Climate Change News - March 22, 2010

White House Task Force Warns of Global Warming Impacts

On March 16, the White House Council on Environmental Quality (CEQ), the Office of Science and Technology Policy (OSTP), and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported on the progress of the Interagency Climate Change Adaptation Task Force, which includes representatives from more than 20 federal agencies. In October 2009, President Obama ordered the task force to develop federal recommendations for adapting to climate change both domestically and internationally. Their report highlighted six key components for federal strategy on climate change adaptation, starting with the integration of science into adaptation decisions and policy. Five workgroups were formed to assess existing policies, operations, procedures and other tools that affect the government’s response and to suggest improvements. By October 2010, the task force is to present the president a finalized vision of a U.S. approach to climate change and the role agencies will play. The report urged federal agencies to fundamentally change how they plan for the future, by factoring the potential risks and opportunities of a changing climate into their decision making. It also advises agencies to rely less on historical climate data when making plans for transportation, energy, infrastructure and natural resource use. The task force concluded that climate change "is affecting, and will continue to affect, nearly every aspect of our society and the environment" through increasingly severe floods, droughts, wildfires and heat waves, along with rising sea levels.

For additional information see: Chicago Tribune , Los Angeles Times , White House Press Release

CO2 at New Highs Despite Economic Slowdown

On March 15, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations at Norway’s Zeppelin station on the Arctic Svalbard archipelago rose to a median of 393.71 parts per million (ppm), up from 393.17 ppm the same time last year. Johan Stroem of the Norwegian Polar Institute said, “Looking back at the data we have from Zeppelin since the end of the 1980s, it seems like the increase is accelerating.” This year’s rise is less than the average yearly rise of 2 ppm, largely due to a reduction in industrial output and fossil fuel combustion. Carbon concentrations at Svalbard typically peak in April due to CO2 released from decomposing plants in the winter, and decline again when plant growth resumes in springtime in the northern hemisphere.

For additional information see: Reuters

UAW, Automakers Urge Congress to Let EPA Set New Emissions Rules

On March 15, the United Autoworkers Union (UAW) urged Congress to reject efforts to prevent the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from regulating greenhouse gases (GHGs) under the Clean Air Act. In a letter to Congress, the UAW’s legislative director Alan Reuther wrote, “The UAW also is deeply concerned that overturning EPA's endangerment finding would unravel the historic agreement on one national standard for fuel economy and greenhouse gas emissions for light-duty vehicles that was negotiated by the Obama administration last year.” The agreement was forged in May 2009 between states, the federal government, and automakers to stick to a single national emission standard for carbon dioxide from vehicles to prevent incurring extra costs to accommodate different levels of state regulation. If EPA is barred from moving forward on regulations, states like California will be able to go ahead with their own levels of regulations. Reuther also warned that the National Highway Traffic Safety Administration (NHTSA), which sets corporate average fuel economy requirements, could also be delayed from setting its standards by month's end if the EPA cannot go forward. NHTSA was planning on raising corporate fleet averages to 34.1 miles per gallon to become effective for 2016 model year cars.

On March 17, Detroit's Big Three automakers, Toyota Motor Corp., and six other automakers urged Congress not to bar the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) from setting the first-ever limits on tailpipe emissions. The Alliance of Automobile Manufacturers sent a letter to Congressional leaders urging them to reject efforts led by Sen. Lisa Murkowski (R-AK) to overturn the EPA's finding that greenhouse gas emissions are a danger to public health. Dave McCurdy, the alliance's president and CEO, warned that a deal reached last May between the White House, automakers and 13 states, led by California, would "collapse" if the EPA decision is overturned. Under the deal, California and the other states agreed not to set their own tailpipe emissions standards if the federal government imposed national limits starting in the 2012 model year. Automakers got more flexibility and a slower ramp-up under the federal rules to reach a 30 percent reduction in emissions by the 2016 model year. Congress should not reject the EPA regulation, McCurdy said. Instead, he continued, Congress should move to make "a national program permanent for 2017 and beyond."

For additional information see: Detroit News , Motortrend , Detroit News

Bill Clinton Rallies Senate Democrats on Climate Bill

On March 16, former President Bill Clinton told Senate Democrats that tackling climate change is key to growing the nation’s economy and its position in the global marketplace. His remarks were directed to moderate Democrats currently considering an energy only bill instead of a climate policy. Clinton repeatedly referenced polling data showing public support for a comprehensive climate bill. The move comes as three senators —John Kerry (D-MA), Lindsey Graham (R-SC), and Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) — work to present a comprehensive climate bill in the coming weeks. “President Clinton came to the caucus, and in his matter-of-fact, substantive way, he talked about climate change,” said Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) “We know that we have to do something with energy. The issue before us is how do we do it?” Reid is currently deciding whether to move forward with an energy only bill ready from the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee or to amend the bill with climate provisions. Regarding Clinton’s speech, Kerry said, “He was very strong about it and that we need to price carbon in the effort to get the money flowing to help to transform the economy.”

For additional information see: Politico , Bloomberg , Roll Call

New Jersey Governor Seeks CO2 Revenue to Close Budget Gap

On March 17, Governor Chris Christie announced his intention to use funds from carbon dioxide (CO2) permit auctions in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) to help close his state’s $10.7 billion deficit. RGGI is a 10 state carbon trading program for power plants that sells pollution rights at quarterly auctions. New Jersey has received $64.5 million of the $582 million raised by the regional carbon trading program in the seven auctions held since September 2008. The diversion of funds does not represent “an abandonment of our interest in alternative energy,” Christie said. Democrats in the legislature, however, will likely fight Christie’s “short-sighted decision,” said Bob Smith, chairman of the state Senate’s Environment and Energy Committee. Smith said lawmakers will look for other ways to save money because the projects funded by the auctions create jobs and cut pollution.

For additional information see: Bloomberg , Reuters , NJ.com

Colorado Legislature Backs Bill to Cut Emissions from Coal Plants

On March 16, Colorado Governor Bill Ritter urged state lawmakers to back a framework for retiring or retrofitting coal-fired power plants, arguing it would likely be cheaper in the long run than reacting to a series of expected new emission rules from the federal government. Gov. Ritter said the costs of maintaining existing coal plants, which are at least 40 years old, would also grow if the federal government puts a price on carbon. Changes are coming regardless of whether Colorado decides to act now, he continued, "It's only a question of whether we do it smarter." Members of the House Transportation and Energy Committee voted 10-1 to endorse the bill, the Colorado Clean Air-Clean Jobs Act, sending it on to the Appropriations Committee to review its costs. The legislation would require the state's two investor-owned utilities to cut emissions by at least 70 percent at some of its power plants over the next seven years. The firms would have to give priority to replacing old plants with ones fueled by natural gas, but they would also be able to consider using efficiency improvements and other cleaner energy sources, such as burning beetle-killed trees, or renewable energy. All the plans are subject to approval by the Public Utilities Commission, which will consider how much the transition would increase electric bills, particularly for low-income customers.

For additional information see: Denver Daily News , Daily Sentinel , AP

Drilling Leases on Hold in Montana over Climate Change

On March 18, U.S. District Judge Donald Molloy in Missoula, Montana, issued a judgment ordering the government to suspend 38,000 acres of oil and gas leases in Montana so it can gauge how oil and gas field activities contribute to climate change. Plaintiffs for the case — Montana Environmental Information Center, the Oil and Gas Accountability Project and Wild Earth Guardians — sued the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) over the lease issuances on the basis that the drilling industry allows too much waste and uses inefficient technologies that could easily be updated. The issue at hand is the industry practice of venting excess methane from wells instead of capturing and using it. Such practices are estimated by the Environmental Protection Agency to contribute 23 percent of U.S. methane emissions and 2 percent of total greenhouse gas emissions. Reviewing oil and gas leases for climate change impact would be a first for the BLM, and currently there is no protocol for what such a review would constitute.

For additional information see: Washington Post

Open Letter from U.S. Scientists on the IPCC

On March 13, over 250 U.S. scientists issued an open petition to federal agencies stating their views on the overall validity and integrity of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) Fourth Assessment Report (AR4). The letter reaffirmed the consensus presented in the AR4 that “warming of the climate system is unequivocal” and that “most of the observed increase in global average temperatures since the mid-twentieth century is very likely due to observed increase in anthropogenic greenhouse gas concentrations.” The writers addressed recent attacks on the validity of the report and climate science generally. They lamented two papers found to have mistakes regarding Himalayan glacial retreat and flood risk in the Netherlands, qualifying that these two mistakes do not undermine the aforementioned conclusion or broadly implicate the other papers cited as suspect. The letter also explained the careful process for citing non-peer reviewed literature and the fully transparent documented process of crafting each portion of the report. So far the letter has been signed by over 250 leading researchers and scientists from universities and institutions in the United States.

For additional information see: Petition

U.S. Chamber Petitions EPA to Reconsider Greenhouse Gas Endangerment Finding

On March 15, the U.S. Chamber of Commerce (COC) petitioned the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to reconsider its endangerment finding for greenhouse gases (GHGs), which legally requires the agency to develop regulations to reduce GHG emissions. The COC chief legal officer Steven Law said, “The Chamber believes that the right way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere is through bipartisan legislation and comprehensive international agreements. The wrong way is through the EPA's endangerment finding, which triggers Clean Air Act regulation." The chamber is currently engaged in one of the 16 different lawsuits against the EPA regarding its endangerment finding. Law also voiced the concern that “[t]he EPA has admitted that such an unprecedented regulatory expansion would 'paralyze' and 'overwhelm' permitting authorities, leaving businesses waiting months or even years to get the permits they need to keep operating."

EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson has repeatedly stated that any regulation to be initiated by the EPA would be gradual to allow firms and regulators to prepare necessary changes and not overwhelm the regulatory capacity of the EPA. Jackson has also made repeated references to the fact that the biggest emitters would be regulated first, with smaller emitters coming under regulation in a minimum of five years later.

For additional information see: New York Times , Environmental Leader , E&E News ,

Australia '0.7 Degrees Warmer Over Past 50 Years’

On March 15, Australia’s top scientists from the Commonwealth Scientific & Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) released a report showing Australia’s average temperature has risen 0.7°C since 1960. Some areas of the country saw temperature rises of 1.5 to 2°C. The report further revealed that warming occurred most during spring months and least during summer months. Rainfall patterns were seen to change, with rainfall increasing in parts of Northern and Central Australia and decreasing across southern and eastern parts. "We are seeing significant evidence of a changing climate. We are warming in every part of the country during every season and as each decade goes by, the records are being broken," said Megan Clark, head of CSIRO.

For additional information see: AFP , The Australian , India Times , Scientific American

Carbon Traders Voice Fears over Recycled Carbon Credits

On March 18, the European Commission announced that it will suspend the process for surrendering certified emissions reductions (CERs) from March 19 until new rules are applied in August. The move followed concerns that surfaced after reused CERs appeared on the French spot exchange BlueNext this week. Hungary said last week it sold almost 2 million United Nations’ CERs that had already been turned in for compliance in the European Union (EU). That triggered concern that investors may be stuck with offsets that are no longer valid in the EU’s cap and trade program. The re-entry of already-used credits has shaken the “credibility and integrity” of carbon markets, BlueNext spokesman Keiron Allen said.

For additional information see: Guardian , Reuters , Bloomberg ,

Climate Scientists Feel 'Muzzled' by Canadian Government

On March 15, a newly released analysis examining the impact of Canada’s federal communications policy found a dramatic reduction in media coverage on climate change. Instituted in 2007 by the Harper administration, the policy requires senior federal scientists at Environment Canada (EC) to seek permission from the government prior to giving an interview. Further, in many cases written responses to pre-interview questions require approval of supervisors. The analysis was conducted by EC but leaked as a result of an investigation by Climate Action Network Canada. EC's report criticized the policies as stifling to scientists trying to bridge the public relations gap, especially since the majority of journalists do not have the time to wait through bureaucratic approvals. It noted media coverage of climate change dropped 80 percent since the policy was enacted. The EC noted that four prominent climate scientists appeared in 99 clippings over the first nine months of 2007 compared to 12 during the same time period in 2008. The EC commented in a statement, "[t]he new policy merely assures that communications with the media are co-ordinated, to achieve the goals set out above — namely, quick, accurate and consistent responses across Canada."

For additional information see: Montreal Gazette , Guardian

Number of High Arctic Species Declining

On March 17, a report released by the United Nations and other groups concluded that the overall number of animals in the Arctic has increased over the past 40 years, but those that live closest to the North Pole are disappearing. The report found that birds, mammals and fish have increased by about 16 percent since 1970. The number of geese has about doubled and marine mammals, including certain whales, are also rebounding. Species in what is called the High Arctic dropped by a quarter between 1970 and 2004. “What we're seeing is that there are winners and losers with rapid changes in the Arctic," said Mike Gill, a Canadian government researcher and study co-author. There is not enough evidence yet to blame global warming for the loss of species, but what is happening, is "largely in line with what would be predicted with climate change," Gill continued.

For additional information see: AP , Times Online , CBC

Reduction in Solar Radiation Not Enough to Stop Warming

A study published in the March issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters concluded that even the most extreme decrease in solar irradiation will at most slow planetary warming by 0.3°C by the end of the century. This news comes from a study headed by Georg Feulner at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Research. The sun is known to go through cycles of stronger and weaker radiation, typically on a period of 11 years. As was the case during a period of time known as the Little Ice Age from 1645-1715, the sun enters an extended period of low output. The authors point out, however, that even the most drastic potential cooling effect the sun could produce in the coming century would at best cool the earth by only 0.3°C. The maximum total change possible in solar energy output is around 0.25 percent. The net planetary warming effect will remain positive due to the much stronger effect of anthropogenic greenhouse gases. "This shows that any changes in the sun, even large changes, will only have a small impact in offsetting that warming," Feulner said.

For additional information see: Reuters , Blooomberg , Discovery News , Europa

Aquatic 'Dead Zones' Contributing to Climate Change

A study published in the March 12 issue of the journal Science showed that oxygen-poor coastal dead zones increase the production of nitrous oxide (N20), a potent greenhouse gas that also harms the ozone layer. Coastal dead zones are the result of excess fertilizer and manure runoff from agricultural operations which ultimately end up in the oceans. The two act to amplify algal growth which in turn drains oxygen out of the water as the algae die and decay. This prevents larger organisms from surviving, and has been observed to severely damage coastal ecosystems. As explained by lead author Dr. Lou Codispoti of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, “As the volume of hypoxic waters move towards the sea surface and expands along our coasts, their ability to produce the greenhouse gas nitrous oxide increases. With low-oxygen waters currently producing about half of the ocean's net nitrous oxide, we could see an additional significant atmospheric increase if these 'dead zones' continue to expand."

For additional information see: ScienceDaily , Science Magazine

Ocean Fertilization Has Poisonous Side Effect

A study published in the March 15 issue of the journal Proceedings of the National Academies of Science concluded that ocean fertilization has the unintended side effect of increasing levels of the deadly poison domoic acid, produced by a species of plankton. Ocean fertilization involves the mass-dumping of iron filings into ocean water to stimulate algal growth, with the goal of trapping carbon dioxide within the algae as they die and sink to the ocean floor. The study tested the poison-producing algae of the genus Pseudonitzschia under iron fertilization conditions, finding that the algae bloomed at a rate much faster than the average for other types of algae. Further, the amount of poison produced per individual algae went up. The poison can adversely affect marine birds and prevents shell-fishing operations when found in coastal waters. Study leader William Cochlan of San Francisco University commented, “We saw some literature going around with claims like 'there is no indication of toxicity to sea life - well, if you don't measure it, of course there's no indication, and we have to keep that kind of legalese out of science.”

For additional information see: San Francisco Chronicle , BBC , AFP , New York Times

Deep-Sea Volcanoes Play Role in Ocean Carbon Sequestration

A study published in the March 14 issue of Nature Geoscience concluded that deep sea volcanoes play a mitigating role in climate change. The large volumes of iron vented into the ocean from the deep sea vents plays a critical role in algal growth, leading to a net sequestration of greenhouse gases as the microscopic organisms die and sink to the deep ocean floor. The study focused on the chains of underwater volcanoes that emerge at tectonic plate boundaries under the massive Southern Ocean. The Southern Ocean is located between Australia and Antarctica and is responsible for the largest portion of the ocean’s total removal of carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The study showed the iron emission rates of these volcanoes to be relatively constant over time and to be on average responsible for 5 – 15 percent of total Southern Ocean carbon sequestration, with some locations peaking at 30 percent.

For additional information see: Reuters , Nature