Geo350 Oct 24 Event Presentation

GEO350 ’09www.350.org/GEO350

TheRegenesisProject.com

GEOClimate Action Movement

October 24th 2009 International Day of Climate Action

Most Important Number: 350

The Urgency:

Addressing climate change is increasingly urgent especially according to recent findings by scientists from across the globe:The current concentration of CO2 molecules in the atmosphere is well above the safe level & increasing.  "If humanity wishes to preserve a planet...to which life on Earth is adapted...CO2 will need to be reduced from its current 385 ppm to at most 350 ppm." [1]

Why Act Now?

Reaching an “ice age” from conditions today is possible in less than 10 years!

If the Greenland ice sheet melts, sea levels could rise by up to 20 feet!

What does this mean? Flooding of most coastal civilization

ie. Most of Florida & Manhattan!

Al Gore “An Inconvenient Truth”

Some Startling Facts!

- 30% of the earth’s natural resources have been consumed over the last 3 decades!

- 80% of the earth’s original forests are gone!

- We would need 5 planets if everyone on earth consumed at current American (& Canadian) rates!

Source: Alive Magazine, www.Alive.com

What happens then?

The effects of a melted arctic region:

- Flooding of most of coastal civilization

- Salination of much of our fresh water sources (drinking & sanitation)

- Possible & unpredictable shifts in the earth's polarity (climate change)

- Release of huge amounts of methane (stored in the ice), a green house gas of which the effects are largely unknown when mixed into the green house gas cocktail

Act Now!

We must act now to ensure that our planet is able to continue to sustain life even through the not so distant future

Global Shift!

The Shift: - There is a global awakening growing as we speak with

regards to our role in addressing climate change and in minimizing our impact on our planet.

- With this awakening come fundamental changes to the global energy sector:Fuel Source: polluting fossil fuels to clean renewable sourcesDistribution: centralized generation to stranded solutions powering sustainable facilities

Sustainability is Key!

Hereby energy conservation becomes an even more important component.

Sustainability is the long-term solution for us and the energy sector must support the ways in which to support its development:

- Conservation First!- Clean renewable fuel sources- Stranded power generation

Stern Report:Global[5]:

- Investing 1% of global GDP could maintain safe levels of greenhouse gases

- Failure to act could lead to damage costing much more, estimated at least 5% & perhaps more than 20% of the global GDP 

- Shifting to low-carbon could benefit the economy by $2.5 trillion / year

- By 2050, markets for low-carbon technologies could be worth at least $500 billion 

The world is on track

Action Across the Globe:Countless leading jurisdictions around the world have taken action & adopted renewable energy policies, ensuring their place in the global race to lead the green economy.

Example:

- Case Study: Denmark (1990 – 2007) [6]- Wind energy generating equivalent to 5% of Ontario’s energy use- Overall CO2 emissions reduced by over 30%- CO2 emissions from energy generation reduced by over 40%

Act Now! Middle East…

Act Now! Europe…

Our Chance! Ontario

Ontario’s Opportunity:We must be the architects of our future today & build on our province’s strengths.

“the proposed green energy act could make Ontario a world leader in energy."

Act Now! Ontario?...

Across the province, thousands of jobs within various sectors can be created by this legislation and Ontario's businesses can develop sustainability solutions to satisfy the needs of customers around the globe. 

Act Now! Ontario

• Economic Benefits of Timely Action:

- Creation of over 50,000 new jobs in Ontario[2], according to Minister of Energy & Infrastructure, the honorable George Smitherman

- 8,000 megawatts of wind energy to supply 9% of our current demand for electricity by 2012 will produce nearly $14 billion in economic benefits[3]

- 20,000 jobs can be created in the solar energy sector by 2025[4] if strong policy & proper measures are implemented

"We each can help!" Taps & Outlets

• A ½ Hour Shower = 900 Bottles of Water!

• Our #1 Energy Consumer is the Processing of Water!

• 10 % of Your Energy Bills are Due to “Phantom Power” – Plugged Electronics!

Vegans are Helping!

• Eating 1 Less Meat Meal / Week = Everyone Driving a Hybrid vehicle instead of a Petrol-fueled Sedan!

• 4 Hamburgers = 200 Km of Driving OR Leaving the Lights ON for 20 Days!

Source: Adria Vasil, author of “Ecoholic”

• The GEO Project is a campaign led by advocates of sustainability and is aimed at providing renewable energy & energy efficiency solutions for energy consumers.

• It’s founders and its partner organizations are on a mission to source and distribute subsidies & financial products that will help individuals and communities implement energy sustainability.

• The Regenesis Project is a grassroots environmental, and social justice not-for-profit organization.

• Founded in early 2007, we seek to bridge the gap between individual & planet, by fostering a sense of community, leadership, and accountability.

GEO350 ’09www.350.org/GEO350

TheRegenesisProject.com

GEOClimate Action Movement

October 24th 2009 International Day of Climate Action

References

• [1] *Research compiled by James Hansen of NASA, the first scientist to warn about global warming. (source: 350.org) [2] Ontario Minister of Energy & Infrastructure, the honorable George Smitherman[3] David Suzuki Foundation Report, “Smart Generation: Powering Ontario with Renewable Energy" [4] David Suzuki Foundation Report, “Smart Generation: Powering Ontario with Renewable Energy" [5] Lord Stern of Brentford, former World Bank chief economist & head of UK gov’t Economic Service [6] Paul Gipe, Green Energy Act Alliance stakeholder session April 20, 2009