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April 20, 2015
This image, released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) on April 17, NOAA reported March 2015 was the warmest March since records began, with an average global temperature 1.53 degrees F above the 20th century average. Image courtesy of NOAA.
On April 14, five Senate Democrats wrote a letter to the National Governors Association telling them not to listen to Senate Majority Leader Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) request for states to “just say no” to the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) Clean Power Plan (CPP). McConnell’s letter asserted that the CPP was unlawful and states should not prepare for it until all legal challenges are resolved. The Democratic Senators’ counter-letter urged state governors to devise plans for the CPP. The letter was signed by five Democrats: Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI), Sen. Elizabeth Warren (D-MA), Sen. Al Franken (D-MN), Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), and Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-VT).
For more information see:
The Hill, National Journal, Huffington Post, Senator White House – Senate.gov, In Related News – Associated Press
On April 16, the U.S. Court of Appeals of the District of Columbia Circuit heard arguments in Murray Energy v. EPA challenging the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) proposed regulation on greenhouse gas emissions from existing power plants, called the Clean Power Plan (CPP). Arguing against the CPP was a coalition of 14 states and two of the largest U.S. coal companies. Two of the three judges, Judge Griffith and Judge Kavanaugh, seemed doubtful about ruling on a proposed regulation, with Judge Henderson showing the most support to the challengers. “We could guess what the final rule looks like, but we’re not usually in the business of guessing,” said Judge Griffith.
The New York Times, Utility Drive, The Hill
On April 13, Kathleen Wynne, Premier of the Canadian Province of Ontario, announced the province will join Quebec and California’s carbon cap-and-trade market. A cap-and-trade system sets a limit on the total amount of emissions, and allows those that emit more to trade for carbon credits with those that emit less, in a market. The Ontario cap-and-trade system will be fleshed out over the next six months, and is likely to be similar to the Quebec and California systems. Wynne stated, “Carbon pricing is not a sacrifice; it’s an opportunity for all of us to live better.” Once Ontario’s carbon market is up and running, 62 percent of Canada’s population and over half its economy will be covered by cap-and-trade.
The Globe and Mail, The National Post
On April 14, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released its 20th U.S. Inventory of Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks, a statistical database on emissions “by source, economic sector, and greenhouse gas going back to 1990.” The report found that the United States emitted 6,673 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) in 2013, a two percent increase from 2012 levels but a nine percent decrease from 2005 levels. The largest emitters were power plants (31 percent), transportation (27 percent), and industry and manufacturing (21 percent). The Greenhouse Gas Inventory Data Explorer, EPA’s new interactive web tool, allows users to extract data from the 20-year inventory to compose graphs and examine year-to-year trends.
News Release, Report, Inventory Explorer
On April 14, the Vermont Senate passed a climate change resolution officially recognizing the existence of human-caused climate change, on a vote of 23-5. Additionally, the resolution renews the state’s previous commitment to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, while recognizing its target of reducing emissions 25 percent by 2012 has not yet been met. Sen. Brian Campion, D-Bennington, proposed the legislation. “We acknowledge that by passing this we respect science, and we as policymakers will in essence base our policy on this,” said Campion. The resolution passed on its second reading, but requires a third reading before continuing to the House.
Burlington Free Press
On April 17, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced the global average temperature over both land and ocean for the first quarter of 2015 (January to March) was a record high, unmatched in the last 136 years. For the same time period, global average land temperatures were the warmest since records began in 1880, at 2.86 degrees F above 20th century average temperatures. NOAA also reported March 2015 was the warmest March since records began, with an average global temperature 1.53 degrees F above the 20th century average.
NOAA, NOAA
An April 10 study published in Ecological Indicators says climate change could reduce the greater sage grouse’s nesting habitat 12 percent by 2050. The study projected a decline in the greater sage grouse’s preferred habitat of sagebrush by comparing 30 years of climate data collected on a 3,200 square mile region of Wyoming with future rain and snowfall predictions. The study focused on an area of sagebrush that is considered less likely to be affected by a changing climate, meaning the deleterious impacts on the greater sage grouse could be much greater than this study shows. Collin Homer, lead author of the study, said, “Climate change may represent the habitat’s greatest future risk.” Greater sage grouse numbers have declined 30 percent since 1985.
Summit County Voice, Boise State Public Radio, Capital Press, Study
On April 13, Nature Climate Change published a study about the effects of climate change on fisheries in the North Sea, a region of the Atlantic Ocean located between Europe and the United Kingdom. The study found that temperatures in the North Sea have risen 1.3 degrees C over the last 30 years, threatening species which feature prominently in the diet of United Kingdom residents. Louise Rutterford, lead author of the study at the University of Exeter, stated, “Our study suggests that we will see proportionally less of some of the species we eat most of, as they struggle to cope with warming conditions in the North Sea.” Researchers used climate change and fisheries data from the last 30 years to project the abundance of eight fish species over the next 50 years: dab, haddock, hake, lemon sole, ling, long rough dab, plaice, and saithe.
The Guardian, Washington Post, Carbon Brief, Study
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1. Former UN Climate Chief Says Politicians “Too Cowardly” to Price Carbon
2. Poll Finds Greater Conviction in Climate Change Among Broadcast Meteorologists
3. France Urges Australia to Stick to Greenhouse Gas Reduction Commitments
4. Midwest US Considering Cap-and-Trade Plan for Clean Power Plan Compliance
5. EPA Unsure About Deadline Extensions for Clean Power Plan State Compliance Plans
6. Even States Suing EPA Over Clean Power Plan Are Creating Compliance Plans
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Tuesday, April 21 9:00 am - 3:00 pm
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Author: Rachael Shook, Caitlin Madera, and Samuel Beirne
Editor: Laura Small
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