Advanced Search
August 29, 2016
A new study identified black carbon from the burning of biomass as a significant factor in glacial melting in the Himalayan region. Image courtesy of Hrishi Chandanpurkar at flickr.com.
The Obama administration will soon finalize a new rule that will change the way the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) leases public lands for wind and solar projects. BLM has authorized 46 such projects since 2009, but only 15 are in operation, undermining a key part of the Administration’s plan to meet U.S. climate goals. The new BLM rule will seek to reduce red tape by moving to competitive lease bidding for favorable land parcels that have been pre-screened for major development barriers, a process that mirrors the BLM model for oil and gas development. Currently, BLM only grants renewable developers “rights-of-way” for projects. Explaining the changes, Bobby McEnaney with the Natural Resources Defense Council said, "You’re conserving some of the best landscapes in America, and you’re affording developers an opportunity to develop in a way that doesn’t entangle them with the degree of conflict that is often associated with large-scale energy projects.” However, many developers are skeptical that the BLM plan will actually expedite projects, while also concerned about price hikes from competitive bidding and changes to fee structures.
For more information see:
Bloomberg
On August 23, the California Assembly approved Senate Bill 32 (SB32), a measure intended to extend California’s greenhouse gas emissions reduction goals. The bill would mandate a 40 percent reduction in greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2030, relative to 1990 levels. The state is already on track to achieve its current standard requiring 1990 emissions levels by 2020. The original law, Assembly Bill 32, passed in 2006, provided the basis for California’s cap-and-trade program, which has been struggling with low permit revenue. SB32's author Senator Fran Pavley said, “Today’s action sends an unmistakable signal to investors of California’s commitment to clean energy and clean air.” The Assembly-amended version of SB32 is headed back to the Senate for a final vote. Governor Jerry Brown has already vowed to sign the bill if it reaches his office.
Los Angeles Times, SF Gate, Reuters
On August 23, draft documents leaked suggesting Colorado Governor John Hickenlooper may issue an executive order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the state’s electric utility sector. The executive order under consideration would mandate a 25 percent cut in CO2 emissions by 2025 and a 35 percent cut by 2030, both relative to 2012 emission levels. Gov. Hickenlooper has argued that Colorado should proceed with plans to comply with the federal Clean Power Plan (CPP) despite the rule's judicial stay and opposition to the plan from the state's attorney general, Cynthia Coffman. Colorado's goal under the CPP involves a 31-38 percent emission reduction by 2030 compared with 2005 levels. Kathy Green, a spokeswoman for the Governor's office, clarified that the draft "is a working document that was created for discussion. No decisions have been made.”
Denver Business Journal, Denver Post, ClimateWire
State and local government leaders are advocating for California's climate policies to better reflect the needs of the state's low-income communities. With Governor Jerry Brown pursuing tighter limits on greenhouse gas emissions, concerns over how the cap-and-trade program's funds will be allocated have re-emerged. Assemblyman Jimmy Gomez of Los Angeles expressed dismay over the flow of dollars toward California's electric vehicle rebate program, stating, “A poor person in my community doesn’t see a person driving a Tesla and say, ‘That benefits me.'" Critics of the cap-and-trade program argue the global scale of addressing climate change results in local-level concerns being overlooked, particularly in poorer communities vulnerable to climate impacts. State officials and the Air Resources Board have responded by ensuring a greater share of funds directly benefit communities with elevated levels of pollution and poverty. Meanwhile, legislators continue to debate various proposals to advance additional reforms.
LA Times
The United States and China are preparing for a bilateral announcement before the G20 summit that they will ratify the Paris climate agreement. Sources indicate the announcement will be made on September 2, prior to a scheduled meeting of U.S. President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping at the summit in Hangzhou, China. Both governments have previously indicated a desire to ratify the deal before the end of 2016. According to an unnamed source, “There are still some uncertainties from the U.S. side due to the complicated U.S. system in ratifying such a treaty, but the announcement is still quite likely to be ready by Sept 2.” The United States and China are responsible for 38 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions.
South China Morning Post
Sources indicate a proposed United Nations (UN) rule governing civil aviation emissions will likely allow states to opt-out of the initial voluntary phase. The rule would impose a carbon pollution cap based on 2020 levels for all international flights, but would be voluntary from 2021 to 2026 before becoming mandatory in 2027 for the largest polluters. The opt-out is viewed as a concession for China and India, which have expressed concern over restrictions to aviation companies in developing nations. Airlines would purchase carbon credits supporting global environmental projects to achieve compliance. The commercial airline industry supports a unified agreement over patchwork regulations across state boundaries. The draft resolution reportedly has broad support and will be considered by all 191 UN member states in September. The United States, Canada, Mexico, Indonesia, and Singapore have already volunteered to participate in the first phase.
Reuters
Researchers monitoring Antarctica believe the continent's fourth largest ice shelf, Larsen C, is in real danger of being lost. A substantial crack in Larsen C has grown an additional 13.67 miles (22 km) since it was last examined in March 2016 and now stands at over 80 miles long (130 km). The massive rift is reminiscent of the losses of the Larsen A ice shelf in 1995 and Larsen B in 2002. According to Martin O'Leary, a researcher with Project MIDAS, Larsen C breaking apart would result in a loss of ice roughly equal in area to the state of Delaware. Regarding the timing of the event, O'Leary explains, “It’s a lot like predicting an earthquake – exact timings are hard to come by. Probably not tomorrow, probably not more than a few years.” Researchers worry the partial loss of Larsen C would leave the remaining portion unstable and vulnerable to further losses.
Washington Post
Regional air pollution is partly to blame for accelerated glacial melt in the Himalaya-Hindu Kush Mountains and Tibetan Plateau, according to new findings published in the journal Nature Communications on August 23. Black carbon sampled from the glaciers was analyzed and traced back to origins in India and China. Researchers were surprised to find that two-thirds of black carbon from the interior of the study area was created by the burning of biomass fuels for cooking and heating, rather than fossil fuels. Black carbon is a particulate pollutant that promotes glacial melt by darkening their surfaces, resulting in greater sunlight absorption. Co-author Shichang Kang of the Chinese Academy of Science believes "the most important [outcome of the research] is that [they] can provide mitigation [advice] to policymakers.” Kang notes government-sponsored efforts to improve cooking stove efficiency and make cleaner fuel sources available could make a significant impact on air pollution.
Washington Post, Nature Communications
According to a new study in Nature, ocean temperatures began to rise due to industrial carbon emissions as early as 1830. Climate scientists previously thought that man-made climate change did not begin to affect temperatures until the 20th century. The findings are the result of studying new data from fossilized coral, which provides tropical ocean temperatures from as early as 1500. Previous studies primarily relied on land temperature data, where warming occurred at a different rate. While the “climate change signal” (the point at which the warming trend in the data can be distinguished from natural variability) did not emerge in tropical oceans until the 1950s, this study pinpoints when the warming subtly began. The study used computer models to verify that ocean warming was due to greenhouse gas concentrations of the era and not natural factors. "Our findings show that the climate can respond very quickly to changes in greenhouse gases," said lead author Nerilie Abram, a professor at Australian National University.
Reuters, CarbonBrief, Nature
Brazil, Major Greenhouse Gas Emitter, to Ratify Paris Treaty in August
Investors Call on G20 to Ratify Paris Treaty, Price Carbon, End Fossil Fuel Subsidies
Summer Temperatures at U.S. National Parks to Increase by 8-12 F by Century's End
Central American Farmers Trade Coffee for Cocoa to Adapt to Shifting Climate
Consequences of Warmer Climate Amplify Risk of Coastal Erosion
Authors: Brian La Shier, Rebecca Chillrud, and John-Michael Cross
Editor: Brian La Shier
Advancing science-based climate solutions
Top-Rated Climate Nonprofit – 4-Star Charity