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August 31, 2015
This image, taken by John Sarvis at the United States Fish and Wildlife Service (USFWS), shows a herd of walrus hauled out on land. This week thousands of walrus hauled out on land due to a lack of sea ice. Image courtesy of John Sarvis.
On August 24, President Obama began an 11-day climate tour at the eighth annual National Clean Energy Summit held in Las Vegas, where he encouraged renewable energy as the best way to cut emissions and create new jobs. Obama also discussed new initiatives to increase access to clean energy, including $1 billion in federal loan guarantee authority for distributed energy projects such as rooftop solar. "The revolution going on here is that people are beginning to realize they can take more control over their own energy, what they use, how much, when," Obama said. President Obama will visit locations from the Arctic Circle to the Gulf of Mexico on this tour, discussing renewable energy, climate resiliency and the need for a global deal on climate.
For more information see:
E&E News, USA Today
On August 25, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a new Climate Science Strategy, aimed at reducing the effects of climate change on the world’s oceans. The strategy lists seven steps to increase the use and collection of climate data to better manage protected species and fish stocks. Richard Merrick, Ph.D., Director of NOAA's Fisheries and Scientific Program, said, "We are already seeing marine animals change where they live to deal with changing climate. We're even seeing population numbers of some species drop." NOAA will work together with other federal agencies, tribes and fishery management councils to create regional action plans for implementing the Strategy.
Strategy, NOAA Press Release
On August 25, the mayors of Philadelphia, Houston, and Los Angeles launched a social media campaign to reduce greenhouse gases in cities throughout the United States, ahead of international negotiations to reduce global climate change to take place in Paris this December. Mayors Eric Garcetti of Los Angeles, Annise Parker of Houston, and Michael Nutter of Philadelphia said in a statement, "As President (Barack) Obama said at the Clean Energy Summit, the Clean Power Plan and other efforts to produce clean energy are critical for our nation's economy. These efforts are big steps forward, but we need Congress to step up and support binding US greenhouse gas reduction targets." The social media campaign uses the hashtag #ClimateMayors.
Business Standard
On August 26, United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-Moon spoke at a news conference with French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius, urging nations to put aside their national interests and work diligently toward an ambitious global deal on climate. "We don't have much time," Ban stated. "I'm asking world leaders to give a clear message to their negotiators that they should accelerate this negotiation." Fabius added that he hoped the currently over 80-page draft of the accord can be reduced to 20 pages by mid-October. The final negotiations for an international deal will take place in Paris this December.
The Daily Star
On August 21, the Australian Government released its quarterly update on national greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions for the year up to March 2015, following an announcement by the government to cut carbon pollution 26 to 28 percent below 2005 levels by 2030. The March quarter emissions figures show a 0.3 percent increase compared to last year up to March. Despite the increase, Greg Hunt, Environment Minister, said, "Our emissions per person are now at their lowest level in 25 years"; Hunt's numbers excluded land use change-associated emissions. Dr. Hugh Saddler, principal consultant with Pitt & Sherry, sees it in a different light, stating that electricity generation emissions have gone up 3.5 percent compared to correspondent period last year and reveal a disturbing increase in Australia’s emissions.
The Sydney Morning Herald
On August 18, a GreenLatinos and Earthjustice poll conducted by Latino Decisions showed that Latinos are increasingly concerned about environment issues and the potential impact on their families. Latinos expressed deep concerns over the effects of climate change, with 78 percent of the 1,200 Latinos surveyed saying they have directly experienced climate change effects. In an interview with NPR, Gary Segura, co-founder of Latino Decisions, noted that Latino neighborhoods are heavily exposed to environmental hazards, which may explain why Latinos are worried about the personal effects of climate change. A previous poll conducted by The New York Times in January 2015 also found that Hispanics considered global warming a more serious and personal problem than non-Hispanic whites.
NPR, Earthjustice, The New York Times, Press Release
On August 23, photographer Gary Braasch captured images of thousands of walruses hauling out on the northwestern shore of Point Lay, Alaska. The U.S. Geological Survey confirmed the event, which is caused by the early melt of sea ice the walruses typically use for hunting and resting. Mass haul-outs are dangerous for walruses, as trampling from close quarters can be deadly, especially for the young, old or weak. Last year a record of more than 35,000 walruses came on shore, and an estimated 60 young walruses were killed. Braasch said the walruses numbered in the low thousands when he took his recent pictures.
The Guardian, EcoWatch
On August 16, members of the Arctic Sea Ice Forum were examining satellite images from Jakobshavn glacier in Greenland when they noticed that between August 14 and August 16, a chunk of ice around five square miles detached from the glacier. If confirmed, this calving event would set a record as the largest observed ice chunk split from Jakobshavn glacier. A 2014 study by Joughin et al., published in The Cryosphere, indicated that the Jakobshavn glacier is one of the fastest melting in the world, shedding ice at average speeds of about 150 feet per day during the summers of 2012 and 2013. In 2014, Joughin said the Jokobshavn by itself had increased sea level by one millimeter from 2000 to 2010, and may continue to do so for the next decade.
The Washington Post, Mashable, Arctic Sea Ice Blog, University of Washington
In several studies published on August 21 in Science, researchers reported that forests worldwide are in danger from the effects of climate change and human intervention. Susan Trumbore, co-author of the studies, wrote in a preamble, “These papers document how humans have fundamentally altered forests across the globe and warn of potential broad-scale future declines in forest health, given increased demand for land and forest products combined with rapid climate change.” Each kind of forest, tropical, temperate, boreal, and those planted by humans, are all experiencing above average temperatures, drought, risk of forest fires and threats from invasive species.
Washington Post, Science
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Germany and Brazil to Team up to Combat Climate Change
Norfolk, VA to Use Grant Money to Mitigate Climate Change
Unusual Number of Dead Whales in the Gulf of Alaska
Pikas Still Unaffected by Climate Change in Glacier National Park
Asia’s Glaciers Melting
===================== Week of Moral Action on Climate for Pope's Visit to Washington, D.C. From September 21 to 25, 2015, there will be a series of events held across the country to call for the United States to honor its moral duty to act for climate justice. On Wednesday, September 23, the Franciscan Action Network will lead an all-night, multi-faith vigil at the Lincoln Memorial. On Thursday, September 24, the Pope will address a joint session of Congress, and there will be Jumbotrons set up at the Capitol and the National Mall for public viewing. After the address, there will be a rally on the National Mall, between 4th St. NW and 7th St. NW, with performances and speakers. Visit moralactiononclimate.org for continuing updates on events as they are scheduled. 2015 Fuel Seminar and Energy Exposition: Nov 16-19 in Los Angeles The Fuel Cell Seminar & Energy Exposition, the premier U.S. conference for the fuel cell and hydrogen industry, will be held in Los Angeles, California, from November 16 - 19 at the Westin Bonaventure. Attracting an international audience, the Fuel Cell Seminar features the latest fuel cell and hydrogen products, technical and market research, policy updates and commercialization strategies for all applications and market sectors. The Fuel Cell Seminar is the foremost event for networking with industry representatives, customers, stakeholders and decision makers interested in the clean, reliable, and resilient power potential of fuel cells. EESI is a Supporting Organization of the Fuel Cell Seminar, and Climate Change News readers can therefore benefit fromearly-bird registration (until August 31 only!). Register to attend the Seminar today at www.fuelcellseminar.com.
Authors: Ali Alford, Gabriela Zayas
Editor: Laura Small
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