|
|
|
|
|
|
~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~~
Waxman Unseats Dingell as House Energy and Commerce Chair On November 20, Rep. Henry Waxman (D-CA) replaced Rep. John Dingell (D-MI) as Chairman of the House Energy and Commerce Committee by a vote of 137-122 in a meeting of the House Democratic Caucus. The transfer of power is likely to lead to accelerated passage of climate legislation. Waxman represents Santa Monica, Beverly Hills and areas of West Los Angeles, and has long been a supporter of clean air legislation. “I went before the caucus and argued we needed a change in leadership and the public was clamoring for the change,” Waxman said. “Well, this was clearly a change year, and I congratulate my colleague Henry Waxman on his success today,” Dingell said. “I will work closely with him on the issues facing the Energy and Commerce Committee and for a smooth transition.” Dingell represents a suburban Detroit district and has had held the chairmanship since 1981. For additional information see:
On November 20, Sen. Barbara Boxer (D-CA), Chair of the Senate Environment and Public Works Committee, pledged to introduce major global warming legislation in early 2009. The vow for new legislation on climate change followed one of President-elect Barack Obama’s first major policy pronouncements on the topic since the election. Sen. Boxer said the new legislation will be consistent with Obama’s policy goals and will include regulating greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the Clean Air Act, investing in research and development of clean energy technology and a cap-and-trade system to achieve GHG targets. “Instead of denial we will have resolve, instead of procrastination, we will have action. Instead of listening to the voice of the stagnant status quo, our committee hears the voice of our president-elect,” Boxer said. “We are facing a sea change.” For additional information see:
On November 18, President-elect Barack Obama addressed via video a climate change summit of several US governors and world leaders hosted by California Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger. Obama announced a “new chapter” for the United States on climate change. “We will establish strong annual targets that set us on a course to reduce emissions to their 1990 levels by 2020 and reduce them by an additional 80 percent by 2050,” Obama said. He reiterated that his plans “will also help us transform our industries and steer our country out of this economic crisis.” Obama will not be attending the global conference on climate change in Poznan, Poland, in early December, yet it is hoped the announcement and his greater vision will spur action in other countries. National Wildlife Federation president Larry Schweiger said, “With today's call for action on global warming, President-elect Obama has kicked the gears of change into motion.” On November 19, at the conclusion of a two-day summit, Gov. Schwarzenegger – joined by 12 other state governors and representatives from 5 other nations – signed an agreement pledging to work together to combat climate change. The governors and regional leaders agreed to develop common positions regarding the industries most responsible for greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, and to forward the proposals to the United Nations. Although the agreement is non-binding, leaders also pledged to devote greater attention to adaptation, and to aiding areas that will be disproportionately affected by climate change. Gov. Schwarzenegger said he hopes the summit will show leaders and citizens of other countries that climate change can be combated within reasonable costs, and that initiatives on the sub-national level can make a difference. “California is a little spot on the globe, but the influence we have on the rest of the world is enormous,” said Schwarzenegger. For additional information see:
On November 18, the US Climate Action Partnership (USCAP) called for a cap on carbon emissions to spur economic growth. USCAP includes PepsiCo, General Electric, Ford, Shell, the National Wildlife Federation and the World Resources Institute among its diverse membership of 26 corporations and 6 environmental groups. The group sees climate change as a key dynamic for business in the coming decades, and believes US action in this area can place businesses ahead of the curve. The group contends the current financial crisis makes now the time to act. “Some of the things you would have to do under climate legislation – becoming more efficient, putting significant dollars into new technology investments and new infrastructure – are all job-creation tools and revenue-producing tools,” said Eileen Claussen, President of the Pew Global Center on Climate Change and USCAP member. The views of USCAP were echoed on November 19 at the creation of the Business for Innovative Climate and Energy Policy group (BICEP). BICEP was founded by Nike, Starbucks, Levi Strauss & Co., Sun Microsystems, The Timberland Company, and the Ceres coalition, and at its founding also called for climate and energy legislation in 2009. For additional information see:
Between July 15 and November 4, a public poll conducted by the University of Maryland found that 69 percent of people in 21 countries favor their governments requiring increased use of alternative energy, even if it means higher costs. “It is striking that support for alternative energies and energy efficiency slips only modestly when the cost is highlighted,” said Steven Kull, the director of Worldpublicopinion.org, the group that conducted the survey through the University of Maryland. “People are definitely willing to do more than they are doing right now.” The respondents – from a geographically diverse group of both large and small nations – further believed that a shift to clean energy would save their economies money in the long run. The survey found support for new nuclear, coal and gas plants to be at 40 percent, with most of the support coming from respondents in developing nations. However, Kull does not want people to think government action will inevitably follow suit. “The short-term costs are always a problem and organized economic interests are invested in the status quo,” he said. “Support for change is very widespread, but it is not very well organized.” For additional information see:
For additional information see:
On November 20, 193 Parties to the Montreal Protocol on Substances that Deplete the Ozone Layer agreed for the second year in a row to strengthen their treaty and provide additional protection for both the ozone layer and the climate system. Agreeing to proposals from Argentina, Micronesia, and Mauritius, the members will start collecting and destroying ozone-depleting substances from stockpiles and from discarded products and equipment that are the easiest to reach. Destroying them will speed recovery of the ozone layer by up to two years, and avoid up to 6 billion or more tons of CO2-equivalent emissions. Tony Oposa, representing Micronesia, said, “There is a clear and present danger of abrupt and catastrophic climate changes in the near future. In the face of these threats, including many meters of sea level rise from the disintegration of the Greenland Ice Sheet, we must act not only with a sense of urgency; but a sense of emergency.” Members from developed countries agreed to provide $490 million in additional funding over three years to assist developing countries in meeting their obligations, including funds for initial pilot project on collection and destruction in developing countries. Co-financing from other sources, including carbon markets, will be explored. The Parties also agreed to start discussions on whether to move hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) from the climate treaty to the stricter Montreal Protocol, where HFCs with a high global warming potential could be phased-out. HFCs are substitutes for substances that are being phased-out by the Montreal Protocol. They are projected to grow at an alarming rate and produce more climate emissions than the Kyoto Protocol seeks to avoid during its initial commitment period. For additional information see:
For additional information see:
On November 14, talks among European Union (EU) members concerning $14 billion worth of funding for research into carbon capture and storage (CCS) led France to suggest this figure be reduced by about two-thirds. Several EU nations claimed that the plan favored the financing of an uncertain technology over proven ones such as solar power and hybrid cars, and that the pollution permits that used to fund the CCS research are needed for existing plants that will have trouble reducing their emissions otherwise. Ed Miliband, the British Secretary of State for Climate and Energy, spoke on behalf of those in favor of the original plan saying, “By using a part of the EU emissions-trading scheme, we can kick start this revolutionary technology that could take up to 90 percent of harmful CO2 out of coal-fired power stations as well as provide opportunities for new green jobs.” However, Lajos Olah, the Hungarian State Secretary for the Environment, and others contended financing should still come from private sources. “The demonstration projects should be primarily financed by the relevant companies,” said Olah. On November 17, the International Energy Agency (IEA) announced that CCS should be part of any global deal on climate change, and it will stress the issue at global talks in Poznan, Poland this December. For additional information see:
On November 18, the Public Policy Institute of California released a report that states California is unprepared to deal with the effects of climate change like flooding, coastal erosion, and loss of wildlife habitat. The report discusses the dependability of the state’s water and electricity utilities, as well as air quality and public health. Electricity providers are preparing for peak use in the summer months, particularly in inland areas, the report said. They are encouraging energy-efficient construction and lighting, and alerting customers to cut back during the peaks. “We need to help agencies get prepared to deal with climate change,” said Louise Bedsworth, a research fellow at the institute and co-author of the report. “In some areas, we need to be acting now.” Water managers are beginning to plan for the warmer winters that are expected to bring more rainfall and less snow, dramatically reducing the Sierra snowpack, a major source of water for California residents. In recent years, water agency managers have become increasingly aware of how climate change will affect their agencies and consumers, said Peter Gleick, executive director of the Pacific Institute, a nonprofit research center in Oakland. “But there's a big difference between awareness and action. I don't think enough is being done on the ground to reduce the vulnerability of our water supplies,” he said. For additional information see:
On November 13, Virginia Governor Tim Kaine’s Commission on Climate Change adopted an additional 100 recommendations to add to its plan to fight global warming. Kaine had asked the panel to find ways to cut greenhouse gases by 30 percent of the projected 2050 levels but the panel aimed higher, recommending reductions of 25 percent below 1990 emission levels by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. Other recommendations include strict energy efficiency measures, more nuclear power and green building codes. “There's a lot for him to digest,” Commission Chairman L. Preston Bryant said. “But that was our charge, to be innovative and think big.” For additional information see:
On November 18, the National Academies held its first meeting in Washington, DC, to launch a five-part study that provides strategies for the United States to address the effects of climate change, in response to a request from Congress. “This work will be led by a Committee on America's Climate Choices responsible for coordinating the work of four panels, convening a Summit on Global Climate Change, convening additional workshops or informal working groups to gather information and address cross-cutting issues, and writing a final report,” a press release stated. The project is sponsored by the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA) and the first four reports are expected to be released in 2009 with the final report issued in 2010. The National Academies are expected to reconvene on March 30-31at the Summit on America’s Climate Choices. For additional information see:
On November 17, the Department of Energy (DoE) awarded $67 million to the Big Sky Regional Carbon Sequestration Project to develop what would be the largest carbon capture sequestration (CCS) prototype in the country. The 2-million ton storage site will be located in the Nugget Sandstone formation in Wyoming. The goal of the project, one of seven funded by the DoE, is to demonstrate the viability of a technology that would allow the United States to drastically cut its CO2 emissions while continuing to benefit from its vast reserves of coal. “Along with our regional partners, we will be able to move carbon sequestration technology from the laboratory to large-scale field demonstrations and ultimately to the marketplace,” said Jeffrey Kupfer, Deputy Secretary of Energy. “By doing so, we will help our Nation meet growing energy demand and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” For additional information see:
On November 14, the Center for Biological Diversity (CBD) filed an intent to sue the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) if the EPA fails to promptly respond to the CBD’s petition to update its ocean pH standards, which were set in 1976. The CBD petition calls these standards, which tolerate up to a .2 decline in pH, “outdated and woefully inadequate in the face of ocean acidification.” According to the CBD, recent research indicates a .2 decline in pH would have serious consequences on coral reef ecosystems as well as the development of many creatures that form the base of the oceanic food chain. If the EPA were to change its water standards, it could lead to regulations requiring reductions in CO2 emissions, as declining pH values are caused by the ocean’s absorption of atmospheric CO2. Miyoko Sakashita, an attorney with CBD, said “The EPA has a duty under the Clean Water Act to protect our nation’s waters from pollution, and today, carbon dioxide is one of the biggest threats to our ocean waters.” For additional information see:
Second Warmest October for Global Temperatures For additional information see:
Water Vapor Determined to be Major Contributor to Climate Change On November 17, researchers presented NASA satellite data that confirmed water vapor was a major contributor to climate change. Andrew Dessler and colleagues from Texas A&M University in College Station found that the warming effects of water vapor are strong enough to double the temperature increases caused by atmospheric CO2. “This new data set shows that as surface temperature increases, so does atmospheric humidity,” Dessler said. “Dumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere makes the atmosphere more humid. And since water vapor is itself a greenhouse gas, the increase in humidity amplifies the warming from carbon dioxide.” For additional information see:
In the November 19 issue of Global and Planetary Change, a new study revealed that melting ice has replaced expanding oceans as the main cause of rising sea levels. Earlier research had shown that sea levels crept up an average of 3.1 mm (0.12 inches) per year from 1993 to 2003. Using two new observational systems, researchers determined that the thermal expansion of the sea essentially stopped in 2003. But sea levels continued to rise, though at the slightly diminished rate of 2.5 mm (0.1 inches) per year. It was concluded that the rise in sea level was now the result of melting on two major ice sheets, Antarctica and Greenland. “During the last decade, Antarctica and Greenland only contributed about 0.5 mm per year to rising sea levels whereas today it is about 1.0 mm per year,” said Anny Cazenave, a scientist at France's National Center for Space Studies and lead author of the paper. “This was surprising.” For additional information see:
Obama Not Planning Visit to UN Climate Talks in Poland
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