CLIMATE CHANGE NEWS FOR AUGUST 2013

CC NEWS FOR AUG. 2013

On July 29 Benjamin Strauss of Climate Central in Princeton, NJ, published a commentary in the Proceedings of the National Academies of Science (PNAS) titled, Rapid accumulation of committed sea-level rise from global warming.  In it he reported that if global warming continues at its present pace till 2100 over 1400 U.S. cities and towns will be inundated at high tide.  He writes, “The current trend in carbon emissions likely implies the eventual crippling or loss of most coastal cities in the world.”  This quote was taken from the Wilmington News Journal of July 30, 2013 article titled, Study: Sea-level rise endangers 1,400 US cities, towns.  The reference for the original Strauss article is given as PNAS 2013 ; published ahead of print July 29, 2013, doi:10.1073/pnas.1312464110.

There is a related PNAS article by Gavin L. Foster and Eelko J. Rohling published on Jan. 22, 2013 titled, Relationship between sea level and climate forcing by CO2 on geological timescales.  In it the authors write that on time scales of a thousand to a million years, sea level is determined largely by the amount of ice stored on land, which it turn is determined largely by the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, and its effect on the radiative heat balance.  They write, “ ...with CO2 stabilized at 400–450 ppm (as required for the frequently quoted “acceptable warming” of 2 °C), or even at AD 2011 levels of 392 ppm, we infer a likely (68% confidence) long-term sea-level rise of more than 9 m above the present. Therefore, our results imply that to avoid significantly elevated sea level in the long term, atmospheric CO2 should be reduced to levels similar to those of preindustrial times.”

At: http://www.pnas.org/content/110/4/1209.abstract?sid=8cd4f7fb-851d-4c49-9ce6-f22ee07086e0

Note that 9 meters is about 30 feet and that the atmospheric concentration CO2 prior to the Industrial Revolution - about 1750 - was only 280 ppm.  We are now close to 400 ppm.  The authors note that complete loss of ice on land - especially from Greenland and Antarctica - would raise global sea levels about 70 m (230 ft).

On July 30 Carol Kuruvilla of the NY Daily News published an article titled, Climate change will cause Alaskan village to vanish under water within 10 years: Scientists.  The village, named Kivalina, is on a narrow barrier island off the west coast of Alaska with about 400 Inupiat Indian inhabitants.  They have depended on the buildup of thick Arctic ice in the Chukchi Sea to protect the island from erosion caused by coastal winter storms.  With less ice forming later and melting earlier, the Army Corps of Engineers predicts that the island will be uninhabitable by 2025.  At: http://www.nydailynews.com/news/national/alaskan-village-vanish-water-decade-scientists-article-1.1412920#ixzz2anzw45TN

CBS News for Aug. 9 had an article by Michelle Castillo titled, CDC: Heat wave the deadliest extreme weather event.  It reported that heat waves have killed more people in the U.S. than any other kind of extreme weather event, including hurricanes, tornadoes and floods.  People who are particularly at risk are the elderly, children under four, the poor, and those with special medical conditions.  “A previous study by the CDC showed that about 650 heat-related deaths across the nation could be prevented each year.  People should also learn how to spot people who are suffering from heat-related illness.”  At: http://www.cbsnews.com/8301-204_162-57597800/cdc-heat-wave-the-deadliest-extreme-weather-event/

The magazine Quartz for Aug. 12 has an article by Todd Woody titled, Bureaucrats, not Big Oil, stand in the way of the solar future.  He points out that the cost of solar PV in the U.S. has dropped from about $12 a peak watt installed in 1998 to $5.30 in 2012 for rooftop systems smaller than 10 kW, and dropped an additional 10% in the first half of this year.  In spite of this good news, the installed prices in Germany and Australia are only about half of what they are  here, which Woody attributes to what he calls “soft costs” - labor, installation, and the time and money it takes to secure permits.  “While solar panel prices are likely to fall further thanks to technological advances and economies of scale, much of the focus these days is cutting those soft costs, which can add thousands of dollars to the cost of a solar system.”  At:

http://qz.com/114395/bureaucrats-not-big-oil-stand-in-the-way-of-the-solar-future/

The Opinion page of the NY Times for Aug. 18 has an article titled, Gorgeous Glimpses of Calamity by Michael Benson.  It describes the earth as seen from space, where one can see humans are doing to this beautiful planet that is our only home.  The online version has wonderful photos and short video clips taken from NASA satellites.  Human impacts visible from space include pollution over China, the burning of tropical rain forests, expanding deserts and melting North Polar sea ice.  Benson writes, “President Obama’s speech in June, promising action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, was welcome, if belated. It may be the best he can do domestically. But nobody pretends it is adequate to the onrushing disaster. Having dodged the bullet of cold war nuclear annihilation, we face a new threat just as global, man-made and potentially lethal. A sense of emergency is what is urgently needed.”  At:

http://www.nytimes.com/2013/08/18/opinion/sunday/gorgeous-glimpses-of-calamity.html?ref=opinion&comments&_r=0

John Roach of NBC News posted an article on Aug. 18 titled, Increased flooding may cost the world $1 trillion by 2050.  The author writes, “Flood damage in the world's major coastal cities may top $1 trillion a year by 2050 due to rising seas and subsiding land, according to a new study.”  This came out of a study by Stephanie Hallegatte and coauthors, published recently in the journal Nature Climate Change, who looked at flood protections in 136 cities around the world, and found that in many cases they are inadequate for a sea level rise of 8 inches projected by the year 2050.  Hallegatte found that much of the financial losses could be avoided by investing $50 billion a year in global flood protection measures.  It’s a lot of money but a wise investment to avoid much larger future losses.  At: http://www.nbcnews.com/science/increased-flooding-may-cost-world-1-trillion-2050-6C10937608

On August 21 Ben Wolkon and Blaise Sheridan sent out an Issue Brief titled Energy Storage for the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI).  In it they describe current and developing commercial-scale energy storage technologies, federal energy storage policies, and examples of current energy storage project sin the U.S.  According to the Brief, “Effective storage technology can keep the lights on during severe storms, supply shortages and power interruptions, and help consumers avoid high utility rates by offsetting the need to generate new electricity during peak demand. Finally, energy storage facilitates the integration of variable renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power.”  The Brief can be downloaded in pdf format with references at: 

http://files.eesi.org/IssueBrief_Energy_Storage_080613.pdf

The following items are from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), Carol Werner, Executive Director. Past issues of its newsletter are posted on its website under "publications"
 at http://www.eesi.org/publications/Newsletters/CCNews/ccnews.htm 

EESI’s newsletter is intended for all interested parties, particularly the policymaker community. 

Senate Environment Committee Holds a Hearing about Climate Science The Senate Environment and Public Works (EPW) Committee held a hearing on July 18 to discuss recent climate-related impacts and science. The hearing had two panels and EPW Chair Barbara Boxer (D-CA) limited witnesses to climate scientists and other experts. Experts from think tanks Climate Central and Climate Solutions testified on the immediate impacts of global warming, and Frank Nutter, executive director of the Reinsurance Association of America, spoke about concerns within the insurance industry over projected climate change-related risk. Nutter said, “The industry is at great financial peril if it does not understand global and regional climate impacts, variability and developing scientific assessment of a changing climate. We are committed to work with you to address the exposure of citizens and their property to extreme weather risk.” Representatives from the conservative Manhattan Institute for Policy Research and Institute for Energy Research stated that climate change legislation will have significant negative economic impacts and insignificant effect on the climate. The committee last held a briefing about climate science in February (see February 18 issue). For additional information see: Hearing Archive, Los Angeles Times, Bloomberg

Ex-Im Bank Declines Funding for Coal Plant, Cites Greenhouse Gas Emissions The U.S. Export-Import Bank rejected a proposal to finance a new coal-fired power plant in Vietnam on July 18, citing the project's likely effect on global warming. The bank said in a statement that the vote against the 1,200 megawatt plant followed a "careful environmental review" of projected greenhouse gas output. This decision follows President Barack Obama’s pledge in the Climate Action Plan that the United States will stop supporting the construction of coal-fired power plants abroad (see July 1 issue). In related news, on July 16 the board of the World Bank approved a plan (see July 15 issue) to stop financing coal-fired power plants around the world except in “rare circumstances.” For additional information see: AP, Reuters

Climate Change Impacting U.S. Energy Infrastructure According to a July 11 Department of Energy (DOE) report, climate-related extreme weather has already – and will continue to – put significant stress on U.S. energy infrastructure. The report notes that there are a range of impacts on all aspects of the energy systems in the United States, and that the costs are significant. For example, the energy system in the West is expected to need 34 gigawatts of electrical capacity by 2050 to meet increased demand from air conditioning alone due to rising temperatures. Jonathan Pershing, deputy assistant secretary for climate change policy and technology at the DOE, explained, “The cost today is measured in the billions. Over the coming decades, it will be in the trillions. You can’t just put your head in the sand anymore,” he said.¬ The report did not make any specific recommendations, but suggested possible future steps could include conserving and recycling water at power plants, adding system redundancy and back-up into electricity grids, and reducing energy demand across the board. For additional information see: New York Times, AP, Report

Coca-Cola Sets Carbon Reduction Target Coca-Cola released new targets to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions 25 percent by 2020. The targets include a goal of reducing emissions along the entire value chain: from the product ingredients and packaging, to refrigeration and transportation. Additionally, the company pledged to increase its water efficiency 25 percent by 2020 and use at least 25 percent recycled or renewable material in plastic bottles by 2015. Along with these targets, Coca-Cola announced that it would be renewing its partnership with the World Wildlife Fund (WWF) to collectively tackle natural resource challenges impacting fresh water. Muhtar Kent, CEO of Coca-Cola, stated, “As we face a resource-stressed world with growing global demands on food and water, we must seek solutions that drive mutual benefit for business, communities and nature. Working with WWF will continue to challenge our company to advance our sustainability programs, and WWF’s expertise will be instrumental in reaching our environmental performance goals, some of which they help us set.” For additional information see: BusinessWire

Sea Levels Could Rise 2.3 Meters for Each Degree of Warming According to a study published July 15 in the Proceedings of the Natural Academy of Sciences, sea levels could rise by 2.3 meters for each degree Celsius of global temperature increase. The study examined historic temperature and sea level rise data in combination with computer simulations of contributing factors to long-term sea-level increases such as the thermal expansion of oceans and the melting of ice sheets. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has found previously that sea levels rose by 17 cm during the last century, with the rate of sea level rise accelerating. Lead author Anders Levermann, a professor of dynamics in the climate system at the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, discussed the implications of the study’s findings, stating, “Continuous sea-level rise is something we cannot avoid unless global temperatures go down again. Our results indicate that major adaptation at our coastlines will be necessary. It’s likely that some currently populated regions can’t be protected in the long run.” For additional information see: Reuters, Study

Natural Features Can Protect Coastal Communities from Climate-Related Risks A July 14 study published in Nature Climate Change by researchers at Stanford University finds that natural costal features such as sand dunes, coral reefs and sea grasses can protect coastal populations in the United States from the effects of climate change. The study concludes that rising sea levels and extreme weather has put 16 percent of U.S. coastlines at “high-hazard” risk, and that this number could double without coastal environmental protection. The study uses five sea level rise scenarios to calculate a hazard index for every square kilometer of U.S. coastline. In addition to warning that risks can increase, the analysis also provides the first national map of naturally-induced risk reduction, and indicates where coastal conservation has the greatest potential to protect communities. It finds that coastal habitats defend the greatest number of people and total property value in New York, California and Florida. For additional information see: USA Today, TIME, Study

Wildfires Causing Melting in Low-Lying Himalayan Glaciers A new study published in The Cryosphere Discussions by Indian glaciologists suggests black carbon from forest fires may reduce the “reflectance” or albedo of glaciers and precipitate increased melting. The report indicates that the change in reflectance in 2009 was higher than in any other year from 2000 to 2012 and could only be explained by the extensive forest fires that year. According to Durwood Zaelke, president of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, “Wildfires and agricultural burning in Africa, Asia, and South America, once thought to have little or no effect on the climate may contribute significantly to global warming. They are only expected to increase as the climate warm, so urgent action to reduce the rate of warming immediately can contribute to limiting such positive feedbacks, where the consequences of increased warming, such as forest fires, themselves increase warming.” For additional information see: Times of India, IGSD Press Release, Study

Poll: Majority of Americans Support President’s Climate Action Plan A national poll conducted by Hart Research for the National Resources Defense Council (NRDC) found that 61 percent of Americans support President Obama’s Climate Action Plan. The poll, which surveyed 808 registered voters nationwide and has a margin of error of 3.5 percent, found that 65 percent of Americans endorse setting limits on carbon pollution from power plants. The poll found bipartisan support for emissions limits, with 49 percent of Republicans, 84 percent of Democrats and 56 percent of Independents supporting the EPA in establishing standards. Other parts of the Climate Action Plan, such as improving vehicle fuel efficiency, increasing energy efficiency for homes and business, and investing in renewable energy, also garnered large support. Peter Altman, NRDC’s Climate and Clean Air Campaign Director stated, “Across our country, Americans feel obligated to protect future generations from the damaging effects of climate change. Americans also overwhelmingly support President Obama’s plan to do something about climate change now. Most importantly, they stand strongly behind the president’s common sense solutions, led by using the Clean Air Act to clean up dirty power plants.” For additional information see: Fuel Fix, NRDC Press Release

Gov. O’Malley Outlines Plan to Reduce Maryland GHG Emissions 25 Percent by 2020 On July 25, Maryland Gov. Martin O’Malley announced a plan to reduce the state’s greenhouse gas emissions 25 percent by 2020. The announcement came at a climate change summit at the Maritime Institute in Linthicum, Maryland. Strategies to reach this goal under the plan include creating initiatives to develop offshore wind; promoting solar energy policy; increasing Maryland’s renewable portfolio standard to 25 percent by 2020; and enhancing the EmPOWER program, which is designed to reduce per capita electricity consumption and peak demand by 15 percent by 2015. In addition, the plan outlines increasing Maryland’s recycling rate, eliminating 85 percent of Maryland’s solid waste by 2030, and managing forests to capture and store carbon. O’Malley stated, “As severe weather events continue to grow in size and impact, and elongated trends of poor air quality continue, the costs of inaction would grow exponentially. In Maryland, we are moving forward and taking action by creating green jobs and protecting our land, water, air and public health.” For additional information see: Baltimore Sun, Washington Post, Speech, Plan

90 Percent of Companies See Climate Change as a Risk A poll of top global companies found that the almost all see climate change as a risk to business operations. The report, “Weathering the Storm: Building Business Resilience to Climate Change,” released by the Center for Climate and Energy Solutions (C2ES), found that 90 percent of companies in the Standard & Poor’s Global 100 Index view extreme weather and climate change as risks. Top concerns of businesses included damage to physical facilities, loss or disruption of water and power supplies, the disruption of supply and distribution chains and rising costs to operate in severe weather. The report also found that despite these concerns, relatively few businesses are working to address climate risks. The C2ES report states, “[T]he research reveals that while the vast majority of companies recognize risks from extreme weather and climate change, and many see these risks in the present or near term, uncertainty about the precise nature, timing and severity of climate impacts often inhibits investment in resilience beyond ‘business as usual.’” For additional information see: E&E Publishing, The Hill, Report

A Rapid Release of Methane from Arctic Seabed Could Advance Climate Change by 35 Years A July 25 article published in Nature assesses the economic costs of the release of methane from a melting Arctic. According to University of Cambridge and Erasmus University researchers, the economic gains from the freeing of the vast oil and gas reserves due to climate change do not outweigh the costs of the melting of the Arctic, a region which plays a key role in the regulation of the Earth’s climate. Scientists have estimated that up to 50 billion tonnes of shallow permafrost methane could be released in the Arctic within the next 10 years, raising atmospheric methane concentrations 12-fold. The influx of permafrost methane – a pollutant with 25 times higher Global Warming Potential than carbon dioxide over a 100 year timescale – could hasten the arrival of a two degrees Celsius rise in global average temperatures by 15 to 35 years, as well as add an additional $60 trillion to the estimated costs of climate change. The bulk of the impacts of the increased warming will be felt by developing nations in Africa, Asia, and South America in the forms of crop failure, extreme weather and sea level rise. The report authors assert, “There is a steep global price tag attached to physical changes in the Arctic, notwithstanding the short-term economic gains for Arctic nations and some industries.” For additional information see: Reuters, New Scientist, Study

Note: Emphasis added

Report: Natural Gas Use Must Peak in U.S. by 2030 to Avoid Worst Climate Impacts A report released July 24 by the Center for American Progress (CAP) concludes that to meet President Obama’s 2030 target of reducing carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions 42 percent from 2005 levels, use of natural gas in the United States must peak in the next seven to 17 years. Increased use of natural gas has been favored by policymakers as a near-term solution to achieving CO2 emission reductions by switching from coal, with natural gas-fired power plants emitting 55 percent less CO2 than coal-fired plants. However, the report authors Darryl Banks, vice president of energy policy at CAP, and Gwynne Taraska, research director of the George Mason University Institute for Philosophy and Public Policy, caution that investments in new natural gas fired power plants will inadvertently result in long-term dependence on natural gas, resulting in an inability to meet 2030 reduction targets. Thus, use must peak by 2030. The report states, “It is clear that a long-term heavy reliance on natural gas beyond 2030 is incompatible with the emissions reductions necessary to stave off the worst impacts of climate change.” For additional information see: Responding to Climate Change, Report

Maryland Assesses Impact of Rising Sea Levels A report by the Maryland Climate Change Commission coupled with a new web tool from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration helps Maryland residents understand rising sea levels along the coast. The report predicts that climate change will inundate Maryland with up to six feet of seawater over the next century. Climate change will particularly affect Baltimore, Annapolis, St. Michaels, and the lower half of the Delmarva Peninsula, with the lower lying areas of Maryland experiencing drastic flooding and wind damage from extreme weather events. Donald Boesch, president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science, said, “Our estimate is we should prepare for a sea level that’s going to be almost up to my chest, well over my knees. We better prepare for that. We need to be ready to make some difficult and tough decisions about what we’re going to protect.” For additional information see: Washington Post, Report, Web Tool

200 Christian Climate Scientists Urge Congress to Act on Global Warming Two hundred evangelical Christian scientists, including climatologists, biologists and chemists, signed a letter urging Congress to pass legislation to reduce carbon emissions and protect the environment. The letter includes scripture quotes, such as, “We as a society risk being counted among ‘those who destroy the earth’ (Revelation 11:18).” Signee Dr. Katharine Hayhoe, director of the Climate Science Center at Texas Tech University, commented on the letter, stating, “Climate change gets turned into a polarizing issue. There are 200 of us, people who specifically have climate science expertise. We wanted to tell our community and nation that not only does science compel us to get involved, but that also faith compels us.” For additional information see: E&E Publishing

Four Former Republican EPA Administrators Support Climate Protection On August 1, four former administrators of the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA): William D. Ruckelshaus, Lee M. Thomas, William K. Reilly, and Christine Todd Whitman, published an Op-Ed in the New York Times that backed climate science and strong, immediate action for climate protect. The former EPA administrators suggested that a carbon tax would be the best climate strategy, but agree that President Obama's plan to use executive authority to curb climate pollutants, including phasing down HFCs under the Montreal Protocol, is a way to start. They state, “There is no longer any credible scientific debate about the basic facts: our world continues to warm, with the last decade the hottest in modern records, and the deep ocean warming faster than the earth’s atmosphere. . . . The only uncertainty about our warming world is how bad the changes will get, and how soon. What is most clear is that there is no time to waste.” For additional information see: New York Times

Boulder Considers City Carbon Neutrality by 2050 The city of Boulder, Colorado is considering a goal of reducing greenhouse gas emissions 80 percent by 2050. The city council memo addressing this goal states, “The implications of adopting an ambitious goal such as carbon neutrality are significant and far-reaching. Accomplishing a goal of this magnitude will require very significant changes—both locally and regionally/nationally—from a high-carbon-based economic and social system to a low carbon one.” For additional information see: G Boulder Daily Camera

Carbon Tax Has Helped Reduce British Columbia Emissions Published on July 24, a study by Sustainable Prosperity shows that British Columbia’s (BC) revenue-neutral carbon tax, implemented in 2008, has helped reduce per capita consumption of petroleum fuels by 17.4 percent, making BC’s per capita consumption almost 19 percent lower than that of the rest of Canada. BC now has the lowest per capita fuel use of any Canadian province. From 2008 to 2011, BC’s per capita greenhouse gas emissions associated with carbon taxed fuels declined by ten percent. Data also has shown that the carbon tax has had no negative impact on GDP. This is consistent with carbon-tax data from the past two decades from Denmark, Finland, Germany, the Netherlands, Slovenia, Sweden and the UK; all of which implemented a carbon tax that had a neutral or slightly positive effect on GDP. To date, the government in BC has returned $500 million in income tax cuts that it has collected as carbon tax revenue. For additional information see: EE News, Study Abstract, Study

Violence, War Linked to Temperature Increases On August 1, new research from Princeton University and University of California, Berkeley confirmed a link between significant shifts in climate and precipitation, and a rise in violence and institutional breakdown. The researchers performed a meta-analysis of 60 studies, some containing data from as far back as 10,000 BC to find that a rise in temperature yields significant increases in interpersonal violence and intergroup conflict. The study suggests that if modern day civilization follows these statistical patterns, the risk of intergroup conflict could increase 50 percent by 2050. Lead study author Solomon Hsiang said, "It does change how we think about the value of avoiding climate change. It makes us think that avoiding climate change is actually something we should be willing to invest more in." For additional information see: CNN, NBC News, The Atlantic, Study Abstract (Subscription Required)

Sea Ice Melt Impacting Ocean Life Research published in Science Magazine on August 2 show that the loss of Arctic sea ice has significant negative impacts on the entire Arctic ecosystem. Algae and plankton found in Arctic sea ice produce 57 percent of total food in northern oceans. As the ice melts, the organisms have an increasingly smaller habitat, and their ability to grow is hindered by the less salty waters around shrinking ice floes. The loss of algae and plankton contributed to the recent mass-deaths of Pacific walruses. The loss of ice itself also affects foxes, wolves, polar bears and grizzly bears, which use the ice to reproduce and hunt. In addition, warming oceans are expected to thaw permafrost as far as 1,500 kilometers inland, leading to an earlier spring growth and a disruption of feeding patterns for many Arctic species. For additional information see: Ottawa Citizen, Study

Climate Change, Loss of Habitat Harm Record Number of Monarch Butterflies Monarch butterfly populations in Canada are at a historic 20-year low. In Ontario Canada, a recent butterfly count found that only 31 monarch butterflies had returned from their winter migratory grounds in Mexico, 737 less than last year’s high of 768 monarchs. On an average year, 350 million butterflies spend the winter months in Mexico, but last winter only 60 million butterflies were counted, a decrease of 80 percent. Climate change and the loss of their natural habitat have adversely affected the butterfly population. According to Elizabeth Howard, founder of the monarch preservation organization Journey North, “This year is an extreme. Nobody knows if they can recover from these levels. They may bounce back, but it doesn’t look very good.” Ms. Howard continued, “I don’t think this is a stretch to say how this is an example of how climate change is affecting a species.” For additional information see: The Globe and Mail

Effort to Relocate Alaskan Village Stalls Climate change induced landscape transformations are forcing Alaskan communities to consider moving entire villages to safer ground. According to federal reports, 186 Alaskan Native villages, or 86 percent, are facing increased erosion or sinking due to permafrost melt. Current efforts to relocate the village of Newtok, a small community of 350 residents on the coast of the Bering Sea, are stalled because of political disputes within the village. No construction on new homes or an evacuation center are planned for the remainder of 2013.  The Army Corps of Engineers has estimated the cost to relocate Newtok at $130 million. Robin Bronen, a human rights lawyer in Anchorage, said, "When you are talking about a people who have done the least to contribute to our climate crisis facing such dramatic consequences as a result of climate change, we have a moral and legal responsibility to respond and provide the funding needed so that these communities are not in danger."  (bold emphasis added) For additional information see: The Guardian, Article 1, Article 2

Record Sea Level Rise, Arctic Melt in 2012 On August 6, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) published its “State of the Climate in 2012” report. The report found that 2012 was among the 10 warmest years on record, and found that the Arctic sea ice cover retreated to its lowest levels since the beginning of satellite records. The report also stated that sea levels increased at an average rate of 3.2mm per year over the past few decades - a record high; and ocean heat remained at record high levels in 2012. Kathryn Sullivan, Undersecretary of Commerce for Oceans and Atmosphere and Acting NOAA Administrator compared the report to “an annual check-up for the planet.” She said, “Many of the planning models for infrastructure rely on the future being statistically a lot like the past, and certainly the data should lead one to question if that will be so. Extreme weather events are more frequent and more intense than what we presumed.” For additional information see: NOAA, The Guardian, LA Times, Washington Post

Climate Change Accelerating at “Unprecedented” Pace In a study released in Science on August 2, researchers from Stanford University’s Woods Institute for the Environment evaluated over 20 climate models and geologic climate data to predict what climate could look like by the end of the 21st century. They found that modern day climate change is “comparable in magnitude to that of the largest global changes in the past 65 million years but is orders of magnitude more rapid.” At current greenhouse gas emission rates, the researchers predict that by 2046 annual temperatures in the Northern Hemisphere could increase up to four degrees Celsius, and could exceed six degrees by the end of the century.  Severely hot conditions equal to the hottest summer of the previous 20 years may become routine by the end of the century under such scenarios, further exacerbating extreme weather events. The authors emphasize that there are “opportunities to decrease those risks [. . .] There are many human variables at play that could slow the pace and magnitude of change – or accelerate it.” This trend would also place extraordinary strain on species forced to deal with a quickly changing climate.  The study authors note that “we know from past changes that ecosystems have responded to a few degrees of global temperature change over thousands of years [. . .] But the unprecedented trajectory that we're on now is forcing that change to occur over decades. That's orders of magnitude faster, and we're already seeing that some species are challenged by that rate of change." For additional information see: KQED, Stanford University, Report

Arctic Ice Becoming Less Reflective In a report published in Nature Climate Change on August 4, researchers from the Finnish Meteorological Institute in Helenski documented the changes in the albedo, or reflectivity, of Arctic ice cover over the past 30 years.  The study found that the region’s ice reflectivity is 15 percent lower today than 30 years ago. Darkening of the Arctic’s ice cover is caused by several factors; warmer air and water, as well as thinning ice contribute to reduction of reflectivity, a process that ultimately leads to less ice cover each progressive year.  These results may explain the unprecedented rate of ice loss, which has surpassed previous climate models, including the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 2007 predictions.  Other studies have predicted that the Arctic may be ice-free by the end of each summer by 2030.  The study demonstrates that “the retreating and thinning sea-ice cover is clearly growing darker. This decreasing albedo is both a cause and effect of change in the sea-ice.” For additional information see: New Scientist, Nature Climate Change

Natural Gas Field Methane Leakages in Utah Suggest Higher National Average A study conducted by scientists at the University of Colorado at Boulder and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) found methane levels in the air above a Utah natural gas production facility to be higher than previously estimated.  Natural gas power plants have are considered to emit less carbon emissions than coal-fired power plants.  However, natural gas production has the potential to leak methane, a greenhouse gas that is 25 times more potent than carbon dioxide over a 100-year time period.  In the study, recently accepted to Geophysical Research Letters, researchers were able to directly measure methane leakages in the air above and downwind of a natural gas field for the first time, using low-flying aircraft.  Study authors estimate that methane leaked at the Uintah natural gas field in Uintah County, Utah, is between 6.2 and 11.7 percent of total natural gas production.  These findings are contrasted with previous calculations; the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) estimates that national methane leakage rates are about 1.5 percent, while other studies have placed methane leakage across the process to be between 0.71 to 7.9 percent of total production.  Scientists are planning on applying the research methods to natural gas wells in Texas, Colorado, and Pennsylvania. Additionally, the findings have implications for the total carbon budget of natural gas.  Studies point to a break-even point between natural gas and coal-fired power plants’ greenhouse gas emissions.  At 8.0 percent methane leakage, scientists estimate that climate benefits from switching from coal fired power plants to natural gas would not be felt for more than 60 years, due to methane’s short term potency as a greenhouse gas. Colm Sweeny, study co-author, commented that “If we’re leaking a lot of methane we’re counteracting any sort of (beneficial) impact in the near-term”. For additional information see: Climate Central, Report

Namibia Has Worst Drought in 30 Years The current drought in Namibia is having drastic effects on Namibians, crops, and livestock, with 400,000 people at risk of going hungry. When the government declared a state of emergency after widespread crop failures in May 2013, President Hifikepunye Pohamba said, "It has now been established that climate change is here to stay and humanity must find ways and means of mitigating its effect." As the driest country in sub-Saharan Africa, Namibia’s pre-existing level of food insecurity has only been worsened by the drought. One in three Namibians is at risk of malnutrition, and the lack of water for people and livestock could lengthen the crisis. For additional information see: Washington Post, The Guardian

The above is an example of the social justice dimension of climate change: often the world’s poorest people, like those in sub-Saharan Africa who are least responsible for the problem, suffer the most.

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New Castle County Congregations of Delaware Interfaith Power and Light

CLIMATE CHANGE NEWS FOR JULY 2013

CC NEWS FOR JULY 2013

On May 14 Fen Montiaigne published an interview with Ralph Keeling in The Guardian titled, Record 400ppm CO2 milestone 'feels like we're moving into another era'.  Ralph is the son of Charles David Keeling, the first climate scientist to make accurate measurements of atmospheric CO2 concentrations at the Mona Loa Observatory in Hawaii, starting in 1958, when the concentration was 315 ppm.  Ralph is now the Director of the Scripps CO2 program, based in California.  In respnse to the question, “What steps would you recommend be taken fairly soon to begin to rein in emissions?” Keeling said, “Again I'm not the person to think in detail how this can work or what the constraints are. But clearly we have to wean ourselves off fossil fuels. That requires developing renewable sources of energy, and we need a marketplace that allows that to happen. As long as fossil fuels are too cheap, that's going to be hard to see. So we need some system in which the cost of the damage caused by CO2 emissions is paid at the gas pump or at the point of extraction and not by generations living later.” (emphasis added)  At: 

http://m.guardiannews.com/environment/2013/may/14/record-400ppm-co2-carbon-emissions  His answer highlights the issue of intergenerational justice.

Treehugger for June 10, 2013 has an article by Saah Hodgdon titled, Women Must Be Heard in the Climate Change Debate.  She writes, “Every day, in countless places around the world, women's lives and livelihoods are being threatened by forces beyond their control. The impacts of climate change, such as floods, droughts, extreme weather, and declining agricultural production, affect everyone. But when crops, water sources, and natural resources become scarce, women - who are often responsible for managing these resources - suffer the most.”  “According to the United Nations Entity for Gender Equality and the Empowerment of Women: As small-scale farmers - the vast majority in some areas of the world - (women) have far fewer resources than men to cope with crop failures or pursue methods of farming more adapted to climate shifts. As migrants and refugees pushed from areas of climatic stress, they confront greater risks of disease and violence. During disasters that follow natural hazards, they count higher among the dead.”  At: http://www.treehugger.com/health/women-must-be-heard-climate-change-debate.html

On June 14 John Funk of the Cleveland Plain Dealer posted an article titled, Exxon's Rex Tillerson sees climate change as risk managment problem.  In response to a question after an address to the City Club of Cleveland, Tillerson, the head of the world’s largest oil company, admitted that climate change is a serious and complex problem, but opined that society may not be able to fix it and will just have to adapt.  This was the second time in 13 months that Tillerson admitted that climate change might be real.  At: http://www.cleveland.com/business/index.ssf/2013/06/exxons_rex_tillerson_see_clima.html

On July 3 Lauren Morello posted an article in Nature titled, Evolution makes the grade.  She reported that the Next Generation Science Standards, released in April, are the first effort in 15 years to overhaul and modernize US science education.  They include the teaching of both evolution and climate change.  Education officials in Rhode Island, Kentucky, Kansas, Maryland and Vermont have all approved the standards; at least five more states — California, Florida, Maine, Michigan and Washington - may consider them soon.  Legislatures in Louisiana and Tennessee have passed bills that allow teachers to present material that undermines both evolution and climate change.  At: http://www.nature.com/news/evolution-makes-the-grade-1.13318

On July 15 Elizabeth Rauer posted the results of a study from the Stanford Woods Institute for the Environment titled, The Best Defense Against Catastrophic Storms: Mother Nature.  It says, “The study, published in the journal Nature Climate Change, offers the first comprehensive  map of the entire U.S. coastline that shows where and how much protection communities get from natural habitats such as sand dunes, coral reefs, sea grasses and mangroves.  In our changing climate, extreme weather, sea-level rise, and degraded coastal ecosystems are placing people and property at greater risk of damage from coastal hazards. The likelihood and magnitude of losses can be reduced by intact ecosystems near vulnerable coastal communities.”  The map of the coastline can be used to zoom in to particular sections of the coast (e.g., the East Coast) to see which areas are at low, medium or high risk with and without protection from natural habitats that could be lost in the future through development, sea level rise, and coastal storms.  At: http://woods.stanford.edu/news-events/news/best-defense-against-catastrophic-storms-mother-nature

The World Resources Institute has recently introduced CAIT 2.0 - WRI’s Climate Data Explorer.  One can easily find, for example, the per capita GHG emissions of various countries.  Some examples for 2010 in metric tonnes are:  U.S. (18.33), Russian Federation (11.71), Germany (9.88), China (6.65), Brazil (2.46) and India (1.40).  At: http://cait2.wri.org/wri/Country%20GHG%20Emissions?indicator=Total%20GHG%20Emissions%20Excluding%20LUCF&indicator=Total%20GHG%20Emissions%20Including%20LUCF&year=2010&sortIdx=&sortDir=&chartType=#

The following items are from the Environmental and Energy Study Institute (EESI), Carol Werner, Executive Director. Past issues of its newsletter are posted on its website under "publications"
 at http://www.eesi.org/publications/Newsletters/CCNews/ccnews.htm 

EESI’s newsletter is intended for all interested parties, particularly the policymaker community. 

Study: U.S. Tax Code Has Not Yet Been Effective Tool to Reduce Carbon Emissions Federal tax provisions do not have a large effect on greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions, according to a National Resources Council report published June 20. The Congressionally requested study examined various tax provisions, including renewable electricity production tax credits, oil and gas depletion allowances, home energy efficiency improvement credits, and owner-occupied housing provisions, and found that the policies yield little reduction in GHG emissions per dollar of revenue loss. The combined federal revenue losses from energy sector tax subsidies in 2011 and 2013 totaled $48 billion. The report finds that while provisions for renewable electricity reduce GHG emissions, other subsidies, such as those for ethanol and other biofuels, may have slightly increased emission. Overall, the report concludes that current approaches are not nearly as effective as carbon taxes or tradable emissions allowances would be. For additional information see: Environmental Leader, Study

Mayors Pledge to Prepare Cities for Extreme Weather On June 17, more than 45 mayors and other elected officials from U.S. cities pledged to make their communities more resilient to extreme weather and energy and economic challenges. The pledge, the Resilient Communities for America Agreement, includes a commitment to use more renewable energy and make buildings and infrastructure more energy efficient, as well as a commitment to share information and solutions. This pledge comes less than a week after Mayor Michael Bloomberg announced his $20 billion plan to prepare New York City for rising sea levels and increasing temperatures (see June 17 issue). Des Moines Mayor Frank Cownie, whose city has seen both severe flooding and drought the past five years, expressed the importance of local action, stating, “These extreme [weather] events are becoming more and more prevalent, and local government is really where it happens.” For additional information see: Reuters, Resilient Communities for America

Shenzhen Becomes First Chinese City to Implement Cap and Trade System Shenzhen implemented China’s first cap and trade system on June 18, with 635 companies included in the program. These companies emitted a total of 31.7 million tonnes of carbon (CO2) emissions in 2010. The goal of the cap is a 21 percent reduction in the emissions intensity by 2015, from 2010 levels. Li Yan, Greenpeace's climate and energy campaign manager in China, stated, "This is just a baby step when you look at the total quantity of emissions, but it enables China to establish institutions for carbon controls for the first time.” Over the next year, six other regions in China are expected to implement their own cap and trade systems (see October 15, 2012 issue). In related news, the California Air Resources Board (CARB) and the Shenzhen Development and Reform Commission agreed to share information and work together to establish their emissions trading systems. Under the agreement, the two groups will collaborate to develop effective data gathering tools and pollution monitoring systems that can improve their systems. Mary Nichols, chair of CARB, visited Shenzhen for the opening day of their market, where she told Director of the Shenzhen Development and Reform Commission Xu Anliang, “Congratulations to Shenzhen for taking this important step forward today. We are pleased to work with you in the effort to combat global climate change. The actions of states, provinces, and cities are creating a foundation that national and international action can spring from. We are blazing the trail.” For additional information see: Reuters, Scientific American, CARB Press Release

Note: The Shenzhen cap and trade system is designed to reduce CO2 emissions intensity - the amount of CO2 produced per unit of production (e.g., per MWh of electricity generated).  It may not reduce actual CO2 emissions (tons of CO2 per year) if the economy keeps growing.

G8 Leaders Reiterate Commitment to Address Climate Change Leaders at the June 17-18 G8 summit in Lough Erne, Northern Ireland, released a statement that includes a series of commitments to curb greenhouse gas emissions and combat climate change for economic reasons. “Climate change is one of the foremost challenges for our future economic growth and well-being. We remain strongly committed to addressing the urgent need to reduce greenhouse gas emissions significantly by 2020 and to pursue our low carbon path afterwards,” the statement read. The leaders committed to take action through organizations such as the Major Economies Forum (MEF), the International Civil Aviation Organization (ICAO), the International Maritime Organization (IMO), and the Climate and Clean Air Coalition. The statement also pledges work with the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) to adopt a new international climate agreement by 2015, and to mobilize $100 billion of climate finance by 2020. For additional information see: G8 Statement, Business Green

World Bank Study Highlights Risks to Impoverished and Coastal Regions In a new report released June 19, the World Bank warns that climate-driven impacts will threaten the food security and livelihoods of millions of the world’s poorest and most vulnerable people. The report looks at the likely impacts of warming in Sub-Saharan Africa, South Asia, and South East Asia today (as well as in a two degrees Celsius and four degrees Celsius world) and builds upon a 2012 World Bank study (see November 26, 2012 issue). According to the report, climate-related extreme events from current warming are already pushing the most vulnerable households below the poverty threshold and will make economic growth and poverty eradication increasingly difficult as temperatures continue to rise. By 2030, the report warns, between 40 percent and 80 percent of the land used to grow maize in Sub-Saharan Africa will be unable to sustain crops due to droughts and heat, while sea-level rise and increased tropical storms could inundate much of Bangkok, Thailand and other low-lying coastal cities and islands. “In the near-term, climate change, which is already unfolding, could batter the slums even more and greatly harm the lives and the hopes of individuals and families who have had little hand in raising the Earth’s temperature,” said World Bank President Jim Yong Kim. Durwood Zaelke, president of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development, stated, “Jim Kim is sounding a wakeup call for the world to work harder and faster to combat climate change. Rapid cuts in CO2 emissions are necessary to stabilize long-term temperatures, but in the near-term, fast action to cut short-lived climate pollutants is critical for reducing the impacts we’re already suffering and the even more punishing impacts that are fast approaching in the next couple of decades.” For additional information see: Washington Post, AP, Study, Kim Speech Transcript

Study Finds that Climate Goals Can Be Achieved Profitably A new study by McKinsey and Company, World Wildlife Fund (WWF), and the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) demonstrates that if U.S. businesses reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by an average of three percent annually, they can save up to $780 billion over the next 10 years, including $190 billion in the year 2020 alone. The report, released June 18, concludes that a three percent annual GHG emissions reduction will amount to a 25 percent cut in carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions for the U.S. corporate sector from 1990 levels. Businesses could achieve this reduction by investing between three and four percent of their capital expenditures on carbon reduction projects, such as energy efficiency improvements and installation of renewable energy. Companies that lack the necessary capital to invest in projects can include energy efficiency upgrades into operation improvement expenditures. The report finds that nearly 80 percent of the companies that reported their climate and environmental goals to the CDP earned higher returns on carbon reduction investments than on their overall corporate capital investments. For additional information see: Business Green, WWF Press Release, Report

2012 the Second Most Expensive Year for U.S. Extreme Weather The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s (NOAA) National Climate Data Center released an assessment June 13 concluding that damages from the 11 billion-dollar severe weather events in 2012 cost the United States $110 billion. Overall, 2012 was the second costliest year from severe weather in the United States, topped only by 2005. These events – which included seven severe weather and tornado events, two tropical cyclones, a severe drought and wildfire – were also responsible for more than 300 deaths. NOAA reports that the two costliest events in 2012 were Hurricane Sandy ($65 billion) and the yearlong drought across the country ($30 billion). For additional information see: NOAA Press Release, Daily Climate, Report

Climate Change Raising Liability to the National Flood Insurance Program The Federal Emergency Management Agency (FEMA) published a report June 11 stating that the portion of the United States at risk for flooding – otherwise known as the floodplain area – will increase by up to 45 percent by the end of the century. If this occurs, the National Flood Insurance Plan (NFIP) could see premiums rise to $11.2 billion by the year 2100, compared to $3.2 billion in 2009. Furthermore, the number of NFIP-insured properties could rise from today’s level of 5.6 million, to 11.2 million by 2100. The NFIP incurred $16 billion in debt after Hurricane Katrina, and Superstorm Sandy increased that figure to $25 billion. Losses on each insured property could increase as much as 90 percent by 2100, which must then be covered by either the future storm victims or the government. The study assumes that sea levels will rise by four feet by the end of the century, though the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) predicted last year that sea level rise could exceed six feet by 2100. Furthermore, changes in the frequency and strength of storms will likely cause severe flooding around rivers, in addition to oceanic surges. The report predicts that the greatest increases in floodplain areas will occur near the Great Lakes and Pacific Northwest. The report attributes 30 percent of this increased risk to population growth and 70 percent to climate change. For additional information see: Mother Jones, Report

Ice Melt in Antarctica Largely Caused from Below A study published June 13 in Science concludes that the majority of Antarctic sea ice loss is due to melting on the underside of the ice shelves that line the coasts of the continent. Previously, scientists had believed that the majority of ice loss was occurring due to icebergs breaking off of these ice shelves. However, when the researchers measured the volume of change in different areas of the ice shelves, they found that melting at the bottom of the ice shelves accounted for 55 percent of all ice loss. This study underlines the importance of the ocean temperature surrounding the Antarctic to sea ice melt. According to lead author Dr. Eric Rignot, professor of Earth system science at University of California, Irvine, “This has profound implications for our understanding of interactions between Antarctica and climate change. It basically puts the Southern Ocean up front as the most significant control on the evolution of the polar ice sheet.” For additional information see: Los Angeles Times, Christian Science Monitor, Study

President Obama Releases Climate Action Plan At a June 25 speech at Georgetown University, President Barack Obama outlined a suite of executive actions in his Climate Action Plan to reduce U.S. greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020 and prepare the nation for the impacts of climate change. Central to the plan is the Environmental Protection Agency promulgating draft carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions standards for existing power plants by 2014. In addition, the plan directs the Department of the Interior (DOI) to permit enough renewable energy projects on public lands to power six million homes, and for federally assisted housing to deploy 100 megawatts of new renewable energy, both by 2020. The plan sets a goal for 20 percent of all energy for federal buildings to be from renewable sources by 2020, and for the federal government to reduce its emissions by at least three billion tonnes cumulatively by 2030. Obama’s plan will also release $8 billion in loan guarantees for advanced fossil fuel and efficiency projects, and strengthen the Better Building Challenge to increase building efficiency 20 percent by 2020. Along with domestic GHG reduction provisions, the plan directs federal agencies to help the nation prepare for climate-related impacts. Climate resilience measures include: support for climate-resilient infrastructure investments; the convening of a short-term climate preparedness task force composed of state, local and tribal officials; and the development of guidelines to support local communities planning for climate impacts. At the international level, the president pledged that the United States would help negotiate an ambitious international climate agreement by the end of 2015, to take effect in 2020. Obama also vowed to continue work to reduce short-lived climate pollutants both domestically and internationally after the agreement in early June with President Xi Jinping of China to phase down hydrofluorocarbon use under the Montreal Protocol (see June 10 issue). Furthermore, the president stated that unless there is no other option to generate electricity, the United States would no longer finance new coal plants overseas that do not deploy carbon capture technology and urged other countries to do the same. For additional information see: EESI Article, New York Times, Washington Post, Speech Transcript, Climate Action Plan, White House Fact Sheet

Insurance Industry Concerned about Costs from Extreme Weather, Climate Change The Geneva Association, an insurance industry think tank, released research highlighting the threat of warming oceans and climate change to the insurability of catastrophic risk in some areas. The Association also held a conference in London, focusing on how governments and the insurance industry can partner to mitigate damages from natural disasters. “Given that energy from the ocean is a key driver of extreme events, ocean warming has effectively caused a shift towards a ‘new normal’ for a number of insurance-relevant hazards,” said John Fitzpatrick, secretary general of the Geneva Association. In addition to pointing out that volatility of climate-related events makes the pricing of insurance difficult and risky for insurers, the report highlights three main areas in which the risk of ocean damage is increasing. First, continental ice melt is increasing the volume of ocean water on the planet, accelerating sea level rise and flooding. Second, as the ocean warms, precipitation levels change. Third, the effects of climate change on large-scale climate phenomena such as El Nino, the North Atlantic Oscillation or monsoon systems, is unknown. The report urges insurers to develop modernized risk estimation methods and suggests public-private partnerships as a means to strengthen community resilience and infrastructure. For additional information see: Financial Times, Insurance Journal, Study

Sharp Reductions in HFCs Can Avoid Up to Half a Degree of Warming by 2100 A study published June 26 in Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics calculates that phasing down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) can avoid up to 0.5 degrees Celsius of warming by 2100. “Our calculations show that controlling HFC growth can avoid a significant amount of warming in this century, at least comparable to CO2 mitigation at 2050, and almost 50 percent of CO2 mitigation by 2100,” stated lead author Yangyang Xu, climate researcher at Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego. HFCs are a small contributor to warming today, but are the fastest growing greenhouse gases in many countries, including the United States, European Union, China and India. “The findings of our study provide even greater justification for phasing-down HFCs under the Montreal Protocol.” stated co-author Durwood Zaelke, president of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development. “It’s the biggest, fastest, and cheapest climate mitigation available to the world today. The prominence that the President gave HFCs in his speech and climate plan makes it clear he will be continuing his personal diplomacy to ensure a swift victory under the Montreal Protocol.” For additional information see: Scripps Press Release, IGSD Press Release, Study

Poll Finds Strong Support for Carbon Regulations The Georgetown Climate Center released a poll June 24 that found 87 percent of Americans support Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. This includes 78 percent of Republicans and 94 percent of Democrats. Vicki Arroyo, executive director of the Georgetown Climate Center, stated, “Polling that we are releasing today shows that Americans want the Administration to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from power plants and to take steps to protect future generations from the worst climate change impacts.” In related news, the Small Business Majority published a poll on June 25 showing that nearly 6 in 10 small businesses believe that climate change and extreme weather events are an urgent problem that can harm the economy and small businesses in particular. The study also found that 42 percent of small businesses believe the Small Business Administration should track claims related to extreme weather events to increase government aid to small businesses. A similar poll released by the American Sustainable Business Council found that 63 percent of small businesses support carbon dioxide regulations by the EPA on existing power plants. For additional information see: Georgetown Climate Center Poll, Small Business Majority Poll, American Sustainable Business Council Poll

Study: Government Underfunding Climate Resilience On June 19, the Center for American Progress (CAP) published a report concluding that from 2011 to 2013 the federal government spent six times more on disaster relief than resilience efforts to protect communities. The report, titled “Pound Foolish: Federal Community-Resilience Investments Swamped by Disaster Damages,” estimates that the federal government spent about $136 billion on disaster relief compared to only $22.4 billion on resiliency programs. The report recommends assessing local preparedness needs and creating a fund to support resiliency programs that protect communities from natural disasters and extreme weather events. The report states, “Revenue that should be targeted to resilience is too often diverted to disaster recovery or falls victim to shortsighted austerity measures such as the budget sequester. The federal government could save additional lives and money by increasing assistance to communities to help them address their resilience needs.” For additional information see: Los Angeles Times, The Hill, CAP Report

Assessment of Geologic Carbon Dioxide Storage Potential Released by Dept. of Interior The U.S. Geological Survey (USGS) released its first ever detailed assessment of America’s capacity for technically accessible geologic carbon sequestration on June 26. According to the research, the United States has the potential to store 3,000 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) in geologic basins throughout the country. The assessment examined the storage potential of 36 basins across the United States, finding that the Coastal Plains region holds about 65 percent of America’s CO2 sequestration capacity. Alaska and the Rocky Mountains were also found to have significant capacity. For reference, the U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) estimates that in 2011, the United States emitted 5.5 gigatonnes of energy-related CO2. For additional information see: DOI Press Release, Study

Note: I recall that the cost of capturing and storing CO2 from a coal-fired power plant can be of the order of $30-40/ton of CO2 - raising the price of electricity by 3-4 cents per kWh.  Once the CO2 has been diluted to about 0.04% in the atmosphere (400 ppm), the cost of capture and storage by chemical and physical processes goes up to about $1000/ton  ($1/kWh).

The U.S. and China Agree to Further Climate Protection The U.S.-China Working Group on Climate Change, set up in April during Secretary of State John Kerry’s first visit to China (see April 22 issue), announced agreement on July 10 on five new initiatives to jointly reduce greenhouse gases and air pollution. Implementation plans are to be completed by October 2013. The new US-China initiatives are: reducing black carbon and other emissions from heavy-duty trucks and vehicles; demonstrating carbon capture, utilization, and storage; increasing energy efficiency in buildings, industry and transport; strengthening capacity for collection and management of greenhouse gas data; and collaborating on smart grid systems, deploying renewable and clean energy, and improving demand management. The U.S.-China partnership also is working to implement the June agreement by President Obama and President Xi Jinping to phase down hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) under the Montreal Protocol (see June 10 issue). "The US-China initiatives will produce fast mitigation from cuts to HFCs and black carbon, two climate pollutants that clear out of the atmosphere quickly and produce quick cooling. The initiatives also will produce longer term mitigation by cutting carbon dioxide, and by pursuing carbon capture, utilization, and storage projects," said Durwood Zaelke, president of the Institute for Governance and Sustainable Development. The high level meeting included the Secretaries of State, Energy, Treasury, Transportation, and Commerce, as well as officials from the White House. For additional information see: State Dept. Fact Sheet, Washington Post, IGSD Press Release

Rate of Global Warming Increased from 2000-2010 A report released July 3 by the United Nations World Meteorological Organization (WMO) concludes that the rate of global warming has accelerated in recent decades. The report, “The Global Climate 2001-2010, A Decade of Climate Extremes,” analyzed global and regional temperature trends and found that 2001-2010 was the warmest decade for land and ocean surface temperatures in both hemispheres. Average global temperatures were 0.21 degree Celsius warmer this past decade than from 1991 to 2000. WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud stated, “The decadal rate of increase between 1991-2000 and 2001-2010 was unprecedented. Rising concentrations of heat-trapping greenhouse gases are changing our climate, with far-reaching implications for our environment and our oceans.” For additional information see: BBC, Bloomberg, AP

United Church of Christ Divests from Fossil Fuels On July 3, the United Church of Christ became the first American religious body to divest its pension funds and investments from fossil fuel companies due to climate change concerns. The divestment will occur in stages over the next five years, although the church left open the possibility of keeping some investments if the companies meet certain standards. The United Church of Christ is a Protestant church with approximately 1.1 million members. Its campaign to divest from fossil fuels was led by the Rev. Jim Antal, who is president of the Massachusetts Conference of the United Church of Christ. In related news, two major financial institutions have also announced their divestment from fossil fuel companies. The largest bank in the Netherlands, Rabobank, will cease lending to companies or landowners that extract natural gas through hydraulic fracturing. Storebrand, a major Norwegian pension fund, has sold its investments in 13 coal producers and the six oil companies most heavily involved in tar sands. Both banks cited long-term financial risks connected to climate change as reasons for divestment. For additional information see: AP, Sustainable Business

IMF Director Says that Climate Action Will Create Jobs International Monetary Fund (IMF) Managing Director Christine Lagarde stated during an interview with MSNBC that climate change will transform economies around the world. She noted that these transformations would include disasters brought about by climate change, but also said, “There will be areas of growth. You talk about green growth – that will be associated with particular jobs for which the training has not yet been invented and needs to be aggregated and put together.” For additional information see: International Business Times

Hurricane Frequency and Strength to Increase with Climate Change A new study published July 8 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences concludes that tropical cyclones are likely to become stronger and more frequent with climate change. The study finds that the world could experience up to 20 more hurricanes and tropical storms annually by the end of the century. The study disputes previous reports, including a 2012 paper from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, that predict a decrease in storm frequency as climate change makes individual storms more powerful. Study author Kerry Emanuel, professor of meteorology at Massachusetts Institute of Technology, used six high-resolution climate models to simulate 600 storms each year from 1950 and 2005 and then project global hurricane activity out to 2100. For additional information see: USA Today, TIME, Study

Ocean Acidification Impacts Entire Marine Ecosystems Ocean acidification has farther reaching effects on marine ecosystems than previously realized, according a study published July 8 in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences. Researchers compared ecosystems in low, high, and extremely high areas of acidity by a volcano vent in Italy. They found that the low acidity areas had much higher concentrations of biodiversity. Urchins and grazing animals were not common in the higher acidity areas, and those that were present in the higher acidity areas did not consume the algae. Lead author Dr. Kristy Kroeker, marine biologist at the University of California, Davis, explained, “The background, low-grade stress caused by ocean acidification can cause a whole shift in the ecosystem so that everything is dominated by the same plants, which tend to be turf algae.” Approximately 30 percent of anthropogenic carbon released into the atmosphere has been absorbed by the oceans. For additional information see: The Daily Climate, UC Davis News, Study

Communities of Color Disproportionately Impacted by Urban Heat Islands Minority populations are more likely than others to live in dangerous “urban heat islands,” according to a study published July 1 in Environmental Health Perspectives. Urban heat islands occur in neighborhoods that have large amounts of asphalt, cement and roofing that absorb heat and lack trees to shade people and infrastructure. During heat waves, urban heat islands can be as much as five to 10 degrees warmer than other areas. Researchers compared the locations of heat islands to census data and found that, compared to whites, blacks are 52 percent more likely to live in an urban heat island, while Asians are 32 percent more likely, and Latinos are 21 percent more likely. These results can have important implications for how communities address the increased heat risks that are associated with climate change. Co-author Dr. Rachel Morello-Frosch, professor of environmental science, policy and management at the University of California, Berkeley noted, “Efforts to minimize heat risks in cities need to be more attuned to the racial disparities we see on a national scale. We need to make sure that any heat mitigation strategies really focus on the most vulnerable communities.” For additional information see: Los Angeles Times, Study

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New Castle County Congregations of Delaware Interfaith Power and Light