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October 22, 2018
Conflicting priorities suggest climate change legislation may not have a clear path through the U.S. House in 2019, even if Democrats regain a majority following the midterms. Image courtesy of BLM.
Earlier this week Department of the Interior Secretary Ryan Zinke vocalized his thoughts on utilizing old military bases as U.S. fossil fuel export facilities shipping across the Pacific Ocean. Zinke stated that while he respects the opinions of leaders on the West Coast, it would be in the country’s best interest “for national security and our allies to make sure that they have access to affordable energy commodities.” The current administration has expressed a desire to establish American “energy dominance” as both an economic stimulant and security protocol. Though Zinke has cited only one potential shipment dock by name – an abandoned military base in Alaska – Democrats and environmentalists further down the Pacific Northwest Coast immediately dismissed the idea, considering it “harebrained” and “a long shot.” Conversely, coal country states such as Montana and Texas view the proposal as an efficient way for their product to reach foreign markets. U.S. coal exports to Asia have been on a steep rise over the course of President Trump’s term.
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Associated Press
A Global Commission on Adaptation was launched on Tuesday by Microsoft founder Bill Gates, former U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, and World Bank CEO Kristalina Georgieva to unite international experts and mobilize funding for climate change action. Members from 17 countries will lead efforts across four main project areas: infrastructure, cities, industry, and food and rural livelihoods. "The sense of urgency in the fight against climate change has dramatically increased because the economics of climate action are so very clear and obvious," said Georgieva. Experts estimate that proactive adaptation measures, while a costly investment, will end up saving countries money in the long run and that every dollar invested now can save four to seven times that amount in damage later on. The commission will try to encourage investment from the private sector and increase political support for climate adaptation, especially as the Trump administration's decision to withdraw the United States from the Paris Agreement has shaken confidence in the pact.
Reuters, Guardian
A national carbon tax proposed by the United Kingdom has angered the Scottish and Welsh governments, who have called instead for the UK to remain in the European Union-wide emissions trading system (ETS). The tax is set to begin in 2019 if no deal can be reached between Brexit negotiators for the UK. Scottish and Welsh officials criticized the national tax, saying that it would transfer accountability in emissions reductions to the central government in London and limit the authority of the administrations in Scotland, Wales, and Northern Ireland. In a letter to British Chancellor Philip Hammond and Energy and Clean Growth Minister Claire Perry, Scottish Environment Secretary Roseanna Cunningham and Welsh Energy Secretary Lesley Griffiths, wrote, “It is plainly unacceptable for the UK government to seek to replace long-standing emissions trading arrangements…with a unilateral carbon tax, and to do so without any discussion at [the] ministerial level.” More details on the plan are expected to be released with the 2018 budget and a 2018-2019 finance bill later this year.
Climate Home News
Democrats have a chance to take back control of the House this November, and many members are considering taking a more subtle approach to tackling climate change. Considering the Trump administration’s anti-environmental agenda and a Senate that is likely to remain in Republican hands, representatives such as Gerry Connolly (D-VA), think Democrats should “focus on the practical and the opportunistic…the aspirational goals,” taking small incremental steps or a piecemeal approach. Others, such as Rep. Don Beyer (D-VA), disagree with this method. Following the latest climate research that suggests without strong and quick action, humanity may be facing insurmountable natural disasters, Beyer cautions, “I’m all for incrementalism in policy…But this situation is so serious that we can’t do it in little steps.” While some are shying away from carbon policy for fear of Republican pushback, Democratic representatives like Ted Deutch of Florida believe that a bipartisan carbon bill is not only feasible, but if passed in the House, could put enough pressure on the administration to finally act on carbon pollution.
The Hill
Secretary of Energy Rick Perry has advanced plans to keep moribund coal plants in operation with the justification that this will support national security interests. However, advisers within the Trump administration may not be convinced. Allegedly, key individuals within the National Security Council and National Economic Council oppose the plan. While Trump continues to express support for coal, his mentions of bailing out the industry have ebbed, potentially due to a question of funding for the effort. DOE cannot provide funding through existing legal channels and Congress may be reluctant to appropriate money. This could leave consumers to subsidize coal with higher bills, even as natural gas provides a cheap alternative. The plan faces additional opposition form oil and gas companies, environmental groups and advocates of a free energy market. “The problem they’ve got is every option they might consider raises the costs for somebody at a time when nobody has an appetite for increased costs anywhere,” said Bob Coward, a principal officer at MPR Associates, an energy advisory firm.
Politico
On October 10, Hurricane Michael became the first recorded Category 4 hurricane to make landfall in the Florida Panhandle, which, unlike the more historically hurricane-prone Atlantic shoreline, has less stringent building codes. In Mexico Beach, a town on the Gulf Coast of the Panhandle, Russell King watched through security camera footage as the storm bombarded their house. When the skies cleared, it was the only home in the area still standing. The home was designed to far-exceed required construction standards. Building this way can double the cost of a structure, according to the home’s architect, Charles A Gaskin. But according to retired Miami-Dade building chief, Charlie Danger, “It pays to rebuild structures that withstand something like that. You minimize the loss of life — and the loss of infrastructure.” While building this way and retrofitting older structures is expensive, King said it's a necessity. “We didn’t used to have storms like this. So people who live on the coast have to be ready for it.”
New York Times
Despite increasingly ambitious emission reduction goals and plans to capitalize on electric vehicle models, major U.S. automotive companies -- General Motors, Ford and Fiat Chrysler -- are quietly transitioning their lines from cars to SUV and light truck production. These fuel intensive vehicle models now comprise three-quarters of GM's total vehicle sales in the United States and the company’s vice president of sales operations recently stated that GM has “successfully transitioned to a crossover- and truck-focused business." This is an especially concerning move as emissions from automobiles contribute more greenhouse gases than any other industry in the nation. The Trump administration’s decision to severely weaken fuel efficiency standards and temporarily-low gas prices have accelerated the production of these lucrative gas guzzlers. Following the 2008 economic crisis, GM had made significant changes to its fleet, including electrification, but after deciding to discontinue “strong” hybrid SUVs and trucks due to poor sales, the company focused once again on traditional-engine vehicles. GM has pledged to remain committed to a zero-emissions future; however, without a strict deadline and implementation plan, critics remain unconvinced.
InsideClimate News
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change released an alarming report on October 8, indicating that in addition to governmental actions, private companies must play a significant role if the worst effects of climate change are to be avoided. While an overhaul of policies and practices will require significant investment, there is a growing consensus that such actions would be in the best interest of the business sector and may spur the development of whole new industries. To ensure that there will continue to be strong markets “we need to future-proof ourselves,” said Feike Sijbesma of the Dutch multinational company Royal DSM. In addition, as the cost of renewable energy falls and consumers reward companies making environmentally-friendly changes, moving away from fossil fuels and investing in energy efficiency is increasingly profitable. Although criticized by some as a meager effort, several of the largest oil companies have established the Oil and Gas Climate Initiative, which funds small companies developing emissions-saving technologies. Investors and insurers, who typically rely on predictable trends, also face serious challenges as climate change adds uncertainty and renders traditional practices obsolete.
Washington Post
Climate change is likely to affect the cost and consumption of beer around the world as rising temperatures and extreme droughts harm global barley production, according to a study published October 15 in the journal Nature Plants. University of California-Irvine environmental scientist Steven J. Davis and a team of colleagues in China concluded that beer consumption would see a 16 percent decline around the world under the most extreme scenario. The price of a pint of beer would rise by $1.94 in the United States and by $4.84 in Ireland. Unexpectedly wet and warm weather in Idaho, Montana, and North Dakota in 2014 and, more recently, droughts in the Pacific Northwest have already plagued the craft beer industry, whose brewers are concerned about securing enough barley and hops in the future. Researchers are breeding hardier strains to withstand extreme climate events and to survive wintry seasons in newer barley-producing areas like Canada. Large beer companies share their concerns. Jessica Newman, Budweiser’s director of agronomy, said, “We are breeding for drought resistance and sprout resistance. We also want [barley] to use less water and fewer agricultural chemicals.”
Wired, Nature
Researchers from Oregon State University are tracking the movement of birds in the forests of the Cascade Mountains to discover how they are responding to rising temperatures. By attaching radio tags to hermit warblers, a species of small yellow-headed songbirds, the researchers are able to gather location data and cross-reference this with temperature measurements from various areas and heights within Oregon’s forests. This experiment has so far revealed that hermit warblers are thriving in old-growth forests but declining in younger forests. "In landscapes that had more older forest, their population declines were lowered, or even reversed, even though the climate has been warming," said project team member Sarah Frey. The varied layers and greater biomass of old-growth forests likely provide better insulation from temperature changes than younger forests. Another team member, Adam Hadley, said, “It's possible that when it's warmer, [the birds] may be only using the bottom and more shady parts of the trees.” Despite the protection offered by these forests, the hermit warbler’s suitable habitat is shrinking by up to four percent each year.
NPR
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