WASHINGTON (Reuters) – The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will no longer sponsor an awards program honoring voluntary corporate actions to combat global warming, it announced on Friday, the agency’s latest move to undo Obama-era climate change programs. </s> WASHINGTON (Reuters) - The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency will no longer sponsor an awards program honoring voluntary corporate actions to combat global warming, it announced on Friday, the agency’s latest move to undo Obama-era climate change programs.

FILE PHOTO: Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Scott Pruitt speaks during an interview for Reuters at his office in Washington, U.S., July 10, 2017. REUTERS/Yuri Gripas

Since 2012, the EPA has been the lead sponsor of the Climate Leadership Awards program and conference, which recognizes companies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their internal operations and supply chains.

In an email sent on Friday, the EPA announced it will no longer be involved in the awards or the conference.

Under Administrator Scott Pruitt, who has repeatedly expressed doubts about climate change, the EPA has moved to undo dozens of Obama-era climate regulations in what it says is an effort to ease the regulatory burden on energy and agriculture companies.

In the Trump administration’s budget proposal for 2018, the EPA was the target of the largest cut - 31 percent - a figure that Republican and Democratic lawmakers opposed.

In Friday’s email, the EPA did not explain why it is eliminating the awards program, but apologized for the inconvenience of its announcement in the middle of the award application process. The awards were to be given out in Denver between Feb. 28 and March 2, 2018.

“It shouldn’t be a surprise to anyone that we don’t plan to fund an awards ceremony on climate change,” said Jahan Wilcox, EPA spokesman.

The agency spent $24,950 per year on sponsorship, plus travel and staff time for those managing the awards.

NGO co-sponsors of the awards program and conference - C2ES and the Climate Registry - said on Friday they will continue to fund the awards and conference and are eager to work with new partners to host the program.

The program has honored more than 115 companies and individuals since 2012, including Microsoft Corp (MSFT.O), Boeing Co (BA.N) and Mack Trucks (VOLVb.ST), as well as institutions like the University of California at Irvine. </s> The Environmental Protection Agency has dropped its sponsorship of a climate change awards program co-sponsored by two environmental organizations.

“The Agency has decided to discontinue the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) involvement with the 2018 Climate Leadership Awards program,” the EPA said on its website.

“This includes canceling the 2018 Climate Leadership Awards as well as EPA’s sponsorship of the Climate Leadership Conference.”

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The awards program recognizes organizations and individuals that take steps to address climate change. It also awards organizations that publicly report their greenhouse gas production levels and reduction efforts.

Winners in 2017, which were announced at the Climate Leadership Conference in March, include Goldman Sachs, IBM and Lockheed Martin Corp., as well as a California assemblyman, the climate policy director for Atlanta and a sustainability officer for JetBlue Airways.

Organizers of the leadership awards and the climate conference said there were “disappointed” by the agency’s decision, but that the awards program and conference will move forward without the EPA.

“We believe it’s more important than ever to encourage and recognize climate action by businesses, organizations, local governments and individuals to reduce the man-made emissions that are causing our climate to change,” said Ann McCabe, executive director of the Climate Registry, and Bob Perciasepe, president of the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions, in a statement.

“We’re eager for opportunities to build new partnerships to ensure the 2018 Climate Leadership Conference and Awards are better than ever.” </s> Under Administrator Scott Pruitt, who has repeatedly expressed doubts about climate change, the EPA has moved to undo dozens of Obama-era climate regulations in what it says is an effort to ease the regulatory burden on energy and agriculture companies.

[WASHINGTON] The US Environmental Protection Agency will no longer sponsor an awards program honouring voluntary corporate actions to combat global warming, it announced on Friday, the agency's latest move to undo Obama-era climate change programs.

Since 2012, the EPA has been the lead sponsor of the Climate Leadership Awards program and conference, which recognises companies that reduce greenhouse gas emissions in their internal operations and supply chains.

In an email sent on Friday, the EPA announced it will no longer be involved in the awards or the conference.

Under Administrator Scott Pruitt, who has repeatedly expressed doubts about climate change, the EPA has moved to undo dozens of Obama-era climate regulations in what it says is an effort to ease the regulatory burden on energy and agriculture companies.

In the Trump administration's budget proposal for 2018, the EPA was the target of the largest cut - 31 per cent - a figure that Republican and Democratic lawmakers opposed.

In Friday's email, the EPA did not explain why it is eliminating the awards program, but apologised for the inconvenience of its announcement in the middle of the award application process. The awards were to be given out in Denver between Feb 28 and March 2, 2018.

"It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that we don't plan to fund an awards ceremony on climate change," said Jahan Wilcox, EPA spokesman.

The agency spent US$24,950 per year on sponsorship, plus travel and staff time for those managing the awards.

NGO co-sponsors of the awards program and conference - C2ES and the Climate Registry - said on Friday they will continue to fund the awards and conference and are eager to work with new partners to host the program.

The program has honoured more than 115 companies and individuals since 2012, including Microsoft Corp, Boeing Co and Mack Trucks, as well as institutions like the University of California at Irvine. </s> EPA spokesperson Jahan Wilcox apologized but didn't explain why the EPA withdrew its support. As he told Reuters in an email "It shouldn't be a surprise to anyone that [the EPA doesn't] plan to fund an awards ceremony on climate change." To start with, the administration's proposed budget for 2018 will see its funding cut by 31 percent, which will specifically affect its climate change and pollution initiatives. Even without the budget cut, though, it's hard to imagine the EPA supporting a climate change award in its current state.

Earlier this year, the agency pulled down its climate science pages to reflect the views of the White House. The president also signed an executive order rolling back climate policies approved by the previous administration. And let's not forget that the United States withdrew from the Paris Accord, an agreement between 142 countries to make an effort to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

While the awards program for 2018 was canceled, the EPA's former co-sponsors, non-government organizations C2ES and the Climate Registry, intend to continue the tradition. They're now looking for a new co-sponsor willing to fund and host the program in the future. </s> A California court ruled in favor of the nation’s top oil companies on Monday, dismissing a lawsuit that held them responsible for the effects of global climate change.

Last year, the cities of San Francisco and Oakland sued Chevron Corporation, Exxon Mobil Corporation, ConocoPhillips, Royal Dutch Shell Plc, and BP Plc for an abatement fund that would help to aid cities affected by flooding allegedly caused by climate change. The U.S. District Court for the Northern District of California granted Chevron’s motion to dismiss the suit, however, stating that “the scope of plaintiffs’ theory is breathtaking. It would reach the sale of fossil fuels anywhere in the world, including all past and otherwise lawful sales,” according to a statement released by Chevron.

Chevron noted that similar claims of the production and sale of oil and gas being a public nuisance that produces harmful greenhouse gas emissions had been rejected in courts across the country.

The company also stated that it had filed motions to dismiss such cases in other U.S. cities and counties, including in New York City and King County, Washington, although it does support “meaningful efforts to address climate change and accepts internationally recognized climate science.”

“Reliable, affordable energy is not a public nuisance but a public necessity,” said R. Hewitt Pate, Chevron’s vice president and general counsel. “Tackling the difficult international policy issues of climate change requires honest and constructive discussion. Using lawsuits to vilify the men and women who provide the energy we all need is neither honest nor constructive.” </s> Website ‘undergoing changes’ to reflect agency’s ‘new direction’, as tens of thousands protest inaction on climate in cities across the US

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This article is more than 2 years old

The US Environmental Protection Agency’s main climate change website is “undergoing changes” to better reflect “the agency’s new direction” under Donald Trump.

The American people – not Big Oil – must decide our climate future | Senator Bernie Sanders and Mark Jacobson Read more

The announcement, made late on Friday evening, left empty what was previously the “official government site” providing “comprehensive information on the issue of climate change and global warming”.

The change came a day before thousands gathered in Washington DC and other US cities to protest about inaction on climate change, and hours before the symbolic 100-day mark of the Trump administration.

At the marquee climate protest, the People’s Climate March in Washington, tens of thousands made their way down Pennsylvania Avenue in sweltering heat on their way to encircle the White House.

Organizers said about 300 sister marches or rallies were being held around the country, including in Seattle, Boston and San Francisco. In Chicago, marchers headed from the city’s federal plaza to Trump Tower. In Denver, marchers were met with a dose of spring snow.

Some of the marches drew celebrity attendees, including former vice-president Al Gore and actor Leonardo DiCaprio in the capital and senator and former candidate for the Democratic presidential nomination Bernie Sanders at an event in Montpelier, Vermont.

“Honored to join Indigenous leaders and native peoples as they fight for climate justice,” DiCaprio tweeted.

Any marchers who used their phones to look at the EPA climate change website would have been greeted with a message from the new administration: “This page is being updated.”

“As EPA renews its commitment to human health and clean air, land and water, our website needs to reflect the views of the leadership of the agency,” said JP Freire, an associate administrator for public affairs.

Previously, the website housed data on greenhouse gas emissions from large polluters and reports on the effects of climate change and its impact on human health.

“We want to eliminate confusion,” Freire said, “by removing outdated language first and making room to discuss how we’re protecting the environment and human health by partnering with states and working within the law.”

Information from previous administrations is archived as a link from the EPA’s website.

Facebook Twitter Pinterest Demonstrators march in Chicago. Photograph: Joshua Lott/AFP/Getty Images

The EPA is currently led by Scott Pruitt, a former Oklahoma attorney general who has denied that carbon dioxide causes global warming.

The Republicans who care about climate change: 'They are done with the denial' Read more

The Trump administration has called for budget cuts of nearly one-third at the EPA and has sought to weaken protections for human health. For instance, the White House has proposed cutting funding and regulations regarding lead poisoning prevention and is considering rewriting regulations concerning smog.

It has already rolled back a law that prevented coalmining companies from dumping waste in streams.

In an op-ed piece for the Guardian published on Saturday, Sanders made an economic case for a focus on industries meant to ameliorate the effects of climate change, rather than those which contribute to it.

The senator from Vermont wrote: “No matter what agenda President Trump and his administration of climate deniers push, it is clear that jobs in clean energy like wind and solar are growing much more rapidly than jobs in the coal, oil and gas sectors.” </s> SACRAMENTO, Calif. (AP) — California Gov. Jerry Brown plans to convene a climate conference next year, his latest action to position the state as a leader in battling global warming as the White House recedes.

The summit set for 2018 in San Francisco will mark the first time a state is hosting a climate gathering aimed at upholding the goals of the Paris climate agreement, an international pact to fight global warming that President Donald Trump is exiting.

Brown announced the Global Climate Action summit on Thursday in a video message to the Global Citizen Festival in Hamburg, Germany. His announcement comes as Trump is in Hamburg for a meeting of the Group of 20 economic powers, which includes many European allies that encouraged the president not to withdraw from the Paris agreement.

The Trump administration’s decision to roll back environmental regulations in the United States and withdraw from the international agreement has elevated Brown’s profile on the world stage. He traveled to China earlier this year to discuss climate policy and will serve as a special envoy to states and regions at the United Nation’s November climate conference.

“Yes, I know President Trump is trying to get out of the Paris agreement, but he doesn’t speak for the rest of America,” Brown said in the video. “We in California and in states all across America believe it’s time to act.”

Brown’s climate conference will feature representatives of subnational governments, businesses, investors, musicians and others to highlight action to fight global warming and to “spur deeper commitment” from national governments. A full list of attendees hasn’t been released, and it’s unclear if any foreign presidents or prime ministers plan to attend.

“It’s up to you and it’s up to me and tens of millions of other people to get it together to roll back the forces of carbonization and join together to combat the existential threat of climate change,” Brown said in the video.

Building alliances to fight climate change has been a key piece of Brown’s tenure. He’s already launched a multi-state effort to keep the country on track to meet the Paris goals and created an alliance of subnational governments aimed at slowing the warming of the planet.

Meanwhile in Sacramento, Brown is struggling to reach consensus on a bill to reauthorize California’s cap-and-trade program, the cornerstone of the state’s efforts to reduce carbon emissions. </s> SAN FRANCISCO - Businesses and corporate leaders were quick to react to President Trump's decision Thursday to pull the U.S. from the Paris climate agreement.

Tesla CEO Elon Musk made good on his threat to leave President Trump's CEO-stacked economic council if he turns his back on the consortium of nations pledged to fight climate change. Trump has argued that taxes and other measures imposed by such a group would hamper U.S. economic growth.

Musk tweeted that "climate change is real. Leaving Paris is not good for America or the world."

Musk, whose companies not only make rockets and fancy electric cars but also are pushing hard into solar electricity, had been very public about defending his decision to be a part of Trump's advisory group, arguing that having the president's ear was better than having no influence at all.

Other reactions that expressed disappointment with the president's decision include those from:

General Motors said it is sticking by a previous assertion that combating climate change is good for business. The company said its Chevrolet Bolt electric car, the only long-range mass-market electric vehicle in the U.S., is an example of its commitment to zero-emission solutions.

“GM will not waver from our commitment to the environment and our position on climate change has not changed,” General Motors said in a statement following the president’s announcement. “International agreements aside, we remain committed to creating a better environment.”

Google CEO Sundar Pichai tweeted he was "Disappointed with today’s decision. Google will keep working hard for a cleaner, more prosperous future for all."

The computing giant, a carbon neutral company since 2007, is on track this year to reach its goal of 100% renewable energy for global operations.

Customer relationship management software CEO Marc Benioff tweeted that he was "Deeply disappointed by President's decision to withdraw from ParisAgreement. We will double our efforts to fight climate change."

Benioff included a photo of Salesforce's official response, which notes that his company is pushing to achieve carbon-neutral cloud storage status while running 100% on renewable energy.

The computing giant posted a message on its website "reaffirming its support" for the Paris agreement.

"IBM has been one of industry’s earliest — and unambiguous — leaders on the subject of climate change with a commitment that goes back decades. Ten years ago, we declared that climate change was one of the most critical global environmental challenges facing the planet," the statement reads.

IBM CEO Ginni Rometty is on the presidential economic advisory council that Musk has just left.

Microsoft CEO Satya Nadella tweeted that "We believe climate change is an urgent issue that demands global action. We remain committed to doing our part."

Nadella linked to his company's official statement on the decision to exit the Paris agreement. It noted that Microsoft had for weeks, and along with other big companies, lobbied President Trump on the matter, urging him to keep the U.S. in the agreement.

"We believe that continued U.S. participation benefits U.S. businesses and the economy in important and multiple ways," wrote Microsoft president Brad Smith. "A global framework strengthens competitiveness for American businesses. It creates new markets for innovative clean technologies, from green power to smart grids to cloud-enabled solutions."
The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency announces, effective in 2019, it will no longer sponsor the Climate Leadership Awards program that honors voluntary corporate actions to combat global warming.