The Climate Minute

Over the past year, the movie “Don’t Look Up” has been a streaming hit, logging hundreds of millions of viewing hours.  What is it about the movie that made it big? With twelve months perspective, we watch again.

The ‘oil and gas’ industry works to delay the adoption of climate friendly options for energy.  Listen in as we discuss recent news on climate and what it all means.

The arrival of the solstice is a chance to contemplate our place in the world, and what it means to be a climate activist. The Climate Minute wishes a happy Winter Solstice, 2022, to everyone.

ISO-NE is an important but poorly understood institution that controls the market for electricity.  It needs to respond more effectively to the climate crisis. Recently, a group of activists were elected to ISO’s ‘Consumer Liaison Group.’ This is a good result, potentially turning an otherwise docile committee to a voice for public input. We speak with one of the activists recently elected to the CLG.

With the ominous threat of climate catastrophe clouding our future, it is easy to forget that the use of nuclear weapons could bring about immediate destruction on an unimaginable scale. The current ‘casual’ discussion of the possible use of tactical nuclear weapons in Ukraine brings home the reality of our risk. Dr Helen Caldicott is an iconic figure of the effort to abolish nuclear weapons. We speak with her about the issue and its relationship to the climate crisis.

After more than a year and a half of calling on the Massachusetts Office of Energy and Environmental Affairs to do their job and conduct a Comprehensive Health Impact Assessment (CHIA), MCAN took matters into its own hands and conducted a preliminary assessment of the health outcomes of communities that live near the proposed site of the Peabody Peaker.  We talk to the author! The results from the study were deeply concerning and highlight the need for additional analysis on the impact the proposed Peabody Peaker will have on neighboring communities that are already overburdened.

As we head into the new year, we are joined by State Representative Jeffrey Roy, Chair of the TUE Committee, to discuss prospect for state level climate work next year.

There are more climate stories than we can discuss. In true Post-Thanksgiving fashion, we discuss the ‘left over” stories that happened in November. Thanks to DR Tucker for his research!

Recently, MCAN and a coalition of elected officials, as well as public health, consumer, and climate advocates, held a People’s Hearing calling on the next administration to prioritize equitable building decarbonization and amending the specialized stretch code to be truly net-zero. Prioritizing decarbonization among new and existing buildings is critical to lowering the cost of utility bills, reducing the health effects of burning fossil fuels in homes, combating the climate crisis, and supporting the creation of new, good-paying jobs.At a time when Massachusetts residents dependent on natural gas for home heating are facing an average 24% winter price spike, we need immediate assistance as well as longterm solutions that will protect our residents from rising costs while also rapidly transitioning our communities away from harmful and polluting fossil fuels.By prioritizing significant investments in deep-energy retrofits for existing buildings like affordable housing and Environmental Justice Communities, and implementing an all-electric net-zero stretch code, the Healey administration and Massachusetts leaders can begin to wean the state off the expensive, volatile gas system and lower utility bills.This past Tuesday, MCAN and a coalition of elected officials, as well as public health, consumer, and climate advocates, held a People’s Hearing calling on the next administration to prioritize equitable building decarbonization and amending the specialized stretch code to be truly net-zero. Prioritizing decarbonization among new and existing buildings is critical to lowering the cost of utility bills, reducing the health effects of burning fossil fuels in homes, combating the climate crisis, and supporting the creation of new, good-paying jobs.At a time when Massachusetts residents dependent on natural gas for home heating are facing an average 24% winter price spike, we need immediate assistance as well as longterm solutions that will protect our residents from rising costs while also rapidly transitioning our communities away from harmful and polluting fossil fuels.By prioritizing significant investments in deep-energy retrofits for existing buildings like affordable housing and Environmental Justice Communities, and implementing an all-electric net-zero stretch code, the Healey administration and Massachusetts leaders can begin to wean the state off the expensive, volatile gas system and lower utility bills.

The midterms are over. What are the take-away lessons for climate hawks? What comes next?