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September 12, 2016
A composite satellite image shows Super Typhoon Haiyan approaching the Philippines in 2013. Research revealed that Pacific typhoons have become 50 percent more intense over the last four decades. Copyright 2013 JMA/EUMETSAT via flickr.com.
Maryland officials are pushing back against a Massachusetts-backed proposal for more stringent emission reductions under the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI). The group's nine state members are discussing terms for an extension of the cap-and-trade agreement prior to its 2020 expiration date. The proposal under consideration would reduce the carbon emissions cap for power plants by five percent annually for ten years, which is double the current rate. Maryland's utility companies occupy the same grid as the non-participating coal-reliant states of Pennsylvania, West Virginia, and Kentucky, making it tougher for Maryland to meet the same standards as its RGGI partners. Massachusetts Energy Secretary Matthew Beaton emphasized the state is not looking to "[strong-arm] anyone to do anything." Meanwhile, Maryland Secretary of Environment Ben Grumbles said his administration "[wants] to reduce the risk of having other neighboring states being able to provide dirtier and cheaper energy to the citizens of Maryland."
For more information see:
Washington Post
Following the United States and China’s ratification of the Paris climate accord, pressure has shifted to other industrialized nations like the United Kingdom. Prime Minister Theresa May provided reassurance to the House of Commons on September 7 that "[the United Kingdom] will indeed be ratifying the Paris agreement." A spokesman for the Prime Minister added the ratification would occur "as soon as possible," but declined to provide a specific date. Leaders from the Labour Party, Liberal Democrats, Scottish National Party, and Green Party have all voiced support for the Paris deal but have become frustrated with the presiding government’s sluggishness. Liberal Democrat spokeswoman Lynne Featherstone stated, "This is a hugely important example of where Britain should be working with our European partners to set an example for the rest of the world." Critics argue that the post-Brexit United Kingdom must persist in playing a leading role in the climate change discussion.
BBC News, International Business Times, Herald Scotland
The government of Poland has expressed concerns that its coal industry may suffer under European Union measures stemming from the bloc's ratification of the Paris climate accord. Poland relies on coal-fired power plants for 90 percent of its electricity production and has been hesitant to ratify the Paris agreement without guarantees from the central European Union government regarding the financing of new coal-fired power plants. The European Investment Bank has policies in place blocking the financing of new fossil fuel power plants as part of an initiative to develop renewable energy assets. The party of Polish Prime Minister Beata Szydlo is a staunch defender of the domestic coal-mining industry. A government statement explained, "The construction of new coal-based power units requires guarantees of investment profitability, which is affected by the obligation to buy emission permits, probably at high prices,” resulting in their current policy to “guarantee free emission permits for the nation’s power sector.”
Bloomberg
By 2050, opportunities to traverse the Arctic will double for non-ice strengthened vessels, according to a study by the University of Reading, published in Geophysical Research Letters. Rising average global temperatures have led to a long-term decrease in seasonal ice extent in the Arctic. The minimum extent for September 2016 is projected to be the second lowest on record. Research models showed that under a high-emissions scenario, trans-Arctic routes could be open to all vessel types for 4-8 months a year by the end of this century. The commercial benefits of the Arctic route include reduced shipping times, avoidance of fees for certain passages, and lower fuel costs. Ed Hawkins, with the University of Reading, said, "If we experience a 2-degree [Celsius] increase in global temperatures, we will get close to an Arctic that is effectively ice-free for part of the year; that's less than a million [square kilometers] of ice cover."
BBC, Geophysical Research Letters
According to a Reuters review, major U.S. companies which have publicly supported President Obama's climate change policies have also backed climate skeptics in Congress. Reuters found PACs (political action committees) affiliated with DuPont, PepsiCo, AT&T, Google, GE, Verizon, and Mondelez gave more than a third of their total campaign contributions during the 2016 election cycle to opponents of the Obama administration's climate agenda. Reuters examined the PAC contributions of 30 of the largest publicly traded U.S.-based companies that are signatories to the White House's "American Business Act on Climate Change Pledge." The study revealed 25 of these companies had also donated to campaigns for legislators listed on Organizing for Action's "climate deniers" list. Senator James Inhofe (R-OK), who embraces his "climate denier moniker," said, "These are competitive companies, and the board might have said ‘Look, right now it might be a popular thing to join this, and there’s no downside since we’re not really committing to anything.’ That absolutely goes on."
Reuters
Scientists in California are refuting claims that plants can thrive in, or even withstand, increased concentrations of carbon dioxide (CO2), nitrogen, and heat. In a 17-year long experiment, scientists at Stanford University maintained an ecosystem to simulate the predicted atmosphere of 2050. The findings show that plants exposed to these hotter conditions do not grow more or remove CO2 from the atmosphere at greater rates. A separate study, newly published by Indiana University researchers, further underscores the relationship between hot, dry air and a reduced capacity of plants to capture CO2. Scientists commended Stanford's in-depth experiment. Boston University biologist Richard Primack said, "this study clearly demonstrates that as temperatures continue to rise due to climate change, grassland ecosystems will likely not be able to tolerate the higher temperatures and increased drought stress.” While the experiment’s conclusions can only be applied to the single type of ecosystem featured, the experiment could be modified to assess areas such as the Arctic tundra and boreal and tropical forests.
Associated Press, ScienceDaily
On September 5, the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) released a report reaffirming that global warming is taking a heavy toll on ocean environments. Dan Laffoley, a lead author and marine vice chair of the World Commission on Protected Areas at IUCN, stated, “The world's waters have absorbed more than 93 percent of the enhanced heating from climate change since the 1970s, curbing the heat felt on land but drastically altering the rhythm of life in the ocean.” According to the report, the habitat movement of marine species are one and a half to five times greater than those of land-based organisms. IUCN also cited evidence that ocean warming is producing unprecedented cases of disease in plant and animal populations, which could impact human health in coastal areas. The report was drawn from peer-reviewed research and assembled by 80 scientists representing a dozen countries.
Telegraph, Report
A new study in Nature Geoscience predicts typhoons sweeping across Japan, China, Korea, and the Philippines will become more severe in the future. Researchers found that northwest Pacific storms have increased in intensity by 50 percent in the past few decades as a direct result of rising sea temperatures. This greater intensity poses an elevated risk of casualties, as well as economic and infrastructural damage to already vulnerable countries. Since the study only covers the last 40 years, scientists cannot confirm whether these superstorms are a product of anthropogenic impacts or merely naturally-occurring cycles. However, projections by the United Nations' Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change indicate global warming will be a factor in the intensity of storms in the future, regardless of whether or not it has been in the past. Kerry Emanuel, a tropical cyclone researcher at MIT, said, “The [study's] results leave little doubt that there are more high intensity events affecting south-east Asia and China … Stronger storms cause higher storm surges, which often cause the most destruction and loss of life.”
Guardian
According to a study in Malaria Journal, temperature increases due to climate change and a spike in dam construction could expand habitable zones for mosquitoes and potentially double the number of people living near dams in Africa who are at risk of malaria by 2080. The stagnant waters present along the shorelines of dam reservoirs are prime breeding grounds for mosquitoes. The majority of the dams of concern are located in the eastern highlands and southern reaches of the continent, where resident populations may lack previously established immunity to malaria. Transmission mitigation strategies will revolve around the introduction of mosquito predators and regularly drying out shallow shorelines to eliminate breeding grounds. Lead author Solomon Kibret of the University of California said, "Accurately predicting the impacts of such changes is critical to planning effective disease control."
Thomson Reuters Foundation
India Unlikely to Ratify Paris Climate Accord in 2016
Indonesian Government Embraces Coal to Meet Growing Electricity Demand
European Union Six Years Ahead of Schedule for Energy Consumption Goals
Combating Food Waste, the “Third-Biggest Greenhouse Gas Emitter After the U.S. and China”
The Community Storage Initiative: A New Approach to Energy Storage
Tuesday, September 13
3:00 pm – 4:00 pm
Capitol Visitor Center - Room SVC 203/202
First Street NE, Washington, DC 20515
Learn how the energy sector can use tried and true household technologies to help meet consumer energy needs in a new energy era. The Community Storage Initiative was launched earlier this year by the National Rural Electric Cooperative Association (NRECA) as a grassroots effort to develop a community-based energy storage marketplace that works for everyone. This briefing is co-hosted by Senator Amy Klobuchar and features speakers Gary Connett, Director of Member Services at Great River Energy; Keith Dennis, Senior Principal at NRECA; Robin Roy, Consultant at Next Energy Pty Ltd.; with moderator Julie Beaty, Senior Principal at NRECA. Discussion topics include an introduction to community storage, how cost-effective technologies can be deployed today, the role of consumers, community storage's environmental benefits, and next steps for industry and lawmakers.
Please RSVP at [email protected], or contact Julie Beaty at [email protected] for more information.
Writers: Sasha Galbreath, Tyler Smith, and Brian La Shier Editor: Brian La Shier
Advancing science-based climate solutions
Top-Rated Climate Nonprofit – 4-Star Charity