Climate Change News - July 22, 2013

Gina McCarthy Confirmed as EPA Administrator

On July 18, the Senate voted 59-40 to approve Gina McCarthy as the new Administrator of the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency. McCarthy was previously Assistant Administrator for the Office Air and Radiation at the EPA and is seen by many in the business community as a bipartisan leader who is willing to compromise (see March 11 issue). In light of President Barack Obama’s recent Climate Action Plan, McCarthy will be tasked with leading the EPA as it promulgates carbon dioxide emissions standards from existing power plants. After McCarthy’s approval, Obama released the following statement, “I am pleased that today the Senate took bipartisan action to confirm Gina McCarthy [. . .] Over the past four years, I have valued Gina’s counsel and I look forward to having her in my Cabinet as we work to slow the effects of climate change and leave a cleaner environment for future generations.”

For additional information see: Washington Post , Bloomberg , White House Statement

Senate Environment Committee Holds a Hearing about Climate Science

The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee held a hearing on July 18 to discuss recent climate-related impacts and science. The hearing had two panels and EPW Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) limited witnesses to climate scientists and other experts. Experts from think tanks Climate Central and Climate Solutions testified on the immediate impacts of global warming, and Frank Nutter, executive director of the Reinsurance Association of America, spoke about concerns within the insurance industry over projected climate change-related risk. Nutter said, “The industry is at great financial peril if it does not understand global and regional climate impacts, variability and developing scientific assessment of a changing climate. We are committed to work with you to address the exposure of citizens and their property to extreme weather risk.” Representatives from the conservative Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and Institute for Energy Research stated that climate change legislation will have significant negative economic impacts and insignificant effect on the climate. The committee last held a briefing about climate science in February (see February 18 issue).

For additional information see: Hearing Archive , Los Angeles Times , Bloomberg

Sen. Murphy Calls for U.S. Leadership at UN on Short-Lived Climate Pollutants

At Pulitzer Prize-winning writer and academic Samantha Power’s July 17 confirmation hearing to serve as U.S. representative to the United Nations (UN), Sen. Christopher Murphy (D-CT) called for continuing U.S. leadership on short-lived climate pollutants at the UN. Murphy noted that this “allows for some of the quickest gains in the interim between now and when we ultimately get an operative global warming agreement in 2020” and that “we’d love to see your leadership on that.” In her response, Powers assured the Senate Committee on Foreign Relations of her support. “Reducing short-lived climate pollutants is a central part of President Obama's Climate Action Plan, and it is critical to have leadership from Ms. Powers at the UN. We can't slow down the punishing climate impacts the world is already experiencing without success on this front, and we can’t win in the long run without aggressive mitigation of CO2 as well,” said Durwood Zaelke, president of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development. According to Senate Foreign Relations Committee Chair Robert Menendez (D-NJ), the committee will likely vote on Power’s nomination July 23.

For additional information see: Hearing Archive

House Holds Hearing on the Social Cost of Carbon

The House Subcommittee on Energy Policy, Health Care and Entitlements of the Oversight and Government Reform Committee held a hearing on July 18 about the revised government estimates of the social cost of carbon (see June 10 issue). At the hearing, Committee Chair James Lankford (R-OK) and Ranking Member Jackie Speier (D-CA) voiced their concern that new estimate was not available for public comment. Howard Shelanski, chair of the White House Office of Information of Regulatory Affairs, responded to these remarks by saying that the revised social cost of carbon based on analyses widely accepted in the scientific world and the public would be able to provide comments in every subsequent rulemaking including the estimate. “This number is not by any stretch of the imagination generated by a black box,” Shelanski said.

For additional information see: The Hill , Hearing Archive

Climate Change Impacting U.S. Energy Infrastructure

According to a July 11 Department of Energy (DOE) report, climate-related extreme weather has already – and will continue to – put significant stress on U.S. energy infrastructure. The report notes that there are a range of impacts on all aspects of the energy systems in the United States, and that the costs are significant. For example, the energy system in the West is expected to need 34 gigawatts of electrical capacity by 2050 to meet increased demand from air conditioning alone, due to rising temperatures. Jonathan Pershing, deputy assistant secretary for climate change policy and technology at the DOE, explained, “The cost today is measured in the billions. Over the coming decades it will be in the trillions. You can’t just put your head in the sand anymore,” he said. The report did not make any specific recommendations, but suggested possible future steps could include conserving and recycling water at power plants, adding system redundancy and emergency backup into electricity grids, and reducing energy demand across the board.

For additional information see: New York Times , AP , Report

Ex-Im Bank Declines Funding for Coal Plant, Cites Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The U.S. Export-Import Bank rejected a proposal to finance a new coal-fired power plant in Vietnam on July 18, citing the project's likely effect on global warming. The bank said in a statement that the vote against the 1,200 megawatt plant followed a "careful environmental review" of projected greenhouse gas output. This decision follows President Barack Obama’s pledge in the Climate Action Plan that the United States will stop supporting the construction of coal-fired power plants abroad (see July 1 issue).

For additional information see: AP , Reuters

Australia to Switch from Carbon Fee to Cap and Trade System Sooner than Expected

New Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd plans to accelerate Australia’s transition from a carbon fee to a cap and trade system, aiming to implement market-based emissions trading by 2014, instead of the previously planned changeover in 2015 (see July 2, 2012 issue). “The government is moving in this direction because a floating price takes cost-of-living pressures off Australian families and still protects the environment and acts on climate change,” Rudd said. Currently, Australia’s fixed carbon price is four times higher than carbon prices in Europe. In 2011, former Australian Labor Party Prime Minister Julia Gillard announced plans for a price on carbon after making campaign promises to not do so. This led to a decrease in popularity and her eventual ouster by Rudd last month before the 2013 national elections. The opposition Liberal Party has pledged to remove the carbon fee altogether. Since the implementation of the carbon fee, Australian carbon dioxide emissions have fallen seven percent (see July 15 issue).

For additional information see: Bloomberg , AFP , The Australian

Coca-Cola Sets Carbon Reduction Target

Coca-Cola released new targets to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions 25 percent by 2020. The targets include a goal of reducing emissions along the entire value chain: from the product ingredients and packaging, to refrigeration and transportation. Additionally, the company pledged to increase its water efficiency 25 percent by 2020 and use at least 25 percent recycled or renewable material in plastic bottles by 2015. Along with these targets, Coca-Cola announced that it would be renewing its partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to collectively tackle natural resource challenges impacting fresh water. Muhtar Kent, CEO of Coca-Cola, stated, “As we face a resource-stressed world with growing global demands on food and water, we must seek solutions that drive mutual benefit for business, communities and nature. Working with WWF will continue to challenge our company to advance our sustainability programs, and WWF’s expertise will be instrumental in reaching our environmental performance goals, some of which they help us set.”

For additional information see: BusinessWire

Global Cement Carbon Emission Intensity Has Decreased 17 Percent Since 1990

The World Business Council for Sustainable Development’s Cement Sustainability Initiative (CSI) released data from their 2011 “Getting the Numbers Right” project, which tracks global carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in the cement industry. The study found that the global cement industry has reduced its net CO2 emissions per tonne of product from 756 kilograms per tonne (kg/tonne) to 629 kg/tonne since 1990. However, overall cement production increased 74 percent between 1990 and 2011, and total global CO2 emissions from cement production increased 44 percent during this period. The 17 percent reduction in CO2 emissions per tonne is due to four drivers: investment in more efficient kiln technology, increasing use of alternative fuels, reduction in clinker content and a decrease in electricity use per ton of cement. According to CSI, the data now covers 55 percent of cement production outside of China and is the largest global industry database of its kind.

For additional information see: Environmental Leader

Sea Levels Could Rise 2.3 Meters for Each Degree of Warming

According to a study published July 15 in the Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences, sea levels could rise by 2.3 meters for each degree Celsius of global temperature increase. The study examined historic temperature and sea level rise data in combination with computer simulations of contributing factors to long-term sea-level increases such as the thermal expansion of oceans and the melting of ice sheets. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has found previously that sea levels rose by 17 cm during the last century, with the rate of sea level rise accelerating. Lead author Anders Levermann, a professor of dynamics in the climate system at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, discussed the implications of the study’s findings, stating, “Continuous sea-level rise is something we cannot avoid unless global temperatures go down again. Our results indicate that major adaptation at our coastlines will be necessary. It’s likely that some currently populated regions can’t be protected in the long run.”

For additional information see: Reuters , Study

Natural Features Can Protect Coastal Communities from Climate-Related Risks

A July 14 study published in Nature Climate Change by researchers at Stanford University finds that natural costal features such as sand dunes, coral reefs and sea grasses can protect coastal populations in the United States from the effects of climate change. The study concludes that rising sea levels and extreme weather has put 16 percent of U.S. coastlines at “high-hazard” risk, and that this number could double without coastal environmental protection. The study uses five sea level rise scenarios to calculate a hazard index for every square kilometer of U.S. coastline. In addition to warning that risks can increase, the analysis also provides the first national map of naturally-induced risk reduction, and indicates where coastal conservation has the greatest potential to protect communities. It finds that coastal habitats defend the greatest number of people and total property value in New York, California and Florida.

For additional information see: USA Today , TIME , Study

The Arctic Could Be Ice-Free by 2054

Starting in 2054, the Arctic may be ice-free for several months a year, according to a study published July 15 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. This ice-free Arctic would take place during the summer months, especially September, and could affect polar bears and seals with habitat loss, exacerbate extreme weather around the world, and impact navigation. The study used two techniques – a method that used historical model data and a statistical method that used data of present and future sea ice conditions – to arrive at the conclusion. “These two techniques give us similar ice-free timing. That is, under a high-emissions scenario, they reach the ice-free state in 2054 to 2058,” said lead author Jiping Liu, assistant professor of atmospheric and environmental sciences at the State University of New York at Albany.

For additional information see: International Business Times , NBC News , Study

Forest Fires Release Particles that Add to Climate Change

A study published July 4 in Nature Communications concludes that wildfires may contribute to climate change more than previously thought. The study analyzes the 2011 Las Conchas wildfire in New Mexico near the Los Alamos National Laboratory and found that particles released during the conflagration formed spherical, carbon-based particles called tar balls. The researchers discovered that due to the chemical composition of these tar balls, they focus and amplify sunlight, exacerbating climate warming through increased light absorption by an order of two or more. Existing climate models assume that wildfires emit a mixture of black carbon particles that cause warming and organic carbon that causes cooling. Los Alamos senior scientist Mavendra Dubey explained the need to incorporate the new findings, stating, “The fact that we are experiencing more fires and that climate change may increase fire frequency underscores the need to include these specialized particles in the computer models, and our results show how this can be done.”

For additional information see: Los Angeles Times , Discovery , Study

Wildfires Causing Melting in Low-Lying Himalayan Glaciers

A new study published in The Cryosphere Discussions by Indian glaciologists suggests black carbon from forest fires may reduce the “reflectance” or albedo of glaciers and precipitate increased melting. The report indicates that the change in reflectance in 2009 was higher than in any other year from 2000 to 2012 and could only be explained by the extensive forest fires that year. According to Durwood Zaelke, president of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, “Wildfires and agricultural burning in Africa, Asia, and South America, once thought to have little or no effect on the climate may contribute significantly to global warming. They are only expected to increase as the climate warm, so urgent action to reduce the rate of warming immediately can contribute to limiting such positive feedbacks, where the consequences of increased warming, such as forest fires, themselves increase warming.”

For additional information see: Times of India , IGSD Press Release , Study

Poll: Majority of Americans Support President’s Climate Action Plan

A national poll conducted by Hart Research for the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found that 61 percent of Americans support President Obama’s Climate Action Plan. The poll, which surveyed 808 registered voters nationwide and has a margin of error of 3.5 percent, found that 65 percent of Americans endorse setting limits on carbon pollution from power plants. The poll found bipartisan support for emissions limits, with 49 percent of Republicans, 84 percent of Democrats and 56 percent of Independents supporting the EPA in establishing standards. Other parts of the Climate Action Plan, such as improving vehicle fuel efficiency, increasing energy efficiency for homes and business, and investing in renewable energy, also garnered large support. Peter Altman, NRDC’s Climate and Clean Air Campaign Director stated, “Across our country, Americans feel obligated to protect future generations from the damaging effects of climate change. Americans also overwhelmingly support President Obama’s plan to do something about climate change now. Most importantly, they stand strongly behind the president’s common sense solutions, led by using the Clean Air Act to clean up dirty power plants.”

For additional information see: Fuel Fix , NRDC Press Release