Not just bad weather...

Nobel prizes and lazy journalism

2007-10-12T16:53:00.000Z

It's time for me to write another post. These days - being heavily pregnant and on maternity leave - I am more likely to complain to media regulator Ofcom (which I have done!) about misleading and sensationalist TV programmes such as Channel 4's "Bringing up Baby" than think about climate change science. But what happened yesterday and today is too significant to be ignored.

So, well done on the Norwegians for awarding the Nobel peace prize to Al Gore and the International Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Unfortunately, as usual the majority of the media - including the usually sober BBC - is also showing a complete lack of understanding of the facts and gets too easily carried away by sensationalism and the desire to create controversy where there is none.

So, instead of just analysing the significance of the Nobel prize, and the reasons for it (climate change will almost certainly create more conflict in this world) much of the British media seems compelled to make a big deal of the fact that yesterday there has been a controversial ruling on the film. This allegedly undermines Al Gore's film (well, actually it wasn't his film, although he was in it) "An Inconvenient Truth". But is this really true?

Well, the inconvenient truth is that many journalists are completely failing to check their facts before publishing their stories and have been sensationalising the story. The truth is that the High Court judge has ruled that Al Gore’s award winning film, An Inconvenient Truth, is “broadly accurate”and that it can be shown in schools.

True, Mr Justice Burton also identified a number of “errors and omissions” in the film that depart from the mainstream. What he means by mainstream is “the ‘consensus’ expressed in the IPCC reports”. He also ruled that An Inconvenient Truth could be shown but the Guidance Note to schools must address these departures from the mainstream view. Well, fair enough, really. Al Gore is just human and in his efforts to communicate hard topics to a vast audience may have at times used language which was not scientific but more aimed at communicating issues clearly. It is also true that the IPCC, because of its nature as a body that has to reach consensus among thousands of experts, is often very conservative in its language. So this does not undermine the overall message of the film.

In fact, Mr Justice Burton said in the ruling that:

"The Film advances four main scientific hypotheses, each of which is very well supported by research published in respected, peer-reviewed journals and accords with the latest conclusions of the IPCC:

- global average temperatures have been rising significantly over the past half century and are likely to continue to rise

- climate change is mainly attributable to man-made emissions of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide

- climate change will, if unchecked, have significant adverse effects on the world and its populations; and

- there are measures which individuals and governments can take which will help to reduce climate change or mitigate its effects."

Significantly, Mr Justice Burton also rejected calls for teaching staff to also present a sceptical view of climate change saying “the High Court has made clear the law does not require teaching staff to adopt a position of neutrality between views which accord with the great majority of scientific opinion and those which do not.”

But of course it would not make such a good news story to write this and be more accurate about the ruling, would it? Sorry, but this is lazy journalism. Full stop.

There's also a lot to be said about the origins of this controversy, and who is behind it - another issue which the media choses to ignore. But I'd rather go back to thinking about pregnancy and babies - a lot more fun to be honest.

Are carbon offsets a good idea or a con?

2007-06-18T08:16:00.000Z

There’s been a lot of media coverage about offsets recently. A growing number of institutions, individuals and businesses are claiming that all or parts of their activities are being made "carbon neutral" through the purchase of carbon offsets. Is this true or is it a con?

The UK’s Guardian has published this weekend an excellent investigation into the offset market. I recommend reading this article in its entirety as a starting point, as it's one of the most comprehensive articles I've seen so far. In addition, I thought it would be useful to place a bit of a summary here of frequent questions & answers on this issue for anyone who wants more information, summarising some work I've just done for a client.

What is a carbon offset?
A carbon offset can be generally defined as a project that compensates for the release of a certain amount of CO2e (carbon dioxide equivalent) in a certain location by avoiding the release of the same amount of CO2e somewhere else. Carbon offsets can potentially be generated by a number of activities such as energy efficiency, renewable energy and so-called sinks projects, or forestry projects.

Are offsets related to the Kyoto Protocol?
Partly, but not entirely. A very important distinction should be made between the offsets deriving from the carbon market, which is a mandatory market in countries that have ratified Kyoto, and the voluntary market. In the voluntary market, a distinction can also be made according to whether the projects are carried out under Kyoto rules or outside them.
The concept of offsetting does derive from a principle of the Kyoto protocol. This allows rich nations to meet emissions reduction targets by funding projects that reduce emissions in poorer countries through the Protocol’s Clean Development Mechanism (CDM). These projects are awarded "carbon credits". These credits can be traded on the international carbon markets. Carbon markets have grown rapidly since they were set up under the Kyoto treaty and the start of the European Union's emissions trading scheme (EU ETS) in 2005. Offset projects bought by companies that operate under the EU ETS and need them to meet their requirement are one component of the market.

What are the origins of the voluntary offset market?
A voluntary market for offsets has also been growing rapidly. Businesses, governments and individuals that are not bound to reduce emissions under the EU ETS or other regulations, also chose to buy credits from the CDM or to promote other types of projects outside the Kyoto system. The motivation for buyers ranges from the need to project a positive public image for a company, to the feeling that something should be done about emissions that are considered unavoidable – such as those arising from leisure or business travel. According to a World Bank estimate, the voluntary market represents less than 1% of the global carbon market. However, some estimate that by 2010, this market will grow 40-fold to be worth $4bn. Climate Care and Future Forests, since renamed CarbonNeutral, were among the first companies to set themselves up as offset providers in the UK in 1997. Initially, these companies were small and low profile. In the past couple of years, however, the market has grown considerably around the world, with UK companies taking the lead. A large number of new companies has been set up.

What is the price of a carbon offset?
There are currently enormous variations in the price of a tonne of CO2 in the voluntary offset market, making it very difficult for buyers to be able to say if they are getting good value for money, or whether their money is being swallowed up in administration fees or brokers' profits. Unlike charities, which operate under strict regulations in order to be able to operate as non profit companies, nobody is checking how offset companies are spending their money.

Are offsets good or bad then?
Again, a distinction should be made between the mandatory and voluntary markets (something recent media coverage has not always done very well, in my view). The mandatory Kyoto and EU carbon markets have several loopholes and are far from being 100% environmentally sound. Supporters of these markets see them as a tool to promote the transfer of cleaner technologies to developing countries, while providing a way for companies in rich countries to reduce emissions in the most cost-effective way. Critics – who are concerned about the low quality of the offset projects that have emerged so far – see them as a way for companies that to buy their way out of legal requirements to reduce emissions in their own operations at home, with questionable impact on the environment.

Several recent investigations, both from the FT and the Guardian, have found serious irregularities with some CDM projects, as well as voluntary offset products. However, the fact some CDM projects are seriously questionable does not automatically mean the whole market is flawed. It is also a very new market, currently in a pilot phase. In my view, it would be fair to give it another chance and not assume that a few bad projects mean the whole project is doomed. Also, the rules regulating this market are the result of careful negotiations by governments. If something needs to improve, this can be done as long as enough governments are willing to fight for it. The fact there is much more international media scrutiny now than there used to be when the current rules were set up a few years ago can only be good news. In addition, with only a few years left for emissions to peak and decline globally, getting rid of the main system that has been set up so far to reduce emissions - rather than try to improve it and learn from mistakes - would be suicidal.

On the contrary, the voluntary offset market can indeed be considered a complete “wild west”. Any person can set up a company and sell offsets of any kind through a website. There is no regulation or legislation setting minimum standards for offsets or checking that these companies are genuinely putting money into sound projects, or indeed that the money is going into any project at all. It is extremely likely that a percentage of the market is fraudulent.
Francis Sullivan, environment adviser at HSBC – UK bank that announced its intention to go carbon-neutral in 2005 – told the FT he found "serious credibility concerns" in the offsetting market after evaluating it for several months. "The police, the fraud squad and trading standards need to be looking into this. Otherwise people will lose faith in it," he said.

Are there any products that are better than others?
The UK government has made an attempt to create some clarity in the offset market, by creating a voluntary, proposed code of conduct for companies operating in the offset market. The Code of Conduct only recognises projects that fall under Kyoto markets and will require transparent pricing, information requirements, etc. Controversially, Defra has not included in the code of conduct the vast amount of non-Kyoto projects and has not incorporated (so far) in its Code of Conduct any of the recommendations made by the country’s largest environmental groups, such as Friends of the Earth, Greenpeace and WWF.

So, what do environmentalists think of offsets?
In a 2006 statement, the organisations mentioned above recommended the purchase of offsets from projects which have been certified by the Gold Standard – an independent, transparent, internationally recognised standard for CDM projects. The Gold Standard organisation also recently launched a standard for non-Kyoto, voluntary projects. The environmental groups also recommended in their statement that offsets should be marketed responsibly - i.e. not claiming this is THE solution to climate change. They also said these products should exclude forestry projects because of their questionable environmental value. Nobody can guarantee that a forest will not die or burn down within a few years, and not all types of forests are suitable as means to absorb carbon dioxide.

The organisations provided examples of online retailers which sell offsets from projects which meet these criteria. These include Myclimate, Atmosfair and Climate Friendly. However, most organisations selling offsets should be able to provide Gold Standard credits if asked to do so. It must also be pointed out that in the meantime, the Guardian article I linked to above found that Atmosfair has some work to do as not all its projects are genuinely Gold Standard-certified.

Other environmental organisations are far more hostile to offsets. These are smaller, more radical organisations that are generally hostile to carbon trading under the Kyoto Protocol, as well as the voluntary offset market. An organisation called Carbon Trade Watch recently issued a report comparing the voluntary offset market to modern day “indulgences” that enabled Catholics to get their sins forgiven for a fee paid to the Church . It is quite likely that the hostility to these products will continue to grow, especially if the media continues to do a good job to uncover "inconvenient truths" about this market. Also, the fact that some companies are currently using the concept of carbon neutrality and offsets in a very misleading way (e.g. to market SUVs as environmentally friendly) can only make things worse.

Beyond the usual G8 headlines...

2007-06-11T13:47:00.000Z

Most newspapers around the world have covered the G8 summit which was held last week in Germany, and the agreement on climate change. Most of the articles, though, have not been very interesting, partly reflecting the fact that the G8 is not really a crucial decision making body for climate change and its statements are often very vague. However, I think this article from the UK's Independent is perhaps the most comprehensive analysis of the event I've seen on the mainstream press so far. It highlights that beyond the vague wording of the final statement this agreement does represent a step forward.

The anecdote it tells in the opening paragraphs is also pretty interesting:

"Believing - like British ministers at the time - that the right-wing former East German would be far less interested in the environment than the red-green government she had toppled - he patronisingly suggested that they could forget the Kyoto protocol.

"Mr President, you are mistaken," Mrs Merkel announced, drawing herself up to her full 5ft 8in. "I am one of those responsible for the protocol." And she told him how, as her country's environment minister, she had chaired the meeting that had made the crucial breakthrough on the road to Kyoto, and then led its negotiating team when the treaty was agreed.

Over the past six months, the increasingly embattled President has had plenty of opportunity to remember his faux pas."

Still confused on climate science? Read this.

2007-05-27T14:46:00.000Z

A few days ago, on the networking site LinkedIN, someone asked the question: do you believe in climate change? Of course, climate science is not a matter of beliefs of opinions. But I thought it would be worth answering the question, especially given that many of the users of the site, who also posted their answers, seemed a bit confused by the conflicting views they hear in the media.

This is what I answered. I think it might generally be useful as a starting point for anyone who is still in doubt.

The science of climate change is now so solid, that there isn’t much of a point discussing whether or not the climate is changing and if it’s caused by humans, in the same way we wouldn’t discuss here whether smoking causes cancer or not.
Even governments like the US have accepted the reports by the world’s main authority on this issue, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), and recognise the impact humans are having on the atmosphere. What the US is still debating is what precisely to do about it.

For those who are still feeling sceptical or "agnostic" about the science – which is a normal reaction to have, given the unthinkable nature of what scientists are saying – I would recommend this page from the New Scientist magazine. These are very good for addressing some of the common concerns that were expressed in some of the previous answers.

If you want to go a bit further, you can browse this page from Real Climate, a website run by scientists, which has links to further useful sources of information:

Your question asking whether we need to tackle climate change or adapt to it is interesting. The answer is that we need both. No matter what decision politicians take now, and even if we were to stop all greenhouse gas emissions immediately – which is clearly not possible – we would still have a certain degree of climate change because of the emissions that have gone into the atmosphere for many years, and which will continue to have an impact on the climate.

To the inevitable changes we will have to adapt, for example by adjusting our agricultural practices, making our infrastructure, housing and cities more resilient to heat waves or water shortages and resettling people who will be at risk from sea level rise. At the same time, we have to make a decision of what level of climate change – and what level of damages to nature, economies and society -we are really prepared to accept.

Temperatures could increase by the end of the century by less than 2 degrees Celsius, or by 3, 4 and up to 5-6 degrees. The temperature increase is linked to the so-called concentration of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere that we (or rather, our elected politicians) will eventually agree to aim for. The difference between a 2 degree Celsius change and a 5 degree change is enormous.

Based on the state of the science, many policy makers have identified 2 degrees as a critical threshold. Although at this level changes will be very serious for some countries (especially very poor ones, that have fewer means to adapt to changes in food production, for example), they will be relatively more manageable than changes above this temperature.

Here is a link to a useful and clear illustration of what difference temperature changes mean in terms of what impacts they will have (pdf document).

That’s why keeping temperature increases below that 2 degree Celsius threshold is the official goal of the European Union, and why the US has been asked to discuss it. For the time being, the US has not committed to any specific temperature goal or greenhouse gas concentration goal. But eventually it will have to.

I personally think it is very important for LinkedIN users (and society at large, of course) to be able to discuss their government positions on this issue in a well-informed way. No matter what people do for a living, chances are that at some point virtually everybody have to put in practice measures to reduce emissions, or to adapt to changes, both in their professional and personal life.

These issues are rapidly moving away from being “just for the specialists” to something that affects everyone – and rightly so. For those who have children, it may also be useful to try to think about what a temperature change of 2, 3, 4, 5 or 6 degrees will really mean for them.

Jonathon Porritt launches new blog

2007-05-21T17:44:00.000Z

Prominent UK environmental campaigner and director of the Sustainable Development Commission Jonathon Porritt has launched a new blog. It covers various topics, including climate change. Click on the title of this entry, which links to the blog.

Scientists issue first batch of key climate report

2007-02-27T14:08:00.000Z

I think everybody - no matter what walk of life or profession - should try to read the summaries for policy makers of the reports issues by the world’s scientific authority on climate change - the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). IPCC reports are based on peer reviewed and published scientific and technical literature. No matter what people do, where they live, what political beliefs they have - one day they will be affected by climate change in their professional and personal life. However, for anybody who is really too busy to do so, I am providing a "summary of the summary". This is the modified and shortened version of an article I've published on a business publication.

A milestone in climate science?
A new report issued earlier this month by the IPCC said the scientific community is at least 90% certain humans are responsible for the problem. The Panel also made fresh predictions and clarified many uncertainties. The key issue now is whether a crucial temperature threshold risks being breached – and what to do about it.

This report follows the Third Assessment Report (TAR), issued in 2001. The IPCC Working Group 1 report- Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis - is part of the Fourth Assessment Report. It assesses the latest scientific knowledge of the natural and human drivers of climate change, observed changes in climate, the ability of science to attribute changes to different causes, and projections for future climate change.

Based on recent observations and measurements, scientists now say humans are responsible for climate change with at least 90% certainty – higher than in the TAR, which placed it at 66%. Scientists have also improved their ability to predict future climate change. They adjusted predictions for temperature rises over this century and said the rate of warming has recently increased. The 11 warmest years on record have all occurred in the past 12 years. The second half of the 20th century was the warmest period in the northern hemisphere for at least 1,300 years.

Confidence in regional climate change projections has also improved, thanks to new models and computer technology. Scientists have now clarified a number of issues which had been left partly unresolved in the TAR. For example, both volcanic eruptions and man-made aerosols have had a relative cooling effect, offsetting some of the warming that would have otherwise been observed.

There are now fewer uncertainties on so-called feedbacks – effects of climate change which can accelerate or decelerate the rate of climate change. Scientists clarified that increased temperatures will cause a decay of organic matter rather than speeding plant growth. Some had hoped increased plant growth would slow down climate change. Some economists had argued this might be a positive impact of climate change, which could potentially increase agricultural yields in parts of the world. However, scientists now say plants and soils will absorb less CO2 as the world warms. It is now thought that this may accelerate the rate of warming because a larger fraction of the CO2 emitted will remain in the atmosphere, and the magnitude of climate change caused by a given level of emissions will be larger than previously thought.

In reaction to the report, the European Commission said that without more action to limit greenhouse gas emissions, the global average temperature is likely to rise by a further 1.8-4.0°C this century, after increasing by over 0.7°C in the past 100 years. “Even the low end of this range would take the temperature rise since pre-industrial times to above 2°C, the level at which there could be irreversible and possibly catastrophic consequences,” the Commission said in a statement.

European Union (EU) climate change policy is based on a target agreed by member countries to keep global temperature increases below a 2°C rise compared to pre-industrial temperatures. Many scientists consider this limit to be crucial for avoiding the most catastrophic and irreversible climate change impacts.

The executive director of the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) Achim Steiner told a press conferencel. “It is critical that we look at the report not only as a milestone but truly as a moment where the focus shifts from whether climate change is linked to human activities – to what on earth are we going to do about it,” he said.
“Anyone who would continue to risk inaction on the basis of the evidence presented here will one day in the history books be considered irresponsible.”

The IPCC was set up in 1988 by UNEP and the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). It published previous comprehensive reports in 1990, 1995 and 2001. The working group 1 report was produced by around 600 authors from 40 countries. Over 620 expert and government reviewers also participated. Representatives from 113 governments reviewed and revised the summary line-by-line during the course of a week-long meeting in Paris, before adopting it and accepting the underlying report. The IPCC will issue the two other reports later this year.

Stern explains climate change "discount rate" dilemmas on the FT

2007-01-16T17:41:00.000Z

The FT interviewed last week Sir Nicholas Stern, the author of the Stern Review, which the UK Treasury issued in 2006 and which had a major impact around the world. This article is very clear and explains very clearly why his critics are wrong. Interestingly, the reason has nothing to do with economics, but rather with ethics.

These critics said the Stern Review chose a "discount rate" that was too low. The discount rate is used to translate the probable future costs and benefits of climate change into a value for today. This, they say, makes action look more urgent than it is.

In the interview with the FT, Sir Nicholas said that a higher discount rate, such as used in some other economic models, made little sense in this case because it placed too low a value on the lives of future generations.

What he said:

"We made it very clear in the review that a pure time discount rate is going to influence whether you put a lot of money into climate change or not. A pure time discount rate of 1 per cent essentially takes out, if you look forward a hundred years, two-thirds of the benefit, irrespective of the wealth of future generations. So you are telling a grandchild who is 60 years younger than you: 'You are only worth half'.

"If you want to argue for a very high pure time discount, then give me a reason. I haven't heard a good one. And this is an ethical discussion we should have."

"For me the most persuasive argument is to describe those risks [of climate change] in some detail, look at the costs in different parts of the world, and then present yourself and decision-makers with the question: 'Would you be prepared to pay this amount to take those kinds of risks away?' And you don't need to do detailed aggregation to come to grips with that -question."

Exxon & U.S. in possible U-turns on climate, and more European news

2007-01-15T08:54:00.000Z

The past few days have been very eventful.... Exxon Mobil has started "denying its climate change denial" arguing that its position on climate has been "misunderstood".

The company claims it has stopped funding climate change denial lobbies such as the Competitive Enterprise Institute, which have been extremely active over many years in generating misleading information on climate science in the US and around the world. However, it remains to be seen whether it has really stopped funding this group, and whether the company will do the same with other smaller denial lobby groups it has been financing. However, the fact they are now willing to start discussing climate change policy options is a major step forward in this debate.

The UK's Observer reported on Sunday that the US is on the verge of a U-turn on climate change policy (this would be a logical step, given the US position against any regulation of greenhouse gases has been largely determined by the position of the strongest industry lobbies such as ExxonMobil). However, this is being denied by the US government, according to the New York Times.

As anticipated in the earlier post, the EU has also announced its new energy measures and a proposal for a long term climate target, which has received a lot of media coverage and which I have briefly outlined in another post on Europe, Planet Earth.

Another announcement that got slightly less attention was that in two weeks (24 January) the EU Commission will put forward proposals for binding legislation to reduce carbon dioxide emissions of new cars sold in the 27-nation trading bloc to an industry average of 120 grams per kilometre in 2012.

Currently car makers are subject to a voluntary agreement to reduce CO2 emissions to an industry average of 140 g/km by 2008, but they are set to miss that target. Asian manufacturers have until 2009 to meet the voluntary target, Reuters reported. The car industry is opposed to mandatory legislation, arguing that that voluntary agreements are better than mandatory ones (except that they are missing the current voluntary target largely because they chose to produce bigger and heavier cars and SUVs, which is why the Commission is now considering making the target mandatory).

European Commission to issue energy policy reccomendations Wednesday

2007-01-09T09:06:00.000Z

This post also appears on another blog, Europe Planet Earth , which I co-write.

European Union (EU) commissioners are reportedly struggling to reach a final agreement on the detail of the forthcoming package of policies on EU energy, to be published Wednesday. The package will include proposals on issues such as coal, carbon capture and storage, renewables, and long term climate change targets.

A preliminary analysis of the leaked documents, most of which I've seen, indicates that some of the documents will be heavily drawing on the UK government’s Stern Review report issued in 2006, which warned of massive economic and social damages if the world failed to tackle climate change.

In an apparent contradiction, though, there appears to be considerable debate on whether and how renewables should continue to grow. There has been much debate on whether this target should be expressed solely as a general energy target, or whether there should also be targets for electricity, heating and cooling, and transport. The current system includes targets for electricity and transport, and discussions were underway to set targets for heating and cooling. The renewable energy industry and environmental groups have been extremely alarmed about these attempts to change a system that is working well. The EU Parliament voted in December to keep and strenghen these sectoral targets.

The Commission will also issue league tables assessing how member countries are doing in meeting their existing renewable targets. Eight countries well on track on their renewables target, and some will exceed it. The UK is among the countries that are not on track and which may need to change their policies, the draft says.

The draft proposals also say global emissions should be halved by 2050 compared with levels in 1990 and that the EU should show world leadership on the issue. The documents mention the need for long term targets beyond 2012, as required by the Kyoto Protocol. There is considerable debate on how high this target should be, and we can expect a big battle later on how to achieve this target and what it includes.

Other issues covered in the draft proposals include:

-measures to promote so-called carbon capture and storage (CCS), a technology to store Carbon Dioxide underground, with the possibility of ten demonstration CCS plants by 2015 and a requirement for all new coal plants capture ready.

-the possibility that in the future the EU might put in place measures to tackle shipping emissions.

-the EU Commission modeling assumes that nuclear power will grow. However, nuclear power in Europe has stalled for decades and it is hard to imagine how this trend will be reversed. It is possible, although not certain, that there will no specific proposals leaving Member States to decide on this (also, most EU member states do not have plans to expand nuclear power and many do not have any nuclear capacity at all).

-proposals to liberalise energy markets further. According to a Reuters story Competition Commissioner Neelie Kroes and Trade Commissioner Peter Mandelson had pushed hardest for liberalisation of the sector while Industry Commissioner Guenter Verheugen and Transport Commissioner Jacques Barrot, who are German and French respectively, opposed radical changes.

-measures to improve management of oil and gas stocks and better interconnectivity of power grids among EU countries. There are hopes this would potentially give the bloc one voice in dealing with third countries.

-proposal for a a major international agreement on saving energy with the aim of signing it during the Olympic Games in Beijing in 2008, as reported by Reuters.

The energy ministers of all 27 Member States will meet on 15 February to discuss the package, and environment ministers will meet five days later. On 8 and 9 March, all heads of state will meet to make final decisions on it.

New Year, New Hopes, New Rythms!

2007-01-03T11:39:00.000Z

During the Christmas season, the Financial Times published a remarkably good editorial on climate change which outlines very clearly the challenges and hopes for 2007.

Meanwhile, I am very happy because I received as a Christmas present a great CD called Rythms del Mundo - Cuba. The CD includes music by the likes of Coldplay, Arctic Monkeys and Dido, but adapated to include a Cuban son rythm. It also includes the last recording by Cuban legend Ibrahim Ferrer.

No, I haven't gone off topic....this is still relevant, and a rare opportunity for me to write about something very different from policy!

Sales of the CD will help to fund projects of a new climate change charity - Artist Project Earth.

Some of the tracks on the album are great (with the possible exception of one track, which really doesn't work well for me), and mild criticism of this CD that I read on magazine Songlines was definitely undeserved.

The alarming thing I did notice however was that there is no information on climate change in other languages besides English. This CD is likely to sell well in Spanish speaking countries so not having a translation was a missed opportunity to reach new audiences.

European Parliament votes in favour of renewable energy

2006-12-18T12:53:00.000Z

On Thursday the European Parliament voted in favour of a considerable switch to renewable energy (50% by 2040), and an improvement of energy conservation in the European Union (EU) by 2050. Particularly significant was that Members of the European Parliament (MEPs) voted in favour of binding, sector-specific renewables targets to be included in a "road map" for renewable energy that is about to be launched in January by the European Commission.

Press reports on the proposed new policy said the EU Commission draft only included a general primary energy target, and did not set sector-specific targets for the growth of renewables in the heating, electricity and cooling sector. Renewable energy experts considered this to be very problematic and that - if approved - it would undermine the current growth of renewable electricity and heat technologies in the EU.

The Parliament also suggested EU leaders should agree by the end of next year on a binding EU CO2 reduction target for 2020 of minus 30% and an indicative minus 60-80% goal for 2050. They also recommended a "comprehensive strategy" for transport, aiming to phase out fossil fuels from the sector. They rejected an amendment that would have potentially incorporated nuclear electricity into EU targets for renewables.

The renewable energy industry was pleased, but remained worried about the proposals that will be made by the EU Commission in January.

Climate change an election issue?

2006-12-14T12:42:00.000Z

I have the feeling this Reuters news story is a bit over-optimistic. I think we are far from seeing climate change being truly an election issue. However, certainly things are rapidly changing in politicians' perspective on climate change - partly thanks to successful campaigns and a change of attitude in the media. Also, if we compare the situation this year to the situation just one year ago - certainly there are some signs of change.

The article suggests that, just as Bill Clinton used the battle cry "It's the economy, stupid!" to keep his 1992 presidential campaign focused, political leaders worldwide are chanting a "new mantra" based on growing alarm about global warming.
Mainstream parties in Germany, Britain, France, Canada, the United States and Austria believe tackling climate change is a vote winner while established Green parties in Germany and Austria are experiencing a renaissance, the article says.

"Climate change, if presented the right way, is a topic that voters are definitely opening up to," Manfred Guellner, managing director of Germany's Forsa polling institute, told Reuters. "We're seeing you can score points with it.

In addition, this month, Canada's opposition Liberals elected former environment minister Stephane Dion as their leader. Dion campaigned on green issues and said he would focus on the need to cut emissions from the booming Alberta oil area.

Watch this space!

Good news from China

2006-12-13T11:51:00.000Z

This Reuters story is pretty heartening. All eyes - and rightly so - are on the US and Australia, who have not ratified Kyoto. Clearly countries such as China which are growing at a rapid pace (although their per capita emissions are way below those of industrialised countries) also need to start thinking of how to slow down growth of emissions.

And this is precisely what a a top Chinese energy policy maker said on Tuesday.

"China plans to reduce its energy consumption per unit of GDP by 20 percent by 2010," he said.

Another issue is what they will do about their reliance on coal. "Because we're a coal dominant country, we have to take responsibility for lowering greenhouse emissions," Zhang Guobao, vice-chairman of the energy-policy setting National Development and Reform Commission, told an energy conference in Australia.

Improving energy efficiency and the use of renewable energy is crucial (and China has pretty ambitious goals on this already). But burning coal in more efficient power stations should also be a top priority...(more on this to follow in future posts).

ok - now the good news....

2006-05-09T19:41:00.000Z

I have to compensate for the gloominess of yesterday's post! A nice and optimistic film about climate change from US campaigners...

Scary stuff about Asia - from the Independent

2006-05-08T21:07:00.000Z

Ok - it's not ideal to re-start posting on this blog after a period of silence with such gloomy news......Next time I'll try to post something more upbeat on the many things happening around the world to combat climate change...But this is really a wake-up call and it needs to be publicised.

The Chinese Academy of Sciences - the country's top scientific body - has announced that the glaciers of the Tibetan plateau are vanishing so fast that they will be reduced by 50 per cent every decade, the Independent reported today. The glaciers have been receding over the past four decades, as the world has gradually warmed up, but the process has now accelerated alarmingly.

The vast environmental changes brought about by the process will increase droughts and sandstorms over the rest of the country, and devastate many of the world's greatest rivers.

Prof Dong Guangrong, speaking for the academy - after a study analysing data from 680 weather stations scattered across the country - said that the rising temperatures would thaw out the tundra of the plateau, turning it into desert. He added: "The melting glaciers will ultimately trigger more droughts, expand desertification and increase sand storms." The water running off the plateau is increasing soil erosion and so allowing the deserts to spread.

Sandstorms, blowing in from the degraded land, are already plaguing the country. So far this year, 13 of them have hit northern China, including Beijing. Three weeks ago one storm swept across an eighth of the vast country and even reached Korea and Japan. On the way, it dumped a mind-boggling 336,000 tons of dust on the capital, causing dangerous air pollution.

Perhaps worst of all, the melting threatens to disrupt water supplies over much of Asia. Many of the continent's greatest rivers - including the Yangtze, the Indus, the Ganges, the Brahmaputra, the Mekong and the Yellow River - rise on the plateau.

In China alone, 300 million people depend on water from the glaciers for their survival. Yet the plateau is drying up, threatening to escalate an already dire situation across the country. Already 400 cities are short of water; in 100 of them - including Beijing - the shortages are becoming critical.

Even hopes that the melting glaciers might provide a temporary respite, by increasing the amount of water flowing off the plateau - have been dashed. For most of the water is evaporating before it reaches the people that need it - again because of the rising temperatures brought by global warning.

Comments now allowed

2006-01-08T12:34:00.000Z

From now onwards you can comment on this blog. I had so far not allowed comments because I was afraid it would create too much work for me. But given the traffic at the moment is limited (I am not doing much to publicise the blog anyway) I will allow them, to see how it goes.

Am I dreaming or am I awake?

2005-09-27T21:12:00.000Z

This morning I woke up to the sound of George W. Bush on the radio urging his fellow countrymen and women to.....yes......save energy!

Then, I went to the door and picked up my copy of the Financial Times (subscription only) and what do I read? Sadad Al-Husseini, former head of exploration at Saudi Aramco, the world's largest oil producer, saying that "the best alternative energy is energy efficiency".

And he goes even further:"There is too much wastage with energy. There are too many cars that are far bigger than what they need to be. In the home, there are often heating and air conditioners on unnecessarily"

And what's more, he added that predictions of oil demand reaching 120 million barrels a day in 20 years, 40% up from now, are "nonsense" - as there simply isn't enough oil.

"We don't have to invest in new technologies or look for new ways to save energy, they are already in existence - they just need to be promoted more".

Then apparently the Group of 8 asked the International Energy Agency to do further research on energy efficiency and climate change and report back ahead of a meeting next month.

The problem, as the FT points out, is that yes, right, Bush may be now panicking and telling people perhaps those environmentalists were right in going on and on about energy efficiency. But then, his administration has just passed new fuel efficiency standards for cars for 2008-2011 that are simply not good enough for getting better cars on the market - or at least as good as those sold elsewhere in the world.

What am I going to write in my blog now? I've been outstaged!

energy
environment

reason for silence...

2005-09-18T10:05:00.000Z

To those who are reading my blog - I apologise for being quiet for so long. The problem is that I am currently organising an international relocation - we are leaving the US to return to Europe. I will probably continue to maintain the blog, but with a once or twice a month frequency, as I expect to be working full time again (in the US I was not working, so I had lots of time for blogging, which I may not have in the future!). I may also decide to change the focus slightly, but I am still trying to decide what to do....
Thanks for your patience, and if anybody has views on how to make this blog more interesting, please email me!!

Thoughts from my holidays...part 1

2005-08-02T13:43:00.000Z

Although most of the time I was simply enjoying myself and not thinking about environmental issues, several things that happened made me think.

The first part of my trip was to San Francisco, where my husband was attending some meetings. The first thing I noticed upon arriving in California is that unlike in Boston, I gratefully did not have to put on a jumper every time I entered a building or a house to protect myself from the excessive use of air conditioning. Don't misunderstand me - I am not against aircon. It is sometimes very helpful and I occasionally need it to get some sleep during heat waves. But the problem is that now in the US and Canada it is used at temperatures that are way too low and also when the weather is not hot enough to justify it. This is not just uncomfortable and unhealthy - it's a serious waste of electricity. The problem is that in Europe we can start seeing a similar trend (although people mostly still keep the temperature at a reasonable level and only use it when it's really hot). In California things appeared to be different. Ok, partly, it may be because San Francisco is not particularly hot in the summer. But I think it may also have to do with successful policies and on campaigns on energy conservation - especially after the massive blackouts they had in the past.
On the downside, we did realise how difficult it is to move around California without a car (we are not used to driving any more because we have been car-less for many years in London and Brussels, thanks to good public transportation, and we were also trying to save some greenhouse emissions). For example, public transport options, although limited, do exist outside the city (we were trying to go to the Napa Valley for a wedding). However, the tourist information office hardly knew about them. We eventually managed very well (ferry boat and taxi) and wondered why it's so difficult to provide information about these options. After all, it should be about freedom of choice, right? Some people wanna drive, others don't want to, (or can't, because they are inexperienced, disabled, too young or too old, poor, or whatever).

energy
environment

Time for changes...

2005-08-02T13:17:00.000Z

During the holidays, I've had a number of "creative" thoughts about what to do with this blog, also thanks to some comments I have received (thanks!). Unlike most bloggers, I do not tend to give strong opinions but rather stick to facts and news. That's my journalistic background, and also a desire to provide credible and well-sourced information in a field where many people feel confused by opposite viewpoints being presented in the media. However, the downside is that perhaps this makes the blog less blog-like and more suitable for specialists than average Internet users...
From now onwards, I will however try to be a bit more informal. The old posts will form a useful archive for those who want to learn more about climate change. I will also continue to give an overview of the main news for those who want to know more than just my point of view.
The first step in becoming more informal is to tell you about my holidays in my next post.

Back from holidays...

2005-08-01T03:19:00.000Z

meares island nature
Originally uploaded by gcboston.

I have returned from my holiday in Canada. I will start posting again soon...
Meanwhile, enjoy this photo from the beautiful (and endangered) Clayquot Sound in British Columbia!

Financial sector warns on costs, others still in denial

2005-07-01T12:03:00.000Z

Two major reports published yesterday have forecast massive potential costs from damage caused by floods, storms and heatwaves resulting from global climate change and called for immediate action from governments and the financial industry to act.

The first report, from the Association of British Insurers (ABI), predicts that within 75 years worldwide costs of storms could increase to €22 billion (£15 billion) per year, costs of flooding in Europe could rise by €122 billion (£82 billion), and insurance capital required to cover storm damage could rise by €64 billion (£43 billion).

The second, a joint report from the WWF and Allianz Global Investors, warns that the financial industry must take these risks into account and that a clear political framework at international level is essential.

Meanwhile, however, the gulf between the United States and the rest of the G8 on climate change is as wide as ever, reports the UK's Guardian. The US continues to be the only country refusing to acknowledge the link between greenhouse gas emissions and climate change.

The Washington Post published an editorial two days ago full of misleading statements and sweeping generalisations, claiming that Europeans are doing nothing to reduce emissions, and that in order to do so, they would have to stop using electricity and driving cars. This is nonsense, and it completely ignores the raft of new legislation that Europeans are enacting. While the author has a right to express his opinion, the Post should consider whether it is appropriate to publish rather offensive editorials, which fuel misunderstandings between the Europe and the US, and between the US and the rest of the world.

Additional source:

Euractiv

Oil prices, the G8 and the untold story

2005-06-26T12:45:00.000Z

The front page of the Financial Times weekend edition, like most newspapers, says US shares tumbled on Friday after oil reached $60 a barrel. Analysts say oil may soon reach as much as $70 a barrel (especially because in the fourth quarter of the year demand goes up when people turn their heating systems on). Many predict the price will not to fall until it has peaked at a high enough level to have a significant impact on the economy (which may take some time). Then, the slowdown will cause demand to go down, which will lower prices.
While it is true that oil prices are high mainly because of sustained economic growth in parts of the world, there also another untold truth. Governments have the power to avoid economic impacts by taking immediate action to reduce demand in a cost-effective way and without lowering the living standards of their population.
The FT itself has covered this issue in the past. A few months ago, the International Energy Agency issued a report analysing measures that governments can use to “save oil in a hurry”. The potential oil savings and implementation costs of rapid oil demand restraint measures for transport, could reduce world oil demand by up to a million barrels per day or more.
While that report was written with real energy emergencies in mind, there is a huge potential for starting to reduce demand before we get to an emergency. The European Commission estimates the trading block could reduce primary energy demand by 20% without reducing standards of living.
The article on the FT weekend edition says that the issue of oil prices is going to be on top of the agenda at the G8. But is it really? So how come the G8 negotiators deleted wording in their draft report on climate on the huge potential for reducing "stand-by" losses? These are caused by the increasing tendency for product manufacturers to design appliances and electronic products in a way so that they are always on and cannot be properly or easily switched off. Consumers think those flickering lights amount to nothing, but they do have an impact on their electricity costs and on the national energy bill.
The wording of the G8 document, before it was deleted, suggested that something as simple as eliminating stand-by in electric appliances could avoid the need for around 24 large-sized power plants around the world (some of which will certainly be fueled by oil). Would this be very costly to do? No. Would this reduce our standards of living? No (although it may force us to actually get up to switch the TV on, instead of leaving it on day and night - but that may get us some useful excercise...a good thing in times of rising obesity I think).
Unfortunately, no large newspaper is reporting this story. Too bad. I have been a journalist, and I realise that it is far more interesting to write about the latest controversy about nuclear than something called stand-by, which sounds, yawn, boring. But it's not, and failure to report this and other simple demand reduction options ultimately gives the public (and politicians) the wrong picture on the problem and most cost-effective solutions. Journalists will say: "Well, since governments are not acting, there is no story to write about". But isn't it a story in itself that one of the most simple and cost-effective solutions to both climate change and oil demand surges is being ignored if not deliberately suppressed? And is this lack of coverage in the press because "there is no story" ultimately at risk of causing a self-fulfilling prophecy?

"Bush has it backwards"

2005-06-23T18:08:00.000Z

Another strongly-worded editorial, this time from the Minneapolis Star Tribune. Looks like the press on both sides of Atlantic is getting worked up about climate change policy!

Here's an abstract:
"..the president's men are attempting to swing the other G-8 industrialized nations away from supporting Kyoto-style reductions, and toward Bush's every-nation-for-itself approach. As negotiators draft a climate policy for approval at next month's meeting of the G-8 leaders, U.S. representatives have insisted on changes that, true to form, minimize the dangers of the warming atmosphere and leave each nation to decide its own responsibility.

Even the document's benign opening statement -- "Our world is warming" -- has been challenged by Washington. It would be just as sensible to remove all references to the world's being round. This is a shameful stance for a country that remains, by far, the world's biggest consumer of fossil fuels and, consequently, the biggest producer of globe-warming pollution. It can only further diminish America's standing as a cooperating member of the world community, and lend cover to the developing countries seeking to resist global accords that would hinder their exploding industrial growth.

Bush has it backwards. As the other G-8 leaders know, as most of the world knows, and as a growing number of big multinational corporations know, the day of reckoning on global warming cannot be postponed forever. In the meantime, it makes sense to begin a transition to industrial systems that ease the loads of warming gases in the earth's atmosphere -- and, in the process, achieve technological leadership that will be prized in the not-so-distant future."

We could save energy easily, but...

2005-06-23T03:06:00.000Z

The European Commission is convinced that it can be done. Dramatically reducing our energy consumption to the benefit of economic competitiveness, security and environmental protection, while maintaining our living standards. This week, it has issued its anticipated ambitious plans to slash energy demand by 20%. (for more, also read my previous post on this)

Despite this, the international community is still struggling to find an agreement on climate change. It appears increasingly unlikely this agreement will happen at the upcoming G8, as Tony Blair may have hoped. The Financial Times yesterday said he "may be preparing to soft-pedal on global warming in exchange for Mr Bush's support on aid for Africa... That would not only be short-sighted but horribly ironic, since Africa is one of the principal victims of climate change, across a range of phenomena spanning desertification and disease, migration and ensuing conflict over scarce resources."

"The US will not go the Kyoto route but nor will it fully mobilise its research and ingenuity around this problem until it recognises it as a world-changing phenomenon that can no longer be ignored."

Meanwhile, the scientific community is getting more and more angry....

Documents suggest oil industry influence over Bush. Global scientists issue joint statement on climate, as do businesses

2005-06-10T07:44:00.000Z

A lot of news in the last couple of days....
The UK's Guardian says it has documents proving how US President George W. Bush's decision not to sign the United States up to the Kyoto Protocol was partly a result of pressure from ExxonMobil, the world's most powerful oil company, and other industries. The story is based on US State Department papers seen by the Guardian newspaper.
In a related story, the New York Times (registration required)
said internal White House documents reveal how an official who once led the oil industry's fight against limits on greenhouse gases has repeatedly edited government climate reports in ways that play down links between such emissions and global warming. Meanwhile, the leading scientific academies of the world have issued an unprecedented statement calling on the G8 governments to take urgent action to avert a global catastrophe caused by climate change. Story by the UK's Independent
And shortly afterwards, a group of companies issued a statement urging G8 nations for action on climate change. Reuters story.
Planet Ark (Reuters) also has a story on the the first greenhouse gas trading programme in the United States, the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.

Car efficiency US vs Europe

2005-06-08T08:50:00.000Z

A US senator, Maria Cantwell (D-WA) has suggested measures calling on the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to improve its fuel-efficiency standards testing procedures. Critics of the current testing system accuse the EPA of accepting auto manufacturers' idealized claims about their own vehicles' fuel efficiency, and of deceiving consumers. The last time the system was revised was in 1985. More here

But the testing issue is only one aspect of the lack of ambitious fuel economy standards for US cars, which worries environmentalists as well as analysts around the world concerned about oil price effect on the global economy and about the competitiveness of the US car industry. The US consumes a large chunk of the world's oil, with two thirds of consumption caused by transport. Fuel economy standards at least in line with the European ones (which most analysts argue have plenty of scope for improvement) could potentially reduce demand and therefore contribute to a reduction of oil prices.

For example, US car manufacturers are required to achieve average car efficiency levels in 2011 that are already commonplace in Europe. The requirement imposed on US car manufacturers is to achieve 27.5 miles per gallon (mpg) by 2011. This is the equivalent of setting a standard of 224.7 grams of CO2 per kilometer (gCO2/km). The average car entering the European Union market today is already reaching 160 gCO2/km, which is the equivalent of 38.6 mpg! And the EU target for 2008 is to reach 140 gCO2/km, which is the equivalent of 44.1 mpg for petrol and 51.9 mpg for diesel cars.

In addition, Sports Utility Vehicles (SUVs) are practically exempt from regulation, as they are not considered as passenger cars - despite the fact that now millions of Americans regularly drive them on city roads. The US Senate Energy Committee rejected in May the proposal to bring the efficiency of these vehicles in line with the (very modest, as shown above) standards of passenger cars. Regulating the efficiency of these vehicles is proving to be very difficult in Europe as well.

For more on the European car efficiency debate (things are not perfect there either!) see my earlier post

- Our calculations are based on conversion factors provided by the World Resources Institute

New proposal for post-Kyoto targets emerges

2005-06-03T11:54:00.000Z

A new proposal aimed at bridging the transatlantic divide on on long-term climate policy emerged yesterday at an annual conference on environment, Green Week, that opened Monday in Brussels. The proposal, which supporters hope will win the backing of the United States, is that after 2012 (when the first Kyoto targets expire) global emission targets could be set by industrial sector rather than by country.

One of the proponents was Edward Helme of the Center for Clean Air Policy in Washington DC.

Steve Hardesty of the US representation in Brussels declined to comment on the idea during the debate. However, according to Environment Daily, he later told the publication's reporter that the Bush administration was considering such sector-specific actions. "The admission is a rare signal that the US could be open to more than just the technology partnerships it is pushing as the basis of a future global climate architecture," the publication said in its subscriber-only news service.

The European Commission's climate change unit called the possibility "very flexible and very interesting".

Environment daily also reported that Thomas Brewer, a professor at Georgetown University in the US, was positive about the proposal. It reminded him of breakthroughs achieved by world trade negotiators, he said. "From time to time they made amazing progress when they focused on specific sectors," he said. "We have a lot to learn from...half a century of diplomacy."

Environment Daily (subscription only)

Climate Change and Security

2005-06-01T12:30:00.000Z

This interesting article by the UK's Tom Burke and John Ashton appeared a few days ago on Open Democracy. Worth a read. You can also take part in an online debate about it.

Quote: "Preserving a stable climate is essential for personal, economic and national security in the 21st century. The maintenance of security in all three modes is the primary task of government. A stable climate, like secure borders, safe streets, a healthy and educated population or efficient transport infrastructure is a public good. It can no more be achieved without public investment than can any other public good. Today there is a climate clock ticking out the future for us all."

European Union plans tough efficiency targets

2005-05-31T11:49:00.000Z

The European Union is working on one of the most ambitious plans ever to reduce energy waste in its economy. A draft plan - a Green Paper - which emerged last week, aims to slash 20% off the energy consumption level of 2005 by 2020. Instead of growing by 0.6% a year, primary energy consumption in the EU could be reduced by 0.9% a year through the use of existing technologies and in a cost-effective way, the paper says.

This reduction would cut energy consumption by 360 million tonnes of oil equivalent and yield financial savings of €60bn per year. This target would have to become part of Europe's competitiveness drive - the so-called Lisbon strategy. It would also greatly help achieve long-term climate policy plans.

The main tools which the paper envisages to achieve these EU targets are tax breaks and state aid to promote cleaner products and services. In the transport sector, the main tools to promote the use of the most efficient cars are fiscal incentives (tax breaks) and green pricing adjustments.

However, harmonising taxation in the European Union is notoriously challenging - and may become even more difficult as a consequence of the results of the referendum on the Constitution in France, which may slow down European integration. So the paper says that smaller groups of willing member states - as opposed to the whole trading block of 25 countries - should be encouraged to go ahead with harmonised policies.

Other measures reccomended by the paper include encouraging companies to include a percentage of energy efficient cars in their fleets. In addition, toll road charges could be differentiated according to the efficiency of cars that use them.

In the buildings sector, the paper reccomends considerably strenghening existing legislation on the minimum performance of buildings.

The target in the paper resembles a proposal that environmental group WWF has been pushing for years. The European Commission faces both internal and external opposition to the setting of stringent targets on efficiency, as has been the case during the debate on a Directive on Energy End-Use Efficiency and Energy Services, currently under discussion.

The draft green paper is available on the website of Environment Daily, the European publication that first obtained the draft.

leaked draft Green Paper (contains some French-language text)

WWF's "Energy Efficiency Challenge" paper (PDF)

New York conference to discuss US carbon caps

2005-05-27T12:36:00.000Z

The drama on regulation of climate change in the United States will be opening off Broadway next month. Leading players in energy and the environment will meet in New York City to weigh in on the multi-state energy initiative known as the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative.
The complex plan is being discussed by states' representatives, power companies, large electric consumers and environmental organizations. It will place a cap on emissions of carbon dioxide from power plants in several US states - from Maine to Delaware. It was devised in reaction to the decision by the US federal administration not to ratify the Kyoto Protocol and by a desire of state representatives to start moving ahead - given that inevitably in the future there will have to be some form of regulation of greenhouse gases. Many companies also prefer to have regulatory certainty (see an earlier story on Duke Energy asking for a carbon tax).
The plan is expected to be unveiled some time this summer. Among the contentious issues under discussion are the type and level of the cap, the time period for phase in, the nature of the trading program. Stakeholders are also discussing "leakage", the potential for a shift of dirty power production to other parts of the country that are unregulated, and whether more solutions should be sought from efficiency, trimming demand, or constraints on the supply side.

For more information on the NY conference:

CleanAir-Coolplanet Website

European carbon prices go up

2005-05-25T13:43:00.000Z

Carbon prices have been rising sharply since the European emissions trading scheme was launched at the start of this year, reaching a record closing price of €19 a tonne yesterday, the Financial Times reports.
Under the emissions trading scheme, the amount of carbon dioxide - a gas that causes climate change - that industries can emit is capped. Companies that use less than their allowance can sell their excess permits.
The paper quoted Margaret Beckett, UK secretary of state for the environment, as saying that emissions trading would boost the City of London, which has become an international centre for this emerging business.
A senior associate at the law firm Baker and McKenzie added that London has developed one of the biggest concentrations of expertise [on] greenhouse gas emissions trading. Many of the contracts are based on English law, and already the City is working on some sophisticated financial products around carbon, he added.
Read article here (for subscribers):

Financial Times website

British companies see threats and opportunities from climate change

2005-05-19T12:19:00.000Z

Most British companies expect to have to consider climate change issues in 2005, a report published by research organisation Article 13 said yesterday. British businesses are taking climate change very seriously, both as a potential commercial opportunity and a risk factor that could affect their markets, the report said.

A third of the companies surveyed said there would also be a crucial opportunity arising from climate change. "Any company that can contribute to a low-carbon economy has an opportunity," said one company representative.

Climate Change and Poverty: A Business Opportunity

Cars get bigger and heavier..

2005-05-16T12:33:00.000Z

The Financial Times reported that European car manufacturers reduced CO2 emissions from new cars last year at only half the rate needed to meet their voluntary energy efficiency commitment for the European market. Provisional figures for CO2 emissions from new cars show the European industry produced an average efficiency of 160 grams per kilometre last year, down only 1.8% on the previous year. To meet the target of 140g/km by 2008 the carmakers need an annual rate of improvement of 3.3%.

In a separate press release, Jos Dings, the Director of European environmental group Transport & Environment said, “Since the agreement was made in 1998, the car industry has been putting most of its effort into marketing bigger, heavier, more powerful cars...Rather than living in denial about its failure, the industry should support calls for a legally binding, flexible and transparent system that gives real incentives for manufactures to achieve the 120 g/km target. This target is essential for Europe to meet its climate objectives and to reduce its EUR 100 billion per year dependency on oil imports.”

WHAT CAN I DO? Well, a lot, in fact. Chose a more efficient car, use it only when needed, do car-pooling (more people in one car), walk more and use more public transport (it keeps you fit as well!). Even better, write to your politicans demanding better efficiency standards.
If you are in the US, you can write letters to politicians:

Union of Concerned Scientists

Find out more about chosing an efficient car here:

Database of cars and fuel efficiency (including miles per gallon figures)

If you speak French, German, or Italian, try this excellent consumer site

TopTen website

But what's going on behind the scenes in the US?

2005-05-14T16:33:00.000Z

Interesting radio program on the fact that environmentally conscious investors are starting to use the power of their purses to force corporations and Wall Street to address the issue of climate change. "Living on Earth" host Steve Curwood talks with Mindy Lubber, president of the organization Ceres, about efforts to use nearly $3 trillion in assets from large pension funds as a carrot and stick to prompt industry to cut back on greenhouse gas emissions..

Listen to the show here:

Listen to the show

US to reject UK climate measures

2005-05-13T20:09:00.000Z

The US will not agree to UK measures to tackle climate change, due to be discussed at the upcoming G8 summit, a US presidential negotiator has said. Tony Blair had hoped the US would agree to more investment in low-carbon technology and agreement on emissions. However, President Bush's chief climate negotiator, Harlan Watson, has told the BBC that the US will not commit to re-shaping its economy to "incentivise" firms to use new low-carbon technology, he said.
Read the whole story:

BBC News

Read a related story:

Reuters

WHAT CAN I POSSIBILY DO? You could:

Sign the People's Ratification of the Kyoto Protocol!

Ecological debt and the G8 - Editorial

2005-05-13T01:36:00.000Z

As the July G8 summit approaches, the UK"s New Statesman magazine publishes a provocative editorial by Andrew Simms in its latest issue.

A few highlights:
"It is rarely understood this way, but climate change is really a problem of debt. Not a cash debt, but an ecological one. Environmentally, we're living way beyond our means, spending more than the bank of the earth and the atmosphere can replace in our accounts. It is this debt - not the hole in the nation's public spending plans - that ought to have been the subject of the election campaign. And it is this debt - not the financial debts of poor nations to rich - that should guide the thinking of the Chancellor and other western leaders as they approach the G8 summit in July."

"Even the Financial Times commented that the IMF "probably ruined as many economies as they have saved". Yet we still expect poor countries to repay most of their debts, despite the effects on their people's lifestyles. Rich countries, faced with ecological debt, will not even give up the four-wheel-drive school run."

"The widening global gap in wealth was built on ecological debts. And today's economic superpowers soon became as successful in their disproportionate occupation of the atmosphere with carbon emissions as they were in colonial times with their military occupation of the terrestrial world. Until the Second World War, they managed this atmospheric occupation largely through exploiting their own fossil-fuel reserves. But from around 1950 they became increasingly dependent on energy imports. By 1998, the wealthiest fifth of the world was consuming 68 per cent of commercially produced energy; the poorest fifth, 2 per cent."

Read the whole article (pay per view)

Businesses urged to list climate risks

2005-05-11T13:15:00.000Z

By Fiona Harvey, Financial Times
Companies came under pressure to disclose the risks to their businesses from climate change yesterday as leading institutional investors called for tough action. A group of 26 institutional investors with more than $3,000bn in assets urged the US Securities and Exchange Commission to force companies to disclose the risk as part of their securities filings.
Risks to companies include rising sea levels, regulated reductions in carbon dioxide output and greater variability in the weather. The group, including the states of California and New York, the Teamsters Affiliate Pension Plan, the London pensions funds authority, also pledged to invest $1bn in the next year in companies with technologies to combat climate change. Fiona Harvey, New York

Pension funds face climate-change risks, says report

2005-05-06T13:21:00.000Z

IPE.com
UK- The pensions industry needs to recognise the long-term impact of climate change and adapt their asset and liability management strategies accordingly or they face an uncertain future, according to a report by UK merchant banking group Climate Change Capital.
The report ‘Impacts of climate change on financial institutions' medium to long term assets and liabilities’ argues that current financial models and assumptions do not adequately budget for climate change, leaving investments exposed to “significant” risks in the long term.
It also says that climate change might influence the obligation on trustees and fund administrators to be prudent investors and suggests that the definition of their fiduciary duties be extended to incorporate climate change and related issues.
Pension funds will face risks such as “direct physical impact “ on assets; while catastrophe reinsurance and insurance claims will worsen, the study says.

Read the rest of the article

Climate Change is Risk and Business Opportunity - Swiss Re

2005-05-03T15:21:00.000Z

The insurance industry believes climate change represents a huge risk for its sector but a business opportunity as well, Christopher Walker of Swiss Re told an audience of public health experts at the Harvard Medical School today.
Mr. Walker’s lecture concentrated on climate change as a financial issue from the point of view of the insurance and reinsurance industry’s potentially rising costs and risks. Carbon is becoming a tradable commodity, allowing companies to hedge their risks, profit from emissions assets and turn this new discipline into a competitive advantage, he said. Walker added that the insurance industry can be a facilitator of emissions reduction activities, acting as a catalyst for the development of renewable, emission reduction and energy-efficient technologies.
Swiss Re also aims to reduce its own greenhouse gas emissions footprint through improved energy management in its buildings and through the promotion and use of resource-preserving energy systems such as renewables, he said.

Europeans Rate Environment As Important As Economy

2005-05-02T17:52:00.000Z

Environmental policy is equally important to economic policy for 85% of European Union citizens, according to a new survey issued this week in Brussels, the capital of Europe. Even more, 88% of them, think environmental concerns must be taken into account by politicians when they formulate economic policy, the poll found.
The Eurobarometer survey updates a 2002 poll, and incorporates for the first time views in the ten new member states of the 25-country trading block.
The areas of greatest concern to the European public are water pollution, man-made disasters such as oil spills,
climate change and air pollution.

European Commission Press Release

"Smoking Gun" on Humans and Climate Change Claimed

2005-04-28T04:10:00.000Z

MSNBC.com
Using ocean data collected by diving floats, U.S. climate scientists released a study Thursday that they said provides the "smoking gun" that ties manmade greenhouse gas emissions to global warming.
The researchers, some of them working for NASA and the Energy Department, went a step further, implicitly criticizing President Bush for not taking stronger action to curb emissions of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases.
They said the findings confirm that computer models of climate change are on target and that global temperatures will rise 1 degree Fahrenheit this century, even if greenhouse gases are capped tomorrow.
If emissions instead continue to grow, as expected, things could spin “out of our control,” especially as ocean levels rise from melting Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets, the NASA-led scientists said. "The climate system could reach a point where large sea level change is practically impossible to avoid."
The study, published Thursday in the journal Science, is the latest to report growing certainty about global warming projections.
© 2005 MSNBC.com

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Germana Canzi's COMMENT: Nobody has yet tried to calculate a monetary value for a large global sea level change. The damages could clearly be incalculable and far more costly than any of the solutions, and the technologies, currently at our disposal.

Climate Change Poses Threat to Food Supply, Say Scientists

2005-04-27T04:15:00.000Z

THE INDEPENDENT (UK)
By Michael McCarthy, Environment Editor
Worldwide production of essential crops such as wheat, rice, maize and soya beans is likely to be hit much harder by global warming than previously predicted, an international conference in London has heard.
The benefits of higher levels of the main greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide, will in fact be outweighed by the downsides of climate change, a Royal Society discussion meeting was told yesterday. It had been thought that the gas might act as a fertiliser to increase plant growth. Rising atmospheric temperatures, longer droughts and side-effects of both, such as higher levels of ground-level ozone gas, are likely to bring about a substantial reduction in crop yields in the coming decades, large-scale experiments have shown.
The two-day meeting, entitled Food Crops in a Changing Climate, is focusing largely on tropical countries where most of the world's food is grown, and where people are most vulnerable to climate change.
It is bringing together leading scientists in the fields of meteorology, climate science and agriculture to report on the latest research, including growing crops in experimental conditions in the open air that simulate advanced global warming. Previously, such experiments had taken place in closed chambers, and these had suggested that the "fertilisation" effect of rising CO2 would offset the detrimental effects of rising temperatures and drought incidence on crop production.
But, a new technology known as Face (Free-Air Concentration Enrichment) is allowing treatment of large areas of crop with elevated levels of CO2 and ozone, and these experiments have painted a very different picture.
"Growing crops much closer to real conditions has shown that increased levels of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will have roughly half the beneficial effects previously hoped for in the event of climate change," said Steve Long, from Illinois University.
"In addition, ground-level ozone, which is also predicted to rise but has not been extensively studied before, has been shown to result in a loss of photosynthesis and 20 per cent yield loss. Both these results show that we need to seriously re-examine our predictions for future global food production, as they are likely to be far lower than previously estimated," Professor Long said.
Additionally, studies in the UK and Denmark show that just a few days of hot temperatures can severely reduce the yield of major food crops such as wheat, soya beans, rice and groundnuts, if they coincide with the flowering of these crops.
These results suggest that there are particular thresholds above which crops become very vulnerable to climate change.
On a more positive note, the meeting also highlighted new developments in forecasting techniques, the basis of which can act as early warning systems of famine.
The techniques incorporate a climate prediction model with a model that simulates crop growth under varying environmental conditions.

The Independent

US Power Companies Should Urgently Address Climate Risk

2005-04-13T15:58:00.000Z

United States power companies will face significant global-warming related financial risks if they fail to reduce their emissions, according to a new report released today by CERES, a coalition of 85 investors and environmental groups.
The report analyzes climate risks reports that three of the country's largest power companies - American Electric Power, Cinergy and TXU - prepared at the request of investors. These three companies collectively emit over 250 million tons of greenhouse gases every year.
Despite these warnings, US companies are planning to build 100 new coal-fired stations in the coming years. These investments are set to become liabilities when the US will regulate greenhouse gases in the future, which CERES said is "widely expected".
The report was released at CERES's annual conference, which started today in Boston.

CERES website

"Kyoto Effect" Boosts European Renewable Energy Stocks

2005-04-08T18:24:00.000Z

London, England [RenewableEnergyAccess.com] New Energy Finance's Global Energy Innovation Index (GEIX) has completed the first quarter since its launch. GEIX tracks the performance of the largest 50 pure-play quoted renewable and low-carbon energy technology companies worldwide.
"It's too early to tell whether the very marked 'Kyoto Effect' is a one-off, or whether it will drive a sustained divergence in the value of new energy stocks in Kyoto and non-Kyoto countries," said Michael Liebreich, CEO/Founder of New Energy Finance
Although as a whole the index is up only 0.25% since the beginning of the 2005, a closer analysis of the fund shows what the company believes is very significant "Kyoto Effect," based on the recently enacted national policy to control global emissions of carbon dioxide.

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http://www.renewableenergyaccess.com/rea/news/story?id=24776

Duke Energy CEO proposes 'carbon tax'

2005-04-07T13:46:00.000Z

Posted on Thu, Apr. 07, 2005
PAUL NOWELL
Associated Press

CHARLOTTE, N.C. - Duke Energy Corp. will lobby for a tax on carbon dioxide emissions that would reduce fossil fuel consumption and begin dealing with the global warming problem, the company's chairman said Thursday.
"Personally, I feel the time has come to act - to take steps as a nation to reduce the carbon intensity of our economy," Paul Anderson told several hundred Charlotte business and civil leaders at a breakfast meeting. "And it's going to take all of us to do it."
Anderson acknowledged a national carbon tax would mean bigger utility bills and higher prices at the gas pump. But unless industry leaders take the lead, he said, the long-term outcome could be even more disastrous.
"If we (the U.S. energy industry) ignore the issue, we would be the easy target," he said. "The worst scenario would be if all 50 states took separate actions and we have to comply with 50 different laws."
Anderson's speech was a follow-up to a letter he wrote last week to shareholders that accompanied the Charlotte-based company's annual report. In the letter, Anderson vowed to be proactive in shaping national policy on global warming and climate change.
In his letter, Anderson said political leaders must break through the congressional stalemate on multi-pollutant legislation and formulate a new national energy policy.
Duke Energy, which ranked 86th in the recent Fortune 500 list, is not the only large U.S. energy firm to address global warming as a key policy concern. Cincinnati-based Cinergy Corp. also addressed the issue in an annual report issued last week.
"As a major coal-burning utility, some might expect us to duck this issue," wrote Cinergy Chairman James Rogers. "But avoiding the debate over global climate change and failing to understand its consequences are not options for us."
Duke Power Co., Duke Energy's regulated utility, relies heavily on coal and nuclear energy to produce nearly all its power.
After his speech, Anderson acknowledged he does not expect to see a carbon tax enacted under President Bush. Bush withdrew the United States from participation in the Kyoto Protocol, an international global warming treaty that took effect in February.
The Kyoto Treaty requires more than 30 industrial countries to reduce their emissions of six greenhouse gases by a combined average of 5.2 percent below 1990 levels by 2012.

European Wind Power Helped by Danish Report

2005-03-24T05:25:00.000Z

MADRID - Shares in Europe's biggest quoted wind turbine companies Vestas Wind Systems, NEG Micon and Gamesa rose last week thanks to a report estimating the global wind power market would grow by 11 percent a year between now and 2007.
Shares in Vestas added 2.9 percent, NEG tacked on 3.6 percent and Gamesa gained 2.4 percent by 1200 GMT.
The growth forecast is lower than windpower consultancy BTM's last five-year estimate a year ago but even so wind power production is expected to rise 24 percent this year alone and by 2012 should account for two percent of world electricity consumption.
"Gamesa's rise is related to this news," said Mariano San Martin, a trader at Spanish broker Ibersecurities.
Danish companies Vestas and NEG Micon rank first and third among world wind power producers with Germany's privately-owned Enercon second and Gamesa fourth.

http://www.planetark.com/avantgo/dailynewsstory.cfm?newsid=20245

Climate Change and War

2005-03-01T12:52:00.000Z

by Jeffrey Sachs, professor of economics and director of the Earth Institute at Columbia University

Visiting Africa's Sahel region, Jeffrey Sachs says it's clear that climate change is already driving warfare in Ethiopia and Sudan. This time, peacekeepers, sanctions and humanitarian aid are not going to cut it. Instead, the developed world needs to cut its emissions drastically while helping developing countries adapt—and fast.
British Prime Minister Tony Blair has declared that the two issues at the center of the G-8 Summit this July will be African poverty and global climate change. These may seem to be distinct issues. In fact, they are linked. A trip I took to a village in the Tigre region in northern Ethiopia shows why.

Read the whol article

Climate Change To Bring A Wave Of New Health Risks

2005-02-25T14:40:00.000Z

Science Daily
WASHINGTON, D.C. - Climate change will not only bring about a warmer world, it is also very likely to set the stage for an unhealthier one.
As a result, governments and health officials need to begin to think about how to respond to an anticipated increase in the number and scope of climate-related health crises, ranging from killer heat waves and famine, to floods and waves of infectious diseases.
That, in a nutshell, was the message delivered to scientists Feb. 20 at the annual meeting of the American Association for the Advancement of Science (AAAS) by Jonathan A. Patz, an authority on the human health effects of global environmental change.
URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2005/02/050223141555.htm

Business Week special report on climate change

2005-02-24T18:26:00.000Z

This comprehensive report explains why the business community is (slowly) waking up to the greatest challenge of the century:

Business Week special report