Summary
In today’s edition, if we are to believe a story in the press, climate talks are nearing a consensus, in behind-the-scenes meetings, while another story debunks the new myth of geo-engineering: Techniques such as recapturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and reflecting solar radiation will not help tackle climate change in the short term, research finds. And last but not least, the EU carbon market reserve will have absorbed 85% of the glut by 2021.
Quote of the day
“It is not yet clear whether it is possible to develop and scale-up any proposed climate engineering technique to the extent that it could be implemented to significantly reduce climate change.”
Naomi Vaughan, lecturer in climate change at the University of East Anglia, in the BusinessGreen’s story Scientists warn geo-engineering is not the answer to climate change
Lead stories
Climate Talks Nearing Consensus in Behind-the-Scenes Meetings
By Alex Nussbaum – Bloomberg News
Publicly, the United Nations climate-change talks look mired in disputes over everything from money to the length of the proposed agreement.
http://jlne.ws/1LbK7A5
EU Carbon Market Reserve Seen Absorbing 85% of Glut by 2021
By Mathew Carr – Bloomberg
An unprecedented overhaul of the European Union’s carbon market will probably remove 85 percent of a glut of permits that sent prices tumbling and eroded incentives to reduce emissions.
http://jlne.ws/1gD7S7p
Senate blocks climate change education measure
By Timothy Cama and Devin Henry – The Hill
Common Core for Climate? Senators rejected a measure to establish a climate change education fund on Wednesday.
http://jlne.ws/1LbF9mX
The US now has an ‘ecological deficit,’ report finds
By Erik Sherman – Fortune
California — in the fourth year of its drought — is just one of many states to blame, a new report finds.
http://jlne.ws/1f6a7Pk
***LB: Also in this story “The United States reached a grim milestone on July 14. It officially has an “ecological deficit,” meaning the U.S. has exhausted all the natural resources that can be replenished in a year, according to a new report from two non-profit environmental groups. Everything from now until December 31 is deficit environmental spending.”
Scientists warn geo-engineering is not the answer to climate change
By Madeleine Cuff – BusinessGreen
Climate-engineering techniques such as recapturing carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and reflecting solar radiation will not help tackle climate change in the short term, research finds.
http://jlne.ws/1CFhWqx
***LB: Also in this story “A new EU-wide analysis – published yesterday by a group of 14 academic institutions including the Universities of Cambridge, Exeter, Bristol and East Anglia – concludes so-called geo-engineering interventions are not a substitute for reductions in carbon emissions.”
The good, bad and ironic in China’s climate change pledge
By Charles McConnell ( contributor) – The Hill
The recently announced (and roundly celebrated by the Obama administration and many environmentalists) “Intended Nationally Determined Contribution” climate emissions “pledge” by China to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change has been deemed a “huge confidence builder” by our State Department. Is it?
http://jlne.ws/1K9iiYV
UK running out of money to pay for clean energy
By Rajeev Syal – The Guardian
The government is struggling to pay for new clean energy supplies which could result in a rise in household bills or a major cut in investment in renewable technologies.
http://jlne.ws/1LkO188
Britain’s first ‘energy positive’ house opens in Wales
By John Vidal – The Guardian
Britain’s first low cost ‘energy positive’ house, which can generate more electricity than its occupants will use, opens on Thursday despite George Osborne axing plans to make house builders meet tough low carbon housing targets from next year.
http://jlne.ws/1CFhE2R
Events
EMA Annual Meeting
October 28-30, 2015
Omni Parker House Hotel
Boston, MA
http://bit.ly/192w3CR
2015 Rising Seas Summit
Association of Climate Change Officers
November 12-13, 2015, Cambridge, MA
http://jlne.ws/1Uxkext
Carbon
Could clean energy policy revamp cut ‘green levy’ costs and still deliver decarbonisation?
By James Murray – BusinessGreen
A fundamental revamp of the government’s energy and climate policies could reduce energy bills while ensuring emission reduction targets are still met, according to a major new report that accuses the previous government of being “reckless and wasteful” in its management of renewable energy subsidies.
http://jlne.ws/1gD4oS8
Alberta endorses calls for pan-Canadian climate change action
By Mike de Souza – Reuters
The leader of the oil-rich Canadian province of Alberta is endorsing calls from her counterparts to strengthen action to fight climate change.
http://jlne.ws/1CFk1CQ
Czech court rules against national tax on carbon permits
Reuters
A Czech court has ruled against a tax imposed on carbon emission allowances granted free to companies, opening the way for state-owned electricity producer CEZ to claim back 5.3 billion crowns ($216 million) from the government.
http://jlne.ws/1M7cZZn
Natural gas / coal
Iran Is No Qatar, Even With World’s Second-Biggest Gas Reserves
By Isis Almeida – Bloomberg
Natural gas made Qatar’s citizens the richest in the world within a generation. Even with bigger fuel reserves, Iran will struggle to follow its neighbor’s path.
http://jlne.ws/1V65NRc
Official defends fracking rules for federal lands
By Austin Yack – The Hill
A top administration official is defending new standards for hydraulic fracturing, commonly known as fracking, on land owned by the federal government and Indian tribes.
http://jlne.ws/1K9gO0C
Iowa company to close country’s 200th coal plant
By Devin Henry – The Hill
An Iowa utility will phase out coal at a handful of power plants in the state, the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) and Department of Justice announced Wednesday, marking the 200th coal plant to close nationwide in the last five years.
http://jlne.ws/1I4FEOM
Power
Senate Dems say GOP budget exposes electric grid to hackers
By Cory Bennett – The Hill
Republicans are short-changing the U.S. electrical grid millions of dollars needed to protect it from cyber attacks, two Democratic senators warned on Wednesday.
http://jlne.ws/1CIHvGO
Audi Plant That Turns Wind Power to Gas Can Balance (Germany’s) Grid
By Stefan Nicola – Bloomberg
An Audi AG plant that converts surplus wind power into natural gas can help stabilize the German electricity grid, according to TenneT TSO GmbH.
http://jlne.ws/1TDUY73
***LB: Also in this story “The 6-megawatt unit in Werlte, northwestern Germany, passed a test by TenneT and has been deemed “fit” to sell excess capacity to grid companies trying to balance supply and demand, TenneT said in a statement Wednesday.”
Britain faces tightest winter power supplies in decade – National Grid
By Sarah McFarlane – Reuters
Britain is facing the tightest winter power supplies in a decade mostly due to power plant closures, although measures have been taken to ensure electricity meets demand, National Grid said on Wednesday.
http://jlne.ws/1DiodTM
(UK’s) Campaigners call for end to barriers to local energy markets
By Madeleine Cuff – BusinessGreen
The government should do more to support the development of local energy markets in the UK, according to campaigners.
http://jlne.ws/1K8L0q2
***LB: Also in this story “Currently, communities that collectively invest in renewable energy projects – such as a wind turbine or solar array – have to sell the energy generated to a power company, who then resupply it back to the community. The campaigners say the power companies are unfairly profiting from this type of local energy generation.”
Clean tech
Energy Dept gives $12M for offshore carbon storage research
By Timothy Cama – The Hill
The Energy Department announced grants Wednesday to fund four research projects studying the storage of carbon dioxide offshore.
http://jlne.ws/1M7bkTu
Tesla is buying up huge chunks of Nevada
By Benjamin Zhang – Business Insider UK B
When it comes online, Tesla’s $5 billion “Gigafactory” will be one of the largest lithium-ion battery production facilities in the world.
http://jlne.ws/1MbUTq8
Texas Isn’t Open for Tesla’s Direct Auto Sales, Abbott Says
By Lauren Etter – Bloomberg News
Texas Governor Greg Abbott said that Tesla Motors Inc. shouldn’t expect to open Lone Star state sales outlets any time soon.
http://jlne.ws/1V653LZ
Water
McCarthy: GOP drought bill better than ‘punitive’ conservation push
By Devin Henry – The Hill
Government regulations and environmental concerns are to blame for the drought in California, House Majority Leader Kevin McCarthy (R-Calif.) said in an op-ed on Wednesday, and a Republican bill to help the region takes a better approach.
http://jlne.ws/1I4UuDg
Miscellaneous
Texas’ Climate Stubbornness Takes an Increasingly Big Toll
By Katherine Bagley – InsideClimate News
As weather extremes like flooding batter Texas, its refusal to prepare for an even more volatile climate leaves residents at risk, experts say.
http://jlne.ws/1RAKvvD