Could There Be a Global Carbon Tax? | EarthxNews Full Episode - video Dailymotion

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EarthX Website: https://earthxmedia.com/   Could there be a global carbon tax?; EV job cuts and concerns; the US freezes natural gas exports; climate impacts on the blue economy; scientists discover new penguin colonies in Antarctica.   About EarthxNews:  A weekly program dedicated to covering the stories that shape the planet. Featuring the latest updates in energy, environment, tech, climate, and more.   EarthX & EarthXtra  Love Our Planet.  The Official Network of Earth Day.    About Us:  At EarthX, we believe our planet is a pretty special place. The people, landscapes, and critters are likely unique to the entire universe, so we consider ourselves lucky to be here. We are committed to protecting the environment by inspiring conservation and sustainability, and our programming along with our range of expert hosts support this mission. We’re glad you’re with us.     EarthX is a media company dedicated to inspiring people to care about the planet. We take an omni channel approach to reach audiences of every age through its robust 24/7 linear channel distributed across cable and FAST outlets, along with dynamic, solution oriented short form content on social and digital platforms. EarthX is home to original series, documentaries and snackable content that offer sustainable solutions to environmental challenges. EarthX is the only network that delivers entertaining and inspiring topics that impact and inspire our lives on climate and sustainability.       EarthX Website: https://earthxmedia.com/    Follow Us:  Instagram: https://www.instagram.com/earthxmedia/  LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/company/earthxmedia  Facebook: https://www.facebook.com/EarthXMedia/  TikTok: https://www.tiktok.com/@earthxmedia  YouTube: https://www.youtube.com/@EarthXMedia  Dailymotion: https://www.dailymotion.com/earthxmedia    How to watch:    EarthX - Cable:  - Spectrum  - AT&T U-verse (1267)  - DIRECTV (267)  - Philo  - FuboTV   EarthXtra - Streaming:  - Plex  - Fire TV  - Xumo  - Sling    #EarthDay #Environment #Sustainability #EcoFriendly #Conservation #EarthX

Transcript

00:00A global carbon tax. Is it in our future? Leaders at the World Economic Forum have it in their

00:08crystal ball. The potential impact it could have on developing countries, we'll explain.

00:13Plus, the U.S. is pressing the pause button on approvals for a large segment of liquid natural

00:18gas exports. We'll have more on what the decision means for the country and the environment.

00:23And the Pentagon, with some sunny ambitions in 2024, installing solar panels with the goal of being

00:30more eco-friendly. Hello and welcome to EarthX News, where we focus on sustainability

00:42and the environment. I'm Christina Thompson. Let's get into some of the biggest headlines facing our

00:47planet. Leaders at the recent World Economic Forum in Davos, Switzerland, discussed proposals for

00:53a carbon tax. The World Economic Forum is an international organization for public-private

00:58cooperation and engages political, business and cultural leaders to help shape global agendas.

01:05The president of Singapore proposed a global carbon tax to force companies into moving away from power

01:10sources like coal and oil and warned that if this is not done, developing countries will be the most

01:16impacted by climate change. While other leaders agreed that climate change needs to be tackled,

01:21they did not share the Singaporean president's proposal. The finance minister for Saudi Arabia

01:27suggested that low-income countries be allowed to fuel their own transition away from fossil fuels,

01:32while Germany's finance minister proposed developing a carbon market as an alternative.

01:38The Environmental Protection Agency just signed off on a California oil company's carbon storage plan

01:43as the state transitions away from oil production. The EPA tentatively approved a proposal by California

01:50Resources Corporation to transform exhausted oil reservoirs into long-term storage sites. These sites aim to

01:58permanently store carbon emissions deep underground in the Elk Hills oil field. That's about 25 miles

02:04outside of downtown Bakersfield. It would equate to about 1.46 million metric tons of carbon dioxide each

02:11year. The company applied for permits for five projects and is trying to earn federal tax credits for the stored carbon.

02:17For every metric ton of carbon it captures in stores, the company stands to earn $85 in federal tax credits

02:24and possibly more if it qualifies for California state subsidies. Critics argue that carbon capture

02:31prolongs the life of polluting industries and does not address other harmful emissions. Environmentalists

02:37also worry about the leaks during moving and injection of carbon dioxide. Nationwide, there have been at least

02:4425 carbon dioxide pipeline leaks between 2002 and 2021. That's according to the U.S. Department of

02:50Transportation. The EPA draft permit includes measures to cut down on risks such as plugging wells,

02:57monitoring for leaks and getting an insurance policy. Funds for a giant water tunnel project could be

03:04drying up on the West Coast. The Delta Conveyance Project took a financial hit after a Sacramento County

03:10judge ruled California cannot issue bonds to help pay for the project. The decision comes after the

03:16Department of Water Resources in 2020 approved loans for an unspecified Delta program. The state agency

03:24claimed a 65 year old law allowed them to borrow money without asking permission from the state

03:29legislator. However, environmental groups in several Central Valley counties in Northern California pushed

03:36back, arguing the resolution was too broad and the agency's tunnel project was outside the scope of

03:42the law on the books. The Superior Court's judge agreed, writing in his decision, DWR's definition of

03:48the Delta program ignores the project's objectives and purposes and thereby leaves the door open for DWR

03:55and its discretion to approve water conveyance facilities that would serve purposes separate and apart from those

04:01those set forth. The agency's latest proposal is to construct a tunnel that would ferry over 160 million

04:08gallons of water per minute from wetter Northern California to drier Southern California. The channel

04:13would be about 45 miles long and 36 feet wide, according to officials. Governor Gavin Newsom maintains

04:20his support for the plan despite the court's decision. If the resolution was not ruled against, the bonds would have

04:27raised 16 billion dollars or more for the Delta project, which officials in 2022 estimated would take

04:3312 to 15 years to build. New Mexico's Environmental Department is taking its first steps towards what's

04:40being called strategic water supply, with the governor first announcing these plans in late 2023. To do this,

04:47they're trying to boost water reuse in the state and they want their citizens to weigh in, asking for experts,

04:54businesses, academics and others to give input into the state's plan to purchase and treat brackish water and

05:01leftover water from the oil and gas industry. New Mexico has set out to buy 500 million dollars worth of brackish and

05:08treated water to expand its water supply. There are brackish aquifers in some parts of New Mexico. This water is

05:15potentially usable if the dissolved solids are removed. The Defense Department will install solar panels on the Pentagon.

05:22It's part of the Biden administration's plan to promote energy conservation and clean energy.

05:28Jennifer Granholm, the U.S. Secretary of Energy, announced that the Pentagon would receive a slice

05:33of a $104 million federal grant from her department's assisting federal facilities with energy conservation

05:40technologies program or effect. She says, quote, the federal government is the world's largest consumer of

05:47energy and conserving as much power as possible in our buildings and vehicle fleets benefits taxpayers

05:54and bolsters our national security. American car buyers have cooled on EVs because of higher prices

06:00and lack of charging infrastructure. By comparison, Ford's internal combustion engine vehicles, specifically

06:05Broncos and Raptors, are ramping up production to meet demand. Coupled with lower demand, new testing shows

06:11electric vehicles appear to be falling short of government driving range estimates. Nearly half of

06:17the 22 vehicles tested failed to reach their EPA estimated ranges, with the highway range of the

06:23tested vehicles ranging from 202 miles up to 380 miles. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency range

06:30estimates listed on electric vehicle window stickers don't have the separate city and highway ranges as they

06:36do with conventional cars and hybrids. So, Consumer Reports put 22 of the most popular new EVs through a new

06:44highway speed range test. The test involved driving fully charged vehicles at a steady speed of 70 miles

06:50per hour and only stopping when each vehicle's battery was completely gone. Consumer Reports said going

06:56forward it will evaluate the highway range for every electric vehicle it tests. It also asked the EPA to add a

07:03highway speed range test. A 2022 Consumer Report survey found that 54 percent of adults said anxiety over

07:10range is what would stop them from buying an electric vehicle.

07:15Legislators in Mississippi gave bipartisan approval to state incentives for a factory that will make

07:21batteries for electric vehicles. The state incentive package totals to around 365 million dollars.

07:28Mississippi Governor Tate Reeves said the project would be the second largest corporate

07:32investment in state history. Plans call for the factory to be built in Marshall County which is close to the

07:38Tennessee state line. The U.S. Treasury Department must approve plans for the plant. If approved,

07:44the project promises 2,000 jobs to the local area. The governments of Australia and New South Wales are

07:51investing $206 million into energy saving upgrades for thousands of social housing projects across New South

07:58Wales. Cheaper solar energy for renters and residents of social housing projects is also included in the

08:04plan. The Australian government claimed that social housing properties were some of the least energy

08:10efficient homes in the country. 24,000 homes will be eligible for upgrades including solar panels,

08:16insulation and heat pump water systems. The Australian Prime Minister said that these upgrades will

08:22make homes more energy efficient and give people access to cleaner, cheaper energy.

08:27Greenland has lost 20 percent more ice than previously estimated. That's what a study found,

08:33potentially threatening ocean currents that help to regulate global temperatures. The melting

08:38freshwater could shift currents and impact weather patterns. The study combined more than 200,000

08:44observations of glacier endpoints based on satellite images taken from 1985 to 2022. The missing

08:52ice is either breaking or melting from the ends of the glaciers around Greenland's perimeter.

08:57typically below sea level. Scientists estimate some 5 trillion metric tons of ice have melted since 1992.

09:04To put it in perspective, it's about the equivalent of an ice cube covering an area larger than

09:09Manhattan and taller than Mount Everest. That's one big ice cube. The Biden administration puts a freeze on

09:16natural gas exports. James Rosen has that story. From a White House that has already invested more in the

09:22climate agenda than any other in history. And a president with an eye on a tough reelection cycle ahead,

09:28comes a new environmental policy long sought by progressive groups, a pause by the Department of

09:34Energy on pending applications to export liquefied natural gas to non-free trade agreement countries.

09:41The department's pause will remain in effect until the agency updates key economic and environmental analyses.

09:50Energy officials will focus their review on reducing costs on American energy security,

09:55on greenhouse gas emissions, especially methane, and on the impacts of LNG production on so-called

10:01frontline communities. The White House noted the U.S. remains the world's top LNG exporter.

10:07If you look at the approvals already that have been completed, you've got the number of projects that

10:14are under construction set to double the existing capacity and then approvals beyond that that would

10:19double it yet again. So there is a long runway here. The non-free trade agreement countries include

10:26all of Europe, but Biden aides say the U.S. will ensure its allies, quote, medium-term energy needs are met.

10:33Still, the Washington Post panned the policy as an election year sop to climate activists that will

10:38do much more to unsettle vital U.S. alliances than save the planet. And Democratic Senator Joe Manchin

10:44of West Virginia, chairman of the Energy Committee, vowed to hold hearings to expose, quote,

10:49this administration's motivations. The administration's decision, I think,

10:53is going to push investment away from the United States into other countries. This is a decision that's

10:59bad for consumers, it's bad for American national security, and it's certainly bad for American

11:03allies. Of particular concern, according to opponents of the move, is its potential impact

11:08on European nations that had weaned themselves from natural gas exports from Russia following

11:13that country's invasion of Ukraine. In Washington, James Rosen.

11:19Coming up, climate scientists and economists issue a warning about some of the potential challenges facing

11:24the blue economy. The reality is Mother Nature is going to happen, and we have to be prepared for

11:30it, and that's why I talk about the prudent aspect. And prudent businesses and leaders need to understand,

11:36and even government entities, the impact that it has and plan accordingly whether it's Mother Nature

11:41or geopolitical impact that could have influence over what's going on in our waterways. Stay tuned,

11:46The world's oceans play a key role in the global economy, from supporting global trade to providing

12:11food and jobs for millions of people around the world. Financial analysts refer to the

12:16sustainable use of the ocean's resources as the blue economy, and according to the Organization for

12:22Economic Cooperation and Development, the blue economy is projected to grow faster than the global

12:28economy in the coming decades and reach $3 trillion by 2030. But some climate scientists and economists

12:36warn that economic activities related to the seas and coasts could potentially be impacted by climate

12:42change. So what can be done to protect the future of this budding subsection of the

12:46world economy? Joining us now to take a deeper dive into the topic is business and markets analyst

12:52Seth Dunson. Seth, welcome on. Thanks for coming in.

12:54Seth Dunson, great to be with you.

12:56So how key is this blue economy to the overall financial well-being of the global economy?

13:02Yeah, well, the blue economy effectively accounts for up to 90% of all global trade in some way,

13:10shape, or form. That doesn't mean that 90% of all global trade is the blue economy,

13:14but the reality is that all global trade is impacted by the blue economy, whether it's

13:20something that you receive that may be shipped from overseas, whether it's a box, whether it is

13:24something that even sometimes we think about the blue economy only being exports, but you think about

13:28the Mississippi River right here in the United States and the Great Lakes. All of that has to do

13:33with the blue economy. And so it is an essential component to driving our overall growth,

13:38not only as a U.S. economy, but as a global economy. I mean, we saw how crucial shipping

13:42was to all economies when all of the shipping crisis was happening early last year. But recent

13:48shipping traffic, it was cut in the Panama Canal officials. They announced a reduction in ship

13:53crossings that they say is due to a drought. There are some other environmental issues around

13:58shipping and trade routes. So how do we balance the needs with the changes that are happening globally?

14:03Well, prudent business people have to plan for all things, right? And then that is a reality is we

14:08are seeing a shift. You mentioned the Panama Canal, which interestingly enough, you would think

14:13it is saltwater that flows. That's not. It's actually runoff of natural water, fresh water,

14:18that actually is utilized within the Panama Canal. And so that was an essential component. 5% of global

14:23trade flows through that. We've seen mass flooding in the Great Lakes, Lake Superior, Lake Michigan.

14:29That has impacted trade routes. And just recently, I mentioned a moment ago, the Mississippi River.

14:34Well, they're seeing significant drought in the Mississippi River right now in certain parts of

14:38the valleys. And so that is a key component. And so what we need to do is really start to think about

14:43what are our alternatives. But prudent business needs to be planned for regardless of what happens,

14:48that could be impacted from overall climate impact. Mother Nature is going to happen and we have to be

14:54prepared for it. And that's why I talk about the prudent aspect.

14:57So then what's the future of shipping? Do you think that we could see

15:01electric or maybe hydro-powered ships be at least a partial solution? And is it more

15:06localized manufacturing? Would that be an option?

15:08I mean, local manufacturing certainly does impact the overall export-import requirements

15:13and what we are seeing happening right now in this movement to electric vehicles for, you know,

15:20and even electric aircraft we're starting to see. Will that make its way into the shipping center?

15:24Sure. But it's hard to see a big ship like the Evergrande and some of these others that we've

15:30watched operate in a strictly electric capacity. But we need to continue to investigate what can be

15:38done to improve our capabilities, to make sure that we're not having harmful impacts on the overall

15:43climate. And that is going to impact the number of jobs. I mean, we're talking about 30 million plus

15:48jobs here as well. We talk about the overall impact of trade, but it is an actual impact to the overall

15:54jobs as well. And it's important that we have plans to address all these things.

15:58Something that legislators and policymakers usually like to say is that you have to eliminate or reduce

16:03fossil fuels. But this would have a massive impact on the shipping industry.

16:08Is this something that's realistic? Is it even possible to eliminate fossil fuels when it comes to shipping?

16:13A lot of times when I hear politicians talk about that, I think they think like it's a switch that

16:18we can flip. It's not. And is it something we can do? Well, certainly it can. I hate to think that

16:23anything is beyond reach if we focus in and try to make a plan for it. But you can't do it in a vacuum,

16:29meaning you have to think about the overall economic impact of decisions that are being made.

16:33Are we inside of a world where in the next decade we've eliminated our need for fossil fuels? Absolutely not.

16:40Not if we want to be prudent economists, as we think about the overall economy. Just because

16:44the costs associated with doing that would cause shipping to increase so much, it wouldn't be

16:49affordable. And that would have a massive global impact. So I think we have to walk and chew gum

16:54at the same time here when it comes to thinking about alternatives to fossil fuels. We need to think

16:58through what the planning is, but be prudent in how we do that.

17:02Seth, let's end on a good note. What steps can we take to specifically help the blue economy thrive

17:08in the future? Well, I always like to say anybody that has control, I remember growing up in the

17:13era where we would talk about not littering and picking up the ocean and waterways. That is a

17:16critical component. This earth is a great blessing and it's up to all of us to make sure that we

17:21maintain it and control what we do. Pay attention to where we buy our goods and how we buy our goods and

17:26what companies, what their environmental policies are. But most importantly, what do we control ourselves?

17:32That's the thing that we can do. Seth Denson, thank you for coming on. Thanks so much.

17:36Coming up, scientists make a stunning discovery about an iconic species in Antarctica.

17:42Stay tuned. That story is just ahead.

17:52Scientists monitoring the world's largest penguins make a rare find in Antarctica thanks to some new

18:11satellite images. Alex Salvi has more. The emperor penguin, an iconic species in the coldest place on

18:19Earth, but warming temperatures are putting the flightless bird in danger. They're considered to

18:24be near threatened with extinction, but a recent discovery is providing a new sense of hope for

18:28their dwindling numbers. Satellite images spotting four previously unknown colonies over the past year,

18:34providing insights about the emperor penguins' migratory patterns.

18:38The importance of this is twofold. It does increase the population slightly, but also it shows us

18:46the colonies which, where the colonies are, because there are a discrete number of colonies around Antarctica.

18:54And as the penguins move to find new ice, they may start going to these new colonies,

19:00so we need to know where they're going to move to. Because they rarely form brand new colonies,

19:06they usually move to pre-existing colonies. So it's very important to know where all the colonies

19:11are so we can track their movements over time. The new colonies don't dramatically change the numbers

19:16of known emperor penguins, around 300,000 breeding pairs, but they do help scientists understand why

19:22the species may be moving. The early conclusion is that their colonies are melting, therefore

19:28threatening their breeding grounds on patches of frozen ice. Scientists currently know of 66 colonies

19:33that are suitable for emperor penguin breeding, but that number is quickly decreasing as the Earth's

19:38temperature rises. It's a reality that is highly difficult to address, a problem that is not merely

19:43centralized to the Arctic Circle, but the entire Earth. It's for this reason that scientists are

19:48tempering their excitement about the new discoveries. We can't put the sea ice back, we can't build

19:53something for them, that's not the way that it works. Seeing how they adapt and changing our own

19:58behavior really, because it's not the, really, it's not the emperor penguins that need to adapt and

20:02change, it's us that need to adapt and change to stop the world warming up. Because the emperor penguin is

20:10one species and this is going to happen to many, many other species as well. Knowing more about the

20:15emperor penguins movements allows researchers to assist them in their fight to adapt. And with mother

20:20nature acting as a formidable foe in those efforts, scientists are looking for any advantage they can

20:25to ensure the species' survival. For EarthX, I'm Alex Alvey. Alex Alvey, thank you. Before we leave you,

20:33video of an alligator's bizarre winter behavior is going viral on social media. Online footage shows

20:40the cold-blooded reptile frozen in an icy pond with just its snout protruding through the frozen water.

20:47And this doesn't happen by accident. It does this so it can breathe. The animal was spotted

20:53literally chilling out at the Gator Country Rescue Center in Beaumont, Texas, that's just outside of

20:59Houston, when temperatures dropped below freezing during a cold snap in mid-January. EarthX TV's very

21:05own Gary Sarge explains how the reptile survived the frigid weather. Listen. Here's what happens though

21:12to the American alligator. We can leave them outside because they're brilliant. They have figured out to go

21:16into a state of hibernation. On a regular warm day, this animal will have a heart rate of 55 beats per

21:22minute. Today, he's gone to a true hibernation to where his heart rate is down to three beats per minute.

21:29This is how they survive. The state of inactivity Gary describes is called brumation and it's the

21:34gator's way of hibernating. But unlike mammals, the reptiles don't fall into a deep sleep. So despite

21:40their low metabolic state, they still wake up so they can drink water. Gotta stay hydrated. That's it for this

21:46edition of EarthX News. Please join us again next week. I'm Christina Thompson.

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