The latest round of global climate talks, election results around the nation, plus other news, this week in CIB:

Climate Change Update: Global Talks Convene in Warsaw

The 2013 round of international climate change talks convened last week in Warsaw, Poland. Expectations for progress were modest, and focused on laying groundwork for seeking a new global agreement in 2015.

In a development of note, the United States’ contributions to progress are viewed by many as improving, following the Obama Administration’s actions to increase vehicle fuel efficiency standards, boost energy efficiency standards in government buildings, invest in green energy sources, and cut emissions from power plants. Increasing attention is focused on the world’s new top emitter of carbon, China, and the urgency of obtaining its cooperation in emissions reductions efforts.

More details can be found here.

Around the States: What Do Election Outcomes Say About Public Mood?

A glance at some of this month’s election outcomes around the nation provides us with some clue’s to the public’s mood on topics relevant to the environment.

Fracking still a hot topic: In Colorado, voters in three communities (Boulder, Fort Collins, and Lafayette) this month approved a ban on fracking. In a fourth, Broomfield, as of Friday the proposed ban appears to have won by 17 votes, a margin narrow enough to trigger an automatic recount. (Original returns, prior to counting provisional ballots, had the measure losing there by 13 votes. Note: Your vote counts!)

Protect our water: In Texas, the voting wasn’t even close. Proposition 6, a ballot measure authorizing billions in loans to farms, cities, and businesses for water conservation measures, passed with 73% approval.

Invest in transit: Voters approved six of the seven ballot measures up on November 5 to finance public transportation systems. (The seventh was narrowly defeated.) Measures approved included those funding new infrastructure as well as those covering operating costs, and passed in states from Mississippi to Ohio, and Montana to Maine.

Administrative Watch: Shrunken Clean Water Fund Meets

Shrunk by recent legislation, and moved under the Dept. of Environment and Natural Resources (DENR), the Clean Water Management Trust Fund (CWMTF) gathered in Raleigh last week for the first meeting of its almost entirely new membership.

A far cry from its peak as a conservation powerhouse distributing tens of millions of dollars each year to projects protecting or enhancing clean water, the new CWMTF has relatively little funding to use. Its previous 21 members are down to a mere nine, of whom all but one are newly named by incumbent Gov. Pat McCrory and current legislative leaders. No longer an independent board, it now falls under DENR and its secretary, John Skvarla, through the newly formed Office of Land and Water Stewardship. OLWS will oversee CWMTF, the Albemarle-Pamlico National Estuary Partnership, and the Natural Heritage Stewardship Program. (The previously independent Natural Heritage Trust Fund was merged into the CWMTF under the same legislative reorganization.)

<a “=”” target=”_blank” www.cwmtf.net.”=”www.cwmtf.net.” href=”http://www.cwmtf.net/”>More details on the new CWMTF, including a member (“trustees”) list, can be found here.

Education & Resources: Location, Location, Location; Accountability Challenge Update

Location, Location, Location: Realtors are fond of the old expression that the three factors which affect the price of real estate are location, location, and location. Evidence is mounting that location in relation to transportation options determines the cost of living as well. Specifically, the better your access to public transportation options, the less you have to drive (or go with other costly options like taxis), and the more you save. Check out the latest tool released by the EPA here.

Accountability Challenge Update: As CIB has noted, we North Carolina conservationists have a challenge laid out for us in bringing our state legislature back from the depths of environmental irresponsibility.

Holding legislators accountable for their environmental decisions requires reaching voters in their districts. Which takes mailings and ads. Which take money.

Supporters have helped NCLCV make a strong start toward our fall goal of raising $10,000 for our accountability campaign. Yet there’s still much more help needed. Details can be found here.

Your help in defending North Carolina’s clean air, water, land, and public health will make a difference!

That’s our report for this week.