Bright Spots Across the Country, Climate Action Hotline, 7.18.11

The House Appropriations Committee passed a spending bill that cuts funding to the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and halts regulation of greenhouse gases for one year. The Republican-led committee reported the appropriations bill by a vote of 28-18 on July 12. The bill also includes spending cuts for other agencies. The bill now goes to the full House. Republicans said the EPA’s regulations and activities harm the economy. The bill, as reported, cuts the Obama Administration’s funding request for the EPA by 20 percent. It would also temporarily block greenhouse gas regulations on large industrial facilities. Since Jan. 2, proposals to build those facilities or modify existing facilities must include an analysis of the “best available control technology” to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The EPA plans to issue greenhouse gas limits for new power plants and oil refineries later this year.

For additional information see:Bloomberg, Federal Times

Australia is moving forward with a carbon tax after its prime minister released new details, including pricing carbon pollution at $23 AUD per metric ton. Prime Minister Julia Gillard unveiled the package on July 10. It calls for increasing spending on renewable energy and sets a tougher goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions by 80 percent by 2050. The carbon tax takes effect July 2012. Gillard said she wants to transition to a cap and trade program in three to five years. Households and industry would pay the tax, though a series of exemptions and support packages based on income and other factors are proposed. Gillard rejected calls for an early election as a nationwide poll of Australian voters found a majority believed the tax would be bad for the economy. Moody’s Investors Service, however, reported that the carbon tax would not hurt companies’ ratings. “At this point, the proposed price – which will most affect carbon-intensive sectors – is manageable within the ratings of corporate issuers,” said Terry Fanous, Moody’s senior vice-president.

For additional information see: Melbourne Herald Sun, Sydney Morning Herald Story 1, Sydney Morning Herald Story 2

The United Kingdom should improve household water conservation to prepare for the future effects of climate change, an independent government-established committee is warning. More efficient taps, showers, and toilets could save one-third of household water consumption. New policies to promote greater adoption of water meters may be required. The warning is being issued by a subcommittee of the Climate Change Committee, an independent advisory body established by the Climate Change Act of 2008. The committee is preparing a second assessment of the United Kingdom’s readiness to cope with the anticipated effects of climate change. Some sectors of the economy will struggle to adapt to water shortages unless conservation steps are implemented, the committee warned. “The increasing frequency of extreme weather events like the severe winter we had and the second dry spring are stark reminders that we must adapt and build resilience to face the challenge of climate change, as the (committee’s) second assessment makes clear,” said Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman.

For additional information see: Business Green

The U.S. and Australian navies are helping climate scientists deploy instruments to measure the temperature and salinity of the Indian Ocean, an area rife with pirates. A large portion of the marine area is off-limits to unescorted climate scientists because of the 280 reported incidents of piracy since January 2010. “There have been research vessels in that area that had to make a quick retreat,” said Ann Thresher of Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization. “In one case they actually hired an armed escort for the research vessel. That gets very expensive and we just don’t put scientists at risk like that.” The floating instruments will be deployed by the navies to help scientists forecast droughts and floods in Australia. The Indian Ocean plays a major role in the nation’s weather patterns.

For additional information see: ABC News (Australia) Story, ABC News (Australia) Audio Report

xTrees in urban environments play an important, but often underestimated, role in removing carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, a new study found. The study, which examined the British city of Leicester, found above-ground vegetation growing on public and private property was storing 231,000 metric tons of CO2. More CO2 could be removed from the atmosphere if private landowners and city officials planted more trees. “Large trees are especially important carbon stores. Most of the publicly-owned or managed land across Leicester is grassland,” said lead author Zoe Davies of the University of Kent. “If just 10 percent of this were planted with trees, the existing carbon pool across the city could be increased by 12 percent.” Davies said the study shows the value of maintaining and expanding urban vegetation, a strategy that could help the United Kingdom reach its goal of reducing emissions by 80 percent from 1990 levels by 2050. The study was conducted by researchers at the University of Kent, University of Sheffield, and University of York. It was published July 11 in the British Ecological Society’s Journal of Applied Ecology.

For additional information see: AFP, Science Daily, Study Abstract

Warmer global temperatures are reducing the ability of the oceans to remove carbon dioxide (CO2) from the atmosphere, according to a new study. Because CO2 dissolves in water, the oceans act as an important sink for CO2, absorbing about one-third of all human-caused carbon emissions. But warmer water cannot hold as much CO2. Any decrease in the rate of uptake may point to the need for more urgent steps to reduce CO2 emissions. Separating the effect of the natural variability from influence of changes in temperature has been difficult for researchers, however. University of Wisconsin-Madison scientists sought to overcome that challenge by combining existing data to examine three large ocean regions over a three-decade period. “Because the ocean is so variable, we need at least 25 years’ worth of data to really see the effect of carbon accumulation in the atmosphere,” said researcher Galen McKinley. “This is a big issue in many branches of climate science — what is natural variability, and what is climate change?” The study, published July 10 in Nature Geoscience, provided some of the first observational evidence of the effect of climate change’s on CO2 absorption in the oceans.

For additional information see: Science Daily, VOA News, Study Abstract

One in 10 species could face extinction by 2100 if the current rate of climate change continues, according to a new study that provides more evidence on the threat to global biodiversity. A University of Exeter research team assessed the risk of climate change to animals and plants by examining how earlier scientific predictions match actual data being recorded today. On average, scientists’ warnings were on the mark. “Our study is a wake-up call for action,” said lead author Ilya Maclean. “The many species that are already declining could become extinct if things continue as they are. It is time to stop using the uncertainties as an excuse for not acting. Our research shows that the harmful effects of climate change are already happening and, if anything, exceed predictions.” The Exeter team reviewed 200 predictions and compared them to 130 reports of actual changes to animal and plant populations. For years, scientists have tried to predict future effects of climate change, but those warnings were received cautiously because of uncertainty in how species would actually respond. Today, however, declines are being observed. In Yellowstone National Park, for instance, the population of the blotched tiger salamander is half the population recorded two decades ago. Similarly, the park’s population of spotted frogs fell by 68 percent, and the population of chorus frogs fell by 75 percent. The study was published July 12 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

For additional information see: Science Daily, Time, Study Abstract

Scientists are warning that climate change is making a basic building block of marine life more susceptible to disease. A type of seaweed called Delisea pulchra loses its ability to protect itself from bacterial infection when under stress from warmer ocean temperatures. The warmer waters interfere with its chemical defense mechanism. The seaweed is found around Australia and is an important source of food for sea urchins, fish and invertebrates. “Seaweeds are the ‘trees’ of coastal temperate systems,” said researcher Peter Steinberg of the University of New South Wales. “They provide the food and habitat for many of the other organisms that live there. Without them, these systems are radically different.” Because the warming of the oceans is not uniform, researchers say seaweed in relatively cooler waters should be identified for greater protections. Nutrient-laden run-off from land, for instance, can be controlled through a variety of strategies. The research was published in June in the journal of Global Change Biology.

For additional information see: Reuters

Rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) will cause an increased release of nitrogen oxide (NO2) and methane from wetlands, forests and farmlands according to a study in the British journal Nature. More CO2 in the atmosphere causes many plants to grow faster and use water more efficiently, leaving more moisture in the soil. That allows soil microbes to produce more NO2 and methane, according to the lead author of the study, Kees Jan van Groenigen of Northern Arizona University. NO2 is about 300 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than CO2 and methane is about 21 times as powerful. The study suggested global warming could be occurring faster than previously thought and complex computer models used to project climate change may need to be adjusted.

For additional information see:Science Daily, Study Abstract

American Electric Power is shelving plans at a coal-fired power plant in West Virginia to build the nation’s most prominent carbon capture facility after conducting a two-year pilot project. The company cited the economic climate and inaction from federal regulators. The company did not believe regulators would approve its plan to pass on a portion of the cost of the $668 million project to its customers. Federal inaction on climate policy also diminished incentives that had been available or were proposed when the company began the pilot project. Coal-burning utilities need to develop carbon-capture technology to meet any future greenhouse gas emissions rules, but they cannot afford the projects without federal standards that will require them to act and will persuade the states to allow reimbursement, according to Michael G. Morris, chairman of AEP. The West Virginia project would have been one of the most advanced in the world, and the abandonment could set back for years efforts to understand how to capture and dispose of carbon dioxide emissions in deep wells.

For additional information see: The New York Times

British companies face significant economic risks from climate change-induced threats, such as sea level rise, extreme weather, and rising temperatures, according to a report developed by a government-supported think tank. The “International Dimensions of Climate Change” report, published July 11 by Foresight, found that British companies may be underestimating the exposure of their worldwide assets to climate change, which could disrupt global markets and energy supplies. The report will help inform a pending government “Climate Change Risk Assessment” that will consider international impacts of climate change. The assessment is scheduled for publication in January. “The effects of climate change extend beyond environmental concerns into geo-political considerations,” said Environment Secretary Caroline Spelman. “For the international community to deal with these challenges, we must adapt together to ensure sustainable economic growth, maintain global stability, and support developing nations and countries particularly vulnerable to the effects of climate change.”

For additional information see: Business Green, Report

Eighty percent of the world’s declared fossil fuel reserves cannot be recovered if governments are serious about preventing the more severe effects of climate change, according to a report that warned investors to beware of a “carbon bubble.” The report by the non-governmental organization Carbon Tracker was issued on July 11 and called on investors to re-evaluate their exposure to fossil fuel assets. The report analyzed the declared fossil fuel reserves of energy and mining companies, and found that 80 percent of the reserves should not be recovered and burned if the average increase in global temperatures is to be kept within an increase of two degrees Celsius. The combustion of fossil fuel releases carbon dioxide, which warms the atmosphere. “At the very minimum, there is substantial unrecognized risk in the capital markets and the way they operate,” said Jeremy Leggett, chairman of Carbon Tracker. “We can only burn 20 per cent of what we know to be underground, and that does not even include future reserves that fossil fuel companies will uncover.”

For additional information see: Business Green, Report

Rising levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) will cause an increased release of nitrogen oxide (NO2) and methane from wetlands, forests and farmlands according to a study in the British journal Nature. More CO2 in the atmosphere causes many plants to grow faster and use water more efficiently, leaving more moisture in the soil. That allows soil microbes to produce more NO2 and methane, according to the lead author of the study, Kees Jan van Groenigen of Northern Arizona University. NO2 is about 300 times more powerful as a greenhouse gas than CO2 and methane is about 21 times as powerful. The study suggested global warming could be occurring faster than previously thought and complex computer models used to project climate change may need to be adjusted.

For additional information see: Reuters

Other Headlines

• Economists Say Federal Estimate Understates Climate Damage
• Al Gore Launches Climate Reality Project
• Climate Change May Alter Conditions for Growth of Oak Trees in Basque Woodlands
• Indiana Dunes Vulnerable to Climate Change, Report Says

S.699: Department of Energy Carbon Capture and Sequestration Program Amendments Act of 2011: On July 11, S.699 was placed on the Senate Legislative Calendar under General Orders. Calendar No. 99. Intent: To carry out a demonstration program for the commercial application of integrated systems for the capture, injection, monitoring, and long-term geological storage of carbon dioxide from industrial sources. Previous Action: Introduced 3/31/2011. Sponsor: Sen. Bingaman, Jeff (D-NM) For more information: S.699

Intent: To provide $27.5 billion in spending, a reduction of $2.1 billion below last year’s level and $3.8 billion below the administration’s budget request. The bill includes a total cut to climate change programs of $83 million, or 22 percent, from last year, and imposes a one-year prohibition on the Environmental Protection Agency’s regulation of greenhouse gases from large stationary sources such as power plants and oil refineries.

Previous Action: On July 7, the subcommittee on interior, environment and related agencies reported the bill to the full appropriations committee.

For more information: Roll Call Vote

The Environmental Law and Policy Center (ELPC) and Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invite you to a briefing on the energy title of the Farm Bill, with a special focus on the Rural Energy for America Program (REAP). Big decisions loom in the next Farm Bill, including for key farm energy programs. REAP incentivizes a broad range of energy efficiency and renewable energy technologies for all agricultural sectors across the country. As a result, thousands of rural producers and businesses are slashing energy costs with energy efficiency and renewable energy. They also are earning new income from renewable energy and creating new jobs, income, and wealth across rural America. This briefing will provide an overview of the Farm Bill Energy Title, as well as specific examples of dairy and poultry producers, rural electric cooperatives, and other rural producers and small businesses from across the country that have benefitted from the REAP program. The briefing will be held twice on the same day, July 19. The first briefing will be 10:00-11:30 AM in 1300 Longworth House Office Building. The second briefing will be 2:00-3:30 PM, in 188 Russell Senate Office Building. This briefing is free and open to the public. For more information, contact Ned Stowe at nstowe [at] eesi.org or (202) 662-1885.

The Alliance for Green Heat and the Biomass Thermal Energy Council invite you to the webinar “The Future of Residential Wood & Pellet Heat in America,” on Tuesday, July 19 at 2PM ET, to learn how the federal and state governments can prepare for increased use of wood heat and identify the barriers to rapid growth of the industry. Ten percent of homes use wood or pellet heat, and one study estimated that by heating with wood. American households saved $3 billion a year that would have otherwise gone to fossil fuels. This far surpasses residential savings from all other renewable energies combined. In many European countries, wood heat doubled between 2000 and 2010 and projections call for a doubling again. Conditions on both continents are creating more demand for wood heat, and as fossil fuel prices rise, savings for consumers will be even greater. To Register visit: Alliance for Green Heat

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing on the huge potential for solar-reflective roofs and other “cool-roofing” techniques to lower the surface temperature of buildings and entire cities. Cool roofs improve comfort on hot summer days and reduce the amount of energy used for air-conditioning – thereby reducing energy costs and improving air quality. Whitening flat roofs is a low-cost solution which, if implemented in certain cities across the globe, has been estimated to have the potential to offset the carbon emissions of 300 million automobiles. At this briefing, renowned physicist and energy efficiency expert Arthur Rosenfeld will discuss research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) that for the first time quantifies the reflective power (albedo) of urban surfaces that would be necessary to mitigate the urban heat-island effect and offset carbon dioxide emissions. Panelists also will discuss insulated and vegetated (“green”) roofs and how different types of cool roofs may be combined or integrated with solar-roofing systems, photovoltaics (PV) and/or solar thermal technology. The briefing will be held on July 21, 2:00-3:30 PM, in the Capital Visitors Center room SVC 212/210. This event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information contact Ellen Vaughan at evaughan [at] eesi.org or (202) 662-1893.

The Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI) invites you to a briefing on the huge potential for solar-reflective roofs and other “cool-roofing” techniques to lower the surface temperature of buildings and entire cities. Cool roofs improve comfort on hot summer days and reduce the amount of energy used for air-conditioning – thereby reducing energy costs and improving air quality. Whitening flat roofs is a low-cost solution which, if implemented in certain cities across the globe, has been estimated to have the potential to offset the carbon emissions of 300 million automobiles. At this briefing, renowned physicist and energy efficiency expert Arthur Rosenfeld will discuss research at Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory (LBNL) that for the first time quantifies the reflective power (albedo) of urban surfaces that would be necessary to mitigate the urban heat-island effect and offset carbon dioxide emissions. Panelists also will discuss insulated and vegetated (“green”) roofs and how different types of cool roofs may be combined or integrated with solar-roofing systems, photovoltaics (PV) and/or solar thermal technology. The briefing will be held on July 21, 2:00-3:30 PM, in the Capital Visitors Center room SVC 212/210. This event is free and open to the public. No RSVP required. For more information contact Ellen Vaughan at evaughan [at] eesi.org or (202) 662-1893.

Writers: Dave Gershman, Justin Jones and Matthew Johnson

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