Climate Change News - November 9, 2009

Senate Panel Reports Climate Bill Out of Committee

On November 5, the Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee reported out the Clean Energy Jobs and American Power Act (S. 1733, CEJAPA) with 11 Democrats in favor and one, Sen. Max Baucus (D-MT), against. All seven Republicans boycotted the EPW markup of CEJAPA, arguing that they needed a full economic analysis of the bill by the Environmental Protection Agency before they could propose amendments. EPW Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) said, “We are pleased that despite the Republican boycott we have been able to move this bill forward . . . We found that, after questioning the EPA extensively, that the Republicans' demand for another EPA analysis now would be duplicative and a waste of taxpayer dollars.” CEJAPA will now move to the Senate floor, where Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) has said he intends to combine it with bills from five other Senate committees that have jurisdiction over energy and climate.

For additional information see: Wall Street Journal , Reuters , AFP

Climate Negotiations Conclude in Barcelona; Global Deal May Be Pushed to 2010

On November 6, the last set of negotiations before the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) Conference of the Parties in Copenhagen concluded in Barcelona. Delegates said after the Barcelona talks that the likelihood of producing a legally binding treaty in Copenhagen this December seems remote, although such a result may be possible in 2010. “I don’t think we can get a legally binding agreement by Copenhagen,” said UNFCCC Executive Secretary Yvo de Boer. “I think that we can get that within a year after Copenhagen.” One hurdle remaining is that China and the United States have yet to pledge specific emissions goals and Japanese and European delegates have indicated they may not put forward concrete funding proposals for developing nations until the end of the December summit. "A number from the president of the United States would have huge weight," de Boer said, looking to the United States to announce a clear emissions target for 2020.

For additional information see: Bloomberg , AP , Reuters , Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Bipartisan Senate Trio Crafting Compromise on Climate Legislation

On November 4, Sens. Kerry (D-MA), Lieberman (I-CT), and Graham (R-SC) announced their intention to work with the White House and other stakeholders to create a bipartisan energy and climate bill that can secure the 60 votes necessary to clear the Senate. The Senators indicated that this would be a separate effort from the work that the Senate committees are currently undertaking and would be merged with these efforts when Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) produces a final bill. Kerry explained, “Our effort is to try to reach out to broaden the base of support.” Graham said, “We're trying to find that sweet spot of a bill that will be good for the environment, good for business and make us energy independent.” Lieberman concluded, “The stakes are so high for the people of our planet, for the people of our country, for our children and grandchildren, that we will be held accountable by history unless we make every effort to find common ground.”

For additional information see: Washington Post , AP , Houston Chronicle

German Chancellor Addresses U.S. Congress on Climate Change

On November 3, German Chancellor Angela Merkel addressed a joint session of Congress on the 20th anniversary of the fall of the Berlin Wall. Merkel urged Congress to act and pass comprehensive climate legislation so the nations of the world could negotiate an international climate change agreement at the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference in Copenhagen this December. “The United States, Germany and countries around the world, I think, are all beginning to recognize why it is so important that we work in common in order to stem the potential catastrophe that can result if we continue to see global warming continue unabated,” she said. “Today's generation needs to prove that it is able to meet the challenges of the 21st century, and that, in a sense, we are able to tear down walls of today.”

For additional information see: UPI , AP , Spiegel , Los Angeles Times

Senator Stabenow Introduces Carbon Offsets Legislation

On November 4, Sen. Debbie Stabenow (D-MI) introduced the Clean Energy Partnerships Act (S. 2729), a bill that seeks to create partnerships between manufacturing, utilities, agriculture, and forestry sectors to establish a domestic carbon offsets program within a cap and trade bill. The legislation would provide financial incentives for agriculture and forestry sector efforts that reduce greenhouse gas emissions or enhance the storage of carbon. Stabenow’s bill also delegates oversight of these offsets to the U.S. Department of Agriculture. “We have the opportunity in this clean energy debate not only to protect the environment but to create jobs, and revitalize our economy,” Stabenow said in a statement. “That is what my bill does. It creates a partnership between our manufacturing and agricultural industries. It will encourage and reward conservation efforts by farmers and landowners while at the same time helping manufacturers make investments in advanced technology and jobs here at home.” The bill is co-sponsored by Sens. Max Baucus (D-MT), Amy Klobuchar (D-MN), Sherrod Brown (D-OH), Tom Harkin (D-IA), Mark Begich (D-AK), and Jeanne Shaheen (D-NH).

For additional information see: Senate Press Release

Survey: Economists See Threat in Climate Change

On November 3, the New York University School of Law’s Institute for Policy Integrity (IPI) released a new survey which found that 84 percent of economists polled believe that climate change poses a significant risk to the U.S. economy. IPI surveyed 289 economists who had published climate change-related studies in the top 25 economic journals over the past 15 years. Ninety-two percent of respondents wanted to set a price on carbon emissions through either a cap and trade program or a carbon tax. Ninety-four percent believed that the U.S. should negotiate an international agreement to curb greenhouse gas emissions. “An economist treehugger is an imaginary creature," said IPI’s Michael Livermore. “But we found that economists really see climate change poses a lot of risk to the economy.”

For additional information see: New York Times , Institute for Policy Integrity Press Release , USA Today

Export-Import Bank Establishes Carbon Policy

On November 3, the Export-Import Bank of the United States announced its adoption of a new carbon policy to guide its investment decisions. As part of the carbon policy, the Bank will establish a $250 million credit facility to finance renewable energy projects and work to improve the tracking and reporting of carbon emissions from its projects. “Adoption of the Bank's new Carbon Policy is an important first step,” said Export-Import Bank Chairman Fred P. Hochberg. “We want to help American manufacturers produce green technology for the world. This common sense approach is good for the environment. It's good for business, and it's good for American workers.”

For additional information see: Export-Import Bank Press Release , Industry Week , Environmental Finance

Companies Announce Formation of American Businesses for Clean Energy

On November 4, a group of companies, including several electric utilities, announced the creation of the lobbying group American Businesses for Clean Energy (ABCE). The group said it supports “Congressional enactment of clean energy and climate legislation that will significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions.” Founding companies include FPL Group, PNM Resources, Calpine, Gap, Aspen Skiing Co., and Deutsche Bank Climate Change Advisors. Members of ABCE say it will not delve into the fine details of legislation the way other associations do, but instead will focus on a simple message of support for congressional action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. “We know that leveraging each others' strengths will only help to drive this important work forward more quickly," said Gap Senior Director of Global Responsibility Kindley Walsh Lawlor.

For additional information see: Wall Street Journal , San Francisco Chronicle

Coal Plant in South Dakota Shelved Due to Climate Concerns

On November 2, the electric utility MDU Resources Group Inc. announced it will not build a planned coal-fired power plant in Milbank, South Dakota. In a press release, the four utilities that make up MDU said they were not moving forward with the project because no other partners would commit to it. “The project required additional participants to move forward; however, none have committed,” the partners said. Otter Tail Corp, the plant’s lead developer, withdrew from the project in September, citing economic concerns and the risk from prospective federal climate legislation. “We will now look at other supply options that are reliable and cost-beneficial for our customers. We have plans to expand our wind production by 30 megawatts in 2010 and will review other generation options,” said a MDU spokesman.

For additional information see: Star Tribune , Reuters , AP

EU Reaches Funding Deal on Climate Change

On October 30, European Union (EU) leaders concluded a two-day summit in Brussels during which they reached an agreement on funding for climate change adaptation for developing nations. The EU determined that developing nations will need 100 billion euros annually by 2020 to tackle climate change and have agreed to pay up to 50 billion euros a year as their share of the financial assistance. British Prime Minister Gordon Brown said, “The European Union and its member states are ready to contribute their fair share.” Swedish Prime Minister Fredrik Reinfeldt added that “the EU now has a very strong negotiating position” to take to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Conference of the Parties in Copenhagen this December. European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso warned other nations, “Our offer is not a blank check. We are ready to act, if our partners deliver.”

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

Snows of Kilimanjaro Shrinking Rapidly, Likely To Be Lost

A study published in the November 3 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences predicted that the ice cover of Mount Kilimanjaro in Africa will be gone by 2030. The study found that the ice cover has retreated 26 percent since 2000 and 85 percent since 1912. “Our understanding is that it is due to the slow drying out of ice," said co-author Georg Kaser. "It’s about moisture fluctuation.” Lead author Lonnie Thompson said that while the study’s results did not directly indicate that climate change is responsible, when all the available scientific data is taken into account, climate change emerges as the likely culprit. “It’s when you put those together that the evidence becomes very compelling,” he said.

For additional information see: New York Times , Science , The Telegraph

Expert Says Multiyear Arctic Ice Is Effectively Gone

On October 29, University of Manitoba Arctic System Science Research Chair David Barber said the Arctic Ocean’s multiyear ice is almost entirely gone, a development which will make polar shipping much easier. “We are almost out of multiyear sea ice in the northern hemisphere,” he said in a presentation after his expedition failed to find a multiyear ice pack. Barber asserted that this will allow polar shipping year round because thick, multiyear ice is the primary impediment to the use of the Arctic Ocean. “I would argue that, from a practical perspective, we almost have a seasonally ice-free Arctic now, because multiyear sea ice is the barrier to the use and development of the Arctic.”

For additional information see: Reuters

Report: 250,000 Children Could Die Annually as a Result of Climate Change

On November 2, Save the Children, a UK-based charity, released a new report titled “Feeling the Heat” which concluded that 250,000 children will die next year because of climate change impacts. The report asserted that climate change is the largest health threat to children in the 21st century. It estimated that 160 million children will catch malaria and over 900 million will be affected by water scarcity over the next generation. Annually, 175 million children will be affected by climate change by 2030. Save the Children Director of Policy David Mepham said, “This is not just Africa’s problem, it affects everyone. Global leaders need to act now to stop the needless deaths of millions of children.”

For additional information see: The Telegraph , The Guardian , UK Press

Up to 10 Percent of the Global Population Could Be Displaced by Climate Change by 2050

On November 3, the Environmental Justice Foundation released a new report called “Climate Refugees – No Place Like Home,” which estimated that climate change will result in the migration of up to 150 million climate refugees to other countries by 2050. Overall, 500-600 million people, or 10 percent of the global population, are at risk of displacement because of climate change over the coming years. The report said that 20 million people were temporarily displaced by climate-related natural disasters in 2008 and also predicted that 26 million people have already relocated. “Climate change impacts on homes and infrastructure, food and water and human health. It will bring about a forced migration on an unprecedented scale,” said Environmental Justice Foundation Director Steve Trent. “We must take immediate steps to reduce our impact on global climate, and we must also recognize the need to protect those already suffering along with those most at risk.”

For additional information see: Environmental Justice Foundation Report , The Guardian

North Atlantic Fish Populations Shifting As Ocean Temperatures Warm

On November 4, a study published in the journal Marine Ecology Progress Series found that roughly half of the 36 fish stocks in the North Atlantic have been moving north over the past four decades due to warmer ocean temperatures. Researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s Northeast Fisheries Science Center in Woods Hole, Massachusetts, also discovered that many commercially valuable fish stocks are no longer present in waters controlled by the United States. “During the last 40 years, many familiar species have been shifting to the north where ocean waters are cooler, or staying in the same general area, but moving into deeper waters than where they traditionally have been found,” said lead author Janet Nye. “They all seem to be adapting to changing temperatures and finding places where their chances of survival as a population are greater.”

For additional information see: Science , UPI

Study Finds Deforestation Is Smaller Part of Anthropogenic Emissions

A study published in the November 3 issue of the journal Nature Geoscience discovered that deforestation contributes less to climate change than originally believed. In their 4th Assessment in 2007, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change estimated that deforestation is responsible for 20 percent of anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions. The researchers concluded that deforestation actually accounts for 12 percent of global CO2 emissions. “It's a tough message because everybody would like to see forests better protected and it is difficult to tell them that carbon dioxide emissions are less important than assumed. Still, the good news of lower emissions is not bad news for the forests," lead author Guido van der Werf said.

For additional information see: The Guardian , Bloomberg

European Satellite Launched to Explore Global Warming Impact on Water

On November 2, the European Space Agency (ESA) launched a water tracking satellite that will help measure the effect of global warming on floods, hurricanes, and other extreme weather events. The satellite will calculate soil moisture and ocean surface salt levels, which will give scientists a better overall understanding of the hydrological cycle. This data is also expected to help meteorologists make better weather forecasts. “[The satellite] has long been awaited by climatologists who try to predict the long-term effects of today's climate change,” said ESA Earth Observations Program Director Volker Liebig. “The data collected will complement measurements already performed on the ground and at sea.”

For additional information see: Science , AFP , Irish Times , The Telegraph

November 10: Climate Change in Our World Photo Exhibit

In an effort to educate and inspire about climate change and its solutions, Gary Braasch brings 20 five-foot color photographs of climate change and its solutions today, to American Association for the Advancement of Sciences, 12th and H Streets, N.W., in Washington, D.C from November 10 - March 15, 2010. Accompanying this show of images from his book Earth Under Fire: How Global Warming is Changing the World is a teaching exhibit for kids and adults about how scientists learn about climate change, in association with Lynne Cherry. This show includes educational ideas for classrooms and Cherry's films about kids who are reducing their climate impact in school and their communities. Hours for the photo show at AAAS are weekdays 8:00 a.m. - 5:00 p.m. and other times by arrangement. Agencies, NGOs, local groups, and schools are encouraged to use the show to advance their educational and inspirational work. Washington-area friends are invited to the opening reception, Wednesday, November 18, from 5:00 - 7:00 p.m. For more information, please visit http://www.earthunderfire.com/pages/exhibit.html and http://www.youngvoicesonclimatechange.com.

November 18: Briefing on Energy and Behavior

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a Congressional briefing to discuss energy and behavior. The briefing will take place on Wednesday, November 18, from 3:00 - 4:30 p.m. in 2325 Rayburn House Office Building. More details will be posted at http://eesi.org/briefings.