Subject: Climate points
From: "Costa, Kristina" <[email-masked]>
To: "john podesta@gmail. com" <[email-masked]>
Cc: "Matt Browne ([email-masked])" <[email-masked]>
Date: Sat, 28 Mar 2015 00:02:45 +0000

Sorry for the delay here. Sending these as points; Matt, let me know if you want to talk further about framing, have any questions, need additional information, or would like me to review a draft.  Also attaching Mexico's full INDC submission.

General frame: Major climate leadership coming from the western hemisphere (or North America, but our Canadian friends may be offended if you take that tack...John, your call) as both Mexico and the United States submitted timely, ambitious, transparent climate change targets/INDCs to the UNFCCC before the end of the first quarter.

Scary climate factoids, to the extent useful/needed:

-          14 of the 15 hottest years on record occurred this century; 2014 was the hottest year ever

-          Concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere have reached levels unprecedented in at least 800,000 years (IPCC)

Mexico INDC top-lines:

-          First major emerging economy to submit a post-2020 target to the UNFCCC; first non-Annex I country to formally submit as well

-          Mexico's INDC an example other, similar economies should follow

-          Strong unconditional commitments against a realistic, static business-as-usual baseline:

o   Cut carbon pollution, methane, N2O, HFCs 22% by 2030

o   Cut black carbon emissions 51% by 2020

?  Estimated combined impact = 25%

o   Peak emissions economy-wide by 2026

-          Undergirded by strong domestic policies to reform the energy sector, boost fuel economy standards, and a carbon tax on fossil fuels

The U.S. and Mexico also announced joint cooperation on clean energy and climate issues. Don't think this needs to be highlighted necessarily but it may make sense with the flow. https://www.whitehouse.gov/the-press-office/2015/03/27/joint-statement-us-mexico-climate-policy-cooperation-0

US INDC top-lines: (We submit on Tuesday)

-          The United States formalized the commitment President Obama made in November's historic joint announcement with Chinese President Xi Jinping

-          The U.S. will reduce greenhouse gas emissions 26-28% below 2005 levels by 2025

-          This commitment roughly doubles the current rate of emissions reductions and the upper end of the range puts the US on a straight-line path to achieve deep decarbonization on the order of an 80% reduction in emissions by mid-century

-          The U.S. commitment can be achieved using laws that are already on the books

-          This includes the EPA's proposed Clean Power Plan, which will be finalized by this summer. The CPP will curb carbon pollution from the power sector-the single-biggest source of US greenhouse gas emissions-30% by 2030

-          The Obama Administration is also pursuing steps to phase down HFCs and reduce methane emissions from the oil and gas sectors

Road to Paris:

It's time for other major and emerging economies to follow the example of the US and Mexico and finalize and submit ambitious INDCs to the UNFCCC. We have the way to take on climate change-technologies and policy solutions to use more clean energy, use less dirty energy, use less energy overall, and build more resilient communities-now is the time for the world to summon the will to take action. Because climate change is a global problem that demands a global solution. All countries must do their part and should come together in December in the spirit of cooperation and ambition to forge a global climate compact and avoid leaving future generations a planet that is damaged beyond their capacity to repair.

Thanks for doing this. Going to be really great for us & our friends down Mexico way.

Safe travels, JDP. Matt, I'm here for whatever you need.

KLC

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