In this edition, China in focus in Reuters’ article on government report saying the nation needs to $243 billion in low-carbon investment to meet goals. Reuters covers another report, one that argues the UN is all talk and no action when it comes to climate.
Quote of the Day:
“Their open-ended participation and decision-making by consensus often results in only agreeing on the lowest common denominator. Moreover, the costs of this negotiating process are considerable.”
–Draft European Commission paper reported in Reuters’ “Climate needs less U.N. talking, more market action-EU draft”
Lead Stories
Climate needs less U.N. talking, more market action-EU draft
Reuters
Fewer United Nations climate summits and more incentives through carbon pricing could speed up international efforts to slow the pace of global warming, a draft European Commission paper seen by Reuters says.
Commentary: China’s Poison Air Is Becoming Its Leading Export
Bloomberg
Sitting on a Tokyo runway last week, the captain announced that our flight would be delayed for reasons few of us could believe: sandstorms.
China postpones launch of national carbon market to post-2015
Responding to Climate Change blog
China’s proposed national carbon market will not launch in 2015 as originally suggested after the country told the World Bank it will not begin work on it for another two years.
China needs $243 bln a year low-carbon investment by 2020-report
Reuters
China will have to raise up to $243 billion a year by 2020 to finance clean energy development, said a report commissioned by Beijing which will be presented to the government this month.
Real market forces now drive action on climate change
Guardian
Fifteen years after the Kyoto protocol was signed and just months after being extended, a true global carbon trading marketplace may finally be within the world’s grasp.
Irish Minister Optimistic on EU Carbon Fix Success
Bloomberg
Ireland favors a European Union plan to bolster the bloc’s emissions trading system and expects EU lawmakers to support the measure, the country’s environment minister said.
Deal to curb German energy prices eludes Merkel
Reuters
Angela Merkel and leaders of Germany’s states failed on Thursday to agree on how to control a surge in power prices that has become an electoral liability for the chancellor as she prepares to seek a third term in office.
Events
Navigating the American Carbon World (NACW) 2013
San Francisco April 16-18
Natural Gas/Coal
Commentary: Keystone Pipeline Foes Should Face Reality
Bloomberg
Opponents of the Keystone XL oil pipeline warn of its potentially catastrophic consequences. Building it, climate scientist James Hansen says, would mean “game over” for the climate.
Cyprus, Russia discuss banking, natural gas deals
Reuters
Cyprus and Russia are discussing cooperation in the banking and energy sectors in addition to a loan, and any deal to solve the island’s debt crisis should also be in Moscow’s interests, the Cypriot finance minister said on Thursday.
Obama Energy Pick’s Gas Study Faulted Over Industry Ties
Bloomberg
President Barack Obama’s nominee for energy secretary is drawing criticism for leading a study that minimized risks of natural gas while failing to disclose that some of its researchers had financial ties to the industry.
Power
U.S. Wind Industry Hangs on IRS Defining ‘Construction’
Bloomberg
As U.S. lawmakers drafted a bill extending wind-energy tax credits in August, they revised a key clause that opens the door for a much bigger boost to the industry than just the one-year addition that was eventually passed.
Solar Will Be Second-Biggest Source of U.S. Power Added in 2013
Bloomberg
Solar power will be the second- biggest source of generating capacity added to the U.S. electric grid this year, according to Sharp Corp. (6753)’s Recurrent Energy unit.
Vestas Chiefs Signal Worst Is Over as Turnaround Work Continues
Bloomberg
Vestas Wind Systems A/S (VWS) Chairman Bert Nordberg and Chief Executive Officer Ditlev Engel said the worst may be over for the wind turbine maker, which has lost 91 percent of its value since 2008.
SSE Halts Plants, Delays Investment as CO2 Costs Hurt Profit
Bloomberg
SSE Plc (SSE) will halt some coal-fired power stations, cut jobs and delay investment in gas-fueled plants as soaring costs for carbon emissions weigh on profit.
CleanTech
Apple makes renewable energy push with solar, fuel cells
Reuters
Apple Inc now runs its largest U.S. data center entirely on renewable energy, with a majority of the power generated on-site from solar panels and fuel cells, the company’s chief financial officer, Peter Oppenheimer, said on Thursday.
Reports
The State of Green Business 2013 (Posted February 12, 2013)
GreenBiz.com
Can the US Get There from Here? (Posted February 6, 2013)
WRI
The Billion Euro Aviation Bonanza – Aviation’s Participation in the EU ETS (Posted January 22, 2013)
Power Forward: Why the World’s Largest Companies are Investing in Renewable Energy (Posted Dec. 11, 2012)
Stock Exchange Benchmark On Non-Financial Reporting Rules (Posted Dec. 6, 2012)
Verdantix