Fracking wildlife, energy hogs, and Russian nuclear power
News
EU’s domestic-only climate proposal reflects
global stalemate
The European Union had little choice in proposing not to outsource
more of its emission cuts abroad to meet a 2030 target because the
slow pace of global talks to develop new carbon markets gave it
nothing to buy, Juergen Lefevere, a senior official at the European
Commission has said. The commission in January proposed cutting the
bloc’s greenhouse gas output by 40 percent under 1990 levels
entirely from reductions made within the 28-nation EU unless a
global climate change agreement requires it to deepen the
goal.
Climate and energy comment:
Chevron warns California carbon rules will make
gasoline too costly
Pending California carbon regulations could make it too
expensive to operate refineries in the most populous U.S. state,
drastically increasing gasoline prices and costing thousands of
jobs, a spokesman said. Chevron believes a bill first passed in
2006 and being introduced in phases, would hurt the state’s economy
and have little impact on climate change.
Fracking ‘could harm
wildlife’
Fracking has the potential to devastate wildlife habitats
across the UK, says research commissioned by leading wildlife and
countryside groups. The report Are We Fit to Frack? was launched by
six organisations including the National Trust and the RSPB. It
proposes setting up ‘no frack zones’ in areas that are particularly
sensitive. The Telegraphcovers the story on its
front page.
E.On UK energy supply profits leap 26pc to
£296m
E.On’s profits from supplying UK customers with gas and
electricity leapt 26 per cent to £296 million in 2013, the energy
giant revealed on Wednesday, saying the cold start to the year and
a cost-cutting programme were behind the rise. But it immediately
faced criticism from Labour politicians for the “out of order”
profit increase, which followed a nine per cent price hike for
consumers at the start of 2013.
Study: Housing developments near drying forests a
deadly combination in the West
Fire management in the West of the US is becoming
increasingly difficult as more houses are built next to
increasingly dry forests, according to a new report by the
University of California at Berkeley. California is getting parched
much more frequently by drought as the climate warms, while housing
developments are springing up deeper and deeper into dry
forests.
Podcast: rethinking conflict and climate
change
A recent report from the Overseas Development Institute
examines the problems of a techno-centric approach to climate
change. In a podcast, author Katie Peters argues that our
understanding of the relationship between climate change and
conflict is deeply problematic. She reflects on whether looking
again at the connection between the two could help us to rectify
some of the common mistakes made in putting aid towards climate
change projects and programmes.
Russian nuclear power in the UK? We might want to
think about that
The UK government is reporting positive talks with Russia
over teaming up to build a nuclear power plant – just as Russian
troops have entered Crimea. We should beware Russia’s
politicisation of gas supplies to Ukraine as we contemplate a deal
with it to build an atomic plant in Britain, writes Terry
Macalister.
Are you one of Britain’s energy
hogs?
Consumers who use large quantities of power during peak
periods in the winter impose enormous costs on everyone else in
Britain. The result is that many extra power stations and
transmission lines must be built and kept in readiness to serve
their demand, writes columnist John Kemp.
Bjørn Lomborg: the climate-centric agenda is
squeezing out other issues
A lengthy interview with economist Bjorn Lomborg in which he
criticises current climate policy, arguing that other immediate
problems such as indoor air pollution are being ignored. He says
more money should be put into researching new technologies than
into current renewable energy options.
New climate science:
Resilience of Natural Gas Networks during
Conflicts, Crises and
Disruptions
Europe’s current gas supply network is largely dependent on
deliveries from Russia and North Africa, creating vulnerabilities
to social and political instabilities, reports a new paper. The
researchers have come up with a strategy to ensure the resilience
of Europe’s gas supply, even to major supply
disruptions.
Storminess over the North Atlantic and
Northwestern Europe – A Review
Quarterly Journal of the Royal Meteorological
Society
A new study compiles and analyses data on storminess over
the North Atlantic and Northwestern Europe – and it’s not a simple
story. Most studies spanning the last few decades show increasing
activity north of about 50°N in the North Atlantic but the
scientists found no clear trend or even a decrease in storm numbers
looking back over the past 100 years. Future projections suggest an
increase in storm intensity, but models don’t yet agree on how the
frequency might change.