See below for highlights of what you can read, listen to, and watch to catch up on what’s going on with Third Act and the climate.
Bill McKibben’s Shout-Out to DC Third Act Protestors
Bill McKibben’s The Crucial Years newsletter featured Third Act DC protestors discussing their first ever environmental actions!
Watch Four First Time Environmental Protesters talk about their experience and see DC’s Third Act Rockingchair Rebellion Shut Down CITIbank!
First “Climate Superfund” in U.S.? Bill Passes Vermont Legislature, Heads to Governor Phil Scott
“The Vermont Senate gave final approval today to landmark legislation that holds the largest fossil fuel companies financially accountable for a portion of the costs of climate change. “Vermont taxpayers can’t afford the staggering costs of climate change,” said Lauren Hierl, executive director of Vermont Conservation Voters and a Montpelier city councilor. “S.259 requires Big Oil to pay its fair share.” Read more.
The Healthy Homes Act Passed!
Read up on the status of the legislation and it’s funding, and the work of DC area democratic and environmental advocacy groups including Third Act DC. There’s still more to do to make sure that HHA is funded!
Is Green Growth Possible? The Ezra Klein Show
“A decade ago, I was feeling pretty pessimistic about climate change. The politics of mitigating global warming just seemed impossible: asking people to make sacrifices, or countries to slow their development, and delay dreams of better, more prosperous lives.
But the world today looks different. The costs of solar and wind power have plummeted. Same for electric batteries. And a new politics is starting to take hold: that maybe we can invest and invent and build our way out of this crisis. But some very hard problems remain. Chief among them? Cows.” Listen.
Where Seas Are Rising At Alarming Speed
“One of the most rapid sea level surges on Earth is besieging the American South, forcing a reckoning for coastal communities across eight U.S. states, a Washington Post analysis has found. At more than a dozen tide gauges spanning from Texas to North Carolina, sea levels are at least 6 inches higher than they were in 2010 — a change similar to what occurred over the previous five decades.” Read more.
Carbon emissions are Dropping—Fast—in Europe
“Officials reckon 2024 will be another record year for renewables. The commission’s modelling suggests that current policies should get the bloc to an 88% reduction of overall emissions by 2040, compared with 1990 levels…. Three factors explain the new target and the reduction in emissions. The first is Europe’s biggest climate achievement: its carbon price.” Read more.
The Doom vs. Optimism Debate
“Depending on how you look at it, the climate story is one that can inspire genuine optimism or a fair bit of doomerism.
On any given day, there are news stories, academic studies and memes that support two dueling narratives:
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The fatalistic view that global warming is out of control.
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And the more hopeful, technocratic outlook that, while the challenges are real, the solutions are within reach.” Read more.
And don’t miss Rebecca Solnit’s related piece, “What if climate change meant not doom — but abundance?” or her upcoming event with Rep. Jamie Raskin for Third Act DMV!