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June 6, 2016
On June 2, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released new information from its Landsat satellites finding that warmer temperatures in the Arctic caused by climate change have led to "extensive greening" in the vegetation in Alaska and Canada, so some landscapes now look like those in warmer ecosystems. Image courtesy of NASA.
On June 2, during the Clean Energy Ministerial in San Francisco, the United States and 20 other countries announced they were going to double public funding for research and development in clean energy from $15 billion to $30 billion annually by 2021 to support a "transition to a clean energy future," according to Dan Utech, deputy assistant to the president for energy and environment. The pledge expands on last year's Mission Innovation announcement by adding the European Union, 10 subnational governments, and close to 60 companies and organizations, and increasing the funding target from the original baseline of $10 billion annually.
For more information see:
USA Today, Press Release
On June 2, the Congressional Budget Office (CBO), a non-partisan agency of the federal government, released a report warning policymakers about the risks and implications for the federal government that climate change poses. The report focuses on the probable "significant" increase in hurricane damage in the next few decades, due to human-caused climate change, finding that the growth in hurricane damage will outpace the U.S. ability to pay for it – despite CBO expectations that U.S. GDP will be four times as large in 2075 as it is now. CBO recommends strategies for mitigating the risks climate change poses, including a "coordinated effort to significantly reduce global emissions," as well as international action to reduce emissions.
Politico, Report
On June 3, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its methane regulations in the Federal Register for new, reconstructed and modified sources in the oil and natural gas sector. Once rules are officially published, Congress has 60 days in which it can use the Congressional Review Act (CRA) to pass a joint resolution of disapproval, and opponents may file suit. The regulation will come into force on August 2, 2016. Methane is a powerful greenhouse gas, warming the atmosphere 84 times more than carbon dioxide over a 20-year period.
In related news on June 2, the American Lung Association (ALA) published a new poll showing that 60 percent of Americans support regulations on methane from new and modified sources in the oil and gas sector. Support for the rule is strong in all parts of the United States, as well as among both men and women.
Federal Register, ALA Press Release
On June 2, Washington, California, Oregon, British Columbia and five major West Coast cities all signed onto the Pacific North America Climate Leadership Agreement, which calls for the respective governments to work to cut greenhouse gas emissions and increase clean energy and energy efficiency, among other measures. Other key elements of the agreement include expanding the use of zero-emission vehicles; developing a West Coast electric vehicle charging network; increasing distributed renewable energy; and increasing composting. The agreement, which seeks to fulfill goals set in the Paris Climate Agreement, was signed at the Clean Energy Ministerial (CEM7) held in San Francisco.
CBCNews, NewsRelease
On June 1, the New York State Assembly passed the New York State Climate and Community Protection Act which plans to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions from major sources to zero by 2050. Lawmakers who support the bill say that the plan helps create jobs, protects workers, and prioritizes health and safety in low-income communities. Juan Camilo, director of research at the New York City Environmental Justice Alliance, commented, “This is a huge thing for environmental justice. Often times, the fight for adoption or mitigation of climate change impacts doesn’t necessarily address the disproportionate impacts that low-income communities are or may be experiencing.” For the bill to become law, the New York State Senate will need to pass a companion proposal before the end of the legislative session on June 16.
For more information:
Inside Climate News
On June 1, Washington State's Department of Ecology released an updated proposed rule to require about 70 of the state's largest industrial emitters of greenhouse gases to gradually cut emissions, at an average level of 1.7 percent annually. The companies can comply by sponsoring projects to cut emissions; purchasing emission reduction units from approved markets; or directly reducing emissions. The plan covers seven kinds of greenhouse gases, including carbon dioxide and methane. The rule, planned to come into effect in January, will initially apply to 20 facilities and will expand to 70 over time.
SeattleTimes, King5, Press Release
On May 27, Maryland Governor Larry Hogan (R) vetoed a bill that would have raised the state’s renewable energy portfolio standard from 20 percent by 2022 to 25 percent by 2020. The bill was sponsored by Majority Leader Sen. Catherine Pugh (D-Baltimore) and Sen. Paul Pinsky (D-Prince George) who say the legislation would have added about $1 to $1.50 to an average monthly household energy bill. Gov. Hogan commented, “This legislation is a tax increase that will be levied upon every single electricity ratepayer in Maryland and, for that reason alone, I cannot allow it to become law.” Hogan's decision was surprising in light of his approval two months ago of ambitious greenhouse gas reduction targets. In January, the General Assembly will attempt to override the veto; if both the Senate and General Assembly approve the bill with a three-fifths vote, it will become law.
Baltimore Sun, ClimateWire
On June 1, lawyers for environmental nonprofit 350.org refused to share documents related to investigations of ExxonMobil for alleged fraud on climate change with Rep. Lamar Smith (R-TX), Chairman of the House Committee on Science, Space and Technology. 350.org is joined by the Attorneys General of New York, California, New Mexico, Maryland, Connecticut, Washington, Massachusetts, DC, Vermont, Oregon, philanthropic foundations and other advocacy groups in turning down a request from Smith and 13 other Republican members of the Science Committee last month for documents on Exxon. Rep. Smith's letter went out to 17 attorneys general and eight foundations and nonprofits. 350.org's lawyers wrote, "Because your letter does not and cannot provide any legitimate justification for this infringement upon First Amendment rights, our client respectfully declines to provide documents."
InsideClimate News, Letter
On May 27, the United Kingdom, United States, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, and the European Union (a non-enumerated member) set a deadline to end fossil fuel subsidies by 2025. It is the first such deadline to be agreed to by the G7 nations. Fossil fuel subsidies have already been decreasing in most G7 nations, due in part to falling commodity prices, although the United Kingdom recently increased subsidies for oil projects and Japan has been funding new coal projects. Research fellow Shelagh Whitley at the Overseas Development Institute called the G7 deadline historic but also warns, “We already see [some in] the G7 going in the wrong direction since Paris. Just because they are saying this [about fossil fuel subsidies], it’s not a fait accompli.”
Guardian, Declaration
On May 31, an analysis of China’s energy strategy by Greenpeace concluded that the country’s coal use would fall and greenhouse gas emissions would hold steady in 2016. Greenpeace Analyst Lauri Myllyvirta says that by 2020 China’s carbon emissions and coal use could be 10 percent below the targets the government set in 2014, putting the world’s leading carbon emitter ahead of schedule. China also surpassed its target for solar and wind energy installed capacity by 40 gigawatts in 2015, putting them on track to reach their 2020 target more than two years in advance. According to Lauri, “All of this means that China’s coal use and CO2 emissions are going to keep falling much sooner and faster than anyone expected.”
Greenpeace, CCN
On June 2, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released new information from its Landsat satellites finding that warmer temperatures in the Arctic caused by climate change have led to "extensive greening" in the vegetation in Alaska and Canada, such that the landscapes now look like those in warmer ecosystems. From 1984 to 2012, Landsat has observed that 29.4 percent of Alaska, northern Canada and tundra in Quebec and Labrador became greener, while 2.9 percent of the vegetation declined. "The greening trend was unmistakable," NASA researchers wrote.
NASA, Science
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