Melanie Nakagawa's Blog: U.S. Law and Policy tag:switchboard.nrdc.org,2009:/blogs/mnakagawa//88 2009-05-26T14:50:58Z Movable Type Enterprise 1.52 Waxman Markey Bill Shows Strong Support for Exporting Clean Technology and Building Resilience in Developing Countries tag:switchboard.nrdc.org,2009:/blogs/mnakagawa//88.3060 2009-04-03T19:00:16Z 2009-05-26T14:50:58Z The recently released draft of the Waxman Markey draft climate bill sets the 111th Congress off to a great start, but more importantly, has put together a set of tools that will help our climate negotiators on their way to... Melanie Nakagawa The recently released draft of the Waxman Markey draft climate bill sets the 111th Congress off to a great start, but more importantly, has put together a set of tools that will help our climate negotiators on their way to Copenhagen.

My colleagues have highlighted various provisions in this bill and I want to highlight two additional significant provisions that we are hopeful will help advance the US position in climate negotiations: exporting clean technology and international adaptation.

The benefits of the exporting clean technology provisions are 4-fold:

  • First, it provides for US assistance to encourage widespread deployment of clean technologies to developing countries-specifically to projects that achieve substantial reductions in greenhouse gas emissions through deployment of low- or zero-carbon technologies.   
  • Second, the draft specifies that only developing countries that have ratified an international treaty and undertaken nationally appropriate mitigation activities that achieve substantial greenhouse gas reductions are eligible for funding.  
  • Third, it establishes an International Clean Technology Fund in the US Treasury with an interagency group to administer this Fund.   
  • Fourth, it identifies criteria for project selection to include, among other criteria: substantial measurable, reportable and verifiable reductions in emissions relative to business-as-usual; no net loss of US jobs or displacement of US production; and co-financing.

Regarding adapting to global warming, the Waxman-Markey discussion draft recognizes the importance of US assistance in supporting the development and implementation of climate change adaptation programs and projects that can reduce the vulnerability and increase the resilience of the most vulnerable developing countries. 

In the recent Oxfam press release on this discussion draft they highlighted the significant step forward this bill takes on addressing the needs of those countries and regions hardest hit by the impacts of climate change.  Hopefully many of you know the gravity of the adaptation challenge for many regions and countries on our planet, but it bears some repeating.  Adaptation is not something that is forthcoming but rather happening today for millions of people. Sea level rise, changing weather and climatic patterns, and forced migration are increasing in frequency.  We will need to get out ahead of these impacts, but in many places we must first catch up.  And according to a recent Oxfam report, "Adaptation 101: How climate change hurts poor communities-and how we can help", we can do this.  

The Waxman-Markey discussion draft is the solid step in the right direction.

  • The discussion draft creates an International Climate Change Adaptation Program within USAID to provide U.S. assistance to the most vulnerable developing countries for adaptation to climate change. 
  • It also identifies activities and projects for the program to include, among others: promotion of appropriate renewable and efficient energy technologies for increasing community-level resilience to impacts of climate change; development of national or regional adaptation plans; and the protection and rehabilitation of natural ecosystems.
  • Lastly it provides for the community engagement through, among other criteria, processes for consultation, disclosure of information, and public participation. 

This is a good start but the next few weeks and months will be a busy time to help strengthen these critical provisions. 

]]> Investing in Clean Water Brings Economic Benefits and So Much More tag:switchboard.nrdc.org,2009:/blogs/mnakagawa//88.2937 2009-03-18T22:43:49Z 2009-03-28T18:45:47Z Melanie Nakagawa In the midst of this financial crisis, governments are trying to spend its resources to stimulate the economy.  To many people this has led to questions over how realistic it is to augment a budget for issues such as clean water.  Some may wonder if we can even keep our investments at its current grossly underfunded amount. 

However, according to the past two days of panel discussions and debate at the 5th World Water Forum, now is not the time to cut water funding.  Instead, now is the time to be investing in achieving access to safe water and sanitation because of the multiple benefits clean water provides for our economy and society. 

The economic, public health and community benefits of investing in water are the focus of many discussions in Istanbul.  Experts have addressed what investments in the water and sanitation sector can do to help our economic recovery, poverty alleviation, gender empowerment, child mortality, and serve as a stepping stone to meeting the Millennium Development Goals. 

In fact, according to the World Health Organization's report Safe Water, Better Health, every $1 invested in water and sanitation can yield economic benefits on average between $7 and $12.  By taking into account the debilitating aspect of water-related diseases, time spent walking miles to get water, child mortality and drop out rates from school (often from girls who lack access to sanitary facilities after reaching puberty), the report highlighted additional benefits from investing in improving access to water and sanitation which include:

  • Health-care savings of US$ 7 billion a year for health agencies and US$ 340 million for individuals;
  • 320 million productive days gained each year in the 15- to 59-year age group, an extra 272 million school attendance days a year, and an added 1.5 billion healthy days for children under the age of 5, together representing productivity gains of US$ 9.9 billion a year; and
  • Time savings resulting from more convenient drinking-water and sanitation services, totaling 20 billion working days a year, giving a productivity payback of some US$ 63 billion a year.

Based on this WHO study, we see a significant payback of US$ 83 billion a year from the US$ 11.3 billion a year investment needed to meet the Millennium Development Goal for water and sanitation.  As many have pointed out in this week's debates, this payback makes a very strong argument in favor of promoting safe water and sanitation in these difficult financial times. 

Thankfully, this news of why we benefit from investing in water has been central to many of the discussions this week.  The recent launch of the OECD Report "Managing Water for All: an OECD Perspective on Pricing and Financing" provides useful analysis for policy makers on how to strengthen financing for water and address the challenges this crisis faces.  Similarly, how some governments are recognizing these benefits in legislation is also being highlighted.  For example, the U.S. and China are two countries that have water resources in their domestic economic stimulus bills.  Specifically, the U.S. has committed $10 billion towards water resources in the recent stimulus: $6 billion allocated to wastewater and $4 billion to drinking water.  There is also a 20% set aside as a green reserve that can be used to fund green infrastructure, water efficiency, energy efficiency, and other environmental innovation.  For more information about the stimulus' provisions on water check out the American Rivers summary. 

While the U.S. stimulus is a good start for our domestic water resources, we still have a lot further to go in supporting international safe drinking water and sanitation efforts.  Legislation such as the Paul Simon Water for the World Act of 2009 introduced this week by Senator Durbin is a good step.  This new legislation "places water in the forefront of America's development priorities, seeking to reach 100 million people around the world with sustainable access to clean water and sanitation by 2015."  We will also need sufficient appropriations and greater political support for clean water, but the U.S. has an opportunity to take a significant step forward by demonstrating that we are serious about putting together the right tools to tackle the global water and sanitation crisis. 

Therefore, with the right mix of political support plus financial investment in access to safe water and sanitation for those most in need, we have the opportunity to see mulitiple benefits, not only to the economy but for our planet.

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