Fracking for Ethane to Ethylene to Polyethylene to Plastics

From Press Release, Keith Weller, UN Environment, New York, September 25, 2018

To launch the UN Environment’s Global Plastics Platform, UN Environment and the European Commission hosted an event alongside the UN General Assembly. The network will encourage new commitments to reduce plastic pollution and,supporting the transition to a more circular economy.

To build on the growing momentum around the plastics agenda, UN Environment and the European Commission jointly hosted an event at the United Nations HQ today to launch UN Environment’s Global Plastics Platform. Member States, businesses, the European Commission and UN Environment showcased their initiatives, learned from each other, and committed to fight plastic pollution together.

The event, hosted on the sidelines of the UN General Assembly, offered the opportunity for governments to officially join a ‘Race to the Top’ through the Global Plastics Platform, a network that will encourage new commitments to reduce plastic pollution and explore innovative ways to change the habits of design, production, consumption and disposal of plastics around the world, supporting the transition to a more circular economy.

Many countries across the world have made ambitious commitments to beat plastics pollution during 2018. On World Environment Day 2018, India announced to ban all single-use plastics by 2022. Plastic bags bans have been announced in Chile, Botswana, and Peru, while Nigeria will set up recycling plants across the country, Brazil will announce a new national plan on plastics and Wales will commit to be the first “refill nation.”

The aim of the Global Plastics Platform is to provide support to countries and cities who made these ambitious commitments, by facilitating the sharing of experiences, the establishment of new policies and inspiration for new commitments.

“The Global Plastics Platform is exactly the kind of initiative we need to bring countries together in the fight against millions of tonnes of plastics that end up in our oceans each year,” Head of UN Environment Erik Solheim said. “No one can solve the problem of plastic pollution alone, but together we will fuel global change.”

European Commission First Vice-President Frans Timmermans said: “The European Commission has already taken action this year to deal with the plastic items we find most often on our beaches, and to transform the business model of the European plastics industry and reduce economic and industrial waste. But we share responsibility for this planet and its protection with others. A cross-border problem requires multilateral efforts, and that is why I am delighted to partner with UN Environment to tackle the different sources and effects of plastic waste together.”

Head of UN Environment Erik Solheim and First Vice-President of the European Commission Frans Timmermans were joined by renowned marine biologist Sylvia Earle, who underlined the urgent need for bold, decisive action on the plastic pollution that is troubling the world’s oceans.

Government representatives and leaders from the public and private sector got to share their experiences, best practices and concerns around the phasing out or regulation of plastic products at the event, moderated by Editor-in-Chief of National Geographic magazine Susan Goldberg, Goldberg also helped to illustrate the impact of the plastic challenge with original photography and film content first published by National Geographic this year.

The UN Environment Global Plastics Platform will build on and further advance the efforts made by the European Union, the G7, the G20, the UN Environment Assembly and existing initiatives and partnerships, such as the Platform for Accelerating the Circular Economy, supported by the World Economic Forum, the New Plastics Economy of Ellen MacArthur Foundation, and the work of the Regional Seas Conventions across the world.

UN Environment has played a leading role in positioning plastics pollution at the top of the global agenda, placing the theme at the centre of the world’s attention for World Environment Day 2018. By increasing global awareness and highlighting circular economy as its solution, the issue was propelled it to the top of the agenda for member states, the public and the private sector.

About UN Environment

UN Environment is the leading global voice on the environment. It provides leadership and encourages partnership in caring for the environment by inspiring, informing, and enabling nations and peoples to improve their quality of life without compromising that of future generations. UN Environment works with governments, the private sector, the civil society and with other UN entities and international organizations across the world.

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Fighting plastic pollution – EU @ UNGA 2018

European Union at the United Nations General Assembly

September 26, 2018

NASA photo shows retreat of melting Arctic icecap

News Update by Glen Besa, Virginia Sierra Club, October 7, 2018

On this October 7th, it is anticipated that the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change will issue its Summary for Policymakers of its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5ºC.

This report should be a required reading for all of us, but especially for public officials, including Governor Ralph Northam, who have the authority to make policy that can reduce our carbon pollution emissions. ( Let’s add Governor Jim Justice of WV to this.)

Although the Paris Climate Accord set a goal of keeping the global average temperature increase below 2ºC, that agreement also acknowledged that countries should actually strive to limit that increase to 1.5ºC to minimize the harm done by global warming.

Climate science has advanced since the 2015 UN climate conference in Paris. Climate scientists realize that the 1.5ºC target should no longer be just aspirational if we are to avoid unacceptable consequences of a warming climate. Our own anecdotal experiences with extreme weather events, sea level rise and the shrinking arctic ice associated with the current 1ºC increase make it clear that we have no time to spare in moving away from fossil fuels and taking other bold action to reduce greenhouse gases.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is the international body charged by the United Nations with assessing the science related to climate change. The IPCC was set up in 1988 to provide policymakers with regular assessments of the scientific basis of climate change, its impacts and future risks, and options for adaptation and mitigation.

Vox recently reported on a leaked copy of the draft IPCC report’s findings “that it would take a massive global effort, far more aggressive than any we’ve seen to date, to keep warming in line with 1.5°C — in part because we are already en route to 3°C of warming. And even if we hit the 1.5°C goal, the planet will still face massive, devastating changes.”

In anticipation of the issuance of the IPCC report, Auden Schendler and Andrew P. Jones commented on the findings in a column this weekend in the New York Times entitled: Stopping Climate Change Is Hopeless. Let’s Do It. – It begins with how we live our lives every moment of every day.

The column is an answer to, albeit not a direct acknowledgement of, the news last week out of the Trump Administration justifying its abandoning climate protection measures. The draft statement by the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration justifying President Trump’s decision to reverse federal fuel-efficiency standards for cars and light trucks argued that with a 4ºC increase by 2100 already cooked into the climate, “the planet’s fate is… sealed.”

Rather than accept the hope-extinguishing approach of a cynical Trump Administration, Schendler and Jones issue a call to action for leaving most the remaining coal, gas and oil in the ground. Citing historical examples of humankind overcoming great odds, they quote journalist I.F. Stone who said: “The only kinds of fights worth fighting are those you are going to lose because somebody has to fight them and lose and lose and lose until someday, somebody who believes as you do wins.” At this point, we have no more time to lose!

The immensity and immediacy of issues like the #metoo and #blacklivesmatter movements and the everyday mayhem emanating the Trump Administration make it hard to focus on problems, however important, that it would seem could be put off to another day. But after 30 years plus of opposition and obfuscation by the fossil fuel industry and its allies in both the Republican and Democratic parties, there is no more time for delay on efforts to address climate change.

While well intended, Governor Northam’s recently announced climate initiatives to look at possible actions to address climate polluting emissions from cars and trucks and fracked gas infrastructure are far too modest. The Governor’s directive to reduce emissions from fossil fuel power plants is more significant, yet will take decades to reverse the harm done to our climate by the two fracked-gas pipelines he supports.

Taking Governor Northam at his word that he sincerely wants to implement meaningful actions to address climate change, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s Summary for Policymakers of its Special Report on Global Warming of 1.5ºC should be a call to action for real, immediate and significant efforts within the Governor’s authority to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Those actions should start, but not end, with shutting down the Atlantic Coast and Mountain Valley Pipelines.

Here’s hoping that Governor Northam and everyone else take the time to read the IPCC’s new report and then do what is within their power to reduce the greenhouse gas pollution that is choking our planet Earth.

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IPCC climate change report calls for urgent action to phase out fossil fuels

UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change says coal-fired electricity should end by 2050 if we are to limit global warming rises to 1.5C

Helen Davidson, The Guardian, 10/7/18