Climate Change News - May 13, 2013

Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide Concentrations Surpass 400 ppm

According to separate analyses from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, the 24-hour average atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentration surpassed 400 parts per million (ppm) on May 9 at the Mauna Loa sampling in Hawaii. The last time atmospheric concentrations were above 400 ppm was likely more than three million years ago. Dr. Ralph Keeling, director of the CO2 monitoring program at Scripps, said of passing the milestone, “It means we are quickly losing the possibility of keeping the climate below what people thought were possibly tolerable thresholds.”

For additional information see: New York Times , National Geographic

Short-Lived Climate Pollutant Reduction Act Introduced

On May 9, Rep. Scott Peters (D-CA) introduced the Super Pollutant Emissions Reduction Act of 2013 (SUPER Act, H.R. 1943) to establish a task force to reduce short-lived climate pollutants (SLCPs) under existing authorities. The bill designates SLCPs, including methane, black carbon, hydrofluorocarbons and tropospheric ozone, as “super pollutants” because their global warming potential is hundreds to thousands of times higher than carbon dioxide. Collectively, these super climate pollutants have contributed up to 40 percent of observed global warming to date. Rep. Peters said, “Government at multiple levels is already beginning to address these super pollutants, but it is time to coordinate our efforts to maximize the effectiveness of the programs. Given the major impact of these super pollutants on our environment, it only makes sense to use already existing technologies to reduce our emissions and slow climate change.” “This bill comes at a perfect time,” said Dr. V. Ramanathan, professor at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, “Science has informed us it is still not too late to slow down the warming in the coming decades by a factor of two if we act now.” Durwood Zaelke, president of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, said, “In addition to cutting the rate of global warming in half, fast action to reduce these pollutants can cut the rate of warming in the Arctic by two-thirds, and the rate of warming over the elevated regions of the Himalayas and Tibet by at least half.” A coalition of non-governmental organizations, including 181 foreign policy experts, previously sent a letter to the Obama Administration calling for an SLCP task force (see March 18 issue).

For additional information see: Rep. Peters Press Release , IGSD Press Release

House Ways and Means Committee Releases Summary of Tax Reform Comments

On May 6, the Joint Committee on Taxation (JCT) released a 558-page report summarizing comments submitted to the House Ways and Means Committee about possible reform of the federal tax code. The report, which summarized more than 1,300 stakeholder comments submitted to the committee, includes a number of suggestions related to renewable energy and fossil fuel tax credits. The JCT report states, “The broad proposals include suggestions to eliminate all energy tax expenditures and adopt the Fair Tax or finance tax reform by imposing a carbon tax. Some slightly more narrow comments call for eliminating all tax expenditures benefiting renewable technologies or replacing them with a technology neutral approach. Other broad but sector specific proposals call for eliminating all tax expenditures relating to oil and gas extraction and production.” Ways and Means Chair Dave Camp (R-MI) and Ranking Member Sander Levin (D-MI) released a joint press report stating, “The committee will dig into [the report’s] details over the coming weeks.” The Senate Finance Committee released a white paper related to tax reform on April 25 (see April 29 issue).

For additional information see: Platts , Report

EPA Defends Carbon Emissions Rules in Court

On May 7, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) returned to court to defend its authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act against challenges from Texas, Wyoming and industry groups. The U.S. Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia heard two cases concerned with EPA's implementation of the 2010 greenhouse gas emissions “tailoring rule” and its impact on new power generation units. The first was brought by Texas, Wyoming and major industry groups, which argued that the EPA had rushed its review of the state implementation plans (SIPs), and was threatening to ban the construction of new facilities to "coerce" states into compliance. The second was brought by Texas alone, and was a challenge against the EPA's decision to revoke its SIP after Texas refused to regulate greenhouse gases as part of its permitting program. Only 13 states have state implementation plans which give the state the right to issue permits to companies that wish to build new facilities.

For additional information see: E&E Publishing

President Obama Discusses Low-Carbon Power in Central America

On a May 2-4 trip to Central America, President Obama met with heads of state to discuss efforts to increase access to low-carbon power. The President agreed to convene an event in June to discuss the Central American Electrical Interconnection System (SIEPAC) project to connect grids from Guatemala to Panama. The meetings also highlighted the role that the Overseas Private Investment Corporation and Export-Import Bank of the United States can play to help develop renewable energy projects in the region.

For additional information see: State Dept. Press Release

Climate Change Advisory Committee Appointed by the Department of Interior

The Department of the Interior (DOI) announced the 25 members appointed to the new Advisory Committee on Climate Change and Natural Resource Science on May 8. The panel – composed of representatives from federal, tribal, state and local government, academia, nongovernmental organizations, and the private sector – will advise the DOI about its recent climate change adaptation science initiative. Matthew Larsen, associate director for climate and land-use change at the U.S. Geological Society, and David Behar, director of the climate program at the San Francisco Public Utilities Commission, will serve as co-chairs. Secretary of the Interior Sally Jewell said, “Responding to climate change and its effects on our natural and cultural resources is an important priority for the nation. This committee embodies our commitment to working closely with our partners to strengthen our efforts to develop sound science that will help inform policymakers, land managers and the public in making important resource management decisions.”

For additional information see: DOI Press Release

Seattle Releases Plan to Achieve Carbon Neutrality by 2050

Seattle submitted its plan to reach carbon neutrality by 2050 to the city council on April 22. The plan was created following a 2011 City Council vote to create a net-zero carbon city. The plan will expand transit infrastructure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from cars by 40 percent and will use smart meters and energy audits to reduce energy use in commercial and residential buildings. Although the mechanisms for funding the plan are not set, they may include a car and truck excise tax or a fee for car purchases.

For additional information see: Seattle Times , Climate Action Plan

EU to Reconsider Plan to Revive Struggling Carbon Market

According to Mathias Groote, chair of the European Parliament’s Environment Committee, the European Union (EU) will reconsider a plan to decrease the oversupply carbon permits in the EU Emissions Trading System (ETS) this summer. In April, the EU rejected a measure to reduce the number of permits available in the next three years and then reintroduce the permits into the market at a later date, by a vote of 334 to 315 (see April 22 issue). As a result, the price of carbon fell to a historic low of about $3.60 per tonne. Due to the fallout from the first vote, the Environmental Committee is to reconsider the plan in June and the full Parliament will vote again in July.

For additional information see: Washington Post , Responding to Climate Change

Japan Pushes for New Framework to Help Developing Nations Reduce Carbon Emissions

Japan is advocating for a new multilateral framework that would enable countries to more easily transfer greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions rights. The framework, known as the bilateral offset credit mechanism (BOCM), would allow Japan to claim GHG emissions reductions for providing technical assistance to developing economies in Asia and Africa. In contrast to the existing Clean Development Mechanism, the BOCM would expand the range of eligible projects and significantly cut down the time needed for approval. Namely, it would enable the Japanese to promote increasing efficiency of coal-fired power generation, energy efficient buildings, and other global warming mitigation efforts.

For additional information see: Kyodo News International , Mizuho Financial Group

Study: Ocean Acidification Impacting the Arctic

A new study released May 6 by the Arctic Monitoring and Assessment Programme finds that the Arctic Ocean is experiencing rapid acidification, potentially leading to huge changes in the marine ecosystem. The region is acidifying at a faster rate than oceans worldwide, largely because carbon dioxide is absorbed more rapidly in colder water. Additionally, sea ice, which once served as a protective cap, is melting and exposing more of the water’s surface to the air. Report chairman Dr. Richard Bellerby, chemical oceanographer at the Norwegian Institute for Water Research, said “We have already passed critical thresholds. [. . .] Even if we stop emissions now, acidification will last tens of thousands of years.”

For additional information see: BBC , Study Summary

Climate Change Increasing Likelihood of Extreme Rainfall and Drought

A NASA study set for publication in Geophysical Research Letters concludes that arid and temperate areas of the world will see an increase in droughts, while tropical zones will gain even more rainfall.”These results in many ways are the worst of all possible worlds,” said Peter Gleick, climatologist and president of the Pacific Institute. Lead author William Lau, deputy director for atmospheres at the NASA Goddard Space Flight Center, explained that because most of the world’s population resides in temperate and arid regions, the loss of rain in these zones will have the greatest societal impact. Areas that will see increased drought include the southwestern United States, Mexico, North Africa, the Middle East, northwestern China, South Africa, coastal Central America, northwestern Australia and northeastern Brazil.

For additional information see: Los Angeles Times , NPR , NASA Press Release

With Changing Climate, Tropical Cyclones Could Impact Hawaii

A study published May 5 in the journal Nature Climate Change concludes that by the end of this century, Hawaii will experience a 2- to 3-fold increase in the average number of tropical cyclones that impact the state. Lead author Dr. Hiroyuki Murakami, postdoctoral fellow at the University of Hawaii’s International Pacific Research Center, observed that historically the number of cyclones that impact Hawaii has been relatively low: usually only once every four years. Climate change could interfere with this pattern. Overall, the researchers found that there may be fewer tropical cyclones worldwide – but the ones which do occur will be stronger, and headed in Hawaii's direction.

For additional information see: Discovery News , Phys.org , Study

New Book Assesses Climate Change Impacts on the Southwest

Researchers drew on the expertise of 120 scientists, economists, and stakeholders to assess the past, current, and future climate of the Southwest and its possible effects on the population for a new book, “Assessment of Climate Change in the Southwest United States.” The researchers found that the Southwest is already seeing the effects of climate change, including a faster melting snowpack and severe heat waves. According to co-author Dan Cayan, “All regions will be affected by climate change, but the southwest U.S. is highly vulnerable because of its arid landscapes, mountain snowpacks, its exposure to the coastal ocean, and its innate proclivity for extreme wet, dry, and warm and cool spells.”

For additional information see: Press Release , Study