Climate Change News - November 12, 2012

Speculation Mounts about Climate and Energy Agenda during the President’s Second Term

President Barack Obama raised hopes about the prospect of national climate action after his November 6 re-election to a second term. During his acceptance speech, the President stated, “We want our children to live in an America that isn’t burdened by debt, that isn’t weakened by inequality, that isn’t threatened by the destructive power of a warming planet.” The comment, along with Democrats retaining a majority in the Senate, caused many to speculate about what a second term could hold for climate policy. There are many possibilities being discussed, including finalization of the New Source Performance Standards regulating greenhouse gas emissions from new power plants, tighter regulations on refuge methane emissions from oil and natural gas extraction, a final decision about the Keystone XL oil pipeline, and a carbon tax as part of a larger Internal Revenue code overhaul.

For additional information see: Washington Post , Guardian , Chicago Tribune , Bloomberg BNA , UN Press Release , Agence France-Presse

Senate Majority Leader Calls for Action on Climate Change

On November 7, in his first address to reporters after Democrats retained their majority in the Senate in the election, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) expressed hope that Congress could make progress on climate action. “Climate change is an extremely important issue for me and I hope we can address it reasonably,” Reid said. “It's something, as we've seen with these storms that are overwhelming our country and the world, we need to do something about it,” he continued. On August 8, when asked by a reporter whether the Senate would take up climate legislation if Democrats retained control, Reid said, “I hope so.”

For additional information see: Chicago Tribune , The Hill , E&E Publishing

Former Republican Congressman Calls on Party to Acknowledge Climate Change

At an October 31 event hosted by the Climate Desk, former Representative Mike Castle (R-DE), a former Delaware Governor and nine-term Member of Congress, stated that the Republican Party is "falling away from scientific opinion" when it comes to climate change science. Castle suggested that Republicans need "to do a much better job of making sure that [they] are examining the science.” Castle indicated that Republicans who live far from coastal regions are less likely to show support for climate change science as they are not as directly affected by rising sea levels and coastal erosion; however, this past year's droughts, heat waves, wildfires, and the recent destruction brought on by Hurricane Sandy “are factors that may start to change some of the thinking of some of the Republicans in the Congress.” He also suggested the possibility that some conservative politicians reject climate change science in order to oppose legislation, “It may be that people are for example opposed – people being conservative Republicans – to cap and trade because of the cost aspects of it. It’s not just the science of it, but the science is an excuse." Castle stated that his support for climate legislation led to his defeat in the 2010 GOP primary for the Senate seat vacated by Vice President Joe Biden.

For additional information see: The Hill – 1 , The Hill – 2

California to Hold Greenhouse Gas Credit Auction Next Week

On November 14, California will hold the nation’s first comprehensive greenhouse gas (GHG) credit auction, to include both utilities and industries. This differs from the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) implemented in the Northeastern United States, as RGGI applies only to power plants. Industries in the California program include refineries, steel mills, food processors, cement plant and electric utilities. Emissions standards will be imposed on the state’s 400 largest emitters, which account for 85 percent of California’s emissions. The minimum bid per metric ton of carbon emissions will be $10. However, businesses will be issued free credits worth 90 percent of their recent emissions. The cap and trade system is part of California’s mandate to reduce GHGs emissions to 1990 levels by 2020. Businesses argue that this program will force the closure of plants, moving them and their jobs to other states, and catalyze a rise in costs to those that stay, passing higher costs onto consumers. The Environmental Defense Fund’s strategic climate initiatives director, Derek Walker, believes there is much at stake with this program, “[state officials] take it seriously that this is a make-or-break moment. Doing this well is a way to show you can have a strong environmental policy that doesn’t hurt the economy, and not doing it well is a huge setback for environmental policy globally.”

For additional information see: Los Angeles Times , Washington Post

“Kyoto 2” Risks Lack of Participation

Renewed climate change talks are set to take place in Doha in late November, but not all the major carbon emitters are on board. Countries like China, Canada, India and the United States say committing to emission reduction goals divert from more important initiatives like pulling their populations out of poverty and developing plentiful fossil fuel resources. Nonetheless, the European Union (EU) will propose a “Kyoto 2” to run from 2013-2020. While the EU is set to cut emissions by five percent from 2008-2012 relative to 1990 levels, Canadian emissions will increase 16 percent by 2020. Japan is unwilling to set a commitment period; however, they’ve chosen to work bilaterally with neighboring Asian countries to export their low-pollution technology. Meanwhile Russia has indicated it may pull out of Kyoto entirely, citing the dearth in gains from the Protocol. Additionally, on November 9, New Zealand announced that it would not enter into a second Kyoto agreement, but would rather look towards a new framework which would come into effect in 2020. One country which will participate in a second agreement is Australia. Greg Combet, Australia’s climate change minister, stated, “Australia joins as countries around the world are taking action to combat climate change.”

For additional information see: Brisbane Times , Washington Post

EU Secretary of Climate Action Calls for Phase-out of HFCs

In preparation for the upcoming United Nations climate change talks in Doha, European Commissioner for Climate Connie Hedegaard said November 6 that she will urge global action to curb fluorinated gas (F-gas) emissions. F-gases, initially introduced as an alternative to chlorofluorocarbons, are a type of greenhouse gas used in air conditioning, cars, and industrial refrigeration, the most common of which are hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs). However, F-gases have a global warming potential that is significantly greater than carbon dioxide. The European Union (EU) is currently reviewing its laws on F-gases after experiencing a 60 percent increase in F-gas use over the past few years. An EU proposal to change F-gas policy is expected to be released in the coming week and will most likely include a suggested ban on hydrochlorofluorocarbons. With the EU striving to meet its target of 20 percent emissions reductions by 2020, taking action against F-gases will help the EU meet its final benchmarks. At the international level, Commissioner Hedegaard argues that a two-thirds reduction in F-gases should occur by 2030. The EU will hope for support from small island nations, who face the greatest threats from climate change. In Europe, Switzerland is leading the shift away from F-gases with 20 percent of Coop supermarkets, the second-largest chain in Switzerland, using low-power carbon cooling. Georg Weinhofer of Coop says, “We aim to be carbon neutral by 2030, reducing emissions as much as possible – that means targeting refrigeration.” Switching to non-synthetic alternatives such as ammonia or carbon dioxide saves energy, lower costs, and reduces greenhouse gas emissions.

For additional information see: Reuters

World Bank Chief Raises Climate Change at G-20 Summit

On November 6, new World Bank President Jim Yong Kim addressed finance officials from the world's leading economies at the Group of 20 (G-20) summit in Mexico City on the issue of increased extreme weather events. Kim argued that media reports refer to storms such as Hurricane Katrina and Hurricane Sandy as "once-in-a-lifetime" natural disasters, yet these events are now occurring much more frequently. According to Ramon Fernandez, head of the French Treasury, Kim told the finance officials that climate change “is an important agenda that should not be forgotten while we’re all focused on crisis management.” Ignazio Visco, Governor of the Bank of Italy told reporters, “The World Bank has gone back to being in charge of climate change. For a certain period from 2001, it had stopped.” The issue of climate change is largely being ignored by the G-20, who, in a statement indicated that they had nothing new to say on the matter, although they did recognize the United Nations as a “forum for climate change negotiations and decision-making at the international level” and acknowledged “climate finance is a relevant issue to be discussed.”

For additional information see: Bloomberg Businessweek

Lead Climate Negotiator for Developing Countries Pens Open Letter to President Obama

The chair of the United Nations (UN) climate change negotiations for the coalition of the 48 Least Developed Countries, Pa Ousman Jarju, wrote an open letter to President Barack Obama calling for leadership on climate action. In the buildup to the UN climate negations in Doha, Qatar at the end of November, Jarju praised the President for his response to Hurricane Sandy, but stated, “When you were first elected president, your words gave us hope that you would become an international leader on climate change. But you have not lived up to this promise.” He continued, “The framework that you put in place sets the planet on course to warm dangerously, and delays action until 2020 – this will be too late. This year's meeting in Qatar may be our last chance to put forward a new vision and plan to reverse this course. Your legacy, and the future of our children and grandchildren depend on it.” Jarju suggested that ambitious national emissions reduction targets and climate adaptation funds for developing nations are required.

For additional information see: Guardian

In the Wake of Superstorm Sandy, Groups Call for Revaluation of NYC Planning

In the wake of Hurricane Sandy, officials are not only deciding the best way to rebuild and repair damage caused by the storm, but also how to improve New York City infrastructure to be more resilient to future extreme weather threats. New York City is home to a very dense population of people in very close proximity to the water, with more than 200,000 living within four meters of the high tide mark. New York Governor Andrew Cuomo stated that apart of moving forward after Sandy, "Is the recognition that climate change is a reality, and it’s a reality that we’re vulnerable to." He continued, “Protecting this state from coastal flooding is a massive, massive undertaking but a conversation that is overdue and a conversation that should begin.”

For additional information see: National Journal , New York Times , E&E Publishing

Insurance Industry First to Adapt After Hurricane Sandy?

In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, many insurance companies are beginning to examine their current risk models to deal with expected increases in property damage and insurance claims from hurricanes, flood, and wildfire damage due to climate change. Insurance companies are among the first industries that have begun to acknowledge the effects of climate change, as they have been the first to face financial loss due to increased extreme weather events. The main problem for insurance companies is that they are operating under models that look at historical patterns instead of projecting into the future in which there is expected to be more property damage due to climate change.

For additional information see: NPR , Wired

PricewaterhouseCoopers Report Warns of Surpassing Two Degree Target

On November 5, PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC) released its annual carbon report, concluding that the continued global use of fossil fuels will drive global temperatures six degrees Celsius higher than average by the end of the century. Global temperatures have already increased by 0.8 degrees Celsius since pre-industrial times. At the 2009 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Copenhagen, more than 150 countries agreed in a non-binding pact to limit the average global temperature increase to no more than two degrees Celsius by 2050. The PwC report studied carbon intensity levels – the amount of emissions per unit of gross domestic product – and found that while carbon intensity has decreased in certain nations, it has increased or stalled in other countries, leading to an overall increase in carbon intensity. This overall increase has made “ambitions to limit warming to two degrees Celsisus appear highly unrealistic,” according to the report. The report found that U.S. greenhouse gas emissions have fallen to a 17-year low, mostly due to an increase in the use of natural gas. However, increased coal exports to emerging economic countries such as China and India have offset the decrease in U.S. emissions. Furthermore, the report warned that increased reliance on natural gas could lower investment in renewable energy. Leo Johnson of PwC stated that, “Even doubling our current rate of decarbonisation, would still lead to emissions consistent with six degrees of warming by the end of the century. To give ourselves a more than 50 percent chance of avoiding two degrees will require a six-fold improvement in our rate of decarbonisation.” The report stated that to achieve a six-fold improvement would require the world to reduce its carbon intensity by 5.1 percent per year through 2050.

For additional information see: Reuters , Guardian , The Hill , Study

Climate Scientists: Climate Change Contributed to Hurricane Sandy

In an opinion piece published November 5 in Politico, three climate scientists – Dr. Bob Corell, former chair of the U.S. Global Change Research Project, Dr. Jeff Masters, founder and director of meteorology for Weather Underground, and Dr. Kevin Trenberth, distinguished senior scientist in the Climate Analysis Section of the National Center for Atmospheric Research – discuss the connection between global warming and the occurrence of extreme global weather events. In the aftermath of Hurricane Sandy, questions are being raised about the extent to which climate change is a predominant variable in the devastation. The scientists say, “We’ll probably never know the exact point when the weather stopped being entirely natural. But we should consider Sandy – and other recent extreme weather events – an early taste of a climate-changed world, and a grim preview of the even worse to come, particularly if we continue to pump more carbon pollution from the smokestacks and tailpipes up into the atmosphere.” Scientific research shows that warmer atmospheric temperatures increase the intensity of hurricanes by increasing rainfall and wind speeds. The U.S. East Coast is already experiencing sea level rise at a rate four-times greater than the global average, and with higher sea levels comes ever greater storm surge damage. The scientists warn that extreme storm events could cost the United States $218 billion annually by 2025 if measures are not taken to reduce carbon emissions. “It’s time to stop asking when climate change will arrive. It’s here, and we need to move aggressively to curb carbon emissions while also preparing for a changed world. We are at nothing less than a critical juncture.”

For additional information see: Politico

Study Finds that Soil Only Temporarily Stores Carbon

A research team comprised of scientists from the United States and Europe concluded in study published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences that half of the carbon stored in soils will be re-released into the atmosphere over the next 500 years. Using radiocarbon and optical dating to study soils along the Dijle River in Belgium – the earliest of which date back to 4000 B.C. – the researchers found that soil erosion from agricultural practices releases sequestered carbon. Co-author Johan Six, professor of plant science at University of California Davis, states, “It’s all part of figuring out the global carbon cycle. Where are the sources and where are the sinks? Erosion is in some ways a sink, but, as we found out, it can also become a source.” Scientists also found that increased rates of decomposition due to climate change could speed up the release of carbon. “We need to know where and how much carbon is being released or captured in order to develop sensible and cost-effective measures to curb climate change,” said lead author Kristof Van Oost, professor of geography at the Lemaitre Centre for Earth and Climate Research at the Universite Catholique de Louvain in Belgium. To minimize soil erosion, the study recommends using no-till, low-till, and cover-cropping agricultural practices.

For additional information see: United Press International , UC Davis News , Study Abstract

Tuesday, November 13: Coping with Climate Change: Georgetown Climate Center Efforts to Promote Adaptation

The Georgetown Climate Center is holding an event Tuesday, November 13 discussing the center’s research and work with states and communities to promote changes in laws and policies with climate change in mind. The speakers include: Vicki Arroyo, Executive Director of Georgetown Climate Center and Visiting Professor of Law, Georgetown Law; Peter Byrne, Faculty Director of Georgetown Climate Center and Professor of Law, Georgetown Law; and Jessica Grannis, Staff Attorney at the Georgetown Climate Center and Adjunct Professor of Law, Georgetown Law. The briefing is from 2 to 3:30 p.m. at the School of Foreign Service Mortara Center for International Studies. RSVP required.

Wednesday, November 14: 24 Hours of Reality: The Dirty Weather Report

The Climate Reality Project hosts its second annual, online event showing how global climate change is connected to the extreme weather being experienced in our daily lives. The entire 24-hour event will be broadcast live over the Internet. The event will begin at the Climate Reality studio in New York City and then move into each region of the world, bringing voices, news and multimedia content across all 24 time zones. The event will feature videos from around the globe, man-on-the-street reports, music and stories from communities moving forward with solutions. The goal of the event is to generate new energy and urgency around the climate crisis.

Friday, November 16: Chasing Ice

Chasing Ice is the story of one man’s mission to change the tide of history by gathering undeniable evidence of climate change. Acclaimed photographer James Balog was once a skeptic about climate change. But through his Extreme Ice Survey, he discovers undeniable evidence of our changing planet. Using time-lapse cameras, his videos compress years into seconds and capture ancient mountains of ice in motion as they disappear at a breathtaking rate, all while seeking to deliver fragile hope to a carbon-powered world. Partial list of openings below, for complete list check the Chasing Ice website.

Sunday, November 18: Do the Math Tour

As a follow up to his July article in Rolling Stone (available here), this month, Bill McKibben and 350.org are hitting the road in the United States holding events to build a movement to address the climate crisis. Mckibben says, “We can burn 565 more gigatons of carbon dioxide and stay below two degrees Celsius of warming – anything more than that risks catastrophe for life on earth. The only problem? Fossil fuel corporations now have 2,795 gigatons in their reserves, five times the safe amount. And they’re planning to burn it all – unless we rise up to stop them.” The event in Washington, DC is Sunday, November 18 at the Warner Theater, 513 13th Street NW. The doors open at noon and the event begins at 1:00 p.m. The event is $10 and is co-presented with the Chesapeake Climate Action Network.