Nov 7, 2013, San Francisco

Secretary of the Interior Sandy Jewell appeared at the San Francisco Commonwealth Club where she was interviewed by Greg Dalton on a wide range of topics. This video contains excerpts related to her comments on climate change and energy policy. While Secretary Jewell stressed the importance and reality of climate change, she defended the option to sell coal mining rights on public lands, saying that energy change isn’t going to happen overnight.

“He [Obama] has used the megaphone very loudly to say, we’re no longer debating climate change, it is here – we must do something about it” ~ Sandy Jewell

10:00 Greg Dalton: “Can the administration though be a real serious climate leader, and also promote  more coal extraction, more oil drilling? At some point isn’t there an either or situation, can it have it both ways – more energy, more hydrocarbons, and say we’re serious about climate?”

Interior Secretary Sandy Jewell: “Well, the short answer is you can’t go immediately from one source of energy to another source of energy overnight. We have grown this country with the support of carbon pollution, whether it was coal or oil and gas that has been in large measure what has driven the industry in this country and you can’t turn it off in a heartbeat. The president through the EPA has instituted CAFE standards for cars that will make an enormous difference in terms of using using policy to reduce carbon pollution, it’s a very very important step forward. So it’s policies that drive behaviors by the automobile industry that increase the fuel economy of cars and therefore reduce the amount that we use.”

“You’re voices are important as citizens of this great democracy, and when you bring your voices to my new home of Washington D.C., they do make a difference.” ~ Sandy Jewell

Report by James George

‘WARSAW — Following a devastating typhoon that killed thousands in the Philippines, a routine international climate change conference here turned into an emotional forum, with developing countries demanding compensation from the worst polluting countries for damage they say they are already suffering.’

via Growing Clamor About Inequities of Climate Crisis – NYTimes.com.

‘WASHINGTON (AP) — Greenhouse gases are making the world’s oceans hot, sour and breathless, and the way those changes work together is creating a grimmer outlook for global waters, according to a new report Wednesday from 540 international scientists.’

via Scientists warn of hot, sour, breathless oceans – SFGate.

‘(CNN) — With his country grappling with the damage from “hell-storm” Haiyan, a Philippines official launched a hunger strike Tuesday to pressure a U.N. climate change conference for concrete steps to fight global warming.’

via Philippines U.N. delegate Sano announces climate change hunger strike – CNN.com.

‘Twenty of the nation’s top climate scientists have sent a letter to Gov. Jerry Brown, telling him that his plans supporting increased use of the controversial practice of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” will increase pollution and run counter to his efforts to cut California’s global warming emissions.’

via Top climate scientists call for fracking ban in letter to Gov. Jerry Brown – San Jose Mercury News.

‘The Philippines has been hit by 24 typhoons in the past year but the power of Haiyan was off the scale, killing thousands and leaving millions homeless. Is there even worse devastation to come?’

via Is climate change to blame for Typhoon Haiyan? | Environment | The Guardian.

‘Climate change will disrupt not only the natural world but also society, posing risks to the world’s economy and the food and water supply and contributing to violent conflict, an international panel of scientists says.’

via Report on climate change depicts a planet in peril – latimes.com.

‘The typhoon that struck the Philippines produced an outpouring of emotion on Monday at United Nations talks on a global climate treaty in Warsaw, where delegates were quick to suggest that a warming planet had turned the storm into a lethal monster.’

via Typhoon in Philippines Casts Long Shadow Over U.N. Talks on Climate Treaty – NYTimes.com.

‘Representatives of more than 190 countries gathered in Warsaw on Monday to continue debating how to deal with climate change beyond 2020, even as nations are falling further behind on their collective goal of reining in greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the planet.’

via At climate-change summit in Warsaw, countries look to lay foundation for global pact – The Washington Post.