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EPA Grants California Emissions Waiver On June 30, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced that it would grant California a waiver to regulate vehicle tailpipe emissions, reversing the decision made in 2008 by the Bush Administration to deny the waiver. Thirteen states and the District of Columbia have also adopted California’s vehicle regulations in an effort to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. “This decision puts the law and science first. After review of the scientific findings, and another comprehensive round of public engagement, I have decided this is the appropriate course under the law,” said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. “This waiver is consistent with the Clean Air Act as it’s been used for the last 40 years and supports the prerogatives of the 13 states and the District of Columbia who have opted to follow California’s lead.” In May, President Obama announced new federal fuel economy standards which require automakers to set an average standard of 35.5 miles-per-gallon by 2016. As part of the compromise with the administration, the states will be able to set their own standards through 2016, at which time the federal standards will be enforced. For additional information see:
Obama Urges Senate to Pass Climate Bill, Speaks Out Against Trade Sanctions On June 28, President Barack Obama spoke out in support of the passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) that took place in the House of Representatives two days before. He said that the House took an “extraordinary first step” by passing a climate bill that he hopes will “prod” the Senate to take similar action. “I think it’s fair to say that over the first six months we’ve seen more action on shifting ourselves away from dependence on foreign oil and fossil fuels than at any time in several decades,” Obama said. A provision in the bill that was added just prior to the bill’s passage would impose trade sanctions on imports from nations that do not regulate greenhouse gas emissions. When asked if he supported this provision in the bill, Obama responded, “I am very mindful of wanting to make sure that there's a level playing field internationally. I think there may be other ways of doing it than with a tariff approach.” For additional information see:
World Leaders React to Passage of House Climate Bill Following the passage of the American Clean Energy and Security Act (ACES) on June 26, several world leaders weighed in on the latest U.S. action to address climate change. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso said, “We want the U.S. to go as far and as fast as they can on climate change. We want Waxman-Markey to succeed.” Lena de Visscher, the Commission's spokesperson for the Environment Office said, “We welcome the approval of the Waxman- Markey bill by the House. This is an important signal of Congress's desire for the United States to re-engage in the global debate on climate change.” Li Gao, Division Director in the Climate Change Department of China’s National Development and Reform Commission said that the midterm target in ACES, 17 percent below 2005 levels by 2020, is not strong enough, although it is a positive first step. “The emission target, if converted to a 1990 baseline, is only about 4 percent by 2020,” Li said. “This is far away from what China and the Group of 77 developing countries have requested of (developed countries).” For additional information see:
DOE to Provide Up to $408 Million to “Clean Coal” Projects On July 1, the U.S. Department of Energy (DOE) announced that it would provide up to $408 million to two companies to develop “clean coal” technologies. The money is part of the Clean Coal Power Initiative, a cost sharing program between the federal government and private industries. The two companies, Hydrogen Energy International LLC in California and Basin Electric Power Cooperative in North Dakota, plan to convert coal into hydrogen to be used as fuel, and to capture CO2 and sequester it in oil reservoirs. Hydrogen Energy International expects to capture 2 million tons of CO2 per year. “Today's announcement represents a major step forward in the fight to reduce CO2 emissions from coal-based power plants,” Energy Secretary Steven Chu said. “These new technologies will not only help fight climate change, they will also create new jobs and position the United States as a leader in carbon capture and storage technologies for many years.” For additional information see:
White House Announces New Lighting Standards to Reduce Emissions On June 29, President Barack Obama announced he was implementing tougher requirements for light fixtures that would increase energy efficiency. The standards, which had not been updated since 1992, will take effect in 2012 and will cut electricity use in certain types of fluorescent and incandescent lighting by 15 to 25 percent, saving $1 to $4 billion per year in the process. The emissions saved from the increased efficiency would be equal to the amount produced by 166 million cars per year. “Now I know light bulbs may not seem sexy,” Obama said, “but this simple action holds enormous promise because 7 percent of all the energy consumed in America is used to light our homes and our businesses.” President Obama stated that energy efficiency investments are a focal point of the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act (ARRA). Steven Nadel, executive director of the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy, praised the new regulations, saying, “We believe this will be the biggest efficiency savings from any appliance standard ever.” For additional information see:
Climate Scorecard Ranks G8 Nations: Germany Leads, Canada Last On July 1, the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) and the German insurance company Allianz released climate scorecards for the Group of Eight (G8) nations. The scorecards take into account the reduction or growth of GHG (greenhouse gas) emissions, the percent of energy from renewable sources and investments in clean energy technology. Germany was ranked first, with Britain and France following. The United States and Canada received the lowest rankings. The United States previously ranked last for several years, but moved up because of the climate bill recently passed by the House of Representatives. Germany, Britain and France earned their high rankings by meeting the Kyoto emission reduction requirements and by passing ambitious future energy policies. Canada earned its low ranking because it has the second highest per capita emissions and the second largest oil reserves in the world, including tar sands. The tar sands have contributed to a 26 percent increase in GHG emissions for the nation since 1990, instead of the 6 percent reduction Canada was supposed to achieve under the Kyoto Protocol. “In Canada, the tar sands are what most people are worried about because this goes against the goal of a low-carbon economic pathway,” said Angela Anderson, Program Director for the U.S. Climate Action Network. For additional information see:
Shell to Become Most CO2-Intensive Oil Company On June 29, a study published by a group of environmental organizations reported that Shell is on its way to become the most carbon intensive oil company, because it focuses on unconventional resources like tar sands in Canada. The study was published by Oil Change International, Friends of the Earth, PLATFORM and Greenpeace U.K. Shell's total resource base has the highest CO2 intensity of its major rivals, 19 percent higher than ExxonMobil Corp. and 70 percent higher than BP PLC, the report said. Shell denied the report’s findings and said it is decreasing its emissions. “Shell's focus on managing CO2 emissions remains strong,” a spokesman for the company said. “We continue to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the facilities we control or operate. These emissions have fallen by more than 30 percent since 1990.” For additional information see:
Rising Sea Levels Threatening Florida Keys On June 28, a study from the Florida International University reported that the Florida Keys are in danger of being flooded due to rising sea levels. “South Florida is on the front line against sea-level rise in the United States, and the Florida Keys are ground zero,” said researcher and co-author Evan Flugman. According to The Nature Conservancy, which used a best-case scenario of 7 inches of sea level rise, 59,000 acres of land in the Keys, worth $11 billion, could be underwater by 2100. The Florida International University report was intended to raise awareness and spur action in the Keys, which do not have a climate change task force. The Keys have already lost land due to sea level rise, and have experienced other effects of climate change, including coral bleaching. For additional information see:
Blowing Dust Causing Mountain Snow to Melt Earlier In the June 30 issue of The Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences researchers found that desert dust from areas dried out by global warming is causing snow in the mountains of Colorado to melt earlier than usual. Researchers said that the dust lands on the snow and absorbs sunlight, instead of reflecting it as the white snow normally would, causing premature melting. Dust levels are five times greater now than in the 1850s, due to a combination of climate change, which is heating and drying the Southwest, and increased human activity in desert regions. Earlier snowmelt may adversely affect plant life, increasing competition among plants and potentially leading to the extinction of some species, researchers warned. Earlier melting of snow also decreases the natural water reservoirs, affecting plant as well as human life. “It is striking how different the landscape looks as result of this desert-mountain interaction,” said Chris Landry, Director of the Center for Snow and Avalanche Studies in Colorado and contributor to the study. For additional information see:
Melting Permafrost a Growing Climate Threat In the July 1 issue of Global Biogeochemical Cycle, researchers warned that there is more carbon in northern permafrost than previously thought and that melting could accelerate climate change. “Massive amounts of carbon stored in frozen soils at high latitudes are increasingly vulnerable to exposure to the atmosphere,” said Pep Canadell, executive director of the Global Carbon Project at Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization and co-author of the report. “The research shows that the amount of carbon stored in soils surrounding the North Pole has been hugely underestimated.” Permafrost contains CO2 and methane, a more potent greenhouse gas than CO2. Researchers said that warmer temperatures will cause the permafrost to melt faster, releasing more CO2 and methane which will in turn increase temperatures, sparking an irreversible process of thawing. Researchers now estimate the amount of frozen carbon to be 1.5 trillion tons, which could potentially be released into the atmosphere. “Projections show that almost all near-surface permafrost will disappear by the end of this century exposing large carbon stores to decomposition and release of greenhouse gases,” said Canadell. For additional information see:
Events July 8, 2009 State Energy and Climate Actions: Agriculture, Forestry and Waste Management The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), Center for Climate Strategies (CCS) and the Office of Senator Roland Burris (D-IL) invite you to a briefing to learn about state climate actions related to agriculture, forestry and waste management and how they can inform the current Congressional debate on energy and climate policy. At this briefing, agriculture and forestry experts from the South and Midwest will share experiences about policy development and implementation in their states, and offer perspectives on how the federal government and states can best partner to implement effective policies. This briefing will take place on Wednesday, July 8, from 2:00 – 3:30 p.m. in 385 Russell Senate 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.
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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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