Climate Change News - July 15, 2013

The U.S. and China Agree to Further Climate Protection

The U.S.-China Working Group on Climate Change, set up in April during Secretary of State John Kerry’s first visit to China (see April 22 issue), announced agreement on July 10 on five new initiatives to jointly reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution. Implementation plans are to be completed by October 2013. The new US-China initiatives are: reducing black carbon and other emissions from heavy-duty trucks and vehicles; demonstrating carbon capture, utilization, and storage; increasing energy efficiency in buildings, industry and transport; strengthening capacity for collection and management of greenhouse gas data; and collaborating on smart grid systems, deploying renewable and clean energy, and improving demand management. The U.S.-China partnership also is working to implement the June agreement by President Obama and President Xi Jinping to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the Montreal Protocol (see June 10 issue). "The US-China initiatives will produce fast mitigation from cuts to HFCs and black carbon, two climate pollutants that clear out of the atmosphere quickly and produce quick cooling. The initiatives also will produce longer term mitigation by cutting carbon dioxide, and by pursuing carbon capture, utilization, and storage projects," said Durwood Zaelke, president of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development. The high level meeting included the Secretaries of State, Energy, Treasury, Transportation, and Commerce, as well as officials from the White House.

For additional information see: State Dept. Fact Sheet , Washington Post , IGSD Press Release

Europeans Delay Auction of Carbon Permits to Boost Cap and Trade System

On July 3, the European Parliament voted 344-311 to delay the sale of 900 million carbon permits to help augment the emissions trading market. Proponents of the plan contend that an oversupply of permits has resulted in a low price of carbon permits that does not provide enough incentive for companies to reduce emissions. The passage of the “backloading” plan (see July 1 issue) resulted in an immediate nine percent rise in carbon permit price, to 4.70 Euros ($6.30) per tonne. The United Kingdom’s Energy and Climate Change Secretary Ed Davey explained, “We need a stable carbon market so we get more certainty for investors so emissions reductions can be achieved at the lowest cost possible.” The legislation, an updated version of a similar proposal which failed in April (see April 22 issue), still needs final approval from representatives of national governments and European ministers before it goes into effect.

For additional information see: New York Times , Guardian

Rate of Global Warming Increased from 2000-2010

A report released July 3 by the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) concludes that the rate of global warming has accelerated in recent decades. The report, “The Global Climate 2001-2010, A Decade of Climate Extremes,” analyzed global and regional temperature trends and found that 2001-2010 was the warmest decade for land and ocean surface temperatures in both hemispheres. Average global temperatures were 0.21 degree Celsius warmer this past decade than from 1991 to 2000. WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud stated, “The decadal rate of increase between 1991-2000 and 2001-2010 was unprecedented. Rising concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases are changing our climate, with far-reaching implications for our environment and our oceans.”

For additional information see: BBC , Bloomberg , AP

EPA Releases Regulation Roadmap

According to its spring regulatory roadmap release July 7, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) is set to promulgate a number of new environmental regulations over the next few years, including updated standards for landfill methane emissions and carbon pollution from new and existing power plants. The EPA plans to finalize a rule on landfill emissions July 2014, two months later than initially planned, in response to a lawsuit from the Environmental Defense Fund for the EPA's failure to update emissions standards since 1996. The new regulations could also include standards for pollution discharges from military ships and refrigerants in automobile air conditioners.

For additional information see: The Hill , EPA Roadmap

Environmental Groups Sue EPA for Not Regulating Coalbed Methane

Several environmental groups, including Wild Earth Guardians and the Sierra Club, announced July 8 that they are suing the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) for not regulating methane from coal mining operations. In April, the EPA turned down a petition requesting that the agency regulate coalbed methane under Section 111 of the Clean Air Act. In their petition, environmental groups noted that coal mining “is one of the largest emitters of methane in the United States.” However, the EPA explained that the agency lacked the resources to regulate coalbed methane. EPA acting administrator Bob Perciasepe wrote, “The agency must prioritize its regulatory actions. This is especially the case in light of limited resources and ongoing budget uncertainties."

For additional information see: Platts

United Church of Christ Divests from Fossil Fuels

On July 3, the United Church of Christ became the first American religious body to divest its pension funds and investments from fossil fuel companies due to climate change concerns. The divestment will occur in stages over the next five years, although the church left open the possibility of keeping some investments if the companies meet certain standards. The United Church of Christ is a Protestant church with approximately 1.1 million members. Its campaign to divest from fossil fuels was led by the Rev. Jim Antal, who is president of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ.

For additional information see: AP , Sustainable Business

Western Governors Release 10 Year Energy Plan

The Western Governors Association (WGA) released a 10-year energy plan on June 30 that outlines six goals, including achieving energy security, providing a variety of energy sources, increasing energy efficiency, improving infrastructure, protecting wildlife and the environment, and ensuring Western state leadership in energy education and innovation. This bipartisan plan, led by WGA Chairman and Utah Gov. Gary Herbert, was signed by 19 state governors and stresses cooperation among states in interstate projects. While the WGA plan has faced some partisan disagreement and faces challenges as individual governors apply it to their own states, Governor Herbert remains optimistic about the potential implications this plan has for moving energy policy ahead. He stated, “It [The plan] gives us a pathway forward for success in this country, and we’re going to lead here in the West.” Manitoba Premier Greg Selinger was disappointed with the lack of discussion of greenhouse gas emissions in the plan. “Climate change is an issue, whether we like it or not. It’s an issue that has to be addressed,” he said.

For additional information see: The Salt Lake Tribune , E&E Publishing , Plan

Carbon Fee Helping to Reduce Australia's GHG Emissions

Research from consultants Pitt & Sherry show that during Australia’s first full year of a carbon fee, carbon dioxide emissions declined seven percent, or 12.2 million tonnes. Pitt & Sherry found that the carbon price promoted electricity generation from hydropower, wind power and natural gas, with hydropower taking the most market share from coal-fired generators. However, it is not possible to fully attribute the reductions to carbon fee, as it is one of many factors which are driving reduced electricity demand and generation. Hugh Saddler, principal consultant at Pitt & Sherry, pointed out that the political debate surrounding the carbon fee contributed to the reductions because it made people more aware of their power use. He stated, “People are becoming aware that it’s quite easy to reduce their consumption to some extent.” The carbon fee, which started at $23 per tonne, rose to $24.15 per tonne on July 1.

For additional information see: Platts , The Age

World Bank to Stop Funding Coal Power Plants

In a report released June 26, the World Bank announced that it plans to stop funding new coal power generation projects, except in rare cases. The 39-page report, titled “Toward a Sustainable Energy Future for All,” posits that the World Bank is committed to creating universal access to electricity, doubling the share of renewable energy, and increasing energy efficiency. Frederick Jones, senior communications director at the World Bank, stated, “The World Bank Group’s energy work is aligned with our twin goals of ending extreme poverty and promoting shared prosperity and the objectives of sustainable energy for all.” The announcement follows the release of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan which calls for countries to stop funding new coal power plants (see July 1 issue).

For additional information see: Reuters

Legislation Introduced to Require Public Comments for Social Cost of Carbon Estimate

On June 28, Rep. Duncan Hunter (R-CA) introduced the Cost-Benefit and Regulatory Transparency Act of 2013 (H.R. 2593) requiring the White House to seek public comment on its estimates of the economic costs of climate change in proposed regulations. This measure is aimed at preventing adjustments made by the administration, such as the recent regulation that raised the social cost of carbon (see June 10 issue), without first receiving public comment. The bill would also require the Office of Management and Budget to submit its methods for calculating the cost and benefits of regulations.

For additional information see: Bloomberg , H.R. 2593

Maine Gov. LePage Vetoes Climate Change Study

On July 3, Maine’s Legislature failed by one vote to overturn Gov. Paul LePage’s veto of legislation to fund a state climate change study. The legislation would have reinitiated work on a 2010 report produced by Maine’s Department of Environmental Protection. The original study included 60 recommendations for the state to address climate issues. Work to implement the recommendations has not moved forward since Governor LePage took office.

For additional information see: Kennebec Journal

IMF Director Says that Climate Action Will Create Jobs

International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde stated during an interview with MSNBC that climate change will transform economies around the world. She noted that these transformations would include disasters brought about by climate change, but also said, “There will be areas of growth. You talk about green growth – that will be associated with particular jobs for which the training has not yet been invented and needs to be aggregated and put together.”

For additional information see: International Business Times

Study: Carbon Standards for Power Plants Can Create Jobs

According to a study performed by Synapse Energy Economics, the United States can cut carbon emissions from power plants while creating a net increase of 210,000 jobs and reducing electricity bills by an average of about $0.90 per month. The study, released July 2 and commissioned by the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), also assessed how carbon emissions regulations for existing power plants would affect 14 states. It concluded that 10 of the states would see an increase in jobs and a decrease in electricity bills. David Foster, executive director of the BlueGreen Alliance, commented, “This report shows what we have known to be true: a well-crafted carbon pollution standard can be part of the solution to drive innovation and job creation while also reducing dangerous carbon pollution. In order to avoid the worst impacts of climate change, we must act now, but we must do so in a way that creates and maintains quality jobs for American workers.”

For additional information see: NRDC Issue Brief , Synapse Study , Co.Exist , CDP Report

Hurricane Frequency and Strength to Increase with Climate Change

A new study published July 8 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concludes that tropical cyclones are likely to become stronger and more frequent with climate change. The study finds that the world could experience up to 20 more hurricanes and tropical storms annually by the end of the century. The study disputes previous reports, including a 2012 paper from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, that predict a decrease in storm frequency as climate change makes individual storms more powerful. Study author Kerry Emanuel, professor of meteorology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, used six high-resolution climate models to simulate 600 storms each year from 1950 and 2005 and then project global hurricane activity out to 2100.

For additional information see: USA Today , TIME , Study

Data Centers Can Reduce Emissions 99 Percent through Market Analytics

According to the results of early-stage research by Microsoft, data centers could reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by as much as 99 percent by using market analytics to predict when electricity prices are lower and when renewable energy generation is highest. Data centers could use the analytics to plan their highest energy-consuming computation to coincide with times when the grid is powered by renewable energy. The Microsoft study finds that the use of the analytics in this manner would help reduce the overall carbon footprint associated with cloud computing.

For additional information see: Energy Manager Today – 1 , Microsoft Study , Energy Manager Today – 2 , C2ES Study

Two Degree Target Not Enough to Delay Climate Change Impacts

Holding the global temperature increase to two degrees Celsius is not sufficient to stop sea level rise, ocean acidification, and losses in agricultural productivity, according to a study published July 3 in the Journal Nature. The researchers, all from the Oeschger Centre for Climate Change Research at the University of Bern, used computer models to calculate what levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions would be acceptable to meet the proposed two degree target. They concluded that CO2 emissions must be reduced even more to avoid the worst climate change impacts. Lead author Dr. Marco Steinacher, climate and environmental physics researcher at the University of Bern, stated, “When we consider all targets jointly, CO2 emissions have to be cut twice as much than if we only want to meet the two degree target.”

For additional information see: Guardian , Study

Ocean Acidification Impacts Entire Marine Ecosystems

Ocean acidification has farther reaching effects on marine ecosystems than previously realized, according a study published July 8 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers compared ecosystems in low, high, and extremely high areas of acidity by a volcano vent in Italy. They found that the low acidity areas had much higher concentrations of biodiversity. Urchins and grazing animals were not common in the higher acidity areas, and those that were present in the higher acidity areas did not consume the algae. Lead author Dr. Kristy Kroeker, marine biologist at the University of California, Davis, explained, “The background, low-grade stress caused by ocean acidification can cause a whole shift in the ecosystem so that everything is dominated by the same plants, which tend to be turf algae.” Approximately 30 percent of anthropogenic carbon released into the atmosphere has been absorbed by the oceans.

For additional information see: The Daily Climate , UC Davis News , Study

Trees Found to Be Using Less Water as CO2 Concentrations Increase

An article published July 10 in the journal Nature concludes that trees in forests around the world are growing at the same rates but using less water to do so. Some scientists connect this occurrence to the rising level of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the air, although this has not been proven. While the research points to the resiliency of forests, it also notes that trees are key to moisturizing agricultural areas downwind of forests, so less water for trees could mean less precipitation for crops. There is also evidence that a reduced water supply is not something to which all trees can adapt: millions of forest acres in the American West have been lost due to water shortages from earlier snowmelt, as well as heat-induced rises in beetle outbreaks and forest fires.

For additional information see: New York Times , Study

Communities of Color Disproportionately Impacted by Urban Heat Islands

Minority populations are more likely than others to live in dangerous “urban heat islands,” according to a study published July 1 in Environmental Health Perspectives. Urban heat islands occur in neighborhoods that have large amounts of asphalt, cement and roofing that absorb heat and lack trees to shade people and infrastructure. During heat waves, urban heat islands can be as much as five to 10 degrees warmer than other areas. Researchers compared the locations of heat islands to census data and found that, compared to whites, blacks are 52 percent more likely to live in an urban heat island, while Asians are 32 percent more likely, and Latinos are 21 percent more likely. These results can have important implications for how communities address the increased heat risks that are associated with climate change. Co-author Dr. Rachel Morello-Frosch, professor of environmental science, policy and management at the University of California, Berkeley noted, “Efforts to minimize heat risks in cities need to be more attuned to the racial disparities we see on a national scale. We need to make sure that any heat mitigation strategies really focus on the most vulnerable communities.”

For additional information see: Los Angeles Times , Study