Climate Change News - November 18, 2013

White House Selects Dan Utech as the New Climate and Energy Chief

On November 8, the White House announced that Dan Utech will replace Heather Zichal as President Obama’s chief climate and energy adviser. Utech served as Zichal’s deputy until her recent resignation (see October 14 issue). Utech has worked as a senior adviser to both former Energy Secretary Steven Chu and Hillary Clinton during her time in the Senate, and spent ten years on the staff at the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee. Under Zichal, the administration has seen major climate and energy legislation, including new fuel-efficiency standards, national limits on toxic emissions, and proposed standards to curb greenhouse gas emissions on new power plants.  The President praised Zichal’s work, stating, “Heather’s efforts have proven that strengthening America’s energy security does not have to be a choice between economic growth or good environmental stewardship – it can mean both.”

For additional information see: Washington Post

DOE Invests $84 Million in Carbon Capture Projects

On November 7, the Department of Energy announced an $84 million investment in 18 innovative carbon capture projects around the country to help reduce carbon emissions from new and existing coal-fired power plants. The projects will research how to improve efficiency and drive down costs for carbon capture and storage (CCS) technologies in two types of power generation processes: post-combustion carbon capture for traditional, combustion-based coal plants and pre-combustion carbon capture for gasification-based power plants. “Coal and other fossil fuels still provide 80 percent of our energy, 70 percent of our electricity and will be a major part of our energy future for decades,” said Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. “That’s why any serious effort to protect future generations from the worst effects of climate change must also include developing, demonstrating and deploying the technologies to use our abundant fossil fuel resources as cleanly as possible.” According to DOE, the Obama Administration has invested $6 billion in clean coal technologies to date. Aside from the $84 million DOE investment, additional costs for the CCS projects will be covered by the industry, universities and other research institutions.

For additional information see: The Hill , DOE Announcement , Washington Post , DOE Carbon Capture Projects List

Secretary Moniz and Climate Scientists Emphasize Role Nuclear Will Play in Combating Climate Change

At the meeting of the American Nuclear Society on November 11, Department of Energy Secretary Moniz expressed support for the role nuclear power plays in addressing climate change, as part of President Obama’s Climate Action Plan. Commenting on the ‘all of the above’ energy strategy, he stated “we are committed to . . . developing all of our domestic energy sources for a low-carbon world, be it coal, natural gas, nuclear, renewables, biofuels [or] efficiency.”  According to the Secretary, nuclear has been overlooked due to lower electricity demand and the boom in natural gas production in recent years, but commented that “the President continues to see nuclear energy as an important part of a diverse energy portfolio, and it’s part of his goal of doubling the national share of electricity from low-carbon energy sources by 2035.” In related news, several climate scientists penned a letter to policy makers urging further safe development of nuclear power, in order to avoid the worst effects of climate change. The letter, released November 3 by Dr. Ken Caldiera of the Carnegie Institution, Dr. Kerry Emanuel, of Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dr. James Hanson of the Columbia University Earth Institute and Dr. Tom Wigley of the National Center for Atmospheric Research, warns that opposition to nuclear power will jeopardize our ability to avoid the worst affects of climate change. While many environmental groups counter that energy demands can be met by increased efficiency and renewable energy, the signers write that “renewables like wind and solar and biomass will certainly play roles in a future energy economy, but those energy sources cannot scale up fast enough to deliver cheap and reliable power at the scale the global economy requires . . . there is no credible path to climate stabilization that does not include a substantial role for nuclear power.”

For additional information see: The National Journal , CNN , The Associated Press

Bay Area Air Quality Management District Passes 80% GHG Reduction Plan

On November 6, the Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s Board of Directors unanimously committed to reducing Bay Area regional greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions to 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050. The new resolution includes a 10-point Climate Action Work Program, which describes how the Bay Area can meet emissions reduction goals. The program directs Air District staff to develop a Regional Climate Action Strategy with specific performance targets to ensure progress. The plan also calls for expanded enforcement of pollution regulations, increased support for local GHG reducing policies, and more scientific studies on GHG emissions and the Bay Area’s energy future. “This is a little more significant than most climate action plans, in that the air district has real regulatory teeth,” commented Rand Wobel, a spokesperson with 350.org Bay Area. “This resolution will mean that the five refineries in the Bay Area could basically not function, as they produce some 40 percent of industrial and commercial emissions.” Local refineries may be forced to implement technology to improve their environmental performance, or reduce their output. The new resolution comes two days after a Department of Energy study which revealed that California was not on track to meet its goal of reducing state emissions 80 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 (see November 4 issue).

For additional information see: Grist , Resolution , Bay Area Air Quality Management District

2013 United Nations Climate Change Conference Opens in Warsaw

On November 11, the 2013 United Nations Climate Change Conference began in Warsaw, Poland, with discussions of international actions to limit climate change and prevent dangerous global warming above two degrees Celsius. For the next two weeks (until November 22), delegates from over 190 countries will work to lay the foundation for 2015 talks in Paris, where they hope to reach a universal climate change agreement to be implemented in 2020. Delegates will be encouraged to ratify the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, as agreed to last year in Doha. In addition, there will be discussions on financial support for developing countries, including the $100 million of support annually by 2020, pledged in Copenhagen in 2009. This is the nineteenth session of the Conference of the Parties (COP 19) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), and the ninth session of the Conference of the Parties serving as the meeting of the Parties (CMP 9) to the Kyoto Protocol. Alongside the meeting, more than 100 Heads of State and Government Ministers will be attending the High Level Segment of the meeting running from November 19 through the decision-making plenary on November 22. Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of UNFCCC, commented, “We must clarify finance that enables the entire world to move towards low-carbon development. We must launch the construction of a mechanism that helps vulnerable populations to respond to the unanticipated effects of climate change. We must deliver an effective path to pre-2020 ambition, and develop further clarity for elements of the new agreement that will shape the post-2020 global climate, economic and development agendas.”

For additional information see: The Washington Post , United Nations Warsaw Climate Change Conference – November 2013 , COP19/CMP9 – Conference of Parties and climate change conference , Opening Address by Christiana Figueres , UNFCCC Press Release

IEA Reports that Efforts to Mitigate Climate Change Are Falling Short

On November 12, the International Energy Agency (IEA) released its 2013 edition of World Energy Outlook (WEO-2013), analyzing the latest developments in global energy markets and the potential energy and climate trends in the upcoming decades. In the report, IEA projects that by 2035 global energy demand will rise by one-third, 90 percent of which will come from emerging economies. Taking all the emissions reductions measures pledged by governments into account, global energy-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions will still increase 20 percent by 2035, putting the world on a trajectory toward an average global temperature increase of 3.6 degrees Celsius, far above the international target of 2 degrees Celsius required to avoid catastrophic impacts of climate change. IEA expects the United States will become the world’s largest oil producer for most of the period from today to 2035, although in the mid-2020s the Middle East will begin to take back the dominant role in providing global oil supply growth. Average crude oil prices will climb steadily to $128 a barrel in 2012-dollars by 2035, supporting the development of unconventional oil resources to meet a growing gap between oil demand and oil production. WEO-2013 highlights the importance of taking advantage of energy efficiency, the “hidden fuel,” to adapt to higher energy prices and maintain competitiveness, stating that two-thirds of the economic potential for energy efficiency remains untapped.

For additional information see: The Hill , Politico , IEA

International Ozone Treaty Slowed Global Warming

On November 10, a new study published in the journal Nature Geoscience linked the rate of global warming to human activities, particularly the hidden influence of the 1987 Montreal Protocol, which banned the use of chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), ozone-depleting substances that also have a warming impact. According to a commentary published alongside the study, the phase-down of CFCs during the 1990s has shaved 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit of global warming since then, a consequential amount in comparison to the 1.6 degree Fahrenheit warming observed from 1901 to 2012. Researchers performed a statistical analysis on temperature data collected from 1850 to 2010, as well as the trends in emissions of greenhouse gases (GHG) between 1880 and 2010. They found the drops in emissions during the two World Wars and the Great Depression in the 1930’s led to the cooling period between 1940 and 1970; the reduction in emissions of CFCs and methane contributed to the lower rate of warming since the 1990s; and that the post-war economic boom emission rise marked the “onset of modern climate change.” The research was produced without the use of climate models. Francisco Estrada, lead author and ecological economist at Free University in Amsterdam said, “I hope it also helps with other climate negotiations . . . because this shows that international negotiations can actually achieve things, can actually be successful.”

For additional information see: Study , Nature , BBC , Climate Central , IGSD Press Release

Brazil’s GHG Emissions Drop to Lowest Point in 20 Years

On November 7, the Brazilian Climate Observatory, a group of 30 non-governmental organizations focused on climate change, released a report on the country’s greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. Measuring emissions from deforestation, farming, energy and industry, the authors report that Brazilian emissions have fallen from 2.86 billion metric tons in 1995 to 1.48 billion metric tons in 2012, a drop of almost 52 percent. Much of this decrease is from a steep decline in deforestation due to government action on mining, illegal logging, agriculture, ranching and oil drilling. Despite this progress, deforestation still accounts for the largest percentage of the country’s emissions. The report also cautions that this success could be erased by rising emissions from other sectors, as emissions from the energy sector increased 125 percent between 1990 and 2012. According to Carlos Rittl, executive secretary of the Climate Observatory, the report is not a cause for celebration, since emissions have increased in all sectors except those linked to deforestation. Rittl commented, “Brazil is still, according to our estimates, among the largest emitters of greenhouse gases . . . Emissions from other sectors, such as energy and agriculture, are growing over time.” As a developing nation, Brazil was not required to accept binding emission reduction scheme at the last UN Climate Convention, but set its own target to reduce emissions by 36.1 percent by 2020.  

For additional information see: The Washington Post , World Bulletin , Opening Remark by Executive Director

Study Finds Cosmic Rays Contribute Minimally to Climate Change

On November 7, research published in the journal Environmental Research Letters further demonstrated that solar activity is not a significant cause of global warming. The study revealed that cosmic rays and solar radiation caused less than 10 percent of the total global warming observed in the 20th century. The idea that solar radiation is a major contributor to climate change is often cited in opposition of the accepted theory of human-induced global warming. Supporters of this idea hypothesize that cosmic rays from distant supernovas increase cloud cover (and therefore cooling) on Earth by charging the atmosphere, promoting cloud formation. During periods of increased solar radiation, the sun’s rays deflect incoming cosmic rays, leading to decreased cloud cover and increased temperatures on earth. Researchers at Lancaster University used mathematical calculations of the feedback mechanisms occurring in the earth’s atmosphere to calculate the role of carbon dioxide in absorbing heat from the atmosphere as compared to the role of solar activity. The conclusions are not surprising, according to Dr. Raymond Bradley, Director of the Climate System Research Center at the University of Massachusetts, who commented, “numerous studies have concluded that solar forcing cannot explain recent warming.”

For additional information see: NBC News , Study

Scientists Call for Development of Climate Adaptation Science

On November 8, an article published in the journal Science urged the development of climate adaptation science and preparedness research to help manage the risks of climate change. “Adapting to an evolving climate is going to be required in every sector of society, in every region of the globe. We need to get going, to provide integrated science if we are going to meet the challenge,” says Richard Moss, lead author of the article and senior scientist at the US Department of Energy’s Pacific Northwest National Laboratory. The article grew out of a 2012 workshop at the Aspen Global Change Institute, where Moss emphasized “the need to consider how decisions get implemented and that climate is only one of many factors that will determine how people will adapt.” The article identified four major challenges that theoretical and practical sciences should focus on, including understanding information needs for adaptation decisions; identifying vulnerabilities; improving forecasts and climate models; and providing technology, management and policy options for adaptation. An international group of 27 climate and social scientists contributed to the work.

For additional information see: Science , PNNL News Release , NBC News , Climate News Network

Climate Change Pushing Severe Storms Toward Poles

On November 11, a study released by the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences stated that as a result of climate change, storms are becoming more severe and moving toward the poles. Researchers from the Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory used statistical methods to tease apart human influence on the climate and natural weather variation, analyzing rainfall patterns from 1979 to 2012. The researchers found that only human influence could explain the changes in precipitation which are pushing storms and subtropical desert areas toward the poles.

For additional information see: Science News , Report

Inland States Are Not Prepared for the Hazards of Climate Change

On November 12, Columbia Law School’s Center for Climate Change Law released findings that many states, particularly those located inland and along the Southeast coast, do not take climate change into account in their state-wide hazard mitigation plans. Researchers found that 18 states, including Delaware, Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia, had either no discussion or an inaccurate discussion of climate change in their mitigation plans. Eleven states, including California, Colorado, Alaska and New York, were found to have a thorough discussion of climate change hazards and potential adaptation actions in their plans. The report comments that coastal states have incorporated climate change into their disaster plans more rapidly than inland states, likely because of their awareness of sea level rise due to global warming. Study authors conclude that better communication is necessary about the links between climate change and drought, extreme heat, and flooding, to show the impacts climate change can have beyond the coasts. Every state is required by law to file a State Hazard Mitigation Plan with FEMA. Columbia researchers examined all 50 plans and rated them on a scale of one to four, with “one” indicating absent preparation and “four” indicating thorough preparation. Since the time the data was gathered, around half the states have begun to revise their hazard mitigation plans for the scheduled submissions of new plans to FEMA in 2013 and 2014. Study director Michael B. Gerrard, director of Columbia University’s Center for Climate Change Law, explained “by identifying the most thorough plans that have been prepared, we hope to provide planners in other states with models that can serve as a place to start in upgrading their own plans.”

For additional information see: Climate Central , Climate Desk , Report