This week, delegates from countries around the world continue to work at the UN’s climate change negotiations in Warsaw on a global agreement to take meaningful action on climate change. In the midst of the negotiations, I was pleased to represent USAID at a side event with other Obama Administration officials to describe how the United States is already taking action to combat climate change – through the steps outlined in President Obama’s Climate Action Plan.
The President’s Climate Action Plan (PDF) has three main pillars: to cut carbon pollution in the United States, to prepare the United States for impacts of climate change, and to lead international efforts to address global climate change. As part of this government-wide effort, USAID provides support to over 50 developing countries for climate change, working with them on tools and strategies that build resilience, as well as working with them to pursue sustainable economic growth, spur investment in clean energy, and reduce emissions from deforestation.
Panelists at UN’s climate change negotiations in Warsaw. From left to right: Andrew Steer, WRI; Kit Batten, USAID; Nancy Sutley, CEQ and Jonathan Pershing from DOE. Photo credit: Andrea Welsh, USAID
To maximize our impact, USAID is pursuing innovative financing strategies, partnering with the private sector, and utilizing science and technology. Earlier this year, Secretary Kerry announced that USAID will be able to leverage up to $100 million dollars worth of private sector investment in wind power, solar power, hydropower, and energy efficiency projects in India through USAID’s Development Credit Authority (DCA). The U.S. Government is also a founding partner of the Tropical Forest Alliance 2020, which is a public private partnership with the goal of reducing tropical deforestation associated with global commodities like palm oil, paper and pulp, soy, and beef. We’re also working with NASA to provide satellite imagery and accessible weather and climate data to local officials in East Africa, Central America and the Hindu Kush/Himalaya region so communities can make more informed decisions.
We’re already seeing and measuring the impact of our efforts. In 2012 alone, USAID’s work in the forestry sector contributed to reducing more than 140 million tons of carbon dioxide emissions. That’s equal to the carbon pollution generated by 39 coal-fired power plants, or the carbon pollution released by the consumption of over 15 billion gallons of gasoline. That’s billion with a ‘b.’
Under President Obama’s leadership, the United States is making meaningful and measurable progress on climate change. USAID is proud to have a substantial role in this effort and is proud to represent the United States here with many of our country partners in Warsaw. We recognize that building resilience to climate change and pursuing sustainable low-emissions growth are essential parts of our development mission.
We can never understand Climate Change unless we know what Human Climate Health @ global scale is with respect to Earth’s Breathing Mechanism: Oceans.
We do not combat Climate Change in the same context we do not fight Typhoons, Tornadoes, Tsunamis, Earthquakes, etc., that are all rootedly caused by disturbance, & violations of Nature’s Laws.
BUT we can address Climate Change by re-solving the Global Energy Balance thru Nature’s Re-normalization Technology [GEB-NRT] via extracting naturally <> the Green Energy Vectors [GEV] of the Earth’s Black Hole: Oceans. Each humanity is mathematically linked to Earth’s Oceans. Therefore, the wisdom to do this GEB-NRT is by achieving 100% this GEV extraction into modular macro-scale Power Plants in Gwatts! How? Any Blueprint to do this …? In all humility, I have the Blueprint.
– Gpw Bernard Bautista Rementilla, Aug.4, 2014.