Summary
Though putting a price on carbon is seen as a key element to fight climate change, today’s edition shows that it is not easy to acclimatize the idea in the U.S.. Beijing will overtake Washington in this respect. Meanwhile, corporations are looking into a new business model to combat deforestation. Closely watched too is Prime Minister Narendra Modi’s visit to the U.S.: he will spell out India’s strategy on climate change.
Quote of the day
“Once China goes live, that will establish a major price (signal) that will affect all the other markets and all other (carbon) prices.”
Christiana Figueres, Executive Secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change, in the Reuters’ story China embraces carbon pricing and UN takes a shine to plan
Lead stories
Is Alaska the new Florida? Experts predict where next for America’s ‘climate refugees’
Jennifer A. Kingson, The Observer
Alaskans, stay in Alaska. People in the midwest and the Pacific north-west, sit tight. Scientists trying to predict the consequences of climate change say that they see few havens from the storms, floods and droughts that are sure to intensify over the coming decades. But some regions in the US, they add, will fare better than others.
http://jlne.ws/1vnRMll
China embraces carbon pricing and UN takes a shine to plan
Valerie Volcovici, Reuters
Millions of visitors and residents could hardly miss the message projected on the side of the world famous United Nations building in New York this week: “Put a price on carbon.”
http://jlne.ws/1CzDtwd
***LB: Also in this story “Carbon pricing, largely rejected by the United States and struggling in Europe, is suddenly all the rage, with China leading the charge. The world’s biggest greenhouse gas emitter plans to establish a national market for carbon permit trading in 2016 and has already launched seven regional pilot markets.”
President’s Drive for Carbon Pricing Fails to Win at Home
Coral Davenport, The New York Times
President Obama stood in the chamber of the United Nations General Assembly last week and urged the world to follow his example and fight global warming.
http://jlne.ws/1vqhzZ2
***LB: Also in this story “But a major new declaration calling for a global price on carbon — signed by 74 countries and more than 1,000 businesses and investors — is missing a key signatory: the United States.”
Chile becomes first South American country to tax carbon
Reuters
President Michelle Bachelet of Chile enacted new environmental tax legislation on Friday making the country the first in South America to tax carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions.
http://jlne.ws/1mFqhC7
WH: Obama meeting with Modi should yield ‘deliverables’ on climate
Laura Barron-Lopez and Vicki Needham, The Hill
Climate change and clean energy will be primary topics during President Obama’s meeting with Indian Prime Minister Narendra Modi this week.
http://jlne.ws/1uVSjZc
PM Narendra Modi spells out India’s preferences in future climate negotiations
Vishwa Mohan, TNN
Global communities might have missed India’s point at the climate summit in New York on September 23, but Prime Minister Narendra Modi made up for the loss four days later by articulating the country’s views on the necessary actions to be taken to face the challenges of climate change during his UN general assembly speech on 27th of September.
http://jlne.ws/YAyWKW
Climate Change Threat: As Global Leaders Stall, Cities Move To Cut Emissions, Boost Efficiency
Maria Gallucci, International Business Times
In the face of global and federal paralysis on climate-change policy, local officials in the U.S. are already moving to cut their cities’ emissions and make their infrastructures less vulnerable to environmental threats.
http://jlne.ws/1nwEEJC
Modi To Seek US Funds For 100 GW Each of Solar & Wind
Anand Upadhyay, Clean Technica
Indian Prime Minister Mr. Narendra Modi is all set to do business this week in the US, and renewable energy is really big on his agenda.
http://jlne.ws/1uVSMdP
As Corporates Vow To Purge Deforestation From Supply Chains, A New Conservation Model Emerges
Allie Goldstein, Ecosystem Marketplace
Within the last year, the world’s three largest palm-oil suppliers – Wilmar, Gold Agri-Resources, and Cargill – all made commitments to purge deforestation from their supply chains.
http://jlne.ws/1pB6ONO
***LB: Also in this story “The pledges cover 60 percent of globally-traded palm oil, which translates into $30 billion in annual sales. The turnaround came about in part because of pressure from the consumer goods companies that buy most of this palm oil – companies such as Unilever, Nestlé and Kellogg’s that are in turn under pressure from non-governmental organizations (NGOs) and consumers.”
APP, Cargill plant U.N. deforestation pledge for 2030
Mike Hower, GreenBiz.com
Asia Pulp and Paper, Cargill and Unilever are among the 34 companies to sign the New York Declaration on Forests (PDF) this week at the United Nations Climate Summit in New York, which sets a global timeline to halve deforestation of natural forests by 2020, and end it altogether by 2030.
http://jlne.ws/1sJhrWJ
EU brokers Ukraine-Russia gas deal
Timothy Cama, The Hill
The European Union has negotiated a deal to ensure that Russia does not restrict Ukraine’s natural gas supplies this winter.
http://jlne.ws/1sJgwpm
Events
EMA’s 18th Annual Meeting
Join the Environmental Markets Association and environmental industry professional for two days of dynamic sessions, two nights of networking receptions, and countless opportunities to increase your business contacts.
October 22 – 24, 2014
Santa Monica, CA
http:
FT European Gas Summit
The FT European Gas Summit brings together leading and aspiring gas suppliers from around the globe, as well as energy industry experts, commentators and government decision makers to review the potential barriers to new gas supplies for Europe, and the impact on the region’s economic competitiveness. The summit will be chaired by Guy Chazan, Energy Editor, Financial Times.
23 October 2014
London, UK
http://jlne.ws/1n34Gif
Carbon
Finland under more pressure over Russian N-plant plan
David Crouch and Peter Spiegel, Financial Times
Finland’s government has come under renewed pressure over its decision to approve a Russian-built nuclear reactor after legal experts questioned the independence of the economy minister responsible for the plan.
http://jlne.ws/1sJACj6
Japan renewable energy curb could spark nuclear restart
Ben McLannahan, Financial Times
Two Japanese utilities, responsible for about a fifth of the nation’s power, say they have had their fill of renewable energy, in a move that could add pressure on community leaders to allow idled nuclear reactors back on line.
http://jlne.ws/1pBmFvK
Renewable energy target rallies held across Australia
Australian Associated Press
Rallies have been held across Australia calling on the federal government to uphold a commitment to renewable energy.
http://jlne.ws/1qN5Vly
***LB: Also in this story “The government is considering a report by businessman Dick Warburton, which questions the target of 20% of electricity generation from renewable sources by 2020. A formal response is expected within days.”
Another drought casualty: No chance to make key air standard
Mark Grossi, The Fresno Bee
California’s freakishly dry 2013-14 winter dealt the San Joaquin Valley more than a crippling blow to the farm economy.
http://jlne.ws/1tagTn7
Natural Gas / coal
Rising shale output disrupts US gas prices
Gregory Meyer, Financial Times
It was dubbed the “king of pipelines”: a $6.7bn, 1,700-mile tubular highway transporting US natural gas east from the Rocky mountains to the gentle hills of Ohio.
http://jlne.ws/1BuFY0z
Encana Buys Athlon Energy for $7.1 Billion in Shift Toward Oil
Nidaa Bakhsh, Bloomberg News
Encana Corp. (ECA) agreed to buy Athlon Energy Inc. for $7.1 billion, including debt, as Canada’s second-largest natural gas producer tries to increase oil production.
http://jlne.ws/1rn6UPB
British firm Ineos accused of ‘bribes and bulldozers’ approach to fracking
Simon Goodley, The Guardian
One of Britain’s biggest industrial firms has been accused of taking a “bribes and bulldozers” approach to fracking after unveiling a multi-billion pound plan to compensate landowners and local communities affected by its plans to use the controversial drilling technique.
http://jlne.ws/ZjTdWb
Fracking trespass (UK’s) law changes move forward despite huge public opposition
Damian Carrington, The Guardian
Fracking will take place below Britons’ homes without their permission after ministers rejected 40,000 objections to controversial changes to trespass laws.
http://jlne.ws/10cx2RT
Chinese Coal Rebounds From 7-Year Low as Output Cuts Kick In
Bloomberg News
China’s power-station coal prices rebounded from the lowest level in seven years as government-ordered production cuts started to take effect.
http://jlne.ws/1sJmir3
Power
Solar energy: a sunflower solution to electricity shortage
Robin McKie, The Observer
Computer giant IBM last week revealed the prototype of its advanced solar electricity generators: a 30ft-high concrete “sunflower” fitted with wafer-thin aluminium mirrors and a maze of tiny tubes for carrying coolant through the heart of each device.
http://jlne.ws/1vqmx8m
Burbo Bank offshore wind annex gets planning green light
Jessica Shankleman, BusinessGreen
Dong Energy’s plans to build a 258MW extension to its Burbo Bank offshore wind farm in Liverpool Bay have moved a step forward, after securing planning consent for the project from the government.
http://jlne.ws/1rmQt60
Clean tech
Elon Musk Building Another “Gigafactory” In New York State
James Ayre, Clean Technica
Or course, to be clear, this “gigafactory” will be manufacturing solar PV modules, not lithium-ion batteries.
http://jlne.ws/1sJzhsP
A Simple Equation For Closing The Clean Energy Gap
Mindy Lubber, Forbes
This is for all of you math whizzes and Sudoku geniuses out there. You know who you are – folks who are good with numbers: If the world needs to invest $44 trillion into clean energy by 2030, how much must we invest per year over the next 36 years?
http://jlne.ws/1DQl8g2
Water
U.S. river freight system near breaking point as huge harvest looms
Michael Hirtzer and Karl Plume, Reuters
With a record U.S. harvest just coming in, the river transportation system that is at the heart of the nation’s farm economy is overstrained by rising demand for shipping capacity, a low barge inventory, and a dilapidated lock system.
http://jlne.ws/1rwTa3O
California’s Drought has 14 communities on the brink of waterlessness
Hector Becerra, Los Angeles Times
Under the blistering Central Valley sun, Filiberta Sanchez and her toddler granddaughter strolled down a Parkwood sidewalk lined with yellow weeds, dying grass and trees more fit for kindling than shade.
http://jlne.ws/1ploMEP
Miscellaneous
Green movement embracing more radical tactics as desperation grows
Peter Moskowitz, Al Jazeera America
Hundreds of thousands of people marched recently in the biggest climate-related demonstration ever. The slogan of the march: “To change everything, we need everyone.”
http://jlne.ws/1xtpW9w
Crazy weather traced to Arctic’s impact on jet stream
Andy Coghlan, New Scientist
The rapid retreat of Arctic sea ice caused by climate change may be to blame for more frequent prolonged spells of extreme weather in Europe, Asia and North America, such as heat waves, freezing temperatures or storms.
http://jlne.ws/1xtq9th
Global warming to ‘cause 250,000 extra deaths a year’
Chris Harris, euronews
Climate change will lead to 250,000 extra deaths a year from 2030, a report quantifying the health impacts of global warming has claimed.
http://jlne.ws/1rwVAPV
***LB: Also in this story “The study, published by the World Health Organisation (WHO), estimates around 48,000 will die from diarrhoea, 60,000 due to malaria, 95,000 from childhood undernutrition, as well as 38,000 elderly people because of heat exposure.”