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May 19, 2014
1. President Obama Announces Climate Initiatives At Walmart
On May 9, President Obama announced new climate and energy initiatives at a Walmart store in Mountain View, California. The new executive actions will help build a solar workforce, assist in providing innovative financing for solar, encourage investment in energy upgrades to federal buildings, increase the efficiency of appliances, and strengthen building codes. The White House estimates these efforts will lead to an additional $2 billion in efficiency investments in federal buildings, save businesses $26 billion in energy bills, and cut carbon pollution from appliances by over 380 million metric tons, among other benefits. In addition to the government actions, more than 300 companies and organizations – including Walmart, Google, Yahoo and Ikea – made commitments which will lead to the deployment of more than 850 megaWatts (MW) of solar power and efficiency investments in over 1 billion square feet of buildings. While the initiatives are relatively modest, they are part of the President’s broader approach toward climate, which will include an Environmental Protection Agency regulation to be released this June limiting carbon pollution from coal-fired power plants under the Clean Air Act, and increased efficiency standards for trucks. Walmart was selected as a venue for the announcement due to its use of renewable power: it sources 25 percent of its electricity from clean energy such as wind and solar power.
For more information see:
The New York Times, Energy Leader, The White House
2. Governor of Wyoming, While Skeptical About Climate Change, Says his State Needs to Respond
On May 14, Wyoming Governor Matt Mead gave a speech to the Wyoming Infrastructure Authority which expressed his view that the United States should focus on solutions to climate change, rather than fight over whether change is occurring. While Mead expressed his personal skepticism in climate change, he said the weak earnings recently reported by coal companies are suggesting that markets believe in climate change, and Wyoming must respond to this. “I’m not a scientist. I could be wrong on this. So let’s just assume for today, that I am wrong,” Mead said. “Let’s assume that, in fact, coal-fired generation is the cause of global warming. Then the question is: What is being done, and what should be done?” Mead stated that the government should focus on developing clean coal technology, instead of regulating the industry. Mead expressed concern about the upcoming Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) regulations under the Clean Air Act, which are expected out in June. “My point is this: Whatever your views are, shouldn’t we all say listen, coal is a valuable resource that we want to use today, and for the next [300 to 400] years or whatever it may be, so let’s find solutions,” Mead concluded.
Wyoming Star-Tribune
3. Military Leaders Call Climate Change a “Conflict Catalyst” and Growing Threat to National Security
On May 13, a report released by the CNA’s Corporation Military Advisory Board found that climate change impacts, such as extreme weather events, drought and flooding, can act as catalysts for instability and conflict especially in Africa, Asia, and the Middle East, rather than just threat multipliers. The report, an update on work done in 2007, found that the acceleration of climate change and its projected impacts pose a severe danger to national security interests both domestically and abroad, especially to military, infrastructure, economic, and social support systems. At the same time, increasingly severe and frequent weather events are expected to increase the need for emergency assistance while taxing the military’s ability to respond. Melting Arctic sea ice poses a political challenge to the United States as well, as the Arctic region becomes increasingly available for shipping, fishing, and resource uses in areas that were historically inaccessible. The report, compiled from the views of 16 retired Generals and Admirals from the Army, Navy, Air Force, and Marine Corps, concluded climate change is a serious national security challenge. “The national security assessment shows a sophisticated understanding of the future our defense forces will face as the world continues to warm and as climate impacts continue to increase,” stated Dr. Stephen O. Andersen, former Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) liaison to the Department of Defense (DoD) for climate and ozone, and former co-chair of the Technology & Economic Assessment Panel of the Montreal Protocol. “This report will help the military prepare to operate in the climate stressed world of the future, where the frequency and severity of climate disasters continue to grow. The militaries of the world also can help reduce climate emissions, including emissions of short-lived climate pollutants such as HFCs and black carbon. The voice of the military will persuade the policymakers that the time to act is now.”
CNA Corporation Military Advisory Board, The New York Times
4. Dunedin Becomes First City in New Zealand to Divest in Fossil Fuels for Climate
On May 13, Dunedin City became the first city in New Zealand to divest in fossil fuels despite the New Zealand conservative government’s push to expand fossil fuel extraction in the country. The Dunedin City Council voted to eliminate nearly $2 million NZ in fossil fuel extraction investments. The vote will also prevent future investment in fossil fuels by its $75 million NZ Waripori Fund. “It’s so fitting that on the day scientists showed with great clarity the peril of the Antarctic, nearby Dunedin took this huge leadership step. It’s not just the most charming city in New Zealand, it’s the most forward-looking!” said 350.org co-founder, Bill McKibben. 350.org is a climate change campaigning organization which has pushed the fossil fuel divestment movement across the world. Dunedin City has joined 23 US cities, a Dutch town, and dozens of universities and religious organizations in fossil fuel divestment. The fossil fuel divestment movement has drawn support from over 500 universities, cities, states, and religious organizations in the United States, Canada, Australia, and Europe.
Eco Watch, 350.org
5. Insurance Company Filed Lawsuits Against Chicago for Damages Caused by Climate Change
On May 14, Illinois Famers Insurance Co., a subsidiary of global giant Zurich Insurance Group, filed almost 200 class action lawsuits against Illinois municipalities and counties for damages caused by climate change-related heavy rainfall, specifically a large flood in April 2013. The plaintiffs alleged that local officials are aware of the dangers of heavy rainfalls caused by climate change but failed to take actions to prevent sewage backups, such as deploying more sandbags or inflatable flood barriers. The insurance company is demanding reimbursement for claims it covered for homeowners’ damaged basement walls, floors, and furniture. The law suits do not list the amount of money Farmers Insurance paid out or seeks, although the Illinois Emergency Management Agency said that the April 2013 flood cost the federal government greater than $200 million in payments, excluding insurance coverage. “The lawsuits will accelerate local efforts to avoid and adapt to climate impacts,” stated Durwood Zaelke, president of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development. “The shadow of climate liability will be an increasingly important force in boardrooms around the country.”
NBC Chicago, Chicago Tribune
6. West Antarctic Ice Sheet Begins Irreversible Retreat; Significant Sea Level Rise Projected
On May 12, the journals Science and Geophysical Research Letters published work from two groups of researchers announcing that a large portion of the West Antarctic ice sheet has begun an irreversible retreat and is projected to contribute to significant sea level rise in the next centuries. Using different research methods, these two groups independently concluded that the meeting of the West Antarctic ice sheet is unstoppably melting, and could raise sea level by 10 feet or more in the coming centuries. The research in Science used sophisticated computer modeling to study the Thwaites glacier and concluded that a slow-motion collapse had become irreversible. The research in Geophysical Research Letters analyzed satellite and air measurements of the accelerating retreat of all the glaciers draining into the Amundsen Sea region over the past several decades, and found that melting from the studied glaciers is expected to contribute to four feet of sea level rise and destabilize the ice sheet in general. This is likely to trigger further melting in other glaciers, facilitating greater sea level rise, potentially triple the initial increase of four feet. The National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) called a telephone news conference to highlight the urgency of the findings. “There’s nothing to stop it now,” said Thomas P. Wagner, a NASA scientist who oversaw some of the research. “But you are still limited by the physics of how fast the ice can flow.” Last week, a scientific report warned that the East Antarctic ice sheet is also at risk of melting and causing sea level rise (see climate change news May 12).
The New York Times, Geophysical Research Letters Study, Science Study
7. Trees in Borneo Found to Absorb More Carbon than the Amazon Rainforest
On May 9, Journal of Ecology published a study comparing the carbon-sequestering power of the Amazon rainforest and Borneo Island in Southeast Asia. The study, which looked at 12,000 trees in Amazonia and in Borneo for over two decades, measured “above-ground wood production” as an indicator of carbon uptake. Researchers found that the trees in Borneo grew 49 percent more above-ground wood and an average of 3.2 tons of wood per hectare more than the Amazonian trees. “In Borneo, dipterocarps—a family of large trees with winged seeds—produce wood more quickly than their neighbors,” said Dr. Banin, lead author of the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology (CEU) report. “This means that they have evolved something special and unique—and what this is exactly remains a mystery.” These findings indicate the global importance of protecting the fast-growing trees of Borneo in order to sequester climate change inducing carbon. WWF estimates that 56 percent of Kalimantan, the Indonesian side of Borneo, was cut down between 1985 and 2001 to satisfy global timber and palm oil demand.
Eco Watch, World Wildlife Federation, Study
8. Study Says China Must Stop Using Coal, or Climate Change Will Be “Almost Unstoppable”
On May 12, a joint study from the Center for Climate Change Economics and Policy and the Grantham Research Institute on Climate Change and the Environment found that unless China takes action to curb its coal emissions – which currently account for a fifth of the world’s total GHG emissions – it will be “almost impossible” to stay below the 2 degree Celsius global warming limit issued by the United Nations in 2009. The report says China will have to plan on peaking its coal consumption between 2016-2020, before planning on a total phase out, to help stop climate change. According to European Union Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard, who was not affiliated with the study, “the sooner that peak point will be, the better.” According to the study’s authors, Fergus Green and Lord Nicholas Stern, planning an emission peak and phase out would prove beneficial to China in a variety of ways – not only would it ease China’s dangerous levels of air pollution and curb water shortages, it would also “give the country greater energy security and shield it from global price swings,” as well as influence other developing and industrial nations to make similar changes.
The New York Times, RTCC, Business Green, Study
9. Climate Change Harms Countries’ Creditworthiness
According to a ratings report issued May 15 by Standard & Poor's Financial Services, climate change is set to have a major impact on the ‘credit worthiness’ of at least 20 different countries, although no credit scores have been lowered as of yet. This is due in part to the ever increasing frequency and rising costs of extreme weather events that comes with the changing climate. The report specified that emerging markets in Africa and Asia – especially in Vietnam, Bangladesh, and Senegal – would be the hardest hit, while the United States and Europe were ranked as being the ‘least affected.’ According to the S&P report, this was because the more vulnerable countries relied economically on agricultural production, which the report says is more vulnerable to changing climate patterns and weather events, as well as “their weaker capacity to absorb the financial cost.”
NBC
10. April 2014 Was Second-Warmest Ever Globally
On May 13, Climate Central published National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) and National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) data for April 2014, which found it ranked as the second-warmest April on record globally. This makes April the 350th consecutive month with above-average temperatures, in a trend spanning over 29 years. The global average April temperature was 58.5 degrees Fahrenheit, which is 1.3 degrees above the average temperature between 1951-1980. While temperatures in the United States were mostly near-average, Europe and Asia experienced an especially warm month. “The contiguous U.S., we cover less than 2 percent of the globe,” said NOAA climate scientist Jake Crouch. “This regional coldness isn’t representative of what’s been happening globally.” Crouch does not expect national temperatures to rank among the 10 warmest years. However, NOAA's Climate Prediction Center expects there is a greater than 65 percent chance of El Niño conditions developing this summer, which will create higher than average global temperatures.
Climate Central, Report
11. IEA Report Says Global Coal Use Is Raising Price of Acting on Climate Change
On May 12, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released a report finding that an integrated approach to transitioning to an electricity system that does not emit carbon is necessary, especially as the growth in coal-fired power generation continues to outpace the combined growth of all clean energy sources, globally. Coal, with its accompanying carbon pollution and impact on global climate change, currently supplies 40 percent of the world’s electricity. “Some people don’t want to talk about coal, but it’s the elephant in the room. It is there and it will be there for decades to come,” commented Maria van der Hoeven, the executive director of IEA. IEA recommends a reversal in electricity generation from fossil fuels to renewable energy, in order to keep global temperature rise to 2 degrees Celsius. The authors say the electric system would have to become “smart” enough for renewable energy to integrate and satisfy demand seamlessly, making strategic planning necessary.
Time, Report
Headlines
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1. Sen. Marco Rubio Speaks Out on His Disbelief in Man-Made Climate Change
2. Washington Post Editorial Board Publishes Rebuttal to Rubio Statement
3. John Oliver and Bill Nye Talk Climate Change on “Last Week Tonight”
4. Award-Winning Symphony Composition “Become Ocean” Based on Climate Change
Events
1. Losing Ground: Managing Climate Risks in the Southeast
May 22, 2014: 10:00 am - 11:30 am
428 Russell Senate Office Building
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing examining the current and projected impacts of climate change in the Southeast, and efforts to manage these risks. According to the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration, the Southeast region has experienced more billion-dollar natural disasters than any other region in the United States, primarily from hurricanes, but also from tornadoes and winter storms. Speakers will include Virginia Burkett, Chief Scientist for Global Change, U.S. Geological Survey; Roger Natsuhara, Principal Deputy Assistant Secretary for Energy, Installations and Environment, Department of the Navy; Tim Gallaudet, Rear Admiral (sel), Deputy Oceanographer of the Navy, Department of the Navy; and Robert Kafalenos, Environmental Protection Specialist, Federal Highway Administration, U.S. Department of Transportation.
This event is free and open to the public. Please RSVP to expedite check-in.
2. National Landmarks at Risk: How Rising Seas, Floods, and Wildfires Are Threatening The United States' Most Cherished Historic Sites
May 20, 2014: 1:30 pm - 3:00 pm
902 Hart Senate Office Building
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) invite you to a briefing highlighting the risks climate change poses to landmark historic sites around the United States. This briefing will unveil a new report from UCS which highlights climate threats to the nation’s iconic landmarks and historic sites, and details steps being taken to protect these national treasures. Speakers will include: Sen. Martin Heinrich (D-NM); Adam Markham, Director of Climate Impacts, Union of Concerned Scientists; Jeffrey Altschul, President of the Society for American Archaeology; Walter Dasheno, former governor of the Santa Clara Pueblo, Rio Arriba County, NM; Anastasia Steffen, Archaeologist, Valles Caldera National Preserve, NM; Lisa Craig, Chief of Historic Preservation, Annapolis, MD; and Alan Spears, Historian and Director of Cultural Resources, National Parks Conservation Association.
3. Climate Panel and Screening of Years of Living Dangerously
May 20, 2014: 5:30 pm
Capitol Visitor Center (CVC)
The Senate Climate Action Task Force and the House Sustainable Energy and Environment Coalition (SEEC) will be hosting a screening of Years of Living Dangerously, episode that examines the effects of climate change on public health, low-lying nations like Bangladesh, and volatile political situations; and a Q&A with an expert panel. Light refreshments will be available immediately prior.
If you plan to attend, please RSVP to [email protected].
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