Canada to introduce economy-wide carbon tax & Prince Charles blames climate change for 'horrors' of Syrian war
News
Canada’s Alberta to introduce economy-wide carbon tax in 2017
The province of Alberta, home to Canada’s controversial oil sands, said yesterday that it will implement an economy-wide tax on carbon emissions in 2017, addressing long-standing criticism that it is not doing enough to combat climate change. The plan, which will generate an estimated $2.25 billion in annual revenue, includes a pledge to phase out pollution from coal-fired electricity generation by 2030 and a plan to limit emissions from the province’s oil sands industry. Alberta has the world’s third largest crude reserves. The Financial Times, Carbon Pulse and the National Observer also have the story.
Prince Charles blames ‘horrors’ of the Syria war on a failure to tackle climate change
The Syrian crisis that is spreading terror across the world was prompted by climate change, the Prince of Wales has claimed in an interview with Sky News. He cites climate change as ‘one of the major reasons for this horror in Syria’, arguing that the crisis resulted from five or six years of drought in Syria, which forced vast numbers to leave their homeland. Earlier this year, Carbon Brief looked at research suggesting that climate change had an influence on the Syrian conflict. The Guardian, the Times and the Daily Express also cover the story.
Sanders: ‘To hell with the fossil fuel industry’
Democratic presidential candidate Bernie Sanders has called for Republicans to abandon the corrupting influence of the Koch brothers and other wealthy energy magnates, the Hill reports. “[Climate change] is already causing devastating problems all over this world. To hell with the fossil fuel industry. Worry more about your children and your grandchildren than your campaign contributions”, he said. Climate change was also on the agenda of rival Hilary Clinton this weekend, who promised to create enough green energy to power every home in America by the end of her second term.
Don’t let Paris attacks stop COP21 climate change deal, pleads Obama
The US president has moved to ensure that the Paris attacks do not sabotage a crucial climate change summit in the city next week, urging his fellow leaders to attend and strike a new deal on global warming, the Guardian reports. Barack Obama spoke out amid concerns that security fears in Paris coupled with an understandable deflection of French attention away from the imminent two-week summit might undermine chances for a historic agreement to rein in greenhouse gas emissions. More than 120 world leaders strongly support the conference and have confirmed they will attend, a senior UN official said on Friday. “None of the heads of state or government has canceled,” a French presidency source told Reuters.
Moroccan solar plant to bring energy to a million people
A giant solar power plant will open in Morocco next month, harnessing the Sun’s warmth to melt salt, which will hold its heat to power a steam turbine in the evening. The first phase will generate power for three hours after dark; the last stage aims to supply power 20 hours a day. The plant forms part of Morocco’s pledge to get 42% of its electricity from renewables by 2020, which has been praised by the UN for its high ambition.
Paris climate change talks: Political will to tackle global warming is building, says Sir Jonathon Porritt
Former Green Party chair Sir Jonathon Porritt has traditionally been pessimistic about world leaders’ efforts. But in an interview with the Independent, he’s encouraged by pledges from more than 160 nations to cut carbon emissions by 2030, and optimistic about the technological advances being made in renewable energy generation and electricity storage. Taking these developments together, it seems that the will and the means to deal with global warming are now in place for the first time, he says.
Paris climate change talks ‘will provide false dawn in UK’s contribution’, warns Labour frontbencher
Lisa Nandy, the shadow Secretary of State for Energy and Climate Change, has expressed concerns that the Paris conference will provide a “false dawn” in Britain’s contribution to combating global warming. She told the Independent on Sunday: “I think David Cameron will be very conscious that he has to stand on the world stage and say the right things, but I’m really worried about what will happen after Paris.” She cites Amber Rudd’s reset speech as “pandering to Tory backbenchers.” “The language is pretty stark, and this looks like an agenda that will only accelerate after Paris”, she argues.
Comment
Yes, the Paris climate change conference can save the planet
Former Labour leader Ed Miliband says Britain should build on its existing target to cut emissions by 80% by 2050, and become the first country in the world to enshrine in law a target of reducing carbon emissions to zero, in a comment piece for the Guardian. Zero emissions is even practical, and can be done without closing down the economy, he argues.
America’s inconvenient SUV boom
Edward Luce, The Financial Times
Gas-guzzling models are back in vogue in the US, with SUV sales up almost a fifth. This gives Barack Obama a tough sell in Paris next, argues Edward Luce. The climate summit is meant to begin an era of new habits, but if Americans won’t change theirs, will others follow?
Emission-cutting pledges in poorer countries may go up in smoke
Drivers of climate change cannot be easily tackled in such countries where largely rural populations are forced to degrade the land to meet their needs, journalist Roger Harrabin warns. Growing rural populations in countries such as Malawi complicate seemingly solid plans to cut carbon emissions.
Science
Estimating the global conservation status of more than 15,000 Amazonian tree species
More than half of all tree species in the Amazon rainforest are threatened with extinction, a new study suggests. Using data from forest surveys across the Amazon and maps of deforestation, the researchers estimate that between 36 and 57% of the Amazon’s 15,000 tree species likely qualify as “globally threatened”. While protected areas and indigenous territories now safeguard much of the forest, trees still face a “barrage of threats” from dam construction, mining, and wildfires and droughts intensified by climate change, the researchers warn.
Projection of sea-level change in the vicinity of Hong Kong in the 21st century
International Journal of Climatology
Sea levels around Hong Kong could rise by 20cm more than the global average over this century, a new study says. Modelling projections show the relative sea levels in Hong Kong and its adjacent waters rising 0.67m by 2081-2100 under a scenario where global greenhouse gas emissions are curbed, and 0.84m if they are not. The projections are higher than the global average primarily because of sinking of the land surface, the researchers say.
Other stories
- Factcheck: What’s actually happening with China’s coal use (Greenpeace Energydesk)
- DECC: Smart meter customers cutting energy use (Energy Live News)
- Meeting a Global Carbon Limit Is Cheaper Than Avoiding One (Scientific American)
- World leaders seek new path to slow warming of planet (Reuters)
- Paris climate summit should start a day early, say officials (Climate Home)
- Climate crisis: seaweed, coffee and cement could save the planet (The Guardian)
- Will politicians embrace open data at the COP21 climate talks? (The Guardian)
- Megacities will save mankind, not doom it (The Telegraph)
- What’s really at stake at the Paris climate conference now marches are banned (The Guardian)
- Five US states where climate change could be disastrous (BBC News)
- Ironbridge power plant shut down after 46 years (The Telegraph)
- Our obsession with global warming will cost us dear (The Telegraph)
- India backs 2 degree global warming limit – French ministry source (Reuters)
- Paris Climate change summit: India hits out at Kerry for terming it a ‘challenge’ at Paris meet (The Hindu)