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June 9, 2014
EPA Proposes Carbon Regulations for Existing Power Plants
On June 2, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) released a proposal for regulations on carbon pollution from existing power plants. This is the first time the federal government has proposed a regulation to limit carbon emissions from existing power plants, which account for 38.7 percent of domestic carbon emissions. The regulation, called the Clean Power Plan, offers individualized goals for each state to reduce emissions from its power plants by 2030. Rather than total emissions, the goal sets an emissions rate (pounds of CO2 per net megawatt hour (MWh)). The goals – different for each state – are based on the EPA’s analysis of opportunities within the state to reduce emissions, the carbon policies the state is already using, and on the unique structure of each state’s energy system (its utilities, power plants, electricity demand, etc.). The proposal lets states decide how to reduce their own emissions, without prescribing any policy or requiring particular power plant closures. The EPA estimates the rule offers public health and climate benefits valued at $55 billion to $93 billion annually by 2030, while costing $7.3 billion to $8.8 billion. According to AFL-CIO President Richard Trumka, “If other nations don’t act, our economy could wind up at a cost disadvantage, shifting jobs and emissions overseas. Still, President Obama is right to lead on this issue, since other nations won’t act if the United States does not. Acting first can confer long-term advantages -- if we do it right.” After the final rule is issued in 2015, states will have until June 30, 2016, to produce their state implementation plans (SIPs), mapping out how they plan to comply with the regulation. States do have an option for a one-year extension, and states which want to engage in multi-state plans can ask for a two-year extension.
For more information see:
EESI, Clean Power Plan
House Passes Amendment to Cut Funding to IPCC And NCA
On May 29, Rep. Scott Perry (R-PA) introduced an amendment which would cut all federal funding for the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), the National Climate Assessment (NCA), and other climate change research efforts. House amendment 766, which passed on a voice vote, would “prohibit use of funds to design, implement, administer, or carry out” the NCA, IPCC, the UN Agenda 21 sustainable development plan, or the May 2013 update to the social cost of carbon (SCC). This amendment is attached to H.R. 4660, the Commerce, Justice, Science and Related Agencies (CJS) Appropriations Act of 2015, sponsored by Rep. Frank Wolf (R-VA). H.R. 4660 passed the House by a vote of 321 to 87. The Senate CJS 2015 Appropriations Bill, which does not contain these climate change research cuts, was approved by the Senate Appropriations Committee on June 5 by a 30-0 vote.
Congress.gov
Sen. Mitch McConnell’s (R-KY) Bill to Block EPA Regulation of Power Plant Carbon Emissions is Blocked
On June 4, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) blocked Senate Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) from holding a vote on the “Coal Country Protection Act” (S. 2412), which Sen. McConnell introduced the day prior. The bill, which has 11 cosponsors, would prevent the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from implementing carbon emissions limits on coal-fired power plants, unless the EPA could prove the rule does not cause job loss, lower the GDP, hurt electricity delivery or raise electricity prices. “The president’s regulations will increase electricity prices and create job loss,” McConnell said. “Opponents of this bill would be supporting job loss in Kentucky, our economy being hurt, and seniors’ energy bills spiking — for almost zero meaningful global carbon reduction." Sen. Reid commented, “The rule will not become effective for a long time, I know the importance of this issue, and I’ll be as cooperative as I feel is appropriate with the Republican leader. But at this time, I object.”
The Hill, Sen. McConnell Press Release, Bill
Senate Democrats Issue Invitation to Senate Republicans to Discuss Climate Change
On May 30, Senate Democrats sent a letter inviting their Republican counterparts to debate climate change on the Senate floor on Monday, June 9. Several Republicans had expressed displeasure that they were not invited to the Senate-held all-night climate talkathon held in March, which featured 31 senators (28 Democratic, 2 Independents and one Republican) speaking about climate change (see EESI article). It is expected that the recent U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) proposed regulations to limit emissions from existing power plant carbon will be a large focus of the debate. Five Democratic senators signed the letter, stating, "We earnestly believe that the stakes of failing to exercise American leadership and solve this problem are very high, with ramifications for our health and safety, our economic well-being, our food and water supplies, and our national security and standing." As of June 4, no Republicans had responded to the request.
The Hill
Forty-One Republican Senators Urge President Obama to Repeal EPA Carbon Proposal
On June 4, 41 Republican senators sent a letter to President Obama, urging him to withdraw the newly proposed regulations to limit carbon emissions from existing power plants. Senator David Vitter (R-LA) and Minority Leader Mitch McConnell (R-KY) led the push. The letter was signed by every Republican senator except for Sens. John McCain (R-AZ), Susan Collins (R-ME), Kelly Ayotte (R-NH), and Bob Corker (R-TN). The Republicans say their main concern is that the rule will increase electricity costs, reduce the disposable income of consumers, and result in job losses. According to the letter, “At a time when manufacturers are moving production from overseas to the U.S. and investing billions of dollars in the process, we are very concerned that an administration with a poor management record decided to embark on a plan that will result in energy rationing.”
The Hill, The Hill, Letter
G-7 Urges Urgent Climate Action
On June 5, among discussions of the global economy, sanctions on Russia, and international development, leaders of the G-7 reaffirmed their support to take ambitious, concrete actions to promote low-carbon economies and mitigate climate change in the Brussels G-7 Summit Declaration. Citing the “unfinished business" of the Millennium Development Goals, the group encouraged an aggressive post-2015 development agenda focused on eradicating poverty and promoting sustainable development while addressing climate change. The leaders set out financial, political, and communication approaches needed to address climate change, expressing a “strong determination” to reach an international climate agreement in 2015, and a desire for a successful Climate Summit with the United Nations Secretary General in September. The group will begin mobilizing resources under the Green Climate Fund’s operating rules, and support committing $100 billion per year by 2020 to finance climate mitigation and adaptation efforts in developing countries. The G-7 also declared their support for the phasedown of the production and consumption of climate-polluting hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the Montreal Protocol, pledging to help quickly deploy safe, climate-friendly alternatives to HFCs. The production of HFCs, a class of refrigerants with a global warming potential up to 13,000 times that of CO2, has been driven up by the earlier phaseout of ozone-depleting refrigerants. The G-7 Brussels Declaration follows a commitment by the G-20 to reduce HFCs under the Montreal Protocol, and complements recent efforts by the EU to cut HFCs by 80 percent by 2030. “The Montreal Protocol can quickly and effectively eliminate the climate threat from one of the six main greenhouse gases,” said Durwood Zaelke, President of the Institute for Governance & Sustainable Development. “HFCs are the fastest growing greenhouse gases in the world, and sending them out of the universe is the biggest, fastest, and cheapest climate mitigation opportunity available to the world today.”
Brussels G-7 Summit Declaration, Mashable, North American 2014 HFC Submission to the Montreal Protocol
Report Finds Climate Change May Make Summer Rain Deluges Five Times More Likely in UK
On June 1, the UK Met Office, in cooperation with Newcastle University, released findings that under an extreme scenario of climate change, southern England may experience five times as many sudden summer deluges by 2100 as it is does today. This increase in extreme summer rainfall events could lead to more incidents of severe flash flooding. The scientists used a high-resolution (1.5 km grid spacing) model for this study, instead of lower-resolution models (12 km grid spacing), which the Met office have suggested underestimate the increasing number of extreme rainfall events caused by climate change. Dr. Lizzie Kendon, lead-scientist of the study, stated, "Most people would be familiar with this model . . .It is the same one that is used for the weather forecasts on the BBC, so it is incredibly realistic and it represents these very intense convective-type storms that haven't been captured before." Haley Fowler, a professor at Newcastle University who also worked on the study, said, “From this model experiment and consistent with our theoretical understanding, we have quite a bit of confidence in this result.”
For additional information see:
BBC, New Scientist, Study
U.S. Carbon Emissions from Fossil Fuels Up In 2013
On May 28, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) released data showing a year-over-year increase in U.S. carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from coal, natural gas and petroleum consumption. Emissions increased 2.4 percent in 2013 relative to 2012, while emissions for the first two months of 2014 were 7.5 percent higher than the same period in 2013. The 2013 jump comes after significant decreases in four of the last five years (2010 saw an increase of 3.7 percent over 2009). Last year’s emissions levels were still 10.4 percent below 2007 peak levels, 6.0 percent below the 10-year average (2003-12), and lower than any year from 1996-2011. The major contributor to the 2013 emissions rise was the expanded use of coal, emissions from which grew 4.2 percent in 2013 (relative to 2012) and 11.9 percent in the first two months of 2014 (relative to the same period in 2013). Natural gas and petroleum-related CO2 emissions also rose in 2013 by 2.1 and 1.3 percent, respectively, over 2012. Ken Bossong, Executive Director of the SUN DAY Campaign, commented, “Clearly, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency's first-ever proposed rule limiting carbon dioxide pollution from existing power plants is not happening a minute too soon.”
Sun Day Campaign, EIA report, Tables 12.1 and 12.7
Catholic Bishops Ask United States to Take Action on Climate Change
On May 29, the U.S. Conference of Catholic Bishops (USCCB) sent a letter supporting the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulations on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from power plants to mitigate climate change. In the letter, Archbishop of Miami Thomas Wenski, Chairman of the Committee on Domestic Justice and Human Development of the USCCB, recognized the importance of reducing carbon pollution, saying, “these standards should protect the health and welfare of all people, especially children, the elderly, as well as poor and vulnerable communities, from harmful pollution emitted from power plants and from the impacts of climate change.” The letter also asks the EPA to take six principles from the teaching of Pope Francis into consideration when working to reduce carbon emissions, including “prudence on behalf of the common good” and “social and economic justice.” Archbishop Wenski added, “The USCCB stands ready to work with you, the Administration, and members of Congress to ensure that measures necessary to address climate change both care for creation and protect ‘the least of these.’”
Independent Catholic News, The Huffington Post, The Letter to EPA
Washington Post/ABC News Poll Finds Large Majority of Americans Support Carbon Regulations on Power Plants
On June 2, a Washington Post-ABC News poll reported that a bipartisan majority of Americans support federal limitation of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from power plants. Of those polled, 70 percent say the federal government should limit the release of GHG emissions from existing power plants. Republicans, Independents, and Democrats are in rare agreement – with 57, 76, and 79 percent, respectively, supporting regulation. Even in states where coal is the major source of electricity production, 69 percent support government limits on emissions. Respondents also reported a willingness to pay for increased energy expenses. When asked whether the government should still go forward with regulations if they “significantly lowered greenhouse gases but raised your monthly energy expenses by 20 dollars a month,” 63 percent of respondents said yes.
Washington Post, Washington Post (Poll)
EIA Data Shows Variance of Energy Carbon Emissions Trends Across States and Regions
On June 3, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) published an analysis on the trends of energy-related domestic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions from 2005-2011. The study shows CO2 emissions are decreasing in the United States in general, although regional emissions are decreasing at different paces. In general, the Northeast is experiencing larger emissions reductions than other regions (Midwest, West and South). The Northeast is increasingly urban, which makes energy use more efficient, and is home to more electricity from natural gas, nuclear, and renewable energy than other regions of the country. In contrast, the Midwest, West and South have more diverse state-level energy characteristics (such as more high-carbon energy generation and low-efficiency energy use), which have made their emissions reductions relatively slower. The EIA analysis found that Nevada had the biggest emissions drop of any state over the six-year period (33 percent), while Nebraska saw the largest increase (20 percent).
For more information:
U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA)
IEA Says Current Trends of Low- and Zero-Carbon Energy Use Will Not Avert Dangerous Global Warming
On June 3, the International Energy Administration (IEA) released the 2014 World Energy Investment Outlook special report, which examined investments in energy. According to the report, approximately $1.6 trillion is invested in the global energy supply every year, but that amount needs to rise to $2 trillion in order to limit temperature rise to below 2 degrees Celsius. By 2035, the cumulative required investment in energy supply and efficiency would be $48 to $53 trillion. In order to meet this goal, investments in energy efficiency must rise from $130 billion annually to more than $550 billion annually across the globe by 2035. While companies and governments are still heavily invested in fossil fuels, Fatih Birol, chief economist at the IEA, noted that the recent plan to cut carbon emissions by the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) was “very encouraging.” According to Maria van der Hoeven, chief executive of the IEA, “the reliability and sustainability of our future energy systems depend on investment, but this won’t materialize unless there are credible policy frameworks in place as well as stable access to long-term sources of finance. Neither of these conditions should be taken for granted. There is a real risk of shortfalls, as well as the risk that investments are misdirected because environmental impacts are not properly reflected in prices.”
The Guardian, PV Tech, Report
Headlines
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1. Cornell Testing Crops Under Potential Climate Change Conditions
2. President Obama Says Hurricanes Such as Sandy Will Be More Common With Climate Change
3. US Fish and Wildlife Head Ashe Says Climate Change Will Soon Affect Hunting, Fishing, and Gaming
4. Study Shows Reporters in United States Use More Vague Language For Climate Change Than Reporters in Spain
5. Rep. Mike Kelly (R-PA) Introduces Bill to Prevent Clean Air Act Regulations of Carbon Emissions from Power Plants
Writers: Jenifer Collins, Claire Phillips, Marisa Perez-Reyes, Yi Xu, Katherine Lynn, and Amanda Kastrinos
Editor: Laura Small
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