Climate Conversations: Ocean Carbon Dioxide Removal

To combat climate change, in addition to reducing emissions, we will also need to remove greenhouse gases from the atmosphere. Ocean CDR (ocean carbon dioxide removal) is a set of strategies to sequester carbon dioxide in ocean waters. Sarah Cooley (Ocean Conservancy) will moderate a conversation between Holly Buck (University at Buffalo) and Nick Pidgeon (Cardiff University) about social acceptance, environmental governance, and other issues around ocean CDR strategies. The webinar will include discussion of the new National Academies report, A Research Strategy for Ocean-based Carbon Dioxide Removal and Sequestration.

Speakers:

  • Holly Buck is an assistant professor of Environment and Sustainability at the University at Buffalo and a contributing author to an IPCC chapter on cross-sectoral governance, including carbon dioxide removal governance. Her research involves the social and environmental dimensions of emerging technologies to remove carbon from the atmosphere, and she served on the report committee for A Research Strategy for Ocean-based Carbon Dioxide Removal and Sequestration.
  • Nick Pidgeon is a professor of Environmental Psychology and Risk and the Director of the Understanding Risk Research Group at Cardiff University. His work focuses on public engagement with risk and technology, climate change risks, and emerging technologies including greenhouse gas removal, and he has led numerous projects on public responses to environmental and technological risk and on ‘science in society’ for UK Government Departments, the UK Research Councils, the Royal Society, The US National Science Foundation, and charities. He is currently Co-Investigator of the Leverhulme Centre for Climate Mitigation, a major 10-year interdisciplinary effort to understand the carbon removal potential, localized benefits and risks, public risk perceptions, and the social and ethical implications of using enhanced rock weathering technologies in agricultural production settings for greenhouse gas removal.
  • Sarah Cooley is the Director of Climate Science at Ocean Conservancy and currently a Coordinating Lead Author on Working Group II of the IPCC’s 6th Assessment report. Using science synthesis and strategic communications, she educates and engages decision-makers and stakeholders on climate science and ocean acidification to identify ways that different groups can take action.

RSVP

The National Academies
01/20/2022 at 03:00PM

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Democratizing the Grid: New Citizen Initiatives Challenge Monopoly Electric Utilities

Many Americans have grown concerned about the monopoly power that Big Tech corporations wield. But few people realize that the problem of concentrated private power also infects the electricity sector. In most regions, electricity is controlled by a single investor-owned utility with a government-granted monopoly. Across the country, powerful utilities are actively blocking decentralized solar energy, degrading the reliability of the power lines even as they raise prices, and failing to make the grid investments needed for a clean, carbon-free future.

Join the Institute for Local Self-Reliance for an inspiring conversation with advocates who are taking on electric utility monopolies with the aim of accelerating the shift to clean energy and winning democratic community control.

Institute for Local Self-Reliance
01/20/2022 at 01:00PM

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What More Gulf of Mexico Oil and Gas Leasing Means for Achieving U.S. Climate Targets

Hearing page

Witnesses:

  • Dr. Beverly L. Wright, Executive Director, Deep South Center for Environmental Justice Co-Chair, National Black Environmental Justice Network Member, White House Environmental Justice Advisory Council New Orleans, LA
  • Max Sarinsky, Senior Attorney, Institute for Policy Integrity, New York University School of Law
  • Dr. Kristina Dahl, Senior Climate Scientist, Climate & Energy Program, Union of Concerned Scientists

Republican Witness:

  • Lucian (Lou) Pugliaresi (Republican Witness), President, Energy Policy Research Foundation, Inc. Washington, DC
House Natural Resources Committee
   Energy and Mineral Resources Subcommittee

01/20/2022 at 12:00PM

Cleaning Up Cryptocurrency: The Energy Impacts of Blockchains

Hearing page

Witnesses

  • Ari Juels, Weill Family Foundation and Joan and Sanford I. Weill Professor, Jacobs Technion-Cornell Institute, Cornell Tech
  • John Belizaire, Chief Executive Officer, Soluna Computing, Inc.
  • Brian Brooks, Chief Executive Officer, BitFury
  • Steve Wright, Former Chief Executive Officer, Chelan County Public Utility District and Bonneville Power Administration
  • Gregory Zerzan, Shareholder, Jordan Ramis P.C.
House Energy and Commerce Committee
   Oversight and Investigations Subcommittee
2123 Rayburn

01/20/2022 at 10:30AM

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FEMA: Building a Workforce Prepared and Ready to Respond

hearing page

Witnesses

  • Chris Currie, Director, Homeland Security and Justice Team, U.S. Government Accountability Office (GAO)
  • Carra Sims, Senior Behavioral and Social Scientist, The RAND Corporation
  • Craig Fugate, Senior Advisor, Blue Dot Strategies and Former Administrator, Federal Emergency Management Agency
House Homeland Security Committee
   Emergency Preparedness, Response, and Recovery Subcommittee
   Oversight, Management, and Accountability Subcommittee

01/20/2022 at 10:00AM

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Virtual Open Meeting

Commission meeting held in Commission Meeting Room (Room 2C) at FERC Headquarters, 888 First St. N.E., Washington, D.C. 20426

Agenda:

  • Authorization of the Massachusetts Weymouth natural gas compressor station
  • PJM Interconnection’s market seller offer cap

Live webcast

Federal Energy Regulatory Commission
01/20/2022 at 10:00AM

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Markup of Well Remediation, Nuclear Research, and Other Legislation

Hearing page

House Science, Space, and Technology Committee

01/19/2022 at 10:00AM

Markup of Coastal Resilience, Climate Adaptation, and Other Legislation

On Wednesday, January 19, 2022, at 10:00 a.m. EST via WebEx, the Committee on Natural Resources will meet to consider the following bills:

  • H.R. 2872 (Rep. Cartwright), To establish an integrated national approach to respond to ongoing and expected effects of extreme weather and climate change by protecting, managing, and conserving the fish, wildlife, and plants of the United States, and to maximize Government efficiency and reduce costs, in cooperation with State, local, and Tribal Governments and other entities, and for other purposes. SAFE Act, or Safeguarding America’s Future and Environment Act.
  • H.R. 3228 (Rep. Velázquez), To direct the Secretary of Commerce, acting through the Administrator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, to improve science, data, and services that enable sound decision making in response to coastal flood risk, including impacts of sea level rise, storm events, changing Great Lakes water levels, and land subsidence. National Coastal Resilience Data and Services Act.
  • H.R. 1415 (Rep. Kilmer), To amend the Coastal Zone Management Act of 1972 to authorize grants to Indian Tribes to further achievement of Tribal coastal zone objectives, and for other purposes. Tribal Coastal Resiliency Act.
  • H.R. 268(Rep. Vela), To provide for the boundary of the Palo Alto Battlefield National Historic Park to be adjusted, to authorize the donation of land to the United States for addition to that historic park, and for other purposes.
  • H.R. 441 (Rep. Young), To provide for the conveyance of certain property to the Tanana Tribal Council located in Tanana, Alaska, and for other purposes.
  • H.R. 2512 (Rep. Estes), To amend the National Trails System Act to designate the Chisholm National Historic Trail and the Western National Historic Trail, and for other purposes. Chisholm National Historic Trail and Western National Historic Trail Designation Act.
  • H.R. 2551 (Rep. Curtis), To designate and adjust certain lands in the State of Utah as components of the National Wilderness Preservation System, and for other purposes. Bonneville Shoreline Trail Advancement Act.
  • H.R. 2773 (Rep. Dingell), To amend the Pittman-Robertson Wildlife Restoration Act to make supplemental funds available for management of fish and wildlife species of greatest conservation need as determined by State fish and wildlife agencies, and for other purposes. Recovering America’s Wildlife Act of 2021.
  • H.R. 2793 (Rep. Sean Patrick Maloney), To reauthorize the Highlands Conservation Act, to authorize States to use funds from that Act for administrative purposes, and for other purposes. Highlands Conservation Reauthorization Act of 2021.
  • H.R. 4009 (Rep. Norton), To authorize the Georgetown African American Historic Landmark Project and Tour to establish a commemorative work in the District of Columbia and its environs, and for other purposes.Georgetown Waterfront Enslaved Voyages Memorial Act.
  • H.R. 4358 (Rep. Buchanan), To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Little Manatee River as a component of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes. Little Manatee Wild and Scenic River Act.
  • H.R. 4380 (Rep. Escobar), To designate the El Paso Community Healing Garden National Memorial, and for other purposes.
  • H.R. 4404 (Rep. Soto), To amend the Wild and Scenic Rivers Act to designate segments of the Kissimmee River in the State of Florida as a component of the Wild and Scenic Rivers System, and for other purposes. Kissimmee River Wild and Scenic River Act.
  • H.R. 5118 (Rep. Neguse), To direct the Secretary of Agriculture to prioritize the completion of the Continental Divide National Scenic Trail, and for other purposes. Continental Divide Trail Completion Act.
House Natural Resources Committee

01/19/2022 at 10:00AM