News extra

GHG growth in atmosphere at critical level now – scientist
Worldwide economic growth has pushed greenhouses gases in the atmosphere to a level not expected for another 10 years – about 455 ppm of CO2 equivalents, a well-known scientist and author of “The Weather Makers” told the Australian Broadcasting Corp. last week. The scientist, Tim Flannery, has reviewed the data going into the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s report due out in November. He said climate-changing gases CO2, methane, nitrous oxide and hydrofluorocarbons have already passed a critical level and relief will depend on finding ways to extract the gases out of the air. He urged the developed world to pay countries to avoid more deforestation. (Sources: AP, PlanetArk.com)

Pelosi will try for energy bill with a Conference committee
House Speaker Nancy Pelosi (D-Calif.) plans to reconcile the Senate and House energy bills without a formal Conference committee, sources told E&E Daily last week. Instead she will rely on party leaders to work out the differences. Other bills, such as ethics legislation, have been reconciled without a Conference. Democrats maintain they are following this strategy because Senate Republicans would block Conference action. And House GOP reps complain the bills don’t address domestic energy production, a reason President Bush gives for his threatened veto. Key provisions to be reconciled are the 35 mpg CAFE standards passed by the Senate and 15% renewables in the House version. (Source: E&E Daily)

Amazon deforestation could be stopped in 7 years, says NGO plan
Nine non-governmental organizations, including The Nature Conservancy, Greenpeace and World Wildlife Foundation, have announced a plan to achieve zero Amazon deforestation by 2015. The plan would require $550 million from Brazilian and international sources and would combine public policy and marketing to achieve annual targets. In 2006, 17% of the rainforest had been destroyed. Clearing trees for agriculture and ranching and other land-use changes have created 75% of Brazil’s GHG emissions. (Source: Environmental News Network)

Wetlands may be best way to get carbon out of atmosphere
Wetlands are a good carbon sink and could be a source of credits in a carbon-trading program, a University of Maryland scientist says. He is measuring the carbon in Chesapeake Bay wetlands planted four years ago and thinks he will find that the ability for salt marshes to attract CO2 exceeds that of trees and other plants. Maryland and 9 other Northeast states have agreed to start trading credits in 2009, in an effort to cut GHG 10%. At the local level, scientist Brian Needelman sees power companies buying credits to help restore marshes in the Chesapeake and revitalize wildlife there. But his findings could have much broader implications. (Sources: Baltsun.com, Greenwire)

Futuristic, eco-friendly cars unveiled for Tokyo Motor Show
A hydrogen soft-body van that rotates inside so it doesn’t have to go into reverse and a 1-person electric stroller-shaped vehicle called iReal that can run on a sidewalk. These are just two futuristic autos that will star at the Tokyo Motor Show Oct. 26-Nov. 11. Electric cars that can move sideways will be there too. While the vehicles are years from commercial viability, the innovation and commitment to greener vehicles is real, say automakers Honda (the van) and Toyota (iReal). (Source: Greenwire)

Xtreme weather watch

This winter will be warmer than usual in most of the U.S., the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said last week. Above-average temperatures are forecast for the Northeast, Mid-Atlantic, northern Alaska and Hawaii, while the Northern Plains and Northwest will be cooler. Persistent drought will continue in the South, while Hawaii, the Northern Rockies and the Ohio and Tennessee Valleys will be wetter than usual, said NOAA. Overall temperatures are expected to be nearly 3% warmer than the 30-year norm, but slightly cooler than last winter. (PlanetArk, E&E News PM)

If you can stand the heat, but not the humidity, be concerned. As the Earth gets warmer, humidity rises, which in turn causes fiercer tropical rainstorms, according to a study just published in the journal Nature. Water vapor, which itself is a heat-trapping gas, increased 2.2% between 1976-2004, as the temperature rose 0.9 degrees F, the study says. Hot, tropical regions are likely to see the greatest rise in humidity. (PlanetArk, E&E News PM)

Climate change is increasing ‘natural’ disasters, and countries need to pay more attention to risk reduction, a UN official said last week. More than 250 million people a year are now affected by climate-related disasters, one-third more than a decade ago, according to international relief agencies. In 2006 Red Cross and Red Crescent responded to 482 disasters, up from 278 just 2 years earlier. Floods increased in that time to 121 from 54, and this year has already passed to 100 mark. (PlanetArk)

Some of the worst flooding in decades swept through north-central Vietnam last week in the aftermath of typhoon Lekima. At least 67 were dead or missing and floods and landslides damaged 100,000 homes and 37,000 acres of rice. This follows flooding in August that killed 80. Vietnam is hit by an average of 10 storms per year. (PlanetArk)