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Today's Climate: July 9, 2009
Boxer, Reid Push Back Plans For Climate Bill Markups (Reuters)
Senate Environment and Public Works Chairwoman Barbara Boxer said today that she is delaying her committee's markup of a climate bill until after the August recess. Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid earlier pushed back the deadline for committee action to Sept. 28 to provide more time to negotiate with swing voters.
G8 Agree to 2C Limit for Warming; Stronger Plan Fizzles (Washington Post)
The world's leading industrial nations tentatively agreed to try to prevent global temperatures from rising above a fixed level, after a more far-reaching proposal to slash production of greenhouse gases fizzled.
IEA Hails G8 Climate Move but Says More Investment Needed (Reuters)
Four times more cash needs to be invested in efficiency and clean energy than pledged so far, the International Energy Agency said today, but it welcomed the Group of Eight's calls for action.
Senate Ag Panel Wants Even More out of Climate Bill (New York Times)
Powerful members of the Senate Agriculture Committee are angling to include even more farm and ethanol-friendly provisions to their chamber's energy and climate legislation than the House added to its bill last month.
While Prices Slump, Carbon Trading Soars (Climate Wire)
The global carbon market continues to expand, and trading volumes are way up, a direct result of the global economic slump, argues a leading market research firm in its latest mid-year review.
New Reports Challenge Wind Energy Myths (Business Green)
Two new studies show that the British power grid can cope with wind variability and that micro-wind turbines can deliver significant carbon savings.
Group to Sue EPA Over Pesticides in Polar Bears (AP)
An environmental group has filed noticed that it plans to sue to get the federal government to stop approving pesticides that end up in food eaten by polar bears.
Boxer Asks Boucher for Advice on Climate Negotiations (CQ Politics)
Senators rarely turn to House members for pointers on legislative strategy. And it’s even more unlikely to find Barbara Boxer, the brash California liberal, soliciting strategic advice from Rick Boucher, the coal advocate, on how to pass a climate bill.
Kerry: Trade Section of Climate Bill Needs Change (Reuters)
The U.S. Senate should adopt many of the climate control measures already sketched out by the House of Representatives but some trade provisions may need to be changed, Sen. John Kerry says.
Russian Official: G8 emissions cut target 'unacceptable' (AFP)
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Emission Reduction Made Very Simple...
Well, there is no doubt -as some articles indicate - that emission reduction could be much simpler!
Sufficient first phase 2020/2030 emission reduction is achieved by acting on ELECTRICITY generation (coal, gas) and TRANSPORT (mainly automobiles) alone, since these 2 sectors typically (as in the USA) account for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions.
The focus on electricity and transport gives several advantages:
1. Local environmental benefit from less pollution of sulphur and all else that’s in the emissions, regardless of the less certain or immediate global benefit from CO2 reduction.
2. Electricity supply alternatives which together with improved grid distribution gives better competition and keeps down electricity bills for consumers.
3. Transport alternatives (using electricity, hydrogen and other energy sources), which give variety of choice and competition advantages for consumers, additionally reducing the dependency on oil imports.
4. No trade problems: Unlike Cap and Trade, which involves cement, steel and other industries having to face imports from unregulated countries, the here suggested electricity and transport changes are not just more limited, but also largely local. Since there is little competition between say utility companies internationally, "best practice" results can be compared and shared.
Funding and Impact
Equity and long term loan finance can be used: Long term industrial loans from financial institutions, particularly if federal/state guaranteed, give low yearly interest repayments and lessen the effect on electricity bills or transport cost.
Compare with
today’s all-encompassing Cap and Trade (emission trading) suggestions, with unpredictability, expense, and needless disruption from normal business practice on one hand, or unnecessary profiteering from free allowance handouts with little actual emission reduction on the other hand - together with extensive -and unnecessary- regulation on what people can or can’t buy and use.
Understanding why proposed Cap and Trade is bad, in USA and elsewhere
http://www.ceolas.net/#cce5x
Basic Idea — Offsets — Tree Planting — Manufacture Shift — Fair Trade — Surreal Market — Real Market — Allowances: Auctions + Hand-Outs — Allowance Trading — Companies: Business Stability + Business Cost — In Conclusion
The Way Forward
http://www.ceolas.net/#cc10x
Introduction — Funding and Impact —No Energy Efficiency Regulation — A New Electric World
Electricity Generation — Distribution
Transport Power Generation — Regulation — Taxation
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