How to stop climate change

Nations around the world are upping their game in the fight against climate change,
even as President Trump recently announced the U.S.'s withdrawal from the Paris
Agreement. And despite this reckless move, American mayors, state leaders, county
officials, governors, major companies, and millions of citizens across our country
have pledged that they're "still in" when it comes to the agreement, and supporting
the goal of limiting future warming to well below 2 degrees Celsius.

Even better, a new initiative by former New York City mayor Michael Bloomberg
gives the urban layer of this movement a boost. He’s asked mayors from the 100
most populous cities in the country to share their plans for making their buildings and
transportation systems run cleaner and more efficiently. The 20 that show the
greatest potential for cutting the dangerous carbon pollution that’s driving climate
change will share a total of $70 million in technical assistance funding provided
by Bloomberg Philanthropies and partners.

It’s important to remember the equally vital contributions that can be made by private
citizens—which is to say, by you. “Change only happens when individuals take
action,” Aliya Haq, deputy director of NRDC’s Clean Power Plan initiative, says.
“There’s no other way, if it doesn’t start with people.”

The goal is simple. Carbon dioxide is the climate’s worst enemy. It’s released when
oil, coal, and other fossil fuels are burned for energy—the energy we use to power
our homes, cars, and smartphones. By using less of it, we can curb our own
contribution to climate change while also saving money. Here are a dozen easy,
effective ways each one of us can make a difference
1. Speak up!
What’s the single biggest way you can make an impact on global climate change?
“Talk to your friends and family, and make sure your representatives are making
good decisions,” Haq says. By voicing your concerns—via social media or, better
yet, directly to your elected officials—you send a message that you care about the
warming world. Encourage Congress to enact new laws that limit carbon emissions
and require polluters to pay for the emissions they produce. “The main reason
elected officials do anything difficult is because their constituents make them,” Haq
says. You can help protect public lands, stop offshore drilling, and more here.

2. Power your home with renewable energy.

Choose a utility company that generates at least half its power from wind or solar
and has been certified by Green-e Energy, an organization that vets renewable
energy options. If that isn’t possible for you, take a look at your electric bill; many
utilities now list other ways to support renewable sources on their monthly
statements and websites.

3. Weatherize, weatherize, weatherize.

“Building heating and cooling are among the biggest uses of energy,” Haq says.
Indeed, heating and air-conditioning account for almost half of home energy use.
You can make your space more energy efficient by sealing drafts and ensuring it’s
adequately insulated. You can also claim federal tax credits for many energy-
efficiency home improvements.

4. Invest in energy-efficient appliances.

Since they were first implemented nationally in 1987, efficiency standards for dozens
of appliances and products have kept 2.3 billion tons of carbon dioxide out of the air.
That’s about the same amount as the annual carbon pollution coughed up by nearly
440 million cars. “Energy efficiency is the lowest-cost way to reduce emissions,” Haq
says. When shopping for refrigerators, washing machines, and other appliances,
look for the Energy Star label. It will tell you which are the most efficient.

5. Reduce water waste.

Saving water reduces carbon pollution, too. That's because it takes a lot of energy to
pump, heat, and treat your water. So take shorter showers, turn off the tap while
brushing your teeth, and switch to WaterSense-labeled fixtures and appliances. The
EPA estimates that if just one out of every 100 American homes were retrofitted with
water-efficient fixtures, about 100 million kilowatt-hours of electricity per year would
be saved—avoiding 80,000 tons of global warming pollution.

6. Actually eat the food you buy—and make less of it meat.

Approximately 10 percent of U.S. energy use goes into growing, processing,
packaging, and shipping food—about 40 percent of which just winds up in the
landfill. “If you’re wasting less food, you’re likely cutting down on energy
consumption,” Haq says. And since livestock products are among the most resource-
intensive to produce, eating meat-free meals can make a big difference, too.

7. Buy better bulbs.

LED lightbulbs use up to 80 percent less energy than conventional incandescents.
They’re also cheaper in the long run: A 10-watt LED that replaces your traditional 60-
watt bulb will save you $125 over the lightbulb’s life.

8. Pull the plug(s).

Taken together, the outlets in your home are likely powering about 65 different
devices—an average load for a home in the U.S. Audio and video devices, cordless
vacuums and power tools, and other electronics use energy even when they're not
charging. This "idle load" across all U.S. households adds up to the output of 50
large power plants in the U.S. So don't leave fully charged devices plugged into your
home's outlets, unplug rarely used devices or plug them into power strips and timers,
and adjust your computers and monitors to automatically power down to the lowest
power mode when not in use.

9. Drive a fuel-efficient vehicle.

Gas-smart cars, such as hybrids and fully electric vehicles, save fuel and money.
And once all cars and light trucks meet 2025’s clean car standards, which means
averaging 54.5 miles per gallon, they’ll be a mainstay. For good reason: Relative to a
national fleet of vehicles that averaged only 28.3 miles per gallon in 2011, Americans
will spend $80 billion less at the pump each year and cut their automotive emissions
by half. Before you buy a new set of wheels, compare fuel-economy
performance here.

10. Maintain your ride.

If all Americans kept their tires properly inflated, we could save 1.2 billion gallons of
gas each year. A simple tune-up can boost miles per gallon anywhere from 4 percent
to 40 percent, and a new air filter can get you a 10 percent boost.

11. Rethink planes, trains, and automobiles.

Choosing to live in walkable smart-growth cities and towns with quality public
transportation leads to less driving, less money spent on fuel, and less pollution in
the air. Less frequent flying can make a big difference, too. “Air transport is a major
source of climate pollution,” Haq says. “If you can take a train instead, do that.”

12. Shrink your carbon profile.

You can offset the carbon you produce by purchasing carbon offsets, which
represent clean power that you can add to the nation’s energy grid in place of power
from fossil fuels. But not all carbon offset companies are alike. Do your homework to
find the best supplier.
 Climate Action: All Eyes on India
On the fifth anniversary of the Paris Climate Agreement, world leaders are gathering virtually
for the Climate Ambition Summit 2020. The European Union, China, the United Kingdom
and many more countries have already stepped up climate action ahead of the summit. India
has not made a major announcement this year, and with Prime Minister Narendra Modi
scheduled to speak at the summit, all eyes are on India.
While interest is piqued, India is tempering expectations. India is “walking the talk”
on climate change, said India’s environment minister Prakash Javadekar ahead of
the summit. India is one of the few countries on track to meet its Paris target,
achieving 21% of its pledge to reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 33-35% by
2030. India’s stance has been that India did not cause climate change and looks to
developed countries to do more.

The aim of the Climate Ambition Summit 2020 is to increase momentum in the lead
up to the United Nations climate talks, COP26, postponed to next year in Glasgow.
Major studies are ringing the alarm bell and showing that current commitments are
not enough. The recent UNEP Emissions Gap 2020 report projects a 56% expected
shortfall in emissions between the countries’ commitments and progress toward
1.5ºC (26% shortfall for 2ºC).

In the lead up to the summit, the European Union took a big step, committing to cut
greenhouse gas emissions by 55% from 1990 levels by 2030. New Zealand and 32
countries declared “climate emergencies.” China and 125 countries have committed
to carbon neutrality by mid-century. Together, these represent 51% of global
greenhouse gas emissions. The percentage could increase to 63% once United
States re-joins the Paris and potentially announces a carbon neutrality or net-zero
target.
India’s Road From Paris
Taking a closer look, India is on track to achieve two of the three components of its
Paris target. First, India has already reduced emissions intensity by 21% given its
target to reduce emissions intensity of GDP by 33-35% by 2030. Second,
with 38% of non-fossil fuel capacity (includes renewables, large hydro and nuclear),
India is just 2% short of its 2030 target of 40% of installed non-fossil fuel electricity
capacity. But on the third component, to achieve 2.5 to 3 billion tonnes of carbon
dioxide equivalent in forest cover by 2030, much more work is needed.

On the domestic front, India aims to install an ambitious 175 gigawatts (GW) of
renewable energy by 2022 and 450 GW by 2030. India already has 90 GW or
renewable energy, representing 24% of total installed capacity. In addition, India has
some of the lowest solar tariffs globally, dropping to ₹2.36 ($0.0316)/kWh and
thermal capacity has declined from 70% in 2015 to 61% in 2020. The India Cooling
Action Plan at the national level and progress on building efficient buildings and cool
roofs at the state level are also driving efforts to save energy and reduce heat
trapping hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). The government’s FAME-II scheme provides
₹10,000 crore ($1.4 billion) is moving forward with electric vehicles.

On the international front, India is leading efforts with the International Solar Alliance
(ISA), Kigali Amendment to the Montreal Protocol, International Coalition for Disaster
Resilient Infrastructure (CDRI), and Leadership Group for Industry Transition. India
recently created an Apex Committee for Implementation of Paris Agreement (AIPA).
The aim of AIPA is to increase coordination among 14 key ministries and to engage
business, stakeholders and the U.N. on delivery of the Paris Agreement.

The Road from Paris Issue Brief captures India’s climate action progress, developed
by NRDC and partners the Administrative Staff College of India (ASCI), the Council
on Energy, Environment and Water (CEEW), Indian Institute of Public Health -
Gandhinagar (IIPH-G), the Self Employed Women’s Association (SEWA) and The
Energy and Resources Institute (TERI).
Expectations for India at the Climate Ambition Summit
While expectations are high, India will likely continue to its salvo for greater ambition
from developed countries. Ahead of the summit, India emphasized that it is making
strong progress on its climate commitments even though developed countries have
not. “We’ve gone well beyond. Why don’t you ask the countries lecturing us to mend
their own ways instead? None of the developed countries are Paris Agreement
compliant,” said Minister Javadekar.

Finance is another major issue that India will likely raise at the summit. Minister
Javadekar emphasized that the over $11 trillion needed for climate change has not
come through. Meeting India’s renewable goals alone requires at least $20-
$30 billion investment annually. To meet India’s clean energy and climate goals,
catalytic financial solutions, such as Green Banks or Green Windows,
which leverage limited public funds, including development assistance, to attract
private capital will be critical, as discussed in NRDC and CEEW’s new issue
brief, Investing in a Green Future: India’s Initiatives in Clean Energy Finance.

While unlikely to have a new emissions target, India could discuss sectoral policies
to address the climate crisis. India’s sectoral policies are falling short of aligning with
its Paris targets, according to TERI and partners’ Brown to Green Report.
Government policies for key sectors from—power, transport, buildings, industry,
agriculture and forest—need to be stronger to decarbonize the economy and achieve
India’s climate targets.

Delaying climate action is no longer an option for the world. As countries around the
world emerge from COVID-19 and ramp up investment to boost economies,
investing in green recovery and committing to greater climate ambition can help
create jobs, protect communities, and make the future more sustainable.