Researchers link Syrian conflict to a drought made worse by climate change
News
Researchers Link Syrian Conflict to a Drought Made
Worse by Climate Change
New research on a Syrian drought draws “one of the strongest
links yet” between climate change and war, says the New York Times.
Syria’s poor farming policies contributed too, says the Guardian. The drought, one year
before the war, was the worst on record says Mail Online.Scientific American,NatureandClimate Centralalso have the
story. Carbon Briefcovered it too.
Climate and energy news
Cardiff tidal energy lagoon ‘could power every
home in Wales’
A £6 billion tidal lagoon capable of powering all the homes
in Wales could be built off the Cardiff coast, under
government-backed plans for a series of tidal electricity schemes
around the UK says the Telegraph. A smaller scheme could be
approved “within months” in Swansea Bay saysthe Times. MeanwhileThe Guardiangathers some expert
views on whether the UK should support such large, novel and costly
projects.
Lib Dems vow to double green energy production for
a ‘Zero Carbon Britain’
The Liberal Democrats want to make the UK carbon neutral by
2050, reports BusinessGreen, introducing a Zero Carbon Britain Bill
in the next parliament if they remain in government after May’s
general election. The idea was launched last year as part of the
party’s plan for five ‘green laws’ it says it would want from any
future coalition.
Drax publishes biomass supply data in bid to
address sustainability concerns
Drax, the UK’s largest power station, published
sustainability data on its sourcing of biomass alongside its annual
report last week, reports BusinessGreen. It says the information is
an attempt to alleviate concerns over the environmental impact of
Drax’s replacement of coal with biomass, in one-third of its four
gigawatt capacity.
Would a Labour or Tory government be better for
the environment?
The Guardian summarises Conservative and Labour positions on
climate change and other environmental issues, including carbon
budgets, low-carbon energy, energy efficiency and shale gas.
Modi budget sends mixed messages on India’s
climate commitment
Indian prime minister Narendra Modi’s first budget cut
funding for the country’s environment, forests and climate change
ministry, reports RTCC. However it doubled the country’s coal tax
to fund ambitious renewables plans, though some campaigners said
the tax remained too low. The government will also invest in
electric vehicle deployment.
Climate Change Researcher Offers a Defense of His
Practices
Climate skeptic researcher Willie Soon, in the headlines
last week for his fossil fuel industry funding, has made his first
detailed public statement on the matter reports the New York Times.
Soon says his critics are making a “shameless attempt to silence my
scientific research”. The Guardian’sDana Nuccitelli says
Soon is “just a pawn” in efforts to delay climate action.
Europe Unlikely to Meet Climate Goal, Study
Finds
The EU will fail to meet its long-term climate targets for
2050 without additional policies, according to a report from the
European Environment Agency due for publication today. Even the
EU’s 2030 climate target could be challenging without further
measures, it says. The New York Times says Germany is the only EU
country not on track for nearer term 2020 targets. Reutersalso has the story.
Decline in China’s coal to continue, says Beijing
expert
A Beijing expert expects Chinese coal use to continue
falling in the coming decade, reports RTCC, meaning emissions could
peak earlier than the government target of 2030. Coal’s future will
be affected by China’s 13th five year plan for 2016-2020, due to be
discussed at the 2015 National People’s Congress this week as part
of thetimelinefor the plan’s formal
adoption next year.Reutersasks if anti-pollution film
“Under the Dome” could become China’s Silent Spring.
Energy storage paves way for electricity
independence
The BBC takes a look at the promise and progress of energy
storage around the world, charting the top ten countries by
installed storage capacity. It says the technology has “the most
revolutionary potential” to help realise the promise of renewables,
but notes current costs are “prohibitively high for mass adoption”.
An earlier version of the article was headlined “Is the era of free
electricity approaching?”.
National Grid seeks back-up power plants to keep
lights on next winter
Three back-up power plants contracted for £30 million by
National Grid in the recent winter were not ultimately needed to
‘keep the lights on’, reports the Telegraph. The grid plans to
expand the back-up scheme for the coming winter as the UK’s buffer
of maximum supply over peak capacity is expected to shrink.
Climate and energy comment
We need a climate deal for the people of
Guiuan
UN climate chief Christiana Figueres says her recent joint
visit to the typhoon-hit Philippines with French president Francois
Hollande demonstrates why a deal to curb global warming in Paris is
essential. The small town of Guiuan, mostly destroyed by super
typhoon Hayan, will be in her thoughts, and Hollande’s, at the
Paris talks writes Figueres in a comment piece for RTCC.
Tilting towards wind farms: an energetic view of
the future
Offshore wind has “huge potential” but must cut costs
sharply, argues ScottishPower chief corporate officer Keith
Anderson in the Telegraph. The firm has just secured a contract to
build one of the EU’s cheapest offshore schemes. Anderson sets out
his view of how further cost reductions can be achieved.
New climate science
Predicting a change in the order of spring
phenology in temperate forests
The order in which different tree species produce leaves in
spring could be greatly changed within decades, a new study says.
Researchers found that while all tree species tend to leaf and
flower sooner when springs are warmer, warm autumns lead to species
that normally leaf early – such as birch trees – taking longer.
This could affect the long-term survival of different species in
woodland communities, the researchers conclude.
Insect herbivory alters impact of atmospheric
change on northern temperate
forests
A new study suggests that plant-eating insects may limit the
ability of forests to take up elevated levels of carbon dioxide in
the atmosphere. The amount of damage caused by leaf-munching bugs
in the study nearly doubled under high carbon dioxide conditions.
This could reduce the capacity of forests to slow human-driven
climate change, the researchers say.
Ocean-driven thinning enhances iceberg calving and
retreat of Antarctic ice
shelves
Proceedings of the National Academy of
Sciences
A detailed survey of the Antarctic coastline suggests that
iceberg calving can rapidly speed up the demise of some ice
shelves. Iceberg calving, where chunks of ice break off the edge of
an ice shelf, is happening more quickly as ice shelves melt from
underneath, the researchers say. The findings suggest that iceberg
calving may be more sensitive to thinning ice shelves than
previously thought, the authors say.
The demise of fossil fuels is finally in sight –
Here’s why
China’s War on Air Pollution May Cause More Global
Warming
ClimateWire via Scientific
American
Satellite data suggests forest loss is
accelerating
Can Fracking Pollute Drinking Water? Don’t Ask the
EPA
Ed Davey announces £3m for ‘boilers on
prescription’ scheme
Halogen bulbs could be banned by
2018
Oslo divests from coal
companies
Round-the-world flight hopes to give solar power
its day in the sun