Summary
In today’s edition, learn why students don’t learn properly what climate change is all about. Also, learn how climate change may have helped spread Zika virus according to WHO scientists. And finally, find some hope in the “Caucus to Save the World”, with two south Florida congressmen who created a new House task force on climate change that seeks to propose clean energy legislation in the next two months.
Quote of the day
“There shouldn’t be this false orthodoxy, where if you’re a Democrat you want to solve this problem and if you’re a Republican you want to ignore it. That just makes no sense.”
Republican Representative Carlos Curbelo, in the Bloomberg News’ story The Caucus to Save the World
Lead stories
Two-thirds of US students are taught climate change badly, study finds
By Suzanne Goldenberg – The Guardian
Nearly two-thirds of schoolchildren in the US are taught lessons on climate change that do not rise to the level of a sound science education, according to new research on Thursday.
http://bit.ly/1Ppl1O5
Climate change may have helped spread Zika virus according to WHO scientists
By Oliver Milman – The Guardian
The outbreak of Zika virus in Central and South America is of immediate concern to pregnant women in the region, but for some experts the situation is a glimpse of the sort of public health threats that will unfold due to climate change.
http://bit.ly/1o3EYR5
The Best Ideas to Fight Pollution May Be Too Risky
By Anna Hirtenstein – Bloomberg News
Some of the most dramatic measures to suck global warming pollution out of the atmosphere are probably too risky to be worth trying, an academic at a climate research institution concluded.
http://bloom.bg/1o3FMFy
The Caucus to Save the World
By Eric Roston – Bloomberg News
Two south Florida congressmen last week created a new House task force on climate change that seeks to propose clean energy legislation in the next two months. And despite strong headwinds, the bill may not be dead on arrival.
http://bloom.bg/1O5nvwN
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
Navigating the American Carbon World (NACW) 2016
Climate Action Reserve
May 4-6, 2016
San Diego, California
http://goo.gl/Ah5s1I
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
Carbon-Rule Stay Puts Obama Environmental Legacy on the Line
By Amy Harder and Brent Kendall – The Wall Street Journal
The Supreme Court’s unexpected move this week to block a federal carbon-emissions rule was a significant blow to President Barack Obama’s environmental agenda, underscoring the unusual way in which that ambitious agenda is now in a state of suspended animation.
http://on.wsj.com/1LjEXxS
Natural gas / coal
Canadian Regulator Sees Petronas Project Harming Environment
By Rebecca Penty – Bloomberg News
The Canadian regulator reviewing a natural gas export project on the nation’s Pacific Coast said the C$36 billion ($26 billion) development led by Petroliam Nasional Bhd. would probably cause “significant adverse environmental effects.”
http://bloom.bg/1o7FyxT
Coal India Net Rises as Modi Electricity Plan Boosts Growth
By Rajesh Kumar Singh – Bloomberg News
Coal India Ltd., the world’s largest producer of the fuel, posted a third-quarter profit increase as Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s goal of expanding access to electricity boosted demand.
http://bloom.bg/1WgI4fC
Adani’s coal roadblocks could ‘deter’ Indian investment, says minister Piyush Goyal
By Matt Wade – Sydney Morning Herald
Piyush Goyal, India’s Minister of State for energy, says his country has ambitious plans to reduce its carbon usage by 2030.
http://bit.ly/1RtX6j8
Natural Gas Price Slips on Soft Demand
By Paul Ausick – 24/7 Wall Street
The U.S. Energy Information Administration (EIA) reported Thursday morning that U.S. natural gas stocks decreased by 70 billion cubic feet for the week ending February 5.
http://bit.ly/1LjFmQY
Experts Say Exporting Natural Gas Is Going To Help US Against Russia
By Andrew Follett – The Daily Caller
As the U.S. Senate considers a bill to clarify liquefied natural gas (LNG) export regulations, a panel of experts convened to discuss the impacts of shipping more American natural gas abroad.
http://bit.ly/1SkagQE
Power
Duke Energy to see little short-term impact from Supreme Court ruling on EPA carbon plan
By John Downey – Charlotte Business Journal
The U.S. Supreme Court’s somewhat surprising decision to stay enforcement of President Obama’s Clean Power Plan should have little short-term impact on Duke Energy.
http://bit.ly/1KIEBWE
China overtakes EU to become global wind power leader
By Alex Pashley – Climate Home (part of the Guardian Environment Network)
China installed half of all new wind capacity worldwide last year, according to the Global Wind Energy Council (GWEC).
http://bit.ly/1KellAk
The Koch Brothers’ Dirty War on Solar Power
By Tim Dickinson – Rolling Stone
After decades of false starts, solar power in America is finally poised for its breakthrough moment.
http://rol.st/1mvl2FD
Clean tech
(UK’s) Lord Bourne declares clean tech innovation ‘crucial’ to climate change battle
By Madeleine Cuff – BusinessGreen
Energy Minister reaffirms government commitment to supporting UK green technology sector, highlighting nuclear and offshore wind as key spending priorities.
http://bit.ly/20OMNfd
Are You Ready to Power Your Car With the Sun?
By Gina Coplon-Newfield – Sierra Club
Even Eloise, who is four and three quarters years old, knows that certain things just go well together. Like peanut butter and jelly. Or solar power and electric vehicles (EV).
http://bit.ly/1ovutqc
Water
Why It Won’t Be Easy or Cheap to Fix Flint’s Water Crisis
By Julie Bosman – The New York Times
During his annual budget address on Wednesday, Gov. Rick Snyder of Michigan laid out a series of sweeping proposals to help Flint cope with its contaminated water supply.
http://nyti.ms/1Ppz5qB
An island state bets on water to revive its fortunes
The Economist
For 27 years Yvonne and Noel Gerke ran a transport business, hauling logs from Tasmania’s forests to mills grinding woodchips for customers in Japan and elsewhere in Asia.
http://econ.st/1Tf7OLk