Climate Change News
– September
1,
2006
Brought to you by the
Environmental and Energy Study Institute
Carol Werner, Executive Director
Dangerous
Climate Change Already Happening
In an interview with the BBC,
Dr. John Holdren, a top American scientist and president of
the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS)
as well as director of the Woods Hole Research Center and the
Teresa and John Heinz Professor of Environmental Policy at
Harvard University, said that the world has already entered a
state of dangerous climate change. Dr. Holdren said, "We
are not talking anymore about what climate models say might
happen in the future. We are experiencing dangerous human
disruption of the global climate and we're going to experience
more."
Dr. Holdren said if climate change
continues at its current rate, a sea level rise of 4 meters
(13 feet) this century was within the realm of
possibility—much higher than previous forecasts. BBC
also reported that Dr. Holdren blamed President Bush not only
for refusing to cut emissions, but also for failing to live up
to his rhetoric on harnessing technology to tackle climate
change. Dr. Holdren said, "We are not starting to address
climate change with the technology we have in hand, and we are
not accelerating our investment in energy technology research
and development." Dr. Holdren also said that in order to
make any progress on addressing dangerous climate change, US
funding for climate technology needed to multiply by three or
four times.
Click on the following links for
the full news stories: BBC and
AAAS
California Passes Mandatory Cap on GHG Emissions
On August 31, the California State
Assembly passed the Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006 (AB
32) by a vote of 46-31. The Act imposes a mandatory cap on
greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs) in California and is the first
of its kind in the United States. On August 30 the California
Senate passed the Act 23-14, and California Gov. Arnold
Schwarzenegger has said he plans to sign it into law in
September. The Act would require the state board to adopt a
statewide GHG emissions limit equivalent to reducing statewide
GHG emissions levels to 1990 levels by 2020. Industries would
be required to begin making reductions in 2012.
Gov. Schwarzenegger worked with
the Democratic majority to pass the bill, with opposition to
the bill coming from his own Republican party, and opposition
to mandatory GHG caps in general coming from President Bush.
James Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on
Environmental Quality, said "We welcome effective state
action to complement over 60 regulatory, incentive and
voluntary federal programs working to achieve the president's
goal of reducing national greenhouse gas intensity by 18
percent by 2012."
While some experts believe the
bill will be very costly to California, particularly if other
states do not follow suit, Severin Borenstein, director of the
University of California Energy Institute in Berkeley, said
"My view is that in the end, this is going to be costly,
but it's a cost that we have to be willing to pay because the
alternative is potentially very bleak." California is the
world's 12th-largest emitter of greenhouse gases, responsible
for ten percent of the carbon dioxide produced nationally and
2.5 percent globally.
Supreme Court to Hear Massachusetts v. EPA GHG Case
On August 31, opening briefs
were filed in the US Supreme Court in the case of Commonwealth
of Massachusetts vs. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA).
The Supreme Court agreed to hear the federal appeals case
filed by a coalition of 12 state Attorneys General, a number
of cities, one island government and several prominent
environmental groups. The case centers on EPA’s refusal to
regulate greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from motor vehicles
(see Climate
Change News 3.10.06).
As reported by the San
Francisco Chronicle, the EPA maintains it has no
authority under the Clean Air Act to regulate GHGs, and even
if it had the ability, regulations are inappropriate. It
favors, instead, the Bush policy of national and international
"voluntary partnerships" over mandatory rules
covering domestic industries.
American Petroleum Institute
lawyer Ralph Colleli said the text of the law should be
considered along with legislative history suggesting the law
"doesn't authorize EPA to impose mandatory regulations
for controlling greenhouse gas emissions for climate change
purposes." Tom Dressler, spokesman for the California
attorney general, said "It's really not that
complicated.... We want the federal government to take its
head out of the sand, start performing its statutory duty, and
start protecting California and the rest of this nation from
the potentially devastating effects of global warming."
The case also is expected to
define EPA authority to regulate power plant and other
industrial emissions. Oral arguments are expected in
December and a decision by June 2007.
Andean Glacier Melt
Threatens Cities
A report released August 29 by a
number of UK environment and development groups focuses on the
impact that extreme weather and climate change are having on
Latin America and the Caribbean. As reported by the Guardian,
Andean glaciers are melting so rapidly that some are expected
to disappear within 15-25 years, denying major cities water
supplies and putting populations and food supplies at risk in
Colombia, Peru, Chile, Venezuela, Ecuador, Argentina and
Bolivia.
According to the report, entitled
"Up in Smoke," the rate of glacier retreat has
shocked scientists. Carmen Felipe, president of Peru's
water management institute, said "The speeding up of the
[glacial melt]... process is a catastrophic danger." Mr.
Felipe said the rapid melt could cause overflows of reservoirs
and trigger mudslides in the near term, and in the longer term
cut water supplies.
Paul Cook, head of policy for
Tearfund, said "With each new flood, drought or hurricane
in Latin America, precious gains in poverty reduction are
lost. Extreme weather is set to cause massive loss of life in
developing countries throughout the region. The international
community must invest more in helping poor communities cope
with the effect of climate change."
Click on the following links for
the full news stories: The
Guardian and WWF
China Concerned About Climate Change
In an interview with Reuters,
Dong Wenjie, director-general of
the Beijing Climate Center
said that the storms, floods, heat and drought that have
killed more than 2,000 people in China this year are a prelude
to weather patterns likely to become more extreme due to
global warming. Dong said, "The precise causes of these
phenomena aren't easy to determine on their own.... But we
know the broad background is global warming. That's clear.
It's a reminder that global warming will bring about
increasingly extreme weather events more often."
Reuters
also reported that a study issued by China's chief climate
scientists last year predicted that mean temperatures across
China were likely to climb, forcing major changes in rainfall,
desertification, river flows and crop production. China’s
greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions continue to grow, and are now
close to those of the United States. In 2004 the United States
emitted 5.9 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), while
China emitted 4.7 billion tons, 22 and 17 percent of the
world’s total CO2 emissions, respectively. Even as its
emissions rise, China does not support mandatory caps on GHG
emissions.
Paul Harris, of Lingnan University
in Hong Kong, said
"China's preoccupation is economic development and
growth.... It seems Chinese policy-makers are beginning to
take warnings about global warming on board. But they
certainly don't want to sign on to compulsory caps." The
National Climate Center (NCC) of China Meteorological
Administration (CMA) was founded in January 1995 and the
Beijing Climate Center (BCC) was formed in March 2003.
Scientific American Devotes Special Issue to Climate
Solutions
In its September Special Issue
entitled “Energy’s Future Beyond Carbon—How to Power the
Economy and Still Fight Global Warming,” Scientific
American devotes 68 pages to detailing low carbon and no
carbon energy technologies that can help reduce greenhouse gas
(GHG) emissions while benefiting the economy. The solutions
discussed range from renewable energy and energy efficiency to
hydrogen, cleaner ways to use coal, and nuclear power.
The issue's
Editorial says that while the United
States has been fairly passive with regard to
climate policy, it has the opportunity to lead by example
through an aggressive plan to counter climate change. Were
this to occur, the Editors believe China, India, and others
would follow the lead of the United States.
Expedia Offers Carbon
Offsets for Air Travel
On August 28, Expedia.com, the
world's leading online travel provider, became the first
online travel agency to offer travelers the ability to
purchase carbon offsets—carbon dioxide (CO2) reduction
measures used to help cancel out greenhouse gas emissions.
Expedia is offering the service through TerraPass, the leading
retailer of greenhouse gas reduction projects in the United
States. Steven McArthur, President, Expedia North
America Leisure Travel Group, said "Expedia is
dedicated to promoting responsible tourism, and we're proud to
extend environmentally conscious options to our travelers...
We are committed to making a positive impact on travel and
tourism through industry advocacy, destination support and the
promotion of responsible tourism. Offering TerraPass carbon
offsets is just one way we invite our customers to join us in
this endeavor."
Click on the following link for
the full news story: PR
Newswire
Urban Heat Island Effect Makes Cities More Vulnerable
to Climate Warming
A study commissioned for the
Greater London Authority predicts rise in temperatures in the
coming decades from climate change will be exacerbated by the
"urban heat island effect", in which temperatures
during heat waves can be 6-7°C
higher in cities than in surrounding areas. Glenn McGregor,
the lead author and professor at King's College London, said
"What we're trying to do is identify where sensitive
people live within large cities such as London, Manchester and
so forth, so these people can be targeted with help during
heat wave events."
Reacting to the conclusions of the
study, Mark Watts, senior policy adviser to London Mayor Ken
Livingstone, said urban heat waves were affecting people
already. "In 2003 when we had that heat wave across
Europe, an extra 600 people above the norm died in London and
we suspect that was largely due to the high temperatures....
We expect this to get worse in the future and that's what we
really want to address."
Click on the following link
for the full news story: BBC
EESI Briefings
September 13, 2006
Understanding the
Energy-Water-Climate Nexus
The Environmental and Energy Study
Institute (EESI) invites you to a Congressional briefing,
entitled "Understanding the Energy-Water-Climate Nexus:
Implications for Policy," on the connections between
water use in the energy sector, energy use in the water sector
and climate change, as well as some of the concerns for public
policy. The briefing will be held Wednesday, September 13 from
3:00-4:30 p.m. in Room 485, Russell Senate Office Building,
Washington DC. Click the following link for more information: EESI
DVD’s
Available: Copies of DVD's
are available of EESI's recent climate
briefings: "Agriculture
and Climate Change: Threats and Opportunities," May
24, 2005; "What
Does Climate Change Mean for the Arctic? How is Alaska Being
Affected?,"
March 15, 2005; "Perspectives
on Climate Change: Business Initiatives to Reduce Greenhouse
Gas Emissions," November
18, 2004; “State
and Local Government Climate Change Efforts,” September
28, 2004; “Climate
Change Post 2100,” September 21, 2004; “Abrupt
Climate Change,” September 15, 2004; and
“Discussing Climate Change: A Multi-faceted View
of the Climate Stewardship Act,” June 3, 2004.
The discs are $20
ea. (incl. shipping/handling) plus tax 5.75%
(DC residents only). Click on the following link to
order a DVD: EESI
Climate Change DVD's
Events
September 12, 2006
Summit
on GHG Emission Reductions Through Increased Energy
Efficiency
The Alliance to Save Energy is
holding a summit entitled "Energy Efficiency: The First
Solution for Addressing Climate Change" that will
highlight how the U.S. and international community are
utilizing energy-efficient measures to reduce greenhouse gas
emissions, enhance energy security, improve the economy, and
combat climate change. The event will be held Tuesday,
September 12, from 8:00 a.m. - 2:00 p.m. at Union Station,
50 Massachusetts Avenue, NE,
Washington, DC. There is a charge for this event.
Register before August 29
to take advantage of the early bird rate. Click on the
following link for more information: Alliance
to Save Energy
September 18-21, 2006 The
Washington Summit on Climate Stabilization
The Climate Institute
celebrates its 20th anniversary by hosting a gathering of
experts to assess the likelihood that the Earth is tipping
toward abrupt and highly disruptive climate change. The
conference is aimed at identifying practical methods of
achieving the stabilization of global greenhouse
concentrations within the lifetime of the Summit’s
attendees. The events will take place at the L’Enfant Plaza
Hotel, Washington, DC. Click on the following link for more
information: The
Climate Institute
September 2006 - January 2007
Climate Project Training Program
Al Gore and a team of renowned
climate change scientists and educators will train more than
1,000 individuals to give a version of his presentation on
the effects of and solutions for - global warming. The
presentation and training program are based on the message
Mr. Gore gives in the documentary film and book, An
Inconvenient Truth. Seven training sessions will be held
between late September and January 2007 in Nashville,
Tennessee. The two-day program is designed to familiarize
trainees with the climate change science, equip them with
new presentation skills, and develop a new dynamic online
learning community for ongoing activities. Click on the
following link for more information: The
Climate Project
October 1, 2006
Weather Channel Climate Special
The Weather Channel is launching a
new program that will explore how climate change affects
people in this country and elsewhere. Its host Dr. Heidi
Cullen will help people understand the link between man-made
weather changes melting distant polar ice caps and changes in
their everyday lives. The show, entitled "The Climate
Code," premieres on Sunday, October 1, on the Weather
Channel. See your newspaper for local listings.
October 2-4, 2006 Transatlantic
Cooperative Research Conference
The Royal Norwegian Embassy
is hosting a conference entitled "Arctic Meltdown –
Global Effects" where leading scientists will present
research and complex models pointing towards the urgency for
action on climate change, and policy makers from both sides of
the Atlantic will discuss the best ways to act. Main themes
include the Arctic as a key observation post for global
climate change; natural resources and environmental challenges
in the Arctic; research as a basis for policy and governance;
and transatlantic collaboration in research, innovation and
education. The conference will be held October 2-4 at The
Carnegie Institution, Washington DC. For more information
please contact Anders Skandsen of the Royal Norwegian Embassy
at ansk@mfa.no
or 202-333-6000, or click
on the following link: Royal
Norwegian Embassy
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