Washingtonians must take bold action to confront the serious threat that air pollution poses to the health and well-being of communities from Longview to Walla Walla. But meaningful action can only be achieved and sustained if people and communities – especially people of color, rural communities, and other populations that are often overlooked by lawmakers and initiative campaigns – are rightfully included in developing solutions to this threat from the very beginning.
That’s why the Washington State Budget & Policy Center is joining Tribal Nations, businesses, climate scientists, public health experts, and organizations representing communities of color, workers, and families with lower incomes in endorsing Initiative 1631.
President Donald Trump’s announced withdrawal of the U.S. from the Paris Climate Agreement is a clear shirking of responsibility on behalf of the federal government, but across the country, organizers, activists, mayors, governors and others are only increasing their commitment to the principles of the agreement. Mayors and their cities have many ways to contribute to sound climate policy and carbon reduction. Here we introduce some of the key ways that cities can make a difference in the face of federal inaction.
Local governments have jurisdiction over or significant influence on a number of greenhouse gas emission sources, including building energy use, transportation, water infrastructure, sewer treatment, and waste management. Buildings, for example, account for almost 40 percent of US emissions, and their energy use is subject to municipal regulation in the form of building codes, benchmarking requirements, zoning, and more. Transportation produces 30 percent of US GHG emissions, and is heavily influenced by local planning and investment. Most transit systems are run by local or regional authorities. The waste sector alone is responsible for 2.3 percent of US GHG emissions, and is almost entirely under local control.
Ohio needs a more sustainable energy strategy for its industrial sector. There is growing recognition this energy strategy should revolve around greater deployment of combined heat and power (“CHP”) technology — a much more efficient and reliable way to meet both the heat and power needs of manufacturers.
The industrial sector consumes one-third of all energy used in the state, more so even than the transportation sector.[1] Manufacturers burn fossil fuels on-site to heat metals and chemicals and – separately – purchase electricity from the grid to light their factories and power electric motors, welding tools, conveyer belts, and the like. In 2014, Ohio manufacturers spent $8.9 billion on energy, including $3.3 billion for electricity.
Electricity purchased from the grid, however, is generated and distributed inefficiently by electric monopolies relying on outdated coal-fired power plants and an antiquated grid. Ohio’s electric utility companies waste two out of every three lumps of coal they burn — the energy lost during generation, transmission and distribution of electric power.
Inflated electric prices, due to massive energy waste in the electric power sector, hurts Ohio manufacturers’ ability to compete in the new global economy. And because Ohio’s electric utilities burn three times more coal than is needed, the electric power sector is responsible for almost half of all carbon pollution in the state (45 percent).[2] In fact, Ohio’s electric power sector emits more sulfur dioxide pollution than electric utilities of any other state. Ohio ranks fourth in the nation for nitrous oxide emissions and fifth for carbon dioxide.
In addition to carbon pollution’s contribution to climate change, pollutants from Ohio power plants are responsible for thousands of cases of respiratory disease, asthma attacks, and premature deaths. These disproportionately burden the poor. [3] Eight out of every ten coal-fired power plants in Ohio are in communities with high concentrations of low-income families.
Ohio’s 2014 freeze of its energy-efficiency standards reduced electric utility home-weatherization efforts for low-income households by 26 percent. Weatherization services reduce need for struggling families to seek utility payment assistance plans, reduce costs of ratepayer-funded assistance programs and create job opportunities in Ohio’s energy economy.
These are the findings of a study released by Policy Matters Ohio and NextGen Climate America, in partnership with Green for All and Ohio Partners for Affordable Energy.