Climate Change News August 29, 2008
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Climate Change News
Brought to you by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute
Carol Werner, Executive Director
August 29, 2008
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Arctic Sea Ice Drops to Second Lowest Level on Record
On August 27, scientists from the National Snow and Ice Data Center found that Arctic sea ice levels have fallen to the second lowest level since record-keeping began three decades ago. The Arctic ice loss has fallen to 2 million square miles below the August 26 long term average, which is within 400,000 square miles of the record. "This is not surprising but it is alarming," said Deborah Williams, a former Interior Department special assistant for Alaska. "This was a relatively cool summer, and to have ice decrease to the second lowest minimum on record demonstrates that global warming's ongoing impact is profound."
Most of the melting has occurred in the Chukchi Sea, off Alaska's northwest coast, and the East Siberian Seas, off the coast of eastern Russia. "It's going to accelerate climate change through changes in the reflectance of the Arctic," said Christopher Krenz, Arctic project manager for Oceana. "It's going from bright ice to a much darker ocean."
For additional information see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/26/AR200808...
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5io8-mhR216BbP-65r8IrK1C6y8ZQD92QGBC00
Polar Bears in Open Water Hint to Global Warming
On August 22, officials from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) spotted 10 polar bears swimming in open water off the coast of Alaska, and they attribute this anomaly to melted habitats caused by rising temperatures. "The impact of global warming is brutal and tragic for polar bears," said Kassie Siegel of the Center for Biological Diversity. "The only way to limit the number of bears that will drown and starve is to reduce greenhouse gas pollution immediately."
Polar bears spend most of their time on sea ice hunting for their primary prey, seals. Conservation groups worry extended time swimming will overexert bears that are trying to feed, mate or den. “It’s not unusual for bears to be swimming,” said Susanne Miller, the biologist in charge of the polar bear project for FWS, “but depending on their condition and how much time they’re spending in the water, this could be problematic. It’s going to cost them more energy to swim through water than travel on land.”
For additional information see:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/23/science/23bears.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&...
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-polar22-2008aug22,0...
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2008/08/23/Polar_bears_sighted_in_open_w...
Sea-Ice Melt Imperils Walruses, and Economy Based on Them
Native hunters in the state of Alaska say that the warming climate has melted the sea ice more rapidly, causing a thinning of walrus herds and forcing them to travel greater distances to track their prey. Though walruses are federally protected, Alaska natives have subsistence rights to hunt them and rely on the meat, skin, intestines and tusks – for food, clothing and boat coverings, and to carve the ivory jewelry and souvenirs that are a significant source of income. Walrus need to rest on sea ice no more than 400 feet above the ocean floor so they can dive down to eat shellfish and plants. But sea ice is retreating so far north that the waters are too deep for walrus to feed, forcing them to squeeze onto less land and risk trampling by other walruses due to the cramped conditions.
As the ice has melted, the window of time in which the hunters can pursue the walrus is much shorter – about three weeks, compared with two months in better years. "This is the only way we make our living – things are getting tougher and tougher," Inupiaq Eskimo Hubert Kokuluk said. "I don't know what we'll do if we don't hunt walrus." Hunter Sylvester Ayek said that 25 years ago, walruses could be hunted off King Island in July; now they are gone by May.
For additional information see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/28/AR200808...
12 States to Sue EPA Over Refinery Emissions
On August 26, 12 states came together to sue the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the failure to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from oil refineries. Led by New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, the suit charges that the EPA violated the Clean Air Act by not issuing any standards for GHG emissions. "The EPA's refusal to control pollution from oil refineries is the latest example of the Bush administration's do-nothing policy on global warming," said Cuomo. “Oil refineries contribute substantially to global warming, posing grave threats to New York's environment, health, and economy." Groups of states also have sued the EPA for the lack of GHG emission standards for power plants and the rights to set their own state regulations for car emissions.
The states and cities involved in the lawsuit include California, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, the District of Columbia and New York City. EPA spokesman Timothy Lyons responded to the lawsuit by saying time would be better spent asking Congress to "take sound environmental action on legislation."
For additional information see: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121971128686071337.html?mod=googlenews_w...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/us/26epa.html?ref=environment
http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN2535404020080825
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/08/25/daily5.html
Maryland and Virginia Set Action Plans for Changes in Climate
On August 27, Maryland’s State Commission on Climate Change released a report urging Governor Martin O’Malley to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Maryland by 10 percent in 2012 and by 90 percent in 2050. "The exciting part of the commission's work here is that this is very doable," said Maryland Environment Secretary Shari T. Wilson. "For the first time, it quantifies the emissions-reductions benefits of a variety of options and lays out a road map we can take, whether as an individual consumer or as a state government." In response, some called for the federal government to take more action on the issue. "Maryland is less than three-tenths of 1 percent of the US emissions, and the US is not even the largest country in terms of greenhouse gas emissions anymore," said Michael C. Powell, a lawyer and lobbyist representing manufacturers on the issue. "We believe these issues should be addressed on a national level."
A climate change panel also met in Richmond, Virginia, pressing Governor Tim Kaine to set more ambitious emissions targets. Kaine currently has a goal of cutting GHGs 30 percent by 2025 while the Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club asked for an 80 percent cut by 2050. "The groups that came up there . . . represent a very small minority of Virginia's population," State Senator Frank Wagner said. "What the governor proposed, I think, is ambitious."
For additional information see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/27/AR200808...
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bay_environment/bal-md.climate27a...
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news/politics.apx.-content-articles-RTD-20...
Nations Meet for UN Climate Talks in Ghana
From August 21-27, delegates from 160 nations met in Ghana under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) to discuss the regulation of emissions, halting deforestation and strategies for compensating poorer countries hardest hit by climate change. The goal of the talks was to collaborate in the construction of a new treaty and have it signed in Copenhagen by December 2009. With a new US administration set to take over in the next year, the progress of the agreement will depend "on how quickly a US team can be put in place, how fast they can get their positions sorted out, and when they can start to negotiate," said Jake Schmidt, of the National Resources Defense Council.
At the meeting, leaders of developed countries pushed those from developing countries with the strongest economies to do more to combat climate change. "We want some of the developing nations to do more," said Brice Lalonde of France, who led the European Union delegation. "There needs to be more differentiation among developing nations." Though the talks produced some disagreements, they also led to resolutions. "This has been a very important and a very encouraging meeting,” said UN Climate Chief Yvo De Boer. “The process has speeded up, and governments are becoming very serious about negotiating a result."
Among the topics discussed were moral issues related to climate change. "We hear about climate change as a political issue, an environmental issue and an economic issue. We want to press the point that this is a moral issue," said Marcia Owens, a minister in the Florida branch of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She and other Christian activists acted as lobbying delegates at the talks to stress the humanitarian consequences of climate change.
For additional information see:
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSLS64442520080828
http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnLN306198.html
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hAID8gbPjVlQSBRe9y-pn0okkyPwD92P7A180
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g1JSga_CNGr6cpuIGcVrNxOuOBOAD92QNRU80
UN Report: Cutting Fossil Fuel Subsidies Could Reduce GHG Emissions
On August 26, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) released a report stating that countries could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, help the poor, and cut spending by eliminating fossil fuel subsidies. “[Subsidies] don't always help the poor who need it most," said Kaveh Zahedi, UNEP's climate change coordinator. "Some countries spend more on subsidizing oil than they do on health and education combined."
Many African countries have been using foreign development aid towards increasing fuel prices. The UN reports suggests the aid should be used towards programs that support poor families and the promotion of renewable energy technology. "In the final analysis, many fossil fuel subsidies are introduced for political reasons but are simply propping up and perpetuating inefficiencies in the global economy," said UNEP director Achim Steiner.
For additional information see:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/27/content_9718967.htm
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gV7z6TGMMJP4J2L4KWix9DADnEiAD92Q55801
http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnLQ409995.html
Africa's Coast Redrawn by Climate Change
On August 25, experts announced that rising sea levels due to climate change will redraw coastal lines for many western African countries. "The coastline [as it is now] will be completely changed by the end of this century because the sea level is rising along the coast at around two centimeters every year," said Stefan Cramer, Nigeria director of Heinrich Boll Stiftung, a German environmental organization. "The countries most threatened by this looming environmental disaster are Gambia, Nigeria, Burkina Fasso and Ghana."
In the village of Totope on the southern coast of Ghana, residents have already experienced encroaching waters. "Every year the sea comes closer. We keep moving the village and we are being pushed down to the lagoon," said 70-year-old resident Ebenezer Koranteng. Every few years, groups of residents must leave their homes and relocate further away from the coastline.
Rising waters increase the vulnerability coastal regions have towards violent tropical storms and salt water contamination. "This will make the ground water undrinkable and unsuitable for agricultural purposes. The result will be food and water insecurity," said George Awudi, Ghana Program Coordinator for Friends of the Earth. Awudi insists that moving to higher ground is an "unthinkable option due to its economic, social and cultural implications." The best way to solve the problem he says is to mitigate its causes. "The industrialized countries should take proactive steps in curtailing greenhouse gas emissions," he said.
For additional information see:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j6giUpQMPAN3xUiyFhrJC5qZiHEQ
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79986
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g8WaWM3Q-Ky-y5DpJYxv0QMXworAD92PQRDO1
UN Members Meet to Discuss the Effects of Climate Change on Food Security in South Asia
On August 25, 18 countries met for a six-day United Nations-sponsored conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to discuss the impact climate change will have on South Asian countries. “Climate is a crucial factor in formulating sustainable development strategies, and therefore has an overarching and cross-cutting role in the efforts to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),” said World Meterological Organization Secretary-General Michel Jarraud, referring to the anti-poverty targets world leaders committed to achieve by 2015. “It is essential to help countries reduce climate-induced risks that might oppose the achievement of MDGs notably in terms of poverty reduction and food security.”
South Asia is home to many subsistence farmers and faces threats to food production and economic development due to melting glaciers, rising sea levels and depleting fresh water sources. Populated with 20 percent of the world’s population and 40 percent of its poor, the region struggles to nourish about 312 million people. Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed hopes to use the conference as a way to bring aid to the region. "We must ensure food security for the global people, particularly for the people of developing countries, with collective efforts," he said.
For additional information see:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/25/asia/AS-Bangladesh-Climate-Cha...
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=27805&Cr=climate&Cr1=
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=51900
China’s Power Sector Emissions to Surpass US
On August 27, the Center for Global Development (CGD) released a report that predicts China will surpass the United States this year in CO2 emissions from the power sector. The data shows that the rapid economic growth of China and India will lead to a doubling of power plant emissions over the next decade. “The new data show that emissions from power generation are racing in the wrong direction,” said CGD Senior Fellow David Wheeler. “We urgently need to cut power-related CO2 emissions and to very rapidly bring down the price of proven, zero-carbon renewable power sources, such as wind and solar.” Though efficiency is increasing, the rate of power plant growth leads to many concerns. “The rich countries created this problem and will have to take the lead in solving it. But the rapid growth in developing country power sector emissions reminds us that we won’t be able to avert rapid climate change, and the harm it will cause to the world’s poorest people, without also finding a way to enable poor countries to both grow and cut emissions,” CGD president Nancy Birdsall said. “Like it or not, we are all in this together and currently we are headed in the wrong direction.”
For additional information see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/26/AR200808...
http://www.cgdev.org/content/article/detail/16578/
Science Organizations Urge Next President to Act on Climate Change
On August 25, eight of America’s top scientific organizations are calling on the next administration to increase investment in research and forecasting to better prepare for the effects of climate change. "Decision makers need information on how climate change will affect their local areas, but we are hampered by a lack of funding, observations, and computing power to provide information at this local level," said Jack Fellows, vice president of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). "We should improve our ability to respond to severe weather events and prepare for the impacts of climate change that will undoubtedly occur over the next several decades.”
The group of scientists gave five major recommendations in the areas of observations, computing, research/modeling, societal relevance and leadership/management. "Given the costs of weather and climate disasters, we believe these are wise and critical investments," said John Snow, co-chair of the Weather Coalition and dean of the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences at the University of Oklahoma.
For additional information see:
http://environment.newscientist.com/article/dn14586-why-us-must-invest-a...
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/aug2008/2008-08-25-091.asp
Xcel to Disclose Global Warming Risks
On August 27, Xcel Energy Inc., a leading gas and electric utility based in Minnesota, agreed to disclose its potential business risks to global warming in response to a 2007 subpoena from New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. “This landmark agreement sets a new industry wide precedent that will force companies to disclose the true financial risks that climate change poses to their investors,” said Cuomo. “Coal-fired power plants can significantly contribute to global warming, and investors have the right to know all the associated risks.” Xcel’s more detailed annual filings will include a more stringent analysis of potential financial risks from present and projected laws, emission levels and mitigation actions. “This really takes it another step, by making it a settlement agreement that should have an impact across the industry,” said Dan Bakal, the director of electric power programs at Ceres, a coalition of environmental groups.
Environmental advocates typically have relied on investor resolutions to encourage power companies to reduce emissions and move toward renewable technologies. "For them to disclose this kind of information I think is significant and groundbreaking, in the sense that it really could have an effect on how investors view companies with carbon risks going forward," said Bill Grant, director of the Izaak Walton League, a conservation group in St. Paul, Minnesota.
For additional information see: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/business/28energy.html?_r=1&oref=slogi...
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121988483288178235.html?mod=googlenews_w...
http://www.startribune.com/business/27570404.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEy...
Two of Greenland's Largest Glaciers Continue to Break Up
On August 21, researchers from the Byrd Polar Research Center at Ohio State University announced that Greenland’s glaciers are breaking up at an alarming rate. Satellite images have raised serious concerns, especially after the discovery of a 7-mile crack on the Petermann Glacier in northern Greenland, which could result in a 60 square mile loss. "This crack is moving, and moving closer and closer to the front. It's just a matter of time till a much larger piece is going to break off,” said Jason Box of the Center. Studies indicate that two of Greenland’s largest glaciers, Petermann and Jakobshavn, may disintegrate within the next year.
For additional information see:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5haFo02rnjDwdXudd0xvERQuTcziAD92MUI001
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2008/08/21/Greenland_glaciers_still_disi...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080820174714.htm
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/08/080822-greenland-photo.h...
Research Says Climate Change Already Drying Out Southwest
On August 24, University of Arizona researchers released a study in the journal Geophysical Research Letters that attributes hotter and drier spring weather in the American Southwest to human-caused changes in westerly winds. Researchers observed rainfall patterns for the region and found present indications of climate change. "During the period it's raining less, it also tends to be warmer than it used to be," said researcher Stephanie McAfee of Arizona. "We're starting to see the impacts of climate change in the late winter and early spring, particularly in the Southwest.” Other scientists agree with the concerns of McAfee. “McAfee's study is important because it shows that climate change is not merely a scenario for the future, but may already be under way,” said Jonathan Overpeck, of Arizona. “This really confirms that this pattern has been happening already."
For additional information see:
http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_10292189
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Drier_Warmer_Springs_In_US_Southwest_S...
Interactions among Microbes Could Cause Oceans to Absorb Less Carbon
On August 20, the journal Nature published an article that suggested adding carbon compounds to the ocean could affect inhabitant microbes in such a way that the total amount of absorbed carbon dioxide decreased. “The whole calculation of how much carbon you can absorb in the ocean is linked to this question of how microbes near the ocean’s surface respond to carbon and nutrient [ratios],” said study coauthor Frede Thingstad, a microbiologist at the University of Bergen in Norway.
Thingstad’s study showed that when carbon compounds like glucose are added to the waters, bacteria populations can experience rapid growth and consume much of the water’s nutrients, leaving little for the CO2-consuming phytoplankton. This could result in less CO2 absorbed and a greater amount released since bacteria expel CO2 during respiration. “This predicts that you’d actually have a carbon release under some conditions,” said Joe Vallino, a computational microbial biogeochemist at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. “Instead of burying more carbon, you’ll bury less than if you didn’t have the increased carbon inputs.”
For additional information see:
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/35565/title/Carbon_caveat
Study Finds Global Warming Time Bomb Trapped in Arctic Soil
On August 24, a study released in the British journal Nature Geoscience reported that the carbon trapped in frozen permafrost is 60 percent greater than previously estimated. Led by Chien-Lu Ping of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, researchers took soil samples from 117 sites across North America and found a stock of about 1/6 of the entire atmosphere’s carbon content. The numbers do not account for the carbon stocks in northern Europe or Russia, which are assumed to have a comparable amount. Scientists worry because current climate change models do not account for the potential release of carbon from frozen permafrost. "Releasing even a portion of this carbon into the atmosphere, in the form of methane or carbon dioxide, would have a significant impact on Earth's climate," said Christian Beer of the Max Planck Institute in Jena, Germany.
For additional information see:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iurNRV6EfFYyVJTs8qHrgjte_3cA
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Global_warming_time_bomb_trapped_in_Ar...
‘Unbreakable' Greenhouse Gas Meets its Doom at Last
On August 26, researchers at Brandeis University released a study that reveals a way to destroy carbon-fluorine bonds in fluorocarbons, a very potent type of greenhouse gas. Fluorocarbons are widely used in industry and also act as a key ingredient of artificial blood. "The real culprits of ozone depletion [chlorofluorocarbons] have been largely eliminated," said Robin Perutz of the University of York, in the United Kingdom. "But the remaining fluorocarbons do have a lot of global warming potential."
The chemistry involves using a Lewis acid to remove the fluorine atoms from the bond. "It's fundamentally difficult to do anything with these bonds," said Oleg Ozerov of Brandeis. "So it's an interesting challenge to find ways to break them." The reaction uses little energy and the end products are significantly less harmful to the atmosphere. "This is important chemistry both for the beauty of its chemical logic and for its efficiency," said David O’Hagan of St Andrews University in the United Kingdom. "The selective and efficient removal of fluorine in this way is an unexpected and interesting development, which is of immediate significance."
For additional information see:
http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn14623-unbreakable-greenhous...
Study Links Whale Blubber Loss to Climate Change
On August 26, the journal Polar Biology published a study by the Institute of Cetacean Research in Tokyo linking whale weight loss to global warming due to constraints in whales’ food supply. "This is a big change in blubber and if it continues it could make it more difficult for the whales to survive. It indicates there have been some big changes in their ecosystem," said Lars Walloe, a Norwegian whale expert at the University of Oslo, who helped with the study.
Scientists in Japan claim that their country's controversial whaling program, which has killed thousands of minke whales since the late 1980s, has established that the animals have lost significant amounts of blubber. Measurements taken from more than 4,500 slaughtered minkes show they are getting thinner at a worrying speed, the researchers say.
For additional information see: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/08/26/eawhal...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/aug/26/whaling.wildlife
Study Finds Alpine Chipmunk Threatened by Climate Change
On August 24, Jim Patton, a retired professor of zoology at University of California Berkeley, listed the ash-gray alpine chipmunk as a victim of climate change. As inhabitants of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the chipmunks have grown scarce at lower elevations "It's lost half its geographic range," Patton said. "Climate is the culprit. I don't think there is any iota of reason not to think that. Eventually, it's going to get shoved off these mountains and go extinct.”
Other animals, like the American pica and various bird species, have been pushed to new habitats because of global warming. "Animals that can fly are in pretty good shape," said David Graber, chief scientist for the National Park Service in California. "Animals that are relatively static have a much more limited ability to move. If climate changes faster than they can find new habitat, they're out of business."
For additional information see:
http://www.sacbee.com/749/story/1181331.html
Events
September 2-4, 2008 Swiss Solar Taxi Visits Washington, DC
You are invited to learn about the Solar Taxi and meet its driver Louis Palmer, a Swiss schoolteacher, for the final leg of its global tour in Washington, DC. Having left Switzerland on July 3, 2007, the Solar Taxi is about to become the first car ever to drive around the world fueled entirely by the power of the sun. Mr. Palmer will meet with students, academics and lawmakers to showcase his innovative car and discuss alternative energy options. For more information, or to set up an interview with Louis Palmer in Washington, please contact Suzanne Zweizig at the Embassy of Switzerland, by phone at 202-745-7920 or by email at Suzanne.zweizig@eda.admin.ch . More information about the Solar Taxi can be found at http://www.solartaxi.com/.
Schedule for the Solar Taxi:
September 2 11:30 am –1:30 pm at Georgetown University (outside New South Hall)
September 3 11:00 am – 2:00 pm George Washington University Yard (21 and H Street NW)
3:00 pm Wilson Building (1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW)
September 4 Capitol Hill - Details to be announced
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The Environmental and Energy Study Institute is a non-profit organization established in 1984 by a bipartisan, bicameral group of members of Congress to provide timely information on energy and environmental policy issues to policymakers and stakeholders and develop innovative policy solutions that set us on a cleaner, more secure and sustainable energy path.
Climate Change News
Brought to you by the Environmental and Energy Study Institute
Carol Werner, Executive Director
August 29, 2008
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Arctic Sea Ice Drops to Second Lowest Level on Record
On August 27, scientists from the National Snow and Ice Data Center found that Arctic sea ice levels have fallen to the second lowest level since record-keeping began three decades ago. The Arctic ice loss has fallen to 2 million square miles below the August 26 long term average, which is within 400,000 square miles of the record. "This is not surprising but it is alarming," said Deborah Williams, a former Interior Department special assistant for Alaska. "This was a relatively cool summer, and to have ice decrease to the second lowest minimum on record demonstrates that global warming's ongoing impact is profound."
Most of the melting has occurred in the Chukchi Sea, off Alaska's northwest coast, and the East Siberian Seas, off the coast of eastern Russia. "It's going to accelerate climate change through changes in the reflectance of the Arctic," said Christopher Krenz, Arctic project manager for Oceana. "It's going from bright ice to a much darker ocean."
For additional information see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/26/AR200808...
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5io8-mhR216BbP-65r8IrK1C6y8ZQD92QGBC00
Polar Bears in Open Water Hint to Global Warming
On August 22, officials from the US Fish and Wildlife Service (FWS) spotted 10 polar bears swimming in open water off the coast of Alaska, and they attribute this anomaly to melted habitats caused by rising temperatures. "The impact of global warming is brutal and tragic for polar bears," said Kassie Siegel of the Center for Biological Diversity. "The only way to limit the number of bears that will drown and starve is to reduce greenhouse gas pollution immediately."
Polar bears spend most of their time on sea ice hunting for their primary prey, seals. Conservation groups worry extended time swimming will overexert bears that are trying to feed, mate or den. “It’s not unusual for bears to be swimming,” said Susanne Miller, the biologist in charge of the polar bear project for FWS, “but depending on their condition and how much time they’re spending in the water, this could be problematic. It’s going to cost them more energy to swim through water than travel on land.”
For additional information see:
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/23/science/23bears.html?_r=3&oref=slogin&...
http://www.latimes.com/news/nationworld/nation/la-na-polar22-2008aug22,0...
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2008/08/23/Polar_bears_sighted_in_open_w...
Sea-Ice Melt Imperils Walruses, and Economy Based on Them
Native hunters in the state of Alaska say that the warming climate has melted the sea ice more rapidly, causing a thinning of walrus herds and forcing them to travel greater distances to track their prey. Though walruses are federally protected, Alaska natives have subsistence rights to hunt them and rely on the meat, skin, intestines and tusks – for food, clothing and boat coverings, and to carve the ivory jewelry and souvenirs that are a significant source of income. Walrus need to rest on sea ice no more than 400 feet above the ocean floor so they can dive down to eat shellfish and plants. But sea ice is retreating so far north that the waters are too deep for walrus to feed, forcing them to squeeze onto less land and risk trampling by other walruses due to the cramped conditions.
As the ice has melted, the window of time in which the hunters can pursue the walrus is much shorter – about three weeks, compared with two months in better years. "This is the only way we make our living – things are getting tougher and tougher," Inupiaq Eskimo Hubert Kokuluk said. "I don't know what we'll do if we don't hunt walrus." Hunter Sylvester Ayek said that 25 years ago, walruses could be hunted off King Island in July; now they are gone by May.
For additional information see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/28/AR200808...
12 States to Sue EPA Over Refinery Emissions
On August 26, 12 states came together to sue the US Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) over the failure to regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from oil refineries. Led by New York Attorney General Andrew M. Cuomo, the suit charges that the EPA violated the Clean Air Act by not issuing any standards for GHG emissions. "The EPA's refusal to control pollution from oil refineries is the latest example of the Bush administration's do-nothing policy on global warming," said Cuomo. “Oil refineries contribute substantially to global warming, posing grave threats to New York's environment, health, and economy." Groups of states also have sued the EPA for the lack of GHG emission standards for power plants and the rights to set their own state regulations for car emissions.
The states and cities involved in the lawsuit include California, Connecticut, Delaware, Massachusetts, Maine, New Hampshire, New Mexico, Oregon, Rhode Island, Vermont, Washington, the District of Columbia and New York City. EPA spokesman Timothy Lyons responded to the lawsuit by saying time would be better spent asking Congress to "take sound environmental action on legislation."
For additional information see: http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121971128686071337.html?mod=googlenews_w...
http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/26/us/26epa.html?ref=environment
http://www.reuters.com/article/bondsNews/idUSN2535404020080825
http://www.bizjournals.com/seattle/stories/2008/08/25/daily5.html
Maryland and Virginia Set Action Plans for Changes in Climate
On August 27, Maryland’s State Commission on Climate Change released a report urging Governor Martin O’Malley to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in Maryland by 10 percent in 2012 and by 90 percent in 2050. "The exciting part of the commission's work here is that this is very doable," said Maryland Environment Secretary Shari T. Wilson. "For the first time, it quantifies the emissions-reductions benefits of a variety of options and lays out a road map we can take, whether as an individual consumer or as a state government." In response, some called for the federal government to take more action on the issue. "Maryland is less than three-tenths of 1 percent of the US emissions, and the US is not even the largest country in terms of greenhouse gas emissions anymore," said Michael C. Powell, a lawyer and lobbyist representing manufacturers on the issue. "We believe these issues should be addressed on a national level."
A climate change panel also met in Richmond, Virginia, pressing Governor Tim Kaine to set more ambitious emissions targets. Kaine currently has a goal of cutting GHGs 30 percent by 2025 while the Virginia chapter of the Sierra Club asked for an 80 percent cut by 2050. "The groups that came up there . . . represent a very small minority of Virginia's population," State Senator Frank Wagner said. "What the governor proposed, I think, is ambitious."
For additional information see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/27/AR200808...
http://www.baltimoresun.com/news/local/bay_environment/bal-md.climate27a...
http://www.inrich.com/cva/ric/news/politics.apx.-content-articles-RTD-20...
Nations Meet for UN Climate Talks in Ghana
From August 21-27, delegates from 160 nations met in Ghana under the auspices of the United Nations Framework Convention for Climate Change (UNFCCC) to discuss the regulation of emissions, halting deforestation and strategies for compensating poorer countries hardest hit by climate change. The goal of the talks was to collaborate in the construction of a new treaty and have it signed in Copenhagen by December 2009. With a new US administration set to take over in the next year, the progress of the agreement will depend "on how quickly a US team can be put in place, how fast they can get their positions sorted out, and when they can start to negotiate," said Jake Schmidt, of the National Resources Defense Council.
At the meeting, leaders of developed countries pushed those from developing countries with the strongest economies to do more to combat climate change. "We want some of the developing nations to do more," said Brice Lalonde of France, who led the European Union delegation. "There needs to be more differentiation among developing nations." Though the talks produced some disagreements, they also led to resolutions. "This has been a very important and a very encouraging meeting,” said UN Climate Chief Yvo De Boer. “The process has speeded up, and governments are becoming very serious about negotiating a result."
Among the topics discussed were moral issues related to climate change. "We hear about climate change as a political issue, an environmental issue and an economic issue. We want to press the point that this is a moral issue," said Marcia Owens, a minister in the Florida branch of the African Methodist Episcopal Church. She and other Christian activists acted as lobbying delegates at the talks to stress the humanitarian consequences of climate change.
For additional information see:
http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSLS64442520080828
http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnLN306198.html
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5hAID8gbPjVlQSBRe9y-pn0okkyPwD92P7A180
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g1JSga_CNGr6cpuIGcVrNxOuOBOAD92QNRU80
UN Report: Cutting Fossil Fuel Subsidies Could Reduce GHG Emissions
On August 26, the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) released a report stating that countries could reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, help the poor, and cut spending by eliminating fossil fuel subsidies. “[Subsidies] don't always help the poor who need it most," said Kaveh Zahedi, UNEP's climate change coordinator. "Some countries spend more on subsidizing oil than they do on health and education combined."
Many African countries have been using foreign development aid towards increasing fuel prices. The UN reports suggests the aid should be used towards programs that support poor families and the promotion of renewable energy technology. "In the final analysis, many fossil fuel subsidies are introduced for political reasons but are simply propping up and perpetuating inefficiencies in the global economy," said UNEP director Achim Steiner.
For additional information see:
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-08/27/content_9718967.htm
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5gV7z6TGMMJP4J2L4KWix9DADnEiAD92Q55801
http://africa.reuters.com/wire/news/usnLQ409995.html
Africa's Coast Redrawn by Climate Change
On August 25, experts announced that rising sea levels due to climate change will redraw coastal lines for many western African countries. "The coastline [as it is now] will be completely changed by the end of this century because the sea level is rising along the coast at around two centimeters every year," said Stefan Cramer, Nigeria director of Heinrich Boll Stiftung, a German environmental organization. "The countries most threatened by this looming environmental disaster are Gambia, Nigeria, Burkina Fasso and Ghana."
In the village of Totope on the southern coast of Ghana, residents have already experienced encroaching waters. "Every year the sea comes closer. We keep moving the village and we are being pushed down to the lagoon," said 70-year-old resident Ebenezer Koranteng. Every few years, groups of residents must leave their homes and relocate further away from the coastline.
Rising waters increase the vulnerability coastal regions have towards violent tropical storms and salt water contamination. "This will make the ground water undrinkable and unsuitable for agricultural purposes. The result will be food and water insecurity," said George Awudi, Ghana Program Coordinator for Friends of the Earth. Awudi insists that moving to higher ground is an "unthinkable option due to its economic, social and cultural implications." The best way to solve the problem he says is to mitigate its causes. "The industrialized countries should take proactive steps in curtailing greenhouse gas emissions," he said.
For additional information see:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5j6giUpQMPAN3xUiyFhrJC5qZiHEQ
http://www.irinnews.org/Report.aspx?ReportId=79986
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5g8WaWM3Q-Ky-y5DpJYxv0QMXworAD92PQRDO1
UN Members Meet to Discuss the Effects of Climate Change on Food Security in South Asia
On August 25, 18 countries met for a six-day United Nations-sponsored conference in Dhaka, Bangladesh, to discuss the impact climate change will have on South Asian countries. “Climate is a crucial factor in formulating sustainable development strategies, and therefore has an overarching and cross-cutting role in the efforts to achieve the UN Millennium Development Goals (MDGs),” said World Meterological Organization Secretary-General Michel Jarraud, referring to the anti-poverty targets world leaders committed to achieve by 2015. “It is essential to help countries reduce climate-induced risks that might oppose the achievement of MDGs notably in terms of poverty reduction and food security.”
South Asia is home to many subsistence farmers and faces threats to food production and economic development due to melting glaciers, rising sea levels and depleting fresh water sources. Populated with 20 percent of the world’s population and 40 percent of its poor, the region struggles to nourish about 312 million people. Bangladesh President Iajuddin Ahmed hopes to use the conference as a way to bring aid to the region. "We must ensure food security for the global people, particularly for the people of developing countries, with collective efforts," he said.
For additional information see:
http://www.iht.com/articles/ap/2008/08/25/asia/AS-Bangladesh-Climate-Cha...
http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=27805&Cr=climate&Cr1=
http://www.thedailystar.net/story.php?nid=51900
China’s Power Sector Emissions to Surpass US
On August 27, the Center for Global Development (CGD) released a report that predicts China will surpass the United States this year in CO2 emissions from the power sector. The data shows that the rapid economic growth of China and India will lead to a doubling of power plant emissions over the next decade. “The new data show that emissions from power generation are racing in the wrong direction,” said CGD Senior Fellow David Wheeler. “We urgently need to cut power-related CO2 emissions and to very rapidly bring down the price of proven, zero-carbon renewable power sources, such as wind and solar.” Though efficiency is increasing, the rate of power plant growth leads to many concerns. “The rich countries created this problem and will have to take the lead in solving it. But the rapid growth in developing country power sector emissions reminds us that we won’t be able to avert rapid climate change, and the harm it will cause to the world’s poorest people, without also finding a way to enable poor countries to both grow and cut emissions,” CGD president Nancy Birdsall said. “Like it or not, we are all in this together and currently we are headed in the wrong direction.”
For additional information see:
http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/08/26/AR200808...
http://www.cgdev.org/content/article/detail/16578/
Science Organizations Urge Next President to Act on Climate Change
On August 25, eight of America’s top scientific organizations are calling on the next administration to increase investment in research and forecasting to better prepare for the effects of climate change. "Decision makers need information on how climate change will affect their local areas, but we are hampered by a lack of funding, observations, and computing power to provide information at this local level," said Jack Fellows, vice president of the University Corporation for Atmospheric Research (UCAR). "We should improve our ability to respond to severe weather events and prepare for the impacts of climate change that will undoubtedly occur over the next several decades.”
The group of scientists gave five major recommendations in the areas of observations, computing, research/modeling, societal relevance and leadership/management. "Given the costs of weather and climate disasters, we believe these are wise and critical investments," said John Snow, co-chair of the Weather Coalition and dean of the College of Atmospheric and Geographic Sciences at the University of Oklahoma.
For additional information see:
http://environment.newscientist.com/article/dn14586-why-us-must-invest-a...
http://www.ens-newswire.com/ens/aug2008/2008-08-25-091.asp
Xcel to Disclose Global Warming Risks
On August 27, Xcel Energy Inc., a leading gas and electric utility based in Minnesota, agreed to disclose its potential business risks to global warming in response to a 2007 subpoena from New York Attorney General Andrew Cuomo. “This landmark agreement sets a new industry wide precedent that will force companies to disclose the true financial risks that climate change poses to their investors,” said Cuomo. “Coal-fired power plants can significantly contribute to global warming, and investors have the right to know all the associated risks.” Xcel’s more detailed annual filings will include a more stringent analysis of potential financial risks from present and projected laws, emission levels and mitigation actions. “This really takes it another step, by making it a settlement agreement that should have an impact across the industry,” said Dan Bakal, the director of electric power programs at Ceres, a coalition of environmental groups.
Environmental advocates typically have relied on investor resolutions to encourage power companies to reduce emissions and move toward renewable technologies. "For them to disclose this kind of information I think is significant and groundbreaking, in the sense that it really could have an effect on how investors view companies with carbon risks going forward," said Bill Grant, director of the Izaak Walton League, a conservation group in St. Paul, Minnesota.
For additional information see: http://www.nytimes.com/2008/08/28/business/28energy.html?_r=1&oref=slogi...
http://online.wsj.com/article/SB121988483288178235.html?mod=googlenews_w...
http://www.startribune.com/business/27570404.html?elr=KArksLckD8EQDUoaEy...
Two of Greenland's Largest Glaciers Continue to Break Up
On August 21, researchers from the Byrd Polar Research Center at Ohio State University announced that Greenland’s glaciers are breaking up at an alarming rate. Satellite images have raised serious concerns, especially after the discovery of a 7-mile crack on the Petermann Glacier in northern Greenland, which could result in a 60 square mile loss. "This crack is moving, and moving closer and closer to the front. It's just a matter of time till a much larger piece is going to break off,” said Jason Box of the Center. Studies indicate that two of Greenland’s largest glaciers, Petermann and Jakobshavn, may disintegrate within the next year.
For additional information see:
http://ap.google.com/article/ALeqM5haFo02rnjDwdXudd0xvERQuTcziAD92MUI001
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2008/08/21/Greenland_glaciers_still_disi...
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2008/08/080820174714.htm
http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2008/08/080822-greenland-photo.h...
Research Says Climate Change Already Drying Out Southwest
On August 24, University of Arizona researchers released a study in the journal Geophysical Research Letters that attributes hotter and drier spring weather in the American Southwest to human-caused changes in westerly winds. Researchers observed rainfall patterns for the region and found present indications of climate change. "During the period it's raining less, it also tends to be warmer than it used to be," said researcher Stephanie McAfee of Arizona. "We're starting to see the impacts of climate change in the late winter and early spring, particularly in the Southwest.” Other scientists agree with the concerns of McAfee. “McAfee's study is important because it shows that climate change is not merely a scenario for the future, but may already be under way,” said Jonathan Overpeck, of Arizona. “This really confirms that this pattern has been happening already."
For additional information see:
http://www.lcsun-news.com/ci_10292189
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Drier_Warmer_Springs_In_US_Southwest_S...
Interactions among Microbes Could Cause Oceans to Absorb Less Carbon
On August 20, the journal Nature published an article that suggested adding carbon compounds to the ocean could affect inhabitant microbes in such a way that the total amount of absorbed carbon dioxide decreased. “The whole calculation of how much carbon you can absorb in the ocean is linked to this question of how microbes near the ocean’s surface respond to carbon and nutrient [ratios],” said study coauthor Frede Thingstad, a microbiologist at the University of Bergen in Norway.
Thingstad’s study showed that when carbon compounds like glucose are added to the waters, bacteria populations can experience rapid growth and consume much of the water’s nutrients, leaving little for the CO2-consuming phytoplankton. This could result in less CO2 absorbed and a greater amount released since bacteria expel CO2 during respiration. “This predicts that you’d actually have a carbon release under some conditions,” said Joe Vallino, a computational microbial biogeochemist at the Marine Biological Laboratory in Woods Hole, Massachusetts. “Instead of burying more carbon, you’ll bury less than if you didn’t have the increased carbon inputs.”
For additional information see:
http://www.sciencenews.org/view/generic/id/35565/title/Carbon_caveat
Study Finds Global Warming Time Bomb Trapped in Arctic Soil
On August 24, a study released in the British journal Nature Geoscience reported that the carbon trapped in frozen permafrost is 60 percent greater than previously estimated. Led by Chien-Lu Ping of the University of Alaska Fairbanks, researchers took soil samples from 117 sites across North America and found a stock of about 1/6 of the entire atmosphere’s carbon content. The numbers do not account for the carbon stocks in northern Europe or Russia, which are assumed to have a comparable amount. Scientists worry because current climate change models do not account for the potential release of carbon from frozen permafrost. "Releasing even a portion of this carbon into the atmosphere, in the form of methane or carbon dioxide, would have a significant impact on Earth's climate," said Christian Beer of the Max Planck Institute in Jena, Germany.
For additional information see:
http://afp.google.com/article/ALeqM5iurNRV6EfFYyVJTs8qHrgjte_3cA
http://www.terradaily.com/reports/Global_warming_time_bomb_trapped_in_Ar...
‘Unbreakable' Greenhouse Gas Meets its Doom at Last
On August 26, researchers at Brandeis University released a study that reveals a way to destroy carbon-fluorine bonds in fluorocarbons, a very potent type of greenhouse gas. Fluorocarbons are widely used in industry and also act as a key ingredient of artificial blood. "The real culprits of ozone depletion [chlorofluorocarbons] have been largely eliminated," said Robin Perutz of the University of York, in the United Kingdom. "But the remaining fluorocarbons do have a lot of global warming potential."
The chemistry involves using a Lewis acid to remove the fluorine atoms from the bond. "It's fundamentally difficult to do anything with these bonds," said Oleg Ozerov of Brandeis. "So it's an interesting challenge to find ways to break them." The reaction uses little energy and the end products are significantly less harmful to the atmosphere. "This is important chemistry both for the beauty of its chemical logic and for its efficiency," said David O’Hagan of St Andrews University in the United Kingdom. "The selective and efficient removal of fluorine in this way is an unexpected and interesting development, which is of immediate significance."
For additional information see:
http://technology.newscientist.com/article/dn14623-unbreakable-greenhous...
Study Links Whale Blubber Loss to Climate Change
On August 26, the journal Polar Biology published a study by the Institute of Cetacean Research in Tokyo linking whale weight loss to global warming due to constraints in whales’ food supply. "This is a big change in blubber and if it continues it could make it more difficult for the whales to survive. It indicates there have been some big changes in their ecosystem," said Lars Walloe, a Norwegian whale expert at the University of Oslo, who helped with the study.
Scientists in Japan claim that their country's controversial whaling program, which has killed thousands of minke whales since the late 1980s, has established that the animals have lost significant amounts of blubber. Measurements taken from more than 4,500 slaughtered minkes show they are getting thinner at a worrying speed, the researchers say.
For additional information see: http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/main.jhtml?xml=/earth/2008/08/26/eawhal...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/aug/26/whaling.wildlife
Study Finds Alpine Chipmunk Threatened by Climate Change
On August 24, Jim Patton, a retired professor of zoology at University of California Berkeley, listed the ash-gray alpine chipmunk as a victim of climate change. As inhabitants of the Sierra Nevada mountains, the chipmunks have grown scarce at lower elevations "It's lost half its geographic range," Patton said. "Climate is the culprit. I don't think there is any iota of reason not to think that. Eventually, it's going to get shoved off these mountains and go extinct.”
Other animals, like the American pica and various bird species, have been pushed to new habitats because of global warming. "Animals that can fly are in pretty good shape," said David Graber, chief scientist for the National Park Service in California. "Animals that are relatively static have a much more limited ability to move. If climate changes faster than they can find new habitat, they're out of business."
For additional information see:
http://www.sacbee.com/749/story/1181331.html
Events
September 2-4, 2008 Swiss Solar Taxi Visits Washington, DC
You are invited to learn about the Solar Taxi and meet its driver Louis Palmer, a Swiss schoolteacher, for the final leg of its global tour in Washington, DC. Having left Switzerland on July 3, 2007, the Solar Taxi is about to become the first car ever to drive around the world fueled entirely by the power of the sun. Mr. Palmer will meet with students, academics and lawmakers to showcase his innovative car and discuss alternative energy options. For more information, or to set up an interview with Louis Palmer in Washington, please contact Suzanne Zweizig at the Embassy of Switzerland, by phone at 202-745-7920 or by email at Suzanne.zweizig@eda.admin.ch . More information about the Solar Taxi can be found at http://www.solartaxi.com/.
Schedule for the Solar Taxi:
September 2 11:30 am –1:30 pm at Georgetown University (outside New South Hall)
September 3 11:00 am – 2:00 pm George Washington University Yard (21 and H Street NW)
3:00 pm Wilson Building (1350 Pennsylvania Avenue NW)
September 4 Capitol Hill - Details to be announced
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Amy Sauer
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e-mail: asauer[at]eesi.org
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phone: 202-662-1892
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This EESI publication is a free, weekly electronic newsletter intended to inform interested parties, particularly the policymaker community, of the latest climate change-related news. Permission for reproduction of this newsletter is granted provided that EESI is properly acknowledged as the source.
The Environmental and Energy Study Institute is a non-profit organization established in 1984 by a bipartisan, bicameral group of members of Congress to provide timely information on energy and environmental policy issues to policymakers and stakeholders and develop innovative policy solutions that set us on a cleaner, more secure and sustainable energy path.
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