Summary
In today’s edition, China admits that climate change could usher in a reduction in crop yields, a huge impact on the country. In the meantime, Lord Stern argues in a paper that tackling climate change and ending poverty must go hand in hand. And finally, in the Power section, Perry Carroll, of The Solar Cloth Company, explains how his flexible solar sail panels can generate energy on sea but also on land.
Quote of the day
“You’ve got a sail and you have got some sun, you must be able to find a way to put those solar sails on that fabric.”
Perry Carroll, in the Guardian’s story Solar sails set course for a new journey into renewable energy (in the Carbon section)
Lead stories
Climate change: China official warns of ‘huge impact’
BBC News
Climate change could have a “huge impact” on China, reducing crop yields and harming the environment, the country’s top weather scientist has warned, in a rare official admission.
http://jlne.ws/1Ij3OBf
***LB: Also in this story “Zheng Guogang told Xinhua news agency that climate change could be a “serious threat” to big infrastructure projects.”
Tackling climate change and ending poverty must go hand in hand, says Lord Stern
By Jessica Shankleman – BusinessGreen
The $100bn (£67bn) climate finance that rich countries have pledged to give poor nations per year from 2020 could catalyse up to $3tr of much-needed investment in new infrastructure each year, economist Lord Nicholas Stern will argue today.
http://jlne.ws/1FsXBV8
Could Oslo’s decision to divest from coal inspire bigger cities to do the same?
By Valeria Criscione – The Guardian
When Oslo sells the coal investments in its pension portfolio next month, it will set a historic precedent: the first capital city in the world to divest itself of that most polluting of fossil fuels.
http://jlne.ws/1MZTjWc
Selling out of fossil fuels no solution for climate change
By Anne Stausboll – Financial Times (Op-Ed)
Institutional investors are under increasing pressure to divest their holdings in fossil fuel-related companies.
http://jlne.ws/1EIrRbz
***LB: Also in this story “Issues will not be tackled if shareowners lose ability to influence companies.”
Climate-sceptic US senator given funds by BP political action committee
By Simon Bowers – The Guardian
One of America’s most powerful and outspoken opponents of climate change regulation received election campaign contributions that can be traced back to senior BP staff, including chief executive Bob Dudley.
http://jlne.ws/19KkhTL
Events
World Green Economy Summit 2015
22 April 2015 – 23 April 2015
Dubai, United Arab Emirates
http://jlne.ws/1By0E6J
Navigating the American Carbon World (NACW) 2015
North America’s premier conference on climate policy and carbon markets
Presented by the Climate Action Reserve
April 28-30, 2015
Los Angeles, California
http://jlne.ws/1F1ycOT
Carbon
Paris will ban half of all cars from driving Monday to combat pollution
The Week
Beset by worrisome smog, Paris on Monday will ban half of all personal vehicles from the streets, Mayor Anne Hidalgo said Saturday. Only cars with odd-numbered plates will be allowed on the streets unless they are carrying more than three people.
http://jlne.ws/1MZSxbL
Brazil’s Deforestation Rates Are on the Rise Again
By Richard Schiffman – Newsweek
In a world hungry for environmental success stories, Brazil has been the closest thing we have to a golden child.
http://jlne.ws/1MZRrNd
Myanmar Kills Forests To Plant Farms, Then Forgets To Farm
By Anne Thiel – Ecosystem Marketplace
When Myanmar President U Thein Sein took office in March 2011, he had big plans for economic reforms.
http://jlne.ws/19KkWVf
***LB: Also in this story “In particular, the new government wanted to promote industrial agricultural development to attract both domestic and foreign investment and to help boost the country’s economy.”
Urban homes emit more greenhouse gases than industry: Study
By Vinayashree Jagadeesh – TNN
The industrial sector has been taking the flak for emitting high levels of hazardous gases over the years but it might ultimately be our homes that are responsible for the highest emission of greenhouse gases.
http://jlne.ws/1xcFeAO
Natural gas / coal
Great Barrier Reef campaign: scientists call for scrapping of coal projects
By Oliver Milman – The Guardian
Australia’s leading coral reef scientists have called for huge coalmining and port developments in Queensland to be scrapped in order to avoid “permanent damage” to the Great Barrier Reef.
http://jlne.ws/1BngFwC
It’s Official: Everybody Hates The New Fracking Rules… Not
By Tina Casey – Clean Technica
The US Bureau of Land Management finally got around to posting its final fracking rules in the Federal Register on Friday, and before the ink was dry on the Intertubes, the American Petroleum Institute fired off a statement of objection.
http://jlne.ws/1G3pr9v
Analyst: ‘Ugly’ balance sheets may lead coal companies to ‘run out of time’
By Taylor Kuykendall – SNL
As coal markets have deteriorated across the board, BB&T Capital Markets analyst Mark Levin said the sector has bifurcated into the “haves” and “have-nots” when it comes to the ability to access capital.
http://jlne.ws/1OpW2tI
Power
Solar sails set course for a new journey into renewable energy
By Shane Hickey – The Guardian
It was as the moon hit the sails of his yacht in the Atlantic Ocean that the thought struck Perry Carroll.
http://jlne.ws/1C3TTgX
***LB: Also in this story “Perry Carroll of The Solar Cloth Company explains why his flexible solar sail panels can generate energy not only at on sea but on millions of spaces on land.”
Leased solar panels can complicate — or kill — a home sale
By Kenneth R. Harney – Los Angeles Times
Can going green by leasing solar panels for your roof cost you money — or give you headaches — when you go to sell the house? Possibly both.
http://jlne.ws/1FQRpoA
New schemes offers life raft to wave power industry
By Jessica Shankleman – BusinessGreen
The UK’s struggling marine energy sector received a boost late last week, after the Welsh and Scottish governments clubbed together with the Crown Estate to fund a new body to help reduce risks around consenting and financing.
http://jlne.ws/1bntlhQ
Clean tech
Electric vehicles’ second-hand value ‘similar to diesels’
By Will Nichols – BusinessGreen
The value of second-hand electric cars is closing the gap on diesels and could overtake them as used-car retailers and buyers became more familiar with the technology.
http://jlne.ws/1FsXU2m
Water
California staring at decline in hydro-power due to drought
By Nathan Hudson – Uncover California
California is staring at a massive decline in the hydro-power as the state enters fourth year of drought, claimed as an impact of climate change by many.
http://jlne.ws/19eEuQq
Warming oceans storing up long term climate impacts, says WMO
By Ed King – RTCC (Responding to Climate Change)
Rising ocean temperatures are likely to have “major implications” for the development of climate change, the World Meteorological Organization said on Monday.
http://jlne.ws/1N4YVwC
Miscellaneous
Welcome to the ‘Double El Niño’ — and more extreme weather
By Jared Goyette – Public Radio International
We’re about to experience a “double El Niño” — a rare weather phenomenon that climatologists had warned about several months ago.
http://jlne.ws/1GJWJsn
***LB: Also in this story “The danger is that this could mean more than a few months of odd weather, but instead usher in a new phase of climate change.”