Summary
In today’s edition, governors launch a new offensive in the fight for clean energy, while the carbon market comes to life again, as in Europe, business leaders urge Brussels to tighten carbon market and Ottawa seeks to set national minimum on carbon pricing (in the Carbon section).
Quote of the day
“We think we can make major strides forward and bypass all the bickering in Washington, where you see this very toxic partisanship. We’re going to leave that behind and work on what we can work on, and that’s the renewable energy accord.”
California Governor Jerry Brown, in the Atlantic’s story Governors Launch a New Offensive in the Fight for Clean Energy
Lead stories
Governors Launch a New Offensive in the Fight for Clean Energy
By Julian Spector – The Atlantic
You don’t have to care about climate change to want more clean energy.
http://bit.ly/1KsLMlN
‘Consequences’ for the US if it quits Paris climate deal
BBC News
The US faces “diplomatic consequences” if a new President decides to pull out of the Paris Climate Agreement.
http://bbc.in/1SUTyI7
***LB: Also in this story “American climate envoy Todd Stern said the reaction would be far greater than when the US left the Kyoto Protocol under President Bush.”
UK councils warned of ‘severe penalties’ of fossil fuel divestment
By Arthur Neslen – The Guardian
Local authorities have been warned that they will face “severe penalties” if they divest from fossil fuel holdings or boycott oil, coal or gas firms in procurement tenders, the UK government has said.
http://bit.ly/1oNpiSL
Zika Outbreak Could Be an Omen of the Global Warming Threat
By Justin Gillis – The New York Times
The global public health emergency involving deformed babies emerged in 2015, the hottest year in the historical record, with an outbreak in Brazil of a disease transmitted by heat-loving mosquitoes. Can that be a coincidence?
http://nyti.ms/1RaIYZO
Apple issues $1.5 billion in green bonds in first sale
By Valerie Volcovici – Reuters
Apple has issued $1.5 billion in bonds dedicated to financing clean energy projects across its global business operations, the largest green bond to be issued by a U.S. corporation, the company’s head of environmental policy said Wednesday.
http://reut.rs/1KYcUZQ
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
Business leaders urge Brussels to tighten carbon market
By Megan Darby – Climate Home
Brussels is not doing enough to deliver on its climate rhetoric, heads of 23 major European businesses have warned.
http://bit.ly/1OisIBv
***LB: Also in this story “After agreeing to bold climate goals at December’s UN summit in Paris, the EU should follow with radical reforms to its carbon market. That is the view of the Prince of Wales Corporate Leaders Group (CLG), which represents multinationals including Coca-Cola, Unilever and Jaguar Land Rover.”
Ottawa seeks to set national minimum on carbon pricing
By Shawn McCarthy – The Globe and Mail
Ottawa is aiming to work out a deal with the provinces over the next six months to set a national minimum carbon price of at least $15 per tonne.
http://bit.ly/1PUfBbT
Natural gas / coal
California’s Gas Gusher is Stanched, But Where are Tougher U.S. Rules on Leaks?
By Andrew C. Revkin – The New York Times
What does it take to jog federal and state leaders to toughen rules curbing industrial pollution?
http://nyti.ms/1XAgziw
Chinese Money Keeps Coal Mines Humming
By Abheek Bhattacharya – The Wall Street Journal
China’s state-run industrial complex has distorted commodity markets plenty by keeping unprofitable production alive—both at home and abroad. This time, it is enlisting the help of a Chinese private-equity firm.
http://on.wsj.com/1RRxEEp
Russian natural gas imports to Turkey decline in 2015
Daily Sabah
Turkey decreased its Russian imports of natural gas by 320 million cubic meters in 2015 compared to the previous year, according to data by Russian gas giant Gazprom.
http://bit.ly/1KYd8QN
***LB: Also in this story “After Germany, Turkey is the second-biggest natural gas importer from Russia.”
Power
Pakistan’s parliament becomes first in world to run entirely on solar power
By Rebecca Flood – Independent
Pakistan’s parliament has become the first in the world to run entirely on solar power.
http://ind.pn/1Qnr8G3
SolarCity will use Tesla’s Powerpack to deliver solar power even when it’s dark
By Brad Reed – BGR
No source of energy is perfect and one of the traditional drawbacks of solar energy has been that it’s tough to generate new power when it’s dark outside.
http://bit.ly/1ouR9r4
SunPower Q4 Review: Power Plants, Commercial Business Drive Growth
By Trefis Team – Forbes
SunPower, the second largest U.S. solar equipment manufacturer, posted a stronger than expected set of Q4 2015 results, driven primarily by strong revenue recognition in its power plant business and accelerated execution of some projects.
http://onforb.es/1oroq5E
Clean tech
Step aside, Tesla: Aston Martin is developing an all-electric sports car
By Christina Beck – The Christian Science Monitor
Aston Martin will announced today that it will partner with the Chinese electronics company LeEco to create its first electric car.
http://bit.ly/20H2Eau
Water
Group pushes feds to declare Flint a disaster area
By Lydia Wheeler – The Hill
The National Community Reinvestment Coalition (NCRC) is calling on financial regulators to declare Flint, Mich., a designated disaster area in response to the city’s water crisis.
http://bit.ly/1WuhS1t
Without Water, South Africa Anticipates A Mammoth Crop Failure
By Keith Schneider – Circle of Blue
On the last Friday of January, payday on the sugar cane farms of northern KwaZulu-Natal province, a hot sun beat down on the red clay of Cobus Horn’s equipment yard.
http://bit.ly/1QoIJHr
The Future of Paris Water Transit Might Be Driverless ‘SeaBubbles’
By Feargus O’Sullivan – The Atlantic
Could miniature high-speed catamarans on urban waterways be the future of city transit?
http://bit.ly/1oNos8v
Brazil prosecutors could scupper Samarco dam settlement
By Samantha Pearson – Financial Times
Brazil’s federal prosecutors are threatening to scupper a R$20bn ($4.9bn) settlement deal over the country’s fatal dam disaster, calling for Vale and Australia’s BHP Billiton to pay up to twice as much in damages.
http://on.ft.com/1Q3WPlJ