|
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
House Committee Begins Debate on Climate Bill On April 21, the House Energy and Commerce Committee began hearings to debate a bill that would cap greenhouse gas emissions at 20 percent below 2005 levels by 2020 and at 83 percent by 2050. The draft proposal by Committee Chairman Henry Waxman (D-CA) and Energy and Environment Subcommittee Chairman Ed Markey (D-MA) provides for a cap and trade program and includes measures such as efficiency standards, a national renewable electricity standard and a low-carbon fuel standard. Waxman told members of the committee that “the pace is going to accelerate” during the next four weeks to get an energy and climate change bill passed by the committee by the end of May, in order to get the bill to the full chamber for a vote by summer. The committee held hearings on the bill April 21 – 24, with 54 witnesses, including Secretary of Energy Steven Chu, Secretary of Transportation Ray LaHood and EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. An Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) analysis of the Waxman-Markey bill found that it would raise electricity prices 22 percent by the year 2030 and cost American households an average of $98 to $140 each year through 2050. “We want to work with you in finding consensus in the coming weeks, so that we can reduce our dependence on oil, create millions of new jobs in innovative energy technologies, and significantly reduce greenhouse gases,” Jackson said in testimony before the committee. For additional information see:
California Regulators Approve Nation’s First Low-Carbon Fuel Standard On April 23, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) voted 9-1 to adopt a standard requiring a reduction in the carbon content of fuels sold in the state 10 percent by 2020. The low-carbon fuel standard is the first in the nation and aims to reduce the greenhouse gas emissions from the state’s transportation sector, which accounts for 40 percent of California emissions. As a result of the new rules, petroleum producers will need to meet their requirements through the use of alternative fuels – such as hydrogen, ethanol, biofuels and electricity – to power transportation, and by blending lower carbon fuels in their own petroleum mixes. “The new standard means we can begin to break our century-old dependence on petroleum and provide California with greater energy security,” said CARB Chairman Mary Nichols. “(This) will be a boon to the state's economy and public health – it reduces air pollution, creates new jobs and continues California's leadership in the fight against global warming.” The ruling also included measuring the fuels’ “intensity,” which meant considering emissions created from the start of production to lasting impacts not directly related to fuel supply. A CARB analysis assigned additional indirect land use impacts to corn-based ethanol, based on potential impacts that ethanol production is believed to have on forests cleared for more cropland. Ethanol advocates, numerous academics and other groups disputed these additional impacts assigned to corn-based ethanol and also argued for petroleum and other fuels to be given the same treatment. General Wesley Clark, speaking on behalf of the ethanol advocacy group Growth Energy, said, “There are indirect effects for many fuels, but the only indirect effects that have been looked at are the indirect effects in land use for biofuels. So if we're going to look at indirect effects, and I think we should, you have to take a broader look and roll in more.” For additional information see:
NOAA: Greenhouse Gases Continue to Climb Despite Economic Slump On April 21, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a preliminary analysis of worldwide greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the year 2008. NOAA’s annual greenhouse gas index found that by the end of December 2008, CO2 in the atmosphere had risen by 16.2 billion tons and atmospheric methane had increased by 12.2. million tons. Both levels of GHG emissions rose in spite of the economic downturn, which NOAA noted resulted in a decline of activities that rely on the use of fossil fuels. “Only by reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and increasing energy production from renewable resources will we start to see improvements and begin to lessen the effects of climate change,” said Pieter Tans of NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory in Boulder, Colorado. “At NOAA we have monitored carbon dioxide emissions and other greenhouses gases for decades and will continue to do so to help assess the situation and advise decision makers.” By the end of the year, the total global concentration of greenhouse gases reached 386 parts per million (ppm), with an increase of 2.1 ppm in 2008. For additional information see:
United States and Mexico Partnering to Fight Climate Change On April 16, President Obama and Mexican President Felipe Calderon announced the establishment of the US-Mexico Bilateral Framework on Clean Energy and Climate Change, a mechanism which will provide political and technical cooperation to develop a clean energy economy. Specifically, the framework will focus on renewable energy, energy efficiency, adaptation, market mechanisms, forestry and land use, green jobs, low carbon energy technology development and capacity building between the two countries, a White House statement said. A clean energy future “is a priority for the United States and I know it's a priority for President Calderon,” Obama said. Calderon agreed, “We must act very soon to fight against climate change.” Mexico will be hosting a meeting of the Major Economies Forum on Energy and Climate (MEF) in the coming months, and in the White House statement, the Obama Administration noted its support for Mexico to host the Sixteenth United Nations Climate Change Conference (COP 16) in 2010. For additional information see:
G8 Nations Hold Climate Talks This Week in Italy On April 24, environment ministers from the Group of Eight (G8) industrial countries and major developing economies concluded talks in Italy as part of the lead-up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) negotiations set to take place in Copenhagen in December. Representatives from Britain, Canada, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Russia and the United States and their counterparts from Brazil, China, Egypt, India, Indonesia, Mexico, South Africa and South Korea met for three days in Syracuse, Italy, where delegates spelled out “frankly and clearly” the issues on which G8 heads of state and government should “devote their leadership capacities” at the next summit in July, Italian Environment Minister Stefania Prestigiacomo said. No breakthroughs were made in the discussions, but “they allowed for constructive exchanges between the G8 countries and the others,” Brazilian Environment Minister Carlos Minc said. “I think Syracuse has shown realism has set in: the realization that time is running out,” said Achim Steiner, the head of the UN Environment Programme. “I do leave Syracuse very much concerned that there is as yet no clear pathway to resolving the gaps which remain.” For additional information see:
Climate Change Could Overload Humanitarian System For additional information see:
Indigenous Groups Hold Climate Summit in Alaska Beginning April 20, approximately 400 indigenous groups met in Anchorage, Alaska, for a summit to address native groups’ ability to address climate change. Over 80 nations were represented at the five-day Indigenous Peoples' Global Summit on Climate Change, which is affiliated with the United Nations. Indigenous groups who “have contributed the least to the global problem of climate change” are often “on the front lines” of the problem, said Patricia Cochran, an Inupiat native of Nome, Alaska, whose group hosted the summit. . . . We don't want to be seen just as the powerless victims of climate change. Our conference is really stirred by our wanting to become leaders . . . on climate change because we have the ability to bring information from our communities to the rest of the world.” Organizers said indigenous groups can offer ways to reduce the effects of climate change because they have centuries of experience when it comes to adapting to harsh environments. An example is the Aborigines in northern Australia, summit co-sponsor Sam Johnston of the United Nations University said. Their use of traditional fire practices to reduce greenhouse gas emissions have allowed them to sell $17 million worth of carbon credits to industries. “Their traditional knowledge is very important,” he said. For additional information see:
Air Pollution Helps Plants to Absorb More CO2 On April 23, an article published in Nature found that increased atmospheric pollution has enhanced plant productivity by as much as a quarter since the 1960s, resulting in as much as 10 percent more CO2 uptake in the soil worldwide. It has been assumed that clear, sunny skies are ideal for the greatest plant growth, but the presence of clouds and pollution scatter the light in the process of diffuse radiation. This results in fewer leaves left in total shade and an increase in photosynthesis. “Surprisingly, the effects of atmospheric pollution seem to have enhanced global plant productivity by as much as a quarter from 1960 to 1999,” said lead author Lina Mercado, a researcher at the Centre for Ecology and Hydrology in Britain. Researchers acknowledge that this presents a dilemma when trying to clean the atmosphere of particle pollution as well as reduce the concentration of atmospheric greenhouse gases. “As we continue to clean up the air – which we must do for the sake of human health – the challenge of avoiding dangerous climate change through reductions in CO2 emissions will be even harder,” said co-author Peter Cox, a researcher at Britain's University of Exeter. For additional information see:
Climate Change Drying Up World’s Big Rivers A study published in the May 15 issue of the American Meteorological Society’s Journal of Science suggests that reduced flows in the world’s rivers are, in many cases, associated with climate change and could potentially threaten future supplies of food and water. The research was led by scientists at the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) in Boulder, Colorado, which looked at 925 major rivers from 1948 to 2004. The results showed a decline in river flows, with significant changes in about one third of the rivers. Climate change is the main driver in these changes, researchers said, though other factors such as dam construction and diversion for agriculture also contribute to this decline. “Freshwater resources will likely decline in the coming decades over many densely populated areas at mid- to low latitudes, largely due to climate changes,” Aiguo Dai of NCAR said. Several of the rivers showing declines in flow serve large populations, including the Yellow River in northern China, the Ganges in India, the Niger in West Africa and the Colorado in the southwestern United States. “Freshwater being a vital resource, the downward trends are a great concern,” Dai said. For additional information see:
Water Shortages to Worsen on Colorado River from Climate Change On April 20, a study published in the Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences found that climate change will reduce the amount of water delivered by the Colorado River to seven Western states and Mexico, creating increased shortages for the 27 million people who rely on it for their water supply. Climate researchers David Pierce and Tim Barnett from the Scripps Institution of Oceanography at the University of California, San Diego, published a study last year that found a 50 percent chance that Lake Mead, the reservoir created by the Hoover Dam, could run dry by 2021. In the current study, they looked at the effect a warmer climate would have on runoff into the Colorado River and how this would impact the annual water allotments each of the seven states receive. They found that by 2050, the river will be unable to provide all of its allocated water 60 percent to 90 percent of the time. “All water-use planning is based on the idea that the next 100 years will be like the last 100,” said Barnett. “We considered the question: Can the river deliver water at the levels currently scheduled if the climate changes as we expect it to? The answer is no.” Water deliveries would have to be reduced, something that could be achievable through conservation, water reuse and other measures. “We are hopeful that this would serve to get people to sit down now and see what options look realistic,” Barnett said, “before you have a crisis on your hands.” For additional information see:
Increasing Antarctic Sea Ice Extent Linked to Ozone Hole In the April 22 issue of Geophysical Research Letters, scientists from the British Antarctic Survey (BAS) and NASA reported that Antarctic sea ice has increased by a small amount as a result of the ozone hole, thereby delaying the impact of greenhouse gas increases on the climate of the continent. Satellite images have shown that ice cover during the winter in Antarctica has increased at a rate of 100,000 square kilometers a decade since the 1970s. This has directly opposed the declining sea ice extent observed in the Arctic Circle, which scientists attribute to rising global temperatures. “Our results show the complexity of climate change across the Earth. While there is increasing evidence that the loss of sea ice in the Arctic has occurred due to human activity, in the Antarctic human influence through the ozone hole has had the reverse effect and resulted in more ice,” lead author John Turner of BAS said. “Although the ozone hole is in many ways holding back the effects of greenhouse gas increases on the Antarctic, this will not last, as we expect ozone levels to recover by the end of the 21st century. By then there is likely to be around one third less Antarctic sea ice.” He added, “This new research helps us solve some of the puzzle of why sea ice is shrinking in some areas and growing in others.” For additional information see:
High Rates of Obesity Create Higher Carbon Emissions On April 19, a study published in the International Journal of Epidemiology found that high rates of obesity lead to greater greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The study was conducted by Phil Edwards and Ian Roberts of the London School of Hygiene and Tropical Medicine, who calculated the additional GHG emissions created from increased food consumption and transportation needs as a result of a more obese population. A comparison was made between a “normal” population where only 3.5 percent are classed as obese and one where 40 percent are obese. These populations reflect the proportions of overweight and obese people living in the United Kingdom in the 1970s, and what is predicted for the United Kingdom in 2010, researchers said. The study estimated that the heavier population would create between 0.4 to 1 gigatons more GHG emissions per 1 billion people. “We need to be doing a lot more to reverse the global trend towards fatness, and recognize it as a key factor in the battle to reduce emissions and slow climate change,” Edwards said. For additional information see:
Other Headlines UK Announces World's First Legally-Binding Carbon Budget for Nation A Plan for U.S. Emissions to Be Buried Under Sea
Events April 29, 2009 USCAN Briefing: Climate Change Policy in Other Key Countries Please join the U.S. Climate Action Network for a briefing co-sponsored by the Senate Foreign Relations and Environment and Public Works Committees looking at how U.S. legislation is shaping up in comparison to other key nations. Speakers for this briefing include: Dr. Ye Qi, Distinguished Professor of Environmental Policy at Tsinghua University School of Public Policy and Management in China; David Kennedy, the Chief Executive of the UK Climate Change Committee; and Alf Wills, chief climate change negotiator and deputy director-general of international co-operation and resources in the Department of Environmental Affairs and Tourism, South Africa. The briefing will take place Wednesday, April 29, at 4:00 p.m. in 406 Dirksen Senate Office Building. Light refreshments will be served. Please RSVP to Kara Saul Rinaldi at (202) 471-2132 or kara.rinaldi@erm.com. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing to learn how funding from the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA) may be used to improve the learning environment for students and teachers, save energy, reduce operating expenses, protect the environment, and strengthen communities. The briefing will describe what makes a school “high performance” and green––from superior indoor air quality to water efficiency––and how setting priorities early can allow school districts to reap the most benefits within their standard construction budget. It will take place Thursday, April 30, from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. in 253 Russell Senate Office Building. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact Ellen Vaughan at (202) 662-1893 or evaughan [at] eesi.org. May 14, 2009 12th Annual Congressional Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency EXPO + Forum Please join the Sustainable Energy Coalition—in cooperation with Members of the U.S. House of Representatives and U.S. Senate Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency Caucuses—for the 12th annual Congressional Renewable Energy & Energy Efficiency EXPO + Forum. This year’s EXPO will bring together nearly 50 businesses, sustainable energy industry trade associations, government agencies, and energy policy research organizations to showcase the status and near-term potential of the cross-section of renewable energy (biofuels/biomass, geothermal, solar, water, wind) and energy efficiency technologies. A morning news conference will feature Members of the U.S. Congress while afternoon speakers will discuss the role sustainable energy technologies can play in meeting America’s energy needs. For more information, please contact Ken Bossong at the Sustainable Energy Coalition by phone at 301-270-6477 ext. 23 or email at kbossong614@yahoo.com. More than 200 cyclists will join together from September 26 - 30, 2009 to embark on a journey from New York City to the steps of the U.S. Capitol in Washington, DC. The riders’ purpose is to make a powerful statement about the need for renewable energy and climate change awareness. The 300-mile Brita Climate Ride supports Focus the Nation and Clean Air – Cool Planet. For more information, please visit www.climateride.org.
Quick Links SUBSCRIBE to our newsletters and other products ARCHIVE: Past issues of the newsletter are posted on our website under "publications" SUPPORT EESI: This newsletter and EESI's other valuable work in energy, climate change, agriculture, transportation and smart growth are made possible through financial support from people like you. Please donate now.
Amy Sauer 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. |
|||
Printer-friendly version