Climate Change News - March 29, 2010

Climate Bill Likely to Come in April, Trio of Senators Say; Support for Action This Year

On March 25, Sen. John Kerry (D-MA), in collaboration with Joseph Lieberman (I-CT) and Lindsey Graham (R-SC), indicated that climate legislation they have been developing will likely be released to the public in April following the Congressional recess. The three senators have spent the past two weeks sharing an 8-page outline of a bill to other senators and business groups. Graham provided some details of the legislation, which will include sector-specific emission limits for power plants starting in 2012, followed by limits for manufacturers four years later. The senators will propose recycling all revenue generated by the sale of the utility industry's allowances back to consumers through local distribution companies. In addition, there will be a “price collar” placed on the allowances to provide industries with some certainty, the senators said.

On March 19, 22 Democratic senators wrote a letter to Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) urging him to take up energy and climate legislation this year that focused on “jobs and reduced dependence on foreign oil.” Signatories included Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Maria Cantwell (D-WA) and several coal-state Democrats. “We recognize that achieving agreement in the Senate will be a challenge, but across the country, Americans are coming together behind this effort,” the letter read. Reid’s office did not comment on the letter, but following a meeting with Senate Democrats last week, Reid said, “We know we have to do something. The issue before us is how do we do it?”

For additional information see: Bloomberg , Politico , AFP , New York Times

EPA Proposes to Add Sources to Greenhouse Gas Reporting System

On March 23, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced new rules that would expand the number and types of industries required to report greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions. The original rule was issued in October 2009 and required 31 industries covering 85 percent of total U.S. GHG emissions to report their emissions. The modification to the ruling will require reporting from oil and natural gas producers as well as industries that emit fluorinated gases or inject carbon dioxide (CO2) underground. Oil and gas producers emit a large amount of GHGs from the flaring, release, or leakage of methane. Methane is around 20 times more potent than CO2 and fluorinated gases are even stronger GHGs.

“Gathering this information is the first step toward reducing greenhouse emissions and fostering innovative technologies for the clean energy future,” said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. “It’s especially important to track potent gases like methane, which traps more than 20 times as much heat as carbon and accelerates climate change. Once we know where we must act, American innovators and entrepreneurs can develop new technologies to protect our atmosphere and fight climate change.”

For additional information see: EPA , Bloomberg , New York Times , Calgary Herald ,

States Sue EPA to Stop Greenhouse Gas Rules

On March 19, 16 states asked the U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia to review EPA's determination that greenhouse gases (GHGs) endanger human health and welfare. That finding came in response to a 2007 U.S. Supreme Court ruling which found that the agency has the authority to regulate the heat-trapping emissions using the Clean Air Act (CAA). The court has consolidated the 16 petitions challenging EPA's endangerment finding into one lawsuit, Coalition for Responsible Regulation Inc., et al., v. EPA. EPA's challengers are hopeful that the appeals court will hear their arguments, but some environmental attorneys are confident that the court will dismiss the case because the finding itself does not impose any immediate regulations. Rather, those experts say, the legal battle over EPA's climate policies could take place after the agency finalizes its first greenhouse gas rules, which are due out this month. EPA spokeswoman Adora Andy said, "EPA is confident the finding will withstand legal challenge, allowing the agency to protect the American people from the significant dangers posed by greenhouse gases and carbon pollution."

For additional information see: New York Times , Reuters

DOE, USDA, and NSF Launch Joint Climate Change Prediction Research Program

On March 22, the Department of Energy (DOE), in conjunction with the Department of Agriculture (USDA) and the National Science Foundation (NSF), announced the launch of a joint research program to produce high-resolution models for predicting climate change and its resulting impacts. The program, called Decadal and Regional Climate Prediction Using Earth System Models (EaSM), is designed to generate models that are significantly more powerful than existing ones, and thereby helping decisionmakers develop better adaptation strategies to address climate change. “The impacts of energy production and use on climate and the impacts of a changing climate on our future energy infrastructure are among the most critical challenges facing the Department of Energy,” said Dr. William F. Brinkman, Director of DOE’s Office of Science. “This research will help us better understand how much our climate is changing and what that will mean at both a global and regional level over the next few decades.” The joint solicitation for EaSM proposals enables the three partner agencies to combine resources and fund the highest impact projects without duplicating efforts. The President has requested approximately $50 million in his FY 2011 budget for the EaSM project.

For additional information see: DOE

NASA Draft Analysis Finds Global Temperatures Rising Steadily in Past Decade

On March 21, draft analysis of temperature data released by NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies found that global warming has neither stopped nor slowed in the past decade. The analysis, led by Dr. Jim Hansen, director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, found that global temperatures over the past decade have "continued to rise rapidly," despite large year-to-year fluctuations associated with the tropical El Niño-La Niña cycles. The analysis also predicted, assuming current El Niño conditions hold, that 2010 will go down in history as the hottest year on record despite an unusually snowy winter in the Northern Hemisphere.

For additional information see: Daily Climate , NASA Press Release

Study: California's Climate Change Plan Will Not Hurt Economy

On March 23, a report released by the California Air Resources Board (CARB) found that California’s overall economy will not suffer, and that many parts will in fact prosper, under the state’s Global Warming Solutions Act (AB 32). Under the law, the state's emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases (GHGs) would have to decline 15 percent by 2020. The report, which takes into account the current economic downturn, concludes that California's gross state product will grow to $2.5 trillion over the next decade, only 0.2 percent less than it would without the legislation. Jobs will grow to 18.4 million -- 0.1 percent more than without the law, the report also found. "This shows we can implement the law and that growth in the California economy will be large and unabated," said CARB Chairwoman Mary D. Nichols, who acknowledged that "shifting the economy away from fossil fuels and toward more renewable energy means that some businesses, including green technology, will benefit, while others will see their costs go up.” Critics of the CARB projections reiterated their skepticism, however, and touted their own commissioned studies that predict more dire effects, particularly for small businesses. A group that includes the California Chamber of Commerce, the California Manufacturers & Technology Assn. and various other companies supported a report released in July 2009 by California State University, Sacramento, which found that implementing the climate law could cost California 485,000 jobs by 2020, a sharp contrast to CARB’s finding that the law would yield a net increase of 10,000 jobs.

For additional information see: Reuters , San Francisco Chronicle , LA Times , Bloomberg

France Backs Down on Carbon Tax

On March 23, the French government, led by President Nicolas Sarkozy of the conservative UMP party, withdrew a planned carbon tax that had been the cornerstone of Sarkozy’s environmental agenda. Had the tax been instituted, France would have become the first large economy to tax carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The Parliamentary leader of the governing UMP party, Jean-Francois Cope, stated that any carbon tax “would be Europe-wide or not (exist) at all.” The tax had been rejected by a French court last year on the basis that the proposed rule contained too many exemptions for polluters and that a minority of consumers would bear the burden. Earlier this month the European Commission indicated it was planning a minimum tax on CO2 across the European Union (EU), though the UK opposes such a move. French Prime Minister François Fillon said the country’s environmental policy needed to be “better coordinated with the European Union,” particularly so that French companies do not lose ground against their German counterparts. EU wide implementation of a carbon tax would require the joint approval of all 27 member countries.

For additional information see: New York Times , Financial Times , AFP , BBC

Canada Reports Mildest Winter on Record

On March 19, Environment Canada reported that Canada had recorded the mildest and driest winter on record. The agency, which compiled data from 1948, determined the average temperature throughout the country was 4°C above normal. Meteorologist Andre Cantin said the country also saw 20 percent less precipitation than normal, also a record. El Nino, the climate pattern in the Pacific Ocean that influences global weather, was likely responsible for the unusual weather, according to Cantin, who noted that changes in climate may also have played a role. David Phillips, a senior climatologist with Environment Canada, warned that "the winter that wasn't" may have set the stage for potentially "horrific" water shortages, insect infestations and wildfires this summer.

For additional information see: Vancouver Sun , Montreal Gazette

Slowing Vessels Could Cut Shipping Industry Emissions 33 Percent

On March 24, the Brussels-based environmental ground Seas At Risk issued a report detailing the ability of the global shipping industry to reduce its greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 33 percent by slowing down the speed of shipping vessels. The shipping industry accounts for roughly three percent of total global (GHG) emissions. The most common argument against slowing down the speed of the shipping industry is that it would require a larger fleet to accommodate the flow of goods. The economic downturn, however, has left the shipping fleet with a large excess capacity. The study also pointed out that the reductions in speed remain within safety parameters for operation and engine health, thus requiring no retrofitting of equipment. Generally, even a modest 10 percent reduction in speed correlated with a 19 percent reduction in GHGs per unit distance travelled. “The industry has to some extent already started slow steaming, but the potential for GHG emission reductions is huge,” said John Maggs, policy advisor with Seas At Risk.

For additional information see: Reuters , Environmental Leader , Press Release ,

Coal Company Pursues Technology to Capture CO2 in Cement

On March 22, Peabody Energy Corp. announced that it will buy a $15 million equity interest in Calera Corp., a company that recently claimed to have developed a new method of turning carbon dioxide (CO2) from industrial boiler flue gas into synthetic limestone, valuable for making cement. The technology would potentially reduce greenhouse gas emissions from the many coal-fired plants owned by Peabody Energy. Calera has a pilot project up and running that captures 86 percent of the CO2 from flue gas siphoned off a natural gas-fired electricity generator. Barriers to commercial-scale development of the technology include disposing of the acid produced by the process and scaling up the whole operation to produce durable cement. "Calera's emerging technology represents an innovative solution to advance our energy, environmental and economic goals by recycling carbon dioxide into beneficial building products," said Frederick D. Palmer, Peabody's senior vice president.

For additional information see: St. Louis Post-Dispatch , New York Times , AP

Cities Affected More by Carbon Dioxide 'Domes'

A study published in the March 10 issue of Environmental Science & Technology concluded that cities experience domes of higher concentration carbon dioxide (CO2) that may increase mortality in the dome region. Authored by Mark Jacobson, professor of Civil and Environmental Engineering at Stanford University, the study showed that the higher concentrations of CO2 in urban areas is on average 38-43 percent higher than in rural regions, with the difference peaking at 75 percent. These higher CO2 emissions lead to higher concentrations of ozone and particulate matter causing 50-100 and 300-1000 deaths per year in California and the United States each year, respectively.

For additional information see: Financial Times , Epoch Times , Study Abstract ,

Prescribed Burns May Help Reduce U.S. Carbon Footprint

A study published in the February 11 issue of Environmental Science and Technology found that widespread prescribed burns might have slashed fire-related carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions in 11 Western states by an average of 18 to 25 percent between the years 2001 and 2008, and by as much as 60 percent in some forest systems. Increasingly, forest managers are setting so-called "prescribed" fires to clear out underbrush and small trees that, if left to accumulate, can quickly escalate a single spark into a raging blaze. Because wildfires are much more intense than prescribed fires, they often kill many old-growth trees that store the most carbon, releasing even more CO2 emissions. "If we reintroduce fires into our ecosystems, we may be able to protect larger trees and significantly reduce the amount of carbon released into the atmosphere by major wildfires," said Christine Wiedinmyer, a scientist with the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) and the study's lead author. The authors cautioned, however, that the emissions savings presented an "upper limit" scenario in which prescribed burning is used in all suitable forest types, such as dry Douglas fir and ponderosa pine. Prescribed fire use is often more limited because it can be controversial, prohibitively expensive, impractical and even dangerous. Yet, as Weidinmyer continued, "Fires are going to burn in the forests in the western United States. It's partly up to us to decide how we want that to occur."

For additional information see: ScienceDaily , New York Times , UPI

National Academies Report: Better Greenhouse Gas Estimating Needed

On March 19, a report by the National Research Council concluded that satellite and monitor improvements could allow independent monitoring of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions within five years. "The world's nations are moving toward agreements that will bind us together in an effort to limit future greenhouse gas emissions," began the report, “Verifying Greenhouse Gas Emissions: Methods to Support International Climate Agreements”. The report concluded that monitoring by satellites and self-reports from nations, however, is not sufficient to check whether nations are cheating on any such agreements. By focusing on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions and deforestation measures, the report found that each nation's emissions could be estimated to within 10 percent, with relatively modest costs.

For additional information see: USA Today , National Academies Press Release

Study Finds Meat, Dairy Diet Not Tied to Global Warming

On March 22, a report presented before the American Chemical Society concluded that lower consumption of meat and dairy products will not have a major impact in combating global warming. "We certainly can reduce our greenhouse gas production, but not by consuming less meat and milk," said author Frank Mitloehner, an air quality expert at the University of California-Davis. "Smarter animal farming, not less farming, will equal less heat," he said. Rather than focusing on producing and eating less meat, Mitloehner suggested that developed countries "should focus on cutting our use of oil and coal for electricity, heating and vehicle fuels."

This new evidence counters a 2006 UN report, Livestock's Long Shadow , which concluded that meat production was responsible for 18 percent of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions – more than the transportation sector. The 18 pecent figure was calculated by aggregating all GHG emissions associated with meat production from farm to table, including fertilizer production, land clearance, methane emissions from the animals' digestion, and vehicle use on farms. Yet, as Dr. Mitloehner pointed out, the UN authors did not calculate transport emissions in the same way, instead just using the IPCC's figure, which only included fossil fuel burning. This resulted in an “apple and oranges” comparison that truly confused the issue, according to Dr. Mitloehner. A UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) livestock policy officer, Pierre Gerber, said that he accepted Dr. Mitloehner's criticism. FAO is now working on a much more comprehensive analysis of emissions from food production, Mr. Gerebr said. It should be complete by the end of the year and allow comparisons between diets, including meat and those that are exclusively vegetarian.

For additional information see: Washington Times , Yahoo , BBC

Wind Contributing to Arctic Sea Ice Loss, Study Finds

A study published in the March 22 issue of the journal Geophysical Research Letters concluded that roughly one third of the loss in Arctic sea ice can be attributed to changes in the region's swirling wind patterns. While lead author Masayo Ogi of the Japan Agency for Marine-Earth Science and Technology in Yokohama made clear the significant impact global warming has played in decreasing the coverage of Arctic sea ice, she did note that the findings might decrease the likelihood of the Arctic having passed a tipping point of being ice-free within a decade. The study found that years of highest ice loss coincided strongly with changes in wind patterns, such as summertime winds that blow counterclockwise around the Beaufort Sea. Ice was likely blown through the Fram Strait between Greenland and the Norwegian Island of Svalbard leading to the warm waters of the Atlantic, the study concluded.

For additional information see: Guardian

Rising Sea Levels Claim Island at Center of Border Dispute

On March 25, a dispute over a low-lying island in the Bay of Bengal between India and Bangladesh was put to rest when the island finally disappeared under the waves due to rising sea levels. Scientists confirm that the New Moore Island is now visible only at the low tide minimum and is no longer considered dry land. Professor Sugata Hazra of the School of Oceanographic Studies at the Jadavpur University in Calcutta pointed out that sea level had been rising in the bay at about three millimeters per year until 2000 when that number increased to five millimeters per year. Professor Hazra predicts that 15 percent of the Indian Sundarbans region on the northern shore of the Bay of Bengal will be submerged by 2020. “The rate of sea-level rise in this part of the northern Bay of Bengal is definitely attributable to climate change,” Harza said. “It also goes to show how climate can affect all of us beyond geographical boundaries.”

For additional information see: AFP , Times of India , Syndey Morning Herald , AP

Soils Emitting More Carbon Dioxide

On March 24, an analysis published in Nature found that soils around the globe have increased their emissions of carbon dioxide (CO2) over the past few decades. The findings, which are based on an analysis of 439 studies, match predictions that increasing temperatures will cause a net release of CO2 from soils by triggering microbes to speed up their consumption of plant debris and other organic matter. The researchers found that soil respiration had increased by about 0.1 percent per year between 1989 and 2008, the span when soil measurement techniques had become standardized. In 2008, the global total reached roughly 98 billion tons, about 10 times more CO2 than humans are now putting into the atmosphere each year. The change within soils "is a slow increase, but the absolute number is so large, even a small percentage increase is quite a bit," said Ben Bond-Lamberty, a research scientist at the University of Maryland's Joint Global Change Research Institute.

The extra soil emissions could come from two types of sources: microbes and plants. If plant roots are emitting more CO2, the additional flux could be balanced by increasing rates of photosynthesis, resulting in no net increase in atmospheric CO2. In contrast, warming soils could prompt microbes to break down old sources of carbon that have been locked away for a long time. This would cause a net increase in the atmosphere's store of CO2. Although the study shows an increase in respiration, it cannot distinguish between the two potential causes.

For additional information see: Nature , Study Abstract

April 15: Reducing Energy Use through Appliance Standards

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing on the economic and environmental impacts of minimum appliance and equipment efficiency standards. This briefing will examine how appliance standards affect consumers, economic competitiveness, and the environment. Speakers will also discuss appliance standards legislation pending before the Congress and the relationship among standards, labeling, incentives, and R&D. This briefing will take place on Thursday, April 15, 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 Ellen Vaughan at (202) 662-1893 or evaughan[at] eesi.org.