Climate Change News - October 8, 2012

Presidential Candidates Avoid Climate Change in First Debate

Despite lobbying from nine environmental organizations and a petition with over 160,000 signatures, there was no question about climate change asked at the debate, and neither President Obama nor Governor Romney mentioned it. A Bloomberg poll conducted September 21-24 found that 26 percent of Republicans accept anthropogenic climate change, contrasted with 78 percent of Democrats and 56 percent of independents, less than the 80 percent of independents found by a recent poll by Yale and George Mason Universities (see October 1 issue).

For additional information see: San Francisco Chronicle , The Hill , Bloomberg

Fifth Presidential Climate Action Project Report Released

On October 2, 2012, the Presidential Climate Action Project (PCAP) released their 2012 Action Plan Report recommending programs and policies that the next President of the United States should take to combat climate change and build a clean energy economy. The 2012 report is the fifth in a series of reports issued since PCAP’s inception in 2007 and focuses on “overarching and systemic changes” that the President should pursue to improve the energy and climate security of the United States. The report contains 10 recommendations on how the President of the United States can use executive authority and leadership to mitigate global climate change. Some of the key proposals include: “Complete the Job of Pricing Carbon”; “Reform Federal Fiscal Policy for an Advanced Energy Economy”; “Make Sustainable Development a National Security Imperative”; and “Help the American People Envision an Advanced Energy Economy.” PCAP asserts that, “Energy and climate security are non-partisan issues. . .that solutions must serve the public interest rather than special interests. . .and that climate and energy security are extraordinarily urgent issues that require bold leadership and can no longer be ignored.” As such, PCAP believes that, “When Congress fails to act, the President must, with all the tools and powers he can legally use.”

For additional information see: PCAP Report

Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC Finds Increased Understanding of Climate Change in the U.S.

On October 1, Christina Figueres, the executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), expressed optimism that understanding of climate change science is increasing in the United States. “You see both trends – both understanding that the climate is changing and that it is manmade – both trends are moving in the right direction,” said Figueres at an International Emissions Trading Association conference. She added, “I think in general, skepticism around climate is abating.” Figueres cited recent extreme weather patterns across the country and the Arctic as drivers of this trend. In reference to the UNFCCC discussions to replace the Kyoto Protocol, Figueres said that there is “good progress, but not enough.” She continued, “We need further ambition, and above all, the science tells us that we need a higher speed.”

For additional information see: The Hill

Environmental Groups Attack Incumbents on Climate Records

As the November elections draw closer, some environmental groups are focusing their efforts on defeating nine Congressional members who are particularly opposed to climate and environmental policy. The League of Conservation Voters (LCV) has allotted $2 million to ensure that five incumbents, including Representatives Dan Benishek (R-MI), Ann Marie Buerkle (R-NY), Francisco Canseco (R-TX), Dan Lungren (R-CA), and Joe Walsh (R-IL), are not reelected. The LCV have dubbed the incumbents the “Flat Earth Five” for their rejection of climate science. In a similar vein, the Sierra Club is focusing on the Congressional reelection campaigns of “the toxic six”, for being too close to, and receiving money from, the oil and gas industries. Jeff Gohringer, a spokesman for the LCV, said, “What we are seeing now is that these members are actually being put on the spot for their positions on climate change." Environmental groups are continuing to support the public’s “hunger to hear from the candidates about what they are going to do about global warming," said Erich Pica, president of Friends of the Earth.

For additional information see: Guardian

California Still on Track to Link Emissions Trading Scheme with Quebec in 2013

According to Mary Nichols, chair of the California Air Resources Board (CARB), California still plans to link its Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), which begins in January, with Quebec’s nascent ETS in 2013. Speaking at the International Emissions Trading Association conference in Washington, D.C., Nichols said, “We are preparing the package for [California Governor Jerry Brown] to sign off on linkage, which should happen sometime this year.” Quebec and California are both members of the Western Climate Initiative, a regional ETS, and Quebec has a more ambitious greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction goal of a 20 percent decrease from 1990 levels by 2020, versus California’s goal of a return to 1990 levels by 2020. Linking with Quebec would expand the size of the California cap and trade market by 20 percent, which could increase market liquidity and provide businesses more flexibility to reduce emissions. Nichols said, ”We have come to agree it would be better to be part of a larger system.”

For additional information see: Reuters – 1 , Bloomberg , Reuters – 2

Australia Joins U.S.-led Coalition on Short-Lived Climate Pollutants

Australia announced on September 28 that it will join the Climate and Clean Air Coalition, becoming the 19th national government to join the coalition since its founding in February (see February 20 and September 3 issues). The U.S.-led coalition was established to cut short-lived climate pollutants such as black carbon, soot, and methane, which could give the world a little more time to deal with longer-lasting carbon dioxide emissions. Mark Dreyfus, Australia’s parliamentary secretary for climate change states, “The science suggests that acting quickly to reduce short-lived climate pollutants, which are more potent than carbon dioxide, has the potential to slow down warming by 2050.” The coalition aims to cut methane emissions from landfills and the oil and gas industry, promote alternatives to hydrofluorocarbons, reduce diesel emissions from trucks and engines, and cut black carbon emissions.

For additional information see: Reuters

Japan Implements New Carbon Tax

On October 1, Japan began taxing carbon emissions from fossil fuels as a result of a broad tax package passed by Japan’s Parliament in March. The tax is levied on petroleum, natural gas, coal, and other fossil fuels and amounts to 289 yen ($3.70) per tonne of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted. The tax will rise in stages until 2016 when it will settle at 780 yen ($10) per tonne for liquified petroleum and natural gases, 760 yen ($9.73) per kiloliter (264 gallons) for crude oil, and 670 yen ($8.58) per tonne for coal. The tax is expected to raise 39.1 billion yen ($500 million) in its first year and 262.3 billion yen ($3.36 billion) when the tax is raised to the maximum in 2016. The Japanese government states that the carbon tax revenues will be spent on clean energy and energy efficiency projects. When the full tax is implemented in 2016, the average Japanese household is expected to pay an additional 1200 yen [$15.37] per year. Yugo Nakamura, an analyst for Bloomberg New Energy Finance, stated that, “The tax translates to a gasoline price hike of less than 1 yen [$0.012] per liter [.26 gallons]. . .[having] little effect on suppressing demand.”

For additional information see: Bloomberg , Japan Times

EU Seeks to Curb Carbon Emissions from Shipping

The European Union (EU) is not satisfied with the rate at which the International Maritime Organization (IMO) is regulating carbon emissions from shipping. Although the IMO will implement an emissions standard for all new ships in 2015, in the interim the EU will conduct its own monitoring and is considering implementing a carbon tax. The proposed tax mirrors the controversial EU aviation tax which spurred other countries, including the United States, to pass legislation to prohibit domestic airlines from complying (see September 24 issue). It also isn’t stringent enough to please environmental groups who prefer a market-based solution. A joint statement issued by environmental groups Transport & Environment and Seas at Risk read, “The call for improved energy efficiency for existing ships is a welcome move and efforts should proceed in parallel at the EU and IMO level, but should not delay an early decision on an EU market-based measure.” Shipping accounts for three percent of global carbon emissions, and if left unregulated could reach 18 percent by 2050.

For additional information see: Reuters , European Commission

Study Reexamines the Drop in U.S. Carbon Emissions

U.S. carbon emissions have decreased nine percent since 2005. A study released October 2 by Climate Central estimates this is primarily attributed to the economic recession, and that it is unlikely to continue. Although natural gas and renewable energy usage is increasing, economic recovery and population growth are contributing to increased carbon emissions. “All things being equal, more people making more money means more carbon emissions,” asserts study author Dr. Eric Larson, a research engineer in the Energy Systems Analysis Group at Princeton University. Since the United States relies on fossil fuels for 80 percent of its energy supply, when economic growth increases the demand for energy, carbon emissions will spike. The report suggests that assuaging the trend will require increasing natural gas and renewable energy usage by 44 percent and 31 percent, respectively, to satisfy the forecasted 2035 electricity demand. It will also require implementing carbon capture and storage capabilities to coal plants.

For additional information see: New York Times , Climate Central

Ocean Acidification a Serious Threat to Marine Life

Earth’s oceans have absorbed nearly two-thirds of carbon dioxide emissions since the Industrial Revolution, and the impact of ocean carbon dioxide absorption is now being felt worldwide. Scientists estimate that ocean acidity has increased 30 percent since the Industrial Revolution, and at the current rate of emissions, acidity levels could double by 2100. Previous studies reveal that acidity impedes shell formation, internal skeletons, and reproduction capabilities of marine animals. Recent reports also suggest that acidity impairs neurological pathways in some marine species, impacting their decision making and behavior. Gretchen Hofmann, professor of marine biology at the University of California at Santa Barbara, calls it, “An all-hands-on-deck moment in our country, and it’s happening before our eyes.”

For additional information see: Washington Post , Scientific American – 1 , Scientific American – 2

Rise of Pests and Diseases in United States Linked to Warmer Winters

The long, mild winter, coupled with record-breaking heat and drought that struck the United States this year, coincided with rises in pests and disease outbreaks. West Nile, a virus carried by culex mosquitoes that flourish in warm, wet climates, reached 48 states causing 3,545 reported illnesses and 147 deaths. Scientists discovered that culex mosquitoes not only proliferate more rapidly in warmer weather, but also bite more often. Hantavirus, transmitted by rodent waste, is also being accelerated by warmer temperatures. Rodents that previously fell victim to cold winters out west are now able to survive mild winters, creating a population boom during summer months when mice look for food and homes, often in close proximity to humans. Micheal Oseterholm, director of the Center for Infectious Disease Research and Policy at the University of Minnesota believes that, “Climate cycles very clearly play a part in the outbreaks.” The spread of infectious diseases places an additional burden on the country’s public health system and outbreak response capabilities. In 2002, for example, the West Nile Virus caused $200 million in medical costs. Crops are also affected by climate induced-diseases. The potato-tomato psyllid, targeting over 40 crop varieties, transmits the “zebra disease” to potatoes. Due to rising temperatures, the pest is able to survive the winter without migrating. “If the season gets warmer earlier, that gives insects that much more time to develop, that much more time to eat a plant, that much more time to produce another generation,” said Peter Oboyski, an entomologist at University of California Berkeley. Companies refrain from buying contaminated potato crops because they alter the flavor and appearance of potato chips. UC Riverside entomologist John Trumble “suspect(s) that global warming is at least playing a role in this particular insect’s spread.” Similar outbreaks of pests and diseases are being reported across the globe.

For additional information see: Washington Post , USA Today , KQED

Lack of Oxygen Could Decrease Fish Size

Fish are expected to decrease in size up to 24 percent by 2050, according to new research published September 30 in Nature Climate Change. Dr. William Cheung, of the University of British Columbia, and a team of researchers modeled over 600 fish species from 2001 to 2050, monitoring the effects of rising ocean temperatures on growth and migration patterns. When exposed to warmer water, fish require more oxygen to fuel increased metabolic rates and sustain growth. However, warmer oceans suffer reduced oxygen levels, stunting fish growth. The reduction in fish size will have severe impacts on fishery yields, especially in tropical regions dependent on fish stocks for protein. Dr. Alan Baudron of the University of Aberdeen warns that, “Smaller individuals produce fewer and smaller eggs, which could affect the reproductive potential of fish stocks and could potentially reduce their resilience to other factors such as fishing pressure and pollution.” Fish will face additional stress from ocean acidification and limited nutrient availability, caused when warming ocean surfaces fail to mix with deep ocean water. Researchers estimate fish populations will migrate 36 km per decade towards the poles, where cooler waters are more oxygen and nutrient rich. The report reveals that the impacts of climate change on marine life will be greater than previously predicted, an outcome Dr. Cheung suggests “shows a very concerning future for the oceans and so it is very important to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and develop better fish management policies to adapt to these changes.”

For additional information see: Guardian , BBC

Plants Sequester Less Carbon under Elevated CO2 Levels Than Previously Thought

In a report published September 30 in Nature Science Change, researchers conclude that plant sequestration of carbon under elevated levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) is much lower than previously thought. Previous climate change models estimate that 30 percent of CO2 emitted by human activities are absorbed by plant's photosynthetic processes, providing a 'sink' for CO2 emissions which could increase as atmospheric CO2 levels rise. Yet, a study by ecologists Peter Reich and Sarah Hobbie at the University of Minnesota finds that other conditions will limit the increased sequestration potential. Researchers grew perennial grassland species under ambient and elevated concentrations of both atmospheric carbon dioxide and soil nitrogen to model atmospheric conditions in 2070. The study found that plants in elevated carbon dioxide levels grew half as much as their counterparts in enriched soil nutrient conditions, which according to Boston University biogeochemist Adrien Finzi suggests, "Soil resources and nitrogen limitations in particular can impose a major constraint on carbon storage in terrestrial ecosystems.”

For additional information see: Scientific American

Friday, October 12: Why China Is Acting on Clean Energy

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and the ChinaFAQs Project of the World Resources Institute (WRI) invite you to a briefing about the issues driving China’s renewable energy, energy efficiency, and climate policies. While China and the United States differ in important respects, they have some similar challenges and opportunities relating to energy. Both face economic, employment, energy security, and environmental challenges. The United States and China both cooperate and compete with each other on clean energy initiatives and technology. Speakers will discuss recent energy sector developments in China and bilateral relations, highlighting key factors driving China’s approach to clean energy and climate policy, and the resulting challenges and opportunities for U.S. efforts to develop clean energy and tackle climate change. This event will be held Friday, October 12, 2012, 11:00 a.m. – 12:30 p.m. in 385 Russell Senate Office Building. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required.