Complete list of press releases

(Sacramento, CA — September 23, 2021) As California experiences another severe drought, Gov. Gavin Newsom approved a budget in SB 170 today that dedicates $50 million for a new land repurposing program to help farmers reduce groundwater use while simultaneously creating new benefits for people and wildlife.

The Sustainable Groundwater Management Act, passed in 2014 during the last drought, requires California regions with the most critically overdrafted groundwater basins to balance supply and demand by 2040. To make this transition to sustainable groundwater management, some agricultural land will have to be taken out of production — at least 750,000 acres, or roughly 15% of farmland in the San Joaquin Valley.

The $50 million in the state budget will create the Multibenefit Land Repurposing Program within the Department of Conservation to allow landowners to voluntarily put previously irrigated agricultural lands to work in new ways and ease the transition to sustainable groundwater management and water scarcity overall.

Possibilities for these lands include:

• Restoring habitat for wildlife, including migratory birds, pollinators and endangered species such as the San Joaquin kit fox.
• Creating multibenefit groundwater recharge basins.
• Restoring floodplains.
• Switching to rangeland or dryland farming.
• Developing parks and community recreation areas.

The Department of Conservation will prioritize achievement of benefits for disadvantaged communities when implementing the program.   

“This state funding for farmland repurposing is a very important initial investment to respond to drought and water scarcity and help ensure California has enough water for agriculture, people and wildlife for decades to come. Farmers need flexible options, like those included in this program, to help meet this challenge.

“The funding will help move the state down the path toward achieving sustainable groundwater management while improving the health and well-being of communities and wildlife. More funding will undoubtedly be needed in the future to support this challenging but necessary transition to balancing groundwater supply and demand.”

“We thank Assembly Members Robert Rivas and Rudy Salas for their leadership in securing these resources and look forward to rolling up our sleeves and beginning to implement multibenefit farmland repurposing projects on the ground.”

• Ann Hayden, Senior Director, Western Water and Resilient Landscapes

(WASHINGTON – Sept. 23, 2021) This month, for the first time, aquatic foods will be recognized during the United Nations Food Systems Summit, or UNFSS, for their potential to tackle many of the Sustainable Development Goals, including ending hunger and fighting poverty. Fish, shellfish, aquatic plants and other organisms grown or harvested from water provide many nutritional and environmental benefits but have not been properly integrated into the global conversation about food systems.

Inclusion of aquatic foods into the UNFSS process provides an opportunity to elevate the role of these foods in addressing some of the greatest challenges facing our planet, like supporting sustainability, mitigating climate change and promoting nutrition that leads to better health outcomes. Aquatic foods can contribute to at least 10 of the 17 Sustainable Development Goals.

“A sustainable future is possible if we start harnessing the benefits of aquatic foods. This includes recognizing the importance of small-scale actors, who account for most of the food production and the majority of livelihoods in the sector, as well as the largely untapped potential of small-scale fish farmers to significantly improve food and nutrition security for some of the world’s most vulnerable people,” said Thomas V. Grasso, vice president for Climate Resilient Food Systems. “As we continue to deal with the repercussions of climate change and the pandemic on food security, we must think of the ocean as an important source of food and nutrition.”Food systems across the globe are fragile, and many have deteriorated with the continuing COVID-19 pandemic. Conventional food systems, already struggling to meet the world’s growing demand, have been undermined by outdated supply chains and exposed as vulnerable to climate change and other shocks. Add to this the fact that:

• Global malnutrition is on the rise and hunger continues to plague far too many.
• The current global food system is not sustainable.
• And with just under a decade left to achieve the Sustainable Development Goals, or SDGs, no country is on track to reach them.

Sustainably harvested aquatic foods provide an opportunity to improve human well-being while lowering our carbon footprint.

When it comes to nutrition, aquatic foods provide an affordable, local and culturally appropriate source of essential micronutrients and omega-3 fatty acids for many communities and populations that lack food security.

“Global leaders at the U.N. Food Systems Summit have placed such importance on the value that aquatic foods can bring to the world — it is an important milestone in our efforts to ensure healthy, climate-resilient and nature-positive food from rivers, lakes and our oceans,” Grasso said. “As countries begin to include aquatic foods in food system strategies, governance and investment, we will be able to better advance the SDGs and meet the needs of the growing global population in a climate-resilient and nature-positive way.”

(AUSTIN, TX) New methane measurements collected in the Permian Basin – the world’s largest oilfield – indicate the oil and gas industry continues to struggle with controlling methane emissions. Methane is a potent greenhouse gas that the oil and gas sector emits along with other harmful pollutants that can harm public health and deteriorate air quality.

The new data was collected during an 11-day period in August by Carbon Mapper as part of EDF’s PermianMAP initiative. The aircraft detected over 900 plumes of methane from more than 500 sources. As with previous surveys of the area, this new data again confirm that super emitting sites continue to be a problem across the Permian.

Key findings:

• In just over a week, the aircraft detected nearly 50 plumes emitting at least one metric ton of methane an hour.
• Large emissions persisted over multiple days at approximately 30% of these sites; the remainder were intermittent.
• The midstream sector – facilities that gather and treat gas from well pads across the region – was responsible for about 50% of detected emissions.
• Despite typically having lower absolute emission rates assumed to be invisible to aircraft, nearly one out of every 10 emission sources identified were lower producing “marginal wells.”

Video for media available here.

“What this data tells us is that even after two years of increased focus on the oil and gas industry’s methane emissions, this problem remains,” said EDF senior scientist David Lyon. “This underlines the importance of strong, comprehensive action from state and federal regulators to clean up this industry and protect local communities from pollution.”

Status of current state, national and global methane reduction efforts

The state of New Mexico – which straddles the Permian Basin alongside Texas – is currently finalizing new standards to control oil and gas emissions. Texas, the nation’s largest oil and gas producer, has yet to take meaningful action to address the problem.

The findings of this recent survey come just a week after the U.S. and European Union announced a global pact to reduce global economy-wide methane emissions 30% from 2020 levels by 2030. The Environmental Protection Agency’s pending proposal of new rules to reduce oil and gas methane pollution will play a core role in delivering on U.S. commitments under the pledge.

“Without strong state and federal regulatory action, the Permian Basin is showing itself to be an unfolding disaster for the climate,” said Jon Goldstein, senior director of regulatory and legislative affairs at EDF. “Strong EPA and state rules are mission critical for curbing pollution, protecting the health of local communities and meeting our climate goals.”

EPA’s forthcoming methane protections are expected to cover emissions from midstream facilities. These findings, along with previous research, underline that these new pollution standards should include other significant sources of emissions, like flaring and marginal wells as well.

Earlier research indicates that marginal wells contribute an outsized share of total emissions, with this data underscoring these wells’ potential to emit high volumes of methane despite lower levels of production. And previous EDF data makes clear flaring is also a major contributor to Permian methane emissions. Surveys consistently found 10% of flares are malfunctioning or entirely unlit – pumping significant volumes of methane into the atmosphere.

“We know that flaring and marginal wells are huge pieces of the methane problem, and if EPA’s rules are to meet this climate moment they’ll have to advance solutions that ban the routine venting and flaring of natural gas as states like New Mexico and Colorado have done,” added Lyon.

Kelley Kizzier, Vice President for Global Climate at Environmental Defense Fund, has been selected by the Taskforce on Scaling Voluntary Carbon Markets to join the Board of Directors of a new, independent governance body for the voluntary carbon markets. EDF’s Senior Director Pedro Martins Barata was also selected to co-chair the governance body’s new Expert Panel. The governance body will establish a threshold standard for high-integrity carbon credits and ensure they are traded in robust, transparent and equitable markets. This will reduce CO2 emissions, preserve natural habitats, mobilize much-needed capital to develop sustainable technology and ultimately accelerate the transition to net zero.

Kizzier joins the Board of Directors as a Founding Sponsor on behalf of EDF. A former EU lead negotiator for carbon markets and co-chair of Article 6 of the Paris Agreement, Kizzier leads EDF’s work to promote more ambitious and effective global climate policy and company action, with a focus on multilateral climate agreements and global cooperation through carbon markets. She also chairs the expert advisory group of the Voluntary Carbon Market Integrity Initiative.

“A successful contribution of voluntary carbon markets to global climate action requires robust standards to ensure that the credits generated represent real and meaningful greenhouse gas reductions or removals. I’m thrilled to be a part of this new governance body and I look forward to furthering the integrity of the voluntary carbon market with my fellow Board members.”

• Kelley Kizzier, Vice President, Global Climate

In a United Nations address yesterday, Chinese President Xi Jinping pledged that China would not build new coal-fired power projects abroad, and would step up support for other developing countries to accelerate the transition to green and low-carbon energy.

“President Xi’s announcement is encouraging news as governments and the private sector work to raise climate ambition ahead of November’s COP26 UN Climate Change Conference in Glasgow. 

“President Xi’s pledge could help significantly limit the growth of coal plants in the developing world. Details are extremely important and we look forward to learning about plans to implement the policy.

“When combined with earlier pledges to strictly limit increasing coal consumption in the next five years, peak carbon dioxide emissions before 2030 and achieve carbon neutrality before 2060, China’s announcement this week brings renewed hope for real climate action.”

• Fred Krupp, President, Environmental Defense Fund

“The World Health Organization’s update of the global Air Quality Guidelines is an important step forward. Based on the best available science on the health impacts of air pollution, these guidelines represent a vital opportunity for national and local governments to save millions of lives by updating their air quality health standards and decision-making on clean air and public health policies.

“Compared to previous WHO guidelines, some of the updated air quality values are significantly more stringent. For example, the level of annual concentrations for respirable particles PM2.5 was reduced from 10 micrograms to 5 micrograms; also, the annual average concentration for nitrogen dioxide (NO2) was dropped from 40 micrograms to 10 micrograms.

“Air pollution is a moral issue that impairs the fundamental human right to breathe clean air and substantially contributes to climate change. The new guidelines should foster a common goal to expand efforts and resources consistent with the magnitude of the challenge, to help the most disadvantaged communities who most suffer the severe impacts of air pollution.

“The lethal toll from air pollution on human health has more than tripled since the 2005 Air Quality Guidelines Global Update was published. Today, air pollution is estimated to cut short the lives of over 6 million people globally every year. And these impacts are not equally distributed with vulnerable communities around the world bearing a heavy burden. 

“In addition to the pain and suffering, poor air quality causes an enormous economic cost.  In recent updates, the World Bank has estimated the annual health costs of PM2.5 pollution in US$8.1 trillion.” 

“The nation and the environmental community lost a great leader with the passing of former Congressman Sherry Boehlert of New York. His consistent commitment to our environment saved countless lives and protected the health of millions of Americans.

“Sherry Boehlert dedicated himself to the proposition that protecting our air, water and land must be a bipartisan American priority. He was a statesman who repeatedly put aside partisan concerns and took political risks in order to meet the great environmental challenges of our time. His commitment to policies based on sound science, and his leadership of the House Science Committee, set a standard which should guide our path forward on these issues.

“I was privileged to work with Congressman Boehlert on issues from acid rain to cleaner cars to climate change – and our progress on those issue is due in no small part to his leadership and bold political courage. We should all seek to emulate the principled example of Sherry Boehlert. He will be greatly missed.”

- Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund

(NEW YORK) President Joe Biden announced today the United States and European Union have launched a global pledge to cut methane pollution 30% by 2030 as a key part of their strategy to reach the climate goals spelled out in the Paris Climate Agreement. The new Global Methane Pledge is central to diplomatic efforts for achieving international cooperation on methane before November’s U.N. Climate Change Conference in Glasgow, Scotland (COP 26).

“Cutting methane pollution is the single fastest, most effective strategy we have to slow the rate of warming. The benefits will be almost immediate. World leaders behind this pledge are opening up a crucial new opportunity to protect our climate and millions of people whose wellbeing depends on it.

“The pledge represents an important test for countries heading into the November climate talks in Glasgow. A 30% reduction in methane pollution is the entry point for this critical conversation. Many countries can and should aim even higher. 

“What matters now is action. Years of research by EDF and others confirms the technical feasibility of rapid reductions in key sectors such as oil and gas. We need real reductions fast and no later than 2025 to push the climate benefits that can be achieved in 2030.”  

• Fred Krupp, President, Environmental Defense Fund

Methane pollution from agriculture, fossil fuels and waste account for more than a quarter of today’s climate warming. Growing concern over the intensity and frequency of extreme weather events worldwide due to rising temperatures has brought acute focus on climate-forcers like methane.

(Washington, D.C. – September 16, 2021) This week, the Environmental Defense Fund launched an additional $2.4 million ad spend aimed at encouraging elected officials to “go bold” by supporting critical clean energy investments to meet the scale of the climate problem.

This builds on the $2 million ad buy EDF and EDF Action ran over the summer in 7 states, and includes a $1 million campaign focused on West Virginia and Arizona with a radio ad in West Virginia and billboards in Phoenix and Tucson, accompanied by new commercials being broadcast on Sunday morning news shows, college football games, digital and social media.

“We know that Senators’ number one priority is passing legislation that will be good for their home states and the people who live there,” said Felice Stadler, Vice President of campaigns for the Environmental Defense Fund. “Right now, we have a once-in-a-generation opportunity to act now and go bold on climate solutions -- starting to address the root causes of extreme weather while creating good-paying jobs. This is a win for communities across the country.”

EDF’s ongoing Power Up, America campaign includes events, grassroots activities, digital advocacy and other programs to promote clean energy and climate solutions.

Arizona ad: https://youtu.be/9b4-ygxPwlE

West Virginia ad: https://youtu.be/H4Ckw1nhLuE
 

(WASHINGTON – Sept. 16, 2021) Some 166 million micronutrient deficiencies could be averted by 2030 if the global production of marine and freshwater foods is increased by 15.5 million tons (8%), new research has found.

The study highlighted several ways in which aquatic foods improve human health, including reducing micronutrient deficiencies and offering alternatives to red and processed meat, which are often associated with non-communicable disease.

Produced as one of five initial scientific papers for the Blue Food Assessment, the research, entitled “Aquatic foods to nourish nations,” found that an increase in the sustainable production of aquatic foods through investments in aquaculture and improved fisheries management would lead to a decrease in prices by 26%, making fish and seafood more affordable for low-income populations around the world.

“To ensure a healthy and sustainable food supply for a growing population expected to reach 10 billion people by 2050, it’s time we recognize the importance that aquatic foods can play in helping to solve many of the world’s Sustainable Development Goals,” said Dr. Kristin Kleisner, EDF senior director, Oceans Science. “Together, we must work to transform the way we produce, consume and think about food — and aquatic foods must be part of that transformation.”

“We live in a deeply malnourished world, with billions of people suffering from micronutrient deficiencies and diet-related chronic diseases,” said lead author Christopher Golden, assistant professor of Nutrition and Planetary Health at Harvard Chan School of Public Health. “Finding ways to sustainably increase the production of blue foods offers an opportunity to increase access to safe, nutritious and healthy diets for the world’s most vulnerable.”

Aquatic foods offer the chance for developing countries to improve their diets without suffering the negative health risks associated with the meat-intensive diets of more affluent countries, the authors said.

The findings are based on data from the Aquatic Foods Composition Database, which was developed to increase understanding of the potential nutritional benefits of aquatic foods. It is now the most comprehensive global database of its kind, profiling 3,753 aquatic food species and hundreds of nutrients, with important implications for nutrition and fishery management policies across the world.

“For the first time, our study highlights the significant role of aquatic foods in meeting the dietary needs of nutritionally vulnerable populations, while also mitigating chronic diseases by weaning people away from red and processed meats,” Golden added. 

The House Ways & Means Committee has voted to advance a package of tax credits that will incentivize clean energy, electric vehicles, and the manufacturing of clean energy technology and component parts. This package will be a critical part of helping the U.S. meet our pledge to the international community to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by 50-52% by 2030.

“We are encouraged by Chairman Neal and the Ways and Means Committee’s plan to drive investments in clean energy and transportation,” said Elizabeth Gore, Senior Vice President, Political Affairs. “Extending and expanding a wide range of incentives for renewable energy technologies, energy storage, electric vehicles, charging infrastructure, energy efficiency, and other technologies that reduce carbon emissions will help us make significant progress on climate action, and drive economic and job growth in the process. We thank Chairman Neal for his leadership.”

As currently written, the legislation would extend current tax credits for clean energy technologies:

• Clean Electricity Generation: Credits will be extended at full-value for 10-years.
• Solar Generation: In addition to the investment tax credit (ITC), solar energy facilities will now have the option to utilize the production tax credit (PTC).
• Direct Pay: Allows project developers with little or no tax equity to still benefit from the tax credits for installing certain clean energy technologies.
• Environmental Justice: Solar facilities that benefit and engage low-income communities receive an additional 10 percent investment tax credit.
• Labor Provisions: The value of the credit is reduced significantly for any project that fails to pay prevailing wages or employ certain levels of apprentice labor. A bonus incentive is granted for facilities that meet domestic content requirements of 55% or greater, to drive growth of domestic manufacturing, though beginning in a few years any failure to meet this threshold leads to a phase-out of direct pay.

The legislation would also spur the deployment of electric vehicles and charging stations:

• Light-duty vehicles: The manufacturing cap has been lifted and consumers could receive an electric vehicle tax credit for up to $12,500 for a vehicle assembled at a U.S. facility that operates under a collective bargaining agreement and that uses batteries manufactured in the U.S.
• Medium and heavy duty trucks: A new credit for commercial vehicles is established, covering up to 30% of the cost of the vehicle.
• Charging infrastructure: The alternative fuel vehicle refueling property credit is extended and expanded to cover up to $100,000 of the cost of installing charging ports, plus an additional 20% for qualifying commercial ports.
• Used EVs: A new refundable credit for the purchase of a used EV is established. The base credit is $1,250, with additional incentives for battery capacity up to $2,500.

 

Photo Credit: Oregon Department of Agriculture

 “Increasing the sales of new cars that eliminate climate and health-harming pollution from their tailpipes can boost good-paying union jobs, save consumers thousands of dollars, improve public health, and save lives. EDF is excited to see proposals like Rep. Kildee’s that will help us get closer to our climate goals while stimulating the economy.”

• Elizabeth Gore, Senior Vice President, Political Affairs

(WASHINGTON, DC — Sept. 13, 2021) New market research shows that Iowa farmers are interested in working with their lenders to better understand and realize the benefits of soil health.

Banking on Soil Health: Farmer Interest in Transition Loan Products, a report conducted by agriculture market research firm Beck Ag in collaboration with Environmental Defense Fund and The Nature Conservancy, analyzes interviews with 100 Iowa farmers to understand their interest in adopting soil health practices and tests multiple ways agricultural lenders could support the transition.

“Practices that boost soil health allow farmers to improve profitability and crop yield resilience while generating critical environmental benefits,” said Maggie Monast, EDF’s senior director of climate-smart agriculture. “However, there are short-term financial obstacles to farmer adoption of these practices. As farmers’ closest financial partners, agricultural lenders have a critical role to play in designing solutions that support farmers in overcoming barriers to reap the multiple benefits of healthy soils.”

The analysis shows that farmers perceive a significant financial transition in adopting soil health practices: While just 40% believe that soil health practices improve profitability in the first year or two of adoption, nearly 90% stated that they improve long-term profitability.

“This is incredibly valuable data for food companies, impact investors and agricultural lenders, as it provides insights on the support farmers need from their business partners to adopt practices that make their farms more resilient — the benefits of which extend across the business chain and positively impact the world’s food system and climate health,” said Stefani Millie Grant, senior manager of external affairs and sustainability at Unilever.

The study utilizes a sample soil health transition loan product to gauge farmers’ likelihood to participate and tests a range of additional incentives like technical assistance, farmer networking, lower interest rates and cost share.

Notably, half of the farmers surveyed were interested in participating when either a 1% reduction in their current operating loan interest rate or $10 per-acre cost share was included in the package. Such incentives may be commercially justified for lenders by the lower risk associated with farmers using soil health practices or could be provided through collaboration with other business entities that value sustainable agriculture.

“These results show that a significant segment of farmers is interested in partnering with agricultural lenders on innovative products that support soil health practice adoption,” said Robert Weaver, Vice President of AG INSIGHT® at Beck Ag. “The insights generated by this analysis will be useful to any agricultural lender interested in developing transition loans for soil health practices.”

To access the report, visit edf.org/bankonsoilhealth.

(Sacramento, CA — Sept 10, 2021) Today, the California Senate failed to pass the Climate Crisis Act (AB 1395), co-authored by Assembly Members Al Muratsuchi and Cristina Garcia. The bill would have codified California’s commitment to achieve net-zero greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible and by no later than 2045. Additionally, the bill included provisions to ensure that California directly reduces emissions 90% below 1990 levels by 2045.

“The California Senate just missed its last shot this session to prioritize Californians’ health and safety from the mounting dangers of climate change. In spite of increasingly dire evidence on the urgency of the climate crisis and recent deadly climate events across the state, Senators are instead choosing to kick the can down the road.

“Families, communities and businesses need concrete action that ensures California will reach a safer, net-zero emissions future as soon as possible and by no later than 2045. AB 1395 could have accelerated job growth in clean energy and climate innovation, positioning California to lead a global 21st century clean economy. Additionally, this bill contained critical provisions to ensure that solutions meant to reduce emissions do not harm local air quality or public health, especially in communities historically overburdened by pollution.

“Without AB 1395, this net-zero goal remains just a high-level promise. In its absence, California risks falling behind other states, like Washington state, which is raising the bar for climate ambition with strong policy.

“It’s imperative that lawmakers act urgently to slash emissions this decade and lead with a clear long-term vision to achieve net-zero emissions. We thank Assembly Members Al Muratsuchi and Cristina Garcia for leading on this crucial climate legislation.”

The New York Department of Environmental Conservation today proposed the Advanced Clean Trucks (ACT) rule, which requires manufacturers to invest in and produce medium- and heavy-duty zero-emission trucks. This proposal sets sales targets starting in Model Year 2025, and aims to get the state closer to its goal of 100% of medium- and heavy-duty trucks on the road be zero-emission by 2045.

“Trucks are dirtier than passenger vehicles and are responsible for an excessive amount of air pollution — relative to their population – that causes asthma and premature deaths in New York’s communities.”

“The Advanced Clean Trucks rule is a key element to scaling up the zero-emission truck market with available and affordable vehicles to reduce harmful transportation emissions.”

“Lawmakers should move to adopt the Advanced Clean Trucks Rule, which will reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other air pollution, address equity, improve public health and spark economic growth”

• Mary Barber, Director, Regulatory and Legislative Affairs

New York’s ACT proposal is also part of New York’s existing Low Emission Vehicle program. A public hearing on the ACT is scheduled for November 9, 2021 at 2:00pm. Comments on the proposal are due by November 17.