Obama pushes climate change action on Earth Day
News
Obama pushes climate change action on Earth Day:
‘Folks don’t have time’ to wait
President Obama used a visit to Florida’s Everglades on Earth Day
to deliver a strong message for action on climate change. “In
places like this, folks don’t have time, we don’t have time, you
don’t have time to deny the effects of climate change,” Obama said.
“Folks are already busy dealing with it.”The Washington Post,
Climate and energy news
Gazprom charged with market abuse by EU in
challenge to Putin
The European Union has formally charged Russian
state-controlled gas company Gazprom for overcharging wholesale gas
customers in Eastern Europe. Gazprom supplies Europe with about a
third of its natural gas supplies but it has been under
investigation since 2012 amid accusations of attempting to
interrupt the flow of gas across Europe. Gazprom could now face a
fine of more than £7.2bn and be forced to surrender control in
markets it currently dominates. The Financial Timeshas a Q&A of
the implications of the legal challenge.
Coral Triangle key part of $24tn global ocean
wealth
A new report from WWF has valued the global ocean at £16
trillion, but warns that key assets such as coral reefs may
disappear by 2050 because of global warming. Rising sea
temperatures and ocean acidification are expected to damage many
marine ecosystems irreparably, while 90% of fisheries worldwide are
either fully exploited or overexploited, the report says. In
economic terms, this amounts to a “potentially catastrophic
degradation of assets”. Naturehas a short interview with
the lead author.
Big Six firms use influence to dictate energy
policy, claims leading
environmentalist
The influence of the Big Six energy companies in Whitehall
is so strong that they are dictating policy and preventing the
electricity system from getting the overhaul it needs, says leading
environmentalist Sir Jonathon Porritt. “They are understandably
very closely involved in maintaining something resembling the
status quo,” he told The Independent. They do this through
“incredibly close relationships” with civil servants and outgoing
ministers, Sir Jonathon argues.
Green Party accused of ignoring climate change
during campaign
Scientists and campaigners have accused the Green Party of
largely ignoring the issue of climate change in the run-up to the
general election. Professor Peter Wadhams, of the University of
Cambridge, said: “The Green Party are grievously at fault in not
talking about climate change. Its politicians should be saying that
the most important and urgent problem facing the whole planet,
including the UK, is climate change and the speed at which it is
happening.” Doug Parr, Greenpeace UK’s chief scientist, conceded
that the Green Party “could have talked about climate change
more”.
Oil slump may deepen as US shale fights Opec to a
standstill
As oil production in many parts of the world slows in
response to falling prices, the US shale industry has “failed to
crack as expected”, reports The Telegraph. While the number of rigs
in the US has fallen from 1,608 in October to 747 last week, output
has to continued to rise. By cutting costs, the “agile” fracking
industry could still increase output further, potentially crowding
out other producers and giving the US a larger market share in the
long-run, industry experts say.
China’s electricity could go 85% renewable by 2050
– study
China could get 85% of its electricity and 60% of total
energy from renewables by 2050, according to government agencies. A
rapid rollout of wind, solar and bioenergy is technologically and
economically feasible, a report led by the China National Renewable
Energy Centre claims. In a “high renewable” scenario, the country’s
coal use would peak in 2020 and its greenhouse gas emissions by
2025 – five years ahead of target.
Marshall Islands move to shake up shipping on
emissions
The Marshall Islands have put forward a proposal to curb
carbon emissions from shipping, reports RTCC. The International
Maritime Organisation’s environmental committee meets next month,
where the islands hope to generate support for regulating the
sector’s emissions. While only a small country, the islands are a
heavyweight in shipping, with more ships registered than any
country after Panama and Liberia.
Deforestation tripled in the Amazon, say
researchers as experts warn more ‘extreme
events’
Deforestation of the Brazilian Amazon almost tripled last
month compared with March 2014, say researchers. Scientists from
Imazon, a Brazilian non-profit research institution, 22 square
miles of rainforest were removed in March across the Amazon region,
compared with 7.7 square miles in the same month last year. The
system also found 10 square miles of degraded forest, which had
been intensely exploited by logging or fires. Carbon Briefrecently covered the
threat of forest degradation.
Climate and energy comment
Why the zero-carbon homes policy hasn’t gone to
plan
Max Lempriere,
The Conversation
The plan to make all new homes ‘zero-carbon’ by 2016 is in
big trouble, argues researcher Max Lempriere. Introduced by the
Labour government in 2006, the policy has seen 33,000 homes built
to sustainable standards by December last year. However, delays to
building regulation reforms and ongoing negotiations on the
definition of ‘zero-carbon’ have left little confidence that the
target will be met, Lempriere says.
Lampedusa tragedy shows need for humane climate
migration plan
Alex
Randall, Responding to Climate Change
In the wake of the Lampedusa boat tragedy, Alex Randall
argues that climate change combined with “tough immigration
policies” is a recipe for further catastrophe. Climate change is
part of a web of forces pushing people to attempt the Mediterranean
crossing, Randall says. As temperatures rise further, more people
will try to move, and “the only humane and logical response is to
let them move safely and legally.” he argues.
The State of the Earth in 4 Climate
Trends
Brian Kahn & Andrea Thompson, Climate
Central
In honour of Earth Day, Climate Central brings you four
charts that show how much the climate is changing. These include:
increasing atmospheric carbon dioxide, global average temperature
rise, the 361 consecutive months where global temperatures has been
above normal, and the top 10 hottest years on record.
New climate science
Determinants of households’ investment in energy
efficiency and renewables
Environmental Research Letters
Analysis of an OECD Survey on household environmental
behaviour and attitudes reveals home owners and high-income
households are more likely to invest in clean energy technologies
than renters and low-income households. Environmental attitudes and
beliefs or membership in an environmental non-governmental
organisation also play a role, say the researchers.
Drivers and Patterns of Ground-Dwelling Beetle
Biodiversity across Northern
Canada
The sensitivity of beetles to their surroundings makes them
ideal to study the impact of rising temperatures on terrestrial
ecosystems, according to new research. In the first large-scale
survey of Arctic beetles, scientists found any changes in climate
that affect the soil, plants and animals on which the beetles
depend are quickly reflected in changes in the beetle
communities.
Other stories
- Scottish government preps £224m domestic
energy-efficiency programme (BusinessGreen) - Are energy giants burying their heads in the sand
over climate risks? (BusinessGreen) - Olam chief calls for carbon pricing in order to
control emissions (The Financial Times) - Scientists find way to create clean hydrogen fuel
without relying on fossil fuels (Mail Online) - Japan moves closer to nuclear
restart (The Financial Times) - Greg Hunt says cutting emissions by 30% by 2025
would be an ‘onerous’ goal (The Guardian) - Poll: Six in 10 Brits would consider fitting solar
panels (BusinessGreen) - Burger giant McDonald’s to end deforestation in
supply chain (Reuters) - Bjørn Lomborg centre: government approached us,
says University of WA (The Guardian) - ()