UK tops emitters list, scientists take climate bet, and Californian drought
News
new research
Climate and energy news:
CSIRO scientists say warmer world wager with
Maurice Newman a safe bet
After Australian Prime Minister Tony Abbot’s business
advisor, Maurice Newman, said he’d be willing to wager the world
wouldn’t be any warmer 20 years from now, the country’s top
scientists have offered to take him up on his bet, to the tune of
$10,000.
UN climate report urges quicker switch to
low-carbon global economy
A leaked draft of a United Nations report on climate change
mitigation – due in April – says delaying “explicit efforts” to
tackle climate change will increase the costs and reduce the
options for dealing with its effects, according to
reports. The Australianand Fox Newsare also running the
story.
Ministers clarify flood defence spending
figures
As storms battered the UK recently, Environment secretary
Owen Paterson repeatedly insisted the government was spending
record amounts of money on flood defences – a claim backed up by
the Prime Minister. Now Paterson’s deputy Dan Rogerson admits there
were some “minor inconsistencies in the way the figures were
presented. Government spending up to 2015 only surpasses the amount
spent by the previous Labour government once you include
partnership funding from local councils. Labour are calling the
clarification “humiliating”.
California governor expected to declare drought
emergency
After what scientists suspect may turn out to be
California’s driest year on record, Governor Jerry Brown is
expected to declare a drought emergency on Friday and seek federal
help for the parched state.
Climate and energy comment:
How the oil boom could change U.S. foreign
policy
Last year, U.S. produced more oil than it imported for the
first time since 1995. What does that mean for the rest of the
world, asks Wonkblog.
Germany is a cautionary tale of how energy polices
can harm the economy
Despite Germany stepping up its energy revolution, which has
seen a shift to renewable and solar electricity production, the
country’s carbon emissions rose by 1.8 per cent last year. The
issue, says Bruno Waterfield, is its decision to phase out nuclear
power following the Fukushima disaster.
New climate science:
Financial instruments for disaster risk management
and climate change adaptation
A new paper gives an overview of disaster risk financing
mechanisms – such as government compensation and insurance schemes
– and how they contribute to disaster risk reduction and climate
change adaptation in developing countries.
Beyond 2020 – Strategies and costs for
transforming the European energy system
A recent modelling study suggests the economic cost of
meeting ambitious climate change targets would be less than 0.7 per
cent of GDP. The European Commission is set to announce next week
its plans whether to scale up its efforts on emissions reduction in
the next decade. Business Greenreports.