Climate Change News - December 10, 2012

At Hearing about Local Impacts of Superstorm Sandy, Senators Speak about Threats of Climate Change

On November 28, the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee held a hearing discussing the local impacts of Superstorm Sandy and the threats of climate change. Many of the Senators were vocal about implementing climate change legislation and attacked climate change deniers both in and out of Congress. Senator Sheldon Whitehouse (D-RI) stated, “There is a new normal of new extremes and we have to be prepared for it [. . .] the reason we have this new normal of new extremes is because global climate change is happening and is real. And we’ve tolerated the deniers for far too long in this body.” He urged that people “face the fact that the deniers are wrong.” Committee Chairwoman Barbara Boxer (D-CA) applauded Whitehouse’s remarks and expressed her hope that Sandy would be a “turning point in our approach to climate change.” She continued, “The clock is ticking and Hurricane Sandy has shown us all what the scientists sitting right in this room [said] the day I got the gavel. . .and they told us exactly what would happen and it’s all happening. . .We’re going to do whatever we can.” Representative Andy Harris (R-MD), a witness at the hearing, took a different view and argued that too much focus on climate change “distracts us from the important task at hand, which is hardening infrastructure.” He also said that, human contribution to climate change remains a “complex question.”

For additional information see: E&E Publishing , Politico

Members of Congress Introduce Resolutions Disparaging Carbon Taxes in House and Senate

On November 30, Representative David McKinley (R-WV) introduced a concurrent resolution to the U.S. House of Representatives (H.Con.Res.142) opposing a carbon tax on the grounds that it would increase unemployment. The resolution states, “[W]ith continuing high national joblessness and an unemployment rate exceeding 7.8 percent every month since February 2009, a carbon tax will drive the unemployment rate even higher.” H.Con.Res.142 is cosponsored by three Democrats and five Republicans, including House Energy and Commerce Committee Chair Fred Upton (R-MI) and Subcommittee on Energy and Power Chair Ed Whitfield (R-KY). Since the introduction, four more Republicans joined as cosponsors. On December 6, Senator David Vitter (R-LA) introduced a similar resolution (S.Con.Res.63) in the Senate with 20 cosponsors, all Republicans.

For additional information see: The Hill , House Resolution , Bloomberg BNA , Senate Resolution

New Chairman of Democratic Governors Association Promises to Focus on Climate Change

Vermont Governor Peter Shumlin, the new chairman of the Democratic Governors Association (DGA), promised to focus on climate change as the DGA leader. Shumlin said, “There isn’t a Democratic governor who doesn’t understand climate change is the challenge we must focus on like a laser. We are all advocating for growing renewables and assuring that we make more progress so that we’re passing a planet to our kids and grandkids that’s sustainable.” Shumlin was elected to his second term as Vermont Governor in November and he was elected to head the DGA on December 4.

For additional information see: The Hill

Mayor Bloomberg Says NYC Will Rebuild for Climate Resilience

On December 6, New York City Mayor Michael Bloomberg gave a speech highlighting the outlook of post-Sandy redevelopment in New York. The Mayor emphasized that climate change adaptation will be one of the biggest challenges facing the city as it strives to rebuild infrastructure and communities. New York City officials initiated sea level rise preparations in 2007 with the launch of PlaNYC, a development agenda that includes a $2.4 billion green infrastructure plan to capture rainwater runoff, restores 127 acres of wetlands, and expands the Staten Island Blue Belt natural drainage system. New developments in “vulnerable areas” of the city now undergo climate risk assessments, a process that saved two elevated park developments from major damage during Sandy. However, the Mayor reminded citizens that, "There are no panaceas or magic bullets. No matter what we do, the tides will continue to come in – and so we have to make our city more resilient in other ways, especially when it comes to our critical infrastructure.” All of the major transportation infrastructure networks faced damage during the storm, while much of the city’s electrical infrastructure is situated in the vulnerable 100-year floodplain. The Mayor has asked city officials to outline a plan for infrastructure that can withstand a Category 2 hurricane or other natural disaster. One strategy involves, “moderniz[ing] energy infrastructure by incentivizing large buildings and hospitals to invest in co-generation systems - which allow them to generate their own heat and power.” Other plans suggest accelerating investments in distributed energy, micro-grids, energy storage, and smart grid technologies.

For additional information see: Speech Transcript

Students Urge College Campuses to Divest Endowments from Fossil Fuels

In an attempt to curb carbon emissions and push climate change onto the nation agenda, students at 120 colleges and universities are asking their administrations to divest endowments in large fossil fuel companies. Some colleges such as Unity College in Maine and Hampshire College in Massachusetts have already proceeded to or announced plans to rid their portfolios of fossil fuels stocks (see November 5 issue). In support of the campaign, Unity College president, Stephen Mulkey, wrote to other college administrators stating, “Our students are already demanding action, and we must not ignore them.” Some administrations have expressed concern that divesting from fossil fuels would undermine the goal of maximum returns in support of education. In addition, administrations are worried about divisive boardroom debates on divestment although Sachie Hopkins-Hayakawa, a Swarthmore College senior, said, “When it comes down to it, the members of the board are not the ones who are inheriting the climate problem. . .We are.” The movement was initiated by writer and environmental advocate Bill McKibben and his nationwide 350.org campaign.

For additional information see: New York Times

Threatened by Ocean Acidification, Government Moves to List 66 Corals under Endangered Species Act

On November 30, the federal government proposed placing 66 species of Pacific and Caribbean corals under the protection of the Endangered Species Act of 1973 (P.L. 93-205). The proposal comes as a response to actions taken by the Center for Biological Diversity, which sued the government after drawing attention to an international listing of threatened corals compiled by the World Conservation Union. A team of National Marine Fisheries Service scientists, responsible for the content of the proposal, spent three years researching and identifying key threats to the corals. Researchers found that the most serious threats come from carbon accumulation in the ocean that increases the acidity of seawater, causing damage to coral exoskeletons. Corals are also vulnerable to rising ocean temperatures, overfishing, pollution, and disease. In the Florida Keys, staghorn and elkhorn corals have experienced over 90 percent losses since 1980, a situation that led scientists to propose adding them to the “endangered” species list. Lance Smith, a fisheries service biologist in Hawaii, commented that, “If you reduce local threats, corals are more likely to be resilient to the global threats.”

For additional information see: Los Angeles Times

EPA Pushed to Move on Emissions Reductions without Congressional Approval

The Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC) released a report detailing the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) ability to cut carbon emissions without Congressional approval. The Supreme Court ruling in Massachusetts v. Environmental Protection Agency requires the EPA to regulate carbon emissions under the Clean Air Act. Thus far, the EPA has only issued draft rules for new power plants; however the ruling applies to existing plants as well. The NRDC plan suggests that the EPA set state-specific emissions rates depending on the current profile of each state’s electricity sector, to allow states and utilities to have more flexibility to choose their emissions reduction method. The study finds that although the program would cost $4 billion per annum, between $25 billion and $60 billion would be saved in reduced health costs, sulfur, nitrogen oxide and carbon emissions. David Doniger, climate and clean air policy director at the NRDC said, “We break the conventional wisdom that great savings can only be achieved at great expense.” Existing power plants account for 40 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. It’s projected that the move would result in a 10 percent reduction in overall GHG pollution by 2020 and a 35 percent reduction in power plant emissions by 2025.

For additional information see: USA Today , Washington Post

Doha Negotiations Reach Familiar Sticking Point: Adaptation Funding

Climate change adaptation finance was again a major issue between developed and developing nations at the 18th Conference of the Parties of the United Nations (UN) Framework Convention on Climate Change, even causing the negations originally scheduled to finish December 7 to be extended another day. At a 2009 climate summit in Copenhagen, world leaders promised to give $30 billion between 2010 and 2012 to a “fast track” finance program to help developing nations mitigate climate change and then increase donations to $100 billion a year starting in 2020. At the climate negotiations, UN Secretary General Ban-Ki Moon joined developing nations in asking industrialized nations how they plan on reaching their pledges in the upcoming years indicating, “This is a matter of credibility for member states.” He continued to urge that securing funding “will be crucially important in facilitating the promotion of a legally binding agreement by 2015.” Jonathan Pershing, U.S. Deputy Special Envoy for Climate Change, stated that the United States has “every intention” of securing the funding but, “like most places, the budgeting process is complicated.” Similarly, Pete Betts, principal climate negotiator for the European Union (EU), stated that while the EU also intends to secure funding, “These are tough financial times, and many states are in difficult circumstances, so we won’t be in a position to state our target for 2015.” The United Kingdom has pledged £1.8 billion before 2015 to help developing nations tackle climate change. However, the EU, Japan and the United States are not ready to commit to gradually increasing aid starting next year. Ali-Ben Bongo Ondimba, President of Gabon and one of the seven national leaders to address the conference, warned, “Too many unfulfilled commitments lead me regretfully to conclude that we are reaching a tipping point beyond which Mother Nature and generations to come will suffer unpredictable damage.”

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

Six More Countries Join the Climate and Clean Air Coalition to Reduce Short-Lived Climate Pollutants

On December 6, six new countries joined the Climate and Clean Air Coalition (CCAC) to reduce emissions of short-lived climate pollutants (SLCP), including: black carbon, methane, tropospheric ozone, and hydrofluorocarbons (see February 20 and July 30 issues). Chile, the Dominican Republic, Ethiopia, the Maldives, the Netherlands and the Republic of Korea joined the CCAC, bringing the number of member countries to 25, up from the six founding members in February 2012. Reducing SLCPs can cut the rate of climate change by 50 percent over the next 40 years and by two-thirds in the Arctic. Durwood Zaelke, president of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development (IGSD), said, “The Coalition's success will help overcome some of the disappointment and despair many here are feeling at the pace of climate protection – despair that we do not have the collective wisdom nor the skill to protect our climate.” Durwood continued, “[The member countries] are creating the sense of urgent optimism the world needs to solve all of climate change, including the CO2 part, which all recognize is the largest cause of climate change and essential to aggressively address.”

For additional information see: IGSD Press Release , UNEP Press Release , New York Times

UN IPCC: Meeting Two Degree Goal Going to Be Difficult

After climate change negotiations in Doha, officials and scientists alike are concerned that the cuts in greenhouse gas emissions required to limit global temperatures from rising no more than two degrees above pre-industrial levels are growing larger, more costly, and less likely to be achieved. Pep Canadell, head of the Global Carbon Project at Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Research Organization, warned, “The possibility of keeping warming to below two degrees has almost vanished.” Global carbon dioxide emissions have risen 50 percent since 1990, and since 2000 the rate of emissions has increased from one percent to three percent a year. In 2011 Carbon emissions reached a record high and are expected to continue to rise in 2012. The United Nations (UN) Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) indicated that developed nations need to achieve cuts of 25 to 40 percent by 2020 from 1990 levels to meet the two degree limit. Alden Meyer of the Union of Concerned Scientists indicated that the increasing emission rates show that despite warnings, there remains a "lack of urgency" in climate change negotiations. Christiana Figueres, head of the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat, also indicated that more direct action needs to be taken. She stated that while negotiations are necessary, “We won’t get an international agreement until enough domestic legislation and action are in place to begin to have an effect.” Figueres continued, “Governments have to find ways in which action on the ground can be accelerated and taken to a higher level, because that is absolutely needed.” Bill Hare of Climate Analytics stated that the two degree goal is still possible, “but we have to start now, not wait until 2020 to act.” Hare continued, “Key will be a switch to nuclear or biomass power and carbon capture and storage. If these don't step up, there will be no financially feasible solutions to meet the target.”

For additional information see: Reuters – 1 , Reuters – 2 , New York Times , Asahi Shimbun , National Journal

Vietnam Approves Cap and Trade Program Commencing in 2020

The Vietnamese government announced November 27 that it will implement a cap and trade program on six greenhouse gases (GHG) beginning in 2020. The GHGs included in the program are carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfuorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. Vietnam is the third country in the region to announce such a program, following South Korea, Australia and China. In September, Vietnam committed to reduce GHG emissions 10 percent from 2010 levels by 2020 by changing agricultural and forestry practices.

For additional information see: Clean Biz , Business Green

China’s Greenhouse Gas Emissions Expected to Rise until 2030

A new report released during the Doha climate negotiations by the HSBC’s Climate Change Center, suggests that China’s greenhouse gas emissions will not peak until 2030. Scientists warn that at its peak, China’s annual emissions could reach 12 gigatonnes, or half of the allowable carbon budget to remain within the two degrees Celsius warming target. Even with reductions to the carbon intensity of China’s economy, scientists warn that emissions could still increase to 10 gigatonnes by 2030; 40 percent of the global allowance.

For additional information see: Irish Times

Fossil Fuel Subsidies Outweigh Climate Aid

The Oil Change International campaign group released a report December 3 concluding that rich countries spend five times more on fossil fuel subsidies than on efforts to curb climate change impacts in developing countries. The group calculated that 22 industrialized nations paid $58.7 billion in fossil fuel subsidies and only $11.2 billion in climate-aid flows. Stephen Kretzmann, founder of Oil Change International, stated that eliminating fossil fuel subsidies would help rich nations meet their pledge of providing $100 billion a year in climate aid. Similarly, Maria van der Hoeven, executive director of the International Energy Agency, stated, “Measures that encourage inefficient use of energy, such as fossil fuel subsidies, must be eliminated, [. . .] carbon emissions must be dramatically reduced, and the energy sector must play a key role in this.” Both the United States and European Union envoys at the Doha climate change negotiations agreed that fossil fuel subsidies should be phased out.

For additional information see: Bloomberg News

Annual Arctic Report Card Finds Accelerating Changes

According to the annual Arctic Report Card, an environmental assessment with contributions from 114 scientists across 15 countries, released December 5, the Arctic environmental system faces a new state of widespread and sustained change. Scientists found that 2012’s “summertime sea ice pack was the smallest ever seen,” coinciding with the lowest snowfall recorded in the Northern Hemisphere. In addition, 97 percent of Greenland’s icecap experienced surface-melt conditions. The Arctic faces a situation in which the ocean and land surfaces are darkening due to snow and ice losses. Darker surface layers mean more sunlight absorption, which amplifies the warming. Arctic Researcher Donald Perovich of Dartmouth College said, “The Arctic is one of Earth’s mirrors and that mirror is breaking.” The impacts of changing Arctic conditions are being felt across the globe. Jane Lubchenco, head of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, stated, “What happens in the Arctic doesn’t always stay in the Arctic. We’re seeing Arctic changes that affect weather patterns in the [United States].” Tundra regions are experiencing the highest recorded permafrost temperatures, and 2012 was also the first year that scientists witnessed a phytoplankton bloom underneath the ice sheet, a phenomena attributed to low primary productivity.

For additional information see: Nature , Arctic Report Card

Estimates of Greenland and Antarctic Ice Sheet Losses Confirmed by New Study

An international group of climate experts published a report November 29 in Science that is being hailed by scientists as the “most accurate assessment of polar ice melt to date.” After combining satellite data for two decades worth of ice-sheet loss, the 47 participating scientists concluded that polar ice sheets are losing up to three times as much ice as 20 years ago (not including summer 2012’s record-breaking melt). The scientists expressed particular concern for Greenland, where melt rates have increased from 55 billion tons per year to 290 billion tons per year in two decades. Lead author Andrew Shepherd, professor of Earth observation at the University of Leeds, described the report as “two to three times more reliable” than the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change 2007 assessment report. Shepherd added, “Without these efforts, we would not be in a position to tell people with confidence how the Earth’s ice sheets have changed and to end the uncertainty that has existed for many years. This will give the wider climate science community great confidence in ice losses and lead to improved model predictions of future sea-level rise.” The study resulted from a collaborative effort of scientists who recognized the need to clarify measurement techniques and previous melting estimates to better understand the relationship between ice melt and sea level rise. Since 1992, polar ice melt has lead to half an inch rise in sea level, a phenomena expected to accelerate in the next decade. Julie Bringham Grette, professor of glacial geology at the University of Massachusetts Amherst, said of the study’s conclusions, “It’s not wild. It’s not alarmist. It’s probably closer to the truth, and it’s very important because of the sea level issue. This provides a really important baseline that we didn’t have before.”

For additional information see: Washington Post , ABC News

Superstorm Could Cause Flooding and Damage in California

Scientists warn that California is due to face an atmospheric river megastorm within the next 50 years that could cause $400 billion in property damage and agricultural losses, while forcing a million people to evacuate. Atmospheric rivers are conveyor belts of water vapor that extend for thousands of miles in the atmosphere and carry as much water as 10-15 Mississippi Rivers. When they come into contact with mountainous topography, the rivers are forced upwards and condense into precipitation. Generally nine small atmospheric rivers come ashore in California each year, supplying between 30 to 50 percent of California’s water. Mega atmospheric river events, however, occur every one to two centuries. The last catastrophic event in 1861-62 brought 43 days of continuous rains to Sacramento and the Central Valley Region, causing up to 10 feet of flooding, killing thousands of people and cattle, and bankrupting the state. Using sediment deposits to analyze past flooding events, scientists are able to reconstruct the severity of flooding and better understand the timing of big storm events. It has now been 150 years since the last storm.

For additional information see: Scientific American

Friday, December 14: Insurance Industry Perspectives on Extreme Weather Events

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing on insurance industry perspectives on recent extreme weather events and how strategic investment can help manage the threats posed by a changing and more severe climate. In New York, Washington and California, insurance companies are required to disclose their climate change response plans, and many insurers are considering modifying rates and expected payouts to address increasing extreme weather events and rising sea levels. As experts in assessing, quantifying and transferring risk, the insurance industry is a natural partner for the federal government as it looks to manage extreme weather vulnerability. The briefing will include the industry’s response to the growing number of very costly climate-related disasters and will consider how public-private collaboration can help manage risk and guide policy to promote long-term resiliency. Panelists include: Frank Nutter, President, Reinsurance Association of America; Lindene Patton, Chief Climate Product Officer, Zurich Insurance Group; and Cynthia McHale, Director, Insurance Program, Ceres. The briefing will be held Friday, December 14 from 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. in SVC 201 of the Capitol Visitor Center. No RSVP required.