Posted by: Kory Raftery

Several stories on the science and politics of global warming caught our attention this week:

Despite the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s claims that global warming is undeniable and extreme weather events happening all over the globe - all six Republican candidates vying for Judd Gregg’s vacated U.S. Senate seat in New Hampshire recently stood together to deny humans are contributing to climate change. Leading climate scientists agree that greenhouse gas pollution from burning fossil fuels is building up in the atmosphere at an increasing rate and recent studies show New England is not only warming, but experiencing a rash of extreme weather, like the 100-year flood events that happened in New Hampshire in 2005, 2006 and 2007.

In a time when wildfires continue to burn in Russia and the eastern seaboard of the U.S. has seen sweltering heat, Pakistan is now dealing with the worst flooding seen in the country in more than a century. The United Nations recently resolved to strengthen emergency relief efforts to the water stricken region and noted that the unprecedented floods reflected "the adverse impact of climate change and the growing vulnerability of countries to climate change." Climate scientists continue to point out there is a very real distinction between extreme weather and climate change but have asserted it is very likely that hot extremes, heat waves and heavy precipitation events will continue to become more frequent as a result of man-made global warming.

Clean energy investors in California are raising funds to do battle to defeat Proposition 23. The investors are raising millions of dollars for advertising that will be in contrast to messages put out by oil refiners who want to delay the state’s new law on reducing greenhouse gas emissions. If the proposition passes, it would delay California’s Global Warming Solutions Act, signed into law by Republican Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger in 2006, which requires the state to reduce greenhouse gases linked to climate change to their 1990 levels by 2020.

Posted by: Kory Raftery

Several stories on the science and politics of global warming caught our attention this week:

Global Warming could be a major contributor to the demise of the rainforest as we know it. A new study in the journal Conservation Letters claims by the year 2100, nearly half of the plant and animal life in rainforests will not be able to exist as they do today because of deforestation and climate change. The study suggests the Amazon Basin alone could see changes in biodiversity for nearly 80 percent of the region. The report consists of studies done in Central and South America, Asia and Africa.

Just about a week after roughly 300 of the world’s top climate scientists revealed that they have all concluded man-made global warming is “undeniable,” the Arctic discovery of a well-preserved British ship has some oil companies looking past shrinking glaciers and other the negative impacts of global warming to see a lucrative silver lining. Canadian parks officials say they were only able to locate the vessel, which sank 155 years ago, because the ocean is almost completely ice free. Shortly after the ship was found, three huge oil companies announced they are joining forces to more efficiently look for oil and natural gas deposits under the sea close to where the boat was located off Canadian shores.

UN climate talks aimed at curbing the threat of global warming seem to be moving in the wrong direction after a week-long session in Germany. Even as evidence mounts that continued warming could yield deadly impacts, negotiators are reporting that chances for a compromise are giving way to finger pointing. Record global temperatures, forest fires in Russia and deadly floods in Pakistan "are all consistent with the kind of changes we could expect from climate change, and they will get worse if we don't act quickly," said the top U.S. negotiator. "Unfortunately, what we have seen is that some countries are walking back from the progress made in Copenhagen.”

Posted by: Leonard Anderson

Several items relating to the business and technology of clean energy and the environment caught our attention this week:

California raceways are attracting electric cars and motorcycles, and now the venerable Pocono Raceway in Pennsylvania has launched a 25-acre solar energy farm to power the track and 1,000 nearby homes. Track CEO John "Doc" Mattioli claims 40-year-old Pocono Raceway is the world's largest solar-powered sports facility. The $16 million system was developed by enXco, a SanDiego-based renewable energy developer and a subsidiary of France's EDF Energies Nouvelles. 

San Francisco may expand its plastic bag ban to all retail establishments. Under current city law, large supermarkets and chain drugstores can't provide plastic bags and paper bags must meet recyclable standards. Merchant groups seem resigned to a wider bag ban proposed by a city supervisor and  backed by Mayor Gavin Newsom. "It's not going to be the end of the world. But I do think City Hall can get a little self-righteous and not always for the right reasons," said a merchant association president and cafe owner. A bill in the California Legislature that has the governor's support would ban plastic bags at food and convenience stores and set a minimum 5-cent charge for paper bags. 

Geothermal projects underway in Nevada could add 3,000 megawatts to the state grid, according to the Geothermal Energy Association. Nevada doubled installed geothermal capacity to more than 400 MW from 2005 to 2010, and companies large and small are seeking more exploration wells. Companies include NV Energy, Calpine, CalEnergy Generation, a unit of Warren Buffet's MidAmerican Energy, Nevada Geothermal Power, and startups U.S. Geothermal and Ram Power. The industry has got a boost from Nevada's 25 percent renewable energy standard, tax incentives from the federal stimulus package, and federal government support of scientific and technical research at the University of  Nevada-Reno.

Posted by: Kory Raftery

Several stories on the science and politics of global warming caught our attention this week:

Global warming is undeniable, according to the National Atmospheric and Oceanic Administration (NOAA). NOAA’s annual “State of the Climate” report takes into account data from a variety of climate indicators. Some of the indicators, such as ocean heat content and temperature over land, are increasing. Others, such as sea ice cover and snow cover, are decreasing. The report also suggests that more than 90 percent of that heat trapped by greenhouses gases over the past 50 years has been absorbed into the oceans.

EPA administrator Lisa Jackson effectively told 10 groups challenging regulations based on the science behind global warming... you’re wrong. “Defenders of the status quo will try to slow our efforts to get America running on clean energy,” said Jackson. “A better solution would be to join the vast majority of the American people who want to see more green jobs, more clean energy innovation and an end to the oil addiction that pollutes our planet and jeopardizes our national security.”

A recent report claims big coal companies will dig into more than just mines to protect their business interests, preparing to spend big to defeat political candidates they consider “anti-coal.” New rules allow companies and labor unions not directly coordinated with politicians to set up political non-profit organizations that do not have campaign spending limits. They also do not have to report their political financial activities. One such group in West Virginia has identified three Democrats as “anti-coal” and is sending letters to companies asking for funding to support advertising that would “let their (the coal industry’s) voices be heard.”

The United Kingdom passed a law making it impossible for new coal-fired power plants to be constructed without the use of technology that captures and stores their carbon emissions. The British government also changed rules to encourage the biomass industry and announced that the first nuclear power station is expected to be built by 2018.

Posted by: Kory Raftery

"If you care about addressing the climate issue…or about clean air…or putting the country on a path to energy independence…or about reviving investment and job creation…then you have to be revved up about the electric car," said Chris Johns, president of Pacific Gas and Electric Company (PG&E) at the outset of today’s Plug-In 2010, an international conference centered on bringing electric vehicles (EVs) to market.

Automakers, electric car component manufacturers, utilities and drivers have converged upon San Jose to discuss all things relevant to electric cars. Industry movers and shakers are sharing information and sizing up the competition before EVs start arriving in American neighborhoods. By the time the conference opens next year, folks owning vehicles like the Chevy Volt and the Nissan Leaf should be quietly pulling into their driveways and garages.

Based on the high adoption rate of hybrid vehicles in the last few years, Johns predicted that the Bay Area alone will see somewhere between 220,000 and 845,000 vehicles "plugging in" over the next decade. That’s both exciting news for an electric utility, and a huge responsibility given that a single EV can suck as much power from the grid as three homes in San Francisco.

"At the end of the day, we’re the entity charged with making sure there’s enough clean, affordable power on the grid," Johns said. ". . . And, in our customers’ eyes, we’re responsible for the quality of their experience when they bring that new vehicle home and plug it in for the first time."

PG&E isn’t new to this challenge. The utility has been working to advance clean transportation for the last 20 years or so. The company currently operates the largest utility fleet of clean vehicles in America. It was the first utility to add a Smith all-electric bucket truck to its fleet, will be the first to add Raser Technologies’ all-electric extended range pickup trucks and is awaiting delivery of nearly a dozen Chevy Volts later this year.

For current EV owners, the utility offers a special pricing plan, which gives customers a steep discount in exchange for charging their cars during off-peak hours. Making sure that new owners charge at night will be critical to avoiding the need to build new power plants to meet their demand, Johns noted.

PG&E just began a pilot project with the Electric Power Research Institute that will allow the utility to better understand the infrastructure necessary to support the future of EVs. The program will allow PG&E to examine how long different vehicles take to charge and their impacts on the electric grid at different times of the day.

"The goal is to prove that this works at scale, that it functions seamlessly for the customer and that it’s secure," Johns said. "The pilot is running this year and next year, and we see it as a critical step that can help commercialize the new technologies needed to serve the mass EV market."

As Johns underscored, "there’s an entire ecosystem that has to develop in order to support electric vehicles." And the electric utility, like the gas station of old, is a critical part of it. 

Posted by: Kory Raftery

Several stories on the science and politics of global warming caught our attention this week:

United Nations officials believe a changing climate is to blame for massive food shortfall and looming famine in Africa's Sahel region. A UN representative is now requesting aid to help the region deal with multi-year droughts. Area harvests are failing, leading to rapidly rising food costs and diminishing incomes for millions of families. Long time ranchers and farmers are selling everything they have, and the region may not be able to recover for decades. The last major drought to hit the area stretched from 1972 to 1984, killing more than 100,000 people and putting 250,000 on international food aid for several years.

The heat is on in Eastern Europe and the former Russia. Recent reports say few there have air conditioning and millions are suffering due to record breaking heat. Many are drinking alcohol and taking ill-advised swims in the Moscow River. Officials report that nearly 1700 people in Moscow have drowned in June and July alone. Russian crops are taking a beating from the heat wave, with millions of acres of Russian wheat being destroyed. Wildfires are also taking their toll on the country. Forest fires have recently destroyed roughly 944,000 acres.

A group of climate scientists made their way into the news last year after leaked emails led to accusations that they cooked the books in an effort to prove that human activity is causing global warming. Since then, five separate independent investigations have cleared the scientists but the exonerations aren’t generating the same buzz as the scandal the media dubbed “Climategate,” and many fear the damage has already been done by helping opponents block global warming legislation.

Posted by: Kory Raftery

Several stories on the science and politics of global warming caught our attention this week:

A group connected to the fossil fuel industry claims climate scientists and those who believe carbon dioxide (CO2) is a pollutant have got it all wrong. The organization "CO2 is Green" is taking out advertisements urging people to call their senators and seek a vote against the cap-and-trade bill. "The bill is based on the false premise that man-made CO2 is a major cause of climate change," the ads say.  But a spokesman for Clean Energy Works, a coalition of about 60 groups that want climate legislation, maintains the ads cannot be taken seriously. "This Big Oil front group wants people to think Congress is going to raise taxes, kill jobs, spill more oil, take our children and charge us for the pleasure," he said. Some climate scientists claim a limited amount of CO2 means increased plant growth but warn it will also lead to further unknown environmental damages and ocean acidification in addition to greenhouse warming.

A new study concludes protecting sea otters could become a viable strategy in the fight against global warming. Researchers at the University of California, Santa Cruz found that by munching on sea urchins, the animals remove around 0.40 pounds of carbon from the atmosphere for every square meter of occupied coastal waters. In other words, if sea otters were restored to healthy populations along the coasts of North America they could collectively lock up 10 million tons of carbon, which is currently worth more than $700 million on the European carbon-trading market.

Last month was the warmest June on record, according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA). A new report released by the organization cites combined land and ocean surface temperatures as the basis for that claim. The report also claims this June yielded the lowest amount of arctic sea ice since record keeping began in 1979. Scientists, researchers and government leaders say they use NOAA’s monthly reports to help track trends in the world's climate.

Posted by: Kory Raftery

Several stories on the science and politics of global warming caught our attention this week:

Sweltering heat waves like the one that has hit the Washington D.C. area are spanning the globe and climate scientists are starting to sound like an old Carpenters’ record, singing “We’ve Only Just Begun.” The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration reports that global temperatures for January through May were the hottest on record. American ice cream cones are melting faster as well. The National Center for Atmospheric Research released a study claiming daily record high temperatures occurred twice as often as record lows over the last decade across the continental U.S. Scientists predict the ratio of record highs to lows is likely to increase dramatically in coming decades if emissions of greenhouse gases continue to climb.

The wave of public support for setting clean energy and global warming policies is gaining momentum as it rolls to Capitol Hill. A new study shows that this summer, most Americans are calling for lawmakers to get off the beach, wax up their hypothetical surfboards and take a ride on the wave of action. The latest Wall Street Journal-NBC poll found overwhelming support for comprehensive clean energy legislation that includes carbon pollution reductions. It also found that cleaning up the BP oil disaster and energy reform is currently the number two priority of Americans. Finally, it registered another drop in support for the expansion of offshore oil drilling.

The gavel dropped on nine climate protesters in Scotland as a jury in Aberdeen found them guilty of disrupting a busy airport. The nine people participated in what they named the “Plane Stupid” protest in March of 2009, campaigning against airport expansion and future carbon emissions that would be produced by a larger facility. Their demonstration delayed 350 flights, including an emergency ambulance flight. “We fully accept people's right to object to issues such as climate change, and to make their voices heard,” said an Aberdeen Airport spokesperson. But “this sends out a strong message that the action of these individuals was not acceptable.”

Posted by: Kory Raftery

Several stories on the science and politics of global warming caught our attention this week:

Oil is still leaking in the Gulf of Mexico, and British Petroleum officials say they will not be able to stop it until August - prompting President Obama to vow to fight for climate change legislation to pass in the Senate. In a speech made in Pittsburgh this week, the president said the private sector should pay some kind of price for its carbon emissions. He also said he will be pushing to make American homes, businesses and vehicles more energy efficient. “It means tapping into our natural gas reserves, and moving ahead with our plan to expand our nation's fleet of nuclear power plants,” said Obama. “And it means rolling back billions of dollars in tax breaks to oil companies so we can prioritize investments in clean energy research and development." 

Global warming is being linked to hundreds of deaths in India as scientists claim the northern part of the country is in the midst of the hottest summer since record keeping began in the late 1800s. Forecasters predict temperatures will continue to rise to close to 122 degrees Fahrenheit and they expect the number of deaths to go up right along side the mercury levels. Hospitals are taking in roughly 300 people a day suffering from heat stroke and officials say the figures are only a fraction of the total as most of the casualties are found in remote rural villages. In addition, wildlife is suffering, with bats, crows and peacocks dying from the heat. Even India's northern hill stations – historically a refuge from the sweltering summers – are reporting temperatures far above the seasonal average.

A report released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration suggests global warming is a severe threat to Northern California's two great marine sanctuaries and nearby coastal regions. The report states that as the sea level continues to rise and the ocean water continues to warm, the migratory patterns of marine mammals will be disrupted and coastal storms and erosion will be more severe. The report mentions that sea level at the mouth of San Francisco Bay has already risen nearly 8 inches in the past century and noted that scientists estimate a sea level rise off the coast of California of 29 inches in the next 40 years and 75 inches by the end of the century. It also claims some ocean species are moving northward. Gray whales have been observed giving birth as far north as the waters off Monterey County, the report states. 

Posted by: Leonard Anderson

Several items relating to the business and technology of clean energy and the environment caught our attention this week:

The California state Assembly narrowly approved a bill that would make the state the first in the nation to ban plastic and paper bags in grocery, convenience and other stores. Shoppers without their own bags would have to buy paper bags with at least 40 percent recycled material for at least 5 cents a bag or buy reusable totes. The bill, endorsed by Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger and approved with a minimum 41 votes, now goes to the Senate. Plastic bags are banned in five California cities, including San Francisco; Oregon has introduced a bag law; and Washington, Florida, New Jersey and North Carolina are looking at the California bill. The California Grocers Association supports the measure, while the American Chemistry Council, a plastics industry group, is opposed.

New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg signed a bill calling for a review of synthetic turf used in future athletic fields and playgrounds in the city. The review will include parks and health  departments and an advisory committee. Environmentalists and park advocates say the artificial surfaces have potential hazards from lead and other toxins and generate extreme heat. Many park officials find replacing grass or asphalt with artificial turf including material from shredded tires allows for year-round use and cheaper maintenance and saves millions of  gallons of water. Here in San Francisco, the Recreation and Park Department is installing synthetic athletic fields at a number of neighborhood parks. 

The oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico could extend up the Atlantic coast early this summer,according to computer modeling at the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. Researchers said their study was not a forecast and had not undergone scientific peer review, the New York Times Green blog reports. But they said a clockwise loop current in the gulf could propel the oil to Florida's Atlantic coast, with the spill spreading to Cape Hatteras in North Carolina.