Climate Action Alerts
A regional resource for Cape & Islands climate activists | April 1, 2020 | v. 9
Yale Climate Opinion Maps 2019
A picture's worth a million words

Prepared by the Yale Program on Climate Change Communication in Spring 2019, these maps show how Americans’ climate change beliefs, risk perceptions, and policy support vary at the state, congressional district, metro area, and county levels.

Public opinion about global warming is an important influence on decision-making about policies to reduce global warming or prepare for the impacts, but American opinions vary widely depending on where people live.

The Yale surveys show that 67% of Americans think global warming is happening. Their new estimates, however, show that only 45% of people in Emery County, Utah agree. Meanwhile 69% in neighboring Grand County, Utah believe global warming is happening. Explore these maps by clicking on your state, congressional district, or county and compare the results across questions and with other geographic areas.


Source: Jennifer Marlon ,  Peter Howe ,  Matto Mildenberger ,  Anthony Leiserowitz  and  Xinran Wang , Yale Program on Climate Change Communication
And what of Barnstable County?
We poll about 3% above the national average in believing global warming is happening

Click the map to learn more about Barnstable County residents' beliefs, risk perceptions, support of policy, and behaviors as they relate to climate change. And get the Barnstable County fact sheet here.
What others are thinking...
The Nature of Crisis
By Bill McKibben, The New Yorker, March 26,

An idea beloved of the technorati is that we are actually living not on the earth we seem to inhabit but in a  simulation . Elon Musk has  said  that it’s “most likely” the case, and Neil deGrasse Tyson has set the odds at fifty-fifty. If so, we’ve clearly reached the point where whoever is supervising the action has handed the game over to a bored supervillain who is wildly pressing buttons: Pandemics! Locusts! Firestorms!

The name of this newsletter is The Climate Crisis, but for the moment the emphasis is going to be on the last of those words. We need to understand how crises work, and, since I’ve been thinking about them for many years, I have a few thoughts to offer. Read more here.
Climate Change and COVID-19 Mindy Todd's On Point interview with Phil Duffy, CEO and Executive Director, Woods Hole Research Center

There are important parallels between a global pandemic and climate change. One moves with incredible speed, the other more slowly, but both have the power to drastically change our way of life. Read and listen here.
Cape Cod Climate Emergency News
Climate Emergency webinars
draw a crowd
Some top pointers from the webinars

Last week, more than 60 Cape Cod climate activists registered for the webinars — Planning Your Climate Emergency Campaign in a Time of Uncertainty — with Massachusetts Climate Action Network's Executive Director Carol Oldham. In two informative webinars, Carol showed participants how to use time "at home" to do valuable work to build teams, prepare cases and get momentum going for Declaration of Climate Emergency wins at town meetings, whenever they may occur. Below are key points from her presentation:

Build your team
+ Form a team. The ideal number of members is between 5 and 7. Call it the “steering committee” or “management team”...whatever works for you. This is the core group to plan and implement your Climate Emergency Declaration campaign.

+ Build your network of supporters. Each member of your core team should reach out to other friends, colleagues and others who may be interested in the climate cause. Identify all potential supporters. Grow your network to as many people as possible!

+ Ask for official endorsements from town bodies . Some to consider approaching will include: Board of Selectmen, Finance Committee, Energy Committee, Conservation Commission, Planning Board, Health Board, Building Committee

+ Get your Select Board on board. Identify one board member and have a one-on-one to explain your Resolution and solicit his or her support. It can be a huge advantage when it comes to the vote by the entire Board.

+ And others. Think broadly about all the possible impacts that climate can have on town operations and talk to folks in other departments and committees who may end up being involved.

+ Ask for endorsements or expressions of support from other organizations in your town. Consider asking local environmental organizations, conservation trusts, faith groups, civic organizations. Get creative!

+ Ask for statements of support from local leaders, influencers, scientists, experts. And ask them to speak at Town Meeting.

Prepare for Town Meeting
+ Print a “quarter-pager” handout. Offer your case for support in bulleted talking points on one side and a list of supporters on the other. See MCAN's template on its website for an example.

+ Anticipate foreseeable and known objections and “innoculate” your case against them. Address what you know will come up anyway – but do it first.

+ Don’t forget the youth! Solicit local high school students to address the Meeting. Theirs are powerful and compelling voices – after all, it is their lives we are talking about! You’ll need to speak to your Town Moderator first to see what the local process is for having under-18-year-olds speak at Town Meeting but most towns will permit it.

+ Develop a list of follow-up steps to be ready to go as soon as you’ve achieved your win.

+ Discuss the possibility of joining forces with other towns and collectively joining MCAN as a Cape Cod Chapter. Under this regional model, each town's Climate Action Network would retain its identity while joining more than 120 cities and towns throughout Massachusetts to amplify your voice, enlarge your political influence and enjoy the enhanced resources and support offered by MCAN.
Post Script

If you missed the MCAN webinars, don't despair! We will be posting webinar recordings in our next newsletter and our website as soon as available. Meanwhile, c l ick here for a copy of the slide presentation.


By Denise Coffey, Cape Cod Times, Mar 26, 2020

Virus disrupts Cape Cod town meeting, election schedules


Listed below are the dates for town meetings and elections as of last Wednesday. Check town websites for up-to-date information.

Bourne - Special and annual town meeting are scheduled for May 4 and 5. The town election is May 19.

Brewster - Town meeting is scheduled for May 4; and town election is May 19. Town officials have yet to determine if dates will change.

Chatham - Annual town meeting and town election have been postponed to a date yet to be determined, but before June 30.

Dennis - Town meeting is set for May 5 and town election on May 12. Those dates could be subject to change, according to the select board chairman.

Eastham - A date for town meeting has not been set. The town election is scheduled for May 19.

Falmouth - Town meeting will be postponed until the third Monday following the expiration of the gubernatorial-declared state of emergency. The town election is set for May 19.

Harwich - Town meeting is scheduled for May 4 and town election is May 19. The selectmen will make a decision on whether to postpone them at their next meeting.

Mashpee - Town meeting is set for May 4 and town election May 19.

Orleans - The town meeting is currently scheduled for May 11 and town election May 19. Officials are considering postponing both events.

Provincetown - Special and annual town meetings have been rescheduled for April 22; town election is June 9.

Sandwich - The board of selectmen chairman anticipates the annual town meeting will be delayed, and likely combined with special state election on May 19.

Truro - Town meeting has been postponed to a date that has yet to be determined.

Wellfleet - Town meeting has been rescheduled for June 1. A date for the town election has yet to be determined.

Yarmouth - Town meeting is scheduled May 19. A date for the town election has yet to be determined.

***
Legislative news & actions
Tell Congress: COVID-19 is not an excuse to pollute
A few days ago, the EPA announced it was lifting pollution regulations for fossil fuel plants and other facilities for an indefinite time, effectively giving polluters a free pass.
  
And that’s not all. Today, EPA and the National Highway Transit Safety Administration announced they were relaxing the fuel efficiency standards supported by the majority of Americans. The result will be dirtier air and more global warming pollution accelerating climate change.

Take Action The Trump Administration can’t use the excuse of COVID-19 to give polluters the green light to poison our air and environment, putting Americans in even greater danger during a pandemic. Contact your member of Congress and tell them to put public health, the environment, and our wallets before corporate polluters.
By Lisa Friedman, The New York Times, March 26, 2020

E.P.A., Citing Coronavirus, Drastically Relaxes Rules for Polluters

WASHINGTON — The Environmental Protection Agency on Thursday announced a sweeping relaxation of environmental rules in response to the coronavirus pandemic, allowing power plants, factories and other facilities to determine for themselves if they are able to meet legal requirements on reporting air and water pollution.

The move comes amid an influx of requests from businesses for a relaxation of regulations as they face layoffs, personnel restrictions and other problems related to the coronavirus outbreak.

Tell Automakers It's Time to Commit to a Cleaner Future

Even while the country is in the midst of the unprecedented COVID-19 health emergency, the Trump administration has taken time to roll back vehicle emission standards, throwing out critical public health and environmental protections that were meant to benefit all of us.

Unfortunately, General Motors, Toyota, Fiat Chrysler and other automakers have sided with the Trump administration's attack on clean car standards and the Clean Air Act. These automakers formally filed in court to  support the Trump administration's illegal and dangerous attack  on state authorit y, clean air, a nd climate progress, ignoring the science-based consensus on the urgent need to reduce global warming emissions.

But not all automakers have taken this harmful step! BMW, Ford, Honda, and Volkswagen have committed to more protective clean car standards and a greed to support states' authority to adopt more protective standards.

Take Action Tell General Motors, Toyota, Fiat Chrysler, and other automakers to reverse course and stop attacking clean car standards. These automakers still have a choice—they can still switch sides in the legal battles to come. Act now to demand automakers stop supporting the Trump administration's attack on clean car standards, and instead protect public health and the environment.

Source: Union of Concerned Scientists
Events, education, etcetera
Climate Change in the Era of COVID-19
With Heather Goldstone, Chief Communications Officer and opening remarks by Phil Duffy, President & Executive Director of Woods Hole Research Center

Wednesday, April 1
2:30 PM

The novel coronavirus pandemic has been compared to climate change at warp speed. Heather Goldstone will introduce what we know about the causes and increasingly apparent impacts of climate change, and explore connections between the COVID-19 and climate crises – including the need to ensure that pandemic response policies also advance climate preparedness. Register for this informative webinar.
Cities Confronting the Climate Crisis

April 7
3:00 pm - 4:00 pm
 
As federal climate action continues to lag, municipalities around the country have led the way in confronting the climate crisis, implementing ambitious and innovative policies to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions, and transition to a clean energy economy. Supreme Court Justice Louis Brandeis famously described states as “laboratories of democracy,” but in recent years, cities have taken the mantle in pushing forward bold climate solutions. These policies will only inspire future action and catalyze action at the state level. 

In this Deep Dive webinar, local officials will discuss their success with climate policies, including carbon pricing and climate mitigation fees. Mayor Arlene Burns from Moiser, Oregon; Commissioner Mark Marcoplos from Orange County, North Carolina; Sustainability Coordinator Robin Adams from Red Lodge, Montana; City Councilor Quinton Zondervan from Cambridge, Massachusetts; and Mayor Steve Patterson from Athens, Ohio, will highlight the bold policies they have championed in their jurisdictions. 

Source: Climate X Change
Stop the Money Pipeline: A Conversation With Organizers

Tuesday, April 7
2:00pm-3:00pm EST

Join a conversation with organizers from the  Stop the Money Pipeline , a coalition of over 90 organizations working to end the financing of climate destruction by demanding that banks, asset managers, insurance companies and institutional investors stop funding, insuring and investing in fossil fuels, deforestation and the destruction of indigenous lands. Learn about ways to engage with mindfulness and compassion during the 3-day climate strike (April 22nd-24th) marking the 50th anniversary of Earth Day. 

Source: Transition United States
Did you know?
DYK? Aggressive action to address climate change could save the world $145 trillion. Read on.

DYK? NASA, University of Nebraska have released new global groundwater maps and U.S. drought forecasts. Read on.

DYK? How scientists know that humans are responsible for global warming. Read on.
DYK? Storytelling is key to understanding climate change. Read on.

DYK? How to talk to your sister who says global warming is a lie. Read on.

DYK? A a greener, fairer fashion industry can emerge from crisis? Read on.

Spotlight on action
By Andrew Gottlieb, Cape Cod Times, Mar 18, 2020 
Think twice about clear-cutting forests for solar
Massachusetts’ policy on solar placement wisely discourages forest clear-cutting

I write in response to your March 6 Cheers & Jeers editorial “Another virus to stop: NIMBYism.”

As a leading voice calling for aggressive climate policies on the local, regional, state and federal levels, the Association to Preserve Cape Cod is a strong regional advocate for increasing renewable energy production. Solar energy is a vital part of the commonwealth’s renewable energy portfolio, and there is great need for more responsible solar energy production on Cape Cod. Enormous opportunity exists for ramping up solar use, especially over parking lots, rooftops, and – for larger-scale solar arrays – on landfills, sand mining sites and brownfields.

However, projects like the proposed AMP Energy project in Sandwich, a clear-cut of nearly 11 acres out of an 18-acre currently wooded parcel must be considered in the context of how we transition to clean energy in a responsible manner that does not harm the very resources we are trying to protect from climate change and other forces.

The association is among a growing number of environmental and conservation organizations taking the position that, as long as better options exist that will support solar installations, clear-cutting forests for solar is the wrong approach to mitigating climate change. The continued growth of solar energy must be encouraged and directed to rooftops, parking lot canopy systems and brownfield sites rather than ground-mounted arrays that consume open space, diminish forest-based carbon sequestration and cooling, fragment wildlife habitat and degrade the other important resource values of our natural lands.

According to the Massachusetts Audubon Society’s Losing Ground 2020 Report, which tracks the rate of development in Massachusetts, roughly 6,000 acres of forest and farmland in Massachusetts were converted to ground-based solar between 2012 and 2017 – one-quarter of all development in the state.

Massachusetts’ policy on solar placement wisely discourages forest clear-cutting. The state’s Solar Massachusetts Renewable Target program, or SMART, established to create a sustainable solar development incentive program, adopted a policy that increases financial incentives for rooftop, parking lot and brownfield site projects, and reduces incentives for projects on undeveloped land. Read more here.


Andrew Gottlieb is Executive Director of the Association to Preserve Cape Cod. The APCC is a member of the board of directors of the Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative.
Forests vs. Solar Farms
Climate Collaborative Position Statement

The Climate Collaborative believes that solar arrays are a very important source of clean energy for our region.

At the same time we are keenly aware that the amount of land devoted to upland forests has been shrinking rapidly on the Cape and Islands during the past 25 years. For instance, Cape Cod lost 2,300 acres of forest cover between 2001 and 2011, which amounted to 2.5% of the Cape’s forest cover in10 years.

About 70% of that cover was replaced by development, much of it involving impervious surfaces, which leads on the Cape to greater volume and peak flows of run-off, with increased contamination into the Cape’s water bodies.

Site selection considerations Given a 50-year trend away from forested land and toward impervious surfaces on Cape Cod, the Climate Collaborative believes that every effort should be made to site solar installations on existing and municipally owned planned development sites. A review of solar installations on Cape Cod over the past 20 years indicates that Cape residents, municipalities and businesses have, in general, concentrated those installations on rooftops and landfills.

During that period the uptake of solar systems has been somewhat greater on the Cape and Islands than in Massachusetts as a whole, but uptake to date includes only about 6.5% of Cape and Islands households.

The Climate Collaborative concurs with the Mass Audubon in finding that “(c)areful site selection for renewable facilities of all types is important to minimize the loss and fragmentation of wildlife habitat, as well as forests, farm lands, and wetlands that sequester carbon and provide other functions and values.  Read more here.
The Climate Action Alerts newsletter is curated and compiled by Fran Schofield. Got a great local climate story or suggestion? Let us know. And send this action alert to your friends and ask them to subscribe here .
The Cape Cod Climate Change Collaborative is a 501(c)(3) organization whose mission is to reach carbon neutrality — or net zero — on Cape Cod and the Islands of Massachusetts by enhancing communication, collaboration, and activism among organizations, programs, and individuals committed to mitigating the climate crisis.
 All donations are tax deductible as allowed by law.

CAPE COD CLIMATE CHANGE COLLABORATIVE