Summary
In today’s edition, learn how the earth will look like in 10,000 years – not so pretty. Huge sea-level rises caused by climate change will last far longer than the entire history of human civilization to date, according to new research, unless the brief window of opportunity of the next few decades is used to cut carbon emissions drastically. Also, learn from The Guardian the 12 ways to mobilize the money needed to stop climate change. And finally you are warned: Members of 15 Australian super funds lost an average of $1,109 per member in fossil fuel investments over two years. Some funds with heavier investments in fossil fuels lost almost triple that.
Quote of the day
“Much of the carbon we are putting in the air from burning fossil fuels will stay there for thousands of years. People need to understand that the effects of climate change won’t go away, at least not for thousands of generations.”
Professor Peter Clark, at Oregon State University, in the Guardian’s story Sea-level rise ‘could last twice as long as human history’
Lead stories
What the Earth will be like in 10,000 years, according to scientists
By Chris Mooney – The Washington Post
A large group of climate scientists has made a bracing statement in the journal Nature Climate Change, arguing that we are mistaken if we think global warming is only a matter of the next 100 years or so — in fact, they say, we are locking in changes that will play out over as many as 10,000 years.
http://wapo.st/1SGsmwS
Sea-level rise ‘could last twice as long as human history’
By Damian Carrington – The Guardian
Huge sea-level rises caused by climate change will last far longer than the entire history of human civilisation to date, according to new research, unless the brief window of opportunity of the next few decades is used to cut carbon emissions drastically.
http://bit.ly/1V1zXTS
12 ways to mobilise the money needed to stop climate change
By Rachel Banning-Lover – The Guardian
Hundreds of billions of dollars could be made available for climate finance by placing a small tax on financial transactions such as the trading of stocks and bonds.
http://bit.ly/23VkYRu
Thousands (in Australia) lost from retirement savings in fossil fuel investments – report
By Michael Slezak – The Guardian
Members of 15 super funds lost an average of $1,109 per member in fossil fuel investments over two years. Some funds with heavier investments in fossil fuels lost almost triple that.
http://bit.ly/1o0LeJS
Australia guts climate change research
By Katie Herzog – Grist
Australia is no stranger to the consequences of global warming. One of the hottest and driest regions on Earth, the continent is facing increasing temperatures as well as worsening wildfires, droughts, and floods, thanks to climate change.
http://bit.ly/1KDAVp0
Events
Cleantech Innovate London
February 11, 2016
http://jlne.ws/1mg6nOG
CERAWeek 2016 Energy Conference
Energy Transition: Strategies for a New World
February 22-26, 2016
Houston, Texas
http://jlne.ws/1mg7VrX
The Wall Street Green Trading Summit
Columbia University Club, New York
March 14, 2016
http://jlne.ws/doFbLA
Northeast RECs Regional Thought Leader Round Table
March 23, 2016
Environmental Markets Association
Office of Dentons, 1221 Avenue of the Americas, New York
http://jlne.ws/1mg7iOT
CARBON EXPO 2016
Global Carbon Market Fair and Conference
May 25-27, 2016
Cologne
http://jlne.ws/1mg8bqR
Cleantech Innovate Scotland
June 9, 2016
http://jlne.ws/1mg6nOG
Carbon
New rainforests absorb 11 times as much carbon as old-growth, study finds
By Peter Dockrill – Science Alert
The largest ever study of tropical forest regrowth has discovered that new-growth rainforests can sequester as much as 11 times the annual amount of atmospheric carbon as old-growth forests.
http://bit.ly/20TM74W
Natural gas / coal
Tumbling gas price blows hole in UK shale industry’s ambitions
By Kiran Stacey and Andrew Bounds – Financial Times
Rival tribes of shale gas executives and anti-fracking protesters converged on Blackpool Football Club on Tuesday for the latest round in Cuadrilla’s battle to win permission to drill in Lancashire.
http://on.ft.com/1TQCSQZ
Brussels seeks to compel EU states to share gas in crises
By Christian Oliver and Henry Foy – Financial Times
Brussels will seek to compel EU countries to send gas supplies to stricken neighbours in times of emergency as part of proposals to bolster the energy security of nations dependent on Russia.
http://on.ft.com/1Tb5oNM
Alpha Says Lenders Offer $500M for Coal Producer’s Assets
Associated Press
Alpha Natural Resources says it has received a $500 million offer from existing lenders for the potential sale of the bankrupt coal producer’s core assets.
http://abcn.ws/1mqA7bu
Power
Vestas sets ambitious goals as sales, profits and orders grow
By Richard Milne – Financial Times
Vestas highlighted how the good times have returned for wind turbine manufacturers as the group forecast a further bumper year after posting record sales, profits and orders.
http://on.ft.com/1QTHAL1
How to Hack the Power Grid Through Home Air Conditioners
Wired
There are many ways we know of to cause a blackout.
http://bit.ly/1T4FOZv
Canada’s Fortis bulks up regulated power business with ITC buy
Reuters
Canadian utility Fortis Inc said it would buy U.S. power transmission company ITC Holdings Corp for $6.9 billion – its biggest deal ever – to boost its exposure to regulated power markets, which have stable power prices.
http://reut.rs/1SGtK2r
Record 26.4 Billion Euros Invested In New EU Wind Power In 2015: EWEA
Platts
A record Eur26.4 billion ($29 billion) was invested in new wind power capacity in 2015, up 40% on the year before, European wind power association EWEA said Tuesday in an annual statistics report.
http://bit.ly/1PMsiZD
Cleantech
Electric Fantasy: Will the Next Tesla Sell for $25,000?
By Tom Randall – Bloomberg News
Tesla Motors Inc. was built with one overriding objective: to bring electric cars to the masses.
http://bloom.bg/1Q7yptG
***LB: Also in this story “The company is set to begin taking pre-orders on its $35,000 Model 3 next month—and by $35,000, Tesla really means as little as $25,000.”
Water
In Flint and beyond, US water systems need protection
By Rona Fried – The Hill
Now that the water crisis in Flint, Mich. has become a national news story, plenty of other communities are examining the health of their drinking water resources and it’s not a pretty picture.
http://bit.ly/1Q5Mul9
Obama proposing clean-water cuts amid Flint outcry
By Annie Snider – Politico
The Obama administration is expected to propose a $250 million cut to its primary funding source for water and sewer systems as part of its budget proposal Tuesday — a prospect that is bringing bipartisan criticism amid the furor over lead contamination in Flint, Mich.
http://politi.co/1PjhvVe
Is California Ready to Build Its Next Big Dam?
By Tara Lohan – Water Deeply
The state hasn’t had a new large dam since 1979, but that may change with the pressures of the drought and the passage of the 2014 water bond dedicating money to new water storage projects.
http://bit.ly/1PMqPCI