Obama's addresses 'climate pollution', fish are shrinking, and homes are warmer
Climate and energy news:
Warmer seas making fish smaller, researchsays
A decline in the size of some species of fish in the NorthSea could be due to a rise in water temperatures, according toresearch. Scientists found that the maximum length of haddock,whiting, herring, Norway pout, plaice and sole decreased by as muchas 29 per cent over a 38-year period when temperatures in the NorthSea increased by between one degree Celsius and two degreesCelsius.
UK homes kept 4C warmer than in 1970, reportshows
Although British homes are now four degrees Celsius warmerthan they were in the 70s, they still use 18 per cent less energy.Yet the country is still using much more fuel than it did 40 yearsago. The report underlines that housing will be key to bringingdown overall greenhouse gas emissions, says its author, JasonPalmer, from Cambridge Architectural Research.
Obama touts ‘responsible’ energy developmentmeasures, climate goals
Last night, President Obama gave his State of the Unionspeech, an opportunity to reflect on the past year and indicate thedirection of his policies in the future. Obama said his “all of theabove” energy plan was working to boost the economy and reducecarbon emissions, and highlighted measures to expand clean energyproduction by continuing to bypass Congress. On climate change, hereaffirmed his commitment to cutting emissions through his climateaction plan. The Guardianalso carries the story andthe Washington Posthas the fulltranscript.
North sea tax breaks are working, says Deloitte -Telegraph
Government tax breaks designed to increase investment inproducing oil and gas from the North Sea are working, a new reportby Deloitte has revealed. The consultancy said the number of newfields that started production in the UK rose by 44 per cent lastyear, reaching the highest level since 2008 as international oilcompanies took advantage of new tax allowances for small fielddiscoveries and so-called brownfield developments.
Oettinger rallies opposition to 2030 CO2target
The EU’s energy commissioner, Günther Oettinger, has spokenout against a planned 40 per cent cut in CO2 emissions across theEU by 2030, just a week after he helped to launch the policy.Oettinger, who is known privately to have argued for a 35 per centcut, called those who expected the cut to “save the world” “stupidand arrogant”.
Public support for fracking in Britain falls for asecond time
Public support for extracting shale gas in the UK has fallenfor a second year running, according to a long-running study ofBritish attitudes to shale gas by YouGov for Nottingham University.That’s despite serious efforts by the government to boost supportfor fracking and mark the UK out as a destination for businessesinterested in new markets for shale gas.
Climate and energy comment:
America’s energy revolution transformsinternational relations: Kemp
The US’s trajectory to becoming a net exporter of energy ischanging international relations and energy markets, argues JohnKemp. Such power is giving the US the ability to loosen ties withcountries such as Saudi Arabia and even Israel. Meanwhile, China isbecoming friendlier as it realises the need to diversify energysources. Exporting US energy will meet with opposition, however. Anew reportindicates US industry isconcerned the country’s energy prices will go up once it startsselling gas and oil abroad.
State of the Union scorecard: Guardian reportersgrade Obama’s speech
President Obama doesn’t score above a C for his new state ofthe union speech, according to the Guardian. On climate change andenergy, environment correspondent Suzanne Goldenberg says heundercut his defence of climate science and commitment to renewableenergy with a push to expand natural gas.
New climate science:
Biodiversity and multiple ecosystem services inbioenergy landscapes
Proceedings of the National Academy ofSciences
Growing crops for fuel – known as bioenergy – has beencriticised for reducing the amount of farm land available to growfood. A new study looks at the challenges – and concludes thatcarefully choosing the bioenergy crop and its location relative toother habitats could help meet energy goals without compromisinglocal ecology or food production.