The California Air Resources Board (CARB) unanimously passed a package of vehicle polices to reduce the state’s overall greenhouse gas emissions by putting more electric and hybrid cars on the road. According to the new rules, one in seven new cars in California will be a zero emissions or plug-in hybrid car by 2025. In addition, emission standards for all new cars sold in California were strengthened, making them the toughest in the nation. By placing 1.4 million alternative fuel cars on the road, CARB board members expect the rules to cut greenhouse gas emissions by 34 percent and smog by 75 percent. “These robust, zero-emission vehicle standards will provide the market assurance automakers and the energy industry need to transform the electric vehicle into a mass-market success,” said Don Anair, senior engineer with the Union of Concerned Scientists, Clean Vehicles program. While the new fuel-efficient technologies will increase the cost of the vehicle by almost $2,000, owners are expected to recoup over $6,000 in fuel savings over the lifetime of the car.

For additional information see: Reuters, Los Angeles Times, Union of Concerned Scientists, Mercury News, Sustainable Business

Scientists in Louisiana are attempting to mitigate global warming and restore wetlands by creating a new carbon storage industry. Tierra Resources and Louisiana State University have developed a technique for measuring the amount of carbon removed from the atmosphere and stored in soils and plants. Accurate measurement of stored carbon could improve opportunities for carbon emitting industries to obtain carbon credits which offset pollution. Some companies have been “banking” credits for the last decade predicting mandatory federal regulation. “Our service territory is in the unique position of being at risk of the effects of climate change, including the loss of parts of our service territory, our customers and our assets,” said Entergy executive Steve Tullos.

For additional information see: The Times-Picayune

Insurance companies will be required to disclose their climate change response plans under new requirements in California, New York and Washington State. “We are asking insurers to share their views of the risk of climate change so that we can be sure that the industry and regulators are appropriately prepared,” said Robert H. Easton, a lead insurance regulator in New York. The industry has been attempting to assess climate risks that are not reflected in the historical insurance payouts to help prepare them for climate change impacts. The information is from a voluntary survey created by CERES, a Boston-based nonprofit, that showed in 2011 only 11 in 88 responding companies in 2011 had formal climate change policies. The survey now will be mandatory for companies writing policies valued at more than $300 million nationwide, covering 90 percent of the entire insurance market.

For additional information see: New York Times, CA Press Release

According to a study at the University of California, Davis, providing information about greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions increases companies’ stock value. The study, “Going Green: Market Reaction to CSR Newswire Releases,” assessed 172 corporate stock prices two days before and two days after green practices were released and found an increase of just under a half percent. Small companies saw a stock price increase of 2.32 percent, while companies not disclosing their practices saw no statistical change in stock value. “When a company makes a voluntary disclosure of this kind, it signals to the investment community that this is a firm that is environmentally responsible,” UC Davis Professor Paul Griffin said. “Investors are saying they would prefer to invest in an environmentally responsible firm.”

For additional information see: The Daily Climate, Market Watch

The record statewide drought in Texas has forced residents in Spicewood to truck water from neighboring aquifers. Numerous communities across Texas, including Houston, have had to travel further distances to find suitable water for their residents. Ryan Rowney, manager of water operations for the Lower Colorado River Authority, said, “If we need to haul every day, we will. This will probably go on for several more months.” Though many areas of Texas have seen some rainfall over the winter months, numerous towns are still not meeting their daily water supply. Rowney said that Spicewood would need much more than just a few rain showers to replenish their aquifers, “We’re talking about rainfall events of 20 inches plus. Huge, huge flood events to bring the lake levels up.”

In related news, NASA scientists have said that climate change caused the 2011 heat waves in Texas and Oklahoma, and contributed to the statewide drought. Using 50 years of temperature data, NASA scientist Dr. James Hansen found that the heatwaves and resulting drought in Texas were “a consequence of global warming because their likelihood was negligible prior to the recent rapid global warming.” A panel of climate scientists from Columbia University expect the drought in Texas will continue and intensify. Richard Seager, an expert on North American droughts, said that the drought in Texas is part of a “host of problems out there that we’re creating for ourselves.” Seager said the United States should expect drought in the Southwest to intensify. He also stressed that by reducing the amount of greenhouse gases released in the atmosphere, we can actively lower the level of intensity of the drought.

For additional information see: Associated Press, Houston Chronicle, Inside Climate News, Study

A new multi-department committee in Boulder, Colorado, will “begin an evaluation and planning process that will engage the Boulder community around a vision for future (greenhouse gas) emissions reductions.” The city council is debating whether to extend the city’s Climate Action Plan (CAP) tax, set to expire in March 2013. The CAP tax collects over $1 million per year from city utility bills, and is redistributed towards city programs that focus on mitigating climate change. Boulder’s Environmental Advisory Board wrote a letter to the city council asking to extend the CAP tax. Board member Stephen Morgan said, “I think (climate change) is a huge issue that’s facing us, not just in Boulder but the whole country,” he said. “We can’t shy away from big problems because they’re big. I think difficult problems have answers, and it’s for the best and the brightest to stand up and find out what those answers are.”

For additional information see: The Daily Camera

On January 26, the U.S. Department of Agriculture proposed a Final Programmatic Environmental Impact Statement for a new National Forest System (NFS) Land Management Planning Rule which includes climate change considerations. The new rule applies to 193 million acres of forest that are in the NFS, and replaces the current plan developed in 1982. The proposed planning rule would incorporate new administrative procedures for land management plans, and identifies eight significant issues including, “ecosystem restoration, watershed protection, diversity of plant and animal communities, climate change, multiple uses, efficiency and effectiveness, transparency and collaboration, and coordination and cooperation beyond National Forest System boundaries.” The plan takes into consideration alternative views of climate change and proposes that the learning and planning cycle should, “Assess conditions and stressors, including climate change, on the NFS unit and in the context of the broader landscape.”

For additional information see: Colusa County Sun Herald, News Release, Study

A recent map published in Nature Climate Change actively measures the various biomass and carbon storage potential of tropical forests and vegetation in Africa, Asia, and South America. Scientists from Woods Hole Research Centre, Boston University, and the University of Maryland used remote sensing and field data to produce the map. In addition to cataloging carbon storage of forests, the researchers were able to catalog the various levels of emissions produced during deforestation. “For the first time we were able to derive accurate estimates of carbon densities using satellite LiDAR (Light Detection and Ranging) observations in places that have never been measured,” said Alessandro Baccini, assistant scientist at Woods Hole. According to the map, 32 million acres of forests are cut each year, releasing over 1.1 billion tons of carbon dioxide into the air.

For additional information see: Forbes, Study, Times of India

France’s ecology minister, Nathalie Kosciusko-Morizet, said more than 100 countries support the proposal to create a World Environment Organization at the Rio +20 Summit. The agency would assist in implementing international environmental standards, including climate change adaptation, international pollution standards, and deforestation. More than 30 European countries and 54 African countries, as well as Thailand, Malaysia, Nepal, Chile and Uruguay support formation of a World Environment Organization. The United States has not yet stated its support of the proposal.

For additional information see: AFP

On January 31, the first annual report from the Climate Change Commission for Wales made 30 recommendations, including improving air quality and using low-carbon technology. Peter Davies, chairman of the Climate Change Commission, said, “the Welsh Government is already demonstrating that it is on the right path towards tackling climate change and annual reduction targets are comparable with the more ambitious reduction plans globally. However, it is essential that we not only ensure these targets are delivered, but that the ambition levels of these targets are kept under review.”

For additional information see: Wales Online

The U.S. Department of Agriculture (USDA) released a study implicating climate change in the death of up to 70 percent of Yellow Cedar trees in Alaska and British Columbia. According to Paul Hennon of USDA’s Pacific Northwest Research Station, “The cause of tree death, called yellow-cedar decline, is now known to be a form of root freezing that occurs during cold weather in late winter and early spring, but only when snow is not present on the ground. When present, snow protects the fine, shallow roots from extreme soil temperatures. The shallow rooting of yellow-cedar, early spring growth, and its unique vulnerability to freezing injury also contribute to this problem.”

For additional information see: UPI, Science Daily, USDA Press Release

Subsistence farmers in Mozambique are changing their farming practices, or moving, to survive increased flooding and droughts. Almost 80 percent of Mozambican families are subsistence farmers, and in Caia, a vast floodplain, floods in 2000 killed 700 people, displaced 100,000 and crop destruction cost 1.5 percent of gross domestic product. “In the past, it happened every five years, now we have annual emergencies, which shows that the situation has changed,” said Belem Monteiro, Director of the National Institute for Disaster Management. Aid groups and local governments have partnered to assist families with improved farming techniques, to diversify incomes or to resettle on higher ground. Farmer Rui Alberto Campira received a grant to build a new farm and install an irrigation system that will enable him to farm in the dry season. “It’s good. Especially for tomatoes. Tomatoes, onions, cabbage, collard greens. That’s what we usually plant here. There we only plant maize. Maize and sweet potatoes,” said Campira.

For additional information see: Public Radio International

Russian industries are planning future growth from increased shipping traffic and energy development in the Arctic Ocean. Warmer temperatures caused arctic ice to cover its second-smallest recorded area in 2011, allowing the Northeast Passage, also known as the Northern Sea Route, to stay open a record 141 days, a month longer than normal. The region is believed to hold as much as 25 percent of the worlds untapped fossil fuels, and businesses are planning on growing profits by building drilling platforms and support ships as well as through increased port traffic. The shipping route is being touted because it bypasses the Suez Canal. “It’s a very promising region and an interesting shipping lane that almost halves the distance between Europe and the Far East,” said Fazil Aliyev, a ship owner and captain.

For additional information see: Montreal Gazette

Climate change will cause changes in both the geographic occurrence of malaria and intensity of transmission over the next 50 years, according to Dr. Andrew Morse from the University of Liverpool, one of the authors of the study published in Environmental Health Perspectives. The study combined simulations of mosquito bite rates and transmission rates with a climate model to forecast malaria infection across Africa. Increases in surface temperature and decreased rainfall will reduce malaria infection in many tropical areas, but in the sub-Sahara Sahel region and East Africa, transmission rates will increase. Malaria is most common in warm, humid environments, and an increase of 2°Celsius may cause epidemics in areas currently free of malaria.

For additional information see: Planet Earth Online

Other Headlines

Writers: Alison Alford and Justin Jones

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The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative plans to eliminate an oversupply of 67 million unsold carbon allowances. The Mid-Atlantic and Northeast-based cap and trade system requires electric power providers to pay for emissions by purchasing carbon allowances equal to one ton of carbon dioxide emissions. Unused allowances can be sold by the companies to other emitters of pollution. The move to remove unused allowances will increase prices and lead to a decrease in CO2 emissions. According to Ashley Lawson, a senior analyst with Thomson Reuters Point Carbon, while the program has proved itself successful, the oversupply of allowances created a lower price for them, easing the pressure on electricity providers to emit less. While the prices have been lower than expected, almost $1 billion in revenue has been generated for the 10 original states, most of which has gone to energy efficiency programs.

For additional information see: New York Times

The U.S. Energy Information Administration recently released its Annual Energy Outlook 2012 report, citing that the United States consumed less coal and imported oil in 2011 than it did in 2005. While current emission levels are not on target to reduce U.S. carbon emissions by 17 percent by the year 2020, EIA’s forecast shows that new fuel-economy standards are helping Americans reduce their daily oil consumption. The report states, “Over the next 25 years, the projected coal share of overall electricity generation falls to 39 percent, well below the 49 percent share seen as recently as 2007, because of slow growth in electricity demand, continued competition from natural gas and renewable plants, and the need to comply with new environmental regulations.”

For additional information see: Reuters, Report

The US Department of Agriculture has updated the Plant Hardiness Zone Map to reflect climate change. The map is used by gardeners to determine which plants will grow in each location based on the average annual minimum temperature. Plants are able to thrive farther north because the coldest days of the year are now warmer and spring is arriving earlier. “People who grow plants are well aware of the fact that temperatures have gotten more mild throughout the year, particularly in the winter time,” according to Boston University biology professor Richard Primack. “There’s a lot of things you can grow now that you couldn’t grow before.” The new map is based on temperature data from 1976 to 2005 and reflects a two-thirds of a degree increase in average temperatures from the previous map.

For additional information see: ABC, AP, Plant Map

Hawaii State Rep. Cynthia Thielen (R, 50th District: Kailua, Kaneohe Bay) introduced H.B. No. 2330 to require planning agencies in each county to address sea level increases when reviewing development plans. Projected higher sea levels will threaten Hawaii’s infrastructure, tourism and overall economy. Thielen stated, “If Hawaii’s Legislators and other governmental officials do not take steps to adapt to anticipated sea level rise, scientists predict increased sea levels will inundate our islands negatively impacting their infrastructures.” According to the Center For Island Climate Adaptation and Policy sea levels will increase one foot by 2050.

For additional information see: KITV

The UN’s Conference in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil in June will have sustainable development as its major focus, not climate change. According to Ambassador Andre Correa do Lago, Brazil’s chief negotiator, the shift to sustainability is deliberate because, “Climate change is an (issue) that has very strong resistance from sectors that are going to be substantially altered, like the oil industry.” The conference will attempt to address policies that allow growth and development in a sustainable manner, not just environmentally but economically and socially as well.

For additional information see: Reuters, NPR

The British Environment Agency released a report highlighting 700 threats to the United Kingdom by 2100 if greenhouse gas emissions are not reduced. The Climate Change Risk Assessment addresses the economic impacts of flooding, disruption of international supply chains, droughts, species impacts, soil erosion, deforestation and refugees from climate-related conflicts. “If I had to pick one particular issue, I think the flooding issue is the most dominant,” said Sir Bob Watson, chief scientific adviser at the Department for Food, Environment and Rural Affairs. Between 1.7 million and 3.6 million people are expected to be at risk of flooding by 2050 and up to £10bn a year in damage by 2080. “Without an effective plan to prepare for the risks from climate change the country may sleepwalk into disaster,” said Lord John Krebs, chairman of the adaptation committee of the independent advisory group, Committee on Climate Change.

In related news, river flows in England and Wales may be reduced up to 80 percent by 2050, according to the British Environment Agency. A warming climate is expected to bring dryer summers, reducing water supplies, while increasing population growth will increase demand for water. “The problem is not just that average summer temperatures could rise by two or three degrees in Britain over the coming decades,” said Trevor Bishop, the head of water resources at the Environment Agency. “It is also forecast that the population of England and Wales is likely to rise by more than 9 million. That will only add to the burden that we are placing on our water supplies.” The report forecasts a loss in important habitats for fish species that depend on fresh water supplies such as Atlantic salmon and brown trout, which will then affect other species such as otters and eagles.

For additional information see: AP, Business Green, The Guardian, The Guardian, Report

Droughts caused by climate change are increasing the amount of arsenic found in the Laguna Region’s dwindling water levels. “From 1992 to 1999 [in the Laguna Region] we suffered intense droughts and 2010 was the driest (year) in 100 years,” explained Francisco Valdes Perezgasga, researcher at La Laguna Technological Institute. Less rain means the region’s aquifers are not replenished with fresh water, and the Laguna region’s 1.5 million residents are drawing on distant aquifers contaminated with heavy metals and arsenic, increasing the chance of lung, kidney and liver cancer. “We have confirmed an increase in the incidence of certain types of cancer, such as skin and gallbladder, and cases of genetic damage due to arsenic,” said Gonzalo Garcia Vargas, a professor at Juarez.

For additional information see: AlterNet

On January 20 in Science, researchers published a report urging policymakers to include agriculture in global actions against climate change. Led by John Beddington, Britain’s chief science adviser, the paper states, “Global agriculture must produce more food to feed a growing population, yet scientific assessments point to climate change as a growing threat to agricultural yields and food security.” Climate change-related weather events wipe out large crops of available food worldwide, and raise the overall price of remaining supplies. Farmers and scientists have begun to work together to find solutions to the food shortage. In Israel researchers have developed a way to use satellite images to assist farmers with harvests, relaying climate data to farmers that tell them when to plant seeds, when to harvest crops and which crops work best for each square kilometer of land. In Africa, farmers are using agroforestry to mix crops and livestock with shrubbery and trees in order to reduce deforestation and use available animal manure to fertilize the crops.

For additional information see: CNBC, NPR, Reuters, Time, Report

A recent poll from AlertNet found climate change and urbanization are shaping organizations’ response to disasters. The survey polled global aid organizations, including Oxfam, Save the Children, CARE, and Red Cross, about predictions of future humanitarian needs and challenges when delivering aid. AlertNet found non-profits and aid organizations are investing more time and money in disaster prevention and are spending more money when coming to the aid of people affected by climate change-related floods, storms, and droughts. “The rising trend in the number of disasters over the past five years shows no sign of slowing down. Year on year, we are responding more frequently and on a larger scale to increasing numbers of disasters,” said Gareth Owen, of Save the Children UK. The majority of the agencies polled said spending more resources on disaster risk reduction would greatly increase individuals’ ability to survive natural disasters, yet the organizations are having trouble raising the necessary funds. “Funding for disaster risk reduction and disaster preparedness is not very ‘sexy’ for donors—global, domestic and private,” said Jouni Hemberg, of FinnChurchAid.

For additional information see: Report, Poll Results

In the journal Nature Climate Change, two recently released reports highlighted both the positive and the negative effects of geoengineering. In the first study, led by Julia Pongrantz of the Carnegie Institution for Science, scientists used computer models to test the results of deflecting solar rays by scattering sulfur compounds into the atmosphere. Pongrantz found that altering the sun’s rays to deflect the majority of incoming light would increase global crop production, while having limited effect on overall global rainfall. Conversely, a second study, led by Peter J. Irvine at the University of Bristol in Britain, found that only a rapid and aggressive decrease of global air temperature would have a positive effect on sea-level rise, and plants and organisms would not have the time needed to adjust to the rapid cooling temperature. Both groups of researchers concluded that the best way to limit global warming is to immediately and drastically reduce the world’s carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.

For additional information see: New York Times, Science Daily, Crops and Geoengineering Report, Sea Temperatures and Geoengineering Report, Press Release

Barley appears to be able to adapt to increased carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations and drought, according to Anabel Robredo, a biologist at the University of the Basque Country. In her thesis, “Physiological Response Mechanisms of Barley to the Impact of Drought and Elevated CO2: Adaptation to Climate Change,” Robredo analyzed drought-exposed barley grown in a CO2 concentration equal to current levels and in twice current levels. While barley plants exposed to elevated CO2 concentrations and drought are harmed by using water more slowly, the plant is able to grow over a longer time period. Robredo cautioned against extrapolating these results to other species, “You have to be very careful because plant species often respond very differently, even displaying the opposite [response]. But, what we can say is that most plant species tend to use water more efficiently in conditions of elevated CO2 and drought, and that they grow more.”

For additional information see: Science Daily

In a recent study, British scientists discovered that the volume of fresh water in the western Arctic sea has increased by at least 10 percent since 2002. Using satellite data to measure the height of the sea surface, researchers found that surrounding ground snow and glacier ice are melting at a faster pace than usual, raising the sea surface of the Arctic by roughly 6 inches. If current wind patterns shift over the Arctic, the pool of fresh water could infiltrate the Atlantic Ocean, slowing down the Gulf Stream and significantly cooling Europe.

For additional information see: Reuters

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The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) recorded 12 separate U.S. weather disasters that each caused over $1 billion in damage in 2011. The list of extreme weather events include the drought in Texas, Hurricane Irene, and the flooding events in Mississippi. The weather disasters totaled over $52 billion in cumulative damages, with more than 1,000 casualties lost during the storms. “We have good reason to believe that what happened this year is not an anomaly, but instead is a harbinger of what is to come,” NOAA Administrator Jane Lubchenco said in an interview. Not only are storms becoming more severe due to a warming climate, but there are more people living in areas in the U.S. that are prone to serious weather events. This list does not yet include damages for either Tropical Storm Lee or the Northeast snowstorm in October, but if the damages from either one of those storms climb over $1 billion, NOAA said they will be added to the list.

For additional information see: CBS News, Houston Chronicle, NPR, NOAA

At Durban, the European Union (EU) is urging a 2015 deadline to rework the Kyoto Protocol, and to update the Protocol to include the changing environmental impacts developing emerging countries. The Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012, leaving little time to create a new pact before it runs out, but the EU has stated that developing nations with substantial carbon emissions should still be held to emissions cuts. However, the world’s three largest emitters of CO2—China, the United States, and India—remain firm in their refusal to ratify an agreement to curb emissions. Chinese negotiators have stated that China is ready to consider emissions reductions, but have avoided specific obligations or plans. India claims that it is still behind China in economic development, and thus should not be held accountable for carbon cuts. Climate change mitigation in the United States has been inhibited by political wrangling over environmental legislation. Negotiators from the United States at Durban insisted that the United States will achieve its goal of reducing emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels by the end of the decade, but no clear-cut plans have been made. Emissions from the United States, China, and India account for over half of global greenhouse gas emissions.

For additional information see: Reuters, EENews

Worldwide carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions dropped in 2009 as a result of the global financial crisis (GFC), but emissions rebounded in 2010 according to a study supported by Oak Ridge National Laboratory. Total emissions increased from 8.6 billion tons in 2009 to 9.1 billion tons in 2010. However, the study also showed that 2009 was the first year where consumption-based emissions were larger in developing countries than in developed countries. “Previously, developed countries released more carbon dioxide, but that’s no longer true due to emerging economies in developing countries,” said Tom Boden from the Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center.” The GFC did not impact major developing countries, such as China and India, like it did the United States and the European nations.” The study was published in Nature Climate Change.

For additional information see: Science Daily, New Scientist, Study Abstract

According to a recent study by the Australian Global Carbon Project, global carbon emissions rose three percent in the past year, and six percent in 2010. This increase, equal to about half a billion tons of carbon, is largely due to rapid economic growth in several developing countries. Countries with the greatest increase in emissions include China, Brazil, and South Korea. In the United States, emissions rose 4.1 percent in the past year. On average, global emissions increased by 3.1 percent each year between 2000 and 2010. Global carbon emissions have now reached 10 billion tons, a situation that the authors note is likely to lead to a two degree Celsius rise in temperature that would cause irreversible climate change.

For additional information see: New York Times, Business Green, Science Daily

A new study suggested that a two degree Celsius temperature rise could cause much more damage to the planet than expected. Melting of ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica is occurring much faster than initially projected, which has led many scientists to believe that the climate may be more sensitive than previously thought. Most updated climate models predict that sea levels will rise by 1.5 to 2.3 feet within the next 100 years, the highest levels reached during human history.

For additional information see: Daily Climate

In response to relentlessly rising carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, geoengineering techniques such as carbon capture seem feasible. However, an analysis from C12 Energy in Berkeley, California, suggests that capturing CO2 is not economically favorable, costing over $33 trillion to just to maintain the current level of atmospheric CO2. The process for carbon capture would involve exposing large amounts of sodium hydroxide and potassium hydroxide to the air, and forcing the CO2-rich air through these compounds to filter out the carbon. The CO2 then would need to be compressed into a liquid and be disposed of, with both processes being complex and expensive, the technique quickly becomes unmanageable. Authors of the study noted that avoiding CO2 release is a much more practicable method for keeping the climate under control.

For additional information see: Science Magazine

New legislation in Brazil seeks to cut carbon emissions and protect the Amazon from deforestation. The climate change secretary of the Brazilian government, Eduardo Assad, claims that the new law will cut greenhouse gas emissions by supporting reforestation efforts. Since 1990, about 347,000 square kilometers of Amazon rainforest have been cleared in Brazil—an area that is almost the size of Germany. While deforestation in Brazil is slowing down, the new bill will curb deforestation further by requiring land owners to replant lost forest or pay a fine, reducing reforestation by 80 percent by 2020. The bill is expected to help Brazil meet its greenhouse gas emissions reduction targets by lowering emissions as much as 39 percent by 2020. Opponents to the new law say that it will decrease the amount of land that landowners need to protect.

For additional information see: Bloomberg

Recent research from the International Center for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD) suggest that the Himalayan region is increasingly vulnerable to climate change, as rising temperatures are expected to affect precipitation patterns and the melting pattern of ice and snow on the peaks. This report, which makes use of mathematical models and data about glacier and lake levels, is the first study to account for the extent of glaciers and the patterns of snowfall in the Himalayan region. Climate change in the Himalayas would affect over 1.3 billion people who live downstream along river basins that depend on the water cycle of the mountain range. The threatened region is also home to a vibrant ecological network that includes 25,000 species of plants and animals.

For additional information see: Times of India, International Center for Integrated Mountain Development

New analysis from Swiss climate modelers reconfirms that humans are responsible for the pace and severity of climate change. Scientists used a model of the Earth’s energy budget and ran a mathematical model thousands of times using combinations of parameters that contribute to Earth’s energy and climate systems, including incoming shortwave solar radiation, solar energy that is reflected away from the earth, heat absorbed by oceans, and climate feedback mechanisms. Their results concluded that humans are responsible for at least 74 percent of temperature rise in the past 60 years. These results are remarkably similar to other climate model investigations and analyses of climate trends, suggesting that human emissions of greenhouse gases are the greatest contributor to the 0.5 degree Celsius temperature rise since 1950.

For additional information see: Nature, Abstract

On Monday, the U.S. Department of Interior (DOI) released a study measuring the amount of carbon stored in U.S. forests, grasslands, and wetlands in the Great Plains region. This report is the first of its kind to analyze the amount of carbon naturally sequestered through various ecosystems. “This is truly groundbreaking research that, for the first time, takes a landscape-level look at how our lands naturally store carbon and explores how we can encourage this capability in ways that enhance our stewardship of natural resources,” said Deputy Secretary of the Interior David Hayes. “Our landscapes are helping us to absorb carbon emissions that would otherwise contribute to atmospheric warming.” The report estimates that carbon stored in the Great Plains region will increase by 29 to 36 percent by 2050, while nitrous oxide emissions are expected to increase by 7 to 11 percent. Once future studies on the eastern, western, Alaskan and Hawaiian regions are released, the Department of Interior will be able to compare carbon sequestration throughout the United States on a national level.

For additional information see: DOI Press Release, DOI Report

The Arctic and Antarctic ice shelves may have melted simultaneously at the end of the last ice age, according to a new study published in Science. Until now, the size of the ice sheet in the Arctic was well known, but comparatively little was known about the long term changes in size of the southern ice sheet. “Our results suggest that Antarctica was not as climatically isolated as previously assumed,” said Dr. Gerhard Kuhn. “Now we have to presume that the reaction of the large ice sheets in the Arctic and Antarctic to climate change is more closely linked in time than thought.” Dr Weber, of the Geological Institute of the University of Cologne, specified that “forecasts of the future rise in the sea level caused by climate change will also have to be adjusted accordingly.”

For additional information see: Science Daily, Science News, Study Abstract

The security of individuals, communities and nations is profoundly affected by changing environmental conditions. Climate disruption, access to affordable and clean water, food and energy, are among the factors that can impact both the health and stability of individuals and their communities. Small environmental changes can trigger economic, political, and social upheavals and drive population movements. Nations are beginning to integrate such environmental factors into decisions regarding defense, diplomacy, and development. The National Council for Science and the Environment’s (NCSE’s) Environment and Security Conference will address these issues through various sessions featuring expert speakers on Wednesday, January 18th, with and interactive breakout workshops on Thursday, January 19 at the Ronald Reagan Building and International Trade Center 1300 Pennsylvania Avenue, NW Washington, D.C. 20004

For additional information see: Register Here, or Click Here to see the full conference agenda, or you can Visit the Conference’s Website Here.

EESI’s work, including this free newsletter, is made possible by financial support from people like you. Please help us continue to make it available by making a secure, online donation today by clicking here or mailing a check to Environmental and Energy Study Institute; 1112 16th St NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036. Please contact Susan Williams at (202) 662-1887  or see www.eesi.org/donate to find out more. Thank you for your support!

Nearly 200 nations began global climate discussions on Monday, November 28, in Durban, South Africa. The talks are the last chance to establish legally binding greenhouse gas emissions targets before the Kyoto Protocol expires in 2012. European Union (EU) climate negotiators have called for a global deal on climate change mitigation to be reached by 2015 and in place by 2020. The EU expressed willingness to recommit to the Kyoto Protocol, but stated that the protocol will be effective only if other nations such as Russia, Japan, and Canada participate. The success of climate negotiations in Durban also depends on the United States and China, the world’s two top emitters, but both nations have consistently refused to commit to binding climate goals.

The United Nations International Energy Agency says that current efforts of individual nations to mitigate climate change will not be enough to avoid a 2 degree Celsius rise in global average temperature. According to the agency, a comprehensive global treaty is necessary. The European Union, New Zealand, Australia, Norway and Switzerland may ratify a new deal on greenhouse gas emissions reductions in Durban, but the world’s top greenhouse gas emitters remain reluctant.

For additional information see: Reuters, Reuters (2nd Article), Associated Press, Wall Street Journal

According to a recent report by the United Nations Environment Program, the world already has the technology necessary to manage climate change effectively. Another recent report by Greenpeace International maintained that “we have the technology today to ensure a transition to a greener, safer, and more equitable economy.” Some strategies the United Nations Environment Program listed as effective ways to mitigate climate change include adopting renewable energy sources, improving energy efficiency, switching to more sustainable fuels, increasing public transportation and fuel-efficient vehicles, and effectively managing agricultural emissions and waste streams. The report stressed that all of these strategies are currently technologically and economically feasible, but international collaboration through forums such as the Durban talks are still necessary to help mitigate climate change.

For additional information see: Business Day, UNEP

According to a new report by the World Meteorological Organization, or WMO, 2011 was one of the hottest years on record, and the hottest year on record with a La Nina event. According to the preliminary data, 2011 is only 12 degrees cooler than 2010, the hottest year on record. However, 2011 was the hottest year starting with La Nina, an upwelling of cooler water in the Pacific Ocean, which affects the weather patterns and typically lowers the global average temperature by 0.1 to 0.15 degrees. The largest variation from the average temperature was recorded in Russia, where temperatures were 4 degrees Celsius warmer from January to October. The report stated that this rise in temperature is caused by human activity, and it suggests that the earth is “rapidly approaching” a 2 to 2.4 degrees Celsius rise in temperature that would render the impacts of climate change dire and irreversible. “There is a consistent patter of a changing climate, with the last decade warmer than the previous one, and that decade warmer than the one before,” said Peter Stott of the UK Met Office, which provides climate data to the WMO. “There’s clearly a warming trend . That’s supported by other indicators such as disappearing Arctic sea ice, melting glaciers, and rising sea levels.”

For additional information see: Bloomberg, Reuters, Wall Street Journal, WMO Press Release

China’s energy intensity—or the rate of energy consumption relative to gross domestic product—dropped 19.1 percent from 2005 levels in the past year. In the past five years, China has seen an 11.2 percent increase in economic growth, but an annual energy consumption increase of just 6.6 percent. Between 2006 and 2010, China reduced greenhouse gas emissions by 1.5 billion tons. According to a press release from a research team from the Institute of Global Low-carbon Economy, University of International Business and Economics, and the Social Sciences Academic Press, this reduction in carbon emissions is largely due to strict and effective energy policies, including efforts to shut down inefficient power plants and increasing the energy efficiency of the heating supply network.

For additional information see: Shanghai Daily

A strong and vocal majority of 108 Parties supported a plea by island nations to phase down HFCs, or super greenhouse gases, at the 23rd annual meeting of the Montreal Protocol ozone treaty. The meeting, which took place in Bali, Indonesia on November 21-25, featured efforts to cap the mission of HFCs by 2014, and reduce emissions by 15 percent every three years. The island nations’ proposal would provide climate mitigation equivalent to 100 billion tons of CO2 by 2050, many times more than the Kyoto Protocol. But a small group of Parties led by India and China asserted that HFCs can only be addressed under the climate treaty and blocked the start of formal negotiations, delaying action for at least another year. “China and India need to show they can be leaders rather than laggards blocking island efforts to survive,” IGSD President Durwood Zaelke said. “China and India owe it to the world to support this unique opportunity under the Montreal Protocol to protect the climate.”

For additional information see: Washington Post, Sustainable Business

A new UNEP policy report details how fast action to reduce non-CO2 short-lived climate forcers (SLCF) represents a “win-win” for climate mitigation, public health, and food security, with benefits that justify action regardless of climate change policy. The report provides policy pathways to implement SLCF control measures, building upon existing institutions, policies, and regulatory frameworks. If action is taken now, such cuts can reduce the rate of overall global warming in half, and by two-thirds in the Arctic over the next 30-60 years. “The scientific case for fast action on these so-called ‘Short-Lived Climate Forcers’ has been steadily built over more than a decade,” said Achim Steiner, UNEP Executive Director. “UNEP has shown us the tools to fight back against near-term climate change and protect the most vulnerable people and places from the worst impacts of climate change,” said Durwood Zaelke, President of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development.

For additional information see: UNEP Report, UNEP News Centre, The Guardian

Institutional investors will now have a chance to hold segregated accounts that invest in fixed income instruments raising financing for projects that address climate change. The Climate Bonds Initiative, introduced by State Street Global Advisors, will help with the goal of raising the estimated $1 trillion per year in investments needed by 2050 to effectively mitigate climate change. One of the key components of the Green Bond Initiative is a certification system that investors can use as a screening tool. Previously, many institutional investors were wary of climate change funds due to the lack of investment-grade green bonds and the small size and lack of liquidity of the market. About $12 billion worth of bonds from development banks and other international organizations have been issued so far.

For additional information see: New York Times

A recent study by an international team of scientists lead by Andreas Schmittner of Oregon State University suggests that the impacts of climate change are not likely to be as extreme as previous studies project. Scientists predicted that a doubling of carbon dioxide (CO2) would cause a temperature rise of 1.7 degrees Celsius to 2.6 degrees Celsius. Using a computer model to formulate projections, researchers analyzed paleoclimate data that extends back 21,000 years, projecting that the temperature and sea level changes will not be as severe as the more pessimistic range of estimates presented by the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The authors of the study stressed that global warming is a serious issue and that there will be considerable climatic impacts as a result of increased atmospheric carbon dioxide.
In related news, a recent statement by a leading energy expert from the International Energy Agency (IEA) suggested that current global energy consumption levels could cause a temperature change of up to 6 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels. According to the IEA’s analysis, current rates of fossil fuel consumption will lead to a two degree rise in temperature that will lead to irreversible changes to the earth’s climate systems, eventually causing a six degree Celsius rise in temperature.

For additional information see: Science Daily, BBC, Abstract

The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) will host Phase II: Renewable Energy in America National Policy Forum. This policy forum will explore the key policy issues related to increasing private investment in and use of renewable energy in both the electricity and transportation sectors. The opening reception will take place on December 6 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Folger Shakespeare Library, located at 201 E Capitol St SE, Washington, DC 20003. The forum will take place on December 7 from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM at the Cannon Caucus Room, in the Cannon House Office Building.

For additional information Click Here,To pre-register, Click Here.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) will host a briefing on the growing cooperative relationship between U.S. utilities and the Canadian hydroelectric industry. Hydropower is a proven technology, with a history of reliability and affordability. In addition, hydropower can store energy, it can respond to fluctuating demands for electricity and, therefore, can be a backstop source to more intermittent U.S. resources like wind and solar.

Speakers at this event will include:
• Ambassador Gary Doer, Canada’s Ambassador to the United States, introductory remarks and overview
• David McMillan, Executive Vice President, Minnesota Power, “International Renewable Energy Partnerships”
• Ed Wojczynski, Manitoba Hydro and Chair, Canadian Hydropower Association, “Building our Future: Connecting North American Hydro and Other Renewables”
• Jim Robb, Senior Vice President of Planning and Development, Northeast Utilities, “Quebec and New England: A Growing Energy Partnership”

This briefing was organized with support from Manitoba Hydro, Hydro Quebec, the Embassy of Canada, the Government of Manitoba and the Government of Quebec. The briefing will be held Wednesday, December 7, 2011, 10:00 AM – 11:30 AM in Room SVC 201/200 of the Capitol Visitor’s Center. This event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact Clare Cooper at ccooper [at] eesi.org or (202) 662-1884.

For additional information Click Here.

EESI’s work, including this free newsletter, is made possible by financial support from people like you. Please help us continue to make it available by making a secure, online donation today by clicking here or mailing a check to Environmental and Energy Study Institute; 1112 16th St NW, Suite 300, Washington, DC 20036. Please contact Susan Williams at (202) 662-1887  or see www.eesi.org/donate to find out more. Thank you for your support!

The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) requested permission from Congress to create the National Climate Service, a “one-stop shop” for all things climate-related. NOAA Deputy Undersecretary Mary Glackin stated that people are “often confused where to go for climate information.” Glackin said that the National Climate Service would help people find information on droughts, wildfire and flood forecasts in one place, and no new funding would be necessary to reshuffle existing offices in NOAA when creating the National Climate Service. Though the budget was largely approved by the Senate, the total budget for the climate service program was denied by the House, with the House ultimately winning out.

For additional information see:

Washington Post

In its annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin the United Nations’ (UN) World Meteorological Organization (WMO) reported a 29 percent increase from 1990 to 2010 in the warming effect on the climate from greenhouse gases. In addition, the amount of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere increased to 389 parts per million molecules of air in 2010, a rise of 2.3 parts per million from 2009. WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud said, “Even if we managed to halt our greenhouse gas emissions today – and this is far from the case – they would continue to linger in the atmosphere for decades to come and so continue to affect the delicate balance of our living planet and our climate.” He continued, “Now more than ever before, we need to understand the complex and sometimes unexpected interactions between greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, Earth’s biosphere and oceans.”

For additional information see: Business Green, Reuters

Some of the wealthiest nation’s governments, including the United Kingdom, the European Union, Japan, and the United States, are discussing delaying a global climate agreement until 2016. Europe’s climate chief, Connie Hedegaard, said that the European Union’s goal was to decide on a climate change treaty “by the first COP [Conference of Parties meeting] after 2015,” with negotiations possibly further delaying the treaty until 2020. Christiana Figueres, the United Nation’s top official on climate change, collaborated with the idea, “Making an agreement is not easy. What we are looking at is not an international environment agreement — what we are looking at is nothing other than the biggest industrial and energy revolution that has ever been seen.” Scientists and environmentalists stress that delaying a global climate treaty by even a few years would be detrimental to the planet, stating that inaction would move the world closer to irreversible climate change.

For additional information see: The Guardian, Sydney Morning Herald

Researchers from the University of British Columbia have developed a set of measures for how to best manage climate change aid money, according to a study published in the journal Science. The paper outlines some recommendations which include ensuring that donations are not simply shifted away from other sources of aid, and appointing independent auditors to oversee the spending and management of the money. “If it’s not managed well we could waste a lot of money and a lot of people could not get the aid they need,” said co-author Simon Donner. The researchers also cited a lack of checks and balances in the system and past examples where the money was spent on public relations stunts showing that the agencies were “taking action.” “The international aid system is fraught with problems,” said Donner, “and by adding another $100 million a year to it, basically doubling it, we could end up worsening a lot of problems.”

For additional information see: Agence France-Presse, Vancouver Observer, Study Abstract

On November 21, the United Nations (UN) released a report stating that hydrofluorocarbons emissions must be curbed to help mitigate climate change. “Keeping a global, 21st century temperature rise under 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 degrees Fahrenheit) will require urgent action” to reduce hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), said the UN Environment Program. “By 2050, HFCs could be responsible for emissions equivalent to 3.5 gigatons to 8.8 gigatons of carbon dioxide, comparable to total current annual emissions from transport, estimated at 6-7 gigatons annually.” The report suggests alternatives to the HFC gases most popularly used in air conditioners and refrigerators, including improving existing buildings’ designs that eliminate the need for air conditioners, and the use of non-HFC substances.

For additional information see: Bloomberg

Wild oysters in the Pacific Northwest are failing to reproduce successfully due to the rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the Pacific Ocean. These corrosive waters prevent oyster larvae from forming shells and they ultimately die off, with local hatcheries experiencing 70 to 80 percent of lost oyster larvae. Oyster harvesting in the Pacific Northwest brings 3,000 jobs to the local area $207 million in annual revenue to the surrounding communities. The lasting impact of oyster die-offs reach far and wide above the Pacific Northwest region, and similar effects from ocean acidification are apparent on the U.S. Atlantic coast and in Australia. Bill Dewey of Taylor Shellfish states that the Pacific Northwest oysters are “the canary in the coal mine. . . . We have to find a way in our industry to adapt.”

For additional information see: Yale Environment 360

The Canadian Embassy and the Polar Research Board of the National Academy of Sciences will host the International Polar Year seminar, where polar scientists and representatives of the polar region will gather to discuss the International Polar Year 2007-2008, as well as the upcoming conference in Montreal. The seminar will be followed by a reception at the Koshland Science Museum’s new climate exhibit. This event will take place on November 29 from 4:00 PM to 6:00 PM at the National Academy of Sciences Keck Center, located in Room 100, 500 Fifth Street NW, Washington DC, 20001.

For more information Click Here; To RSVP by November 22 Click Here.

The American Council On Renewable Energy (ACORE) will host Phase II: Renewable Energy in America National Policy Forum. This policy forum will explore the key policy issues related to increasing private investment in and use of renewable energy in both the electricity and transportation sectors. The opening reception will take place on December 6 from 6:00 PM to 8:00 PM at the Folger Shakespeare Library, located at 201 E Capitol St SE, Washington, DC 20003. The forum will take place on December 7 from 7:30 AM to 5:00 PM at the Cannon Caucus Room, in the Cannon House Office Building.