Meet the Fourth Wave a New Era of Environmental Innovation Gives Us Powerful New Ways to Protect Nature
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Solutions Vol. 49, No. 3/ Summer 2018 Meet the Fourth Wave A new era of environmental innovation gives us powerful new ways to protect nature Page 8 EDF’s MethaneSAT, expected to launch within three years, will measure pollution from space. 6 SDispatches 148 Healthy S 1217 SA guide to 1418 SClimate and from EDF’s fisheries means the midterm social change legal war room healthier wildlife elections in India DEPARTMENT STANDING HEAD Partners in preservation Ending tropical forest loss would reduce global greenhouse gas emissions by about 15%. In Brazil, where two football fields of rainforest are destroyed every minute, beef ranching is the main source of deforestation. EDF is sending a powerful signal to Brazil’s producers and governments that their biggest buyers, including McDonald’s and Unilever, prefer sustainably grown beef and soy. With our corporate partners and local communities, we are working to eliminate illegal deforestation in the state of Mato Grosso by 2020, even as we expand agricultural production. 2 Solutions / edf.org / Summer 2018 LOOKING FORWARD The Fourth Wave of environmentalism Recently, at a TED Talk in Vancouver, British Columbia, I announced a plan for EDF to develop and launch, within three years, a new Environmental Defense Fund’s mission satellite—MethaneSAT—to identify and is to preserve the natural systems on which all life depends. Guided measure methane emissions from human- by science and economics, we find made sources worldwide, starting with the practical and lasting solutions to the oil and gas industry (see p. 10). most serious environmental problems. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas; Our work is made possible by the emissions from human activities are respon- support of our members. Donate online at edf.org/newsletter or by sible for a quarter of the warming our planet is experiencing. Cutting mail: EDF, attn.: Member Services, methane emissions from the global oil and gas industry is the single 1875 Connecticut Ave NW, Ste. 600, fastest thing we can do to help put the brakes on climate change Washington DC 20009. right now. With data from MethaneSAT, both countries and companies will be able to spot problem areas, identify savings Solutions On the cover: opportunities and measure their progress over time. Vol. 49, No. 3/ Summer 2018 Environmental progress doesn’t MethaneSat is a prime example of Fourth Wave environmentalism, a just happen. It has been propelled by megatrend fueled by technological innovation that is transforming Meet the Fourth Wave successive waves of A new era of environmental innovation gives us powerful how we solve environmental problems by putting powerful new tools new ways to protect nature Page 8 ingenuity, each wave EDF’s MethaneSAT, expected to launch within three years, will measure pollution from space. 6 SDispatches 148 Healthy S 1217 SA guide to 1418 SClimate and into the hands of people around the world. from EDF’s fisheries means the midterm social change legal war room healthier wildlife elections in India unleashing a powerful new set of tools. In this The Fourth Wave is the latest advance in a century of environmental issue, we explore how EDF is tapping evolution. First there was the land conservation movement led by advances in technology to scale an array President Teddy Roosevelt; second came the anti-pollution laws of of environmental solutions. Foremost the 1960s and 1970s; and finally, there was the rise of powerful among them is our plan to launch a satellite to track methane emissions market-based solutions and corporate partnerships in the 1990s, and help curb climate change. widely known as the Third Wave. EDF is applying Fourth Wave innovation in a variety of ways—from using passive sonar to track sardine fish stocks in the Philippines, to Solutions developing precision agricultural tools to reduce fertilizer waste in the Midwest (see p. 12). And we aren’t alone. EDF is just one of many Editor Peter Klebnikov groups doing Fourth Wave work. Art Director Christina Baute and Janice Caswell Designer Anuranjan Pegu Of course, even as we launch into space, EDF continues to fight back against the anti-environmental policies of the current administration Environmental Defense Fund here on Earth. For example, our legal team is battling EPA’s plan to 257 Park Ave. South roll back the clean car standards established by the Obama ad- New York, NY 10010 ministration (see p. 7), and we continue to expose EPA Main number 212-505-2100 Administrator Scott Pruitt’s cosy ties with polluters. Membership questions 800-684-3322 or [email protected] In any era, those doing the hard work of solving environmental WE WANT TO HEAR FROM YOU problems take advantage of the best available tools. Technology Send feedback to address above or can obviously be used for good or ill. But when satellites, sensors email [email protected] and data analytics are used to advance transparency, responsibility and low-cost solutions, the result will be smart policies that help CONNECT WITH US ONLINE people and nature prosper. edf.org ©2018 Environmental Defense Fund. Published quarterly in New York, NY ASSN 0163-2566 EDF President New York / Austin / Bentonville, AR / Boston / Boulder / Raleigh / Sacramento / San Francisco / Washington, DC / Beijing / La Paz, Mexico / London PHOTO: GETTY Solutions / edf.org / Summer 2018 3 FIELD NOTES PHIL COLLA Keeping score 78% A vast ocean wilderness protected of Americans believe schools should teach children about global A treasure trove of deep sea risk from the nets of bottom meetings with fishermen along warming. habitats are now protected trawlers searching for rock- the coast —a process that built SOURCE: YALE PROGRAM ON CLIMATE CHANGE thanks to a historic accord fish. Simultaneously, 2,000 understanding between COMMUNICATION. between EDF and partners, square miles of previously stakeholders more used to fishermen and policy makers. closed grounds, where sandy legal wrangling: conservation The plan, approved by the seabeds make trawling less groups, lawmakers and those GETTY Pacific Fishery Management invasive, were re- opened for who earn a living from the sea. Council in April, will per- fishing. “This was an amazing team manently protect 140,000 “This is now one of the effort,” said Ralph Brown, a square miles of ocean, mostly best-managed fisheries in the fisherman from Brookings, OR. off the California coast. With world,” said Shems Jud, the “Both fishermen and an area larger than the state of west coast director of EDF’s environmentalists focused on New Mexico, it is home to Oceans program. the goal of opening up closed coral reefs, sponges and The plan came to fruition fishing grounds and carving pinnacles. Parts of these after EDF and other NGOs out the areas that really need delicate ecosystems were at convened more than 30 protection.” Silt repairs a Victory on a storied Delta killer chemical Louisiana is embarking on massive sediment diversions American families scored a to help solve its land-loss crisis bittersweet victory when EPA —the worst in the nation. The decided not to block a rule to diversions will send sediment- ban a toxic chemical that has rich Mississippi water into claimed dozens of lives. wetlands, reinforcing them Last year, EPA’s Scott Pruitt JULIE DERMANSKY against sea level rise. EDF bowed to industry pressure convened a group of leading and indefinitely delayed ban- experts to advise the state on ning methylene chloride in paint strippers. But in May he the diversions, which have made a dramatic about-face never been tried before. after EDF arranged for families brave families who are fighting Kevin’s story to try to save more Louisiana is evaluating our of victims to meet Pruitt and to ban this deadly chemical,” lives.” EPA announced it will group’s recommendations, key members of Congress. said Dr. Sarah Vogel, EDF’s vice now finalize the rule as EDF such as operating diversions Home Depot, Lowe’s and president of Health. requested. “We’re watching in wintertime to minimize Sherman Williams also pledged Wendy Hartley (pictured), closely to make sure the harm to fish and wildlife. Other to remove products containing whose son Kevin, 21, died last administration delivers on its regions wrestling with the the chemical from their shelves. year while stripping paint from promise to ban this chemical,” consequences of sea level rise “The credit belongs to the a bathtub, said: “I want to use said Dr. Vogel. are monitoring the projects. 4 Solutions / edf.org / Summer 2018 FIELD NOTES Raleigh office shows the way forward The EPA administrator’s legal EDF’s North Carolina office shredding environmental laws arguments are fatally flawed and is celebrating its 30th an- and weakening public health ‘‘ niversary. Over the years we and environmental agencies. reflect an egregious misreading have compiled a series of EDF’s Raleigh team, working environmental victories in closely with state and regional of the text, structure, history and this Southern purple state allies, battled back. that serve as a guide for We successfully defended purpose of the Clean Air Act. defending the environment the state’s clean energy in states across the country. policies, which have made —Excerpt from EDF’s comments defending’’ the Clean Power Plan, now under siege The 2010 elections swept North Carolina a national by the Trump administration into power a cadre of state leader on solar energy. And lawmakers with an anti- we’re fighting to restore regulatory agenda. North funding for clean water and Carolina’s legislature began conservation programs. NOTEWORTHY EDF and Maryland pre- vailed in a legal battle with Fighting a dirty Executives see increasing EPA after a federal judge bailout for coal alignment between business and ordered the agency to stop delaying a rule requir- President Trump is dead set environmental goals ing neighboring states to on propping up the coal limit power plant emissions.