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House Energy and Commerce Committee Passes Climate Bill On May 20, the House Energy and Commerce Committee passed the American Clean Energy and Security Act (H.R. 2454), by a vote of 33 to 25. The bill would create a national cap and trade program that would limit the amount of greenhouse gases (GHGs) power plants, manufacturers and oil refiners can emit through the allocation of allowances. In response to cost concerns, these allowances will mostly be given away in the early years of the program but will be entirely auctioned off as the program progresses. In addition, the bill includes a combined efficiency and renewable electricity standard, which requires that states meet their electricity demand with 20 percent renewable energy by 2020, with up to 5 percent of that being met with electricity savings. Following the vote, President Obama said, “We are now one step closer to delivering on the promise of a new clean energy economy that will make America less dependent on foreign oil, crack down on polluters, and create millions of new jobs all across America.” The passage of the bill followed four days of markup in committee, which included consideration of more than 50 amendments. The bill will now head for review by other House committees, with the goal of reaching the full House by July. “I don't think it's too much of an exaggeration to say that this is a turning point in the history of the United States and [its] energy sources,” said Rep. Edward Markey (D-MA), the chair of the Energy and Environment Subcommittee and co-sponsor of the bill along with Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA), the chair of the full committee. “This is a day we've waited a long time on.” For additional information see:
White House Plans to Boost Vehicle Fuel Efficiency Nationwide On May 19, at a press conference in which President Obama was joined by Governors Arnold Schwarzenegger (R-CA) and Jennifer Granholm (D-MI), the Obama administration announced plans to issue the most stringent fuel economy standards for automobiles ever enacted in the United States. If approved, the new Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) standards would require vehicular fleets, including all cars and light trucks in the model years 2012-2016, to meet average fuel economy standards of 35.5 miles per gallon by 2016. The new standards set a stricter and earlier target than the 35 miles per gallon by 2020 average mandated by the Energy Independence and Security Act of 2007 (P.L. 110-140). White House officials said the plan would reduce greenhouse gases by 900 million metric tons over the life of the program and reduce oil consumption by 1.8 billion barrels by 2016– an amount President Obama referred to as “more oil than we imported last year from Saudi Arabia, Venezuela, Libya, and Nigeria combined.” The proposal was backed by major automobile manufacturers including Ford, Toyota, General Motors, and Honda, along with the United Auto Workers, and sets a uniform national fuel economy standard, which the industry views as preferable to a patchwork of state regulations. “What's significant about the announcement is it launches a new beginning, an era of cooperation. The President has succeeded in bringing three regulatory bodies, 15 states, a dozen automakers and many environmental groups to the table,” said Dave McCurdy, president of the Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) Administrator Lisa Jackson also hailed the program, affirming that, “A supposedly 'unsolvable' problem was solved by unprecedented partnerships.” For additional information see:
Thirty Governors Form Energy and Climate Coalition Group On May 21, governors from 30 states signed on to the Governors’ Energy and Climate Coalition Group in an effort to find common ground on a national strategy for climate change action. “These states have been leaders on the green front – promoting renewable and clean energy, creating jobs and taking concrete steps to address climate change,” said Vermont Governor Jim Douglas. “The Governors’ Climate Coalition is in an important position to assist the federal government as it builds out a national energy policy that creates jobs and protects consumers and the environment. The bipartisan group of governors supports a federal cap on greenhouse gases, using energy more efficiently and more clean domestic energy. “States are where the green economy is being built,” the Coalition’s Statement of Principles said. “Therefore we pledge to work with Congress and the Administration to develop a strong state-federal partnership to create and preserve our jobs and industry, keep the United States competitive abroad, and at the same time address climate threats.” For additional information see:
U.S. Carbon Emissions Drop 2.8 Percent in 2008 On May 20, the Department of Energy’s Energy Information Administration (EIA) announced that CO2 emissions in the United States fell by 2.8 percent in 2008. The EIA attributed the lower emissions to a 2.2 percent drop in energy consumption last year as a result of high gasoline and diesel prices and a struggling economy. This drop represents the greatest drop in CO2 emissions since 1982 when emissions fell 5.3 percent. The EIA also looked at how emissions dropped in each sector and noted that the sharpest drop came in the transportation sector, where CO2 fell by 5.2 percent in 2008, by far the largest decline recorded. Emissions in the residential sector fell by 1.2 percent, the result of a cooler summer. For additional information see:
NSF Releases Comprehensive Report on Global Impacts of Climate Change On May 14, the National Science Foundation (NSF) released a report detailing over 60 years of data demonstrating the effects of global climate change. The report, entitled “Solving the Puzzle: Researching the Impacts of Climate Change around the World,” looks at the work of NSF scientists in a variety of fields including ecology, glaciology, atmospheric science, behavioral science, and economics, to provide information on what scientists have already observed as a result of climate change. The report's release coincides with the recent announcement of the President's FY 2010 budget request for NSF, which includes an increase of approximately $250 million, double its current investment, for climate research For additional information see:
NOAA: Fifth Warmest April for Globe For additional information see:
Climate Change Odds Much Worse Than Thought On May 19, scientists at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology reported that average surface temperatures could rise 9.3°F by 2100, double the temperature rise that models had forecasted six years ago. The study was published in the Journal of Climate and used what researchers called the “most comprehensive computer modeling yet” to map 400 different input scenarios of global economic activity and the measured impacts on ecosystems and atmospheric data. A study in 2003 had predicted a median temperature increase of 4.3°F by 2100. This latest study combined new measurement and analysis techniques and more sophisticated economic data and modeling than earlier studies, researchers said. The scientists at MIT also took into account factors such as soot emissions and volcanic activity from the previous century that may have altered temperature forecasts through warming and cooling effects. Ronald Prinn, a co-author of the study and Director of MIT’s Center for Global Change Science, said that computer models could also underestimate temperature changes by ignoring climate feedback loops such permafrost melting in the arctic and the subsequent release of methane. “There is significantly more risk than we previously estimated,” Prinn said. “This increases the urgency for significant policy action.” For additional information see:
Details of U.S.-China Climate Meetings Released; China Outlines Its Plan for Copenhagen On May 18, The Guardian reported that officials from the United States and China met privately in July 2008 to negotiate an agreement between the two nations on climate change. Participants in the meetings agreed to a memorandum of understanding that was not signed, but those involved believe it could provide the foundation for a U.S.-Chinese pact to battle climate change. The memorandum included three main points: 1) using existing technologies to produce a 20 percent cut in carbon emissions by 2010; 2) cooperating on new technology including carbon capture and storage and fuel efficiency for cars; and 3) the United States and China signing a global climate change deal in Copenhagen. “My sense is that we are now working towards something in the fall,” said William Chandler, director of the climate program at the Carnegie Endowment for International Peace and one of the lead members of the meetings. “It will be serious. It will be substantive, and it will happen.” On May 21, China released a document outlining its stance on a future climate change agreement in advance of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) taking place in Copenhagen in December. The document calls for developed nations to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions 40 percent below 1990 levels by 2020 and to donate 0.5-1 percent of their gross domestic product (GDP) to help developing nations cope with the effects of climate change. The National Development and Reform Commission, which steers Chinese climate change policy, said any new agreement must ensure wealthy nations “take on quantified targets to drastically reduce emissions.” The statement noted that China and other developing countries must be allowed to balance efforts to combat climate change with the need to develop. For additional information see:
UN Releases Draft Climate Text in Preparation for Copenhagen On May 20, the UN issued draft text for a climate treaty set to be finalized in December when member-nations meet for the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in Copenhagen. The goal of the meeting will be to create a new global agreement to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. “This document marks an important point on our road,” UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer said. “It’s the first time real negotiating text will be on the table which can serve as a basis for governments to start drafting” a final agreement. The 53-page text provides a range of ideas to reduce GHG emissions, including a suggestion that developed countries set aside 2 percent of their gross domestic product to aid developing nations in addressing climate change. The text also includes a long-term global goal for reducing GHG emissions 50 percent below 1990 levels by 2050 or aiming for a global annual per capita emission level of 2 metric tons of CO2 for everyone. “As is customary in the practice of negotiation, it is envisaged that the text will be a ‘living document,’ with parties modifying it and bringing new ideas to bear,” said Michael Zammit Cutajar, the UN official who drafted the paper. For additional information see:
DOE Announces $2.4 Billion in Funding for Carbon Capture and Storage Projects On May 15, U.S. Secretary of Energy Steven Chu announced that $2.4 billion in stimulus funding will be used to advance the commercial deployment of carbon capture and storage (CCS) technology. “To prevent the worst effects of climate change, we must accelerate our efforts to capture and store carbon in a safe and cost-effective way. This funding will both create jobs now and help position the United States to lead the world in CCS technologies, which will be in increasing demand in the years ahead,” Chu said. Among the initiatives to receive funding are the Department of Energy’s Clean Coal Power Initiative ($800 million), which co-finances new coal technologies that can help utilities cut sulfur, nitrogen and mercury pollutants from power plants, industrial CCS and CO2 reuse projects ($1.52 billion), geologic sequestration site characterization ($50 million), and CCS training and research ($20 million). For additional information see:
UN: Growth of Slums and Climate Change Boosting Natural Disaster Risk On May 17, the United Nations released a report stating that rampant population growth in urban slums and weather extremes linked to climate change have increased the risks of natural “mega disasters” for the world’s poorest populations. The report was released by the International Strategy for Disaster Reduction and looked at the effects unchecked urban growth can have on natural disasters, noting that climate change will exacerbate these effects. “Climate change magnifies the interactions between disaster risk and poverty. On the one hand, it magnifies weather-related and climatic hazards. On the other hand, it will decrease the resilience of many poor households and communities to absorb the impact and recover,” the report concluded. “There are all these factors coming together: urban poverty, climate change, migration to cities from rural areas,” lead author Andrew Maskrey said. “We're saying: This is bringing about a situation of impending catastrophes, but there's also something we can do about it to lower the risks.” For additional information see:
Other Headlines Global Warming May Result In Periods Of Cooling In Southeastern United States
Events May 28, 2009 State Energy and Climate Actions: Lessons for Federal Policy The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) invite you to a briefing to learn about state actions on climate and energy, and how they can inform the current Congressional debate on climate policy. This briefing will feature representatives from states in the Southeast, Mid-Atlantic and Midwest, who will share their experiences about garnering support in their states, and offer their perspectives on how the federal government and states can best coordinate actions to provide effective climate and energy policies. The briefing will take place on Thursday, May 28, from 2:00 p.m. – 3:30 p.m. in 2168 Rayburn House Office Building. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact Amy Sauer at (202) 662-1892 or asauer [at] eesi.org, or visit http://www.climatestrategies.us/. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing to examine the promising potential of sustainable biomass to meet a much greater portion of the nation’s heating and cooling needs while also addressing climate, energy, and economic needs. Panelists will discuss the challenges and opportunities in federal policy to advance the development of biomass and other renewable thermal energy sources (e.g. geothermal and solar thermal). The briefing will take place Tuesday, June 2, from 9:30 – 11:00 a.m. in 2168 Rayburn House Office Building. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact Ned Stowe at (202) 662-1885 or nstowe [at] eesi.org. The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and WIRES (Working group for Investment in Reliable and Economic electric Systems) invite you to a briefing to discuss the upgrade and expansion of the nation's electric transmission systems. This briefing also will help advance an understanding of the grid's operational capabilities and related investment opportunities and how they are changing. The briefing will take place Thursday, June 4, from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. in Cannon House Office Building. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact Laura Parsons at (202) 662-1884 or lparsons [at] eesi.org.
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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. |
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