Complete list of press releases

(New York – Jan. 26, 2021) Environmental Defense Fund is pleased to announce the appointment of Amy Todd Middleton as the organization’s first Chief Marketing Officer.

Reporting to Executive Vice President Gwen Ruta, Middleton will lead all of EDF’s brand and content marketing efforts, including content, design, social, digital/web, and performance marketing. Working closely with Eric Pooley, who leads EDF Communications, she will provide the vision needed to ensure the priorities set by President Fred Krupp and the EDF Board of Trustees are executed by the organization across all relevant channels and that EDF’s mission is resonant in all relevant markets and geographies.

“Amy brings an extraordinary toolkit to EDF,” said Krupp. “Her deep understanding of global brand building is rivaled only by her ability to inspire colleagues, manage change and harmonize different parts of an organization behind a common purpose. We’re very fortunate to have her with us.”  

Middleton is an entrepreneurial marketing and communications executive with more than 20 years of experience driving growth at scale across large brands in varied industries, including art, luxury, real estate and industrial manufacturing. In her time with Sotheby’s Auction House as Global Director of Strategic Marketing, and most recently at Standard Industries as Head of External Affairs, she played instrumental roles in defining mission and vision as well as operationalizing core values for those companies.

“I could not be more excited or humbled to join the smart, passionate and extremely dedicated team at EDF, a global leader in environmental advocacy and policy,” said Middleton. “The urgency of addressing the environment’s most pressing challenges could not be greater — and EDF is an unparalleled leader in this regard, using the insights of science, economics and law to craft bold, durable solutions that protect people today and for many generations to come.”

(Ciudad de México) - Un grupo de científicos internacionales, incluidos expertos del Environmental Defense Fund (EDF), observaron niveles excepcionalmente altos de contaminación por metano que escapa de las instalaciones de hidrocarburos en - Chiapas, Tabasco, Veracruz y la costa de Campeche - la mayor región productora de México. Las emisiones procedían principalmente de la quema de gas natural no utilizado a raíz de una infraestructura ineficiente en el sector hidrocarburos.

“Cuando las instalaciones petroleras mexicanas emiten metano, se están desperdiciando valiosos recursos domésticos energéticos, además de contaminar el clima y el aire”, dijo el autor principal del estudio y científico de EDF, el Dr. Daniel Zavala. “La cantidad de metano que se emite en un solo complejo procesador de gas en tierra, sería suficiente para satisfacer el 50% del consumo de gas residencial en México”, añadió.

El presente estudio, titulado “Una historia de dos regiones: Emisiones de metano en el sector de hidrocarburos en México”, publicado en Environmental Research Letters, destaca discrepancias cruciales en los inventarios de gases de efecto invernadero que afectan a la capacidad del país para asegurar una mayor eficiencia energética.

El estudio encontró que en las instalaciones de producción y procesamiento de gas y petróleo en tierra emiten más de 10 veces la cantidad de metano reportado en los inventarios, de manera inversa, las emisiones de las plataformas petroleras costa afuera fueron 10 veces más bajas. Los datos sugieren que el gas producido eficientemente costa afuera es transportado mediante ductos hacia las instalaciones terrestres y es ahí donde este se quema o se libera a la atmósfera.

Las emisiones de metano contribuyen a la contaminación del aire y son un poderoso agente de calentamiento global, que genera un impacto 80 veces mayor que el CO2 en las primeras dos décadas después de ser emitido. El metano es también el principal componente del gas natural, lo que significa que estas emisiones son un enorme desperdicio de recursos.

De acuerdo a este estudio, la quema de gas en esta región representa una pérdida de 100 mil millones de pies cúbicos de gas natural al año, o 4,000 millones de pesos al año. Esto equivale a trece veces el presupuesto anual de la ASEA (la agencia reguladora del sector hidrocarburos).

En 2018, México publicó regulaciones federales para establecer estándares claros para la industria respecto a la reducción de emisiones de metano en la cadena de suministro de hidrocarburos, normas que ayudarán a que México logre la meta establecida en un acuerdo trilateral con los EE. UU. y Canadá para reducir estas emisiones en un 40-45%. para 2025.

Medición del metano desde el cielo

Los investigadores de este estudio utilizaron aviones equipados con equipo especialmente diseñado para medir las emisiones de las instalaciones. Para verificar los hallazgos, los datos fueron comparados con las observaciones de TROPOMI, un satélite de la Agencia Espacial Europea.

Se encontró que el complejo procesador de gas Nuevo Pemex genera emisiones de metano más altas que las de toda la región de producción costa afuera del Golfo de México, donde se genera el 80% de la producción nacional de petróleo.

Un mejor entendimiento de los patrones y la proveniencia de las emisiones de metano es un paso fundamental para poder reducirlas. Este nuevo estudio forma parte de una serie de investigaciones auspiciadas por la Coalición por el Clima y el Aire Limpio de la Organización de las Naciones Unidas (ONU), que tiene como objetivo acelerar las oportunidades de reducción de emisiones de metano en la industria del sector de hidrocarburos a nivel global.

“Descubrir las razones por las que existen tan vastas discrepancias en los datos puede ayudar a México a utilizar los métodos probados de captura de gas para garantizar los beneficios económicos, sociales y ambientales de reducir las emisiones de metano que provienen del sector de hidrocarburos”, añadió Zavala.

La reducción de la contaminación por metano es vital para tener un clima saludable y comunidades sanas, en particular para las personas que viven cerca de las instalaciones petroleras. Las fugas de metano suelen ir acompañadas de otros contaminantes que empeoran la calidad del aire y causan problemas respiratorios y enfermedades pulmonares. Además, el metano acelera el calentamiento global con lo cual se ponen en riesgo los ecosistemas costeros que sustentan a millones de mexicanos.”Rara vez hay situaciones de ganar-ganar, pero en el caso de reducir emisiones de metano tenemos un ejemplo”, dijo la Dra. Shareen Yawanarajah, Directora de Políticas Públicas en el Programa Global de Energía de EDF. “México debería adoptar un enfoque de “lo que no se usa, se pierde” para implementar las regulaciones y lograr al mismo tiempo mejorar la eficiencia energética, proteger a la salud, al clima y a los frágiles ecosistemas de los mares”.

(Mexico City) A group of international scientists, including experts from Environmental Defense Fund, observed exceptionally high levels of methane pollution escaping from oil and gas facilities in Mexico’s largest producing region across the states of Chiapas, Tabasco, Veracruz and the coast of Campeche. The emissions were coming mainly from inefficient industrial flares burring off unused natural gas.

“When Mexican oil and gas facilities leak methane, they are wasting valuable domestic energy resources and polluting the climate and air,” said the study’s author and EDF scientist, Dr. Daniel Zavala-Araiza. “The amount of methane leaking at just one onshore facility we studied was enough gas to meet the needs of 50% of Mexico’s residential gas customers,” he added.

This study entitled, “A tale of two regions: Methane emissions from oil and gas production in offshore/onshore Mexico” published in Environmental Research Letters, highlights crucial emission reporting discrepancies that impacts Mexico’s ability to secure energy savings through improved energy efficiency measures.

While emissions measured from onshore processing facilities were 10 times higher than the Mexican inventory reports, surveys of offshore oil rig emissions were inversely 10 times lower. The data suggests that the gas produced efficiently offshore is piped to inefficient land-based facilities where it is later flared or leaked.

Methane emissions contribute to air pollution and are a powerful global warming agent, trapping 80 times the warming power of CO2 per gram over two decades. Methane is also the main ingredient in natural gas, which means these emissions represent an enormous waste of a sellable product.

Emissions data showed a total resource loss of 100 billion cubic feet of natural gas, valued at $200M a year, or 13 times the annual budget of Agencia de Seguridad, Energia y Ambiente (ASEA), Mexico’s oil and gas regulator.

In 2018, Mexico published regulations to establish clear industry standards for methane emissions reductions across its oil and gas supply chain, regulations that will help Mexico achieve the goal established in a trilateral agreement with the U.S. and Canada to reduce these emissions by 40-45% by 2025.

Measuring methane from above

Researchers used airplanes outfitted with specially-designed equipment to measure emissions from the facilities. Data was then compared with readings from the European Space Agency’s TROPOMI satellite in order to verify findings.

A single onshore processing complex, Nuevo Pemex, was observed to have greater methane emissions than the entire Gulf of México offshore production region, which accounts for 80% of Mexico’s oil production.  

Better understanding the patterns and places where oil and gas methane emissions occur is a critical step to reducing them. The new study is part of a UN-hosted research series with the Climate and Clean Air Coalition that aims to uncover and accelerate methane reduction opportunities across the global oil and gas industry.

“Uncovering the reasons why such vast data discrepancies exist can help Mexico target proven gas capture methods to secure the economic, social and environmental benefits of oil and gas methane reductions,” said Zavala-Araiza.

Reducing methane pollution is vital for a healthy climate and healthy communities, particularly for people living near this development. Methane leaks are often accompanied by other pollutants that worsen air quality and cause respiratory problems and lung disease. Methane also accelerates global warming, which is destroying the coastal ecosystems that many Mexicans rely on for their livelihoods.

“Rarely are there issues like methane that present a winning proposition for all sides,” said Dr. Shareen Yawanarajah, EDF Senior Policy Manager for Global Energy. “Mexico should embrace a use it, don’t lose it approach to addressing methane and leverage its regulations to deliver on promised efficiency gains while protecting public health, the climate and fragile ocean ecosystems.”

The Biden administration named Annie Petsonk to serve as principal deputy assistant secretary for aviation and international affairs at the Department of Transportation. Annie spent the last 25 years working on international climate change policy at Environmental Defense Fund, for many years representing EDF at the UN climate talks and most recently leading EDF’s efforts to address the climate impacts from international aviation.

“Annie Petsonk is the right person, at the right time, to take on the challenge of ensuring that as the aviation industry recovers, it does so with an eye firmly on sustainability, jobs, equity and concern for underserved communities. Annie is an indomitable force. Her tireless, brilliant work at EDF has helped bring about transformational changes in the aviation industry that will benefit the planet and the future of flight.

“At EDF, Annie led our work on international aviation, including the adoption of a global airline cap on climate emissions from international flights, as well as our push for stronger aircraft pollution limits, and the wider use of sustainable aviation fuels.   

“Importantly, Annie is a compassionate leader who understands both the need for the aviation industry to address its pollution and the reality that there is a global aviation workforce counting on the industry to bounce back, and soon. Reducing aviation emissions requires smart, practical policies, and Annie is just the person to help develop them.   
     
“The Department of Transportation is gaining an effective, trailblazing and highly respected leader who will advance America’s interests in the world, help raise America’s standing globally, and ensure that the aviation industry is well-positioned to meet the challenges of the future.”  

• Fred Krupp, President of Environmental Defense Fund
   

“Tomás Carbonell is one of the nation’s leading Clean Air Act experts. He operates with the highest degree of integrity, and has dedicated his tenure at EDF to protecting human health and the environment, advancing climate progress, and providing clean air and environmental justice for all. It has been a joy working with Tomás and I congratulate him on his appointment to serve at the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. They are lucky to have him.”

- Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund

English version here.

En su primer día como Presidente de los Estados Unidos, Joe Biden emitió una serie de medidas ejecutivas que permitan dar importantes pasos adelante en materia de clima.

“El Presidente Biden ha dado a los Estados Unidos y al mundo una clara señal de que su administración considera que el cambio climático es una crisis existencial que requiere una acción ambiciosa a nivel nacional y mundial. Al no perder tiempo en reincorporarse al Acuerdo de París, revisar las normas sobre vehículos y metano, hacer de la justicia racial una parte integral de la política climática y ordenar a los organismos gubernamentales que rindan cuentas de los costos de la contaminación climática, está poniendo la salud y el bienestar de los estadounidenses en primer lugar desde el primer día. 

“Volver al Acuerdo de París es un paso crítico para restaurar el liderazgo americano en la acción climática - pero es sólo el primer paso. La administración de Biden también presentará un ambicioso y creíble objetivo de emisiones antes de las conversaciones sobre el clima global de la COP 26 en Glasgow a finales de este año. Ambicioso significa comprometer a los EE.UU. a una reducción del 50% de las emisiones por debajo de los niveles de 2005 para el 2030, alineado con la promesa de campaña de Biden de poner a los EE.UU. en el camino hacia el cero neto para el 2050 - lo cual es necesario para lograr los objetivos de temperatura a largo plazo del Acuerdo de París. Un compromiso creíble de París requiere la adopción de medidas legislativas y administrativas firmes que impulsen a los Estados Unidos hacia un futuro próspero con bajas emisiones de carbono, comenzando con un paquete de estímulo económico que incluya importantes inversiones en el clima y la energía limpia.

“El transporte limpio, incluyendo camiones y autobuses de cero emisiones, debe ser una parte esencial de cualquier plan para crear empleos, comunidades más saludables y menos contaminación climática. La próxima generación de límites de contaminación para automóviles, camiones y metano debería ayudar a nuestra nación a avanzar hacia la eliminación de la contaminación desestabilizadora del clima de estos grandes emisores - y todas las soluciones necesarias ya están a la mano. Reducir drásticamente la contaminación del aire que perjudica el clima y la salud salvará vidas y ayudará a promover la justicia ambiental en las comunidades que han estado injustamente agobiadas por esta contaminación durante demasiado tiempo. La revisión de las normas sobre el metano podría aportar rápidos beneficios para el clima. La reducción de las emisiones de metano del petróleo y el gas es la forma más rápida y de mayor impacto para disminuir el ritmo del calentamiento global.

“Al restablecer el grupo de trabajo interinstitucional sobre el costo social de los gases de efecto invernadero para que las agencias gubernamentales den cuenta de los verdaderos costos de la contaminación climática, el Presidente Biden está señalando un regreso a los principios de buen gobierno y a la formulación de políticas que sean transparentes, responsables ante el público estadounidense, y guiadas por una ciencia y una economía sólidas. Desde el primer día, el Presidente Biden está dejando claro que enfrentar la crisis climática animará su presidencia.”

●    Fred Krupp, presidente Environmental Defense Fund

(WASHINGTON, DC) Robert Bonnie will be the deputy chief of staff for policy and senior adviser for climate in the Biden administration’s U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Robert Bonnie is the right leader to meet the challenges of the moment. He’ll help USDA and farmers harness the full potential of agricultural climate solutions and quickly ramp up climate mitigation and resilience efforts.

“Throughout his career, Robert has shown that he doesn’t just see landscapes with the potential to produce food or sequester carbon. He sees the people who live and work on the land, and he involves them in crafting conservation solutions that also create economic opportunities for rural communities.

“Robert led EDF’s work on agriculture and forest conservation for more than a decade, and he developed market-based conservation solutions that compensated landowners for protecting and restoring wildlife habitat.

“As undersecretary for natural resources and environment at USDA, he managed essential farm bill conservation programs — the largest source of public funding for conservation on private lands.

“EDF is thrilled that Robert is returning to USDA. In this new role, he’ll be an ally to both farmers and the environment, bringing both together to address the climate challenges that agriculture is directly impacted by, and uniquely positioned to solve.”

• Fred Krupp, EDF president
   

(SACRAMENTO, CA – January 20, 2021) The Biden administration named Tanya Trujillo to serve as principal deputy assistant secretary for water and science at the Department of the Interior, overseeing the Bureau of Reclamation and the U.S. Geological Society.

“EDF is thrilled to see the Biden administration tapping Tanya Trujillo’s deep expertise to address our nation’s wicked water challenges and ensure our water supplies are more resilient to climate change.

Trujillo’s collaborative attitude and proven track record wrestling with the most difficult water challenges will serve our country well. We look forward to working with her to modernize our water systems so that they meet the needs of people and wildlife for generations to come.”

• Maurice Hall, Associate VP, Ecosystems – Water, Environmental Defense Fund

On his first day as President of the United States, Joe Biden is expected to issue a number of executive actions that would take important steps forward on climate. 

“President Biden has given America and the world a clear sign that his administration views climate change as an existential crisis requiring ambitious domestic and global action. By wasting no time in rejoining the Paris Agreement, reversing actions by the Trump administration to weaken public health protections including on vehicle and methane emissions, making racial justice an integral part of climate policy and directing government agencies to account for the costs of climate pollution, he is putting the health and well-being of Americans first from day one. 

“Rejoining the Paris Agreement is a critical step toward restoring American leadership on climate action – but it is only the first step. The Biden administration will also put forth an ambitious and credible emissions target ahead of the COP 26 global climate talks in Glasgow later this year. Ambitious means committing the U.S. to a 50% cut in emissions below 2005 levels by 2030, in line with Biden’s campaign promise of getting the U.S. on a path to net zero by 2050 – which is necessary to achieve the Paris Agreement’s long-term temperature goals. A credible Paris commitment requires taking strong legislative and administrative action that powers America toward a prosperous low-carbon future – starting with an economic stimulus package that includes substantial climate and clean energy investments.

“Clean transportation, including zero-emissions trucks and buses, must be an essential part of any plan to deliver jobs, healthier communities, and less climate pollution. The next generation of pollution limits for cars, trucks and methane should help our nation move toward eliminating climate-destabilizing pollution from these major emitters – and all the needed solutions are already at hand. Slashing climate- and health-harming air pollution will save lives and help advance environmental justice in the communities that have been unfairly burdened by this pollution for far too long. Revising methane standards could bring quick climate benefits. Cutting methane emissions from oil and gas is the fastest and most high-impact way to slow the rate of global warming.

“By re-establishing the Interagency Working Group on the Social Cost of Greenhouse Gases to direct government agencies to account for the true costs of climate pollution, President Biden is signaling a return to the principles of good government — and to policymaking  that is transparent, accountable to the American public, and guided by strong science and economics. From day one, President Biden is making it clear that confronting  the climate crisis will animate his presidency.”

• Fred Krupp, president of Environmental Defense Fund 

(WASHINGTON, DC) President-elect Joe Biden nominated Dr. Jewel Bronaugh to serve as deputy secretary of the U.S. Department of Agriculture.

“Dr. Bronaugh has what it takes to tackle the serious challenges facing agriculture and food security. In doing so, she will help build a more climate-resilient future for all Americans.

“She has an extensive technical background and a track record of leadership on tough issues like the struggling farm economy, farmer mental health, food access and environmental impacts. Above all, she knows how to bring stakeholders to the table to find consensus and get things done.

“Dr. Bronaugh will also make history as the first Black woman to serve as the second in command at USDA. Her role in USDA leadership and decision-making will help ensure that USDA policies represent and benefit all farmers, especially farmers of color.

“EDF is looking forward to working with Dr. Bronaugh to make sure the agriculture sector and rural economies are resilient, equitable and prosperous.”

• Ben Thomas, senior policy director, agriculture
   

(Washington, D.C. – January 19, 2021) The Trump administration is facing another lawsuit in its final hours.

A coalition of health and environmental groups, including EDF, filed suit today against the Trump EPA’s decision to leave in place inadequate protections against particle pollution – more commonly called soot.

“”Particle pollution is linked to asthma attacks, bronchitis, heart disease and premature death. The Trump Administration’s failure to set a protective national standard risks exposing all Americans to unhealthy levels of air pollution,” said EDF senior attorney Rachel Fullmer. “The Trump administration action is contrary to its clear legal obligation to protect public health and ignores the best scientific data.”

Under the Clean Air Act, EPA must review the National Ambient Air Quality Standards for particulate matter every five years. The Trump EPA was due to update our national standards, but instead chose to freeze them at their current level. That decision came after they rushed the review process, shortening public comment periods and canceling scheduled meetings with experts and stakeholders. It also followed EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler’s disbanding of the 26-member particulate matter expert panel. A smaller, divided advisory panel made up mostly of Wheeler’s appointees then recommended leaving the soot standards at their current levels.

EPA has recognized that even if air quality around the country just met the current standard – 12 micrograms per cubic meter, set in 2012 – about 50,000 Americans would still suffer early deaths due to particulate pollution. A study published last fall even found that higher historical exposures to particulate matter pollution are associated with higher county-level COVID-19 mortality rates.

Under the Clean Air Act, EPA has a clear legal obligation to set a level for particulate pollution that protects public health with an adequate margin of safety. This margin of safety is intended to protect populations that are particularly vulnerable to air pollution. EPA’s failure to strengthen the particulate matter standards would result in serious environmental justice implications. A 2018 study by EPA scientists published in the American Journal of Public Health found that “Non-White populations overall experienced 1.28 times the burden of the general population, and Black populations, specifically, experienced the greatest degree of disparity in the siting of PM emitting facilities at national, state, and county levels, burdened with 1.54 times the PM emissions faced by the general population.” EPA review documents note that there is “strong evidence for racial and ethnic differences in PM2.5 exposures and in PM2.5-related health risk. Such analyses indicate that minority populations such as Hispanic and non-Hispanic black populations have higher PM2.5 exposures than non-Hispanic white populations, thus contributing to adverse health risk in non-white populations (U.S. EPA, 2019, section 12.5.4).” However, in the final rulemaking, EPA wrote that “this action does not have disproportionately high and adverse human health or environmental effects on minority, low-income populations and/or indigenous peoples…” (FR announcement)

The Trump administration finalized its decision to leave the weak soot standards in place last month. The American Lung Association, Chesapeake Bay Foundation, Citizens for Pennsylvania’s Future, Clean Air Task Force, Conservation Law Foundation, Earthjustice, Environment America, National Parks Conservation Association, Natural Resources Council of Maine, Natural Resources Defense Council, Sierra Club, and Union of Concerned Scientists joined EDF in today’s lawsuit.

(AUSTIN, TX) Ben Thomas, former director of the Montana Department of Agriculture and deputy undersecretary at the U.S. Department of Agriculture, has joined Environmental Defense Fund as senior policy director for agriculture. In this newly created position, he will pursue policy solutions that help farmers and ranchers build climate and economic resilience.

"I was raised on a cotton and peanut farm in West Texas, and I know how critical farm policy can be in keeping family farms going through the worst of times," Thomas said. "In my years of work in state and federal government, I've also seen good ideas fail because they didn't work on the ground. EDF has shown real leadership in supporting policies that benefit America's farmers and ranchers, as well as the rural communities they live in. I'm excited to join EDF as we look to take on climate change, one of the biggest challenges and opportunities facing agriculture today."

EDF's Working Lands program aims to create a more resilient and just food system and scale nature-based climate solutions that mitigate greenhouse gas emissions and increase climate resilience. Guided by science and economics, EDF finds solutions that make sense for farmers, ranchers and the environment.

EDF also forges effective partnerships across sectors, such as by co-chairing the Food and Agriculture Climate Alliance, which brings together environmental and agricultural stakeholders like the National Association of State Departments of Agriculture to jointly advocate for climate-smart agriculture legislation.

"I'm proud to congratulate Ben on his new endeavor at EDF. As a former NASDA member, Ben brings expert insight on how agricultural and environmental policies work at the farm and community level," said Dr. Barb Glenn, CEO of NASDA. "He served as the chief regulatory authority on agriculture and environment in his state, and he understands state agriculture departments' duty to serve citizens and farmers by nurturing a healthy environment. With his proven ability and background, Ben will do great work at EDF to further agricultural sustainability and climate resilience in the U.S."

Immediately prior to joining EDF, Ben served as Montana's director of agriculture. He also held multiple roles at USDA including: deputy undersecretary for Marketing and Regulatory Programs, chief of staff for Farm and Foreign Agriculture Services, special assistant to the administrator for the Risk Management Agency and program specialist for the Farm Service Agency. He also worked as senior adviser, counsel and legislative assistant to Sens. Max Baucus and John Walsh.  

"With the right policy and financial incentives, agriculture can be an even bigger part of the conservation solution," said Britt Groosman, vice president of Ecosystems at EDF. "With his deep expertise in farm production, federal and state policy, Ben is well positioned to help advance policies that incentivize resilient agriculture for farm and future."

(Washington, D.C. – January 19, 2021) On the last day of Donald Trump’s presidency, the second highest court in the land has struck down one of the most damaging anti-environmental actions of his administration.

A three-judge panel of the U.S. Court of Appeals for the D.C. Circuit today vacated the Trump EPA’s repeal and “replacement” of the Clean Power Plan – the historic Obama-era standards that set the first-ever limits for climate change pollution from existing power plants.

“Today’s decision is the perfect Inauguration Day present for America. It confirms that the Trump administration’s dubious attempt to get rid of commonsense limits on climate pollution from power plants was illegal, it reaffirms that the Clean Air Act and the Endangerment Finding are the law of the land, and it restores the vibrancy of the rule of law,” said EDF Senior Attorney Ben Levitan. “Now we can turn to the critically important work of protecting Americans from climate change and creating new clean energy jobs.”

The Clean Power Plan established our only nationwide limits on carbon pollution from existing fossil fuel-fired power plants – one of the United States’ largest sources of the pollution that causes climate change. EPA Administrator Andrew Wheeler scrapped the Clean Power Plan in 2019 and issued in its place the misleadingly named Affordable Clean Energy (ACE) rule, which established no meaningful limits on carbon pollution and would have actually increased pollution at nearly one in five of the nation’s coal-fired power plants.

EDF was part of a broad coalition of 14 health and environmental groups, 23 states and eight cities, nine power companies, and three clean energy associations that filed suit shortly after the ACE rule was finalized last year.

Today, the D.C. Circuit issued a decision forcefully upholding that the EPA must regulate greenhouse gases as specified in the Endangerment Finding, and saying:

“The question in this case is whether the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) acted lawfully in adopting the 2019 Affordable Clean Energy Rule (ACE Rule) as a means of regulating power plants’ emissions of greenhouse gases. It did not. Although the EPA has the legal authority to adopt rules regulating those emissions, the central operative terms of the ACE Rule and the repeal of its predecessor rule, the Clean Power Plan, hinged on a fundamental misconstruction of Section 7411(d) of the Clean Air Act. In addition, the ACE Rule’s amendment of the regulatory framework to slow the process for reduction of emissions is arbitrary and capricious.” (Decision, page 16)

The decision sends the rulemaking back to EPA so that the Biden-Harris Administration “may consider the question afresh” and issue new protections. (Decision, page 147).

(WASHINGTON – Jan. 19, 2021) Scientists are urging global policymakers and funders to think of fish as a solution to food insecurity and malnutrition, and not just as a natural resource that provides income and livelihoods, in a newly-published paper in the peer-reviewed journal Ambio. Titled “Recognize fish as food in policy discourse and development funding,” the paper argues for viewing fish from a food systems perspective to broaden the conversation on food and nutrition security and equity, especially as global food systems will face increasing threats from climate change.

The “Fish as Food” paper, authored by scientists and policy experts from Michigan State University, Duke University, Harvard University, World Bank and Environmental Defense Fund, among others, notes the global development community is not on track to meet goals for alleviating malnutrition. According to the U.N. Food and Agriculture Organization, the number of malnourished people in the world will increase from 678 million in 2018 to 841 million in 2030 if current trends continue — an estimate not accounting for effects of the COVID-19 pandemic. Fish provide 17% of the animal protein consumed globally and are rich in micronutrients, essential fatty acids and protein essential for cognitive development and maternal and childhood health, especially for communities in developing countries where fish may be the only source of key nutrients. Yet fish is largely missing from key global food policy discussions and decision-making. 

“Fish has always been food. But in this paper, we lay out an agenda for enhancing the role of fish in addressing hunger and malnutrition,” says Abigail Bennett, assistant professor in the Center for Systems Integration and Sustainability in the Department of Fisheries and Wildlife at Michigan State University. “We are urging the international development community not only to see fish as food, but to recognize fish as a nutrient-rich food that can make a difference for the well-being of the world’s poor and vulnerable. What kinds of new knowledge, policies and interventions will be required to support that role for fish?” she adds.

The United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 2, Zero Hunger, does not mention fisheries or aquaculture by name, nor does it offer specific guidance on fish production systems. Fish also appear underrepresented in international development funding priorities, such as by the World Bank, the paper finds.

“Fish — and aquatic foods in general — are largely ignored in the food policy dialogue,” says Kristin Kleisner, lead senior scientist for Environmental Defense Fund Oceans program and a co-author of the paper. “This is a huge oversight, as fish offer a critical source of nutrition unparalleled by any other type of food, and it is often the only source of key nutrients for vulnerable populations around the world.

“By refocusing on nutrition, in addition to the many other benefits fisheries provide, we’re amplifying a call to action for governments, international development organizations and society more broadly to invest in the sustainability of capture fisheries and aquaculture,” adds Kleisner.

“Fisheries will be ever more important as the world faces mounting challenges to feed itself,” says Kelly Brownell, director of the World Food Policy Center at Duke University.

Global policymakers and funders framing fish as food, the authors state, can encourage innovative policies and actions to support the role of fish in global food and nutrition security.

The paper identifies four pillars of suggested action to begin framing fish as food, not just a natural resource. These pillars are:

1. Improve metrics. There is currently a paucity of metrics to assess and communicate the contributions of fish to food and nutrition security. Governments and researchers can collaborate to develop better tools to raise the profile of fish in broader food and nutrition security policies and investment priorities.

2. Promote nutrition-sensitive fish food systems. Current management regimes emphasize the “maximum sustainable yield” for a given fishery. Managing for “optimal nutritional yield” would focus on not just rebuilding and conserving fish populations — an important goal in and of itself — but also on sustainably managing nutrient-rich fisheries.

3. Govern distribution. Availability, access and stability are key features of food and nutrition security. Even though fish is one of the most traded food commodities in the world, there is limited information about its distribution and links to nutrition security. There is also a need to promote equitable distribution of capital and property rights to access fisheries, particularly that recognize the importance of small-scale fisheries and roles women play in fishing and aquaculture sectors.

4. Situate fish in a food systems framework. Policymakers need the tools to conceptualize fishing and aquaculture as components of the food systems framework. A “fish as food” framing requires a better understanding of the connections among fish production and distribution, terrestrial agriculture and planetary health.Sustainable fisheries and aquaculture are key to feeding the world and alleviating malnutrition, and already provide valuable nutrition and livelihood contributions. Including a nutrition lens when illustrating the multiple benefits of sustainable fisheries production can help to elevate the importance and impact of fish as a key component of the global food system and to ensure that we do not fall behind in global food security targets.

(WASHINGTON – Jan. 19, 2021) A new guide released today outlines for countries the best ways ocean-based action can curb greenhouse gas emissions and lead to better adaptation to the increasing effects of climate change.

The guide, “Enhancing Nationally Determined Contributions: Opportunities for Ocean-Based Climate Action,” was developed by eight leading, international conservation organizations — including Environmental Defense Fund — and presents a set of options for ocean-based climate mitigation and adaptation efforts that countries can use to enhance their nationally determined contributions under the Paris Agreement.

Tim Fitzgerald, senior director of Ocean Climate Strategies for EDF, and Gerald Miles, vice president of Government Partnerships for EDF, are co-authors of the guide and contributed to the section on oceanic and coastal fisheries. Other sections are coastal and marine ecosystems, marine transport and ocean-based renewable energy.

“The ocean actions and investment that flow from this guidance are desperately needed to implement NDCs, increase their ambition and help reshape national commitments,” said Miles.

“Fishermen around the world will tell you the effects of climate change are already here, with some fish moving toward cooler waters and others becoming more or less abundant,” said Fitzgerald.

These and other changes pose significant risks to communities that depend on fishing for food and livelihoods, especially those in Small Island Developing States.

“Countries can achieve more climate-resilient fisheries and fishing communities by incorporating climate information into their fisheries science and management, setting climate-appropriate fishing limits, ending overfishing and prioritizing marine ecosystem health,” Fitzgerald added.

A recent special report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change detailed how the ocean is taking the heat from climate change, with severe consequences for people and nature. As the ocean absorbs more heat and carbon dioxide, it is not only getting warmer, but also more acidic and less productive. Scientists and policymakers alike are increasingly turning to the ocean as a source of solutions to confronting the climate crisis.

Ocean-based mitigation options to reduce emissions or sequester and store carbon offer significant contributions to global efforts to limit the impacts of climate change. In 2011, fisheries generated at least 179 million tons of greenhouse gas emissions, or 4% of emissions from global food production. The use of fossil fuels in fishing vessels is a main source of emissions, with refrigeration, waste and transport also significant contributors. The guide presents several options for making fishing more fuel efficient, as well as for seafood processing, storage and distribution.

“One of the best ways to reduce emissions in fishing operations is to implement science-based fisheries management,” said Fitzgerald. “This starts with rebuilding depleted fish stocks and restoring coastal ecosystems such as mangroves, seagrass beds and kelp forests, which can ultimately result in more efficient, resilient and profitable fisheries.”

In Indonesia and the Philippines, for example, improved fisheries management has resulted on average in a doubling of the number of fish available to local fishermen. The guide stresses that “the active engagement of fishers and their communities in the design and implementation of new practices is essential so as to preclude negative impacts on the role fisheries play in community food security and livelihoods.”

“The climate crisis and the ocean crisis are interrelated,” said Eric Schwaab, senior vice president for EDF Oceans program. “Now is the time for countries and stakeholders to significantly increase the ambition of their national climate actions to protect ocean ecosystems and ocean-dependent communities, while maximizing the potential of the ocean to be part of the solution to tackling climate change.”

Learn more about the connection between climate and the ocean at the Ocean-Climate Ambition Summit, Jan. 26-27 here.