US Senate set for Keystone XL pipeline vote
News
US Senate heads for vote on Keystone XLpipeline
Later today the US Senate will vote to approve thecontroversial Keystone XL pipeline that would send Canadian oil tothe US Gulf for refining. Supporters of the pipeline scrambled togather enough votes to pass the bill, a task that became harderafter President Barack Obama made his toughest comments yet on thetopic. Obama criticised the project during a trip to Asia late lastweek, reports Reuters, saying it would not lower fuelprices for drivers, but would allow Canada to “pump their oil, sendit through our land, down to the Gulf, where it will be soldeverywhere else.” All 45 Senate Republicans support the pipeline,so 15 Democrats are needed to reach the 60 votes to pass thebill. The Guardianreports on the publicrelations campaign to support the pipeline that calls to “mobilise35,000 supporters”. WhileInside Climate Newsbrings you”Everything you need to know in 23 stories”.
US windfarm company sues to block release of dataabout bird deaths
A company that operates at least 13 wind farms across threestates is going to court to block the US government from releasinginformation about how many birds are found dead at its facilities.Pacificorp of Portland, Oregon, considers the informationconfidential and is seeking an injunction in the US district courtin Utah.
White House turns climate change spotlight to U.S.cities, towns
The US government has unveiled measures to help Americantowns and cities adapt to the impacts of global warming. The movecame after a task force of U.S. governors, mayors and triballeaders sent Vice President Joe Biden recommendations on how theycan help local communities deal with extreme weather. One measurerecommends integrating climate resilience planning criteria in allfederal programmes.
Will geoengineering make people give up cuttingtheir carbon footprint?
If you knew there was a machine that could magically removecarbon dioxide from the atmosphere and bury it underground, wouldyou be less likely to worry about reducing your own carbonfootprint? The findings of a UK survey into public perception ofgeoengineering suggest that people with bigger carbon footprintsmay treat geoengineering as an excuse to avoid changing theirbehaviour.
G20 promises ‘strong and effective’ climateaction, following ‘trench warfare’ withAustralia
The G20 yesterday reasserted its commitment to “strong andeffective action to address climate change” and reaffirmed itsintentions to phase out “inefficient fossil fuel subsidies” andfinance the new Green Climate Fund. However, reports emerged aboutthe contentious debate around the statement, with Australian PrimeMinister Tony Abbott attempting to block the pledges on fossil fuelsubsidies and climate funding.
Church of England faces new pressure to divestfossil fuel holdings
Oxford has become the first diocese to demand the Church ofEngland divest from fossil fuels. The diocese, comprising 2,200square miles and 815 churches surrounding the city, also says itwill review its own investments in oil, gas and coal. “OxfordDiocese, true to its history, is challenging the Church of Englandas a whole to take seriously the threat of climate change and whatwe as Christians do about it,” says Reverend DarrellHannah.Business Greenalso has thestory.
The recycling plan that could cut TV prices by 25per cent
Shoppers will be able to save hundreds of pounds on televisions,fridges and washing machines by trading in old models under a”revolutionary” recycling initiative. Plans published on Tuesdaydisclose that 50 companies from Sainsbury’s to Samsung will offerdiscounts and vouchers to customers who return electronic goods inworking order. The companies have also pledged to design moredurable products that can be used for longer without the need forrepair.
Climate and energy comment
Meet the Republicans in Congress who don’t believeclimate change is real
With Republicans now in control of both chambers in the USCongress, The Guardian provides a round-up of some of the mostprominent climate change sceptics in the Republicanparty.
Abbott will soon look like a genius for refusingto drag Australia to yet another climatefiasco
Tony Abbott’s performance at the G20 in Brisbane has beenwidely criticised this week, but Tom Switzer says the AustralianPrime Minister’s diplomatic conduct in recent days is valid. “Hehas merely defended the national interest and kept faith with theAustralian people who gave him an electoral mandate to abolishJulia Gillard’s widely unpopular carbon tax.” arguesSwitzer.
New climate science
Earth’s Climate Sensitivity: ApparentInconsistencies in Recent Assessments
Estimates of the earth’s sensitivity to carbon dioxide thatare based on the change in global mean surface temperature over theinstrumental record together with the increase in planetary heatcontent are lower than those produced by climate models. The recentIPCC report discussed the merits and limitations of differentapproaches to working out the ‘climate sensitivity’. Now a newstudy seeks to further understand the reason for the differencesbetween types of estimates and to reduce underlyinguncertainties.
Land-use protection for climate changemitigation
Reducing carbon emissions from deforestation may just shiftthe problem elsewhere if cropland expansion gets pushed into areasnot subject to conservation schemes. A new study shows a globalforest policy could reduce carbon emissions by 77 billion tonnes ofcarbon dioxide but this so called ‘carbon leakage’ fromagricultural expansion could outweigh those savings by producing afurther 96 billion tonnes by 2100.
Not just about sunburn – the ozone hole’s profoundeffect on climate has significant implications for SouthernHemisphere ecosystems
Ozone depletion has been blamed for driving changes inSouthern Hemisphere climate, causing harm to terrestrial and marineecosystems that outweigh any negative effects of increasingultraviolet-B radiation, according to a new study. Since 1980,ozone depletion has led to altered ocean and atmospherecirculations, changes in growth rates, food production and extremeweather.