Climate finance: failing to serve the most vulnerable?
Climate finance often fails to reach people most at risk in developing nations - local governments and affected communities need more influence on spending
South Korea urged to exit coal by 2029 to stick to Paris climate agreement
Climate Analytics research group calls on Seoul to phase out existing coal-fired power plants, stop new construction and halt funds for coal projects in other Asian nations
‘Mysterious’ seasons harm Nigeria’s farmers who need help with climate change
Smallholder farmers grow 90% of Nigeria's food but their crops are vulnerable to ever more extreme weather linked to climate change. New technologies can help
Climate Home News launches front line climate justice reporting programme
We want your story ideas about how communities - especially women, youth and indigenous peoples - are building resilience to climate change in the most vulnerable regions of the world.
Locusts plague destroys livelihoods in Kenya but ‘biggest threat yet to come’
Wetter and hotter weather than usual is forecast until May, providing locust eggs with ideal conditions to hatch and grow. FAO says it is in a "race against time"
In Colombia and Costa Rica, where governments have imposed carbon taxes, deforestation rates are down, while revenues to fund forest restoration efforts are up
EU Parliament urges ECB to put climate at heart of strategy review
European lawmakers have endorsed a parliamentary resolution calling on the ECB to assess how the bank can contribute to the continent's climate policies
One million solar panels! If only we knew where they were…
Pinpointing solar panels and knowing exactly where the sun is shining can cut carbon emissions by reducing the need to keep fossil-fueled generators on standby
Shipping could raise ambition of 2030 climate target, study shows
Research also shows that a Japanese proposal to cut CO2 by installing engine power limitation devices on ships would not deliver meaningful emissions reduction
Campaigners urge African Union to stop fossil fuel proliferation on continent
In a communique, African civil society called on leaders meeting in Ethiopia to 'rapidly initiate a transition to clean and safe renewable sources of energy' for all
World misses symbolic February deadline to ratchet up climate action before Cop26
The 2015 Paris Agreement seeks to raise global ambition every five years. But only three nations have issued upgraded climate plans nine months before Cop26 in Glasgow
Great Barrier Reef Shows Early Signs of Another Major Bleaching Event
Parts of the Great Barrier Reef are showing signs of heat stress, raising the risk of another major coral bleaching event, scientists from the Great Barrier Reef Marine Park Authority have announced. Eastern Australia has experienced a long period of warmer than usual ocean currents, which has increased water temperatures across two-thirds of the reef 2 to 3 degrees Celsius above average for February, Reuters reported.
Scientists have documented an “astonishing” number of blue whales off the sub-Antarctic island of South Georgia — a region where they had been almost wiped out by commercial whaling in the early 20th century, the BBC reported. The international team of researchers counted 55 blue whales during a 25-day survey period. In contrast, a 2018 survey sighted just one blue whale.
How a Trump Administration Rule Could Kill Millions of Birds
A century-old law has made it illegal to kill migratory birds either purposely or accidentally. But a new proposal by the Trump administration and supported by the fossil fuel and other industries would relax regulation, legalizing unintentional killing and putting millions of birds in danger.
When It Comes to Nuclear Power, Could Smaller Be Better?
A handful of companies and governments are working to develop small-scale nuclear reactors that proponents say are safer, cheaper, and more compatible with renewables than traditional nuclear power. But critics contend the new technology doesn’t address concerns about safety and radioactive waste.
Just a Tiny Fraction of America’s Plastic Can Actually Be Recycled, Report Finds
Many of the plastic containers labeled as recyclable in the United States may not actually be recyclable, according to a new report from Greenpeace. The report, which analyzed waste processing data at the country’s 367 material recovery facilities, found that only PET #1 and HDPE #2 plastic bottles and jugs are being recycled with regularity. Plastics #3 through #7, while collected by municipal recycling programs, most often are “being sent to landfills or incinerated.”
After Massive Beetle Outbreaks, Some Western Forests Show Signs of Recovery
Just a few years after simultaneous bark beetle outbreaks decimated trees in the Rocky Mountains, scientists have found that large portions of these high-elevation forests are already showing signs of recovery, according to a new study of 14,000 trees published in the journal Ecology.
Salvation or Pipe Dream? A Movement Grows to Protect Up to Half the Planet
Leading scientists and conservationists are proposing that up to 50 percent of the earth’s land and oceans be protected in the coming decades. While some view the goal as unrealistic, proponents say it is essential for preserving the natural systems on which life itself depends.
Air Pollution from Fossil Fuels Costs $8 Billion Per Day, New Research Finds
The economic and health costs of air pollution from burning fossil fuels totaled $2.9 trillion in 2018, calculated in the form of work absences, years of life lost, and premature deaths, according to a new report by the Center for Research on Energy and Clean Air (CREA). The cost represents 3.3 percent of global GDP, or about $8 billion per day.
How Native Tribes Are Taking the Lead on Planning for Climate Change
With their deep ties to the land and reliance on fishing, hunting, and gathering, indigenous tribes are especially vulnerable to the impacts of climate change. Now, native communities across North America are stepping up to adopt climate action plans to protect their way of life.
Hotter, Drier El Niños Linked to Insect Decline in the Amazon, Study Finds
Scientists have found that hotter and drier El Niño events are having major impacts on biodiversity in the Amazon rainforest, including causing the collapse of dung beetle populations, an important indicator species used to gauge the health of a larger ecosystem. According to a new study, dung beetle numbers in the Brazilian state of Pará fell by half following the 2015-2016 El Niño event, and stayed low for at least two years afterwards.
Ten U.S. Refineries Emit Cancer-Causing Chemical Above EPA Limits
Ten oil refineries in the United States are emitting levels of the pollutant benzene well above the federal government’s “action level” limit, according to a new report from the Environmental Integrity Project, an environmental watchdog group. Long-term exposure to benzene can cause blood disorders and leukemia, Reuters reported.
As Sea Ice Declines, Polar Bears Are Spending An Extra Month on Land, Study Finds
Rapidly declining sea ice in the Arctic is causing polar bears to spend an additional 30 days on land, fast for longer periods of time, and produce smaller litters, according to a new study published in the journal Ecological Applications that analyzed two decades of tracking data on polar bears.
Why Clouds Are the Key to New Troubling Projections on Warming
Recent climate models project that a doubling of atmospheric CO2 above pre-industrial levels could cause temperatures to soar far above previous estimates. A warming earth, researchers now say, will lead to a loss of clouds, allowing more solar energy to strike the planet.
Study Finds Link Between Flu Risk and Wild Weather Swings
Scientists have found a link between a heightened risk of flu and rapid weather swings that have become increasingly common in recent years due to climate change. The study, published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, examined more than a decade of health and weather data in the United States, mainland China, Italy, and France.
Scientists Capture Images of the Bottom of the Thwaites Glacier
Scientists have captured the first-ever photos and video of the ocean-floor foundations of the Thwaites Glacier in Antarctica, a major contributor to global sea level rise. The researchers used an underwater robotic vehicle to document where the bottom of the ice meets the seafloor, an area known as the grounding line that is critical to the stability of the glacier.
Andes Meltdown: New Insights Into Rapidly Retreating Glaciers
Using satellite data, scientists are documenting the inexorable melting of South America’s glaciers and ice fields, with Andean glaciers thinning by nearly three feet a year since 2000. The loss of ice poses a threat to water supplies and agriculture from Bolivia to Chile.
Germany Aims to Phase Out Coal-Fired Power by 2038
The German government has introduced a plan to phase out coal-fired power entirely by 2038 — a target that could cut the country’s carbon dioxide emissions by a quarter, Reuters reported. The agreement includes a $44 billion fund to compensate workers, companies, and regional governments impacted by the transition off of coal.
Marine Heat Wave Linked to Sharp Increase in Whale Entanglements
An ocean heat wave off the U.S. West Coast from 2014 to 2016 drove humpback whales into a narrow band of cooler water, leading to a dramatic increase in whale entanglements with crab-fishing gear, according to a new study.
Deep Decarbonization: A Realistic Way Forward on Climate Change
Global emissions have soared by two-thirds in the three decades since international climate talks began. To make the reductions required, what’s needed is a new approach that creates incentives for leading countries and industries to spark transformative technological revolutions.
World Consumes 100 Billion Tons of Materials Every Year, Report Finds
The amount of material consumed by humanity has passed 100 billion tons every year, a report has revealed, but the proportion being recycled is falling.
The U.S. Global Change Research Program will be presenting at the American Geophysical Union 2019 Fall Meeting from December 9-13 in San Francisco, CA. We hope you will join us for the following talks, sessions, and activities: All Week: Visit us at Exhibit Booth #512 All times local (Pacific Standard Time) Monday [1:40 - 6:00 PM] GC13E Advancing
Dr. Anthony Janetos, a longstanding member of the USGCRP community and Director of Boston University’s Frederick S. Pardee Center for the Study of the Longer-Range Future, passed away on Tuesday, August 6, 2019. He was 64 years old. Dr. Janetos dedicated his career to interdisciplinary, policy-relevant global change science. Prior to the Pardee
The U.S. Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) is pleased to announce the release of Volume II of the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) and the 2nd State of the Carbon Cycle Report (SOCCR2). NCA4 Vol II NCA4 Vol II, Impacts, Risks, and Adaptation in the United States , assesses a range of potential climate change -related impacts, with
The Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) Vol. II remains on track for a December delivery in fulfillment of the Congressional mandate. NCA4 Vol. I, the Climate Science Special Report, is available at science2017.globalchange.gov. Final agency review and comment. Authors have been revising chapters and responding to comments submitted in the
It’s been a while since our last update, but rest assured that we’ve been hard at work on Volume II of the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4 Vol. II) in the meantime. Here’s a brief rundown of the goings-on: Public review and comment. This winter (November 3, 2017 through January 31, 2018), the public had the chance to weigh in on the draft
On behalf of the U.S. Global Change Research Program, we are pleased to announce major milestones in the timelines of three important reports. The first of these is the Climate Science Special Report (CSSR), which represents Volume I of the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4). The final version of CSSR is released today as a step toward
Let’s start with the big news: As of last week, first drafts of all 28 chapters and five appendices of the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) were submitted and are now in the hands of the editorial team at the Technical Support Unit (TSU). A huge thank you goes out to our volunteer author teams for their dedication and hard work over the
NCA4 author teams, staff, and regional collaborators have been hard at work gathering input from stakeholders across the country through regional engagement workshops, webinars, and other public events. Chapter teams have received extensive training on chapter development, scientific resources and tools, and assessment writing through a chapter leadership meeting and regular webinars with all authors. Development of full, first order chapter drafts for interagency review in June is underway and on-schedule.
Building on the success of the third, and most recent, National Climate Assessment , production of the Fourth National Climate Assessment (NCA4) is now underway and is expected for release in late 2018. Recent efforts are laying the foundation for a robust, inclusive assessment process that responds to information needs across the country.
By Dr. Tamara Dickinson and Dr. Michael Kuperberg Re-posted from the White House Office of Science and Technology Policy blog. This and previous Administrations have periodically conducted congressionally mandated National Climate Assessments to assess and inform the Nation about the impact of climate change . The U.S. Global Change Research
The January contiguous U.S. average temperature was 35.51 degress Fahrenheit, 5.39 degress Fahrenheit above the 20th century average. The precipitation total was 2.70 inches, 0.39 inches above average.
The combined average temperature over global land and ocean surfaces for January was 1.14 degrees C (2.05 degress Fahrenheit) above the 20th century average of 15.5 degrees C (59.9 degress Fahrenheit).
During January, the Northern Hemisphere snow cover extent (SCE) was 46.38 million square km (17.91 million square miles), 1.06% below the 1981-2010 average. The global sea ice extent was 18.16 million square km (7.01 million square miles), 6.49% below the 1981-2010 average.
This analysis is based on preliminary data available from the Storm Prediction Center. Final tornado counts published by the Storm Prediction Center and NCEI's Storm Events Database might differ from this report. For a more detailed climatology, please visit our tornado climatology page.
January 2020 was notable for being the fifth warmest on record over the Contiguous U.S. (CONUS). That warmth was largely consistent with a strongly positive Arctic Oscillation (AO). The positive AO is associated with an enhanced cyclonic circulation around the North Pole, which tends to concentrated the coldest air in the Arctic. That pattern tends to result in warmer temperatures for most of the midlatitudes including the CONUS.
Fourty-one percent of the contiguous U.S. (CONUS) was covered by snow at the beginning of January according to NOAA's National Snow Analysis. Much of the Sierra Nevada, Cascade and Rocky Mountain ranges as well as the northern and central Plains, Great Lakes and much of the Northeast were blanketed by snow. By January 7, nearly 13 percent of the snowcover melted, yielding the minimum CONUS coverage of 28.1 percent for the month.
As of January 28th, 9.20% of the Contiguous U.S. was experiencing drought conditions, 2.01% was in severe drought, 0.04% extreme, and 0.00% exceptional.
Getting to zero net emissions in 2050 is going to be tough - but Labor committing to it is a damn good thing | Greg Jericho
It won’t be an easy task, but achieving zero net emissions will have a huge payoff for both the economy and the nation
When we look at the path to zero net emissions by 2050 two things stand out – firstly it is exactly in line with Labor’s old policy of a 45% cut by 2030, and secondly the government’s target of a 26% cut is woefully below what is needed.
With every flood, public anger over the climate crisis is surging | Gaby Hinsliff
The fossil-fuel companies know they’ll face increased social stigma unless they change
Sometimes it has felt as if the rain might never stop.
These storms have gone beyond the point of simply being storms now, each blurring into the next to create a strangely end-of-days feeling. Everything is freakishly sodden and swollen, and while the rural flood plain on which I live fortunately hasn’t flooded anything like as badly as some, the rivers are rising alarmingly. Yet still the lashing winds and biblical downpours keep coming. Suddenly the 40 Days of Action campaign that Extinction Rebellion (XR) will launch on Ash Wednesday (26 February), encouraging people to reflect on the environmental consequences of their actions in a kind of green Lent, feels ominously well named.
Great Barrier Reef could face 'most extensive coral bleaching ever', scientists say
This year’s bleaching likely to be widespread although less intensive than previous outbreaks, National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration says
The Great Barrier Reef could be about to experience its most widespread outbreak of mass coral bleaching ever seen, according to an analysis from the US government’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration.
But the analysis, seen by Guardian Australia, says while bleaching could hit the entire length of the world heritage-listed reef, the impacts may not be as intense as previous major outbreaks.
Backing the trillion tree campaign to combat climate crisis | Letter
Politicians and influencers are signing up to the campaign, but to get things right we must keep in mind the science behind it, says Tom Crowther
The recent explosion of interest in tree restoration has transformed the climate change conversation. Although the trillion tree campaign – 1T.org – is now in the realm of politicians and influencers (Greta Thunberg: Davos leaders ignored climate activists’ demands, 24 January), it emerged from scientific literature. But what exactly did the science show?
We estimated that there is up to 0.9bn hectares of degraded land that might support a trillion trees outside of existing forest, urban or agricultural land. Although the exact carbon storage potential is debated, scientists agree that ecosystem restoration is a powerful tool for carbon drawdown.
Climate scientist who pioneered the global work of the IPCC as its chair and tackled the ‘climategate’ hacking scandal
To stave off the worst impacts of the climate crisis – already being felt in the form of extreme weather, fires and floods – we have only about a decade to cause greenhouse gas emissions to peak and then fall rapidly. That we know this is largely thanks to one global organisation, a loose collection of hundreds of academics around the world that has amassed our knowledge of the climate for more than 30 years.
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, convened in 1988 by the UN and the World Meteorological Organization, is made up of the world’s leading experts on climate science, who draw on thousands of academic papers to prepare comprehensive assessment reports about every five to seven years. Those reports are the gold standard, representing the summation of our knowledge of how the climate system works, and how we are affecting it.
Oil and gas firms 'have had far worse climate impact than thought'
Study indicates human fossil methane emissions have been underestimated by up to 40%
The oil and gas industry has had a far worse impact on the climate than previously believed, according to a study indicating that human emissions of fossil methane have been underestimated by up to 40%.
Although the research will add to pressure on fossil fuel companies, scientists said there was cause for hope because it showed a big extra benefit could come from tighter regulation of the industry and a faster shift towards renewable energy.
For almost three decades, world governments have met every year to forge a global response to the climate emergency. Under the 1992 United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, every country on earth is treaty-bound to “avoid dangerous climate change”, and find ways to reduce greenhouse gas emissions globally in an equitable way. Cop stands for conference of the parties under the UNFCCC.
Putting the 'net' into net-zero targets: it’s time to start doing things that work. Now | Richard Denniss
The best way to hit a net zero target would have been to stop building coalmines and gas fields 20 years ago
After a summer of catastrophic bushfires, the most brutal evidence of the impacts of climate change, the government has managed to move the debate towards the pros and cons of setting a long-term net zero emissions target for 2050.
Those of us who take the science of climate change seriously must ensure we can walk and chew gum at the same time
Stop increasing emissions. Don’t build new coal-fired power stations that will pollute for decades.
Stop the expansion of industries whose business case relies on increasing fossil fuel consumption. Don’t build new coal mines, open new gas fields, or expand logging of the only viable carbon capture and storage device known today – the tree.
Start investing in things that reduce emissions now. Renewable energy and storage are a good start. Energy efficiency measures are great too. (Both measures save money, so won’t be a “cost to the economy”.)
Invest in science and future technology, but don’t bet the planet on it. We’ve been told that so-called carbon capture and storage (of the non-tree variety) is just “10 years away” for the last 20 years. Likewise, cheap safe nuclear and “green” hydrogen. After 30 years of hope it’s time to start doing things that work. Now.
Stop the accounting tricks. Pretending that dodgy “carryover credits” are a substitute for burning less coal will do nothing to stop climate change.
How should Jeff Bezos invest his $10bn Earth Fund?
Scientists propose best use of funds pledged by Amazon founder to fight climate crisis
Amazon revenue to restore the Amazon rainforest? A political war chest in the US to counter the pernicious influence of big oil? Or research funding for “moonshot” technologies to suck carbon dioxide out of the atmosphere?
The world’s richest man is never going to be short of suggestions for how to spend money, but Jeff Bezos’s announcement of a new $10bn (£7.67bn) Earth Fund to fight global heating has raised the question of what is the best bang for a climate buck.
Extinction Rebellion digs up college's lawn in Cambridge – video
Climate protesters have dug up the lawn in front of Trinity's 16th-century great gate, saying the Cambridge college must 'cut ties with fossil fuel companies'.
A spokeswoman for Trinity said a statement would be released later, as the week-long series of demonstrations gets underway
Why we must put flood defences before Johnson’s vanity projects | Letters
After two weekends of storms, Paul Faupel calls for massive investment in flood defences, while Prof Michael Symonds hopes the damage will serve as a wake-up call about the climate crisis. Tim Davies has a none-too-serious suggestion involving marmalade
Boris Johnson’s ambition to have some big ego project to memorialise him in the manner of great politicians and engineering projects of Victorian Britain would be better served by not building HS2 or indeed the barmy bridge from Scotland to Northern Ireland.
UK must prepare for more intense storms, climate scientists say
Government urged to create more natural drainage systems to cope with impact of crisis
Britain must brace for more storms like Dennis and Ciara because rainfall will be more intense in a climate-disrupted future, scientists have warned.
They said the government needed to increase the creation of more natural drainage systems if it wanted to avoid having to raise the level of sea and river defences every few years to counter the growing threat of flooding and storm surges.
The insects have been swarming across East Africa in numbers not seen for decades – and the phenomenon may be more common in the future
Last week, the UN issued a warning about the numbers of desert locusts currently swarming through much of East Africa; they have now reached Uganda and Tanzania. The outbreak is the largest for decades and has already devastated crops in Somalia, Ethiopia and Kenya, countries with fragile food security. The problem is not confined to Africa, with swarms also occurring in Saudi Arabia and Pakistan.
‘Air is cleaner than before the Industrial Revolution’: a best case scenario for the climate in 2050
The Future We Choose, a new book by the architects of the Paris climate accords, offers contrasting visions for how the world might look in thirty years (read the worst case scenario here)
It is 2050. We have been successful at halving emissions every decade since 2020. We are heading for a world that will be no more than 1.5C warmer by 2100
In most places in the world, the air is moist and fresh, even in cities. It feels a lot like walking through a forest and very likely this is exactly what you are doing. The air is cleaner than it has been since before the Industrial Revolution. We have trees to thank for that. They are everywhere.
Drones organised along aerial corridors are now delivering packages, further reducing the need for vehicles
‘The only uncertainty is how long we’ll last’: a worst case scenario for the climate in 2050
The Future We Choose, a new book by the architects of the Paris climate accords, offers two contrasting visions for how the world might look in thirty years (read the best case scenario here)
It is 2050. Beyond the emissions reductions registered in 2015, no further efforts were made to control emissions. We are heading for a world that will be more than 3C warmer by 2100
The first thing that hits you is the air. In many places around the world, the air is hot, heavy and, depending on the day, clogged with particulate pollution. Your eyes often water. Your cough never seems to disappear. You think about some countries in Asia, where, out of consideration, sick people used to wear white masks to protect others from airborne infection. Now you often wear a mask to protect yourself from air pollution. You can no longer simply walk out your front door and breathe fresh air: there might not be any. Instead, before opening doors or windows in the morning, you check your phone to see what the air quality will be.
Melting permafrost releases ancient microbes today’s humans have never been exposed to and have no resistance to
My colleague Alan Rodger, who has died aged 68 of cancer, was not just a brilliant space scientist but, in his various roles for the British Antarctic Survey (BAS), was also a wise and generous manager, mentor and educator.
When it comes to the effects of climate change, Antarctica is the canary in the coalmine, and Alan’s insight increased understanding in the environmental science community of the challenges posed by global warming.
The real problem with your Netflix addiction? The carbon emissions | Arwa Mahdawi
Questions are being asked about the energy consumption of streaming services – which is why we should all pay more attention to our digital footprint
Binge-watching Netflix doesn’t just fry your brain; it may also be frying the planet. The streaming service’s global energy consumption increased by 84% in 2019 to a total of 451,000 megawatt hours – enough to power 40,000 average US homes for a year.
Netflix disclosed these figures in its inaugural environmental, social and governance report, noting it matched 100% of its 2019 non-renewable power use “with renewable energy certificates and carbon offsets”. While these may help the brand, they don’t address the inconvenient fact that our love of streaming has unfortunate side-effects – most of which we are only starting to comprehend.
Democrats are reaching farmers with an exciting message: green agriculture | Art Cullen
Every leading Democratic candidate supports a form of conservation that can reduce greenhouse gases and create jobs in rural America
Something you might have missed amid all the horserace and app-failure coverage of the Iowa caucuses: a deep discussion took place over the past year about the climate crisis and agriculture that could change the way our food system operates.
Every leading Democratic campaign now endorses an aggressive approach to conservation that could dramatically reduce greenhouse gases, improve water quality and enhance rural prosperity.
The gig is up on the last 50 years of chemical- and export-driven food production
Art Cullen is editor of the Storm Lake Times in north-west Iowa, where he won the Pulitzer prize for editorial writing. He is author of the book Storm Lake: Change, Resilience, and Hope from America’s Heartland, recently released in paperback
Fires and floods: maps of Europe predict scale of climate catastrophe
Without urgent action, rising sea levels by end of century could leave cities under water
A series of detailed maps have laid bare the scale of possible forest fires, floods, droughts and deluges that Europe could face by the end of the century without urgent action to adapt to and confront global heating.
An average one-metre rise in sea levels by the end of the century – without any flood prevention action – would mean 90% of the surface of Hull would be under water, according to the European Environment Agency.
UK unprepared for COP 26 conference, warn climate leaders
Former UN climate envoy joins list of experts frustrated at Britain’s lack of leadership
The UK is showing a “lack of coherence” in its leadership of vital UN climate crisis talks this year and giving the damaging impression that the talks are not a high priority, one of the world’s leading voices on the climate crisis has said.
Mary Robinson, a former UN climate envoy and Ireland’s first female president, also said the perception that major British politicians, including the ex-prime minister David Cameron and former foreign secretary William Hague, were unwilling to take on the role of leading the COP 26 summit was damaging.
Tune in for the eighth in an ongoing first-person series by reporter Sabrina Shankman about the growing fears of residents in South Portland, Maine, as they try to solve a mystery: Are the fumes emanating from the storage tanks of the nation's easternmost oil port harming their kids? To get to the bottom of it, parents are turning into activists.
Meanwhile, the 2020 election is heating up, as Nevadans prepare to caucus this Saturday. The large population of Latino voters in the state ranks climate change above immigration, health care and other issues when selecting a candidate, a new poll shows. Wednesday’s Democratic debate in Las Vegas, however, missed the mark on delving into the issue with any depth or complexity.
Two New Studies Add Fuel to the Debate Over Methane BY: GEORGINA GUSTIN One finds that current methane emissions may be greater than was thought, the other that methane from melting permafrost may be less than scientists believed. Read More
As a raging debate over the plastics industry plays out across the U.S., battle lines have been drawn between those who see environmental disaster and those who see economic prosperity. Democrats are now proposing a bill that would impose a three-year moratorium on new plastics plant construction nationwide.
California filed a lawsuit Thursday against the Trump administration for what it calls the administration's failure to protect endangered species in the Sacramento and San Joaquin rivers.
The 40 million people who rely on Colorado River water need to prepare for a drier future. As the Rocky Mountain snowpack that feeds the river shrinks, the water flow is decreasing, a new study found. And the results don't look good.
Three years ago, after Donald Trump's election, climate activists and environmental leaders turned their attention to state and local politics. But activists have not been alone in switching focus to local politics: The oil industry has also pivoted—and has occasionally beat back climate-friendly policies in at least 16 different states.
At least five of America's coal producers went bankrupt in 2019, and prices for fossil fuels have plummeted. But make no mistake: The fight against climate change hasn't killed off Coal Country yet. The nation's largest coal producers say they're hoarding cash to weather what they see as an impermanent storm, Bloomberg reports.
Although Wednesday's presidential debate included a climate journalist as a moderator for the first time, and climate change was clearly heightened as a topic, the night never delved into the complexity of the issue. The Democratic candidates also failed to address exactly how they plan to revive moribund U.S. climate policy in the wake of Trump.
It may only be February, but 2020 is already "virtually certain" to be among the 10 warmest years on record, and has nearly a 50 percent chance of being the warmest ever, scientists with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday.
Researchers this week released two new studies about methane, the powerful, climate-warming gas that scientists say promises an expeditious target for controlling global warming in the coming decades. Both reports are likely to trigger more debate about the sources of methane and what's to blame for them.
A new bill would impose a three-year moratorium on new plant construction in parts of Appalachia and the Gulf Coast.
By James Bruggers
Towers and tanks rise from the banks of the Ohio River 25 miles northwest of Pittsburgh, where Shell Polymers plans to produce 1.6 million metric tons of plastic pellets annually.
One finds that current methane emissions may be greater than was thought, the other that methane from melting permafrost may be less than scientists believed.
By Georgina Gustin
Researchers this week released two debate-stoking new studies about methane, the powerful, climate-warming gas that scientists say promises an expeditious target for controlling global warming in the coming decades.
On stage in Nevada, Sanders touted the Green New Deal while his moderate challengers called fracking a transition to net zero.
By Marianne Lavelle
The Democratic presidential candidates, while dividing predictably into moderate and progressive lanes, offered new insights into how they would approach climate action in their raucous ninth debate.
President Trump's budget proposes closing a network of climate science centers and eliminating $38 million in research, prompting concerns the administration will hamstring climate change science while booting employees from the federal workforce.
The Environmental Protection Agency on Wednesday announced a new proposed rollback to an Obama-era regulation dealing with toxic waste from coal-fired power plants known as coal ash. The proposal would ease regulations for the liners that coat the bottom of coal ash pits, which help prevent groundwater contamination.
Tesla already makes an electric car that has the longest battery range in the industry—373 miles. Now the model has gotten an update that will push that up to nearly 400 miles. It's a step toward breaking EVs out of their niche status by easing drivers' fears of running out of power on long trips.
Protecting the environment and tackling climate change have become policy priorities for two-thirds of Americans as economic concerns have faded, according to a new report from Pew Research Center. But the report also reveals a stark partisan divide.
Leaks of methane from the oil and gas industry have had a far worse impact on the climate than previously believed, according to a study published in Nature that suggests human emissions of the potent greenhouse gas have been underestimated by up to 40 percent.
Flying in the face of state wishes and scientific findings that helped extend endangered species protections to various types of fish, President Trump on Wednesday signed an order that would funnel water from northern California to a thirsty agriculture industry and growing population in the south.
Famous for its role in America's war for independence, Boston is now fighting rising seas fueled by climate change. The city is raising streets, building berms and even requiring that new high-rise condominium developments on its harbor acquire "aqua fences"—portable metal barriers meant to deflect incoming waves.
Arizona Gov. Doug Ducey, a Republican, is expected in the coming days to sign into law a bill that would bar local governments from discouraging natural gas as an energy source in new buildings. The decision, backed by business and utility interests, comes as a growing number of cities out west move to swap gas for electric appliances in new buildings.
Democratic presidential candidates discussed climate change at length on the debate stage Wednesday night, addressing energy sources ranging from natural gas to lithium batteries.
Tesla already makes an electric car that has the longest battery range in the industry—373 miles. Now the model has gotten an update that will push that up to nearly 400 miles.
That’s a lot, and it’s a step toward electric vehicles that can ease drivers’ fears of running out of power on long trips without access to a charging station. Overcoming those customer concerns can help EVs break out of their niche status—EVs and plug-in hybrids comprise only about 2 percent of the new cars and trucks sold in the U.S.—and provide a realistic pathway to reducing vehicle emissions.
Tesla CEO Elon Musk tweeted on Friday that his company’s Model S sedan now has an estimated range of more than 390 miles, the result of hardware and software improvements.
A list of the EVs with the longest ranges in the 2020 EPA Fuel Economy Guide is pretty much a list of Tesla products. Tesla has the top 14 spots, including variations on the Models S, Model X, Model Y and Model 3.
It’s important to note that most of these come with premium prices. The Model S Long Range, for example, the 390-mile version, has a base price of $74,490.
Also, drivers need to be aware that the range can vary considerably, depending on driving style, temperature and what accessories—radio, heat, phone charger—are being used. In other words, an aggressive driver in sub-zero conditions who is using every onboard accessory will have less battery range than a driver lollygagging down a country road in springtime.
Last year, AAA issued a report showing range loss of about 40 percent when it tested five EV models in cold temperatures, and also found some loss during unusually hot weather. The models tested were the BMW i3s, the Chevrolet Bolt, the Nissan Leaf, the Tesla Model S and the Volkswagen e-Golf.
Automakers’ efforts to expand range are a way to counteract the many factors that can reduce range, said David Reichmuth, a senior engineer in the Union of Concerned Scientists’ clean vehicles program.
The aim for automakers is to reassure customers that an EV can work for them, even if few people would drive their EV more than 300 miles.
Reichmuth sees a parallel with the way Tesla calls attention to its nationwide network of supercharging stations.
“That does help them sell cars, even though virtually no one is probably driving a gasoline car or an electric car from coast to coast,” he said.
I also spoke with Reichmuth about the report he released last week, an update to one he did two years ago. The earlier report found that an average EV accounts for lower emissions than a gasoline vehicle, even when accounting for emissions used by power plants in places that still rely heavily on coal to make electricity.
What’s changed in two years? The emissions benefits of EVs are increasing because our sources of electricity are getting cleaner, with the closing of coal-fired power plants, and with the growing efficiency of EVs.
Check out the report and bookmark it to share, the next time someone suggests that the emissions benefits of EV vanish if you take into account power plant emissions.
Photo Credit: Spencer Platt/Getty Images
Solar Jobs Are Rising in 31 States. Here’s a Look at Utah.
Solar jobs increased in 31 states last year, and you might be surprised by some of the places where the fastest growth is happening.
Nationwide, the country had 249,983 solar jobs as of November, up 2 percent from the prior year and coming after two years of decreases, according to the new edition of the Solar Foundation’s National Solar Jobs Census, released this week.
Florida and Georgia were among the leaders in the number of new jobs and in percentage growth, as recent policy changes by regulators have encouraged new projects. Solar also is growing quickly in New York, in part because of climate and energy legislation that encourages solar.
But I want to direct your attention to another one of the leaders, Utah, where solar is on the rise largely because of market factors, not state policy changes. The state had 7,107 solar jobs in November 2019, up 1,062, or 17.6 percent from the previous year.
Utah has been a late-bloomer in solar power, despite having an enviable level of sunshine.
“It took a little bit long for us to get to the point where it was apparent that these were low-cost resources that can help from an economic perspective to bring down rates in the long run,” said Kate Bowman, renewable energy program manager for Utah Clean Energy, an advocacy group.
The growth is coming from several utility-scale projects that are under construction, such as the 122 megawatt Cove Mountain 2 project being built to provide electricity to a Facebook data center.
Vivint Solar, a national solar company that is based in the Salt Lake City metro area, is also contributing to local jobs. The company designs and installs solar in about 20 states.
Utah’s Republican-dominated state government hasn’t gone out of its way to encourage solar. The most notable policy change was a 2017 decision by regulators to reduce the net metering rates that rooftop solar owners receive for selling excess electricity back to the grid. The changes were a compromise, with only a slight decrease in rates.
There is a pending proposal from the utility Rocky Mountain Power that would cut rates much more, which renewable energy advocates say would harm the rooftop solar market. I’m watching this case and will let you know what happens.
Bowman says rooftop solar is well-suited to Utah. While growth varies from year to year, she expects substantial growth in the long run.
“The idea of rooftop solar does gibe with the culture of independence and self-reliance that exists here,” she said.
The Solar Foundation, an advocacy group, has been doing the national jobs report since 2010. The figures are compiled by BW Research Partnership, an economic consulting firm, using employer surveys and other methods modeled on the way the federal government puts together employment data.
There are many plots and subplots in this year’s report, tied to the phaseout of federal tax credits, the Trump administration’s tariffs on imported solar panels and many changes in state solar markets.
I’ll leave you with just one of the most important of those factors: California, the nation’s largest solar market, with nearly one-third of all solar employment, saw its jobs decrease by 3.4 percent, the third consecutive year of decreases.
The California market has been going through a transition in which solar companies are relying less on door-to-door sales, leading to fewer sales jobs, and some larger projects have been delayed because of the difficulty of getting necessary connections to the grid, the report says.
But there are signs that jobs will rebound this year: A building code that took effect Jan. 1 requires rooftop solar on new houses, and wildfire-related power outages are making more customers explore buying solar and battery storage.
Photo Credit: Alexandra Beier/Getty Images
How About a Ban on Gasoline Cars? Or, a Ban on Wind and Solar?
Washington State and Wyoming lawmakers have introduced bills that reflect the divide in approaches to the energy transition, and by extension, to climate change.
Washington’s House Bill 2525 would require that all new vehicles run on electricity by 2030, effectively banning gasoline-powered cars and trucks. The bill, which I read about in E&E News, did not pass out of committee, so it’s almost certainly not going to become law.
Meanwhile, a Wyoming bill would require utilities to get all their electricity from a list of sources that includes coal, natural gas and oil, but not utility-scale wind and solar. Senate File 125, which I read about in the Casper Star Tribune, also failed to pass out of committee.
Suffice it to say that the probable path toward the energy transition will not include a ban on gasoline vehicles as soon as 2030, and I don’t expect any state to pass something as hostile to renewable energy as the Wyoming bill.
What the bills show is a deep frustration with the energy transition, with many leaders wanting to accelerate the move to clean energy and others horrified at the impacts on jobs and communities tied to fossil fuel industries.
Photo Credit: David McNew/Getty Images
Inside Clean Energy is ICN’s weekly bulletin of news and analysis about the energy transition. Send news tips and questions to dan.gearino@insideclimatenews.org.
From scientific papers to reports by environmental groups, 2019 delivered an unrelenting stream of information about pollution and climate impacts from the plastics industry.
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One of the deadliest epidemics in decades has dented energy demand and industrial output in China—the world's biggest polluter—cutting carbon dioxide emissions by about 100 million metric tons, a new report found. Over the same two-week period last year, China emitted 400 million metric tons of CO2, in comparison.
Among members of the Latino community who are likely to vote in Saturday's Nevada caucuses, a new poll shows that climate change is an even more important issue than health care or immigration. The state caucuses could be a bellwether for the nation, as Latinos are set to surpass African Americans as the largest ethnic minority voting bloc.
A highly unusual move by the Department of the Interior to open up comments on a scientific study looking at how polar bears are impacted by oil and gas activity is raising questions from observers who say the department may be looking to undermine any opposition to drilling in protected Alaskan wilderness.
Climate change could destroy nearly all remaining coral reefs by the end of the century, according to new research released Monday. Increased ocean temperatures are a particular risk to corals, as warmer temperatures prompt them to release symbiotic algae that bleaches them, putting them at higher risk of death.
Measures to control the spread of coronavirus in China could significantly affect the country's storage and solar sectors, according to analysts—but the impact on the U.S. power sector is mixed.
The Fifth National Climate Assessment is beginning to take shape at a time when President Trump warned world leaders to reject "alarmists" and as his conservative allies make plans to intervene in the report's preparation to question the findings of mainstream scientists. The report is scheduled for release in 2022.
A coalition of environmental groups, led by the Center for Biological Diversity, informed the Trump administration Tuesday that it would sue over a major rollback of water protections designed to replace the Obama-era Waters of the U.S. (WOTUS) rule.
Former Vice President Al Gore on Tuesday launched a new national voter registration campaign in partnership with the Climate Reality Action Fund, recruiting younger voters to prioritize climate when voting in 2020.
The state’s caucuses may be a bellwether for the 2020 election, the first time Hispanics will be the largest minority group going to the polls.
By Marianne Lavelle
When six Democratic candidates take the stage in Las Vegas on Wednesday night, they will face questions posed by the first climate journalist ever chosen to be a moderator of a U.S. presidential debate.
Amazon founder and CEO Jeff Bezos announced the formation of the Bezos Earth Fund on Monday, saying it will provide $10 billion in grants to scientists and activists to fund their efforts to fight climate change. The announcement comes after some Amazon workers publicly protested the company's own giant carbon footprint.
Scientists increasingly have been linking global warming with plant and animal die-offs now happening at a rate comparable to some of Earth's worst mass extinction events. Even tardigrades, microscopic creatures with a reputation for being invincible, are vulnerable to rising temperatures, new research shows.
For more than three years, the Trump administration has prided itself on working with industry to unshackle companies from burdensome environmental regulations. But as the Environmental Protection Agency prepares to finalize the latest in a long line of rollbacks, the nation's power sector is pushing back.
People in South Portland, Maine, are worried about the air they are breathing after 120 bulk petroleum tanks were found to be emitting harmful chemicals beyond permitted limits. The situation has one environmental group tapping a new vein of activists in the fight: Parents.
With cities home to more than half the world's population and producing about 70 percent of worldwide greenhouse gas emissions, fighting climate change will fall on them in big ways. A newly released annual report that tracks the progress of cities' climate goals shows which ones are on track and which are falling behind.
Republicans' new climate plan was meant to show voters the party cares about climate change, but it's also illustrating the difficult tightrope the GOP walks on green issues, as it faces pushback by some of the party's most active lawmakers on energy and environment issues.
Floodwaters from heavy rainfall in central Mississippi appeared to hit their peak on Monday, potentially allowing the area around the state capital Jackson to avoid any casualties after the Pearl River reached its highest level in 37 years, officials said.
The United Nations has warned of an unprecedented threat to food security in a part of the world where millions already face hunger as swarms of desert locusts spread throughout East Africa, destroying crops and pastures at a voracious pace. The situation will only get worse as the planet warms.
