♪♪

♪♪

>> LEAD FUNDING FOR

"PERIL AND PROMISE"

IS PROVIDED BY

DR. P. ROY VAGELOS AND

DIANA T. VAGELOS.

MAJOR SUPPORT IS PROVIDED

BY THE MARC HAAS FOUNDATION

AND SUE AND

EDGAR WACHENHEIM III.

>> HELLO,

AND THANKS FOR JOINING US.

I'M JIM PAYMAR WITH THE

"LONG ISLAND BUSINESS REPORT."

IN THE LAST THREE YEARS,

TEMPERATURES AROUND THE GLOBE

HAVE SOARED TO THE HIGHEST

LEVELS EVER RECORDED.

THE POLAR ICE CAPS ARE MELTING.

GLACIERS ARE DISAPPEARING.

DEVASTATING

STORMS ARE BECOMING THE NORM,

AND SEAS ARE RISING,

A PARTICULAR CONCERN RIGHT HERE

ON LONG ISLAND.

THE REALITY OF CLIMATE

HAS NEVER BEEN MORE CLEAR

NOR MORE DANGEROUS.

CAN WE REDUCE GREENHOUSE

GAS EMISSIONS

AND STOP THE RISE OF GLOBAL

HEATING PATTERNS

THAT THREATEN THE EXISTENCE

OF FUTURE GENERATIONS?

AS PART OF OUR ONGOING SERIES

OF REPORTS, "PERIL AND PROMISE:

THE CHALLENGE

OF CLIMATE CHANGE,"

WE'RE TAKING A LOOK AT HOW

WE CAN IMPACT CLIMATE POLICY

SO WE CAN SURVIVE RISING SEAS

AND POWERFUL STORMS.

JOINING ME TO DISCUSS

THE ISSUE OF CLIMATE CHANGE

IS CATE ROGERS, LEADERSHIP CORPS

AT THE CLIMATE REALITY PROJECT,

AND SANDRA GARREN, DIRECTOR

OF SUSTAINABILITY STUDIES

IN THE DEPARTMENT OF GEOLOGY,

ENVIRONMENT AND SUSTAINABILITY

AT HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY.

CATE AND SANDRA, THANK YOU

SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US TODAY.

>> THANK YOU FOR HAVING US, JIM.

>> THANK YOU.

>> YOU KNOW, WE'VE WITHDRAWN

FROM THE PARIS CLIMATE ACCORDS.

WE'RE THE ONLY COUNTRY

IN THE WORLD TO HAVE DONE SO.

PRESIDENT TRUMP HAS OPENED UP

ALL OF OUR COASTLINES

EXCEPT FOR THE STATE OF FLORIDA

TO OFFSHORE OIL DRILLING,

AND SCOTT PRUITT,

THE EPA DIRECTOR,

IS BASICALLY DISMANTLING

ALL THE PROGRAMS THAT HAVE BEEN

PUT IN PLACE BEFORE HIM,

SO WHERE DO WE STAND IN TERMS

OF CLIMATE POLICY

AND CLIMATE CHANGE?

WELL, JIM,

THOSE ELEMENTS ARE TRUE

WITH THIS ADMINISTRATION,

KIND OF PUSHING US BACKWARDS

IN TIME.

I'M A MEMBER OF THE CLIMATE

REALITY PROJECT,

WHICH IS FOUNDED BY NOBEL

LAUREATE AND FORMER

VICE PRESIDENT AL GORE,

AND WE ARE TASKED AND DEDICATED

TO CATALYZING A GLOBAL SOLUTION

BY MAKING THE CLIMATE CRISIS

URGENT

ACROSS ALL SECTORS OF SOCIETY.

SO THE FEDERAL GOVERNMENT

IS ONE THING,

BUT CITIES, STATES,

LOCAL TOWNS

ARE PICKING UP THE BALL,

WHICH IS BEING DROPPED

ON THE FEDERAL LEVEL.

>> AND, SANDRA, WHAT ARE YOU

HEARING FROM STUDENTS,

FOR EXAMPLE, IN YOUR CLASS?

YOU TEACH AT HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY.

ARE THEY SAVVY?

ARE THEY REALLY GROUNDED

IN WHAT'S GOING ON

IN TERMS OF CLIMATE CHANGE,

OR WHAT'S THEIR RESPONSE?

ARE THEY GETTING INVOLVED?

>> ABSOLUTELY, THE STUDENTS

AT HOFSTRA UNIVERSITY

ARE SPECTACULAR,

AND THEY ARE VERY WELL VERSED

IN CLIMATE CHANGE

AND POLICY ISSUES,

AND THEY'RE WORKING HARD AT

THE LEVEL

THAT THEY CAN TO EFFECT CHANGE

AND BECOME CHANGE AGENTS,

TRANSITIONING, ATTEMPTING

TO TRANSITION OUR WORLD TOWARDS

A MORE SUSTAINABLE FUTURE.

>> AND, CATE, WHAT DO YOU SEE

OUT EAST WHERE YOU LIVE?

YOU LIVE AT THE EAST END

OF THE ISLAND,

AND, YOU KNOW, I'VE SEEN SOME

OF THE PICTURES OF BEACH EROSION

ALONG SOME OF YOUR BEACHES,

AND THERE'S SOME REAL CONCERN

THAT, YOU KNOW, IN 10, 15,

20 YEARS FROM NOW, THERE'S NOT

GOING TO BE ANY BEACHES.

>> AND I DON'T THINK THAT'S JUST

AN EAST END PROBLEM, JIM.

IF YOU LOOK AT LONG BEACH,

FREEPORT, PORT JEFFERSON

AND EAST HAMPTON, SOUTH HAMPTON,

THESE ARE ALL AREAS THAT HAVE

BEEN IMPACTED

BOTH THROUGH BOTH

THE RESIDENTS THAT LIVE THERE

AND THE BUSINESSES,

AND ECONOMICALLY

BY SUPERSTORM SANDY

AND THE SEA-LEVEL RISE.

ONE OF OUR MOST IMPORTANT

ECONOMIC ENGINES

IS DOWNTOWN MONTAUK,

WHERE WE HAVE A ROW OF HOTELS,

THEN SHOPS, THEN RESTAURANTS,

WHICH REALLY BRINGS

A LOT OF TOURISM OUT TO OUR TOWN

AND SUPPORTS THE LOCAL PEOPLE,

AND THEY ARE UNDER

DIRECT THREAT.

THE OCEAN HAS LAPPED OUT

THEIR FOUNDATIONS.

THEY'VE PUT IN A TEMPORARY FIX

WITH GEOTEXTILE BAGS WITH

THE ARMY CORPS OF ENGINEERS,

BUT IT'S A BAND-AID.

>> MM-HMM.

>> AND THE BEACH,

EVERY TIME THEY PUT SAND ON,

THE TIDE COMES UP AGAIN,

WITH THE INTENSITY OF STORMS

AND THE FREQUENCY OF STORMS

THAT WE'RE HAVING NOW

BECAUSE OF CLIMATE CHANGE,

AND PULLS THE SAND OUT,

SO THEY'RE LOOKING AT LONG-TERM

PLANNING

TO RETREAT AT SOME POINT

BECAUSE AT THIS POINT,

THAT'S THE ONLY OPTION.

WHAT WE NEED TO DO GLOBALLY

IS TO REDUCE OUR DEPENDENCE

ON FOSSIL FUELS.

YOU'RE NOT GOING TO BE ABLE

TO FIX THE LITTLE SPOT

OF EAST HAMPTON ON THE GLOBE.

IT'S THE ENTIRE EARTH THAT'S

FEELING THE EFFECTS

OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

>> SANDRA, FROM A GLOBAL

PERSPECTIVE,

IF WE, AS THE LEADING

INDUSTRIAL NATION

IN THE WORLD,

DON'T STEP UP

AND TAKE A LEADERSHIP ROLE,

HOW CAN WE EXPECT COUNTRIES

LIKE CHINA AND INDIA

AND INDONESIA

AND MALAYSIA AND BRAZIL TO,

IN EFFECT, YOU KNOW,

DO THEIR PART TO REDUCE

CARBON EMISSIONS?

>> WELL, CITIZENS

OF THE UNITED STATES

ARE STEPPING UP,

AND LOCAL GOVERNMENTS AND STATES

ARE FILLING THAT VOID

THAT IS LACKING

IN OUR CURRENT ADMINISTRATION,

SO THERE IS EVIDENCE

THAT WE ARE

MAKING PROGRESS ON IT,

AND THE POLITICAL CYCLES

ARE HOPEFULLY SHORT,

AND, YOU KNOW, POLITICS CHANGES,

AND WE'RE DOING IT ANYWAY.

INNOVATION,

BUSINESSES ARE DOING IT.

TESLA IS DOING IT.

SO THERE IS HOPE FOR THE FUTURE.

>> AND GOVERNOR CUOMO...

>> IT'S SHORT-LIVED, AND I THINK

THE REST OF THE WORLD KNOWS

THAT PEOPLE IN THE UNITED STATES

DO CARE ABOUT IT.

>> AND WE HAVE AN OPPORTUNITY

ALSO,

DON'T WE, SANDRA, TO...

GOVERNOR CUOMO HAS ANNOUNCED

A MAJOR WIND PROJECT

OFF THE SHORES OF NEW YORK.

>> MM-HMM.

YES.

>> THAT COULD BE A BIG CATALYST

TO START PRODUCING ELECTRICITY

FROM WIND

RATHER THAN FROM FOSSIL FUELS.

YES, YES, SO THAT'S

A 15-WIND-TURBINE PROJECT,

AND IT WILL PROVIDE ELECTRICITY

FOR ABOUT 50,000 HOMES,

WHICH IS GOOD.

GOVERNMENT CUOMO IS ALSO

SHOWING LEADERSHIP.

HE ANNOUNCED $1.4 BILLION

TO SUPPORT 26 RENEWABLE-ENERGY

PROJECTS ACROSS NEW YORK,

WHICH WILL POWER, I THINK,

350,000 HOMES,

SO STATE LEADERSHIP

IS STEPPING UP.

THERE'S A RENEWABLE-ENERGY

STANDARD

TO PROVIDE 50 PERCENT

OF OUR ELECTRICITY FROM

RENEWABLES BY THE YEAR 2030,

SO STATE ACTION IS WORKING.

>> AND GOVERNOR CUOMO

JUST ANNOUNCED

HIS OFFSHORE WIND MASTER PLAN,

WHICH WILL SURROUND LONG ISLAND.

WE'RE 30 MILES OFFSHORE OF THE

PROJECT

THAT SANDRA IS RELATING TO,

IS DEEPWATER WIND.

THAT'S THE 15 TURBINE...

>> RIGHT.

>> ...THE 50,000 HOMES.

WE HAVE A PEAK-ENERGY PROBLEM

DURING OUR SUMMER WEEKENDS,

WHERE WE NOW USE DIRTY,

FOSSIL-FUEL-BURNING GENERATORS

AT OUR SUBSTATIONS

TO SUPPLEMENT THE ENERGY.

THE DEEPWATER WIND PROJECT

WILL ELIMINATE THOSE

AND HELP US, OUR TOWN,

GET TO ITS PLEDGE OF 100 PERCENT

RENEWABLE BY 2022,

AND OUR GROUP,

CLIMATE REALITY PROJECT,

MOVES AROUND TO TOWNS,

BUSINESS, STATES

AND INTERNATIONAL GOVERNMENTS

ALSO LOOKING FOR

THE 100 PERCENT COMMITTED

PLEDGE, SO AGAIN,

I KNOW THAT IT CAN SEEM

DEPRESSING TO HEAR

THE NEWS ABOUT WHAT'S GOING ON,

BUT WE SHOULDN'T SINK INTO

DESPAIR

BECAUSE THERE ARE SO MANY GOOD

SOLUTIONS THAT ARE GOING ON,

AND ECONOMICALLY,

IT'S ECONOMICALLY DRIVEN BECAUSE

THE INVESTMENT IN RENEWABLES

IS GROWING BY THE MONTH.

>> AND WHAT ABOUT CORPORATIONS?

I MEAN, CORPORATIONS ARE TAKING

A LEADERSHIP ROLE THEMSELVES,

DESPITE WHAT THE GOVERNMENT

STANDARDS MIGHT BE BECAUSE,

AS YOU MENTIONED,

THERE ARE POLITICAL CYCLES,

AND IF YOU'RE A COMPANY,

AND YOU'RE LOOKING OUT 10, 15,

20 YEARS, WHICH IS

KIND OF YOUR OBLIGATION,

YOUR FIDUCIARY RESPONSIBILITY,

TO LOOK AT THE FUTURE,

WHY WOULD YOU WANT TO BURN OIL

OR GAS

WHEN RENEWABLES ARE THE FUTURE?

LOOK WHAT'S HAPPENING IN EUROPE.

>> MM-HMM.

>> MM-HMM.

>> SO WE'RE GOING TO BECOME LESS

ECONOMICALLY COMPETITIVE

WITH THE REST OF THE WORLD

IF WE'RE USING

20TH-CENTURY FUELS

IN THE 21ST CENTURY.

>> AND WE'RE GOING TO BE

IMPACTED HEALTH-WISE.

WE HAVE AN INFESTATION RIGHT NOW

IN EAST HAMPTON

OF THE SOUTHERN PINE BEETLE,

SOUTHERN PINE BEETLE

THAT WE'VE NEVER SEEN BEFORE.

IT'S TAKEN OUT ACRES

OF PINE TREES.

THE ZIKA VIRUS IS MOVING

NORTH RAPIDLY,

SO BECAUSE CLIMATE

CHANGE CROSSES EVERY SECTOR,

SO MANY PEOPLE ARE IMPACTED

THAT I THINK

THE POLITICIANS MOVE MORE

BY THE WILL OF THE PEOPLE

AND THE ECONOMIC ENGINES

RATHER THAN SOMEONE FROM THE TOP

SAYING, "NO,

WE'RE NOT GOING TO DO THIS."

>> AND BUSINESSES ARE

STEPPING UP,

AND BUSINESSES ARE DEVELOPING

SUSTAINABILITY PLANS

AND IMPLEMENTING THOSE PLANS,

AND THEY ARE SHOWING CUSTOMERS

THAT THEY CARE ABOUT

THE ENVIRONMENT.

MORE AND MORE CITIZENS

ARE VOTING WITH THEIR DOLLARS,

AND THAT IS DRIVING BUSINESS

TO MAKE CHANGE,

AND IT'S ACTUALLY

INCREASING THERE BOTTOM LINE.

IT'S CALLED THE TRIPLE

BOTTOM LINE,

OR PEOPLE, PLANET, PROFITS,

AND INDUSTRY AND BUSINESSES

ARE STEPPING UP TO DO JUST THAT.

>> SO WHAT ABOUT HOFSTRA

UNIVERSITY, FOR EXAMPLE?

WHAT ARE YOU DOING THERE?

WHAT KIND OF PROGRAMS DO YOU

HAVE THERE

THAT ARE GOING TO HELP LIMIT

THE GREENHOUSE-GAS EMISSIONS?

>> WELL, WE HAVE

A SUSTAINABILITY PROGRAM

AT HOFSTRA, AND WE HAVE

MANY THINGS HAPPENING ON CAMPUS.

WE HAVE A COGENERATION PLANT,

WHICH IS VERY SUSTAINABLE

AND USES LESS ENERGY.

WE HAVE SOLAR PANELS

AND PROGRAMMED

ELECTRIC CHARGING STATIONS

FOR OUR STUDENTS TO USE.

WE HAVE ZIPCARS, YOU KNOW,

QUITE A BIT ON THE CAMPUS,

BUT PROBABLY THE BIGGEST IMPACT

THAT WE'RE HAVING AT HOFSTRA

IS THROUGH OUR RESEARCH PROGRAM

THROUGH THE NATIONAL CENTER

FOR SUBURBAN STUDIES,

WHERE WE FUND RESEARCH,

STUDENT RESEARCH,

ON TOPICS ACROSS LONG ISLAND,

SO OUR COMMUNITY PROGRAMS

OR COMMUNITY

PARTNERS ARE A BIG ONE.

FOR EXAMPLE, WE'RE WORKING WITH

THE CITY OF LONG BEACH,

LOOKING AT MOTIVATIONS

BEHIND ROOFTOP

SOLAR INSTALLATIONS,

AND THAT WILL COME OUT

THIS SUMMER.

SO OUR IMPACT

IS NOT JUST ON CAMPUS.

IT'S ACROSS THE COMMUNITY.

>> THAT SOUNDS GREAT, AND, CATE?

>> YEAH, OUR ORGANIZATION

IS FOCUSED ON CAMPUSES.

WE HAVE, BESIDES THE CHAPTERS

PROGRAM THAT PUT

GEOGRAPHICAL LEADERS TOGETHER,

WE ALSO HAVE CAMPUS CORPS

PROGRAM, THAT THESE ARE STUDENTS

IN ALL THE CAMPUSES

ACROSS THE COUNTRY THAT GO UP

AND TRY TO GET ALL THESE

INITIATIVES DONE IN THEIR CAMPUS

AND MAKE THE CAMPUSES 100

PERCENT COMMITTED,

WHICH IS SOMETHING WE REALLY

NEED TO DO, ALL OF US.

>> SO I WANT TO READ THIS

BECAUSE I WANT

TO GET IT ABSOLUTELY CORRECT.

"ACCORDING

TO CLIMATE SCIENTISTS,

THE AVERAGE TEMPERATURE

IN NEW YORK HAS RISEN

APPROXIMATELY 2 DEGREES

FAHRENHEIT IN THE LAST 40 YEARS,

AND IT IS PREDICTED THAT

BY 2100, TEMPERATURES

IN NEW YORK WILL INCREASE BY 3

TO 8 DEGREES FAHRENHEIT."

SO WHAT DOES THIS MEAN

IN TERMS OF SEA RISE

AND CLIMATE CHANGE?

>> GOOD QUESTION.

THE OCEANS...

90 PERCENT OF THE HEAT ENERGY

THAT'S CAUSED BY CARBON DIOXIDE

STAYING IN OUR ATMOSPHERE

IS ABSORBED INTO OUR OCEANS,

SO THE SEVERITY OF STORMS

THAT WE'VE JUST SEEN,

THE PLUS-200-MILE-AN-HOUR

STORMS,

THE INCREASE OF THAT

IS CAUSED BY THESE CELLS,

THESE STORM CELLS,

MOVING OVER WARMER WATER,

AND AS THE WATER GETS WARMER

NEAR OUR ISLAND,

AND IT ATTRACTS IT,

WE'RE SUBJECT TO THESE HUGE,

DEVASTATING STORMS.

I MEAN, PLUS 200 MILES AN HOUR,

I NEVER THOUGHT

I WOULD SEE THAT,

BUT WE'RE SEEING IT

WITH FREQUENCY NOW,

AND THAT'S

ONE OF THE MAJOR PROBLEMS.

ALSO, YOU HAVE DROUGHT.

YOU HAVE THE INCREASE

OF WILDFIRES,

AND THEN YOU HAVE THE POPULATION

SHIFTS DUE TO WATER SHORTAGES

THAT WILL OCCUR.

WE'RE SEEING PLUS-100

TEMPERATURES

AROUND THE WORLD RIGHT NOW.

>> MM-HMM, WELL, THERE WAS

TEMPERATURES OF 129 DEGREES

IN NEW DELHI LAST YEAR.

>> YES.

>> YEAH.

>> I REMEMBER SEEING

THIS POOR GUY JUST LAYING,

TRYING TO STAY IN THE SHADE

AND COULDN'T BASICALLY...

THE HUMAN BODY

CAN'T SURVIVE THAT.

>> MM-HMM, AND THAT'S

A CONSEQUENCE OF CLIMATE CHANGE.

WE'RE GOING TO SEE MORE EXTREME

WEATHER PATTERNS --

MORE EXTREME HEAT,

MORE EXTREME COLD,

MORE NOR'EASTERS,

MORE SUPERSTORMS

LIKE SUPERSTORM SANDY,

BUT PROBABLY ONE OF THE MOST

FRIGHTENING FACTS THAT YOU CAN

TALK ABOUT IS SEA-LEVEL RISE.

IT'S PROJECTED ACROSS NEW YORK,

A RECENT STUDY I LOOKED AT,

BY THE YEAR 2030, WE COULD HAVE

A 2-FOOT RISE IN SEA LEVEL.

BY THE YEAR...

>> TWO FEET BY 2030?

>> TWO FEET BY 2030,

AND THEN UP TO 5 FEET BY 2080,

SO THAT, UNDER THAT SCENARIO,

BOTH OF OUR AIRPORTS

ON LONG ISLAND ARE GONE.

SAY GOODBYE TO THE BEACHES,

SO THE COASTAL COMMUNITIES

ARE...

>> YEAH, THEY'RE GOING TO BE...

>> ...HEAVILY IMPACTED.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND THAT'S GOING TO CAUSE

A RIPPLE EFFECT

IN THE ECONOMY AND...

>> 2030 IS 12 YEARS AWAY.

>> AND THAT'S UNDER

BUSINESS-AS-USUAL PROJECTIONS,

AND WE ARE ON THAT APPROACH

FOR BUSINESS AS USUAL,

SO THAT IS A FRIGHTENING

STATISTIC,

AND IT REALLY SHOULD

CAUSE PEOPLE

TO TAKE NOTICE AND TAKE ACTION.

>> THAT'S NOT EVEN

AN AGGRESSIVE MARK.

>> YEAH, MM-HMM.

>> THAT'S A MEDIUM-

TO LOW-END...

>> THAT'S CONSERVATIVE?

>> ...MARK.

THAT'S A CONSERVATIVE

IDEA, YEAH.

>> YEAH, MM-HMM, YEAH,

YEAH, YEAH.

>> YEAH, ABSOLUTELY.

BEING ON LONG ISLAND,

WE'RE PARTICULARLY VULNERABLE,

AND WE NEED TO PAY

PARTICULAR CARE TO

WHAT WE'RE DOING TO COMBAT...

>> AND MY UNDERSTANDING

IS THAT IT'S...

NOT ONLY DO WE SUFFER FROM SEA

RISE ON LONG ISLAND,

BUT WE ARE ALSO SINKING.

WE'VE SUCKED SO MUCH WATER

OUT OF OUR AQUIFERS...

>> YES.

>> ...THAT

THE AREA IS ACTUALLY SINKING,

SO AT THE SAME TIME THAT

THE SEAS ARE RISING,

THE LAND IS SINKING,

SO WHAT IS...

PUT TWO AND TWO TOGETHER.

>> SALTWATER INTRUSION.

>> YOU HAVE SALTWATER INTRUSION

INTO YOUR DRINKING WATERS.

YOU KNOW, WE'RE NOT VERY...

OUR GROUNDWATER IS VERY SHALLOW

HERE ON LONG ISLAND,

AND ONCE YOU HAVE THE SEA LEVEL

RISE

AND THEN THE LEVELS OF THE LAND

DROPPING, THEN YOU HAVE

SALTWATER INTRUSION

INTO YOUR DRINKING WATER,

AND WE DON'T HAVE A MAGIC

SPIGOT FROM THE SKY.

OUR DRINKING WATER COMES FROM

UNDERNEATH LONG ISLAND.

THERE'S NO BEAUTIFUL RESERVOIR

SOMEPLACE WHERE

THERE'S BIRDS SINGING,

AND IT'S ALWAYS CLEAN

AND BEAUTIFUL.

WE ARE ON TOP

OF OUR DRINKING WATER.

>> WELL, SO...

>> AND IN ADDITION TO THAT,

THERE'S

THE THREAT OF STORM SURGES.

IT MAKES IT EVEN WORSE.

SO WHEN WE HAVE INCREMENTAL

SEA-LEVEL RISE,

BUT THEN WHEN WE HAVE

THESE LARGE STORM EVENTS,

WE HAVE STORM SURGE, WHICH ADDS

TO THAT PROBLEM AND BRINGS SALT

INTO OUR AQUIFERS.

>> SO THE BOTTOM LINE IS,

WHAT DO WE DO?

HOW DO WE CHANGE IT?

HOW DO WE TURN IT AROUND?

HOW DO WE STOP IT BECAUSE...

>> WE ARE.

>> WE ARE.

GLOBALLY, WE ARE.

>> I THINK THE FIRST LINE

OF DEFENSE IS TO REDUCE

GREENHOUSE-GAS EMISSIONS,

AND THAT IS HANDS-DOWN

WHAT WE NEED TO DO.

WE NEED AGGRESSIVE POLICIES

TO REDUCE GREENHOUSE-GAS

EMISSIONS,

AND WHILE WE DON'T HAVE

A NATIONAL MANDATE TO DO THAT,

WE DO HAVE STATES

LIKE CALIFORNIA,

STATES LIKE NEW YORK,

THAT ARE MAKING A DIFFERENCE

WITH THAT.

NEW YORK STATE HAS ACTUALLY

REDUCED GREENHOUSE-GAS EMISSIONS

THROUGH A NUMBER OF POLICIES

THAT WE'VE ALREADY TALK ABOUT.

IN ADDITION TO THAT,

WE HAVE THE RGGI,

THE REGIONAL GREENHOUSE

GAS INITIATIVE, WHICH IS ALSO

CAUSING A REDUCTION,

SO THERE'S SOME SUCCESS STORIES.

>> CATE, IF WE CAN BECOME

A LEADER, NEW YORK,

WHICH HAS FALLEN

ON SOME HARD TIMES,

NOT THE CITY SO MUCH,

BUT UPSTATE HAS, YOU KNOW,

IT'S HAD SOME DIFFICULT

ECONOMIC TIMES.

IF WE COULD BECOME A LEADER

IN ENERGY ALTERNATIVES

AND LOWER THE COST OF ENERGY,

WOULD THAT ATTRACT MORE

BUSINESS TO THE STATE?

>> YES, AND IT IS HAPPENING

RIGHT NOW.

I JUST WENT TO A CONFERENCE

IN BEDFORD, NEW YORK.

IT'S CALLED BEDFORD 2020,

AND THEY HAVE

ONE OF THE MOST...

THE FIRST COMMUNITY

AGGREGATE SOLAR FARMS,

WHERE THE WHOLE COMMUNITY

BUYS INTO,

SUBSCRIBES TO A SOLAR ARRAY

THAT POWERS THEIR HOMES.

WE HAVE A LITTLE BIT MORE OF A

DIFFICULT PROBLEM

BECAUSE OF OUR GRID

BEING SO OLDER,

BUT WE'RE WORKING ON SOLUTIONS.

THERE ARE PEOPLE OUT THERE

WORKING, LIKE SANDRA,

AND WE HAVE HIGH SCHOOL KIDS.

WE HAVE THE SUFFOLK STUDENT

CLIMATE ACTION COMMITTEE.

THEY'RE WORKING ON...

THEY'RE GOING TO THEIR LEADERS,

THEIR TOWN LEADERS.

SO IN TERMS OF YOUNG PEOPLE

BEING INVESTED,

THEY'RE VERY

INVESTED AND INVOLVED,

AND WE ARE SEEING PROGRESS.

WHEN YOU GET A TOWN

LIKE EAST HAMPTON,

SOUTH HAMPTON...

AND I KNOW THEY'RE IN TALKS

WITH BROOKHAVEN AND OTHER TOWNS

TO COMMIT TO

BEING 100 PERCENT RENEWABLE...

>> MM-HMM.

>> ...YOU'RE STARTING

A MOVEMENT ACROSS THE ISLAND.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

>> SO IT'S HAPPENING,

AND IT IS DOABLE.

>> NOW, FROM YOU KNOW,

A TECHNOLOGICAL POINT OF VIEW,

I MEAN, I DO A LOT OF READING

ABOUT THIS.

FOR EXAMPLE, SWEDEN BURNS

ALL OF ITS GARBAGE,

CAN'T EVEN

BURN ENOUGH OF ITS OWN GARBAGE.

IT'S IMPORTING IT FROM EUROPE

TO PRODUCE ELECTRICITY,

AND IT'S ALMOST EMISSION-FREE.

WHY AREN'T WE DOING THINGS

LIKE THAT?

I'VE ALSO SEEN STORIES

ABOUT PUTTING VOLTAIC CELLS

ON ROADWAYS

THAT COLLECT SUN

THAT CAN GENERATE ELECTRICITY.

WHY AREN'T WE DOING

MORE OF THAT,

AND

WHY AREN'T WE DOING IT FASTER?

I MEAN, IT SEEMS LIKE,

WHEN YOU TALK ABOUT 2030,

I MEAN, THAT'S, YOU KNOW,

I HOPE TO GET THERE.

>> NOT FAR AWAY.

THERE IS AN URGENCY

TO ALL OF THIS, WHERE WE CAN'T

DO ANOTHER 10-YEAR STUDIES.

PEOPLE SAY,

"WELL, I AGREE WITH IT, BUT

IT NEEDS TO BE STUDIED MORE."

THAT IS A FORM OF DENIAL.

WE NEED TO GET MOVING NOW.

THE SOLUTIONS EXIST,

ALL THE ONES THAT YOU'RE SAYING.

EUROPE IS EMBRACING IT.

EVEN CHINA IS EMBRACING

SOLUTIONS.

>> CHINA IS EMBRACING.

>> INDIA IS EMBRACING SOLUTIONS,

SO WE DO NEED TO WORK

A LITTLE HARDER IN THIS COUNTRY,

BUT, YOU KNOW,

THE AMERICAN SPIRIT HAS ALWAYS

COME FROM THE GROUND UP.

IT HASN'T COME

FROM THE TOP DOWN.

>> RIGHT, RIGHT.

>> SO I'M HOPING

THAT IT CONTINUES.

>> DO YOU HEAR...

DO YOU SEE ANYTHING, LIKE,

INVENTIVENESS

THAT'S GOING ON, SANDRA,

THAT YOU'VE HEARD ABOUT,

READ ABOUT, THAT'S GOING TO BE,

LIKE, REVOLUTIONARY IN SOME WAY?

I MEAN, EVERY CAR COMPANY IS NOW

SAYING, "WE'RE GOING ELECTRIC."

THAT'S THE BOTTOM LINE.

VOLVO SAID, "EVERY CAR BY 2020

IS GOING TO HAVE SOME FORM

OF ELECTRICITY POWERING IT.

>> MM-HMM.

>> MM-HMM.

>> CHEVY IS INTO IT.

TESLA IS INTO IT.

>> WELL, HYDROGEN-FUEL CARS

IS AN EXAMPLE.

THAT'S ANOTHER TECHNOLOGY

ALONGSIDE ELECTRIC CARS

THAT'S MAKING TRACTION,

AND OUR STUDENTS

AT HOFSTRA ARE STUDYING THAT.

WE JUST RECENTLY HAD A DEBATE,

A STUDENT DEBATE ABOUT

ELECTRIC VERSUS HYDROGEN FUEL,

AND BOTH SHOW PROMISE,

SO, YOU KNOW, THAT'S A NEW

TECHNOLOGY

THAT CAN SOLVE SOME

OF THE PROBLEMS FROM ELECTRIC,

WHICH IS A 10-MINUTE FILL,

OR A VERY QUICK FILL-UP

AT THE STATION INSTEAD OF

A LONG-TERM FOR ELECTRIC CARS.

THAT'S IT.

>> RIGHT, YEAH, WAITING THERE

FOR AN HALF AN HOUR,

READING THE PAPER.

>> OUR STUDENTS ARE ALSO

STUDYING THE ROADWAY

SOLAR THAT YOU'RE TALKING ABOUT,

AND THERE ARE CASE STUDIES

THAT THAT TECHNOLOGY IS

MOVING FORWARD IN OTHER PLACES,

BUT IT'S STILL, ONCE IT'S

A PROVEN TECHNOLOGY,

SOCIETY CAN'T IGNORE THAT,

AND UNITED STATES

CAN'T IGNORE IT,

AND IF IT'S FINANCIALLY VIABLE,

THEN WE SHOULD DO IT,

SO THERE IS A LOT OF TECHNOLOGY.

>> I READ A STAT THAT WE HAVE

ONE BILLION CARS

ON PLANET EARTH RIGHT NOW.

>> MM-HMM.

>> YES.

>> THE OTHER STAT WAS,

40 PERCENT OF ALL OUR POLLUTION

COMES FROM VEHICULAR TRAFFIC,

SO IF WE COULD CONVERT

TO ELECTRICAL VEHICLES,

AND WHY CAN'T THE SURFACES OF

OUR VEHICLES

ALSO BE SOLAR ABSORBERS

AND POWER THE CAR?

>> WELL, THEY CAN.

>> THEY CAN.

>> THEY CAN?

>> THERE ARE EXAMPLES OF THAT,

YES.

THERE ARE PLACES

THAT ARE DOING THAT.

>> AND TESLA HAS THE ROOF

TILES NOW,

WHERE YOU DON'T EVEN NEED

THE SOLAR PANELS

THAT THEY'RE DEVELOPING.

ANOTHER FACTOR THAT WE NEED

TO FACTOR IN IS BATTERY STORAGE.

WHAT DO WE DO WITH ALL THIS

ENERGY THAT WE'RE GENERATING?

WE HAVE NO WAY RIGHT NOW,

OR THEY'RE JUST DEVELOPING WAYS

TO USE BATTERY STORAGE,

EACH HOUSE HAVING A BATTERY

AND PULLING THE SOLAR

IN DURING THE DAY AND THEN

STORING IT FOR THE NIGHT.

>> AND POWERING YOUR CAR?

>> AND POWERING YOUR CAR.

>> YEAH, TESLA'S SOLAR,

THEIR POWERWALL,

THEY'VE BEEN PILOT TESTING THAT

IN VERMONT, AND THAT'S

SOMETHING THAT IS A REAL...

>> BUT ISN'T TESLA'S BUILDING

A MASSIVE LITHIUM-BATTERY

FACILITY IN NEVADA THAT'S...

>> I THINK THEY'VE BUILT IT.

>> YEAH, YEAH.

>> IS IT UP AND RUNNING?

>> YEAH, IT'S UP AND RUNNING.

>> YEAH, IT'S UP AND RUNNING.

>> YEAH.

>> UH-HUH.

>> IT'S A MEGA FACTORY.

>> UH-HUH.

>> IT'S HUGE.

>> THEY'RE EVEN TALKING

ABOUT USING CARS

AS THE BATTERIES...

>> OH, REALLY?

>> ...BECAUSE YOU CAN CHARGE UP

YOUR CAR AND USE THAT

AS YOUR BATTERY SOURCE.

>> YES, AND RECYCLE THE CAR

BATTERIES

AS PEOPLE BUY NEW MODELS

TO BE THE POWERWALLS AS WELL.

>> I SEE.

>> THERE'S ALSO THE TIDAL

TECHNOLOGY,

WHERE THEY'RE LOOKING TO BE ABLE

TO CREATE ENERGY FROM

THE TIDAL FLOW AS THE TIDE...

>> COMING IN AND OUT.

>> ...COMES IN AND OUT.

>> I'VE HEARD ABOUT THAT, YEAH.

>> THEY'RE EXPERIMENTING

WITH THAT IN EUROPE.

THERE'S GEOTHERMAL

IDEAS THAT ARE GOING ON.

SO THERE'S A MASSIVE SEGMENT

OF US

THAT ARE WORKING ON THIS.

IT DOESN'T REALLY MAKE THE NEWS,

AND THAT'S, YOU KNOW,

THANK YOU FOR HAVING US ON

BECAUSE

THAT'S ONE OF THE ISSUES,

IS GETTING THE WORD OUT

THAT THESE THINGS ARE GOING ON,

THAT SANDRA

HAS PROGRAMS LIKE SHE HAS,

AND THAT THESE SOLUTIONS

ARE AVAILABLE NOW AND

BECOMING CHEAPER ALL THE TIME.

>> WE DID A PROGRAM EARLIER ON,

AND WHAT WE WERE TALKING ABOUT

IS HOW WE AS INDIVIDUALS

CAN REDUCE

OUR OWN CARBON FOOTPRINT.

ANYONE WHO OWNS A HOME

CAN REDUCE

THEIR ENERGY FLOW, RIGHT?

TURN OFF THE LIGHTS.

USE A LITTLE LESS AIR

CONDITIONING.

>> MM-HMM.

>> YOU KNOW, USE A LITTLE LESS

HEAT, WHATEVER YOU CAN...

INSULATE YOUR HOUSE.

DO WHATEVER YOU CAN.

PUT A SOLAR ARRAY ON YOUR ROOF.

THESE ARE ALL THINGS THAT WE

CAN DO AS INDIVIDUALS, CORRECT?

>> YES, THERE ARE COMPANIES THAT

GO OUT AND DO FREE ESTIMATES

ON YOUR ENERGY LEAKAGE

OR YOU ENERGY EFFICIENCY

AND CHANGING YOUR LIGHT BULBS

TO LED LIGHT BULBS

AND WILL TELL YOU WHERE YOUR

ENERGY IS

LEAKING RIGHT OUT OF YOUR HOUSE.

NOW, WHO DOESN'T WANT

TO SAVE THAT MONEY?

>> I WOULD LIKE TO, YOU KNOW?

MY POWER BILLS ARE HIGH.

>> LONG ISLAND HAS A PROGRAM

CALLED GREEN HOMES,

WHERE THEY'LL COME OUT

AND DO A FREE ENERGY AUDIT

AND HELP YOU IMPROVE YOUR ENERGY

EFFICIENCY IN YOUR HOME.

AND THE USE OF ROOFTOP SOLAR ON

LONG ISLAND

IS RAPIDLY INCREASING AS WELL.

I THINK I READ THAT THERE'S

40,000 ROOFTOP

SOLAR OUT OF THE

ONE MILLION CUSTOMERS

AT LIPA,

SO THERE'S...

>> THERE'S MOVEMENT.

>> OKAY.

>> THERE'S A MOVEMENT.

>> SO, I MEAN, THERE ARE

A NUMBER

OF FACTORS HERE AT WORK.

I MEAN, THERE'S POLICY.

>> MM-HMM.

>> THERE'S COMMUNICATION AND

INFORMATION.

>> MM-HMM.

>> BUT THEN IF WE HAD GOVERNMENT

100 PERCENT BEHIND THIS,

WHAT DIFFERENCE

WOULD THAT MAKE TODAY?

>> A VERY BIG DIFFERENCE.

IT ALWAYS HELPS TO HAVE EVERYONE

ON THE SAME PAGE,

AND THE POWER OF THE FEDERAL

GOVERNMENT

TO BE ABLE TO ISSUE

THE COMMUNICATIONS,

ISSUE THE GOALS,

GIVE THE GRANTS, WOULD BE GREAT.

>> WOULD WE HAVE TO HAVE

A CATACLYSMIC EVENT OF...

>> I HOPE NOT.

>> ...ENORMOUS PROPORTIONS

IN THIS COUNTRY TO TURN

OUR HEADS AROUND ON THIS?

>> THAT'S NOT AN IDEAL SOLUTION,

BUT IT CERTAINLY...

IF IT HAPPENS, THEN

WE'RE READY TO GO,

TO SUGGEST THESE SOLUTIONS

AND HOPEFULLY AFFECT POLICY

TO HAVE A RAPID

DEPLOYMENT OF THESE POLICIES,

AND IT IS GOING TO TAKE A POLICY

AT ALL LEVELS.

TO ANSWER YOUR QUESTION,

WE DO NEED TOP-DOWN LEADERSHIP

TO SET THE MANDATE, AND THEN,

YOU KNOW, EACH STATE

HAS ITS ROLE,

AND THE LOCAL GOVERNMENT

HAS ITS ROLE.

INDIVIDUALS HAVE A ROLE TO PLAY,

SO IT IS GOING TO TAKE A

MULTILEVEL APPROACH

TO SOLVE THIS PROBLEM.

>> CATE, WHAT'S THAT OLD SAYING?

REMIND ME, "ACT LOCALLY"...

>> "THINK GLOBALLY."

>> ..."AND THINK GLOBALLY."

>> YES, EXACTLY.

>> SO WHAT CAN WE DO LOCALLY

SINCE

WE'RE NOT IN WASHINGTON, DC?

WE'RE HERE IN NASSAU COUNTY.

>> I WOULD SAY GO TO YOUR TOWN

BOARD MEETINGS.

GO AND APPROACH YOUR ELECTED

OFFICIALS

ON OPENING UP THEIR MINDS

TO BECOMING RENEWABLE,

USING RENEWABLES,

AND WE CAN GO TO THE FORUMS

THAT I'M SURE SANDRA'S

DEPARTMENT HOLDS AT HOFSTRA

AND BECOME MORE EDUCATED

IN ANY WAY THAT WE CAN.

WE'RE TASKED WITH GIVING

PRESENTATIONS,

POWERPOINT PRESENTATIONS,

TO ANY ORGANIZATION,

LOCAL ORGANIZATION,

THAT WOULD LIKE TO SEE THEM.

THAT HAS A THREE-PRONGED

APPROACH -- "MUST WE CHANGE?,"

WHICH I THINK TODAY

WE'VE ALL DECIDED, YES, WE MUST.

"CAN WE CHANGE?," WHICH I THINK

WE'VE ALL DECIDED THAT WE CAN.

AND NOW, "WHERE'S THE WILL?

WILL WE CHANGE?"

ALL WE NEED IS THE WILL.

>> AND WHAT DO YOU SEE, SANDRA?

>> I SEE THAT

INDIVIDUALS ARE...

I ECHO WHAT YOU SAY.

IT'S "GO TALK TO YOUR

REPRESENTATIVES.

DEMAND ACTION

AT THE FEDERAL LEVEL."

>> "ATTEND MEETINGS."

>> "ATTEND MEETINGS.

LET YOUR VOICE BE HEARD."

>> UH-HUH.

>> "STAND UP AND BE HEARD"

IS AN IMPORTANT CONCEPT,

AND THEN FROM

AND INDIVIDUAL LEVEL,

WE CAN VOTE WITH OUR DOLLARS

BY MAKING SIGNIFICANT

CHOICES IN OUR OWN LIVES.

>> THAT'S A GOOD POINT BECAUSE,

YOU KNOW, IF WE HAD

A LIST OF COMPANIES

THAT WERE VERY ENERGY-EFFICIENT,

VERY FORWARD-THINKING IN TERMS

OF THEIR ENERGY POLICIES,

YOU COULD BUY THEIR PRODUCTS

VERSUS THE COMPETITION.

>> RIGHT.

>> AND STUDIES SHOW PEOPLE

ARE WILLING TO PAY MORE.

>> THEY ARE.

>> THEY ARE.

>> THEY ARE BECAUSE

THEY BELIEVE IN IT,

AND THEY BELIEVE THAT WE NEED TO

KEEP THE PLANET AROUND

FOR A WHILE LONGER

BECAUSE YOU KNOW SOMETHING?

WE DON'T HAVE ANOTHER PLANET.

>> WE DON'T.

>> NO, WE DO NOT,

AND IT'S SUCH

A BEAUTIFUL PLANET TO WASTE.

IT'S A GIFT,

SO, YEAH, THAT'S...

>> AND LONG ISLAND

IS TOO BEAUTIFUL TO LET IT GO.

>> YEAH.

>> THE BEACHES ARE

JUST TOO GORGEOUS.

>> AND WE ARE A BARRIER ISLAND,

AND IF WE DON'T PROTECT IT,

AND IF IT DOESN'T GET PROTECTED,

WE'RE GOING TO BE

IN VERY DEEP TROUBLE.

>> DEEP WATER, YES.

>> AND DEEP WATER.

OH.

>> LITERALLY.

>> GOD FORBID.

>> YES.

>> WELL, LISTEN, CATE, SANDRA,

THANK YOU

SO MUCH FOR BEING WITH US.

I REALLY APPRECIATE IT, AND THAT

WRAPS UP OUR CONVERSATION

ON THE ISSUE OF CLIMATE

CHANGE AND CLIMATE POLICY.

TO LEARN MORE ABOUT

"PERIL AND PROMISE," PLEASE

VISIT PERILANDPROMISE.ORG,

AND FOR MORE ON THE

"LONG ISLAND BUSINESS REPORT,"

LOG ON TO OUR WEBSITE.

YOU CAN ALSO FIND US

ON FACEBOOK AND JOIN

THE CONVERSATION ON TWITTER.

I'M JIM PAYMAR.

THANK YOU FOR JOINING US

FOR THIS EDITION OF THE

"LONG ISLAND BUSINESS REPORT,"

AND WE'LL SEE YOU NEXT TIME.

>> LEAD FUNDING FOR

"PERIL AND PROMISE"

IS PROVIDED BY

DR. P. ROY VAGELOS AND

DIANA T. VAGELOS.

MAJOR SUPPORT IS PROVIDED BY THE

MARC HAAS FOUNDATION AND SUE AND

EDGAR WACHENHEIM III.

♪♪

♪♪

♪♪