Climate Change News - April 12, 2010

United States to Host Major Economies Meeting on Climate

On April 7, U.S. top climate change negotiator Todd Stern announced plans for the United States to host a meeting of the Major Economies Forum (MEF) to create common ground among the world’s largest greenhouse gas (GHG) emitters. Stern stated the meeting would cover issues such as emission targets, climate financing, transparency, forests, and adaptation. The MEF is comprised of 17 countries that emit 80 percent of the world’s total GHGs. The planned talks were said to in no way challenge the primacy of UN led negotiations which began in Bonn, Germany, on Friday April 9. The talks will occur on April 18-19 immediately after the UN negotiations.

For additional information see: Reuters , The Hindu , Business Green

World Bank Awards $3.75 Billion Loan for South African Coal Plant

On April 8, the World Bank approved a $3.75 billion loan to help South Africa build one of the world's largest coal-fired power plants. The United States withheld its support for the loan by abstaining from the vote, along with the Netherlands, the United Kingdom and Italy. In its statement, the U.S. Treasury Department noted that the abstention "reflects concerns about the climate impact of the project and its incompatibility with the World Bank's commitment to be a leader in climate change mitigation and adaptation." The loan to Eskom Holdings Ltd., South Africa's state-owned utility company, will allow the company to move forward with a 4,800 megawatt power plant north of Johannesburg. Environmental groups condemned the loan, calling the project a disaster for climate change. Meanwhile, World Bank leaders highlighted provisions boosting wind and solar energy development. They argued that the loan will strengthen the country's economy and raise living standards for the poor.

For additional information see: New York Times , Washington Post , Bloomberg

Industry Groups Challenge EPA's Reconsideration of 'Johnson Memo'

On April 5, a coalition of industry groups asked the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to review the Environmental Protection Agency's (EPA) policy detailing when it must regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from industrial facilities, such as power plants, oil refineries and other sources. Last week EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson announced the agency’s final reconsideration of the Bush Administration’s "Johnson memo," outlining a timeline to begin regulating some large stationary sources of GHG emissions. Eric Groten, an attorney representing the filing groups, said EPA's policy is illegal and will have dire consequences for stationary sources. According to Groten, the EPA is using a "strained reading of the Clean Air Act" to say that the adoption of automotive tailpipe standards forces EPA to begin regulating industrial facilities. "The law doesn't compel that," Groten said. Opponents of EPA's policy have until June 1 to file legal challenges with the appeals court. U.S. Justice Department spokesman Andrew Ames declined to comment on the lawsuit. He said attorneys for the Obama administration would review the petition and respond in court.

For additional information see: New York Times

Northeast Seeing More, Fiercer Rainstorms

On April 5, the non profit organization Clean Air-Cool Planet (CACP) released a report which concluded that the northeastern United States has seen a significant increase in the annual number of storms resulting in an inch or more of rain per day. Rain of this magnitude is associated with the increased prevalence of flooding the region has seen this year. The study’s analysis of weather data came from area weather service stations from the previous 60 years. In all but 18 of 219 weather service stations checked, these “extreme precipitation events” were found to be occurring at a higher frequency. Cameron Wake, a research associate professor at the University of New Hampshire and director of the Complex Systems Research Center, noted that the results of the study are consistent with what is expected from climate change modeling, while making sure to qualify that individual storms are not linkable to increasing global temperatures at this point in time. Researchers for the study noted that these changes in weather patterns would almost certainly require vast increases in infrastructure spending to mitigate flooding.

For additional information see: AP , Fosters , Carbon Solutions New England

California Greenhouse Gas Law Still Has Majority Support, Poll Finds

On April 7, a poll was released showing that California’s greenhouse gas (GHG) law, The Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB32), still has the support of a majority of Californians. The survey, commissioned by Next 10, a San Francisco nonprofit group, showed that 58 percent of registered voters support AB32. Asked about global warming and the economy, 69 percent of those surveyed said they believe the state can reduce GHGs "and expand jobs and economic prosperity at the same time." That number was down from 74 percent in 2008 and 83 percent in 2007. Poll director Mark DiCamillo said the diminished support reflects anxiety over the economy. In 2007, when support for the law was higher, "people were bolder in venturing into new kinds of policies," DiCamillo said. “The financial crisis has hit hard in California, so it is not surprising to see that the current recession is causing somewhat greater uncertainty,” added F. Noel Perry, founder of Next 10. “Yet this research shows that large majorities of voters continue to believe that clean energy policies don’t take jobs away, and that expanding jobs, growing the economy and reducing global warming emissions are mutually compatible goals,” Perry noted.

For additional information see: Sacremento Bee , Sacremento Business Journal , Next 10 Press Release

Rising Water Temperatures Found in U.S. Streams and Rivers

New research published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment shows that water temperatures are increasing in many streams and rivers throughout the United States. The research, conducted by a team of ecologists and hydrologists, documents that 20 major U.S. streams and rivers - including such prominent rivers as the Colorado, Potomac, Delaware, and Hudson - have shown statistically significant long-term warming. By analyzing historical records from 40 sites located throughout the United States, the team found that annual mean water temperatures increased by 0.02-0.14°F per year. "Warming waters can impact the basic ecological processes taking place in our nation's rivers and streams," said Dr. Sujay Kaushal of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science (UMCES) and lead author of the study. "Long-term temperature increases can impact aquatic biodiversity, biological productivity, and the cycling of contaminants through the ecosystem." Given long-term global warming and "urban heat island effects" related to the abundance of buildings, roads, concrete, and asphalt, the authors point out that conserving riparian forests, reducing impervious surfaces, adopting "green" infrastructure practices, and reducing greenhouse gas emissions can help reduce increased water temperatures.

For additional information see: Science Daily , Study Abstract

47 Companies Urge Program to Help Users Monitor Energy Usage

On April 6, 47 U.S. firms and organizations, including Google, General Electric and AT&T, urged President Obama to set the goal of giving every household and business access to timely information on their energy use. Doing so could "unleash the forces of innovation in homes and businesses . . . reduce greenhouse gas emissions and save consumers billions of dollars," the group said in a letter to Obama. Carol Browner, Assistant to the President on energy and climate change, said the White House is committed to providing energy data for consumers. "The issue of the consumer's right to know is important in this administration . . . and we certainly share [the] commitment to giving consumers access to (information on) real-time energy use," Browner said. In their letter, the firms and organizations said technology already exists to let consumers see their power use. They also said consumers should have access to information about pricing plans and on the different ways electricity can be generated. "If all U.S. households saved 15 percent on their energy use by 2020, for example, the greenhouse gas savings would be equivalent to taking 35 million cars off the road and would save consumers $46 billion on their energy bills, or $360 per customer each year," the letter concluded.

For additional information see: Reuters , Mercury News , IDG

Poll Finds Iraq and Afghanistan Veterans Support Clean Energy Legislation

On April 6, a poll of Iraq and Afghanistan veterans was released that found 73 percent of those surveyed support clean energy and climate change legislation in Congress, 79 percent believe ending our dependence on foreign oil is important to national security, and 67 percent support the argument that such legislation will help their own economic prospects. The poll, conducted by Lake Research Group for VoteVets.org, was made up of 45 percent self-identified Republicans, 25 percent Independents, and 20 percent Democrats. “This poll confirms what we always knew was true – veterans of the wars in Iraq and Afghanistan know, first-hand, the destructive effect our dependence on oil has on our national security, and on the battlefield,” said Jon Soltz, Iraq war veteran and Chairman of VoteVets.org. “They are well aware of arguments made in favor and against bi-partisan clean energy and climate change legislation, and firmly fall into the group of Americans supportive of passing that comprehensive legislation. Veterans of the wars we’re fighting want legislation passed now.”

For additional information see: VoteVets.org Press Release

WHO: Climate Change Already Killing 150,000 a Year

On April 5, a report in the Bulletin of the World Health Organization (WHO) stated that climate change has already begun to affect human health, estimating that roughly 150,000 deaths occur annually in low-income countries due to the adverse effects of climate change. The report said that the rise in atmospheric temperature and sea levels, coupled with extreme weather events and notably higher frequency of floods, can cause water logging and water contamination and lead to higher incidence of diarrheal ailments. The geographical spread of vector-borne diseases such as malaria and dengue has also increased. The report went on to note that most countries in the Southeast Asian region, home to 26 percent of the world’s population and 30 percent of the world’s poor, lack sufficient plans for disease and vector surveillance and control. Nor do these countries have adequate health systems in place to serve as barriers against the adverse effects of climate change on human health, the report said. According to the Asian Development Bank, the lack of adequate measures to counter the ill-effects of climate change could result in economic losses of 6-7 percent of the combined gross domestic product of countries in the Southeast Asian region by 2100, compared to a loss of some 2.6 percent of the world’s GDP during this period.

For additional information see: Business Standard

Glaciers May Be Gone in Glacier National Park by End of Decade

On April 7, the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization and the Natural Resources Defense Council issued a joint report detailing the effects that have occurred and are likely to occur in Glacier National Park due to climate change. A direct threat to the park’s namesake is a decline in glacier numbers and coverage. The report found that in 1850 there were a recorded 150 glaciers while today only about 25 remain, and most if not all are expected to melt out within 10 years. The park is a large economic driver for the state of Montana where it is located, bringing in around one billion dollars of tourism revenue annually. Authors of the report pointed out that the area's signature turquoise blue lakes, caused by the deposition of rock grindings by glaciers, are also threatened by the glacial retreat. The ecology of the region is expected to change as well, with some species moving out and others moving in. Grasslands are expected to encroach, pushing forests up to higher elevations. Report author Stephen Saunders, of the Rocky Mountain Climate Organization, summarized the situation, “If we let climate change and its impacts get to an unacceptable point, the economy of Montana will suffer."

For additional information see: AP , Missoulian , Xinhua

Arctic Ice Increased During Freezing Winter

Data published in March by the U.S. National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) showed that the unusually cold winter resulted in levels of ice cover in line with longer term averages, the first time such levels have been recorded since 2001. The increase in ice cover is attributed to a change in the usual pattern of winds around the North Pole which has resulted in colder air in lower latitudes. The same phenomenon, known as the Arctic Oscillation, is also partly responsible for the cold winter experienced in northern Europe and eastern America. The finding has prompted some climate change skeptics to question claims that the earth is warming. However, Dr. Mark Serreze, Director of the NSlDC, noted, “What this doesn't show is any indication that global warming is over. If you look at the Arctic as a whole we might get to average amounts of sea ice for the time of year. But the ice is thin and quite vulnerable and it can melt very quickly.”

For additional information see: Telegraph , Times Online

Grazing Cattle Reduces Some Greenhouse Gases

On April 7, a new report published in Nature addressed the impact of livestock on levels of nitrous oxide (N2O) a gas that is roughly 300 times as powerful as carbon dioxide (CO2) at trapping heat in the atmosphere. As with CO2, atmospheric concentrations of N2O have been boosted by human activity. Biologists had long assumed that the farming of cattle and other livestock was part of the reason for rising N2O levels. According to the new research, however, in some places grazing actually reduces N2O emissions. The study’s authors point out that their findings cast no doubt on the fact that N2O contributes to climate change but that "it can give us a better understanding of where the emissions are actually coming from, so we can figure out where to concentrate our mitigation efforts." Given that the study’s results would apply to about a third of the earth's grasslands, the authors figure that scientists may have overestimated N2O emissions from these areas over the past 100 years by as much as 72 percent. Scientists urged caution about conclusions reached from this report. "You can't look at grazing in isolation," said Steve Del Grosso, a soil scientist with the U.S. Department of Agriculture's Agricultural Research Service in Fort Collins, Colorado, in a commentary accompanying the research. "It might reduce N2O emissions, but cattle and other livestock generate heat-trapping methane when they digest food. Grazing can also lead to soil erosion, and it can alter the ecosystems in other ways as well," Del Grosso added.

For additional information see: Time , Telegraph , Study Abstract

UK Plants Flowering Five Days Earlier for Every 1°C Increase

A study published in the April 7 issue of the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B concluded that the average first-flowering date for 405 flowering plant species across the UK was earlier in the last 25 year time period than any other time period for 250 years. The results came from over 400,000 records collected by Victorian vicars, dog walkers, and many other amateur naturalists. In recent times from 1985-2009, the average date flowers came up was May 20. In the coldest time period analyzed, from 1835-1859, plants bloomed around June 3. The authors were able to determine that on average plants flower five days earlier for every 1°C of temperature increase. Researchers are hoping to use this information to help determine the effects of climate change on plants throughout the world in order to facilitate conservation efforts.

"It is hard to make climate change real for people - they see a winter like this and do not believe it. This makes it very real for people. The natural world is our canary in the cage. It does show what is happening and the fact that plants flower five days earlier for every 1°C of temperature rise and the fact that the last 25 years was earlier than any other period since 1753 should tell people a great deal," said Richard Smithers, Woodland Trust Senior Conservation Adviser and one of the authors of the report.

For additional information see: BBC , Telegraph , The Press Association

April 12: Swiss - U.S. Dialogue: Cleantech and Job Creation

The Embassy of Switzerland, Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), World Resources Institute, and U.S. Green Building Council invite you to a discussion about clean energy jobs featuring Swiss President Doris Leuthard. The discussion will focus on what U.S. and Swiss policymakers can learn from each others' experiences to further grow the energy efficiency and renewable energy industries, reduce greenhouse gas emissions and other pollutants, strengthen energy security, create new jobs, and spur a robust economic recovery. This event will take place on Monday, April 12, from 12:00 p.m. - 2:00 p.m. at LJ162 Thomas Jefferson Building at the Library of Congress. This event is free and open to the public. Lunch will be served. This event is full, with the exception of a few seats left for Congressional staff. Given the strong interest in this topic and the many RSVPS received, this event will also be livestreamed at Think Swiss.

April 14: Energy Efficiency in the South -- Economic and Environmental Opportunities

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing on opportunities to improve energy efficiency in the South, and its potential impact on energy prices, job creation, water use, and carbon emissions. The briefing will focus on the results of a new study which finds that aggressive energy efficiency initiatives in the South could create 223,000 new jobs and reduce energy bills $41 billion in the region by 2020. The briefing will take place on Wednesday, April 14, from 10:30 a.m. - 11:30 a.m. in SVC 215 at the Capitol Visitors Center. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required for Congressional staff. Non-Congressional staff should RSVP to Erin Lane at erin_lane [at] cascadeassociates.net.

April 15: Reducing Energy Use -- The Role of Appliance Standards

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing on how appliance and equipment efficiency standards affect consumers, economic competitiveness, and the environment. This briefing will examine appliance standards legislation pending before the Congress and program changes under consideration by DOE, as well as their potential economic and environmental impacts. The briefing will take place on Thursday, April 15, from 2:00 p.m. - 3:30 p.m. in 385 Russell Senate Office Building. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact Ellen Vaughan at (202) 662-1893 or evaughan [at] eesi.org.

April 21: EDTA - Electric Drive Turning Points: Changing a Century of Transportation in 10 Years

Electric drive transportation is increasingly recognized as a solution to the energy, environmental and national security challenges we face. The Electric Drive Transportation Association's (EDTA) annual Hill briefing will educate Hill staff and industry stakeholders about electric drive vehicles and infrastructure in, and coming to, the market. Speakers will also discuss what can be achieved with electric drive in the next decade and the technology and policy advances that will build a diverse, national electric drive fleet.

The briefing features two panels. The first panel features EDTA members detailing their current electric drive manufacturing investments, vehicle deployments, and the grid preparedness efforts. A moderated roundtable discussion follows, with EDTA members focusing on what can be achieved in the next decade with advanced technologies and policies. The briefing will take place on Wednesday, April 21, from 1:00 - 3:00 p.m. in G-50 Dirksen Senate Office Building . The full briefing agenda is available at www.electricdrive.org . EDTA's Hill Briefing is free and open to all, including media. Questions? Call 202-408-0774 x 306 or email [email protected]

April 23: Stakeholder Based Climate and Energy Actions: Economic Impacts of National Policies and Measures

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) invite you to a briefing on The Impacts of Greenhouse Gas Policy Options on the U.S. Economy, a new study by CCS that examines the nationwide impacts of 23 major strategies formulated by over 1,500 stake-holders in more than 20 states to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and achieve energy and environ-mental co-benefits. This briefing will take place on Friday, April 23, from 11:00 a.m. - 12:30 p.m. in 562 Dirksen Senate Office Building. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact us at (202) 662-1884 or communications[at] eesi.org.