News brief extra

1. Victory for energy bills and renewable standard, but veto likely
The House of Representatives adopted an energy package 242-172 Saturday afternoon that included a renewable electricity standard. The (Udall-Platts) RES amendment had earlier passed by a 220-190 vote. Also approved was a separate energy tax bill, 221-189, that would take billions in oil and gas subsidies and steer them toward renewable energy. The White House said President Bush would veto the measures. The energy bill had been expected to pass. The RES provision, requiring investor-owned utilities to get 15% of their power from renewable sources by 2020, and the tax bill had been less certain. Some provisions in the energy bill would improve energy efficiency of appliances, lighting and buildings; increase biofuels development and delivery; make the federal government carbon neutral; boost development and demonstration of carbon sequestration programs; and help create a "smart" electrical grid. Those wanting to know how their representative voted can find out at http://clerk.house.gov. Click on Roll Call Votes (bottom of page) and then on 110th Congress (2007). The roll call votes you want to check are 827 (Udall), 832 (energy package) and 835 (tax bill). (Sources: Greenwire, New York Times, C-Span, Sierra Club, CQ.com)

2. Bush invites major polluting countries to climate conference
President Bush has invited presidents and prime ministers of the top 15 GHG-emitting countries (after the U.S.) to meet in Washington Sept. 28-29. Bush said he hopes they will reach consensus on steps to be taken after the Kyoto accord expires in 2012. Invited are (listed in order according to amount of GHG they emit) China, the European Union, Russia, India, Japan, Germany, Brazil, Canada, the U.K., Italy, Mexico, South Korea, France and Indonesia. Also included are Australia, South Africa, Portugal, the European Commission and the U.N. While Bush said he will speak, he’s leaving the details to Secretary of State Condoleezza Rice and Jim Connaughton, chairman of the White House Council on Environmental Quality. The conference comes right after the Sept. 24 General Assembly climate change debate at the U.N. and prior to the formal U.N. climate change meeting Dec. 3-14 in Bali. Avaaz.org, international sister organization of Moveon.com and a partner of LiveEarth, is saying Bush envoys are putting pressure on foreign governments to avoid a climate treaty with binding emissions targets. Avazz is mobilizing a campaign to try to counteract that. Those who want to contribute can do so at http://www.avaaz.org/act/?r=donate&lang=en.

3. Smog will accelerate Global Warming, study warns
Ozone smog damages vegetation and therefore hurts its ability to act as a “carbon sink,” according to a new study in the British journal Nature. Ozone hinders photosynthesis and so causes more carbon dioxide to remain in the atmosphere, which accelerates Global Warming, the study said. The researchers found highly ozone-sensitive plants had a 23% decreased capacity to absorb CO2, compared with low- sensitivity plants at 14%. Climate models have not taken ozone into account, the authors said, and it could add 0.5-1.25 degrees Celsius (0.9-2.25 F) to predictions of temperature change. In pre-industrial times ozone averaged 17 parts per billion. Today it is double that and expected to rise to 54 ppb by the end of the century. (Sources: E&E Daily, Nature, ELPC, PhysOrg.com)

4. New coal-fired plants likely to increase emissions 34%
At a time when we’re looking to cut greenhouse gas emissions, a new wave of coal-fired plants being planned and built across the country could increase them 34% by 2030, says an Environmental Integrity Project study released in July. A tally of the dirtiest plants in the U.S. shows Texas in the lead with 5; followed by Ind. and Pa. with 4 each; and Ala., Ga., N.C. and Ohio (3 each). Coal-fired plants usually release about a ton of CO2 for every megawatt-hour. Some plants in N.D. and Texas release more because they use low-grade lignite coal plentiful in those states. The best way to cap emissions in the short run is to reduce demand for electricity, the study said. Power plants account for about 40% of the CO2 released into the atmosphere here. (Source: E&E News PM)

5. Warming, coastal erosion threaten Alaskan oil wells
Warming temperatures and erosion along the coast of the National Petroleum Reserve could send oils wells into the sea, warns the U.S. Geological Survey. Erosion of parts of the coast has doubled in the past half century, as permafrost thaws and salt water intrudes into coastal fresh-water lakes. The Bureau of Land Management says 30 coastal oil wells in Alaska must be plugged before the erosion gets much worse. (Source: Greenwire)

6. Shell and TXU announce plans for largest wind farm yet
Royal Dutch Shell’s wind division and a subsidiary of TXU have agreed to cooperate on a 3,000-megawatt wind project in the Texas panhandle. They say it would be the largest in the world and would supply the Dallas-Ft. Worth area. The project would capture wind in off-peak hours, compress and store it, and then use it to run natural gas turbines. This technology would make intermittent wind much more reliable, the two companies said. Total wind capacity in the U.S. is now less than 12,000 MW. Worldwide it is about 75,000, up 26% in the past year, according to the Worldwatch Institute. Germany, Spain and the U.S. generate about 60% of the wind power today, but rapid growth is expected in Canada, France, Portugal, Australia and Brazil. (Sources: Greenwire, PlanetArk.com)

7. Japanese try out hybrid train on short mountain run
The East Japan Railway Co. has begun service of its first commercial hybrid train to a mountain resort. The train has a diesel engine, which it uses going uphill, and lithium ion batteries to charge the electric motors under each car. The hybrid reduces emissions 60% but costs twice as much as a standard train. Amtrak and Deutsche Bahn AG are also investing in hybrid train technology. Meanwhile, Japan has admitted it’s not on track to meet its Kyoto goal of reducing GHG 6% (below 1990 levels) by 2012. (Source: Greenwire)

8. Parisiens take to the streets on 10,000 loaner bicycles
Residents and visitors to Paris seem to have taken to a new bike program blanketing the city. More than 600,000 users have signed up to pick up the “velibs” at 750 locations throughout the city, and take them where they want to go – be it work, pleasure or shopping. There are 10,000 of the gray-green bikes, a number that is expected to double by the end of the year, according to City Hall. The pickup points will increase as well, to more than 1,400. A few kinks need to be worked out – like the tendency to pick up bikes at high points in the city, such as Montmartre, and ride them downhill, then leave them and take the metro home. C’est la vie. (Source: PlanetArk.com)


Xtreme weather watch

• New Zealand reader Andrea Needham writes they’ve had 10 tornados this year in her area on the north island – “very, very unusual” – and massive flooding where it hasn’t flooded before.
• Montana has been engulfed by dozens of fires in a wildfire season that began earlier than usual. One, north of Helena, burned 37,000 acres. Another, 26 miles north of Whitefish, had burned 14,000 acres by Saturday. Montana was abnormally hot in July, with more than a week of 100-plus temperatures. (AP)
• Almost half of Bangladesh was submerged last week, driving snakes to share higher ground with fleeing residents. Flooding is an annual event in the low-lying nation, but this year is worse than usual, with rainfall totaling 29 inches in July, double the average. Also affected by torrential rains are Nepal and India, where Bihar state had the worst floods in 30 years. (New York Times, PlanetArk)
• South Africa has suffered both wildfires in the east, which drove thousands from their homes in Swaziland, and flooding in Capetown, where 38,000 were affected. (PlanetArk)
Got something to add? E-mail me at EarthlingAngst@aol.com.

It’s not just ‘A Series of Unfortunate Events’*
I was in London last week, and the newspapers were full of the flooding in the countryside. England has had flooding before. Much of it is built in a flood plain. But this was the most intense rainfall in a 24-hour period, the wettest May-June-July since records began in 1766, and the most severe summer flooding since the early 19th century.

Those in the affected areas were suffering – 350,000 without water, 50,000 homes and businesses damaged, whole towns cut off, thousands without power, diary farms that couldn’t get water for their cows, and uninsured crops that were destroyed. Losses were estimated at $10 billion in American dollars. There was panic buying at grocery stores, the prospect of rising food prices, and public health worries like rats and E.coli. And the rain just kept coming.

It was caused, in large part, by a stalled jet stream too far south, which at the same time delivered a vicious heat wave with hundreds of deaths and fires in Eastern and Southern Europe. Surface temperatures in the North Atlantic are above normal, probably a result of exceptionally warm weather in Europe last winter and spring.

Extreme weather now common
All over the world this summer, there’ve been floods, monsoons and droughts. Floods in China, in Texas, in Kansas. Droughts in Georgia, Tennessee and Alabama. Monsoons in India and Bangladesh. Heat waves in Montana and much of the U.S. West. Drought in Australia. The list goes on. And much of it is unprecedented.

It’s not unusual to have occasional extreme weather events. They happen all the time. And they’re isolated, so much of the world doesn’t care. But we’re getting more and more, and that’s exactly what has been predicted by climate scientists. As the Earth heats up, more water vapor in the air means more severe rainfall in some places, and very little rain in others. England and the higher latitudes will get the rain, lower latitudes like Africa the droughts.

Lady Young, head of Britain’s Environment Agency, declared last week, “Climate change is coming home to roost.” New Prime Minister Gordon Brown said the country must act now to protect itself from the impact of Global Warming, which will make flooding a regular event.

The need to prepare
As with Katrina in New Orleans, England wasn’t ready for this disaster. Despite 25 reports since the last flooding chaos in 2000, the government was woefully unprepared. Recommendations that the Environment Agency take overall control of such problems never happened. Only a portion of the money allocated for defenses and infrastructure had been spent. And despite the advance warning this time, trucks carrying metal defenses to install along the riverbanks waited too long and got blocked by flash floods. Water supplies to those who needed it were totally inadequate.

The papers were full of what needs to be done to prepare for the next time, for surely there will be a next time (this was the second flood this summer). More must be spent on drainage, clearing out pipes and ditches, protecting electricity substations and water plants, setting aside areas for retention, and building homes higher up and more able to withstand water.

Ultimately, a major concern is London itself, untouched this time but vulnerable. London itself is built in a flood plain. In 1982 it built the extraordinary and costly Thames Barrier, which rises up to block surges from the North Sea, but that must be raised higher in the next 20 years, for South England is slowly sinking and the water at high tide is now 2 feet higher than it was a century ago.

Climate scientists forecast that by the end of the century, storms like those that swept England this summer will be far more frequent there and at other high latitudes. And much of the rain will fall in torrential downpours, bringing a month’s worth of rain in a single day.

Predictions for 2080
Forecasts for 2080 show winter rainfall in London up 30%, with the Thames rising an average of 20 inches. Parched ground, caused by hotter summers, will be less able to absorb the water, increasing the risk of flash flooding.

Flood walls alone won’t solve the problem – they only push it downstream. In Japan, structures are built on raised ground, with parklands, tennis courts and sports fields to hold floodwaters. In the Netherlands, homes are on stilts and some float on the water, with farmland bought up to set aside for flood retention. In the Florida Keys houses are on stilts. In the Mediterranean, stone, concrete and tile floors make for easier cleanup, or the ground floor is used for cars, with housing above.

This is not just England’s problem – it just happened to strike there last week. The series of unfortunate events this summer will likely continue and get worse throughout the world, as the climate warms and the seas rise. What are we going to do about it? Get caught unawares, like in New Orleans. Or plan ahead for disasters like flooding and drought?

Or get serious about stopping greenhouse gas emissions.

(Sources: The Daily Telegraph, The Guardian, The Times, The Independent, CNN, International Herald Tribune)
*Title borrowed from Lemony Snicket


Congressional round-up
Updated 9 p.m. CST Aug. 1.

*The House will consider a 786-page energy package (H.R. 3221) Friday and Saturday. It includes bills from 11 committees and covers many topics, including energy efficiency, R&D, public transportation, renewables infrastructure, a smart electricity grid and carbon sequestration. A separate energy tax bill gives incentives to renewables and alternative energy by cutting oil and gas subsidies.

*The Markey-Platts and Hill-Terry dueling corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) amendments were both withdrawn from consideration late Wednesday. Instead, advocates for a strong CAFE bill will work in Conference with the Senate-passed bill. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) had made changes to his amendment in the hope of winning more votes, exempting large pickup trucks, extending the date to 2019 from 2018 for a 35 mpg standard, and structuring the bill like the Senate-passed version. Markey-Platts was up against the auto-industry-backed Hill-Terry bill, supported by House Energy Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.)

*A Renewable Energy Standard amendment will now be the focus of environmental advocates on the Hill. In order to gain more support, chief sponsors Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Todd Platts (R-Pa.) reduced the percentage of renewables to 15% from the original 20% and added new sponsors. This amendment is critical because the Senate did not pass a renewable standard bill. If Udall-Platts passes the House, it will go to Conference and have a chance to end up on the President's desk. Last chance to call your rep on behalf of Udall-Platts et al. Capitol switchboard is (202)225-3121.
(Sources: Greenwire, Sierra Club and others)


News briefs

1. Tibet heating up faster than any place on the planet
Tibet, with its high altitude and glaciers, is the most sensitive place on earth to Global Warming and is heating up at a rate of 0.3 degrees Celsius (0.54 F) every decade, according to the Xinhua news agency. Chinese scientists have long warned that melting glaciers on the Qinghai-Tibet plateau could dry up major Chinese rivers and cause droughts, desertification and sandstorms. The average temperature in China is rising at a much slower rate, 0.4 degrees C every 100 years, and the worldwide average is .074 C per century. (Source: PlanetArk.com)

2. Lake Superior’s high temps, lower levels puzzle scientists
One buoy reads 75 degrees for the surface temperature of Lake Superior, the deepest and coldest of the Great Lakes, which holds 20% of the world’s fresh surface water. The average temperature has risen 4.5 degrees F since 1979, compared with a 2.7-degree increase in the air. And water levels are the lowest in 80 years, down more than a foot in the past year. What’s going on? Well, precipitation is way down since the 1970s, and 6 inches below normal this year, and the winter ice cap has shrunk due to mild winters. The expectation was for the area to get more rain and snow. Instead, it’s gotten less, which is affecting fishing, shipping and vegetation. Scientists are busy trying to figure out what to expect next, so we can be more prepared. (Source: AP, AOL)

3. California plans biggest, best solar farm so far in U.S.
Cleantech America LLC has announced plans for an 80-megawatt solar farm near Fresco, Calif., that will be able to power 21,000 homes. Likely to cover 240 acres, the plant will be 17 times the size of the largest existing one in the U.S., which is near Tucson, the company said. According to CEO Bill Barnes, Community Choice Solar Farm will be big enough to drive down the price of solar, and will help change the industry. While the company still needs to buy the land and contract for solar panels, it is confident the project will be finished by 2011. Cleantech is partnering with the California Construction Authority, which will help ease the way. (Source: PlanetArk)

4. Germany and Spain claim world’s largest solar plant
Solar Millenium Group in Germany and ACS of Spain have begun the second phase of what they say will be the world’s largest solar plant, near Madrid. Covering 480 acres, the plant will go online in 2009 and will serve 200,000 people, the two companies announced. Each phase will produce 650 megawatts. Solar Millenium said it plans a third plant in partnership with Portuguese Energy Group. Spain is the largest producer of renewable energy, according to Greenwire. (Source: Greenwire)


Do something

Tell the auto companies to get serious about better fuel efficiency and not to rely on corn ethanol. Send a message at http://www.coopamerica.org/takeaction/fordandgm/index.cfm.

News brief extra

1. Warming could trigger hurricanes in the Mediterranean
Historically, hurricanes have formed the North Atlantic or North Pacific (where they’re called typhoons) and followed pretty much the same paths. But now, as the climate warms, some storms are starting up in new places and that could be a threat to the Mediterranean, a group of European scientists is saying. In 2005, Hurricane Vince formed near the Madiera Islands and was the first ever to make landfall in Spain. A year earlier, Catarina had formed in the South Pacific and hit Southern Brazil, which was unusual. An increase of 5.4 degrees F could threaten the Mediterranean in this century, according to scientists in Spain and Germany. Combined with rising sea levels, hurricanes could put highly populated coastal areas at serious risk, the scientists, from the University of Castilla-LaMancha and Max Planck Institute, said in a paper published recently in the American Geophysical Union Journal. (Source: PlanetArk.com)

2. Northeast faces extreme temperature change, few lobsters
Under a business-as-usual scenario, the Northeast U.S. could have average temperatures 8-12 degrees F higher in winter and 6-14 higher in summer by the end of the century, according to a study released last week by the Union of Concerned Scientists. Boston, New York and Atlantic City would see severe flooding. Coastlines would erode and the fishing industry would be decimated. Already the once-profitable lobster catch off Long Island has taken a serious hit and could be all but finished by century’s end. UCS points to some efforts, such as the multi-state Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, as holding some promise for avoiding the most serious repercussions, if strong action is taken soon. To read the report, go to http.www.climatechoices.org/ne/. Click under Highlights, on New Report on Climate Impacts. There also are individual states reports to download. (Source: Greenwire)

3. Small melting glaciers will add most to sea-level rise this century
The hundreds of thousands of small glaciers all over the world will likely account for 60% of sea-level rise this century as they melt from Global Warming. These smaller melting glaciers will likely add 4-10 inches to sea level, researchers said in the journal Science Express last week. Combined with continuing melt from the ice sheets of Greenland (projected to contribute 28%) and Antarctica (12%), plus the expansion of warming water, they could raise seas about a foot and pose a serious danger to the 100 million people who live less than 3.3 feet above sea level. Glaciers of Alaska, Russian, Canada and Scandinavia are of most concern, because of the way they move, the study said. They are thinner and slide more rapidly into the sea. Greenland and Antarctica, of course, are viewed as the biggest long-range threat to rising seas because of their tremendous volume. (Source: PlanetArk.com)

4. Sweet. Dow Chemical to use sugar ethanol to make plastic
The Dow Chemical Co. announced Thursday it has reached agreement with Brazilian biofuels company Crystalsev to turn sugarcane ethanol into polyethylene, the most widely used plastic in the world. A plant will be built in Brazil – not near the rainforest – with a capacity to produce about 350,000 metric tons a year. Dow sees it as cost- effective as well as a curb on greenhouse gases, since plastic is commonly natural gas- or petroleum-based. The plant is expected to be up and running by 2011. (Source: Greenwire)

5. Renewables bill gathers steam in House as sponsors sign on
With support from House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, advocates for a Renewable Electricity Standard (RES) in the House are optimistic about passing a bill before the Aug. 2 break. The bill (H.R. 969), which would be offered as an amendment by Reps. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Todd Platts (R-Pa.), would require utilities to get 20% of their energy from renewable sources by 2020. Opponents include representatives from coal states and Energy Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.), who wanted to put off “controversial” legislation till fall. But with 135 co-sponsors last week, according to Udall’s office, advocates were hoping to pass the bill in the House to get it into Conference. An RES bill was blocked in the Senate and never came to a vote. Environmental groups urge those concerned about Global Warming to call their representative in support of Udall-Platts, to try to swing more votes. The Congressional Switchboard number is (202)225-3121. (Source: E&E Daily)

6. Fuel economy gets muddied in House, with several bills
Over the objections of auto-industry ally John Dingell (D-Mich), Reps. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) and Todd Platts (R-Pa.) developed an amendment to mandate a corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) of 35 mpg by 2018, slightly stronger than the Senate-passed bill. In response, the auto industry threw its support behind a bill by Reps. Baron Hill (D-Ind.) and Lee Terry (R-Neb.), which set separate standards for cars and light trucks, with a slow ramp-up and an overall average of 32 mpg by 2022. Hill-Terry (H.R. 2927) contains many escape hatches and pre-empts any stronger tailpipe laws states have passed or might want to pass. Auto dealers were out in force on Capitol Hill last week lobbying for that bill and signing up co-sponsors. Then, at week’s end, a third bill, from Rep. Joe Barton (R-Texas), Minority Whip Roy Blunt (R-Mo.), Rep. Dennis Hastert (R-Ill.) and others, was thrown into the mix, calling for 35 mpg for cars and 27.5 for light trucks by 2022. Environmental groups strongly support Markey-Platts (H.R. 1506) and dislike the other bills, which they say are a step backward. They’re asking supporters to call their reps. (Sources: E&E Daily, E&E News PM, Sierra Club, Union of Concerned Scientists)

7. NYC ‘congestion pricing’ plan revived after missing deadline
N.Y. Mayor Michael Bloomberg’s plan to charge fees for cars driving into the most heavily traveled part of Manhattan was left on the drawing board last week, when the state legislature failed to approve it before adjourning. But three days later a deal was stuck with state leaders to keep the proposal alive. It allows New York City to stay in the running for a pilot program that could bring $500 million in federal transit funds to the city. In the deal, a state commission will review the proposal and has committed to curbing traffic and pollution – if not by congestion pricing than by some other means. In Bloomberg’s plan, the fees collected – $8 for cars and $12 for trucks – would pay for other transportation projects to cut traffic congestion and greenhouse gas emissions as NYC grows in population. According to the Associated Press, the commission will be weighted toward those who approve the congestion pricing plan. (Source: E&E New PM, AP)

8. Computers must clean up act to save wasted energy
The EPA last week unveiled new Energy Star requirements for computer makers that could cut energy use by 60%. Personal computers use about 2% of the nation’s energy and are notoriously inefficient, wasting nearly half their power. The stricter regulations, which will apply to laptops, desktops, work stations and small servers, require power supplies to be 80% efficient and new computers to go to sleep after 30 minutes of inactivity. The announcement follows a deal Google and Intel announced in June with 25 universities, companies and environmental groups to set new computer efficiency goals. Their “Climate Savers Computing Initiative” requires 90% efficiency for power supplies. Dell, HP, IBM, Lenovo, Microsoft and the EPA all signed onto the Initiative, which Google says could cut 54 million tons of greenhouse gases and save $5.5 billion in energy costs. (Source: Greenwire)

Arctic melt sparks territorial disputes over oil, gas
So you think the Bush Administration, Russia and Canada aren’t focused enough on Global Warming? Think again. They’re definitely interested in the fast-melting Arctic – and salivating at the thought that 25% of the world’s oil and gas reserves may be there under the ice. The region also is rich in minerals like gold, diamonds and maybe uranium.

The three countries are scrambling to advance their interests as retreating ice – melting at twice the rate predicted – promises to change the geopolitical equation as it open up the area to oil and gas exploration and to shipping. As one U.S. Navy officer said, “This is the greatest unexplored bastion on the Earth.” The Arctic is losing more than 7% of its summer ice each decade, and the temperature there has risen 5 degrees in the past 30 years.

In recent weeks, all three countries have asserted their authority over parts of the area:
• In late June, Russian geologists returned from 45 days of Arctic exploration and proclaimed their right to an underwater ridge the size of France, Germany and Italy combined.
• Last week, the Canadian Prime Minister said Canada is converting 6 to 8 military ships to icebreakers to patrol and protect sovereignty over the Northwest Passage, which at this rate may be open to shipping year-round by 2050.
• Also last week, U.S. scientists, the Navy and Coast Guard held a 3-day meeting to map American strategy for the Arctic.

Who owns what
The U.N. Law of the Sea Convention gives the 5 Arctic countries surrounding the North Pole – Canada, the U.S., Russia, Norway and Denmark (through its territory, Greenland) an economic zone of 200 nautical miles off their coastline. This can be extended if a country proves the structure of the continental shelf has similar geology to their territory, which is Russia’s claim for the massive Lomonosov Ridge, which it estimates holds more than 1,000 metric tons of oil and gas. The Law of the Sea treaty also governs environmental regulations in common waters.

Under the convention, no one owns the North Pole itself.

Disputes over sovereignty
There have been, and continue to be, disagreements among countries over who is entitled to what, and that is heating up as the value become more apparent. The United States is at a slight disadvantage because it never ratified the Law of the Sea Convention, due to opposition from a handful of GOP lawmakers.

For the neophyte this all can be a bit confusing, because the disputes involve three seas, all starting with “B” – Barents, Bering and Beaufort.

• All the countries have disagreed with Canada over its claim to the Northwest Passage, parts of which border on the other 4. The passage will become increasingly important as the ice melts, for it can cut about 3,000 miles off a trip from England to Japan.
• Norway and Russia have had disputes about rights in the Barents Sea, which separates them, though they are now working on a natural gas project there together.
• The U.S. and Canada disagree about resources in the Beaufort Sea.
• Canada and Denmark both claim tiny Hans Island off Greenland, and each lands there periodically to plant its national flag.
• Denmark has tried to claim the North Pole as an extension of Greenland, and Stalin once proclaimed it was part of the Soviet Union, but the U.N. says it is international.
• Russia and the U.S. worked out an agreement dividing the Bering Sea, between Siberia and Alaska, but the Russian Parliament refused to ratify it, believing they were losing territory.

Renewed interest
But most of these disputes have been fairly dormant. Only recently have the countries surrounding the North Pole realized its enormous value in a warming world. In 2001, Russia submitted a claim to the U.N. for the Lomonosov Ridge that was rejected. Now, however, Russian scientists may have the data to back up their claim, though some say Canada could make a similar argument. Russia also is newly re-asserting its right to the Northwest Passage, because parts are within its coastal borders.

In response, Canada announced last week it will patrol the Passage to prevent trespass in its Northern Territories. And the U.S. Navy said it will increase its presence there.

Conditions remain harsh for drilling – with darkness and extreme winter storms that prevent the use of floating platforms – but as oil and gas become harder to find elsewhere, the intensity of the rivalry for this territory has the potential to become explosive.

The U.N. sees itself as the arbiter among disputing parties in the Arctic, but some say there needs to be a solid, long-term agreement among the countries, as there is with the North Sea. And environmentalists are rightfully concerned about the ecological damage that can be done. Already, fisheries are moving north because of the warming. A crush of commerce and drilling could further damage the area if someone isn’t setting the rules and monitoring them.

"If there is to be an international regime in the Arctic, it's time to think about that," Mead Treadwell, head of the U.S. Arctic Research Commission, said last week.
(Sources: E&E News PM, Greenwire, BBC, Guardian UK)


Congressional round-up

*Majority Leader wants fuel-economy in final energy bill
House Majority Leader Steny Hoyer (D-Md.) pledged last week that corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) would be in any energy bill that goes to the president. While the Senate passed a bill requiring 35 mpg by 2020, House Energy Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.) has said he wants to delay CAFE in the House until fall. But Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) is poised to introduce a floor amendment similar to the Senate bill, calling for 35 mpg by 2018. Dingell, an auto company ally, said he prefers the weaker Hill-Terry bill that would increase mpg more slowly and pre-empt state tailpipe emissions laws. Hoyer suggested he might wait and iron all this out in conference. A Union of Concerned Scientists analysis said the Markey bill would save consumers $61 billion, boost jobs by 241,000 and cut oil use by 1.6 million barrels a day by 2020. (Sources: E&E Daily, E&E News PM)

* Bingaman, Specter offer cap-and-trade bill in Senate
Senate Energy Chair Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) and Sen. Arlen Specter (R-Pa.) announced a bill last week they said would satisfy both environmentalists and economic interests. S.B. 1766 would launch a cap-and-trade system in 2012 modeled on the EPA one that curtailed acid rain. It would cut greenhouse gases from power plants and other energy-intensive industry to 2006 levels by 2020 and to 1990 levels by 2030. Co-sponsors are Sens. Tom Harkin (D-Iowa) and Daniel Akaka (D-Hawaii), and the two Republic senators from Alaska, Lisa Murkowski and Ted Stevens. The latter said they signed on because the bill would help Alaska adapt to climate change already taking place. Several large utilities and labor organizations back the plan. Some environmental groups objected to a “safety valve” to hold down the price of carbon credits, as did House Environment Committee Chair Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), to whose committee the bill was referred. Already working cap-and-trade for that committee are Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and John Warner (R-Va.). Bingaman, who’s been working 3 years on his bill, said he hoped his provisions would be included in the Lieberman-Warner package. (Sources: E&E Daily, E&E News PM)

* Dingell to float steep carbon tax, expecting it won’t fly
House Energy Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.) said on CSPAN he will propose a big tax on gasoline and burning of other fossil fuels to show the public doesn’t want to pay the price to reduce Global Warming. "I sincerely doubt that the American people are willing to pay what this is really going to cost them," he said. Most Democrats think the idea of a carbon tax is politically untenable, though economists say it would be the simplest way to curb GHG emissions. In 1993, President Clinton tried a BTU tax on energy, which passed the House but failed in the Senate. Many think it contributed to the change in leadership the next year in the House. Dingell has also proposed a cap-and-trade system, which many in both parties favor. (Sources: New York Times, Greenwire)

* Electric utility trade group contributes to Dingell coffers
The Edison Electric Institute held a fund-raiser last week for Rep. Dingell, 81, who is the longest serving congressman and is expected to run for re-election in 2008. Since 1989, he has raised close to $1 million from electric utility PACs and individuals, according to E&E News PM. As chairman of the powerful House Energy Committee, he is a key player in any Global Warming legislation. (Source:
E&E News PM)


Do something

Time is running out for the House to pass strong Global Warming legislation before the August break. Support the Markey-Platts fuel economy bill (HB 1506) and the Udall-Platts renewable energy bill (HB 969) by going to http://www.ucsaction.org and clicking on “Take Action Now.” Or, better yet, call your representative through the Congressional Switchboard at (202)224-3121. Markey-Platts is similar to the CAFE bill passed by the Senate and Udall-Platts calls for power plants to produce 20 of their fuel from renewables by 2020. The Union of Concerned Scientists and Sierra Club both support these bills. Udall is a Democrat from N.M., Platts a Republican from Pa.

Take the pledge. If you haven’t done so already, join the millions all over the world who have signed the LiveEarth pledge. Go to http:algore.com/pledge.

If you live in the Chicago area or plan to visit, make sure to see the Cool Globes outdoor art exhibit along the lakefront from Navy Pier to the Field Museum. Each is by a different artist and suggests a way you can help fight Global Warming. To pay a virtual visit, go to http://www.coolglobes.com/globes_gallery2.htm. It’s something other cities may want to do. For more info, see http://www.coolglobes.com.


News briefs

1. Efficiency alone could cap U.S. GHG at current levels by 2020
If the United States were to become as energy efficient as Western Europe and Japan, efficiency alone could put GHG emissions at 2006 levels in 2020, says a new study by the McKinsey Global Institute. Americans emit twice as much CO2 as residents of Western Europe and Japan, with most of the waste in homes and transportation, the study says. Driving in the U.S. requires 37% more fuel than in Europe because of bigger autos and less efficient engines. Also, homes are bigger, with less insulation, inefficient lighting, and larger, less efficient appliances. Using existing technologies, the U.S. could cut residential energy use 30% by 2020, the study says. Industry could do more, as well, with heat recovery and motor-driven pumps and compressors. The study advocates policy changes and increased public awareness. (Source: Greenwire)

2. N.J. and Florida, take strong stand against Global Warming
New Jersey Gov. Jon Corzine (D) last week signed the strictest greenhouse gas bill in the nation, requiring a cut of 16% by 2020 and 80% by 2050. The law also called for better public transit and more shipping of goods by train. The largest utility, Public Service Enterprise Group, supported the law, but some warned it could be hard to enforce because N.J. has few renewable energy sources. In Florida, the state’s new governor, Charlie Crist (R) issued an executive order reducing CO2 emissions to 1990 levels by 2025 and then cutting them 80% by 2050. He also mandated adoption of California’s auto standards. Starting with the 2009 models, cars would have to cut emissions 25% and SUVs 18%. In addition, Crist ordered that utilities must cut GHG 20% (from 1990 levels) by 2050 and produce 20% of their energy from renewables. The Florida governor apparently can take these steps without legislation because they strengthen previous regulations. (Sources: Greenwire, PlanetArk.com)

3. Britons flying less, taking the train more on local trips
Train travel from Manchester to London was up 18% so far this year, while domestic air travel at the Manchester Airport fell almost 9%. Fear of terrorism and tight security that slows down boarding are two reasons for the shift, authorities say. A failed airline plot in April made Britons jittery. And now there’s been a second attempt at Glasgow Airport. Also, people are increasingly concerned about the environmental impact of air travel, which emits somewhere between 4 and 10 times the CO2 of trains. And if that concern wasn’t enough, now they feel it in their pocketbook. New Prime Minister Gordon Brown, then finance minister, doubled the airline tax in February to cut GHG emissions. As more take the train, they’re seeing improvements. Trains are sleeker and faster and some provide WiFi. A potential north-south high-speed link could persuade even more to take the train, as is the case in other European countries. (Source: PlanetArk.com)

News brief extra


1. Temperatures soar into triple digits; fires break out in West
Phoenix was 115; Baker, Calif., topped 125; and Las Vegas hit 116 on
Thursday, overheating transformers and causing utility pole fires. Parts of Northeast Oregon reached 107 degrees, and Boise, Idaho, hit 105 Friday. Billings and Great Falls, Mont., at 104, were among several Montana cities reaching record highs. As a heat wave stalled over the West, authorities warned people to avoid outdoor activity except in early morning hours. And meteorologist Brandon Smith told the Associated Press at week’s end, “For as far out as we can see, there’s no relief.” By Saturday wildfires burned in Utah, California, Nevada, Colorado, Idaho, Arizona, Oregon and Washington. Longer and more severe heat waves, as well as more wildfires, are forecast as Global Warming continues. (Source: AP, AOL News)

2. Automakers will back weakened fuel-economy bill in House
The Alliance of Auto Manufacturers said last week it would drum up support for a corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) bill setting a standard of 32 mpg by 2022. The bill, unveiled by Reps. Baron Hill (D-Ind.) and Lee Terry (R-Neb.), would have separate standards for cars and light trucks, but the overall fleet sold in the United States would have to achieve at least 32 mpg. House Speaker Nancy Pelosi said she still favors the Senate version, requiring 35 mpg by 2020, and Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) has prepared a bill similar to that passed by the Senate. It is unclear whether CAFE will come to a vote before the August recess or wait until fall. House Energy Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.) wants to leave “controversial” matters such as CAFE for fall. (Source: E&E News PM)

3. Mt. Everest base camp changed by Global Warming
Edmund Hillary and Tenzing Norgay, the first to climb to Mt. Everest’s summit a half-century ago, would not recognize the site today, their sons, Peter Hillary and Jamling Norgay, said recently. Base camp, which was at an elevation of 5,320 meters then, is sinking each year because of melting ice and is now just 5,280 meters high, they said. The glacier where they made camp in 1953 has retreated 3 miles in the past 2 decades. All glaciers in the Himalayas are endangered, scientists say, and as they melt they form lakes that are at risk of breaking through their banks and flooding the areas below. Peter Hillary said he has seen glacial lakes burst their banks. “It’s like an atomic bomb has gone off. There is rubble everywhere. The floods of the past are nothing compared to the size we’re threatened with,” he said. (Sources: PlanetArk.com, Agence France-Presse)

4. Peat bogs, heavy in carbon, could be next ‘black gold’
Peat bogs, those dense swamps full of rotted trees, roots and leaves, are emitting 8% of worldwide CO2 as they are drained or burned to make way for agriculture and timber. And Indonesia, with 60% of the world’s threatened tropical peat bogs, stands to make an estimated $39 billion from selling credits if peat is added to the carbon-trading scheme under discussion for the post-Kyoto era. With 50 million acres of the stuff, Indonesia would be the prime beneficiary, as other countries and companies having trouble reducing GHG seek to buy credits from those who have reduced or prevented emissions. Like deforestation, peat and was excluded from the first Kyoto accord, but could be included in carbon trading as early as next year, according to Wetlands International. Worldwide, peat stores more carbon than all other vegetation combined. Thailand and Malaysia also have peat. (Sources: Reuters, Greenwire)

5. Heavy industry could be 25% more efficient, IEA says
Heavy industry, which uses nearly half the world’s energy and emits 36% of the CO2, could be much more efficient, the International Energy Agency said in a new study. Improvements such as upgrading engines, recycling materials, and combining heat and power could reduce CO2 emissions by as much as a third, it said. Manufacture of chemicals, petrochemicals, cement, paper, iron and steel, and other metals and minerals account for most of the emissions. Manufacturers need to do more, IEA said. Some of the developing countries have the most efficient plants – such as aluminum smelting in Africa and cement manufacturing in Brazil, the study said. (Source: PlanetArk.com)

6. Swiss will tax carbon in effort to meet its Kyoto goals
After failing to meet its 2006 Kyoto target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions, Switzerland will levy a tax on imported fossil fuels beginning Jan. 1, 2008, as an “incentive” to conserve energy. The country cut its emissions 4.5% by 2006 instead of the goal of 6% (from 1990 levels). If it fails to reach its targets in the future, the carbon tax will increase in 2009 and 2010. Businesses can get an exemption if they agree to cut their own emissions, a step more than 600 companies have taken. Switzerland has good reason to worry about Global Warming. Its temperatures have increased twice as fast as the world average since the 1970s. Scientists say this may be because of its high latitude and distance from major oceans. Northern Sweden and Russia have experienced a similar phenomenon. (Source: E&E News PM, Greenwire)

7. Transportation Department lobbies against California waiver
The Department of Transportation interfered in the EPA’s decision on whether California can to regulate tailpipe GHG emissions. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.), calling it “inappropriate, if not illegal,” released 71 memos and e-mails showing DOT contacted lawmakers from states with auto plants urging them to file comments of opposition with the EPA. The documents show DOT employees, working from a script, told governors and Congressmen that letting California set its own restrictions would lead to a “patchwork of regulations” damaging to the auto industry. One week after the calls, 7 Michigan reps submitted comments objecting to the waiver. California has sought EPA’s OK for two years, so it could start enforcing a law cutting GHG 25% from cars and 18% from SUVs. Another 11 states have followed its lead and are watching to see if EPA gives California the waiver. (Source: AP)

8. Tree-planting plan born in Kenya tops 1 billion in pledges
The U.N. has pledges surpassing its goal in the Billion Tree Campaign, started by a Nobel Peace Prize winner in Kenya. And 32.9 million of those trees have already been planted, according to the campaign’s Web site, www.unep.org/billiontreecampaign, which shows a running total. The campaign is the idea of Wangari Mathaai, who launched it last November, saying there’s too much talk and not enough action. “Tell the world to go dig holes and plant seedlings,” she said. Pledges have come from countries, companies and individuals. Ethiopia said it would plant 60 million trees in celebration of its millennium. Forest cover in the Horn of Africa was 4% in 2000, down from 35% in the early 20th century. (Source: PlanetArk.com)

Cool Cities is another way you can get involved
Do you live in a Cool City? I don’t mean are the nightspots fun. I mean has your city (or village) signed the U.S. Mayor’s Climate Protection Agreement? More than 500 have and you can find out if yours is among them by going to www.coolcities.us.

By signing on, these cities commit to having their local government meet or beat the Kyoto Protocol goal of 7% cut in greenhouse gases by 2012 (as compared with 1990 levels); to urge the state and feds to meet or beat Kyoto; and to press Congress to pass GHG reduction legislation and establish a national emissions trading system. The program was started by Seattle Mayor Greg Nickels in 2005, when Kyoto took effect without U.S. participation. Frustrated by federal inaction, many local leaders decided to act on their own.

The crux of Cool Cities is what the city governments can do locally. They focus on:
• Cleaner vehicles
• Energy efficiency
• Renewable energy.

Cleaner vehicles solutions
1. Green fleets – hybrids and other fuel-efficient autos.
2. Hybrid incentives – free parking, lower registration fees and taxes
3. Clean buses – buses that run on compressed natural Gas (CNG) that emits 25% less GHG or that have hybrid electric/diesel engines.

Best practices include:
* Houston – Converted a substantial portion of its city fleet to hybrids. An estimated 80% of new purchases could be hybrid by 2010.
* Charlotte, N.C. – Bought 2 dozen hybrids by the end of 2006
* Washington, D.C. – Over 4 years the Washington Metro Transit Authority replaced 414 diesel buses with CHG.

Energy efficiency solutions:
1. Making new buildings energy efficient – by changing municipal codes and/or adopting Leadership in Energy & Environmental Design (LEED) standards.
2. Retrofitting old buildings – modernizing lighting, heating and cooling in public buildings like schools, police and fire stations, and city offices.
3. Street lighting and traffic signals – changing to super-efficient light-emitting diode (LED) bulbs.
4. Combined heat and electric power (CHP) in a single power plant to recover heat that is normally wasted and funnel it to nearby buildings.

Best practices include:
*Salt Lake City – Plans to convert all 1,630 traffic signals to LED. Replaced conventional bulbs with condensed fluorescent lights (CFLs) in city and county office buildings.
*Scottsdale, Ariz. – Requires all new city buildings to meet the LEED Gold Standard.
*Twin Falls, Idaho – Honeywell fronted the money to improving heating, air conditioning and lighting in schools.
*St. Paul, Minn. – Uses combined heating and power in winter in more than 80% of the downtown and adjacent areas, including the State Capitol. The plant is powered by biomass.

Renewable energy solutions
1. Renewable Energy Standards – require a certain percent of renewable power by a certain date.
2. Solar or wind – fund and/or construct wind turbines or put solar panels on public and private buildings, often in partnership.

Best practices include:
*Ft. Collins, Colo. – Plans to have 15% renewables by 2017 and reduce per capita energy consumption 10% by 2012. Expects to reduce total emissions by 472,000 metric tons. 2% rate increase.
*Columbia, Mo. – By wide margin, voters approved 15% by 2022.
*Waverly, Iowa – First municipal utility to install its own wind turbines on land leased from farmers. Goal is 10% wind.

For more details, you can go to www.coolcities.us and download the Cool Cities Guide pdf.


Do something

OK, here’s how you can make a difference. Many cities and villages have not yet signed on. The Sierra Club runs workshops for concerned citizens, one of which was June 9 in Chicago. People came from cities in Illinois and Wisconsin to learn how to organize to make their cities cool. Here’s what they were told:
1. Get a few like-minded people together and decide you are committed to doing this.
2. Forge a coalition of progressive groups, religious institutions, businesses, sympathetic government people and local organizations. Your city council/village board is much more likely to pay attention if you represent a broad spectrum. (You may need to make presentations about Global Warming to persuade some of these groups to join you.)
3. Research what has being done already.
4. Understand your city government.
5. Complete your game plan.
6. Go to the mayor and city council (or president and village board) and ask them to sign on. Make it easy for them by taking the appropriate form. (Again, you may need to make a presentation to educate them.)
7. After they sign, make it public, probably at a news conference with the mayor or villager president.
8. Hold their feet to the fire.
9. Move the mayor or president from talk to action.
10. Help move the campaign forward.

The Sierra Club, which oversees Cool Cities, can be very helpful in providing organizing materials and giving advice. E-mail or call colleen.sarna@sierraclub.org in Chicago (312-236-0059), Brendan.bell@sierraclub.org in Washington, D.C. (202-547-1141), jill.miller@sierraclub.org in St. Louis (314-645-2032) or Glen.brand@sierraclub.org in Portland, Maine (207-761-5616). They can also point you to other resources.

Even if your mayor has already signed the agreement, many of them are moving slowly and need to be pushed. Find out what stage they are at and how you can get involved to make things happen.

Chicago, for example, though one of the first to sign on, is still at the research and planning stage. It has a grant from the Clinton Foundation to assess where greenhouse gases are coming from and what actions would be most effective. The city expects to show a draft plan to environmental groups like Sierra Club this summer to get feedback and then announce a plan in November. Some steps Chicago has already been taken: It bought 20 hybrid buses and more than 50 Ford Escape hybrids and 30 Priuses for the municipal fleet, put more than 20 solar installations on top of museums, schools and other buildings, and passed an energy-efficiency standard derived from LEED, so new construction and renovation needs LEED certification. The city has been praised for its green roofs, but long criticized for it blue-bag recycling program, which is now changing, but slowly. It was recently reported that city government uses 22% more electricity than it did in 1998-2001. The city says climate control systems are being installed. An earlier plan to buy wind energy fell through, as did a plan to buy wind credits this month. So there is still much to do.

Though it's hard, working at the local level can often be most effective. So get involved.
Good luck!


Congressional round-up

*In what may be a pivotal moment for a U.S. reduction in greenhouse gas emissions, Sens. Joe Lieberman (I-Conn.) and John Warner (R-Va.) pledged this week to draft a bill this fall to establish an economy-wide cap-and-trade system to reduce GHG, with limited negative effect on the economy. While they gave no target, an aide said they would meet the goal endorsed by the U.S. Climate Action Partnership, which is 60-80% by mid-century. The announcement was applauded by Senate Environment Chair Barbara Boxer (D-Calif.), who said her committee would take up the bill before the end of the year. Two environmental groups also praised the action. “This is huge,” said a spokesman for Environmental Defense. And the Natural Resources Defense Council called it a “great development.”

* In the House, Rep. John Dingell (D-Mich.), chair of the Energy Committee, said his panel would work on economy-wide curbs on GHG of 60-80% in the fall and would look at both cap-and-trade and carbon taxes, as well as the role of coal and nuclear energy, auto fuel efficiency, expansion of alternative fuels, carbon sequestration and coal-to-liquid. Meanwhile, the committee is marking up a bill for debate after July 4, which will cover less controversial issues – the “low-hanging fruit.” Dingell has been criticized by his fellow Democrats for his failure to bring up corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) legislation this summer, especially after it was passed in the Senate. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) said that despite Dingell’s desire to put it off, he would offer a CAFE amendment to the energy package on the floor in an effort to capitalize on the measure passed by the Senate.

* The southern utility lobby apparently made the difference in the failure of a 15% renewable energy mandate to come to a vote in the Senate. According to Greenwire, the Tennessee Valley Authority, Tennessee Valley Power Providers Assn., Southern Company and Duke Energy convinced enough Senators that it would undermine the stability of the electricity market in the South, which doesn’t have much wind or solar capacity. The measure fell 3 votes short of the 60 required to bring it to a vote. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said he plans to revive the measure.
(Sources: E&E Daily, E&E News PM, Greenwire)


News briefs

1. ‘Perfect drought’ conditions now in Southern California
Scarce water and population growth have converged in Southern California to create conditions for extreme drought. It’s rained just 3.2 inches in the year ending June 30, which would make it the driest 12 months on record since 1877. And experts are predicting no more rain until September. “I call it the Incendiary Summer of 2007,” said Bill Patzert, a climatologist with NASA in Pasadena. The Sierra Nevada, which usually supplies half the area’s water, has the lowest snowpack in 2 decades and the volume of water is down to 20% of its usual flow. At the same time, Southern California’s population has grown 2-4 times faster than the national average in the past half-century, putting much more pressure on scarce water resources. Because of Global Warming, high temperatures and a lack of rain may become the norm in the area, experts say, and that will require much better water management. Potable water shouldn’t be used on golf courses, the head of the water board said. And they need to stop storm drains from channeling rainwater into the sea. "We spend $1 billion to import water and $500,000 to throw local [rain] water into the ocean," said Melanie Winter of the River Project in LA. (Source: The Guardian UK)

2. Heat wave drives temps up to 115 F in Southeast Europe
A heat wave in Southeastern Europe the early part of last week drove temperatures as high as 115 degrees. Greece will see its hottest June ever. By Wednesday, 5 had died from the heat in Greece and least 30 in Romania. In Greece air conditioning pushed energy use to an all-time high. In Western Turkey the mercury hit 111. Forest fires broke out in several of Turkey’s Mediterranean resorts and brush fires started in Southern Italy. Severe heat is expected to last throughout the summer, though temperatures will ease somewhat soon, forecasters said. Bulgaria’s wheat crop is predicted to be down 30% this year from the drought and heat, while in Greece cereal crops and hydropower have been hurt. Meanwhile, England was seeing torrential rain and flooding. The Wimbledon tennis matches were postponed by rain Monday. Extreme weather is an expected byproduct of Global Warming. Is this a preview of what’s to come? (Source: PlanetArk.com)

3. Report: Europe must think about moving ports, coastal cities
The European Commission, which is light years ahead of us in recognizing the threats posed by Global Warming, is urging in a new report that Europe look at such extreme measures as relocating ports and cities on the coast and in flood plains, to protect them from climate change. The report foresees increasing disasters threatening Europe’s social and economic fabric and security. It says EU countries must protecting their power stations, transportation systems and agriculture from the flooding, droughts, landslides and wildfires that will result from Global Warming. "What is tricky about this is that we are going to have to spend billions preparing and adapting, and that is going to compete for money to stop climate change getting worse," said Tom Burke, a visiting professor at Imperial and University Colleges in London. (Source: Greenwire)

News extra

1. Senate OKs weakened energy bill; Reid vows to try again
Half a loaf. That’s what we got Thursday night after weeks of wrangling and intense lobbying over renewable energy, tax incentives, auto fuel economy, biofuels and what to do about coal. Senate Majority leader Harry Reid (D-Nev.) said after the vote he plans to revive the parts of the package that didn’t make it. The good news – as you no doubt have heard – is that the Senate, for the first time in 30 years, increased corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) standards, to 35 mpg by 2020, including light trucks and SUVs. That’s about 10 mpg above the current level. It means each auto company must average that mileage for its new vehicles. To sweeten the deal, the majority gave auto companies financial incentives to improve technology and dropped a requirement for yearly 4% increases in CAFE from 2021-2030. The Senate also approved a biofuels mandate of 26 billion gallons by 2022, 21 billion of which must be “advanced” biofuels like cellulosic ethanol, which is much more environment-friendly than corn. Also in the bill: higher energy efficiency standards for appliances and lighting. The bad news is they couldn’t quite muster the 60 senators needed to vote on a mandate for utility companies to use 15% renewable energy by 2020, even after a compromise allowing 4% of that 15% to be in efficiency. Nor were they able to vote on a plan to cut tax subsidies for oil and gas to finance research and production of renewables like wind and solar, which would have helped the clean energy sources compete. Senate Finance Chairman Max Baucus (D-Mont.) said he’ll keep working on the tax bill, and Reid vowed to revive both that and the renewables mandate later in the year. CAFE still faces rough going in the House, where Energy Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.) is a friend of the auto industry. (Sources: E&E Daily, E&E News PM, AP)

2. House puts off controversial issues like CAFE and coal until fall
The House is behind the Senate but still hopes to pass an energy package by July 4. Energy Chair Dingell has put off “controversial” issues like CAFE, an alternative fuels mandate and coal-to-liquid fuel until fall. "My own judgment is that we are going to have to adopt a cap-and-trade system and some form of carbon emission fee to achieve the reductions we need," he said. An economy-wide restriction on GHG emissions could take some heat off the auto industry. His committee still intends to mark up for summer passage energy legislation dealing with efficiency standards, a smart electricity grid, incentives for a renewable fuels infrastructure and programs for development of alternative vehicle technology, according to E&E Daily. The House Ways and Means Committee has sent an energy bill to the floor (H.R. 2776), which uses a rollback in oil tax breaks to finance $16 billion in incentives for renewable energy and efficiency. Included are a first-time incentive for wave and tidal energy as well as extension of tax credits for wind and biomass (8 years), solar and fuel cells (4 years), and biodiesel (2 years). It closes the “SUV loophole” that give tax credits to businesses to buy larger vehicles, restricting them to several specific uses, and there’s a new $4,000 credit for plug-in hybrids. A 50-cent-per-gallon credit for cellulosic fuel would be added to the existing 50-cent one for ethanol. In addition, $6 billion in "green" tax credit bonds would be available to local governments for efficiency and alternative energy projects. And the Transportation Committee has OK’d H.R. 2701, which provides $850 million each of the next 2 fiscal years to expand mass transit service, subsidize alternative-fuel equipment, buy cleaner locomotives and improve regional railroads. (Sources: E&E Daily, Greenwire)

3. Earth in ‘imminent peril’ from Global Warming, scientists say
While Congress fiddles, the planet burns. Six leading scientists have published a stark warning that the Earth is in imminent danger from a sea-level rise of several meters (a meter is about 39 inches) by 2100, much higher than predicted by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which didn’t consider feedbacks. Civilization itself, and the infrastructure it built, are threatened by Global Warming, they said in a paper published in the peer-reviewed Philosophic Transactions of the Royal Society A. "Recent greenhouse gas emissions place the Earth perilously close to dramatic climate change that could run out of control, with great dangers for humans and other creatures," they wrote, and only intense efforts to curb man-made GHG emissions can keep climate near the range of the past million years. We have about 10 years to put into effect the draconian measures needed to curb CO2 emissions quickly enough to avert a dangerous rise in global temperature, according to lead author James Hansen, of NASA. The scientists concluded that “planetary rescue almost surely requires a means of extracting [GHG] from the air." (Source: The Independent UK)

4. LiveEarth concerts July 7 will launch worldwide campaign
The 24-hour LiveEarth event, on 7 continents with more than 100 top musicians, is much more than entertainment. It is the start of a global campaign by the Alliance for Climate Protection, the Climate Group, corporations, governments and others to take on Global Warming. The concerts will be broadcast on NBC, with Internet coverage at www.liveearth.MSN.com. Al Gore, chairman of the Alliance, is asking people to host house parties and will furnish a short video to those who sign up, at www.joinliveearth.org/gore. When it’s over you can upload pictures of your party. But more important, everyone will be encouraged to get involved and take action against climate change. The concerts will be in New York, London, Johannesburg, Rio de Janiero, Shanghai, Tokyo, Sydney, Hamburg, Istanbul and Antarctica. Artists for the New York concert include The Police, Smashing Pumpkins, Dave Matthews Band, Bon Jovi, Alicia Keys, Kanye West, Melissa Etheridge and many others. For more information, go to www.liveearth.org. (Sources: algore.com, liveearth.org.)

5. Sacred Ganges River at risk as Himalayan glaciers shrink
The rapid retreat of the glacier feeding the Ganges River in India may be the first example of Global Warming interfering with religion. The Ganges (or Ganga, as it’s called there) attracts millions of pilgrims and is known as a place for prayer rituals. Many believe cremation beside the Ganga helps Hindus reach a state of nirvana. Yet the river could just about dry up in another generation, as the Gangotri glacier, which feeds it in dry summer months, retreats 40 yards a year, twice as fast as 20 years ago. Scientists say the Himalayan glaciers could be gone by 2030. If they are, it would threaten much of Asia’s water supply, as well. Environmentalists in India are calling for strict reductions in greenhouse gases, but the government has taken the position that the U.S. and other industrialized countries should act first. (Source: Washington Post)

6. Worldwide investment in renewable energy is booming
$70.9 billion was invested in renewable energy last year, a U.N. report said last week. This is a 43% increase from 2006. And first-quarter growth in 2007 confirms the trend is continuing. The report, “Global Trends in Sustainable Energy Investment 2007,” says the renewables boom has already surpassed the dot.com boom in duration and investment, “and shows no sign of abating.” Other findings:
* While renewables are getting 18% of the investment in energy production, they are still is just 2% of the market.
* European energy companies like BP and Shell are investing more than U.S. firms.
* 60% more venture capital and private equity were invested first quarter this year than the same period last year.
* Investment in wind power leads with 38% of the total, followed by biofuels (26%) and solar (16%).
* While the strongest markets are in the U.S. and Europe, there is also increased investment in Brazil, China and India. Biofuels lead in Brazil, while wind is first in India, and solar in China. (Source: Greenwire)

7. California must wait until year’s end for EPA decision on autos
The EPA said last week California will have to wait a few months longer – like maybe till the end of the year – to learn if it can enforce its strict tailpipe emissions law. Administrator Stephen Johnson said he needs time to weigh public comments and scientific information. Five years ago, California passed the law to cut auto GHG emissions 20% by 2012 and 30% by 2016. Since then 11 other states have followed suit. But California has been blocked from enforcing its law, first by auto industry lawsuits, and then while the Supreme Court weighed whether the EPA had authority to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act. After the Court’s ruling earlier this year, that the EPA did indeed have that authority, Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) immediately asked for a waiver so he could finally begin enforcing California’s law. Other states are watching intently to see what happens. A spokeswoman for the increasingly impatient governor said he had not reversed an earlier plan to sue EPA if he didn’t get an answer by Oct. 22. (Source: E&E Daily)

What’s happening in Congress with climate bills?
As dozens of Global Warming bills move through committee and go to the floor, if very little gets put into law you can blame Sen. James “Global Warming is a hoax” Inhofe (R-Okla.) for his threat to filibuster anything with teeth (60 votes need to stop that); or President Bush (67 Senate votes to override a veto); or the congressmen and senators from the coal states, who fear the demise of their states’ lifeblood; or the “oil patch” congressmen and lobbyists; or the Senators and reps from Michigan and auto industry; or even congressmen from low-wind states, who don’t see wind power as an option. There are some formidable obstacles for those in Congress who want to do right by the planet. But there is hope. During the past week, dozens of harmful amendments have been rejected, including one to have new federal fuel-economy standards pre-empt more aggressive ones in the states, and another adding coal-to-liquid (twice as bad as oil for Global Warming) as an “alternative fuel.” The biggest question now is can the Senate get the votes to sustain its fairly ambitious energy package. (The all-important matter of mandated GHG cuts was put off.)

The status of bills now being debated includes:

* Auto efficiency – The current language calls for 35 mpg corporate average fuel economy for both cars and light trucks by 2020, exempting only “work trucks” over 8,500 lbs. Sen. Carl Levin (D-Mich.) unveiled an industry-friendly alternative at the end of last week, which asks for CAFE standards of 36 mpg for passenger cars by 2022 but only 30 mpg for light trucks and SUVs by 2025. It also shifts oversight from the EPA to the National Highway Safety Administration. And it mandates new research dollars for hybrid, plug-in, diesel, biolfuel and hydrogen technologies, with incentives for the auto industry to develop these technologies. Some senators say they have enough votes to pass the original bill.

* Renewable energy – Energy Chair Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) aims to require utilities to get 15% of their power from renewable sources by 2020. He wants a Renewable Portfolio Standard in which this power comes from carbon-free sources like wind, solar or geothermal, with penalties for utilities not meeting the standard. The ranking Republican on that committee, Pete Domenici, also from New Mexico, had a different plan: adding nuclear, hydro dams, fuel cell and low-emission coal plants to the mix. Domenici’s amendment didn’t pass, but he said he was ready filibuster Bingaman’s version and it appeared Bingaman didn't have the votes to overcome that. So now Bingaman has signed on to a compromise amendment for $10 billion in loans for capture-and-sequestration equipment for coal-to-liquid projects, so long as 75% of the CO2 is captured, which may get him the votes he needs.

* Tax credits – Bingaman will try to extend energy tax credits for wind power more than two years, to ensure continued growth of the industry. A tax package by Sen. Max Baucus (D-Mont.) extends credits for wind, solar and other renewable sources until 2010, with additional incentives for biofuels, energy efficiency and “clean coal,” to be paid for by the repeal of oil industry incentives. But those who provide wind power say the on-again, off-again subsidies are hurting the wind industry in this country.

Other bills up for consideration in the Senate would:
• Expand biofuels to 36 billion gallons by 2022, with 21 billion of those gallons coming from advanced biofuels like cellulosic ethanol.
• Increase efficiency for appliances and federal buildings.
• Encourage demonstration projects for carbon capture and sequestration.
• Create a registry for industries’ release of greenhouse gases (a first step toward any cap-and-trade system).

In the House, it's tough going, with powerful auto state Energy Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.) sticking to his guns and apparently reaching a deal with Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) to put off the most controversial bills, including CAFE and coal-to-liquids, until fall. That means a much more limited package in the House this summer.

We should know a lot more as this week progresses. Stay tuned.

(Sources: Greenwire, PlanetArk.com, E&E Daily, E&E News PM)

How you can help: Call the Capitol switchboard at (202)224-3121, and asking to be connected to your senators’ offices. Tell them you support Bingaman’s energy package as a first step and want the strongest bills possible to fight Global Warming. Votes are likely to be taken early this week so do it right away.

News briefs

1. World’s CO2 emissions growing faster than expected
The growth in carbon dioxide emissions is speeding up. The rate of increase the last few years was 3% year, compare with 1% in the ‘90s, according to two recent reports. That puts it at the high end of predictions from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, faster than IPCC’s worst-case scenario. Even the trend toward reducing “intensity,” the amount of energy used per unit of gross domestic product, seems to be growing, said one study, published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science. The U.S. government boasts a drop in intensity here of 1.5%, but study co-author Gregg Marland says that is partly because much of the high-carbon manufacturing has been moved overseas, often to China, which then sells the products back to the U.S. The developing countries, with 80% of the world’s population, account for 73% of the recent growth, though the richest countries still contributed 60% of GHG in 2004 and 71% of what has gone into the atmosphere since the industrial revolution. Marland said the bottom line is that the world is consuming more. (Source: PlanetArk.com)

2. Demand from China leads to illegal logging, loss of forests
Tropical forests, which store CO2, are being lost at the rate of 32 million acres a year. And China’s insatiable demand for wood is driving much of the destruction. China is now the top exporter of furniture, flooring and plywood. And most of the raw product is coming from places like Africa, the Amazon and Indonesia. Much of the logging is illegal, as governments have trouble controlling what goes on in remote areas. In Indonesia, three-quarters of the logging is illegal, and the U.N. says 98% of the forest that remains could be gone by 2022, hurting people and endangered animals like tigers and rhinos. There’s a growing effort to identify where wood is coming from, to determine if it’s illegal. But perhaps the best solution is to pay poor nations for keeping forests alive, thus counteracting the money that can earned by cutting them down. (Source: Reuters)

3. Antarctic Live Earth concert July 7 will be pretty cool
It is perhaps fitting that scientists will be the ones to perform the Live Earth concert in Antarctica July 7. That’s because no one else can get in or out during their frigid “winter.” The rock-folk band Nanatuk has never performed for anyone but the musicians’ 17 colleagues. But this time they’ll be broadcast over the Internet on MSNBC.com. Al Gore personally asked them to play so there could be concerts on all 7 continents. Scientists, of course, are the ones who keep warning us about Global Warming and do all the research to back it up. They are the real heroes of this effort. (Source: E&E News PM)

4. Costa Rica expects to be the first carbon-neutral country
The Central America country of Costa Rica aims to have zero carbon emissions by 2030. Plans call for cleaning up fossil fuel plants, using hybrid vehicles and planting trees. They have good head start, getting 78% of their energy from hydropower and 18% from wind and thermal sources. Costa Ricans emit only 1.5 metric tons of carbon per person now. Norway, a short time ago, announced its plan to be carbon-neutral by 2050, through a combination of tough restrictions and carbon credits. Norwegians emit 10 tons per person. (Source: Greenwire)

5. Amish find solar energy fits their lifestyle perfectly
Amish and Mennonite communities in Pennsylvania Dutch country are turning to solar power to meet their electricity needs. Of course, those needs are scant compared with the average American's. These groups shun modern conveniences like cars and TVs. But they can use the solar energy to recharge batteries for headlights on their horse-drawn buggies, as well as sewing machines, medical devices and the like. Solar plays right into their desire to stay independent of the outside world. Homeowners need buy only one or two 130-watt solar panels to serve their needs. Amish and Mennonites also believe in sustainable farming. (Source: Greenwire)

Do something

Next time you rent a car, ask for a hybrid. Enterprise already has 3,000 on the road, according to Greenwire. And both Avis and Hertz are starting to provide the Toyoto Prius in some markets. Hertz is buying 3,400 Priuses, and Avis says it will have 1,000 available starting this week in California, Seattle, Portland and Washington, D.C. Expansion is expected as demand requires. So help create the demand. It will also give you a chance to test drive a Prius. You might end up buying one if you don’t have one already.

If you live in Illinois, support Clean Cars legislation to adopt the strict standards passed by California and 11 or 12 other states. If Illinois is successful, the state may be big enough to tip the balance so that automakers will seriously consider making most or all of their cars and light trucks to meet these standards. Go to www.actionnetwork.org/campaign/pleasebringcleancars and sign the petition.

News brief extra

1. Half of U.S. abnormally dry or in drought conditions
As summer approaches, half the nation is unusually dry, with droughts in many states, causing worry about water shortages and wildfires. The Southwest, Southeast and northern Minnesota are especially dry. The Southeast, where drought is unusual, is having its driest spring in recorded history. In the West, California and Nevada just had their driest 12 months since 1924, and 11 other states are severely dry as well. In one area of California, ranchers are either selling their cattle or taking them out-of-state. Water managers are not reacting forcefully enough to the crisis, Peter Gleick, president of the Pacific Institute, told USA Today. In the Southeast, crops are withering and lakes are drying up. The Kissimmee River in Florida has been dry for more than 200 days. Drought is one of the extreme weather conditions predicted from Global Warming, as rain patterns shift and higher temperatures cause more evaporation. (Source: USA Today)

2. House Dems split over CAFE bill that pre-empts states regs
As the Senate gets set to vote this week on a corporate average fuel economy (CAFE) increase to 35 mpg by 2020, a battle is brewing in the House over a CAFE bill offered by Rep. Rick Boucher (D-Va.), and supported by Energy Chair John Dingell (D-Mich.) and others from the auto state, that would pre-empt states that have stricter emissions standards. There is strong opposition from California and 12 other states that have passed strong tailpipe legislation. The Boucher bill calls for CAFE standards of 36 mpg for passenger cars by 2021, and 30 mpg for non-passenger cars by 2024. The average on passenger cars now is 27.5 mpg. Rep. Henry Waxman (D-Calif.) said he would offer an amendment in committee to kill the pre-emption provision and Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) said she won’t support the bill. Neither will Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.), head of the new Global Warming panel; and 15 state attorneys general sent a letter of objection. A recent poll shows nearly 75% of the pubic wants CAFE at 40 mpg, which would cut 14% of tailpipe emissions by 2018, compared with 3% at 35 mpg. (Sources: Greenwire, E&E News PM, Los Angeles Times)

3. China aims to cut energy for production 20% by 2010
Unveiling China’s first climate action plan last week, Ma Kai, Minister of National Development and Reform, said the country would reduce energy for economic production by 20 percent by the end of the decade and have hydropower, wind, solar and biomass supply 16 percent of its energy needs by 2020. He also said China would expand its forests from 18 percent of its land area to 20 percent by 2010 to help absorb carbon dioxide from the air. But he rejected caps on emissions and again blamed industrialized countries for 75% of the CO2 put in atmosphere during the second half of the 20th century. (Sources: McClatchy Newspapers, AP, Environmental Law and Policy Center)

4. Calif., Conn., Vt. do best job on energy-efficiency policies
California, Connecticut and Vermont have the most energy-efficient public policies in the U.S., according to a scorecard released last week by the American Council for an Energy-Efficient Economy. The scorecard measures such factors as utility spending, building codes, tax incentives and transportation. Others in the top 10 were Massachusetts, Minnesota, New Jersey, New York, Oregon, Rhode Island and Washington. North Dakota ranked last. States are spending about three times as much on energy-efficiency programs as the federal government. Although it's important to reducing greenhouse gases, cap-and-trade programs do not give credit for efficiency improvements. (Source: E&E News PM)

5. Developing countries want credit for GHG they didn’t emit
Fast-developing countries, like China, India, Mexico and Brazil, have slowed the rate of potential growth of their GHG emissions as a byproduct of other policies, they say. Cutting other types of pollution has the side benefit of cutting GHG, and China’s one-child policy has held back population growth, and therefore energy demand. As a result of such policies, developing countries have reduced the growth of GHG emissions by about 500 million tons per year during the past three decades, as compared with what would have happened without them, according to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. These countries now want credit for slowing their GHG growth. They point out that much of Europe’s reductions under the Kyoto Accord also are the result of other factors. Russia‘s 32% drop from 1990-2004 resulted largely from the collapse of its economy, not from mitigation policies, and the same holds true in much of Eastern Europe, including East Germany. (Source: Reuters)

6. Conditions right for big wind farm in downstate Illinois
Construction could begin this year on a 532-turbine wind farm in downstate Knox and Henry counties. It will be one of the largest in the world. Landowners are paid between $4,000 and $8,000 per turbine to lease the land. Some of the energy will be used locally but developers hope most will be sold to utilities in urban centers like Chicago. A couple of companies are looking to put smaller wind farms in downstate Illinois, as well. Open land, enough wind and transmission infrastructure are attracting the business. (Sources: Environmental Law and Policy Center, Galesburg Registered-Mail)

7. Mayan civilization may have been wiped out by climate
Ancient Egyptian and Mayan civilizations may have collapsed because of climate change, according to British researchers. St. Andrews and University of Wales researchers took samples from the sediment under Lake Tana in Ethiopia, which furnishes water to the lower Nile, and found it could have dried up and ruined Egypt’s farm-based economy 4,200 years ago. And in China and Mexico, evidence suggests lack of rainfall may have caused droughts and famine and contributed to the disappearance of civilizations in both countries more than 1,000 years ago, according to German scientists publishing in the journal Nature. (Source: Greenwire)

8. U.S. companies circumvent tariff on Brazilian ethanol
Some U.S. companies are avoiding a 54-cent/gallon tariff to export cheap and plentiful sugar ethanol from Brazil by moving their operations to the Caribbean. To protect corn ethanol here, the government said the tariff will remain in place until at least 2009. Sugar ethanol is more environmentally friendly and less expensive to make than corn ethanol. Under a Reagan-era law, the companies can buy the inexpensive and abundant Brazilian ethanol, dehydrate it in the Caribbean and ship it to U.S. refiners who will add gasoline to make it useable here. (Source: Greenwire)

Wave of the future? Ocean power could be ready to surge
When I was a kid, I loved to dive through the waves in Rhode Island with my summer friends (including “little Sammy” Waterston, if that name rings a bell). I remember one day my father, alarmed at the size of the waves, called me back to shore and as I turned to go I got pounded. I thought I was going to drown. From then on, I’ve had a healthy respect for the power of waves.

So harnessing waves and tides for their energy seems like a no-brainer, and for a growing number of countries and companies it is. Waves are more reliable than wind or sun, and tides are as steady as, well, clockwork. In many ways they are ideal for producing electricity, the next generation of hydropower.

Testing the waters
ScottishPower is building a “wave farm” off Orkney that will generate 3 megawatts of electricity and power about 3,000 homes. Ocean Power Delivery, which makes the sausage-shaped generators for the project, says the seas could eventually supply three times the energy the U.K. uses today. OPD envisions the typical wave farm providing enough energy for 20,000 homes. The Orkney project, which begins operation next year, is one of 9 wave and tidal projects now planned for the U.K., which, surrounded by water, is ideally situated.

Scotland's OPD also has a commercial-scale wave farm off Portugal, where it laid 3 big tube-and-hinge devices that generate about 2.5 megawatts, with plans to put down another 30, increasing the output to 30MW.

In Australia, a wave-generated power station will soon supply 500 homes south of Sydney with clean electricity and drinking water. In this project, electricity results from waves washing into a funnel and driving air through a pipe into a turbine. The plant also desalinates enough drinking water for as many homes as it powers, an important benefit for drought-stricken Australia. This plant is a prototype for another 10 to be built along the country’s southern coast.

Here at home
Clean Power Technologies, Inc., a New Jersey company, is partnering with the Navy to test a floating buoy off Hawaii, which moves up and down with the waves, generating electricity. That company just went public on the NASDAQ (OPTT), offering 50 million shares at $20, and it plans to pour $90 million back into wave demonstration projects, technology, development and marketing. It has exclusive rights to test its product, PowerBuoy, off Reedsport, Ore., and will develop other sites off New Jersey, Spain and France.

Also off Oregon, which has fearsome waves, Canadian company Finavera Renewables Inc. has exclusive rights to test a 100MW project near Coos Bay starting this summer. It uses interconnected floating devices called AquaBuOYs, which then send the power to shore through a cable on the ocean floor.

And Pacific Gas & Electric has filed preliminary applications for two wave-energy projects off Northern California. The WaveConnect projects would provide a total of 80MW of electricity, PG&E says.

The U.S. Energy Regulatory Commission has received more than 50 applications for wave-energy projects in the past two years and is now issuing preliminary permits to keep developers from grabbing multiple sites to keep them away from competitors.

Riding the tide
A small tidal project is already operating in the East River in New York City, the only one in the U.S. connected to the electric grid. Verdant Power started with 2 turbines anchored to the riverbed, with another 4 to follow. The turbines turn in the direction of the tidal flow, forcing rotors to spin, as water surges from the Long Island Sound to Atlantic Ocean and back. Verdant hopes to get a license next year to install 300 turbines.

And in Washington state, Snohomish County Public Utility District has permits to investigate 8 tidal sites in Puget Sound, a joint project with Tacoma Power. They believe Puget could handle 1,000 turbines and power 60,000 homes.

No incentives
Probably the biggest drawback in the U.S. is the lack of federal incentives, like there are for wind and solar. But that may soon change. Rep. Jay Inslee (D-Wash.) has introduced a bill asking for a 30% tax credit for the equipment and a production tax credit for making the electricity. It also asks $50 million a year for research and development. Oregon’s two senators also are pushing legislation for tax credits to put waves on a par with wind and solar.

One concern is the impact on the marine environment. As Puget Sound is eyed for tidal projects, the Orca Network is worried the noise will disrupt the whales. Others fear turbines in the water will damage salmon and marine mammals by stirring up toxic sediment on the bottom.

As these demonstration projects go forward, and a search for the best technologies is under way, environmental impact will be carefully scrutinized as well.

But wave and tidal power hold out a lot of hope as one of the clean, renewable energy sources of the future.

(Souces: Greenwire, PlanetArk.com, Scotsman.com and E&E News PM, with a special thank-you for most of the information to astute Greenwire reporter Michael Burnham, whom I had the pleasure of teaching at Northwestern a few years back.)

News briefs

1. India says it can cut GHG 25% by 2020, but don’t push
India’s government predicted last week its policies will allow it to cut greenhouse gas emissions more than 25% by 2020, but that outside pressure for mandatory targets could hurt its economy and efforts to lift its people out of poverty. The Indian environment secretary said policies on efficiency and renewable sources will help the country meet its goal. Few details were provided, but India is 4th in the world in both wind energy and solar use. Industrial countries and scientists point to China and India as likely to produce much of the increase in GHG in the next few decades because of their booming economies, and say they must be a part of any post-Kyoto agreement. India now produces 3% of the world’s GHG, with emissions growing 2-3% annually. The country is likely to be among those most adversely affected by Global Warming. (Sources: PlanetArk.com, The Telegraph UK, inwea.com, ecoworld.com)

2. Bush thwarts G8 with his own plan for climate talks
President Bush threw a monkey wrench into European leaders’ plan to get G8 agreement next week on mandatory GHG cuts of 50% by 2050, by announcing his own more lenient plan. The president said Thursday he will lead talks with the 15 most-polluting countries to craft a long-range “aspirational goal” for 2050. For the next decade or two, he said, each country should decide what it will do to help meet that goal. Nothing mandatory here. Environmentalists were upset. “It’s too late to slide by on vague calls for unenforceable long-term goals,” said Avid Doniger of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Some European officials politely said they were pleased Bush was finally joining the conversation. Meanwhile, NASA chief and Bush appointee Michael Griffin caused a stir by implying there’s no need to act to stop Global Warming. NASA’s high-profile top climate scientist, James Hansen, was shocked. He said he almost fell off his chair when he heard. “We’re at a tipping point,” he said. “If we don’t start to make some changes … we’re going to get some really large climate changes.” (Sources: E&E News PM, Greenwire, New York Times)

3. ‘Enhanced geothermal’ could equal nuclear power in energy
The U.S. could generate as much power by 2050 from heat deep underground as it does from now nuclear energy – about 10%. A study commissioned by the Energy Department said that by drilling holes in rock and shooting water 2-3 miles down to be warmed by the 400 degree temperatures, then up again, we could produce steam to power electricity. Europe, Australia and Japan are using this method successfully. Estimated cost would be $1 billion over 15 years. (Source: New York Times)

4. Wind lobby says it could provide 15% of Europe’s energy by 2020
Wind will play a major role in powering Europe, growing to 12-15% of energy sources by 2020, says the Wind Energy Association, which of course has an interest in saying so. Europe is the world’s largest wind market, and has averaged 23% growth a year during the past 6 years. Half the turbines could be offshore by 2030, said EWEA President Arthouros Zervos. But he warned wind’s success will require a more competitive market, with better connections between countries and an offshore power grid. (Source: PlanetArk.com)

Congressional round-up

*In rare bi-partisan action by presidential candidates, Sens. Hillary Clinton (D-N.Y.) and John McCain (R-Ariz.) attached to the 2008 defense authorization bill a provision requiring the military to check its readiness for Global Warming. An almost identical provision is in the House-approved version of the defense authorization. This implements the recommendation of 11 retired Pentagon officials. Bush has threatened a veto.

*Sen. Jeff Bingaman (D-N.M.) has union support for a draft of a bill he will introduce this month, to set mandatory limits on greenhouse gas emissions, probably at 15% by 2030. The electrical workers and mine workers this week joined the boilermakers in supporting the draft. The AFL-CIO is seen as likely to sign on too. The latest supporters urge trade penalties on China and India if they don’t take similar action. They also ask that federal law pre-empt the states, some of which have much stronger restrictions. That’s not likely to fly in California and the Northeast. Bingaman is chair of the Senate Energy Committee.

*Congress could pass an RPS mandate this year. After several years of success in the House, but not in the Senate, supporters are hopeful a renewable portfolio standard will mandate increasing amounts of power from renewable sources. The idea got a boost from GE, BP, Google, the National Venture Capital Assn. and others who sent Congress a letter saying RPS would increase energy independence, limit volatile prices, reduce GHG and create jobs. Sen. Bingaman plans to offer an RPS amendment calling for 15% in renewables by 2020. In the House, Reps. Tom Udall (D-N.M.) and Todd Platts (R-Pa.) have a bill mandating 20% by 2020. Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.) calls RPS “the single most important thing that would drive green, renewable energy.”

*Improved efficiency by utilities is the goal of a bill from Markey. It requires gas and electric companies to increase efficiency up to 10% for electricity and 5% for natural gas by 2020. To accomplish this, utilities would combine heat and power, recycle energy and help consumers conserve. 7 states have such a law and 7 more are working on it.
(Sources for Round-up: E&E Daily, Greenwire, E&E News PM)

Do something

Energy conservation is the quickest, cheapest way to cut greenhouse gases. And there is much an individual can do. If you haven’t bought condensed fluorescent light (CFL) bulbs yet, it’s time. You can get them at just about any hardware store. They cut electricity use for lights by two-thirds to three-quarters. An energy audit of your home by your power company can help point the way for better insulation and more efficient use of appliances. Meanwhile, unplug. Unplug those chargers for your cell phone, laptop, even your electric toothbrush, once it is charged. They continue to use energy even when the appliance is fully charged. Unplug your toaster, coffee pot, etc. when they’re not in use. Maybe you use these things one hour a day. For the other 23 you’re just wasting energy. It means developing new habits, and that’s not easy. But it all ads up, both in energy use and in cost. And don’t forget to turn off the lights when you leave a room.

News brief extra

1. Chinese production could help take solar power mainstream
Just as China’s cheap products have helped build Wal-Mart into a behemoth, its plans to produce solar cells could drive down the price enough to push solar energy into the mainstream as an energy source within a few years, says Worldwatch Institute. "To say that Chinese PV [photovoltaics] producers plan to expand production rapidly in the year ahead would be an understatement," said Travis Bradford, president of the Prometheus Institute, a U.S. group that promotes renewables. China has raised billions from IPOs and has another, LDK, coming to the NYSE June 1. Cost is the main factor holding solar back, Jesse Pichel of Piper Jaffray told the Wall Street Journal. “This industry will ultimately be based in China for the same reason cell phones and computers are made there.” (Sources: Greenwire, Wall Street Journal)

2. City resident vs. suburbanite: Who emits more GHG?
City-dwellers have a smaller carbon footprint than suburbanites. In fact, New York City residents are the ‘greenest’ in the country, according to Time magazine. Relatively few New Yorkers own cars. Instead they walk, bike or take public transportation. City dwellers tend to live in smaller spaces, too, and shop close to home. (Source: Time)

3. CO2 emissions from fossil fuels dropped in U.S. in 2006
U.S. carbon dioxide emissions from burning of fossil fuels were down 1.3% in 2006, the U.S. Energy Information Administration said last week. Causes were a cool summer, warm winter, higher gas and electricity prices and more use of natural gas and low- or no-carbon fuels. Since 1990, CO2 emissions from fossil fuels have trended upward, rising nearly 18% here, EIA said. Burning fossil fuels cause about 80% of CO2 emissions, while the rest comes from agriculture and land use. Under the new Bush system of measuring “intensity” – use of energy relative to economic growth – the emissions would be down 4.5%. (Source: E&E News PM)

4. World energy demand projected to grow 57% by 2030
Developing countries will drive the demand for more energy in the next 25 years, says a new report by the U.S. Energy Information Administration. While industrialized countries are expected to use 24% more energy in 2030, those still developing will use a projected 95% more. Coal consumption is predicted to increase 74% worldwide from 2004 to 2030, while natural gas use will grow 63%. A number of factors will cause the increased demand in developing countries, including population growth. (Source: E&E News PM)

5. U.S. says: Not so fast to measuring deforestation rate
Rainforest countries like Brazil, Costa Rica and Papua New Guinea, with an assist from the E.U., want to start measuring the rate of deforestation, as a forerunner to a payment scheme to reduce destruction of CO2-storing trees. But U.S. officials say the idea needs more study. Deforestation causes about 20% of the world’s GHG emissions. At issue is whether stopping deforestation should be a legitimate way to meet goals for cutting GHG and should be part of a post-Kyoto accord. If deforestation were taken into account, Indonesia and Brazil would follow the U.S. and China as the third and fourth biggest GHG emitters. Indonesia plans to put the topic at the top of the agenda for the U.N. climate change summit in Bali in December. (Source: Greenwire)

6. Japanese PM advances plan for post-Kyoto agreement
Japan’s Prime Minister, Shinzo Abe, recommended last week that all countries agree to cut global greenhouse gas emissions 50% by 2050. The treaty would be non-binding and the cut would be from “current levels,” with a few years’ leeway. The plan is purposely vague, Japanese officials said, because the important thing now is to break “gridlock,” with the United States, China and Australia balking at other suggestions. “"We must create a new framework … in which the entire world will participate in emissions reduction," Abe said, according to the New York Times. "Japan will vigorously call on countries around the world to reach an international consensus on the long-term goal of halving emissions by 2050 and the steps for achieving it." (Greenwire, New York Times)

7. LiveEarth concerts add two more venues for July 7
The 7 concerts for 7/7/07 have become 9, as Istanbul, Turkey, and Hamburg, Germany, have signed on. Other venues are New York, London, Johannesburg, Rio de Janiero, Shanghai, Sydney and Tokyo. Now that the magic number 7 has been broken, we may see more, as enthusiasm builds for the worldwide music fest. LiveEarth will call attention to Global Warming and raise money for the Alliance for Climate Protection, the worldwide organization co-founded and chaired by Al Gore. More than 100 top artists and bands have been signed up. A Live Earth Green Team will make sure all the concerts follow new green-event guidelines. These include recycling, composting, transportation, food, packaging, water use and power generation. Check out the Web site at http://liveearth.org. (Source: LiveEarth.org)

8. U.S. leads Europe in venture capital for clean energy
Start-up investment for clean-energy technology dropped by a third last year in Europe, while in North America it increased 44%, says New Energy Finance in London. Asia cut in half its gap with Europe in getting venture capital to start clean-tech companies. In the U.S., Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger is touting California as the clean-tech state, and said VC is helping create 140,000 clean-tech jobs a year there. In Europe, where politicians and the public are far ahead in touting energy efficiency and renewable sources, investors are more likely to fund companies once they are off the ground, and start-ups are hurting for cash. (PlanetArk.com)