The Obama Administration announced it would delay its decision on whether to authorize construction of the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline until 2013. In a State Department press release, officials cited several factors that contributed to the decision, including concerns about the environmental sensitivity of the Sands Hill area of Nebraska, through which the pipeline would be built. The November 10 statement announced the Administration will now conduct a thorough reassessment of proposed pipeline route alternatives. In addition, the release also noted, “Among the relevant issues that would be considered are environmental concerns (including climate change), energy security, economic impacts, and foreign policy.”

For additional information see: Washington Post, State Department

On November 8, the Obama Administration announced intentions to regulate carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power plants. The rule, titled “Greenhouse Gas New Source Performance Standard for Electric Utility Steam Generating Units,” would be the first rule that allows the EPA to enforce standards for new power plants. New regulations about greenhouse gas emissions have been delayed by Republican lawmakers claiming that actions of the EPA will result in fewer jobs. Opponents claim that economic costs of the rule will outweigh environmental benefits. The proposed regulation follows a 2007 Supreme Court ruling that the EPA has the authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act if it found greenhouse gases to be a danger to public health, which EPA confirmed in a 2008 endangerment finding.

For additional information see: LA Times

The Georgetown Climate Center recently launched the Adaptation Clearinghouse, an online tool to find and share resources and information that pertain to climate change policy issues and adaptation measures. This new online community will serve as a database of new research about climate change adaptation, as well as a forum to spread newly developed models and techniques. Some of the recent resources shared in the online community include a comprehensive model that explores sea level rise and coastal land use, and an adaptation plan for the city of Chula Vista that weighs the potential infrastructural impacts of climate change on the city. The Georgetown Climate Center is a nonpartisan group that aims to connect policymakers and share best practices and resources concerning climate change.

For additional information see: Georgetown Climate Center

The Pew Center on Global Climate Change has announced it has changed its name to the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES) after it lost $3.5 million in funding from its primary donor, The Pew Charitable Trusts. In lieu of Pew’s funding, C2ES has found funding from three “strategic partners”, Entergy, HP and Shell, as well as major contributions from Alcoa Foundation, Bank of America, GE, The Energy Foundation, Duke Energy and the Rockefeller Brothers Fund. According to Eileen Claussen, the group’s president and former climate change negotiator under President Bill Clinton, “Every one of these companies does some things that we don’t like. . . They’ve got trade associations to do their bidding and they’ve got lobbyists. They view their association with us as different because we are in fact independent.” Claussen stressed that C2ES will remain commited to “fact-based analysis and pragmatic solutions.”

For additional information see: AFP, Bloomberg, C2ES Press Release

According to a November 1 UN report, a global market for carbon that is stored within the world’s oceans is necessary to protect marine and coastal environments, or “blue carbon.” Over 55 percent of the biological carbon captured globally is captured by marine organisms, and preventing further loss of marine environments while working towards their recovery could offset three to seven percent of current fossil fuels emissions. The report estimates that as much as seven percent of blue carbon sinks are lost each year. According to the report, a Blue Carbon Fund would encourage investments in the maintenance and rehabilitation of these crucial marine ecosystems.

For additional information see: Environmental Finance, UN Report

The Climate Investment Funds (CIF) announced on November 4 that over $1 billion will be invested in climate change mitigation. Working with banks such as the African Development Bank and the World Bank Group, the CIF funds help developing countries establish low emissions development projects that are adaptive with climate change. Recipients of the near-zero interest loans and grants include nations such as Bolivia, Honduras, India, Jamaica, Laos, Mali, Mexico, and Nepal. The CIF will invest in projects such as developing renewable hydropower in India and Nepal, establishing a grid-connected renewable energy system in Honduras, and combating deforestation in Laos by supporting sustainable forest management.

For additional information see: All Africa, CIF Projects

Australia’s parliament passed the most comprehensive carbon pricing scheme outside of the European Union (EU) on November 7. The law will put a tax of $23 (around $23.78 U.S. dollars) on each ton of carbon emitted by the top 500 polluters from July 2012 until July 2015, after which it will become a carbon trading emission scheme. Even though Australia only accounts for 1.5 percent of the world’s emissions, they have the highest per capita emissions intensity of any country because coal generates 80 percent of the country’s electricity. The government expects the tax will incentivize a multibillion dollar investment in cleaner fuels and will move their energy economy away from coal. The law also provides compensation for export-exposed industries, such as aluminum, zinc and steel, and provides personal tax cuts for workers (totaling up to $300 per year on average). In addition, the export-exposed industries will receive 94.5 percent of their carbon permits for free for the first three years. Once the scheme moves to a tradable permit system, it will be integrated with EU’s trading scheme.

For additional information see: The Guardian, Reuters

Following a decision to ban hydrofuorocarbon-23 (HFC-23) in Europe by May 2013, there will no longer be a market in which credits for hydrofluorocarbon credits are bought. According to Xie Fei, revenue management director at China Clean Development Mechanism Fund, this would cause Chinese producers of HFCs to vent the gases rather than incinerating them. Since 2007, the Chinese fund that collects revenue from local HFC offset projects has made over $1.3 billion, which was used to invest in emissions reduction schemes and carbon policy. The market for HFC offsets is expected to become obsolete as the EU bans the detrimental greenhouse gas, and Australia and New Zealand work toward similar decisions. Major Chinese manufacturers and producers of HFCs claimed that without the market for pollution credits, the cost of incineration is too high. HFC-23 is 11,700 times more potent than CO2 as a greenhouse gas and remains in the atmosphere for about 200 years.

For additional information see: Bloomberg

On November 8, EU finance ministers pledged 7.2 billion Euros to fund projects in developing countries that address climate change. This is a steep increase from previous years—in 2010 and 2011, the EU members provided 4.68 billion Euros to climate change projects in developing countries. Critics of the finance commitment argue that the funds are not new investments, but relabelled development funding. This funding is a critical part of the pledge to deliver $30 billion as “fast-start finance” to developing nations between 2010 and 2012. Fast-start finance was established in Copenhagen in 2009 to help developing nations cope with climate change. Further negotiations and pledges for financing climate projects in developing countries will be central to the Durban summit, set to begin November 28.

For additional information see: Reuters, Business Green

According to a recent Price Waterhouse Cooper (PWC) report, global carbon intensity—a measure of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions per unit of production—grew 0.6 percent in the past year. The global GDP rose 5.1 percent and CO2 emissions rose 5.8 percent in the same time frame. This year was the first year since 2000 that the G20 nations have made no progress in reducing carbon intensity. Rising carbon intensity renders the goal of keeping global temperature rise within 2 degrees Celsius increasingly unlikely. The increase in intensity is attributed to booming economic growth in China, Brazil, and South Korea, along with especially cold winter temperatures in the northern hemisphere. This report was released as an installment in PWC’s “Low Carbon Economy Index”.

For additional information see: Business Green, Report

After initially spotting an 18 mile long crack in the ice on Pine Island Glacier in Antarctica, NASA scientists concluded that a 300 square-mile iceberg will break off in the next few months. The newly formed iceberg is likely Antarctica’s largest contribution to global sea level rise so far. Warmer water has melted the deeper portions of the ice shelf that would otherwise have kept the ice mass grounded, leaving the mass of ice unstable. Scientists studying the ice shelf are unsure whether the ice will recover its size, or continue to become thinner and weaker, continually contributing to sea level rise.

For additional information see: Washington Post, NASA

New research suggests that coral reefs may be more adaptive to climate change than previously thought. Ocean acidification, the result of increased levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2), causes corals to become brittle and to grow more slowly. However, areas of reef that are close to ecosystems with much photosynthesis, such as sea grass beds and areas rich in algae, are resilient to this threat because the plant life absorbs the CO2, thus mitigating acidification. This phenomenon could protect some areas of reef for longer, giving scientists more time to study ecosystems and adaptation methods. This study was published in the journal PLoS One.

For additional information see: The Australian, Abstract

According to a recent report by the International Energy Agency, irreversible climate change consequences are unavoidable if dramatic changes are not made within the next five years. If current pledges to reduce emissions are successful, the temperature average is projected to rise 3.5 degrees Celsius, says the report, which is still considerably higher than the two degree rise in temperature considered safe by scientists. The authors of the World Energy Outlook report said they are not optimistic that these planned measures to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will even be successful, and a failure to meet emissions reduction goals could result in a temperature rise of at least six degrees Celsius. Some factors that are expected to aggravate emissions problems include reluctance to continue using nuclear energy following the Fukushima disaster, unwillingness to abandon current industry and infrastructure, and growing numbers of fossil fuel-dependent power plants and inefficient buildings.

For additional information see: Washington Post, Business Green

A recent analysis by the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) indicated that the ecology, sea level, and water supply of California’s San Francisco Bay and Sacramento-San Joaquin Delta will be altered significantly by 2100 in response to different climate change scenarios. Warmer waters and increased salinity threaten native marine ecosystems. Key species such as Delta smelt and Chinook salmon will face great difficulty maintaining a sustainable population. Changes in regional water systems would affect the drinking water of 25 million people, and the irrigation that sustains $36 billion worth of crops annually. To cope with changes, the study suggested building an integrated understanding of river-estuary systems and climate change, monitoring the environmental indicators related to uncertainties about climate change, considering the effect of climate change on the biological community and local habitats, and anticipating adaptions to changing ecosystems. The study was published in the online journal PLoS One.

For additional information see: Science Daily, Abstract

Other Headlines

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing to learn about how clean, renewable, efficient biomass heating can contribute to job creation, economic development, and energy security in communities across the country, as well as ways in which policies can help overcome some of the existing challenges and barriers to biomass use in the residential, commercial, and institutional sectors. This briefing was organized in conjunction with Biomass Thermal Energy Council, Biomass Coordinating Council, McGuire Woods, Northeast Biomass Thermal Working Group, Pellet Fuels Institute and Rural Voices for Conservation Coalition. The briefing will be held Wednesday, November 16, 2011, 3:00 PM – 4:30 PM in Room 2322 of the Rayburn House Office Building. 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 see:

Writers: Deep Ghosh and Matthew Johnson

Please distribute Climate Change News to your colleagues. Permission for reproduction of this newsletter is granted provided that the Environmental and Energy Study Institute is properly acknowledged as the source. Past issues are available here. Free email subscriptions are available here. We welcome your suggestions, comments, and questions.

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 Senate has delayed voting on a group of amendments to limit the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authority to regulate greenhouse gases (GHGs) for another week. Lawmakers were scheduled to vote on the amendments to an unrelated small business bill on March 31, but were delayed due to disagreements on proposed amendments from Sen. Tom Coburn (R-OK), who blocked a unanimous-consent agreement on moving forward with debate on March 30 in an effort to secure a vote on his amendment to eliminate ethanol tax breaks. Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) offered an amendment to the small business bill that would permanently block EPA’s authority to regulate GHG emissions under the Clean Air Act. However, there were three alternative amendments proposed by Democrats which may also get a floor vote. Sen. Jay Rockerfeller (D-WV) proposed a two-year delay in EPA climate regulations. The amendment proposed by Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT) would exempt all agriculture and small polluters from climate regulations, and Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) proposed an amendment that would suspend EPA regulation for two years, exempt agriculture from GHG regulations, and also create a single national standard for motor vehicle emissions.

For additional information see: Politico, Reuters, TheHill

On March 23, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it will grant a petition filed by three non-government organizations (NGOs) to withdraw its approval of using the potent greenhouse gas (GHG) HFC-134a in automobile air conditioners. The three NGOs, the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development (IGSD), and the Environmental Investigation Agency (EIA), filed the petition as part of their worldwide goal to eliminate hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs), highly potent GHGs with long atmospheric lifetimes. The groups’ alternative to HFC-134a is called HFO-1234yf, a gas with a low potential for global warming. Durwood Zaelke, president of the IGSD, stated, “EPA’s decision to grant our petition to outlaw HFC-134a in mobile air conditioning is another significant step forward in the global effort to rid the world of all damaging HFCs and proof that EPA is re-emerging as a positive force for environmentally superior technology and the jobs created by technology progress.”

For additional information see: ENS, Reuters, Petition

On March 28, China announced its new 2011 targets for energy and water efficiency and for carbon emission reductions. The goals include a reduction of carbon emissions by 4 percent below 2010 levels, and a reduction in water usage by 7 percent. These cuts are part of a wider plan to reduce energy consumption and carbon emissions 18 percent by 2015, as well as to achieve a 30 percent reduction in water consumption. By 2020, China hopes to reach a 40-45 percent reduction in energy consumption from 2005 levels. China will explore the use of “market mechanisms” to lower its emissions, with the majority of the burden being placed on large industrial enterprises.

For additional information see: Reuters, Xinhua

On Thursday, March 31, the United Kingdom’s (UK) Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) reported that UK CO2 emissions were up 3.8 percent from 2009, the first time greenhouse gas emissions rose for two straight years since 2005. “The increase in CO2 emissions between 2009 and 2010 resulted primarily from a rise in residential gas use, combined with fuel switching away from nuclear power to coal and gas for electricity generation,” a DECC representative said. In 2010, an estimated 39 percent of the UK’s CO2 emissions were from the energy supply sector, 25 percent from transportation, 17 percent from direct residential fossil fuel use and 16 percent directly from businesses, the report said. Emissions were calculated based on where the emissions occurred, not from where power was used.

On Friday, April 1, in a related report the European Union’s emissions trading scheme showed that Europe’s emissions rose 3.45 percent in 2010. “The data is mainly explained by the comeback of industrial output (other than power) and EU economic growth,” said Marius Frunza, analyst at France’s Sagacarbon.

For additional information see: Reuters, Press Release, Reuters Emission Data, Business Green

The UK Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC), along with six businesses have embarked on a five day trade mission to the United States in an effort to promote leading British industries overseas. They hoped the mission will identify potential export opportunities as well as attract investments to the UK. While in the United States, Climate Minister Greg Barker planned to speak to political and business leaders on the green investment opportunities available in the UK that result from low carbon government policies. “My message will be that Britain is open for green business investment,” said Barker. Businesses joining Barker included renewable energy developer RES Group, investment firm Jupiter Asset Management, fuel cell specialist Intelligent Energy, risk management consultancy Willis Group Holdings plc, domestic energy efficiency company The Mark Group, and brewer Adnams Southwold.

For additional information see: Business Green

A new study published in Nature found that a species of Antarctic hairgrass, one of only two flowering plants on Antarctica, has become more widespread over the past 50 years due to longer, warmer summers caused by climate change. According to the study, the hairgrass is able to utilize the nitrogen given off the soil as it warms up and decomposes. Authors noted that this process can be used to help develop new plant fertilizers in an effort to steer away from industrial nitrogen produced with oil.

For additional information see: Telegraph, Study

A new study conducted by the DLR German Aerospace Center found that airplane contrails, the white lines of vapor formed by jet engines, add to the formation of high-altitude heat trapping cirrus clouds. The study’s authors, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, stated “Aircraft condensation trails and the clouds that form from them may be causing more warming today than all the aircraft-emitted carbon dioxide (CO2) that has accumulated in the atmosphere since the start of aviation.” The study estimated that the net warming effect on the Earth by contrails at any one time was 31 milliwatts per square meter, whereas the warming effect of all the accumulated CO2 from aviation was 28 milliwatts. The findings may assist governments in fixing penalties on airplane greenhouse gas emissions, or bring about more efficient, vapor limiting jet engines.

For additional information see: Reuters, Study

In a recent study published in Global Change Biology, scientists used heaters to simulate a temperature rise of 2-6 degrees Fahrenheit to study the predicted climate change effects on wheat fields in Arizona and found that the heaters accelerated growth, increased soil temperatures, reduced soil moisture, induced mild water stress on the crops and had a nominal effect on photosynthesis. The heaters were used from December through early January, on wheat that was planted in September. Bruce Kimball, the study’s author, found that although rising temperatures could be beneficial to farmers in northern latitudes, the agricultural losses in tropical and southern countries are projected to far outweigh the benefits in the north. According to a 2010 study conducted by Christopher Muller of The World Bank, wheat-growing areas of northern India, Australia and the American Midwest are projected to see 20 to 50 percent drops in yields by 2050, and although areas in some northern regions may see increases up to 100 percent, they are much less expansive. Muller’s study concluded that better breeding and engineering technology would be needed to increase overall yields.

For additional information see: NY Times, Kimball Study, Muller Study

A new study published in Geophysical Research Letters found the greenness levels of the Amazon rainforest declined about 965,000 square miles from the 2010 drought, and still have not recovered to normal levels. Scientists were concerned that the stress of the changing climate could cause some of the rainforests to be replaced by grasslands or woody savannas, causing the carbon from the rotting wood of dead trees to accelerate global warming. The study was done by utilizing over a decade’s worth of satellite data from NASA’s Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) and Tropical Rainfall Measuring Mission (TRMM). In the summer of 2010, scientists began using a new method called the NASA Earth Exchange (NEX), a collaborative supercomputing environment that brings together data, models and computing resources, which allowed them to quickly gain an overall understanding of the effects of the drought on the Amazonian rainforest and complete their analysis by January 2011.

For additional information see: Science Daily, Study

A recent study published in Environmental Research Letters found that countries with high latitudes, such as China, Russia, and the United States, may see an increase in available farmland in the future, but Africa, India, and South America may lose land area. By using international land and climate datasets and remote-sensing land-use maps, authors Ximing Cai and Xiao Zhang systematically studied worldwide changes in soil temperature and humidity with a resolution of one square kilometer. They applied their model to many projected outcomes of climate change to reveal both regional and global trends in arable land availability. On a global perspective, the study found total potential farmland to decrease by 0.8 to 4.4 percent by 2100. Regional changes were much more significant, however, with findings of arable land area increasing by 37 to 67 percent in Russia, and decreasing up to 18 percent in Africa.

For additional information see: Science Daily, Study

A study published in the Journal of Environmental Quality found that nitrous oxide emissions from livestock excrement can be reduced 70 percent by adding biochar to soils in grazing pastures. Biochar, charcoal used to mitigate carbon dioxide emissions by sequestering carbon in the ground, also has the potential to beneficially alter soil nitrogen transformations and lower emissions of nitrous oxide, a potent greenhouse gas. The study took place over an 86-day period to find the effects of incorporating biochar into soils on nitrous oxide emissions caused by cattle urine. Biochar was added to the soil during a pasture renovation, and gas samples were obtained on 33 separate occasions. Study author Arezoo Taghizadeh-Toosi stated that, “Under the highest rate of biochar, ammonia formation and its subsequent adsorption onto or into the biochar, reduced the inorganic-nitrogen pool available for nitrifiers and thus nitrate concentrations were reduced. Such effects would have diminished the substrate available for microbial nitrous oxide production.” The biochar had no detrimental effect on dry matter yield or total nitrogen content of the pasture, according to the study.

For additional information see: Science Daily, Study

A study by MIT researcher Hamsa Balakrishnan found that greenhouse gas emissions related to air travel can be significantly reduced by holding planes at their gates for an average of 4 minutes and 18 seconds rather than taxiing. This greatly reduced congestion on runways at Boston Logan International Airport, dropping taxiing time 20 percent and fuel use by 75 liters per plane. The study showed that making airplane departures more efficient would be particularly useful in areas like the United States and Europe, where domestic flights emit about 6 million tons of CO2 per year from taxiing alone.

For additional information see: New Scientist, Study

New evidence in a study by paleoclimatologist William Ruddiman supported the controversial theory that human influence on climate change could have started up to 8,000 years ago, rather than at the start of the Industrial Revolution. Ruddiman’s theory stated that human activities offset the earth going into another ice age, and helped create today’s relatively stable climate. This argument is based on carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane trends since the last ice age 11,000 years ago. In the past, CO2 levels spiked after an ice age and would then gradually decrease until the earth went into another ice age. However, in the current Holocene era, CO2 levels began to rise around 8,000 years ago, followed by rising methane levels 5,000 years ago. Ruddiman suggested that these trends directly align with the human expansion of agriculture in that time period.

Some researchers argue that human populations were too small to have such an effect. However, Ruddiman and several other researchers will present supporting evidence in a special issue of The Holocene journal later this year. One of the studies used historical and archaeological data to build a model that assumes humans cleared more land early on and intensified agricultural practices later on. Under this scenario, carbon emissions would have doubled compared to earlier estimates. Another study found expansion of rice could account for up to 80 percent of the additional atmospheric methane as of 1,000 years ago, and suggested that the expansion of livestock could help to fill the gap in previous millennia. However, other researchers maintain that CO2 emissions from land-use changes were neither fully sufficient nor properly timed to explain the rise in CO2 levels in the Holocene period.

For additional information see: Nature, Ruddiman Abstract, Kaplan Abstract

A study in the journal Science indicated that over the past 25 years, average wind speeds over the oceans have risen significantly, as have wave heights. Researchers stated that these changes are not necessarily a result of climate change. However, the higher wind speeds could lead to greater evaporation, adding to the increase from global warming, which in turn could increase precipitation worldwide. The average wind speed has increased about 0.25 percent every year for the past two decades, whereas the increase in wave heights was not as significant.

For additional information see: ABC News, SMH, Study

A new study in Nature Geoscience found that Antarctic icebergs raise chlorophyll levels as they cool and dilute waters in their path, which may in turn increase carbon dioxide (CO2) absorption in the Southern Ocean. The research team, supported by the National Science Foundation (NFS), indicated that icebergs play a key role in global carbon cycling and will become more prevalent as the climate warms in the Antarctic region. The study documented ongoing physical and biological changes in surface waters after an iceberg had passed, which increased phytoplankton populations. The researchers performed the study by sampling the area around a large iceberg more than 20 miles long. When the same area was surveyed again ten days later, after the iceberg had drifted away, researchers observed an increase in the concentration of chlorophyll a, and a decrease in the concentration of CO2.

For additional information see: Science Daily, Study

A new study published in the journal Global Change Biology found that Russia’s boreal forest, the largest continuous forest in the world, is undergoing a shift in vegetation due to a globally and regionally warming climate. The forest is located in Russia’s cold, northernmost regions. As the region warms, species that are more tolerant to warmer weather are advancing northward, whereas the less tolerant species are declining in number, according to researchers. The vegetation is shifting from predominantly needle-shedding larch trees to evergreen conifers, which in turn will cause greater warming. The larch trees shed their needles in the fall, allowing more sunlight through to the snow covered ground which reflects sunlight and heat back into space in the winter, keeping the region cold. Evergreen conifers, however, keep their needles year around, absorbing sunlight and retaining ground-level heat. The study indicated that if the evergreens continued to expand their range northward, the carbon-rich soil frozen in the permafrost would decompose and release huge amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2). “Such changes in that vast region have the potential to affect areas outside of the region… It potentially would increase warming on a global scale,” said Hank Shugart, co-author of the study.

For additional information see: Science Daily, Study

A new study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences estimated that over one billion people will face water shortages by 2050 as climate change worsens the negative effects of urbanization. The study assumed the minimum amount of water needed per person per day for cooking, cleaning, drinking, bathing, and toilet use, was 100 liters (on average, Americans use 376 liters per day). The biggest shortages will be seen in developing countries like India and China, which are undergoing an unprecedented urban shift as people flock to cities from rural areas. Along with creating sanitation problems in the affected cities, the shortage could also harm wildlife if the cities are forced to pump in water from outside sources. India’s Western Ghats region, a potential source of outside water, is home to over 300 species of fish, 29 percent of which are unique to that area. Lead author of the study Rob McDonald stated, “If cities are essentially drinking rivers dry, that has really bad effects on the fish and the reptiles and everything else in the river.” The study suggested that increased water-use efficiency in the agricultural and residential sectors could potentially solve this problem.

For additional information see: AFP, Study

Other Headlines

The National Association of State Energy Officials (NASEO), with support from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), invites you to a briefing on how state governments are implementing energy programs and the economic development activities associated with those programs. State officials and representatives will discuss the U.S. State Energy Program (SEP) and the Weatherization Assistance Program (WAP), and how these programs create jobs, reduce energy bills, and enhance energy security. This briefing will provide data and information about the energy-related economic development being promoted by the nation’s 56 State and Territory Energy Offices and public and private sector partners. The briefing will be held Monday, April 4, 2011, 3:30 – 5:00 p.m. in 2212 Rayburn House Office Building. The event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact Garth Otto at gotto@naseo.org or (703) 299-8800 x16.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the ChinaFAQs project of the World Resources Institute (WRI) invite you to a briefing on China’s increasing role in advancing renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate policies. China is a leader in the deployment of clean energy technologies, and the world’s largest manufacturer of wind turbines and solar panels. The United States and China cooperate on a number of clean energy initiatives, producing benefits for both countries. However, China has emerged as a major competitor with the United States and other countries in clean energy technology on a global scale. Moreover, some commentators in each country see the other country as a roadblock to an international climate agreement, and China and the United States emit the most greenhouse gases in the world. Speakers will highlight key aspects of China’s approach to clean energy and climate policy, how it fits into the global landscape, and the challenges and opportunities for U.S. efforts to develop clean energy and tackle climate change. This briefing will be held Tuesday, April 5, 2011, 1:00-2:30 p.m., in SVC 203-02, Capitol Visitors Center. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact Matt Johnson at mjohnson [at] eesi.org or (202) 662-1892, or Luke Schoen at lschoen[at]wri.org (202-729-7657), or visit ChinaFAQs.org.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing on hydropower, a clean, renewable, baseload power source. The U.S. hydropower industry provides approximately seven percent of our electricity and employs 200,000-300,000 people in project development and deployment, manufacturing, operations and maintenance. Hydroelectric pumped storage facilities also provide reliable and cost-effective energy storage, helping stabilize the grid by balancing electricity supply and demand. This briefing will examine the full spectrum of water power technologies – including incremental hydropower, ocean, tidal, in-stream hydrokinetic, and pumped storage – as well as geographic areas for potential growth in hydropower capacity, the job growth and economic benefits of hydropower development, and federal policy options to help the industry grow while protecting important environmental values. This briefing will be held on Wednesday, April 6, 3:00 – 4:30 p.m. in 2322 Rayburn House Office Building. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact Laura Parsons at lparsons [at] eesi.org or (202) 662-1884.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and WIRES (Working group for Investment in Reliable and Economic electric Systems) invite you to the eighth in a series of briefings about regulatory and policy issues affecting the nation’s electric power system. This briefing will provide a refresher on the operational and regulatory basics of high-voltage transmission that will facilitate an understanding of the complex economic and policy challenges facing the grid in the 21st century. By delving into the operation and regulation of the grid and the interstate flows of electricity it supports, the briefing is designed to provide a foundation for discussions about cost responsibility, land use issues, transmission planning, integration of variable renewable energy resources, and other issues that are becoming more important to the future of the power industry. The panel will describe the 21st century grid and how it is managed and regulated from the perspective of federal regulators, transmission providers, state officials, and regional transmission organizations. This briefing will be held on April 7, 10:00 – 11:30 a.m. at 2325 Rayburn House Office Building. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact Laura Parsons at lparsons [at] eesi.org or (202) 662-1884.

Writers: Deep Ghosh, Alison Alford, and Matthew Johnson

Please distribute Climate Change News to your colleagues. Permission for reproduction of this newsletter is granted provided that the Environmental and Energy Study Institute is properly acknowledged as the source. Past issues are available here. Free email subscriptions are available here. We welcome your suggestions, comments, and questions.

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 (202) 662-1887 or see www.eesi.org/donate to find out more. Thank you for your support!

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The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) is an independent nonprofit organization that depends on your contributions to bring you timely, credible information on climate change. Please make a year-end gift to EESI today — we have received Charity Navigator’s four-star ranking for four consecutive years, so you know your donation will be managed effectively. Thank you for your support!

UN Climate Negotiations Conclude with ‘Cancun Agreements’

On December 11, 193 nations reached agreement in several areas at the UN climate summit in Cancun, Mexico. Known as the ‘Cancun Agreements’, the package solidifies key elements from last year’s summit in Copenhagen, which were never formally adopted. The new global framework includes the creation of a Green Climate Fund to transfer money from rich nations to poor nations climate change mitigation and adaption in addition to research centers that will ease the transfer of clean technology and the establishment of a system to compensate nations for preserving forests that are vulnerable to logging or burning. The deal does not include details on how the pledged aid will be funded, whether the Kyoto Protocol will be extended, or targets that will keep global warming below 2 degrees Celsius–a target nations agreed to in Copenhagen. “None of this, of course, is world changing,” said Michael A. Levi, who follows climate issues at the Council on Foreign Relations in New York. “The Cancún agreement should be applauded not because it solves everything, but because it chooses not to: it focuses on those areas where the U.N. process has the most potential to be useful, and avoids other areas where the U.N. process is a dead end. The outcome does not change the fact that most of the important work of cutting emissions will be driven outside the U.N. process.”

For additional information see: Washington Post, BBC, New York Times, UNFCCC Press Release

Court Denies Request to Block EPA Regulations

On December 10, the Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia denied a request to block the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from implementing new rules on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Industry groups had appealed to the court, arguing that the EPA did not conduct enough of its own research when it found that carbon is a danger to human health. Critics of the rules also argued that the agency was not equipped to control GHG emissions and the rules would harm the economy. However, the court said the opponents’ case did not meet the “stringent standards” necessary for the court to stop the rules. Opponents did not prove that the rules were “certain” to create negative consequences and not “speculative”, the court said. Several lawsuits, however, still proceed against the EPA’s climate-related rules.

For additional information see: Reuters, Politico

China Offers Voluntary Emissions Target, U.S. Wants More Transparency

On December 6, Chinese government officials offered for the first time to submit its voluntary carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions target to a binding UN resolution. China hopes that developed countries will agree to extend the Kyoto Protocol, which sets mandatory greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction targets for developed countries through 2012, as the global GHG emissions agreement. The Protocol allows developing countries’ GHG emissions targets to be voluntary. China’s envoy, Xie Zhenhua said, “developing countries can. . . make their own voluntary emissions commitments and these should be under the Convention.” However, Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Huang Huikang, told ClimateWire that China is “poor” and “not on the same level” as the United States. “In principle we will make our commitment under the convention, but this time it is probably premature to discuss whether China’s commitment is legally binding or not.” Japan, Russia, and Canada are among the developed nations that are seeking a new agreement that would set legally binding CO2 emissions targets for all countries.

In response, chief U.S. envoy, Todd Stern, said he doesn’t see China’s statement as a game-changer, and still wants China to increase its transparency by allowing an expert panel to verify emissions cuts.“I’ve seen quotes from some people saying this can be a game-changer,” Stern said. “I’d love it to be a game-changer, but as far as I’m concerned, this is business as usual.” He went on to say, “that was the Copenhagen Accord, as far as we’re concerned.” India proposed guidelines that would put rapidly developing countries like China into a separate category from the poorest nations. To that, Stern said, “there is a lot of support in the conference and among developing countries for the proposal the Indians have put forward.”

For additional information see: Bloomberg, Reuters, New York Times

Supreme Court Will Hear Public Nuisance Climate Change Case

On December 6, the Supreme Court announced it will hear the case American Electric Power Co. v. Connecticut next year. The case began in 2004 when eight states, New York City, and several land trust groups filed a public nuisance lawsuit against utility companies for emitting greenhouse gases that contribute to global warming. Public nuisance lawsuits allow the plaintiffs to bring a lawsuit against defendants whom they believe are creating a public nuisance. In 2005, a federal judge in New York ruled that the plaintiffs could not proceed with the lawsuits because they raised political questions that the court could not answer. However, in 2009, the Second U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals ruled they could proceed. The utilities in question have challenged this decision, and the Supreme Court will consider their challenge. The plaintiff states include Connecticut, New York, California, Iowa, New Jersey, Rhode Island, Wisconsin and Vermont. The utility companies include American Electric Power Co., Duke Energy, Southern Co., Xcel Energy Inc., and the Tennessee Valley Authority. When the lawsuit was filed, the federal government was not regulating greenhouse gas emissions, but since then it has been ordered to do so under the 2007 Supreme Court decision, Massachusetts v. EPA. Justice Sonia Sotomayor recused herself because she heard the case while serving as an appeals court judge.

For additional information see: Politico, Dow Jones Newswire, New York Times, Wall Street Journal

NM Regulators Approve Emissions Cap

On December 6, New Mexico regulators approved an environmental group’s proposal for capping greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. New Energy Economy (NEE), a non-profit New Mexico-based organization, petitioned the New Mexico Environmental Improvement Board asking large polluters such as coal-fired power plants and refiners to reduce their GHG emissions by three percent per year from 2010 levels. The program will take effect in 2013 and end in 2020, or sooner if a national or regional carbon pollution reduction plan preempts it. It will apply to electricity generators and other facilities that emit at least 25,000 metric tons of carbon dioxide per year. This is in line with the state’s recently adopted cap and trade program, which will go into effect only if other U.S. states or Canadian provinces move ahead with similar programs. Opponents fear the newly approved proposal and the cap and trade program will put New Mexico at a disadvantage. Supporters believe the plan will allow New Mexico to control GHG emissions independent of the cap and trade program, which relies on regional partners. “This new policy makes New Mexico the nation’s leader in carbon pollution reduction while at the same time stimulating our economy and creating jobs for New Mexico families and communities,” said Mariel Nanasi, NEE Senior Policy Advisor. “The board understands that the same technologies that can reduce carbon pollution can also make New Mexico more competitive in the clean energy economy, which means more long-term, well-paying jobs for New Mexicans.”

In related news, on December 7, the Farmington City Council voted to challenge the state’s recently approved cap and trade program, which was approved in November by the state Environmental Improvement Board and would allow New Mexico to participate in a regional cap and trade program with other Western states and Canadian provinces. The program would require coal-fired power plants, refineries, natural gas compressor stations, and other facilities that pump out a certain level of carbon dioxide (CO2) to reduce their CO2 emissions two percent every year beginning in 2012. Facilities that are unable to reduce their emissions would be able to buy allowances through the regional trading program, and facilities under the emissions cap would be able to sell their allowances for a profit.

For additional information see: Associated Press, Sustainable Business, Associated Press, Farmington Daily Times

Cancun Negotiations Close to Agreement on Forest Preservation

The second week of climate negotiations in Cancun held promise for a deal to cut carbon emissions through forest preservation, also known as Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD). Many leaders agreed that a new fund should be set up to allow rich countries to pay poor countries to preserve their forests. The idea was met with some resistance by others who don’t want trees to become global commodities. Around 13 million hectares of forest are cut down every year for timber or land-grazing purposes, which contributes about 15-20 percent of carbon emissions every year, because the trees are no longer absorbing carbon. Most of the money to preserve the forests would likely come from global carbon trading markets that allow industries to purchase offsets for the carbon that they emit. The U.S. has said that it will not support a REDD deal unless its core requirement — an emissions verification system — is met. Norwegian Prime Minister Jens Stoltenberg said REDD is the “the fastest, the cheapest and easiest way” to reduce emissions of heat-trapping gases. Mexican President Felipe Calderon said it is a way “to reduce both poverty and emissions at the same time.”

For additional information see: London Telegraph, Washington Post, Guardian, Associated Press

India Offers Binding Emissions Targets

On December 9, Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said that India will consider a legally binding greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions target in the future. “All countries must take a binding commitment under an appropriate legal form,” he said while speaking at the UN climate negotiations in Cancun, Mexico. Previously, India, like China, had been unwilling to commit its voluntary emissions targets to a legally binding commitment. Ramesh said that he wanted to see the content of a future agreement including any penalties for non-compliance first. Currently, India is considered a developing country, and thus is not required to set mandatory GHG targets under the Kyoto Protocol, which will end in 2012.

For additional information see: Agence France Presse, Reuters, Indian Express

World Bank Announces Carbon Market Fund for Developing Countries

On December 8, World Bank President Robert Zoellick announced the establishment of a multi-million dollar fund to help developing countries set up carbon markets. The countries expected to participate include China, Mexico, Chile, and Indonesia. The fund could reach up to $100 million and will provide technical and institutional support to developing countries. “This new Partnership – which brings together developed and developing nations – will help countries get ready to put in place domestic trading schemes and other market-based instruments to meet national mitigation objectives,” Zoellick said. “The fact that developing countries are looking for market-readiness support is testament to the drive for climate action at the national level – these countries are not waiting, they’re getting on with it as part of their development goals.” The fund is expected to be operational by 2011.

For additional information see: Reuters, Business Green, New York Times, World Bank Press Release

Committee Urges UK Government to Increase Carbon Emissions Cuts

On December 7, the UK Committee on Climate Change (CCC) released a report urging its government to cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions 60 percent by 2030 from 1990 levels. This means that the 2020 target would have to be revised from a 34 percent to a 37 percent reduction. Prior CCC targets were turned into laws, and this target is a step to having a legally binding 80 percent reduction in CO2 emissions by 2050 as required by the nation’s Climate Change Act. “We are recommending a stretching but realistic fourth carbon budget and 2030 target, achievable at a cost of less than 1% of GDP. We therefore urge the government to legislate the budget, and to develop the policies required to cut emissions,” said CCC Chair Adair Turner. The CCC also recommends a fundamental change in the UK’s electricity market. CCC recommends a better planned approach by having the government tender long-term contracts for low-carbon power generation and commit to buy a certain percentage of the power. The CCC also recommends that 60 percent of new vehicles in 2030 should be electric.

For additional information see: Business Green, Reuters, Guardian, Report

Large Human Death Toll and Economic Costs Expected from Climate Change Impacts

On December 3, a leading humanitarian research organization released a report claiming that 5 million deaths are expected by 2020 from climate change impacts. The Climate Vulnerability Monitor report was prepared by DARA, a non-profit international organization, and the Climate Vulnerable Forum (CVF), an alliance of countries most vulnerable to climate change. The report estimated there are already 350,000 deaths per year due to climate change, most of whom are children and women in developing countries, and this number will only increase. The report assessed 184 countries and estimates that by 2030, 170 of those countries will experience at least one significant climate-related impact. Global financial losses due to climate change effects are expected to reach $200 billion by 2020 and $275 billion by 2030. The report predicted that the U.S. will have the largest economic loss of any country due to climate change impacts. “Whilst it is the poorest, most vulnerable nations on earth that will bear the brunt of the climate crisis, the industrialized world is not immune from its impact,” advisor to the report, Jose Figueres said. “Countries such as the United States will suffer the greatest economic losses from climate change so it is clearly in their own interest to act now to address these impacts, and to mitigate climate change.” The report also listed 50 actions that nations can take to avoid the worst climate impacts.

For additional information see: Forbes, Sustainable Business, Report

Report Ranks Countries on Climate Change Performance

On December 6, Germanwatch and Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe released its sixth annual Climate Change Performance Index (CCPI) during the UN climate negotiations in Cancun, Mexico. The index “compares the climate protection performance of 57 industrialized countries and emerging economies that together account for more than 90 percent of the global energy related carbon dioxide emissions.” The index is based on the strength of climate policies and how well countries control greenhouse gases. The first three spots were left vacant because no country did enough to earn the honor. The index ranks Brazil as the top climate protection performer (fourth) due to its efforts to cut emissions and reduce deforestation. Sweden, Norway, and Germany followed Brazil on the list. Canada was ranked fifty-seventh, followed by Australia, Kazakhstan and Saudi Arabia. The U.S. was ranked fifty-fourth.

For additional information see: United Press International, CBC News, Report

Current Shortage of GHG Professionals Likely to Get Worse

In the first week of December, the Greenhouse Gas Management Institute (GHGMI) and Sequence Staffing released a report that shows there is a shortage of greenhouse gas (GHG) professionals in the global marketplace. This is the second annual survey centered on GHG professionals, and like last year’s report, it found a significant gap in the supply and demand of GHG professionals. The report examines the “trends, requirements, and sentiment of the global practitioner corps that is undertaking work to measure and manage climate-changing greenhouse gas emissions.” More than half of the respondents have worked in the field for less than five years, most respondents believe that GHG auditing needs some type of certification for individual auditors, and less than half of the respondents used GHG software. The shortage of GHG professionals is likely to increase as climate change programs increase globally.

For additional information see: GreenBiz, Report

Ocean Acidification Could Threaten Food Security

On December 2, the United Nations Environment Program released a report showing that ocean acidification linked to climate change may threaten food security. The report shows that shellfish, mussels, shrimp, and lobsters could be most at risk because ocean acidification makes it harder for them to form protective shells. Additionally, the damage to coral reefs could cause problems for many commercial fisheries as the reefs for are critical for nurseries. The oceans have become 30 percent more acidic since the industrial revolution due to increased absorption of carbon dioxide (CO2). Ptetropods — tiny mollusks at the bottom of the food chain — may reduce in number due to the inability to form protective shells, which will affect a number of larger fish higher on the food chain. Carol Turley, lead author of the report, said, “we are seeing an overall negative impact from ocean acidification directly on organisms and on some key ecosystems that help provide food for billions. We need to start thinking about the risk to food security.” The report states that fish supplies 15 percent of the protein requirements for three billion people, and another one billion people rely on fish as their primary source of protein. The report urges cuts in CO2 emissions to reduce ocean acidification and more support for research to quantify the risks and identify the species most at risk.

For additional information see: Reuters, Agence France Presse, CNN, UNEP Report

Climate Change Drove Cultural Changes in the Prehistoric Period

On December 6, a study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences shows that cultural shifts in North American populations during the prehistoric period were likely due to climactic changes that occurred simultaneously. The team of researchers, led by geographer Samuel Munoz from the University of Ottawa, analyzed a multitude of data to show that nearly all of the transitions between cultural periods occurred at times of ecological changes. The cultural shifts that accompanied the climate shifts were marked by a more sedentary lifestyle, a change in the plants and animals used for food, and a change in the kinds of tools they used.

For additional information see: Science, Abstract

Climate Change Cycle Turns Arctic Forests into Major Carbon Emitters

On December 5, a study published in Nature Geosciences shows that climate change is causing more frequent and severe Alaskan wildfires, which pumps higher amounts of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere than previously thought. The intensity of forest fires in Alaska is growing largely due to the lengthening of the summer burning season. The late-season fires burn deeper into the soil, which ignites peat that ordinarily acts as a long-term carbon sink. According to the researchers, this is the first study to show that fires in the Alaskan interior have become more severe in the past 10 years, and have released more CO2 into the atmosphere than was stored during the same period. “There is no way these systems are serving as a net carbon sink anymore,” said Merritt Turetsky, lead author of the report. “Essentially, it represents a runaway climate change scenario in which warming is leading to larger and more intense fires, releasing more greenhouse gases and resulting in more warming.” The study focused on the interior forests of Alaska, but the findings likely apply to forests in Siberia, Canada, and northern Europe. The amount of CO2 stored in soil and peat layers across the Northern hemisphere is vast, therefore, these findings have significant implications for the global climate.

For additional information see: Reuters, New York Times, Press Release, Abstract

Climate Change May Change Midwest Crop Strategies

In the second week of December, researchers at Purdue University told farmers in Indiana that they may have to change crop varieties due to climate change. The researchers held a conference to help farmers understand the effects that climate change will have on weather patterns. The researchers said one scenario predicts southern style climate in the Midwest by 2100 with Virginia-like winters and Oklahoma-like summers. Purdue agricultural economist Otto Doering said warmer winters could mean that pests are not wiped out during the cold months. Corn pollination is dependent on warmer days and cooler nights, which could be affected as climate change occurs. Doering also said that climate change could force farmers to choose seed varieties with different resistance traits and maturity dates. Additionally, soil erosion may change as temperature and rainfall patterns change.

For additional information see: United Press International, Press Release

Increased Carbon Dioxide Creates Cooling Effect from Increased Plant Growth

On December 7, a study published in Geophysical Research Letters shows that a doubling of carbon dioxide (CO2) will create additional growth of plants and trees, which will create a cooling effect. Results from a new NASA computer modeling effort indicated that while the increased plant growth could create a cooling effect, it could not reverse or halt climate change. The computer model calculated the cooling effect to be -0.3°C globally, and -0.6°C over land. In a CO2 doubling scenario, the model calculated a warming of 1.94°C globally without accounting for the negative feedback. This is the first model to incorporate “down-regulation” — the ability of plants to use water more efficiently when higher amounts of CO2 are available —into predictions about how the climate will change with increased levels of CO2. The latest research shows “how, over time, scientists will create more sophisticated models that will chip away at the uncertainty range of climate change and allow more accurate projections of future climate,” NASA said.

For additional information see: Science Daily, Agence France Presse, Abstract

Deforestation May Account for Less Carbon Emissions than Previously Thought

In the first week of December, Winrock International ecologists stated that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from deforestation are much lower than previously thought. The analysis, funded by the World Bank and the Norwegian government, shows that CO2 emissions from deforestation during 2000-2005 were responsible for 5-12 percent of total global emissions. In 2006, the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) estimated CO2 emissions to be around 20 percent during the same period. Researchers used more than three million data points and 4000 carbon inventories to complete the study which has not yet been formally published. New Scientist spoke with some forest scientists who believe that the recent analysis done by Winrock may underestimate the CO2 emissions from the conversion of natural forests to palm oil plantations. The IPCC includes these conversions in its estimates, so these scientists believe this may account for the discrepancy in the two findings.

For additional information see: New Scientist

• Living Buildings Could Combat Climate Change Effects
• Shipping to Steer Cleaner Carbon Course
• G20 Emission Reductions Fail to Go “Far or Fast Enough”
• Measuring Air-Sea Exchange of Carbon Dioxide in the Open Ocean
• Global Sea-Level Rise at the End of the Last Ice Age Interrupted by Rapid ‘Jumps’
• Cloud ‘Feedback’ Affects Global Climate and Warming
• El-Nino Patterns Offer Better Understanding of Climate Change
• Ice-Age Reptile Extinctions Provide a Glimpse of Likely Responses to Human-Caused Climate Change

Writers: Amber Pembleton and Matthew Johnson

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On November 22, Chinese government officials held a press conference outlining their position ahead of the upcoming UN climate negotiations in Cancun, Mexico. The press event was scheduled to coincide with the release of their annual report, The Climate Change Green Paper. China’s chief negotiator in international climate change talks, Xie Zhenhua, acknowledged that China was the world’s largest emitter of greenhouse gases (GHGs), and hoped the GHG emissions would peak at an early date. He also said that rich countries should take the lead with steep cuts in GHG emissions, allowing developing countries to grow their economies. China wants the Kyoto Protocol to continue as the key climate treaty, which would allow developing nations such as China to take voluntary, non-binding steps in curbing emissions. Xie also noted that negotiations in Cancun would only succeed if participants agreed on financing and technology transfer mechanisms to help developing countries reduce their GHG emissions. “Developed countries need to take the lead in massively cutting their greenhouse gas emission[s] in order to give further development space to developing countries,” Xie said. “Developing countries in particular should be concerned about achieving tangible results with regard to funding and technology transfer issues.”

In related news, officials from several countries have announced their positions and expectations heading into Cancun. On November 25, Hideki Minamikawa, vice minister for global environmental affairs at Japan’s environment ministry, said that Japan opposes an extension of the Kyoto Protocol if it binds only rich nations to limit their carbon emissions and excludes China and the United States. Earlier, dozens of African countries signed on to a consensus statement at the Seventh Annual African Development Forum that, in part, reiterated the long held negotiating position that industrialized nations should take the lead in reducing GHG emissions and increase their finance and technology transfer to developing countries. Lead Canadian climate negotiator Guy Saint-Jacques expressed his doubts of the UN climate process, noting “I find it’s a very frustrating process, because it means you’re not working on a consensus basis, you’re working on unanimity basis,” he said. “Any country can block any point on the discussion.”

For additional information see: Reuters, Associated Press, China Daily, Consensus Statement of the African Development Forum, The Globe and Mail, Reuters

On November 22, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) finalized two rules that will govern carbon capture and sequestration (CCS), which could allow large carbon dioxide (CO2) emitters such as coal-fired power plants to reduce emissions by injecting CO2 underground. The new geologic sequestration rules aim to protect drinking water and track the amount of CO2 that is stored. “We’re taking a major step towards path breaking innovations that will reduce greenhouse gases and put America in the forefront of the clean energy economy,” said EPA Administrator Lisa P. Jackson. “By providing clarity about greenhouse gas reporting and the necessary protections for drinking water sources during carbon sequestration, we’ve cleared the way for people to use this promising technology.” The rule concerning greenhouse gas reporting for geologic sequestration will take effect December 31, 2010, and the rule concerning drinking water safety will take effect in the summer of 2011.

For additional information see:  Associated Press, Bloomberg, EPA

On November 23, a diverse group of 56 faith-based groups released a joint letter urging the Senate to continue allowing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Clean Air Act. The joint letter opens as follows: “As communities and people of faith, we are called to protect and serve God’s great Creation and work for justice for all of God’s people. We believe that the United States must take all appropriate and available actions to prevent the worst impacts of climate change; we therefore urge you to oppose any efforts to undermine the authority of the Clean Air Act (CAA) to regulate greenhouse gas emissions.” Senator Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) has submitted a proposal to delay EPA’s authority to regulate GHG emissions by two years. The proposal may receive a vote before the end of the year.

For additional information see: PR Newswire

On November 22, the California Adaptation Advisory Panel released a report that provides plans for California to adapt to climate change impacts. The report calls for Governor-elect Jerry Brown to appoint a Climate Risk Council that would assess relevant science and provide guidance to the Governor on risks associated with climate change. The report focuses largely on coastal counties, and urged a more cohesive approach to three threats: diminishing water supplies, sea level rise, and severe fire outbreaks. “The picture is global and yet there are regional differences,” Ralph Cicerone, president of the National Academy of Sciences said. “California wants to make sure they understand what may happen in the case of sea level rise – not just along the coast, but inland as well. They want to take actions that will keep them ahead of the game.”

For additional information see: Los Angeles Times, New York Times, San Francisco Chronicle, Report

On November 16, Exelon released a plan of action to reduce its carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions by about 60 million metric tons per year. Exelon is the nation’s largest owner of nuclear power plants, which do not emit CO2 to produce power, and plans to spend more than $5 billion by 2017 to reduce its CO2 emissions. Others in the utility industry have identified opportunities to make similar investments. Bob Shapard, chief executive at Oncor, an energy-delivery company in Dallas, said in an interview with the Wall Street Journal that smart meters, electric cars and big transmission projects could trim greenhouse gas emissions significantly and were a worthy focus of utility investment.

For additional information see: Wall Street Journal, Exelon Press Release

On November 21, mayors from 138 of the world’s largest cities signed a pact to set greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions reduction goals in hopes that their national counterparts would make similar progress at the upcoming UN climate negotiations in Cancun. The accord is voluntary, but both the targets and the progress that the cities make will be reported to a Cities Climate Registry. The summit’s host, Mayor Marcelo Ebrard of Mexico City, noted that there were also financial interests at stake: “mayors believe that if financial resources become available through transfers from developed to developing countries, a significant portion of these monies should be passed through to cities and local governments to implement local climate programs.” The summit was convened by the World Mayors Council on Climate Change, Local Governments for Sustainability (ICLEI), and United Cities and Local Governments (UCLG).

For additional information see: CNN, Business Green, New York Times, Agence France Presse

On November 23, the United Nations Environment Program released a report showing that if all greenhouse gas reduction pledges made at the UN climate summit last year in Copenhagen were achieved, it would only amount to 60 percent of the reductions needed to keep the global warming to 2°C. Instead, the corresponding temperature rise would be approximately 2.5°C. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki Moon said that the emissions gap needed to be discussed at the climate negotiations in Cancun scheduled to begin November 29. Christiana Figueres, executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change said, “governments meeting at the U.N. Climate Conference in Cancún will need to both anchor the pledges they made in Copenhagen in the U.N. context and to work swiftly to agree on ways to reduce emissions so that the world has a chance of staying below a 2 degree Celsius temperature rise.”

For additional information see: Bloomberg, CNN, Reuters, Report

On November 24, the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) released a bulletin showing that concentrations of greenhouse gases (GHGs) in the atmosphere have reached record highs since pre-industrial times. GHGs have the ability to absorb more solar radiation than other atmospheric gases, and this causes an increase in Earth’s surface temperature. “The main long-lived greenhouse gases including carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have reached their highest recorded levels since the beginning of the industrial age, and this despite the recent economic slowdown,” WMO Deputy Secretary-General Jeremiah Lengoasa said. Carbon dioxide contributes to 63.5 percent of total radiative forcing. Its concentration has increased by 38 percent since 1750, mainly because of emissions from burning fossil fuels, deforestation and changes in land use, the WMO said. The findings of the bulletin will be discussed at the UN climate negotiations in Cancun, scheduled to begin November 29.

For additional information see: Reuters, Bloomberg, World Meteorological Association

On November 26, the UK Meteorological (Met) Office released a report showing that climate change is occurring even though the rate of warming may have slowed in the past decade. The Met Office also announced that sea surface temperatures from the last decade were going to be adjusted upwards. Beginning in 2000, buoys began recording temperature data, but prior to that, the data was supplied by ships. The buoys tend to record a lower temperature than the ships, and thus the data will have to be recalibrated. The Met Office stated: “since the late 1970s the long-term rate of surface warming has been about 0.16 °C per decade. However, over the last decade the rate of warming has decreased. Natural variability within the climate system could explain all of this recent decrease. Other factors could have contributed: changes in stratospheric water vapor, solar variability, and increased aerosol emissions from Asia.” The Office acknowledged that more research was needed to fully understand the short and long-term trends in climate variability.

For additional information see: Reuters, Guardian, Financial Times, CNN

In the third week of November, the government of Norway released a report documenting Norway’s vulnerability to climate change and the possible adaptation measures that it could take to combat the effects of climate change. The report found that average annual temperatures in Norway are projected to rise 2.3-4.6°C, average annual precipitation is expected to increase five to 30 percent by 2100, ocean temperatures will rise along the entire Norwegian coastline, and sea levels could rise in varied amounts along the coast. The report supports long-term research programs that will specifically address climate change impacts and actions to adapt to those impacts. The report also emphasizes the need for knowledge dissemination and specially prepared climate projections that enables technical users to comprehend the models and make better decisions.

For additional information see: Science Daily, The Research Council of Norway

On November 21, the Global Carbon Project published a study in Nature Geoscience showing that carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions levels in 2009 fell just 1.3 percent below 2008 levels, less than half of the 2.8 percent drop that was expected. The recession caused CO2 growth rates to be lower in the UK, Japan, Germany, France, Russia and the United States. However, CO2 emissions from China increased by eight percent in 2009. Additionally, the overall amount of global fossil fuel emissions was still the second highest in human history, at 30.8 billion tons, just below the record set in 2008. CO2 emissions levels in 2010 are expected to rise again and could reach record levels; this is largely due to the burning of oil, coal, and gas in countries like China and India as their economies grow. The study did show that CO2 emissions from deforestation have decreased by over 25 percent since 2000. The study was part of Global Carbon Project’s annual carbon budget update.

For additional information see: Telegraph, Business Green, Science Daily, Global Carbon Project

In the third week of November, researchers from the University of Hawaii at Manoa published a study in the Journal of Climate showing that warmer climates are more sensitive to increases in greenhouse gases than previously thought. Currently, there is disagreement in many climate models about the magnitude of global warming due to the feedback caused by clouds. Some models predict that global average cloud cover will increase in a warmer climate, and other models predict that global average cloud cover will be reduced. This study applied a model developed at the International Pacific Research Center to study the clouds of a limited region of atmosphere over the eastern Pacific Ocean, which are known to greatly influence the present climate, but were previously poorly represented in climate models. Co-author Kevin Hamilton concludes, “If our model results prove to be representative of the real global climate, then climate is actually more sensitive to perturbations by greenhouse gases than current global models predict, and even the highest warming predictions would underestimate the real change we could see.”

For additional information see: Science Daily, Abstract

On November 23, a study published in an online journal of the Public Library of Science shows that as climate change forces grizzly bears and polar bears to accept closer habitats, grizzly bears will likely win out in the fight for food. Grizzly bears have begun moving north as their original habitat becomes warmer, and polar bears have begun moving south as climate change has reduced the amount of ice in their original habitat, forcing the two species to share territory. Polar bears’ diet will have to change, and scientists say their skulls and teeth are not designed to eat vegetation like plants, grass, tree bark, and berries. However, plants already makes up the bulk of the grizzly bears’ diet. “To people who say polar bears can just change their diet, we are saying … they will have to, but it probably will not be sufficient for them, especially if they are co-existing with grizzly bears,” said Blair Van Valkenburgh, senior author of the paper.

For additional information see: Reuters

On November 24, a study published in Geophysical Research Letters shows that lakes are warming faster than the air. Using satellites, two NASA scientists studied 167 large inland lakes around the globe and found that on average they had warmed 1.1°C since 1985, which is about two and half times higher than the same average increase in air temperature. Russia’s Lake Ladoga and America’s Lake Tahoe warmed 2.2°C and 1.7°C, respectively, the most out of the lakes studied. The scientists said the next question to consider was why the lakes were warming faster than the air or land. “Our analysis provides a new, independent data source for assessing the impact of climate change over land around the world,” said Philipp Schneider, lead author of the study. “The results have implications for lake ecosystems, which can be adversely affected by even small water temperature changes.”

For additional information see: Associated Press, Agence France Presse

On November 23, a study published in Carbon Balance and Management shows that carbon emission reduction strategies, such as reforestation projects may threaten biodiversity in the tropics. The authors studied biodiversity and carbon emission reduction schemes in Indonesia to highlight how biodiversity could be harmed under strategies like the UN’s Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD) program. “Peat swamp forests attract the bulk of REDD funds — they hold around 8 times more carbon than other lowland forests, and provide habitat for high profile species such as orangutan, tigers and Asian elephants,” co-author Matthew Struebig, from the University of London said. “However, when we look at overall numbers of plants, mammals and birds, especially species of greatest conservation concern, we find that peat forests typically support lower densities and fewer species than other lowland forest types.” Lead author Gary Paoli said, “in short, the highest carbon savings are not necessarily located in places with the highest levels of species diversity.” The authors argue that a regulatory framework for REDD is needed that will produce co-benefits for biodiversity and carbon emissions reduction.

For additional information see:

• Next Climate Warming Report Will Be Dramatically Worse: UN
• 500,000 Years of Geological History in the Dead Sea Represents Valuable Climate Change Data
• Warning Over Desertification in China
• City of Boston Chosen for Inaugural Climate Change Pilot Program
• Front-Line City in Virginia Tackles Sea Level Rise

Writers: Amber Pembleton and Matthew Johnson

Please distribute Climate Change News to your colleagues. Permission for reproduction of this newsletter is granted provided that the Environmental and Energy Study Institute is properly acknowledged as the source. Past issues are available here. Free email subscriptions are available here. We welcome your suggestions, comments, and questions.

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 (202) 662-1887 or see www.eesi.org/donate to find out more. Thank you for your support!

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Global Business Leaders Urge Action in Cancun

On November 16, global business leaders representing $15 trillion in assets issued a statement calling for international action in the upcoming UN climate negotiations in Cancun. They argued that a lack of action would result in an economic disruption worse than the recent financial crisis. The statement was organized by the sustainable investment group Ceres and the UN Environment Program Finance Initiative, which represents more than one-quarter of global market capitalization. They called for national and international policies that will encourage investment in low carbon technologies. The statement read: “Private investment will only flow at the scale and pace necessary if it is supported by clear, credible, and long-term policy frameworks that shift the risk-reward balance in favor of less carbon-intensive investment.” The group expressed frustration with the failure of the U.S. government to deliver climate change legislation, saying that investors face rising risks due to the lack of action.

On the same day, business leaders from 250 companies issued the Cancun Communiqué, calling for “an ambitious, robust and equitable global deal on climate change” at the November 29, 2010, UN climate negotiations in Cancun. This statement reiterated a similar rallying call made last year in the Copenhagen Communiqué, which was endorsed by more than 950 companies. The statement argues that businesses want governments to deliver the regulatory framework necessary for business investment in low carbon technology and infrastructure. The statement calls on global leaders to agree to emissions targets, increase climate financing, and establish mechanisms for protecting forests and verifying emissions cuts at the Cancun climate negotiations. It also calls for sectoral, bilateral, or regional agreements that focus on rapid improvements in energy efficiency, low carbon energy systems, carbon capture and storage, and land-use management. Notable signers included business leaders from Nestle, Philips, Royal Dutch Shell, Tesco, and Unilever.

For additional information see: Reuters, Business Green, Business Green, Bloomberg, Los Angeles Times, Ceres Press Release and Statement, Cancun Communiqué

Reid Retracts Commitment to Schedule Vote on EPA’s Greenhouse Gas Authority

On November 16, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) met with Sen. Jay Rockefeller (D-WV) and discussed the likelihood of scheduling a vote on Rockefeller’s bill to delay the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) authority to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. On September 14, Reid publicly promised Rockefeller a vote on his bill. However, before Tuesday’s meeting, Reid announced that he will no longer commit to scheduling the vote before the end of this year because there may not be enough time during the “lame-duck” session of the out going Congress. Rockefeller said he feared Republicans could purge key components of his proposal if it is introduced next year when the new Congress convenes. A new Republican majority in the House of Representatives makes it more likely that a similar bill to delay EPA regulation of GHG emissions will pass next year. If Rockefeller’s bill does not pass during the current lame-duck session, EPA will begin regulating GHG emissions on January 2, 2011.

For additional information see: Reuters, Washington Independent, Politico, The Hill

EPA: Fuel Efficiency Increases for Sixth Consecutive Year

On November 17, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its 2010 Fuel Economy Trends Report showing that cars and light trucks sold in the United States during the 2010 model year had an average fuel efficiency of 22.5 miles per gallon (mpg), up from 22.4 mpg for model year 2009. Average fuel efficiency has increased for six consecutive years; however, efficiency levels are still well below the corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) goal of 35.5 mpg set by the Obama administration for 2016. The increase in fuel efficiency drove down carbon dioxide emissions per mile from 397 grams in 2009 to 395 grams in 2010.

For additional information see: Wall Street Journal, EPA Press Release

Schwarzenegger Gains Traction with Regional Climate Action Pact

On November 15, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger convened his third and final climate summit in an effort to secure financing for projects that reduce carbon emissions in developing and developed nations. Schwarzenegger launched a partnership known as R20, which will finance renewable energy projects in developing countries, with the support of the World Bank and private corporations. The R20 concept also received support from the U.S. Department of State and the UN Climate Chief. Schwarzenegger furthered his climate initiative by signing agreements with regional governments in Mexico and Brazil to begin pilot projects to protect tropical forests, and allow the forest owners to sell carbon offsets to polluting companies in California. “We want the national governments to continue on in the negotiations and move forward,” Schwarzenegger said. “But I think that all great movements start on the grassroots level, so I think that we start on the local level, the state level and move up and put the pressure on national governments to get the job done.”

For additional information see Reuters, Associated Press, Guardian, Dow Jones Newswire

Canadian Senators Vote Down Climate Bill

On November 16, Conservative Canadian Senators called a surprise vote on pending climate change legislation in the absence of more than 15 Liberal Senators, and defeated the bill by a margin of 43 to 32. The Climate Change Accountability Act would have given Canada a plan of action going into international climate negotiations in Cancun, scheduled to begin November 29. The bill calls for a 25 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions from 1990 levels by 2020, and passed the House of Commons in May. The Senators argued that policies needed to be more in line with the United States because of close trading ties. New Democratic Party leader Jack Layton was outraged at the vote, saying, “to take power that doesn’t rightfully belong to them to kill a bill that has been adopted by a majority of the House of Commons representing a majority of Canadians is as wrong as it gets when it comes to democracy in this country.” This was the first time that the unelected Conservative Senators used their near-majority to kill a bill passed by the House of Commons.

For additional information see:The Chronicle Herald, Toronto Globe and Mail, BBC

Support Grows to Reduce Hydroflourocarbons through Montreal Protocol

On November 12, 91 countries signed a declaration of support for the Montreal Protocol to address hydroflourocarbons (HFCs) during climate talks in Bangkok. Earlier this year, two amendments to the Montreal Protocol were proposed that would phase out the production and use of HFCs — a replacement for chloroflourocarbons and greenhouse gases that are thousands of times more potent than carbon dioxide (CO2). The Federated States of Micronesia along with the United States, Mexico, Canada, and many others supported these proposals. According to the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, more countries are expected to endorse the declaration in the run-up to the UN climate negotiations scheduled to begin November 29, 2010 in Cancun. The proposed change in the Protocol would cut the equivalent of 100 billion tons of CO2 by 2050. India, China, and Brazil — the largest producers of HFCs — did not sign the declaration, instead asking for further discussion in a mid-year meeting in 2011. Some scientists claim that eliminating HFCs could significantly slow climate change, giving major economies more time to shift away from fossil fuel use.

For additional information see:New York Times, Nature, Business Green

Cameron Urges More Unified Climate Action Ahead of Cancun

On November 16, UK Prime Minister David Cameron argued that fragmented approaches to tackling climate change would not cut greenhouse gas emissions sufficiently, and that global action was needed to make substantial progress. While he acknowledged that a global treaty was unlikely to occur during December’s climate negotiations in Cancun, he still urged the U.S. and Chinese governments to take action to set the stage for a global, legally binding deal. “To get a proper international deal, we need the Chinese to really agree to proper monitoring and evaluation and recording of their emissions,” Cameron said during this week’s climate summit organized by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. “But we also… need to persuade the American administration that it is worthwhile to have a deal that they enter into, as part of the rest of the world all making offers.” He went on to say, “we need to work towards a global deal, otherwise we’re all going to do our own individual bit. If we can’t get the whole of the US and China on board, we’re not going to get the kind of action we need to prevent dangerous climate change.”

For additional information see:Business Green, Agence France-Presse

China Considers Cap and Trade to Cut Greenhouse Gas Emissions

On November 17, Chinese officials announced they were studying a cap and trade system to help cut greenhouse gas emissions. Zhang Junko, head of development and strategy at the State Council’s development research center, said that the government may set emissions quotas for large industries and allow a certain portion of them to be traded. The study is still in early stages, and Zhang said that other options included a carbon tax. Richard Sandor, who helped establish the London-based climate exchange platform in 2003, said that a cap and trade market in China could be functioning as early as 2013.

For additional information see: Bloomberg

India Releases Second Climate Change Assessment

On November 17, the Indian Network for Climate Change Assessment (INCCA) released a report that predicts a net temperature increase of 1.7-2.2⁰C in the Northeast, Western Ghats, Himalayas and coastal region of India by 2030. According to the report, India’s four key sectors of agriculture, water, forest, and health will be significantly affected in these vulnerable regions due to an increase in temperature and precipitation. The report predicts that yearly extreme precipitation events in India may increase by 10 and cyclone storms may increase in intensity. The number of malaria infections is expected to rise in the Himalayan region but fall in coastal regions due to changes in moisture and temperature. “There is no country in the world that is as vulnerable, on so many dimensions, to climate change as India is,” said Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh following the release of the report. “This makes it imperative for us to have sound evidence-based assessments on the impact of climate change.”

For additional information see:
Hindustan Times, Times of India, Telegraph, Press Release

India, UK Plan to Help Businesses Develop a Low Carbon Economy

On November 15, the UK-India Business Leaders Climate Group (BLCG) released a report identifying business opportunities that would encourage low carbon investment and trade for both countries. The BLCG is made up of British and Indian firms such as Marks and Spencer, HSBC, Rolls Royce, and Suzlon Energy and is valued at $322.2 billion. BLCG was launched in February 2010 and has suggested projects such as an online directory to promote early technologies that need capital investment. “Some of the most powerful solutions to the climate change challenge will come from business,” said UK Prime Minister David Cameron, as he endorsed the project. “The innovation and creativity of business won’t just help us save the planet, but is expected to create millions of jobs and billions of revenue in the green goods and services market.” Indian Environment Minister Jairam Ramesh said that India would “give this significant report the most serious consideration.”

For additional information see: Guardian, Reuters, BBC, The Economic Times, Report

China, UK to Partner on Low Carbon Research and Technology

On November 16, UK Environment and Climate Change Minister Greg Barker announced government support for joint research initiatives with China. This came just a day after the UK government also pledged support for closer ties with India concerning low carbon technology investment. During the second week of November, UK Prime Minister David Cameron and Energy and Climate Secretary Chris Huhne visited Beijing and signed an agreement to increase low carbon development and foster the sharing of ideas between the two countries. The UK government has outlined several projects between the countries that will receive funding. Barker emphasized that the joint projects would benefit other developing nations and would create new opportunities for UK industries.

For additional information see:Business Green

On November 17, Oxfam America released a report showing two million Americans are currently employed by businesses that help people cope with climate change, and that there is significant potential for growth in the sector. Some prominent business experts agree that climate change will create growth opportunities, but also create many logistical problems such as depletion of raw material supplies. According to Taylor Davis, senior counsel for John Deere Worldwide, his company expects strong growth in sales of agricultural equipment that boosts efficiency and helps farmers cope with land and water restrictions caused by climate change. The report says that businesses have the opportunity to develop new technologies and strategies, such as efficient irrigation systems and extreme weather detection systems, that can save lives and create jobs.

For additional information see:Miami Herald, Oxfam Report

Program Launched to Research Climate Change and Agriculture

On November 17, the International Food Policy Research Institute announced that development agencies worldwide will begin a $200 million research program to help the agriculture sector lower greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions and adapt to climate change. The 10 year program will use climate models to examine how variable temperature and rainfall will impact 50 major crops worldwide. Bruce Campbell, head of the Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) which will help direct the new research program, explained that inequity in food production due to climate change is a primary concern. Specifically, rising temperatures and unpredictable rainfall will create a widening gap between countries with strong and weak agricultural sectors, causing more frequent food shortages in developing countries. Scientists believe that agriculture produces up to 33 percent of the world’s carbon emissions. One way that the program aims to increase agricultural production and cut GHG emissions is to encourage the grazing of animals on specialized grass species rather than wild pasture. This change could both lower methane emissions from livestock and triple milk and meat production, according to researchers.

For additional information see:Reuters

Staple Crop Prices to Rise Partly Due to Climate Change

On November 17, the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) released a report warning that food prices are expected to climb, partly due to extreme weather events that occur because of climate change. The biannual Food Outlook report states that a global food crisis could occur in 2011 due to climate change, speculation, competing land use, and soaring demand from markets in East Asia. The report reads: “adverse weather effects are undoubtedly a primary driver of wheat production shortfalls and, with climate change, may increasingly be so.” Food prices on staple crops will rise by up to half by next year, which is especially troubling for the poorest people on the planet.

For additional information see:London Independent, UN Dispatch, FAO Report

Deutsche Bank: U.S. Can Cut Carbon Emissions with Increased Natural Gas Use

On November 17, Deutsche Bank released a report showing that increased use of natural gas over coal for power production would help the United States cut emission levels. The report, focusing on natural gas, states that with increased use of natural gas, renewable energy, and nuclear power, U.S. carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions could be lowered by as much as 44 percent by 2030. Domestic natural gas production has increased in recent years with the advent of hydraulic fracturing, or “fracking,” technology that allows gas to be extracted from shale formations. With increased gas supply and rising coal costs, the report estimates that the percentage of natural gas in power generation could reach 35 percent by 2030. The plan outlined by Deutsche Bank would allow the Obama administration to reach its targeted 17 percent economy-wide reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by 2020 and 80 percent reduction by 2050. The researchers argue that while currently coal is cheaper than natural gas, it will not remain that way, and it will make economic sense to shift more to natural gas in power production. Natural gas emits about half the CO2 as coal, however some environmentalists worry about the consequences of fracking — which entails pumping water, sand, and chemicals deep into the ground to break up shale formations — on groundwater reservoirs. However, the report assumes these issues are resolved or lessened as technologies advance. Mark Fulton, Deutsche Bank’s global head of climate change investment research, said, “the role natural gas can play is so significant, it can form a type of a potentially bipartisan area of agreement” on cutting emissions.

For additional information see:Reuters, Bloomberg, New York Times, The Economic Times, Report

Underground CO2 Storage Could Contaminate Water Reservoirs

On October 26, a study published in Environmental Science and Technology shows that while carbon capture and storage (CCS) uses deep saline aquifers for carbon dioxide (CO2) sequestration, a small amount of CO2 leakage could contaminate fresh groundwater reservoirs. Duke University scientists collected samples over one year from four freshwater aquifers around the nation that overlie potential CCS sites, and found that the potential for contamination was real. Capturing CO2 emissions from power plants and storing them underground is one proposed strategy for reducing the amount of greenhouse gas emissions that enter the atmosphere. Co-author Robert Jackson, who directs Duke’s Center on Global Change, said that after a year’s exposure to CO2, analysis of the samples showed that “there are a number of potential sites where CO2 leaks drive contaminants up tenfold or more, in some cases to levels above the maximum contaminant loads set by the EPA for potable water.”

For additional information see: Science Daily, Sustainable Business, Study

Heat Stress Caused Record Losses to Caribbean Coral

On November 15, a study published in PLoS ONE shows that coral reef ecosystems in 2005 in the tropical Atlantic and Caribbean suffered record losses as a consequence of high oceanic temperatures. Collaborators from more than 22 countries reported that more than 80 percent of the surveyed corals bleached, and more than 40 percent died in 2005. This event is now the most severe bleaching event ever recorded in the basin. Coral bleaching occurs when stressed corals expel their symbiotic algae, and can result in death. “Heat stress during the 2005 event exceeded any observed in the Caribbean in the prior 20 years, and regionally-averaged temperatures were the warmest in at least 150 years,” said C. Mark Eakin, coordinator of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Coral Reef Watch Program. “This severe, widespread bleaching and mortality will undoubtedly have long-term consequences for reef ecosystems, and events like this are likely to become more common as the climate warms.” The decline and loss of coral reefs has severe social, cultural, and economic consequences throughout the world. The economic services alone of coral reefs are estimated to be around $375 billion a year.

For additional information see: NOAA, Study Abstract

USAID Releases Plan to Address Himalayan Glacier Melt

In the third week of November, USAID released a report presenting scientific information and recommendations to address Himalayan glacier melt. The report shows that while glaciers are slowly retreating, the retreat presents risks for more than a billion people who rely on glacier-fed rivers for water. The study focused on “no regrets” activities that address critical needs no matter how the glaciers ultimately respond to climate change. The report recommends a concerted effort to study the region’s glaciers more in depth, to focus on mitigation efforts that reduce emissions of black carbon and other aerosols, and to focus aid efforts on multi-lateral initiatives that have co-benefits.

For additional information see: New York Times, USAID Report

Troposphere is Warming

On November 15, a study published in Wiley Interdisciplinary Reviews: Climate Change shows that the troposphere — the lower part of the atmosphere closest to the earth’s surface — is warming due to increased greenhouse gas emissions. The notion that the troposphere is warming has been controversial since a 1990 study using satellite observations showed conflicting results. However, this recent study reviewed 195 cited papers, climate model results and atmospheric data sets, and found that the troposphere is indeed warming.

For additional information see: Reuters, Science Daily, Study

• EPA Tells States to Consider Rising Ocean Acidity
• Australian Treasury to Update Analysis of Carbon Price
• Computer Game Allows Players to Simulate Climate Mitigation and Adaptation Strategies
• Climate Scientist Phil Jones Stands by Climate Science
• China Aggressively Curbing GHG Emissions According to UN Diplomat
• Colder Winters Possible Due to Climate Change: Study
• Europe Should Consider CO2 Offsets to Cut Energy Bill, Global Carbon Says

Peak Load Management Alliance and The George Washington University Law School in cooperation with Husch Blackwell LLP invite you develop a greater understanding of ideas and proposals on demand response. The conference will focus on legal challenges related to demand response. Basic questions exist about the regulated status of demand response provides, the nature of demand response markets and derivative financial markets, consumer protections that could constrain the development of business, and many others. The meeting is designed to provide information to attorneys practicing in the areas of public utility, regulatory, and digital communications technologies. The meeting will be held December 1-2 in Washington, DC at the George Washington University School of Law Moot Court. To register, please click here.

Writers: Amber Pembleton and Nick Mostovych

Please distribute Climate Change News to your colleagues. Permission for reproduction of this newsletter is granted provided that the Environmental and Energy Study Institute is properly acknowledged as the source. Past issues are available here. Free email subscriptions are available here. We welcome your suggestions, comments, and questions.

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 (202) 662-1887 or see www.eesi.org/donate to find out more. Thank you for your support!