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Climate Change News
Brought to you by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute
Carol Werner, Executive Director
October 3, 2008
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NASA Data Shows Arctic Saw Fastest August Sea Ice Retreat on Record
On September 26, NASA scientists presented data showing that during a four-week period in August, Arctic sea ice melted faster than ever before. At the end of each summer, sea ice melts to its annual minimum, leaving behind “perennial ice” which survives each year. “Based on what we've learned over the last 30 years, we know that the perennial ice cover is now in trouble," said Joey Comiso of NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center. "You need more than just one winter of cooling for the ice to recover to the average extent observed since the measurements began. A warming Arctic causes the surface water to get warmer, which delays the onset of freeze up in the winter and leads to a shorter period of ice growth.” Without the opportunity to thicken, Arctic ice becomes thinner and more vulnerable to melting. The ice lost in 2007 is still the highest recorded level ice melt, but this year’s melt is a close behind. “Overall, sea ice recovered to almost average levels. That was a good sign that this year might not be as bad as last year," said Comiso.
For additional information see:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080926194613.htm
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2008/09/29/Arctic_Sea_ice_sets_ice_melting_record/UPI-80001222702813/
http://www.nasa.gov/centers/goddard/news/topstory/2008/sea_ice_min.html
California Invites Countries to Carbon Cap Meeting
On September 26, California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger announced plans to invite lawmakers and government executives from around the world to Los Angeles, California, from November 18-19 to discuss solutions to the problem of climate change. The governor's office has invited China, India, European countries, Australia, Canada and Mexico to this meeting. The conference will take place a month before the United Nations holds its next round of international climate talks in Poland. Governors from all 50 states also will be invited. “We know that Washington is asleep at the wheel. We cannot look for leadership there. We are not waiting for the federal government. The real action for any new ideas is always on the local level," Schwarzenegger said. “This is how we can push the agenda.”
For additional information see:
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE48P8MX20080926
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5jNxwZwcIbg1-gVFCqTxpkGvbfotgD93EN7HG5
Auction of RGGI Emission Allowances Raises $38.5 Million
On September 30, under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI), 59 bidders from the energy, financial and environmental sectors of six states purchased 12.5 million greenhouse gas emission allowances for $3.07 each in a first of its kind allowance auction. The $38.5 million raised will be directed towards the development of renewable and energy efficient technologies. "The first RGGI auction has successfully used market forces to set a price on carbon, and this will send a clear market signal to support the investment in clean energy technologies," said Pete Grannis, commissioner of the New York state Department of Environmental Conservation and RGGI chairman. RGGI is viewed as a possible model for a national program to reduce US emissions of carbon dioxide. Another auction will follow in December with more states expected to participate. "It is encouraging that RGGI has been able successfully to launch at this time, given the overall economic and market turmoil," said Adam Nathan, spokesman for the UK-based Carbon Markets and Investors Association.
For additional information see:
http://www.concordmonitor.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080930/NEWS01/809300354/1043/NEWS01
http://timesunion.com/AspStories/story.asp?storyID=725060&category=REGION
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/09/29/america/NA-US-Carbon-Auction.php
http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN2937223920080929?pageNumber=2&virtualBrandChannel=0&sp=true
'Clean Coal' Policies Absent, GAO Report Finds
On September 30, the Government Accountability Office (GAO) released a report that addressed the absences of policies for carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. Presently the technology is underdeveloped and costly, and legal uncertainties exist about the permitting and liability for storing carbon dioxide underground. “Federal agencies have begun to address some CCS barriers but have yet to comprehensively address the full range of issues that would require resolution for commercial-scale CCS deployment," the GAO report stated. GAO concluded that the technology would not be widely deployed until Congress issues a cap on CO2 emissions. "If carbon sequestration technologies are going to get off – and into – the ground, we must have national limits on global warming pollution and an administration dedicated to promoting climate-friendly technologies," said Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA). "Solving coal's climate conundrum is as vital as any challenge we face in battling global warming, and half-measures just won't cut it."
For additional information see:
http://wvgazette.com/News/200810010768
http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-08-1080
Significant Economic Impacts on Florida Coasts due to Global Warming
On October 1, Florida-based researchers published two studies about the impacts of climate change on Florida and policy measures to help Floridians mitigate the predicted impacts. "The impacts of climate change on Florida's coasts and on our economy will be substantial, persistent and long-term, even under our conservative estimates," said Julie Harrington, director of the Center for Economic Forecasting and Analysis at Florida State University (FSU). Among the findings in the FSU study is an estimate of $6.7 billion worth of land at risk in 2080 in Dade County alone due to predicted sea level rise. The study also calculated the effect of storm surge and sea level rise on future damage costs, finding that if a storm like Hurricane Wilma from 2005 occurred in 2080, the cost to Dade County alone would be from 12 percent to 31 percent higher. "Should, as many models predict, sea level rise, and hurricane strength and other factors become more extreme, much greater economic impacts will occur along many parts of Florida's coast in this century."
Key points from the studies were used by Florida Governor Charlie Crist’s Climate and Energy Action Team to create recommendations for changes in state environmental, growth management and public infrastructure decision-making. “FAU (Florida Atlantic University) will continue to research how Florida can be a leader in providing guidance to other states on how best to put in place workable solutions that will help communities adapt to future climate change impacts," Murley said.
For additional information see:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080924111015.htm
Ten Nations Pledge Over $6.1 Billion to Climate Investment Funds
On September 26, members from ten industrialized countries pledged $6.1 billion to Climate Investment Funds (CIF) at the World Bank aimed at helping developing countries transition to cleaner technologies and cut greenhouse gas emissions. Representatives from ten countries – Australia, France, Germany, Japan, the Netherlands, Norway, Sweden, Switzerland, Britain and the United States – attended the donor conference hosted by the World Bank. The first project to benefit from the funds will be announced in early 2009 and will involve developing strategies to combat the effects of climate change. “We are uniting to fight global climate change,” said World Bank Group President Robert B. Zoellick. “These funds are a concrete step forward toward reconciling the challenge of global climate change with the challenge of development and overcoming poverty. We hope it is only the beginning, however, and that other nations will also contribute to enable even more financing for climate action.”
Two trust funds will be created under CIF: the Clean Technology Fund and the Strategic Climate Fund. A Forest Investment Program and a Scaling-Up Renewable Energy Program are also expected to be created soon. Andrew Steer, Director General at Britain’s Department for International Development, said, “These funds are all about demonstrating that low-carbon development and climate resilient development can happen. They will allow us to get on with helping developing countries with their efforts on climate action.”
For additional information see:
http://web.worldbank.org/WBSITE/EXTERNAL/NEWS/0,,contentMDK:21916602~pagePK:34370~piPK:34424~theSitePK:4607,00.html
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE48P8AQ20080926
Australian Climate Change Adviser Releases Final Report
On September 30, Australian Economist Ross Garnaut released his final report urging action on climate change despite the present financial crisis. In a 700-page document, Garnaut reiterated his earlier advice to the Australian government that it introduce carbon trading in early 2010 and preferably with targets to reduce emissions by 25 percent of 2000 levels by 2020, if an international accord is struck."What we've said all along is that we will stage our implementation of Australia's response to climate change in an economically responsible way. But if we fail to act and just push it to one side, or throw it under the carpet, it is just going to come and bite us on the behind,'' Garnaut said. He argued that the financial crisis is a short term problem while climate change is a long term problem that needs to be addressed immediately. Some industries argue that the report is conservative in its requests. "Where we disagree with the review is in the role of the renewable energy target in developing our industry over the next 10 years so it is at a point where it can compete effectively with existing fossil fuel power generators," said Rob Grant, chief of PacHydro, a wind energy company.
Others fear the targets are too high."What is happening in global markets today reinforces the importance of a gentle start to emissions trading with a low carbon price and realistic pollution reductions," Australian Industry Group Chief Heather Ridout said, "People can be heroic about climate change, but heroism can sometimes border on the reckless."
For additional information see:
http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,24423977-11949,00.html
http://www.news.com.au/heraldsun/story/0,21985,24427938-664,00.html
http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/failure-will-dog-us-says-garnaut/2008/09/30/1222651083043.html
http://www.garnautreview.org.au/domino/Web_Notes/Garnaut/garnautweb.nsf
Climate Change to Bring More Floods, Drought, Disease to Europe
On September 29, the European Environment Agency (EAA) released a study stating that Europe is warming faster than the world average and climate change will result in more flooding, water scarcity and forest fires on the northern Mediterranean rim and weaken the winters of Scandinavia. "Many regions and sectors across Europe are vulnerable to climate change impacts," said Jacqueline McGlade, executive director of the Copenhagen-based EAA. “Implementation of adaptation actions has only just started. We need to intensify such actions and improve information exchange on data, effectiveness and costs."
The report is an update of a 2004 assessment on Europe's exposure to climate change. It is an overview of data drawn mainly from the EAA's own resources and the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The EAA said the warming trend in Europe was above the global average and predicts more frequent and intense hot extremes. The report also urged Europe to do more to protect people from insect-borne diseases and safeguarding coasts from higher seas. “The risk is very dependent on human behavior and the quality of health care services and their ability to detect early and act," the report said.
For additional information see:
http://uk.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUKTRE48R4GU20080928
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5i7FTdie9-szNGtszhxIR0uUfYG6Q
Despite Carbon Tax, Norway’s Emissions Rise by 15 Percent
In 1991, Norway became the first country to impose a strict carbon tax and has since seen a 15 percent increase in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Its gas and oil industries are among the greenest in the world but increased car purchases, miles driven and offshore production have caused a rise in emissions. Many industries like fishing and paper manufacturing were given exemptions for fear of economic decline and job loss. "We had to find ways to spur environmental change without shooting ourselves in the foot," said Gro Harlem Brundtland, who devised the tax when she was Norwegian prime minister in the 1990s. Other countries have also issued regulations for emissions. Like Norway, Europe’s cap and trade system has seen an increase in GHG emissions. Sweden and Denmark both have carbon taxes and have achieved an overall decrease in GHG emissions, which economists attribute not just to the tax but energy efficiency and renewable energy measures.
For additional information see:
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB122272533893187737.html?mod=googlenews_wsj
Study Shows Cities Get Too Much Blame for Global Warming
In the October 1 issue of Environment and Urbanization, David Satterthwaite of the International Institute for Environment and Development in London published a study that uses data to exculpate cities as the largest contributors to greenhouse gas emissions. Cities are often blamed for 70 to 80 percent of emissions when Satterthwaite shows it is closer to 40 percent. "Blaming cities for greenhouse gas emissions misses the point that cities are a large part of the solution," said Satterthwaite. "Well planned, well governed cities can provide high living standards that do not require high consumption levels and high greenhouse gas emissions." He says that cities are often assigned a disproportionate share of emissions produced by neighboring industries and power plants. Per person, city dwellers produce less CO2 than rural dwellers because city life requires less commuting and smaller homes. "I'm sick of cities being blamed," said Satterthwaite. “The key to greening cities, he says, is to have excellent public transport and safe pedestrian and cycling routes, as in many European cities.”
For additional information see:
http://www.planetark.com/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/50367/story.htm
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2008/10/01/Study_Cities_dont_cause_climate_change/UPI-46621222886703/
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/climate-change/mg20026763.100-cities-not-the-only-culprits-in-climate-change.html
UK Government Creates New Climate Department
On October 3, Prime Minister Gordon Brown unveiled plans to form a new Department for Climate Change and Energy led by Ed Miliband, a close ally of Brown. Previously, Climate and Energy were headed under two separate departments, and the recent union has been enthusiastically received by environmentalists. "The creation of a single department to oversee climate and energy policy is a big step forward," said Friends of the Earth executive director Andy Atkins. "This is a golden opportunity to ensure the UK’s energy and climate policy – so often at loggerheads – work together to tackle both the climate and the energy crisis." Business groups endorsed the new department but also expressed some concerns. "Having a dedicated department for climate change should help move it up the political agenda and having climate change championed in cabinet will be useful," said Craig Bennett, director at the Prince of Wales' influential Corporate Leaders on Climate Change group. "But the devil will be in the detail . . . you could see it working very well, but you could also see it working very badly."
For additional information see:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7650669.stm
http://www.businessgreen.com/business-green/news/2227473/brown-announces-department
UK’s Met Office Warns of Need for Drastic Cuts in Greenhouse Gases from 2010
On October 2, British Meteorological Office's Hadley Center published a study that urged drastic action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the next two years or risk the severe consequences of climate change. Scientists recognize a global temperature rise of 2ºC as the allowable maximum to prevent extreme droughts, storms and sea level changes. The study showed that by cutting emissions 3 percent a year from 2010 on, disastrous events can be avoided. "The new science should raise our ambition levels rather than [make us] back off," said Paul Cook, advocacy director of the development charity Tearfund. "It's a big shift but it's doable." The Met Office analyzed four different action scenarios and hopes to use their results to urge serious action at the UN meeting in Poland this December.
For additional information see:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/oct/01/climatechange.carbonemissions1
http://www.smh.com.au/news/environment/act-or-the-planet-is-at-peril-new-study/2008/10/01/1222651169208.html
UN Launches Program to Cut Deforestation Emissions
On September 24, the United Nations launched a program called Reduced Emissions from Deforestation and Forest Degradation Program (UN-REDD) in which wealthier countries would pay developing countries to mitigate the effects of climate change by protecting and planting forests. “Forests are worth more alive than dead ... and their ecosystem services and benefits are worth billions if not trillions of dollars if only we capture these in economic models," said Achim Steiner, the executive director of the UN Environment Program. Deforestation in developing countries accounts for about 20 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions. Under the plan, poor nations would have the ability to earn tradable carbon credits by preserving and planting trees. Norway has already contributed $35 million to UN-REDD in an effort to offset its own emissions from its growing natural gas industry.
For additional information see:
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSTRE48N91C20080924
EU Could Save £20 Billion Per Year on Health by Cutting Emissions
The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL), Climate Action Network Europe (CAN-E) and World Wildlife Federation released a report on October 2 that claims an extra £20 billion could be saved each year on health if more ambitious climate policies were enacted. The savings could be made if the target of reducing CO2 emissions 20 percent by 2020 was raised to 30 percent. Génon Jensen, executive director of HEAL said, "Data clearly show that action to control global warming by reducing carbon and other greenhouse gas emissions brings major benefits to health. This potential alone makes a case for immediately moving the European target to at least 30 percent domestic cuts of greenhouse gases by 2020. The European Union should be showing leadership on this crucial determinant of our future." The report also noted that stronger climate policies help protect forests, ecosystems and historical buildings. European companies, too, are expected to save from implementing air pollution control measures. "Action on climate change produces win-win-win scenarios. Tougher targets means a win for the planet, a win for European citizens' health and a win for industry in reducing air pollution control cost," stated Tomas Wyns, policy officer on the emissions trading scheme at CAN-E.
For additional information see:
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/10/02/eahealth102.xml
http://www.euractiv.com/en/health/study-highlights-massive-health-savings-stricter-climate-policies/article-175970
Carbon Dioxide Captured Directly from Air with Simple Machine
On September 30, University of Calgary climate change scientist David Keith announced significant progress in near-commercial technology that captures CO2 directly from the air. “The thermodynamics suggests that air capture might only be a bit harder than capturing CO2 from power plants. We are trying to turn that theory into engineering reality," said Keith. Air capture is different from carbon capture and storage (CCS) because with CCS the collection device must be installed next to the emission source and the CO2 is funneled underground. Instead, the air capture device can capture CO2 from ambient air in any location. The technology is still in its beginning stages. “It now looks like we could capture CO2 from the air with an energy demand comparable to that needed for CO2 capture from conventional power plants, although costs will certainly be higher and there are many pitfalls along the path to commercialization,” said Keith.
For additional information see:
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/09/080929123941.htm
http://www.theengineer.co.uk/Articles/308217/Carbon+from+air.htm
Virgin Galactic to Join Climate Experiment
On September 30, commercial spaceline Virgin Galactic announced plans to carry scientific instruments on one of its space tourism vehicles to gather data on climate change in a joint effort with the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). "To my mind there is no greater or more immediate challenge than that posed by climate change," said Virgin owner Sir Richard Branson. "It's therefore more than fitting that the very first science to be conducted on board our new vehicles may be specifically directed at increasing our understanding and knowledge of the atmosphere and from there, to better inform our decisions as to the most effective ways of dealing with climate change." The aircraft will carry three instruments; one will measure CO2 and methane concentrations, another will take flask samples to be analyzed upon return, and the last will be a tube sample that empties on the way up and fills on the way down. The finished aircraft should be ready next summer.
For additional information see:
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7644553.stm
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/sep/30/climatechange.scienceofclimatechange
http://environment.newscientist.com/channel/earth/climate-change/dn14838-virgin-galactic-craft-to-help-monitor-climate.html
Events
October 9, 2008 Webinar: Understanding Carbon Offsets
Join the Carbon Management Council on October 9 at 12:00 pm for its latest webinar, Understanding Carbon Offsets. This webinar will be led by experts from Environmental Defense Fund and Point Carbon. Hear from two different perspectives on offsets in voluntary and compliance markets. Program topics include an overview of carbon offsets, their strategic role, expectations for the future of offsets, and their role in potential US and international regulatory schemes. There is a $29.99 participation fee for non-members. Please contact Kyle Gibeault at k.gibeault@carboncouncil.org to register.
October 21, 2008 Book Discussion: A Declaration of Energy Independence
Jay Hakes will be discussing his new book, A Declaration of Energy Independence, at William G. McGowan Theater at the National Archives on Tuesday, October 21, at 7:00 p.m. As the former head of the Energy Information Administration, Jay Hakes had an inside look at America’s energy problems. Between rising oil prices, global instability, and environmental degradation, most Americans acknowledge the need for energy independence. Combining science with historical and political context, Hakes offers his insight and presents viable solutions for a more stable political, economic, and military future for America. A book signing will follow the program. For more information, please visit http://archives.gov/dc-metro/events/#energy.
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