Climate Change News - September 13, 2010

U.S. Maintains 2020 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goal

On September 3, the United States affirmed its commitment to reduce greenhouse gas emissions (GHG) by 17 percent to meet 2020 targets. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) will likely assume a larger role in these efforts as the passing of new climate legislation during the present Congressional term appears unlikely. “I think EPA will be an important piece of the total equation, and there will be legislative progress also, though I cannot tell you when it’s going to be,” explained U.S. climate negotiator Todd Stern following two days of climate talks held in Geneva last week. The Geneva talks aimed to maintain climate finance momentum by focusing on further discussions surrounding the ‘Green Fund’, which was designed to help nations meet their climate-change pledges.

For additional information see: Reuters , Business Green , Bloomberg

Reid Says Future Climate Bill May Need to Be “Piecemeal” Approach

On September 7, at a "National Energy Summit" conference convened at the University of Nevada at Las Vegas, Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-NV) indicated that he would continue to work on an energy bill over the next two months leading up to elections in November and into the next legislative session. Reid's comments stressed how certain elements of previously proposed energy legislation have the support of key stakeholders and could pass the Senate, even though broader legislation had languished in the Senate for months before stalling just prior to the August recess. Reid said that narrower measures to reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, such as provisions to promote natural gas vehicles and improve home energy efficiency, are politically feasible before the election. While conceding that an electricity-only cap on carbon emissions or a renewable electricity standard are unlikely to pass this year, Reid maintained that the desire of electric utilities for certainty and predictability would translate into bipartisan support in the next Congress. Reid advised lawmakers and advocates of a broader bill to consider an alternative "piecemeal" approach to achieving energy and climate protection goals.

For additional information see: The Hill , Clean Energy Summit ,

Kansas Joins Attempt to Forestall Federal Carbon Regulation

On September 5, Kansas joined Indiana, Arkansas, Nebraska, Kentucky, Ohio, Pennsylvania, Utah, Hawaii, North Dakota and Wyoming in their law suit to forestall federal regulation of greenhouse gases (GHGs) which would overrule state legislation. They wish to block a federal trial where eight states sued six major power producers on the grounds that GHG emissions are a public nuisance. In a statement, Attorney General Steve Six explained, “Like most Kansans, I am weary of lawsuits which attempt to bypass our legislative process and ask the courts to set public policy.” This contentious action began following the 2007 Supreme Court decision which ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency has authority to regulate GHGs under the federal Clean Air Act.

For additional information see: The Wichita Eagle

DOE Awards $575 Million in Carbon Capture Grants

On September 7, the Department of Energy (DOE) announced an aggregate of $575 million in carbon capture grants. U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu stressed, “This is a major step forward in the fight to reduce carbon emissions from industrial plants.” The grants will fund 22 projects in 15 states that focus on four different types of carbon capture and storage (CCS). The projects range from the development of a membrane system for post-combustion carbon dioxide capture to advanced turbo-machinery and engines for industrial processes. Funded by the American Recovery and Reinvestment Act, these recent grants support President Barack Obama’s goal to deploy cost effective CCS technology within 10 years.

For additional information see: Associated Press , Department of Energy Press Release

EPA Grants $923,000 to Houston and Albuquerque to Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions

On September 7, the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) announced the cities of Houston and Albuquerque will receive Climate Showcase Communities grants for greenhouse gas (GHG) reduction. The projects will range from landfill gas-to-energy ventures to electric vehicle and bicycle infrastructure. EPA Region 6 Administrator Al Armendariz explained, “Houston and Albuquerque are leading the way with innovative projects to help EPA achieve our goal to reduce greenhouse gases. By leveraging federal dollars, they are launching projects that will improve the environment and create jobs.” The EPA Region 6 grantees are among 25 communities receiving a total of $10 million for projects that will reduce GHG emissions throughout the United States.

For additional information see: EPA Press Release

United Nations Launches New Website to Track Climate Change Aid

On September 3, the U.N. launched www.faststartfinance.org, a website depicting which countries are providing and receiving financial assistance to implement technologies to reduce carbon emissions. The site lists countries that have committed money so far: Norway, Great Britain, France, Denmark and the Netherlands. Over 25 countries have opted in to receive money, including: Bolivia, Ethiopia, India, Kenya, Philippines, and Uganda.

For additional information see: The Hill e2 , Press Release , Fast Start Finance

Canadian Military Fears Climate Change Could Lead to Battle for Dwindling Supplies

On September 7, a report published by the Canadian Defense Department advises that Canadian Forces must be prepared to assist in conflicts that arise due to the effects of climate change. A scarcity of essential supplies in developing countries may trigger widespread violence, many officials warn. According to lead author Lt. Cmdr. Ray Snook, “Several reputable think-tanks and senior military officials have drawn the conclusion that increasingly Western armed forces will be called upon to conduct humanitarian assistance and disaster-relief missions." Snook further explained, “Climate change has the potential to be a global threat of unparalleled magnitude and requires early, aggressive action in order to overcome its effects.”

For additional information see: The Canadian Press

Erratic Rainfall in a Changing Climate Poses a Growing Threat to Rural Poor

On September 6, the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) released a report warning that erratic rainfall related to climate change may have adverse effects on food security and economic growth in both Asia and Africa. The report states that well-planned water storage can help combat poverty and provide people with an effective way to cope with climate change. Specifically highlighted is the importance of diverse investment in water storage systems, ranging from dams to water stored in natural wetlands. Hydrologist Matthew McCartney, the report’s lead author, explained, “just as modern consumers diversify their financial holdings to reduce risk, smallholder farmers need a wide array of ‘water accounts’ to provide a buffer against climate change impact.” IWMI and its research partners estimate that up to 499 million people in India and Africa can benefit from improvements in agricultural water management.

For additional information see: Science Daily

Insurance Industry Wishes to Play Larger Role in Climate Change Adaptation

On September 6, over 100 leading insurance companies issued a joint statement urging world leaders and governments to work more closely with the insurance industry to protect developing countries against the impacts of climate change. The Geneva Association, an insurance think tank, along with insurance industry lobby groups, ClimateWise and the Munich Climate Insurance Initiative (MCII) as well as the United Nations Environment Programme Finance Initiative (UNEP FI), called for widespread adoption of insurance-linked products that would reduce the vulnerability of developing countries following natural disasters. Andrew Torrance, chairman of ClimateWise and chief executive of Allianz Insurance stressed that, "with climatic disasters inflicting more and more damage, the increasing reliance of governments on foreign aid alone is unsustainable."

For additional information see: UN , Reuters , BusinessGreen.com

Existing Energy Infrastructure to Commit Planet to 1.3°C in Warming

On September 10, Science published a report assessing the total climate impact over the next 50 years due to existing energy infrastructure. A group of scientists concluded that existing fossil-fuel infrastructure alone would add an average of 496 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere, raising mean global temperatures by 1.3°C compared to preindustrial levels. The report concludes that these “committed emissions” will not cause drastic climate changes, however it is very likely that energy infrastructure will continue to expand. According to study lead author Steven Davis, a climate researcher at the Carnegie Institution for Science, "The worst impacts are going to be from infrastructure that has yet to be built."

For additional information see: Abstract , Scientific American , Science Daily , National Geographic

Irrigation’s Cooling Effects May Mask Warming in Some Regions

On September 8, a new study published in the Journal of Geophysical Research indicated that irrigation systems may be temporarily counteracting the effects of climate change due to their significant cooling effect on local temperatures. However, major sources of irrigation water including some principal groundwater aquifers are predicted to dry up in the next few decades, causing higher temperatures and potential food shortages. “Near term and future climate predictions are essential for anticipating climate shocks and improving food security,” said Michael Puma, lead author and hydrologist. “The study emphasizes the importance of including irrigation in regional and global climate models so that we can anticipate precipitation and temperature impacts, and better manage our land, water and food in stressed environments.”

For additional information see: Science Daily , Article Abstract

Risk of Beetle Outbreaks Rise in the Warming West

On September 8 in a study published in BioScience, USDA Forest Service researchers predicted that the effects of climate change will increase outbreaks of mountain pine beetles in North America’s forests causing the death of billions of coniferous trees ranging from Mexico to Alaska. In a partnership with the Western Wildland Environmental Threat Assessment Center; the Canadian Forest Service; the University of Idaho, Moscow; and the Forest Service’s three western research stations, scientists created models that analyzed how spruce beetles and mountain pine beetles thrived under warming temperatures. Chris Fettig, co-author of the study says, "Bark beetles are influenced directly by shifts in temperature, which affect developmental timing and temperature-induced mortality, and indirectly, through climatic effects on the species associated with beetles and their host trees.”

For additional information see: Science Daily , The Colorado Independent

Bee Pollination Decline Partially Attributed to Climate Change

On September 7, Professor James Thomson of the University of Toronto’s Department of Ecology and Evolutionary Biology published a study analyzing the decline in bee pollination. The study confirms a long-held belief that bee populations have declined and provides evidence that the effects of climate change may have contributed to this trend. Thomson explains that “bee numbers may have declined at our research site, but we suspect that a climate-driven mismatch between the times when flowers open and when bees emerge from hibernation is a more important factor.” The study is based on Thomson’s 17-year examination and is one of the longest and most comprehensive studies of bee pollination ever conducted.

For additional information see: University of Toronto Press Release , USA Today

Greenland and Western Antarctic Icecap Melting Rates Lower Than Expected

On September 7, a study published in Nature Geoscience found that the Greenland and Western Antarctic Icecaps are melting at a slower rate than previously expected. The collaborative research team from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at Delft University of Technology (TU Delft) and the Netherlands Institute for Space Research (SRON), employed novel data acquisition methods from GRACE satellites, GPS measurements, and Gigatonnes principles. Lead researcher Dr. Bert Vermeersen of TU Delft noted that, "the corrections for deformations of the Earth's crust have a considerable effect on the amount of ice that is estimated to be melting each year. We have concluded that the Greenland and West Antarctica ice caps are melting at approximately half the speed originally predicted." However, Dr. Vermeersen concedes that there is not enough data to verify their findings independently. “A more extensive network of GPS readings in combination with geological indicators for the local and regional changes in sea level changes around Greenland over the last 10,000 years, will possibly be able to provide conclusive evidence on this matter in the years to come."

For additional information see: Science Daily

September 16: How We Can Tap Renewable Thermal Energy and Waste Heat

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing on a frequently overlooked but huge part of U.S. energy consumption: heating and cooling. This briefing will address how district energy systems can tap into local renewable thermal resources and power plant "waste" heat to reduce our use of fossil fuels, thereby helping to stabilize energy costs, create local jobs, keep more energy dollars circulating in local economies, and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The briefing will be held on Thursday, September 16, from 2:00-3:30 p.m. in 430 Dirksen Senate Office Building. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact us at communications [at] eesi.org or (202) 662-1884.

September 17: Electric Transmission 204: Examining FERC’s Notice of Proposed Rulemaking

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) and WIRES (Working group for Investment in Reliable and Economic electric Systems) invite you to a briefing on the Notice of Proposed Rulemaking (NOPR) issued by the Federal Energy Regulatory Commission (FERC) and currently pending public comment. Following up on FERC Staff’s 2009 Notice of Inquiry and several technical conferences, the Commission is proposing major changes in how electric transmission is planned and potentially how it is paid for, as well as which entities may be permitted to compete to finance, construct, and own transmission infrastructure in the future. This briefing will address the NOPR’s potential implications for the competitive environment, efficiency of the transmission planning process, fuel diversity, renewable energy development, consumer prices, and grid reliability. The briefing will be held on Friday, September 17, from 10:00 - 11:30 a.m. in G11 Dirksen Senate Office Building. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information, contact us at communications [at] eesi.org or (202) 662-1884.

September 24: Water Quality in Our Nation's Streams and Groundwater

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), Water Environment Federation (WEF), and Office of Senator Benjamin Cardin (D-MD) invite you to a briefing on nutrient conditions in the nation's waters, their significance to human and aquatic health, and trends in conditions over time. The briefing will release new information from the U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) National Water Quality Assessment Program (NAWQA). Speakers will explain where, how, and when nutrients enter streams and ground water, how these factors and their impacts vary by region, and how much progress the nation has made in reducing excessive nutrient levels after decades of work by federal, state, and local governments. This briefing will be held on Friday, September 24, 2010 from 9:30 - 11:00 a.m.in the SVC 201/200 Capitol Visitor Center. This briefing is free and open to the public. No RSVP required for Congressional staff. Non-Congressional staff should RSVP to EESI at communications [at] eesi.org or (202) 662-1884.