Hugely anticipated report out this morning from Stand.Earth, Stop the Money Pipeline (STMP), and Sierra Club.

From Stand.Earth: "A first-of-its-kind report, the Hidden Risk analyzes the proxy voting records and proxy voting guidelines of the 19 public pensions that are in states where a state financial officer has indicated it is a priority issue both to advocate for more sustainable, just, and inclusive firms and markets , and to protect against climate risk.”

From STMP: "Did you know that the Washington State Investment Board (WSIB) regularly uses its $200 billion in investments to vote against shareholder resolutions that would push mega corporations, such as big banks, to take meaningful climate action? WSIB’s job is to help thousands of Washingtonians save for retirement by investing their pension savings across the economy. These workers trust WSIB to manage their pension funds responsibly, including managing climate risk, but a new report that we just released with Sierra Club and Stand.earth today shows that WSIB is failing.”

Press Release from Stand Earth: https://stand.earth/resources/the-hidden-risk-in-state-pensions-analyzing-state-pensions-responses-to-the-climate-crisis-in-proxy-voting/

Press Release from Sierra Club: https://www.sierraclub.org/press-releases/2024/01/new-report-hidden-risk-state-pensions-analyzing-state-pensions-responses

READ THE FULL REPORT: The Hidden Risk in State Pensions: Analyzing State Pensions’ Responses to the Climate Crisis in Proxy Voting at https://stand.earth/wp-content/uploads/2024/01/The-Hidden-Risk-in-State-Pensions-Report.pdf

I highlighted (with arrows) Washington State Investment Board’s pathetic grades in three (screenshotted) charts from the report, but Oregon's grades are also listed:
Chart 1: https://cascadiacan.org/docs/HiddenRisk_chart1.gif
Chart 2: https://cascadiacan.org/docs/HiddenRisk_chart2.gif
Chart 3: https://cascadiacan.org/docs/HiddenRisk_chart3.gif

We will be discussing the report's findings and recommendations at tomorrow morning’s Divest WA monthly meeting. Join (free) today at https://divestwa.org/divest-washington-welcome/join-us . Hope to see you there!

“We want to keep supporting you,” said loyal #Costco shopper and awesome WA #divestment advocate Anne Shields. “Do the right thing, and tell Citibank to divest from fossil fuels or we’re going to take our business elsewhere.”

“Even for a company like Costco that has an enormous, very sizable carbon footprint, their banking emissions are still one of their largest sources of emissions,” said Paul Moinester, founder and executive director of TopoFinance.

https://insideclimatenews.org/news/18012024/costco-members-welcome-new-ceo-demand-to-drop-citibank/

Pacific Northwest Renewable Energy (PNWRE) seeks approval from Olympic Region Clean Air Agency (ORCAA) to construct a new #WoodPellet manufacturing facility in Hoquiam WA. If approved, the facility will emit air pollution from combustion of woody biomass in an industrial furnace, from the drying of biomass feedstock, and from other wood processing activities. The facility will be a “Major Source” of air pollution because emissions of several air pollutants, including Oxides of Nitrogen (NOx), Carbon Monoxide (CO), and Particulate Matter (PM), may exceed 100 tons per year or more.

Biomass is NOT renewable energy! Our PNW #Forests are in jeopardy all for export to Asia. This proposed facility is a terrible idea for multiple reasons. Please speak up in opposition.

ORCAA is accepting public comments in writing (deadline 4:30 pm Jan 18th) and at a public hearing at 6:30 pm Jan 16th in Hoquiam.

DOCs and details at https://www.orcaa.org/notices/notice-of-construction-pacific-northwest-renewable-energy-2/

Continued attack on the lower Columbia River by out-of-state speculative unproven company. This time NXT "Renewable" Fuels. Public Hearing on Wednesday in Port Westward OR to hear comments on latest proposed modifications to their project.

Op-ed by local resident, retired Oregon Dept of Enviro Quality:

"This proposal is a classic bait-and-switch strategy used to distract from the risks and adverse impacts for south county residents’ quality of life. “Ship-in, ship-out” switched to “jumbo-manifest trains and a massive railyard displacing existing, successful agriculture." “No virgin oils, and only waste feedstocks” switched to “virgin oils … and, sorry, it’s the market’s fault.”"

https://tdn.com/opinion/one-reader-s-view-nxt-renewables-uses-bait-and-switch-to-get-its-way-at/article_fa3f9204-ae4f-11ee-80bc-5b70cd477886.html

Take note of the valuable fertile farmland at risk:

New Climate North Star project calls for full global #decarbonization by 2035.

"With the impacts of the climate crisis growing more acute and frequent across the globe, a multi-disciplinary team of scientists and researchers has collaborated to create a bold, new plan to speed up decarbonization worldwide."

"Released as the 28th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (COP28) concludes in the United Arab Emirates – far from advancing solutions commensurate with the climate emergency – the Climate North Star project integrates the fields of forestry, soil science, energy, economics and materials management to maximize the speed of transition to a fossil fuel-free world, with the aim of completely decarbonizing the global energy system by 2035. The plan also emphasizes climate justice as a critical element of decarbonization efforts." #forests

PRESS RELEASE: https://climatenorthstar.org/scientists-activists-release-plan-for-maximum-speed-decarbonization/

FULL REPORT & EXECUTIVE SUMMARY: https://climatenorthstar.org/

Rockaway Beach is a special place on the Oregon coast. Always stop there for fresh cought crab picnic. This is such a sad but important read.

"After cutting down all of the trees in a clear-cut, the denuded land is sprayed with powerful herbicides to kill young deciduous trees such as red alder.

Red alder is a “pioneer species” and one of the first trees to regenerate after a forest is destroyed; helping to anchor the exposed soil against erosion.

Because these trees are able to “fix” large amounts of atmospheric nitrogen into the soil, the enriched soil allows other plant species to grow and thrive. Stands of red alder can serve as natural firebreaks during low- to moderate-intensity wildfires, as these deciduous trees are much less flammable than conifers.

But red alder grow rapidly and compete with the desired commercial monoculture of conifer species planted by private timber companies after clear-cutting, so red alder trees are routinely destroyed with herbicides, along with native vegetation such as elderberry, salmonberry and thimbleberry."

https://columbiainsight.org/how-intense-logging-degraded-water-at-a-popular-oregon-coast-town/

Vessel collision with pipeline and dock at Port Westward on the lower Columbia River narrowly avoids major oil spill. All the more reason not to expand fossil fuel infrastructure at Port Westward! Major public hearing on Jan 10th. Columbia Riverkeeper will provide talking points soon. Learn more and sign petition at https://www.columbiariverkeeper.org/take-action/NXT-refinery #NoRng #RngIsNotGreenEnergy

https://www.thechiefnews.com/news/close-call-incident-at-port-westward-narrowly-avoids-oil-spill/article_7ec2b85c-84e4-11ee-9c40-67f7c9010547.html