a difference. Figuring out way to engage our elected officials, Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders and Representative Peter Welch, is how we'll be able to move forward on this issue.

You have profound power simply in your ability to vote. Look into the track record of these three men and I'm sure you'll be proud of who we have representing us on Capitol Hill. They are open to constituent input and will respond to your requests. However, the more people get involved in advocating for the climate equity, the more likely it is that the matter will be prioritized among our politicians.

5. Write a letter to the editor or otherwise publish your thoughts on climate equity in a local publication.
The power of a written statement is incredible! Think about how many people read the paper in the morning and about how many of us browse the internet for our news. By getting published, through an article or a letter to the editor, climate equity will be brought to the forefront of the public mind. A nicely timed can be even more effective.

6. Donate your time, energy, or money to the cause.
The Vermont Oxfam Action Corps is not a fund raising entity. We are volunteer-run and are happy to stay that way, but it is all too obvious that, as individuals, we vote with our dollar. When purchasing, consider the ways in which you may be perpetuating hunger and poverty around the world and adjust your actions whenever possible. Buy fair trade goods or buy local when you can afford it.

Similarly, there are many organizations doing amazing work, Oxfam America being one of them! If you're still in the middle of your holiday shopping, consider stopping at the Oxfam America UnWrapped website where you can buy a goat or a desk or a water filter or dozen chickens for a poor community in the name of a beloved.

Several charity rating guides exist which help you determine which organizations will do the most with the money ou are able to send and donations are always tax-deductible. However, if you don't have money to give, consider investing your most vaulable resource -- your time.

Burlington Hunger Banquet

2008-11-22T22:09:00.004-05:00

Poverty and hunger are for the most part out of sight and therefore out of mind for most of us.

This holiday season, however, you are invited to an event that promises to call our attention to the injustice of the world and challenge us to do something about it.

The Oxfam Action-Corps is bringing a number of Vermont's leading social justice, anti-hunger, and environmental activists together for an Oxfam Hunger Banquet. The banquet will include stories, singing, and a meal designed to simulate the real life conditions of disparity separarating the world's richest and poorest populations.

WARNING: You may not get your fair share!

The skinny:

Date: Saturday, December 6th Time:
Time: 6:00 – 7:30 pm
Location: McClure Multigenerational Center 241 North Winooski Ave.
Burlington, VT

Speakers:

Hal Colston of NeighborKeepers
Joanne Heidkamp of the VT Campaign to End Childhood Hunger
Alex Pial of the Visiting Nurse Association

This event is FREE and promises to be an empowering experience facilitated by community leaders advocating on behalf of the poor and vulnerable communities here in Vermont as well as in the developing world.

UN Climate negotiations Invitation to McCain and Obama!

2008-10-17T00:11:00.003-04:00

Invite the next U.S. president to the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change meetings in December!

October Monthly Meeting

2008-10-16T19:16:00.002-04:00

HUNGER BANQUET PLANNING MEETING
6:00 p.m. to 7:15 p.m. — Davis Student Center - The Handy Family Room

Join UVM students and community activists of the Vermont Oxfam Action Corps in planning a Hunger Banquet for early December. Meetings are open to anyone interested in getting involved with the climate equity campaign or simply interested being a part of the struggle against hunger, poverty, and injustice. To learn more about local actions by the Oxfam Action Corps, please visit http://oxfamactioncorpsvermont.blogspot.com/ or email Vermont@OxfamActionCorps.org

Green Economy Report from U.N. Environment Program

2008-09-25T17:45:00.002-04:00

LANDMARK NEW REPORT SAYS EMERGING GREEN ECONOMY COULD CREATE TENS OF MILLIONS OF NEW "GREEN JOBS"

NEW YORK, 24 September 2008 - A new, landmark study on the impact of
an emerging global "green economy" on the world of work says efforts to
tackle climate change could result in the creation of millions of new
"green jobs" in the coming decades.

The new report 1/ entitled Green Jobs: Towards Decent work in a
Sustainable, Low-Carbon World, says changing patterns of employment and
investment resulting from efforts to reduce climate change and its effects
are already generating new jobs in many sectors and economies, and could
create millions more in both developed and developing countries.

Please click here to read the entire UNEP Green Economies Report

Environment chief lied to Congress: Sen. Boxer

2008-09-25T12:27:00.002-04:00

By Deborah Zabarenko, Environment Correspondent

WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The head of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency lied to Congress about his rejection of a request from California meant to curb global warming emissions, Sen. Barbara Boxer said on Tuesday.

Boxer, a California Democrat who has called for EPA chief Stephen Johnson to resign, made the statement at a hearing on regulation of greenhouse gases under the U.S. Clean Air Act. Read more

Waxman Letter: Principles for Global Warming Legislation

2008-09-18T15:30:00.002-04:00

**PLEASE NOTE: Representatives Markey, Waxman and Inslee released this letter on April 22, 2008 and are currently circulating to House Members for additional support.

Rep. Markey, Rep. Waxman, and Rep. Inslee Release

Principles for Global Warming Legislation

WASHINGTON, DC — Today on Earth Day, three Congressional leaders on climate and energy issues laid out principles for any effective legislative solution to the challenge of global warming. Rep. Henry A. Waxman, Rep. Ed Markey and Rep. Jay Inslee released “Principles for Global Warming Legislation,” which are designed to provide a framework for Congress as it produces legislation to establish an economy-wide mandatory program to cut global warming emissions. Reps. Waxman, Markey, and Inslee are inviting their colleagues to join them in supporting these principles and conveying their support to Speaker Nancy Pelosi, who has made enacting legislation to address global warming a top priority for Congress.

“The dangers of global warming are too large to ignore,” said Rep. Waxman. “We must listen to the science and start making major reductions in CO2 emissions. Our principles lay out a just and effective approach to fight global warming and build a clean energy economy.”

“These are legislative principles, and they are planetary principles as well,” said Rep. Markey. “Any solution to global warming must cut pollution, help people, and encourage profits from a clean energy economy. These climate tenets give Congress a roadmap for an economy-wide solution to our climate challenge.”

“Last week, the president outlined a can’t-do policy for a can-do people,” said Rep. Inslee. “These principles lay the groundwork for a bold climate policy that is consistent with our nation’s need for aggressive emissions reductions and our technological capabilities.”

The principles establish a framework for global warming legislation that will avoid the most catastrophic levels of global warming and assist those harmed by the warming that is unavoidable, while strengthening our economy.

The principles recognize four key goals for global warming legislation:

1) Reduce emissions to avoid dangerous global warming;
2) Transition America to a clean energy economy;
3) Recognize and minimize any economic impacts from global warming legislation; and
4) Aid communities and ecosystems vulnerable to harm from global warming.

The principles include the following elements: strong science-based targets for near-term and long-term emissions reductions; auctioning emissions allowances rather than giving them to polluting industries; investing auction revenues in clean energy technologies; returning auction proceeds to consumers, workers, and communities to offset any economic impacts; and dedicating a portion of auction proceeds to help states, communities, vulnerable developing countries, and ecosystems address harm from the degree of global warming that is now unavoidable.

Rep. Markey is the Chairman of the House Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming and a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Rep. Waxman is the Chairman of the House Oversight and Government Reform Committee and a senior member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee.

Rep. Inslee is a member of the House Energy and Commerce Committee and a senior member of the Select Committee on Energy Independence and Global Warming.

LETTER on PRINCIPLES for CLIMATE LEGISLATION

The Honorable Nancy Pelosi
Speaker
U.S. House of Representatives
Washington, DC 20515

Dear Madam Speaker,

We salute your leadership on one of the critical issues of our time: the effort to save the planet from calamitous global warming. You have listened to the scientists and recognized the scope and severity of the threat that global warming poses to our nation’s security, economy, public health, and ecosystems. You have made enacting legislation to address global warming a top priority for Congress for the first time in our history. We stand ready to help develop this legislation and enact it into law.

As part of this effort, we have developed a set of principles to guide Congress as it produces legislation to establish an economy-wide mandatory program to address the threat of global warming. Acting in accordance with these principles is critical to achieving a fair and effective bill that will avoid the most dangerous global warming and assist those harmed by the warming that is unavoidable, while strengthening our economy.

The following are the principles we have developed to guide the creation of comprehensive global warming legislation.

Comprehensive legislation to address global warming must achieve four key goals:

1. Reduce emissions to avoid dangerous global warming;

2. Transition America to a clean energy economy;

3. Recognize and minimize any economic impacts from global warming legislation; and

4. Aid communities and ecosystems vulnerable to harm from global warming.

To meet each of these goals, climate change legislation must include the following key elements.

Reduce Emissions to Avoid Dangerous Global Warming

The United States must do its part to keep global temperatures from rising more than 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius) above pre-industrial levels. The scientific community warns that above this level, dangerous and irreversible changes to the Earth’s climate are predicted to occur. To meet this goal, the legislation must:

• Cap and cut global warming emissions to science-based levels with short and long-term targets. Total U.S. emissions must be capped by a date certain, decline every year, be reduced to 15% to 20% below current levels in 2020, and fall to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050.

• Review and respond to advancing climate science. The effects of global warming are happening much faster than scientists predicted several years ago, and there may be tipping points at which irreversible effects occur at lower levels of greenhouse gas concentrations than previously predicted. A mechanism for periodic scientific review is necessary, and EPA, and other agencies as appropriate, must adjust the regulatory response if the latest science indicates that more reductions are needed.

• Make emissions targets certain and enforceable. Our strong existing environmental laws depend on enforceable requirements, rigorous monitoring and reporting of emissions, public input and transparent implementation, and government and citizen enforcement. All of these elements must be included in comprehensive global warming legislation. Cost-containment measures must not break the cap on global warming pollution. Any offsets must be real, additional, verifiable, permanent, and enforceable. The percentage of required emissions reductions that may be met with offsets should be strictly limited, and should be increased only to the extent that there is greater certainty that the offsets will not compromise the program’s environmental integrity.

• Require the United States to engage with other nations to reduce emissions through commitments and incentives. The United States must reengage in the international negotiations to establish binding emissions reductions goals under the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change. The legislation must encourage developing countries to reduce emissions by assisting such countries to avoid deforestation and to adopt clean energy technologies. This is a cost-effective way for the United States and other developed nations to achieve combined emissions reductions of at least 25% below 1990 levels by 2020, as called for by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Transition America to a Clean Energy Economy

Global warming legislation provides an opportunity to create new jobs, while transforming the way we live and work through renewable energy, green buildings, clean vehicles, and advanced technologies. To realize this opportunity, the legislation must:

• Invest in the best clean energy and efficiency technologies. A significant portion of revenues from auctioning emissions allowances should be invested in clean energy and efficiency measures, targeted to technologies and practices that are cleaner, cheaper, safer, and faster than conventional technologies, as determined through the application of clear standards set by Congress.

• Include and encourage complementary policies. Complementary policies can lower program costs by producing lower-cost emissions reductions from economic sectors and activities that are less sensitive to a price signal. Smart growth measures, green building policies, and electricity sector efficiency policies are important types of complementary policies. The legislation should include federal complementary policies and encourage state and local complementary policies in areas better addressed by states and localities.

• Preserve states’ authorities to protect their citizens. Federal global warming requirements must be a floor, not a ceiling, on states’ ability to protect their citizens’ health and state resources. Throughout our history, states have pioneered policies that the nation has subsequently adopted. Addressing global warming requires state and local efforts, as well as national ones.

Recognize and Minimize Any Economic Impacts from Global Warming Legislation

Reducing global warming pollution will likely have some manageable costs, which would be far lower than the costs of inaction. To minimize any economic impacts, the legislation must:

• Use public assets for public benefit in a fair and transparent way. Emissions allowances should be auctioned with the revenues going to benefit the public, and any free allocations should produce public benefits. If any allocations are given to polluters, they must be provided only to existing facilities for a brief transition period and the quantity must be limited to avoid windfall profits.

• Return revenues to consumers. Revenues from auctioned allowances should be returned to low- and moderate-income households at a level sufficient to offset higher energy costs.

• Return revenues to workers and communities. Workers and communities most affected by the transition to a clean energy economy should receive a portion of the revenues to ease the transition and build a trained workforce so that all can participate in the new energy economy.

• Protect against global trade disadvantages to U.S. industry. In addition to providing incentives for developing countries to reduce emissions, the legislation should provide for an effective response to any countries that refuse to contribute their fair share to the international effort. These elements will protect energy-intensive U.S. enterprises against competitive disadvantage.

Aid Communities and Ecosystems Vulnerable to Harm from Global Warming

Global warming is already harming communities and ecosystems throughout the world, and even with immediate action to reduce emissions and avoid dangerous effects, these impacts will worsen over the coming decades. To ameliorate these harms, the legislation must:

• Assist states, localities and tribes to respond and adapt to the effects of global warming. A portion of auction revenues should be provided to states, localities, and tribes to respond to harm from global warming and adapt their infrastructure to its effects, such as more severe wildfires, intensified droughts, increased water scarcity, sea level rise, floods, hurricanes, melting permafrost, and agricultural and public health impacts.

• Assist developing countries to respond and adapt to the effects of global warming. A portion of auction revenues should be provided to help the developing countries most vulnerable to harm from global warming and defuse the threats to national security and global stability posed by conflicts over water and other natural resources, famines, and mass migrations that could be triggered by global warming. Vulnerable countries include least developed countries, where millions of people are already living on the brink, and small island states, which face massive loss of land.

• Assist wildlife and ecosystems threatened by global warming. A portion of auction revenues should be provided to federal, state, and tribal natural resource protection agencies to manage wildlife and ecosystems to maximize the survival of wildlife populations, imperiled species, and ecosystems, using science-based adaptation strategies.

These principles, if adopted as part of comprehensive climate change legislation, will meet the United States’ obligations to curb greenhouse gas emissions and also will provide a pathway to the international cooperation that is necessary to solve the global warming problem.

We commend these principles to you and hope that you find them helpful as we move forward together to develop and adopt global warming legislation.

Burlington's Climate Action Plan

2008-09-16T17:12:00.004-04:00

The City of Burlington is engaging in thoughtful conversation regarding our city's carbon footprint and how to walk more lightly on the earth.

THIS Thursday, September 18, 2008 at 5:30 pm at Contois Auditorium is the first meeting of a series for anyone wanting to get involved in the Climate Action Plan (CAP) re-write process. Mark your calendar!

During this event, you will hear from Jenn Jenkins of UVM (also a contributor to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change on the international level) on the impacts of climate change and then city staff will present the results of the greenhouse gas emissions inventory conducted during the last few months. Before the meeting ends, you will also get a chance to meet with teams contributing to the CAP through the following working groups:

Team leaders will be in touch with their group members for subsequent meetings. If you have any questions, contact folks at Burlington's Legacy Project.

I would like to encourage everyone to participate in their process whether it be through the Working Groups or at the Legacy Town Meeting on December 9th, 2008. Every action we take as individuals to improve our impact and consumption is a part of a greater whole. Thanks so much for all you do already!

Meeting Overview (9/15/08)

2008-09-16T16:41:00.006-04:00

Last night's meeting was a blast! Thanks so much to all of you who participated and have committed to putting together a fantastic Hunger Banquet to raise awareness and solidarity for hunger, poverty, and injustice right here in Burlington.
A special thank you goes out to the folks at Burlington Bay Market and Café for hosting us.

MEETING OVERVIEW:
We had several new faces join us last night and after brief introductions, Nathaly shared a bit about Oxfam's work on the international scale and the work of the Vermont Oxfam Action Corps at the local level.

During August's meeting, participants decided on hosting a Hunger Banquet in Burlington to engage the community regarding hunger and poverty. However, due to the number of new folks in the group, it was important to discuss this again to confirm it was something people thought was worth the time and energy to put together. Kathy, Lee, Natalia, and Colin had all attended Hunger Banquets hosted in the past and could share a bit regarding their experiences. Each person could attest to how powerful the experience had been for them, but we still wanted to ask ourselves what the purpose of the event would be.

Were we seeking simply to build awareness about hunger?
Were we looking to draw more folks into the Action Corps?
How valuable would this sort of one-time event be in the bigger scope of things?

We had to stop to compare the benefit of preparing a Hunger Banquet as opposed to engaging in other types of local action. In the end, we decided to move forward with the event planning, as long as we remained mindful about making the experience be more than just another thought-provoking event and to connect it with real action.

We selected the first weekend in December (one night from the 4th - 7th) in order to keep it within the holiday season when folks are more likely to reflect on these issues and agreed to reconvene to work out logistics and make some major thematic decisions regarding guest speakers or panelists, general order of the program, and take-home message in two weeks time.

ACTION STEPS:

Participants will be compiling ideas over the next few weeks via email. To weigh in on the conversation, contact Vermont@OxfamActionCorps.org.

Kevin will be looking into using the the St. Andrew's Church meeting space as the event venue.

Colin & Nathaly will be working out a budget for the event from what is available to the Oxfam Action Corps.

NEXT MEETING:
Monday, September 29th @ 6PM
UVM's Davis Center (location tbd)

MEETING LOCATION CHANGE!

2008-09-12T18:37:00.004-04:00

Hi folks -

I'm sorry to say we won't be able to meet at the Skinny Pancake. They're having a staff end-of-summer party on Monday evening so we will be re-locating to:

The Burlington Bay Market & Café
125 Battery Street (corner of Battery & College Sts)
Monday, Sept 15th, 6-7:30pm

Light snacks/appetizers will be purchased for the group. If you are able, bring a couple dollars to chip in.

I will do my best to call each of you who said they would be attending directly to alert you of the location change. Thanks for understanding. Please give me a call at 802-578-6277 if you have any questions.

Peace and Love,

Nathaly

September Monthly Meeting

2008-09-11T15:14:00.000-04:00

Hello fellow activists:

Please join us for the next monthly meeting to plan November's Hunger Banquet.

WHAT: VT Oxfam Action Corps Monthly Meeting
WHEN: MONDAY, SEPTEMBER 15th, 2008 @ 6PM
WHERE: the Skinny Pancake Creperie (corner of Lake & College Streets)
WHO: anyone interested in helping fight hunger, poverty, and injustice--YOU!

This next meeting will focus on setting some of the details for the Hunger
Banquet that was decided upon during August's meeting. Please come with ideas
for speakers, venue, music and local partners who we could work with. As
always, we welcome and encourage you to bring a friend!

Weather permitting, we will sit at on the round outdoor tables, otherwise, find
us inside! Bring a couple bucks if you're interested in sharing some
appetizers (our group gets a discount).

If you are unable to attend the meeting, but have some ideas or would like to
weigh-in on the date for the event, please share! (Email
Vermont@OxfamActionCorps.org or call 802-578-6277). We will share meeting
notes through the blog.

Peace,

Nathaly

Sen. Leahy values international adaptation programs

2008-09-11T15:12:00.001-04:00

ADAPTATION: State Department outlines climate needs for poor countries (09/05/2008)
Lisa Friedman, ClimateWire reporter
A new Bush administration report acknowledges that poor countries will need billions of dollars in assistance to help cope with the impacts of climate change.

In a report to Sen. Patrick Leahy (D-Vt.), officials at the State Department and other agencies said international adaptation is "emerging as a more prominent issue." Industrialized countries, including the United States, they said, are helping to ensure that developing nations have the tools they need to deal with problems like food scarcity and a rise in coastal flooding.

"The ultimate goal of adaptation is to develop resilient societies and economies that have the knowledge and capacity to address both the challenges and the opportunities presented by changing climatic conditions," federal officials wrote. "In this sense, adaptation is of a piece with broader development efforts."

Congressional aides and international development leaders praised the State Department for recognizing a serious global threat. But many also slammed the report, calling it a hasty piece of work that underestimates the enormous job of preparing poor countries to face the consequences of a climate crisis they had little hand in creating.

"To the extent they've begun to engage, I think that's a good thing," David Waskow, climate change program director for Oxfam America, said of the State Department. But, he said, "They underplayed the scale of the need."

Even if countries drastically reduce emissions immediately, scientists say changes already locked into the system mean most nations will be affected by climate change. Developing countries -- many already suffering from extreme poverty and heavily dependent on agriculture -- will bear the brunt of sea level rises and changing weather patterns.

International agencies, led by the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change, have widely recognized that wealthy nations with long histories of heavy industrial emissions are responsible for the climatic damages poor countries now face, and should take the lead in addressing the problems. Adaptation, or helping countries cope, is central to international climate negotiations.

Still not a priority, Democrats and climate activists charge
Leahy, who chairs the Senate Appropriations subcommittee that oversees State Department funding, last year called on the agency to join with the U.S. Agency for International Development and the Environmental Protection Agency to assess the adaptation needs of developing countries and lay out the measures America is taking to help them.

"Senator Leahy believes climate change is one of the most challenging and potentially serious problems facing the world," said Tim Rieser, Democratic clerk to the subcommittee. The senator called for the study, Rieser said, "to determine what the administration is doing about it."

He described the 40-page report as a broad-brush overview that doesn't go far enough. The good news, he said: "They're no longer talking about how [climate change] is a hoax."

"At least they're acknowledging that it is a serious problem that requires global cooperation," Rieser said. But, he added, "It doesn't really tell us much that we didn't already know. If anything, it reaffirmed what we suspected -- it's not a priority. There's no strategy in place, and there's minimal funding. The report indicates this is barely on their radar screen."

Melanie Nakagawa, international program attorney with the Natural Resources Defense Council, also called the report "not very thorough" and was one of several who noted that the report includes large parts of a USAID study published last year.

"They do a scant review of existing literature," she said. "Sadly, it looks like they gave this important issue not the due time it deserves."

Legislation requiring the study was signed into law in December, but according to a Federal Register notice, the State Department convened the interagency delegation to create the report on Aug. 21.

A yearlong State Department focus
But a State Department spokeswoman said Thursday that the agency has been focused on international adaptation for more than a year. The report, she said, built directly on work the agency has been doing to lead an interagency effort for the National Security Council principals committee. Representatives from 16 agencies and White House offices helped prepare the report, she said.

"The issue of adaptation is one of the core issues being addressed through the UNFCCC," the spokeswoman said. "Clearly, the State Department is engaged fully on that."

The agency noted that helping developing countries adapt to climate change could cost from $10 billion to $50 billion, citing Oxfam numbers. It also stressed that industrialized countries should not shoulder the financial burden.

"The scale of the potential cost suggests that adaptation efforts should leverage funds dedicated to development assistance, and that the donor community alone cannot take responsibility for adaptation in the developing world," the authors wrote.

"The role of the donors should be to provide tools, information and assistance to developing countries so they can entrain the resources -- human and financial -- of the private sector as well as donors to build resilient futures."

Nakagawa said that as negotiators work toward a post-Kyoto Protocol agreement, international adaptation needs to see more attention.

"This report merely scratches the surface to outline what is currently needed and will be needed to address the adaptation needs of developing countries," she said.

Notes from our last Meeting

2008-08-14T20:46:00.003-04:00

Hi all -

In our last meeting, the VT Oxfam Action Corps was visited by full-time staff from Oxfam America, New England Field Organizer, Stephanie Demmons, as well as Senior Organizer, Brian Rawson and an intern with the Outreach and Organizing department, Jennifer Fraser.

Over a fabulous dinner of crepes from the Skinny Pancake (which uses almost all local products!), we discussed what draws each of us into climate justice activism as well as generated some ideas for ways to spread the work in the coming months.

One solid outcome of the meeting is the idea to put together a Hunger Banquet just before the Thanksgiving holiday to raise awareness of issues facing those whom we fight for, the world's poor. If you are interested in getting involved, please email Nathaly: Vermont@OxfamActionCorps.org.

SAVE THE DATE: Our next meeting is tentatively set to take place on Thursday, September 11th. Meeting location TBA.

Dinner Meeting @ Skinny Pancake

2008-08-03T16:55:00.009-04:00

Hello friends!

Please join us on Tuesday, August 5th for our monthly meeting. We will be meeting & eating at the Skinny Pancake Creperie (by the Burlington Waterfront) to plan actions for the coming months.

Come meet & dine with

local CLIMATE JUSTICE activists

to discuss climate change and its effects

on poor and vulnerable communities.

Learn how YOU can take action!

Date: Tuesday, August 5th

Time: 6:00 – 7:30 pm

Location: Skinny Pancake, At the corner of Lake & College

RSVP: Vermont@OxfamActionCorps.org

VT Oxfam Action Corps in the Bronx!

2008-07-29T14:35:00.015-04:00

This weekend, Vermont Oxfam Action Corps co-leader, Nathaly Agosto Filión, traveled down to visit family in New York City and participated in the Bronx's very own annual Dominican Parade, la Gran Parada Dominicana, alongside the NYC Oxfam Action Corps co-leaders, Terry Lawson and Isaac Evans-Franz!

One highlight of participating in this event, was having the opportunity to greet and thank Congressman Charles Rangel, for being open and receptive to the Climate Equity Campaign through meetings with both his DC and NYC staff people.

Nathaly is from the Dominican Republic and was very proud to be able to stand up for Climate Justice in her hometown alongside the great organizers from New York City. She was also joined by her sister, Luz Maria Filión and nephew, Marcos Garcia.

The Dominican Republic, an island nation in the Caribbean, is especially at risk of being affected by the increased severe weather events such as the hurricanes and tropical storms. Hurricane season starts right about now so this event came right in time to help create a greater public awareness of the effects of climate change among Dominicans living in New York City.

Science & Development Network

2008-07-18T09:24:00.003-04:00

I just signed up to receive weekly emails from SciDev.Net, the Science and Development Network. I've seen some of their published articles through UNEP's ClimateWire email blast and read another one I appreciated this:

Human rights a 'compass' for climate change policies

Katherine Nightingale

17 July 2008 | EN

Human rights can be a "compass" to guide research and policy development for climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies, according to a report.

The International Council on Human Rights Policy (ICHRP) says climate change will threaten — directly or indirectly — almost all human rights, including the right to food, health and a livelihood. But they have received little attention on the policy stage so far. More>>

Meeting: 7/9/08, 7PM, City Market

2008-07-03T11:56:00.002-04:00

The next Vermont Oxfam Action Corps meeting will be held on:

WEDNESDAY, JULY 9TH
@ 7pm
City Market Conference Room
check in at Front Desk for directions.

I look forward to seeing some new faces! We will be discussing the G8 Summit and our new strategical positioning now that the senate is gearing up for the presidential elections!

:)

Nathaly

How McCain & Obama differ regarding Climate policies

2008-07-01T09:16:00.004-04:00

Hi all,

We all recognize the huge impact that comes into effect once the US adopts a strong (or weak) environmental policy. This article highlights a couple of the differences between Obama's climate change stance, which vows to reduce CO2 emissions by 80% of 1990 levels by 2050 (remember Step It Up? led by a group of student activists from VT's own Middlebury College) versus the 60% mark McCain hopes for.

Read more.

If we stop for a minute to consider how all-encompassing this sort of legislation will be, we will note that every small bit of work we do from little ol' Vermont to help advocate for the needs of the poorest communities all over the world has a profound impact. That certainly keeps me going! Let's continue to make sure that Bernie, Leahy, and Welch know we care!

Have a great Independence Day.

Nathaly

Climate Investment Funds created by World Bank

2008-06-24T09:51:00.002-04:00

This message came up today through ClimateWire by way of allAfrica.com:

The increasing frequency of droughts, floods, and catastrophic climatic events are already hitting the poorest communities the hardest.

And at a time of rising food prices, climate change creates more risks for the developing world's agriculture.

If we are to confront climate change we need to learn more about this as a development challenge. We need to find new approaches in several sectors ranging from agriculture, water management, transport , urban development, biodiversity to energy access. Read more.

Women Affected Dispropotionately by Climate Change

2008-06-19T14:22:00.003-04:00

Ever considered how climate change affects women versus men?

Check out: http://www.oxfam.org.uk/get_involved/campaign/climate_change/sisters/index.html to view four short films showcasing 4 women and their individual struggles with climate change.

Interesting review of it on the Grist here.

Check Out Media Coverage on Climate Bill

2008-06-06T09:26:00.005-04:00

Senate Democrats May Pull Climate Bill

Week's Debate Has Been Contentious

By Steven Mufson and Juliet Eilperin

Washington Post Staff Writers
Friday, June 6, 2008; Page A02

If this week's Senate debate on a proposed cap-and-trade system for greenhouse gases was supposed to be a dress rehearsal for climate legislation, things are not looking too good for opening night.

The week has been marked by parliamentary maneuvers and bitter accusations over divergent estimates of the bill's future costs. On Wednesday, a group of GOP senators asked that...

To read the rest of the article, go to: http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/06/05/AR2008060503603.html

WHAT YOU CAN DO TODAY - SUPPORT THE MENENDEZ-SNOWE AMENDMENT

2008-06-05T10:16:00.002-04:00

We've learned that an amendment has been offered by Senator Menendez (D-NJ) and co-sponsored by Senator Snowe (R-ME) to shift revenue generated by the bill to help the world's most impoverished communities deal with the devastating consequences of climate change. Those resources would come from auctioning greenhouse gas permits that would otherwise be given away free to major oil companies.

We need your help to make sure the amendment becomes part of the final bill. Please call your Senators Leahy & Sanders today and ask them to support the Menendez-Snowe Amendment to increase funding for the International Climate Change Adaptation and National Security Program.

To make it easier, we've written out four simple steps to make your call as effective as possible.

1. Call the Capitol switchboard at (202) 224-3121.
2. Ask for one of your senator's offices.
3. Once connected, tell the person who answers that you are a constituent. Give him or her your name and address. Ask them to tell the senator the following: Please support the Menendez-Snowe amendment on "International Adaptation" to the Climate Security Act. Instead of giving away greenhouse gas permits for free to major oil companies, we should shift those permits to increase funding to help poor countries around the world adapt to climate change.
4. Once you are finished, hang up and repeat the instructions for your other senator.

Lastly, please let us know how it went!
Visit http://act.oxfamamerica.org/campaign/lwcall/w55u7ee92i7xxk7? and share what the senator's message is with Oxfam America so that our lobbyists can be in the loop!

Understanding the Boxer Amendment to the Climate Security Act (L-W)

2008-06-05T09:56:00.006-04:00

Hi folks - here's the latest:

The Lieberman-Warner bill has been modified to include an Amendment drafted in conjunction by Senator Barbara Boxer. The amendments offers some advantages and some disadvantages to our goal of increasing funding for international adaptation.

Notes on Boxer Substitute Amendment

to the Lieberman-Warner Climate Security Act (S. 3036)

Allocation of Allowances

Approximately 68% of the allowances (1 allowance equals 1 ton of CO₂ equivalent) are auctioned or distributed in 2012 to support a variety of programs (including low-income communities, states, localities and Indian tribes, recognition of early actors, efficiency programs and technologies and renewable energy technology and deployment, low-carbon electricity generation and advanced research, low-carbon coal technologies, low- to zero- emissions transportation technologies, programs that protect wildlife and natural resources in the US from climate impacts, international adaptation funding and international clean energy technology transfer).

Approximately 32% of the allowances in 2012 are given away for free to fossil-fuel producers and emitters.

OXFAM ACTION CORPS THINKS THAT:
100% of the allowances under a cap-and-trade program should be allocated for public benefit. In accordance with the “polluter pays principle,” no allowances should be given away for free to polluters.

International Adaptation

· The international adaptation provisions were revised from the committee mark of the bill to highlight community engagement and national level consultation; to clarify most vulnerable developing country eligibility; to identify broader national security concerns; and to make it possible for some funding to be channeled through a multilateral fund.

· The funding level is increased substantially over the lifetime of the bill, but cut somewhat below the level in the committee mark for the years 2012-2017.

· The estimated dollar amount generated by the auction of allowances for this purpose falls within a range depending on the average price of greenhouse gas allowances (emission permits): $580 million-$1.1 billion in 2012; $1.4-$2.9 billion in 2020; and $3.7-$7.5 billion in 2030.

OXFAM ACTION CORPS THINKS THAT:

We are pleased with the substantive changes made to the international adaptation program language from the committee mark of the bill. The percentage of adaptation funding should be increased in the early years of the program, 2012-2017, since poor communities are already being impacted by climate-related events. It’s also important to keep in mind the context of an estimated need of more than $80 billion in developing countries to adapt to climate impacts.

MEETING: 5/29, 6PM

2008-05-29T09:28:00.001-04:00

For our next monthly meeting on:

Thursday, May 29th at 6pm
@ the City Market!
Please check in at member services for instructions;
we'll be meeting at one of the conference rooms upstairs.

During the meeting we will be reviewing the overall goals of the Climate Equity
Campaign and strategizing actions for the coming months and ensuing legislative
and political events, as well as getting to know each other a bit more and
hearing each others' ideas, stories, and thoughts about Climate Equity. We
will focus part of the meeting on breaking down the Lieberman-Warner bill that
will be voted on in the Senate early next week and deciding on ways to share
our input with our representatives.

See you there!

Nathaly

Reuters Climate Equity Article

2008-05-27T10:35:00.001-04:00

Here's an article I stumbled across this morning that shares the heart of our goal with this new Climate Equity Campaign. Check it out:

http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL1912377820080220?sp=true

Highlight on our Washington, D.C. Lobby Visit

2008-05-22T21:22:00.003-04:00

Recently, the Oxfam Action Corps, has begun to share the message of Climate Equity with Vermont Senators Patrick Leahy and Bernie Sanders in their Washington, D.C. offices.

During this visit, we met with congressional staffers specializing in issues of environment and global warming to discuss our two main asks for this visit. Please read our leave-behind message, below, for highlights of our meeting.

CLIMATE CHANGE IMPACTS ON POOR COMMUNITIES
AND CREATING FAIR AND EQUITABLE CLIMATE POLICIES

While least responsible for causing climate change, poor people bear the brunt of its impacts. Oxfam America is launching a campaign to respond to the crisis. We believe that the U.S. should dramatically reduce greenhouse gas emissions, while also increasing funding so that poor people, both domestically and around the world, can survive the effects of global warming.

At the same time, we have to ensure that climate policies are enacted in an equitable way. In the U.S., that means neutralizing the impacts of any increased costs for low-income energy consumers due to climate legislation. And we should increase investments in green energy technologies for developing countries in order to cut harmful emissions, while producing new jobs in the U.S. and promote development internationally.

Climate Legislation Should Ensure Adequate Resources for Public Purposes
A cap-and-trade system should ensure that a high percentage of the emissions permits are auctioned and that the revenue is used for public benefits, including adaptation for vulnerable communities, neutralizing impacts on low-income energy consumers, and promoting green energy technology internationally.

International Adaptation Funding
Climate change is forcing vulnerable communities in poor countries to face unprecedented climate stress, including water scarcity and drought, severe weather events and floods, reduced agricultural productivity, and increased disease. A comprehensive climate policy should include significant funding for hard-hit areas around the world to adapt to severe climate change impacts. At least 10% of the revenue from the auction of emission permits should be used to help vulnerable communities in developing countries.

Domestic Low-Income Energy Consumers
Climate change legislation could affect low-income energy consumers, but can also be an opportunity to benefit those same people. Climate change legislation should provide funding to neutralize the cost of higher energy prices to low-income consumers, while also providing new “green job” opportunities.

Developing Countries and Clean Energy Technology
As part of a global effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, it is essential to address the significant need for clean energy technology in major developing countries. The U.S. should help those countries, while also stimulating our own economy, by providing clean energy technology internationally.

For more information, go to www.oxfamamerica.org/climate

MONTHLY MEETING

2008-05-19T14:44:00.007-04:00

Our 2nd Monthly Action Team Meeting will take place on:

THURSDAY, MAY 29th, 2008

from 6 - 7 p.m.

@ the Conference Room in City Market

**tentative location**

We will be reviewing the overall goals of the Climate Equity Campaign and strategizing actions for the coming months and ensuing legislative and political events, as well as getting to know each other a bit and hearing each others ideas/stories/thoughts about Climate Equity. Colin and I have met many of you in person, over the phone, or via email, but look forward to seeing as many of you as can make it for the evening!

Welcome!

2008-05-14T14:48:00.002-04:00

Hello and welcome to the Vermont Oxfam Action Corps blog!

The co-leaders for the group are Colin Henkel and Nathaly Agosto Filion and we are very excited to work with people throughout Vermont to share this very important message.

If you would like to learn more about the greater scope of our work or have specific questions, please email us at OxfamActionCorps.Vermont@gmail.com. We are just getting started with this multi-year campaign and, although we have participated in several events around Burlington this spring, we are still just getting started!

We hope this site will serve as both a resource to Vermonters as well as a call to action for folks seeking to help find equitable solutions to the climate crisis. Please continue to visit the site as we will post new information, photos, links, videos, and more in the coming weeks and join us in our next Action Team meeting on Tuesday, May 27th.