April 2016 Climate Change Summary Report

“Activists target billionaire Buffett to be next climate champion”

April 29, 2016: Washington Examiner reports: “Former NASA climate scientist James Hansen will attempt to persuade billionaire businessman Warren Buffett to become a climate change champion on Saturday, while seeking his endorsement of a revenue-neutral ‘carbon fee,’ the top climate expert said Thursday. He will make his appeal in defense of a climate change resolution that will come up for a vote during Berkshire Hathaway’s annual shareholders meeting in Omaha on Saturday. Hansen said on a call Thursday with reporters that he will make two points in his appeal: Global warming is causing irreversible damage to the Earth’s environmental; and placing a fee on carbon emissions is the best solution to tackle the crisis.”

“States still thinking about CO2 cuts regardless of rule status”

April 28, 2016: E&E News reports: “Energy and environment officials from around the country are still considering opportunities to cut greenhouse gases from the electricity sector, regardless of the legal status of the Clean Power Plan. At a discussion among state regulators and lawmakers yesterday, several officials said the Supreme Court’s decision in February to stay implementation of the federal climate regulation has not blocked broader discussions within states about decarbonizing their power sectors. ‘Even those states that have pressed pause per se are still having discussions about what life will look like under a carbon-constrained [future],’ said Alexandra Dunn, executive director of the Environmental Council of the States, which represents state environmental commissioners.”

“Poll sees a leap in GOP climate belief”

April 27, 2016: E&E News reports: “The number of conservative voters who believe in climate change has almost doubled in the past two years, according to a new poll that attributes the rise in part to a lessening hostility toward the issue by Republican leaders. Forty-seven percent of conservatives now say the climate is changing, a leap of 19 points since the midterm elections of 2014, according to the survey released yesterday by Yale and George Mason universities. The poll did not ask respondents whether climate change is caused by people.”

“Why electric car owners are switching back to SUVs”

April 27, 2016: Boston.com reports: “A new report from Edmunds.com has troubling news for the alternative-fuel car market. The car research firm found a mere 27.5 percent of all hybrid and electric vehicle trade-ins in the first quarter of 2016 were applied to the purchase of a new hybrid or electric car. Instead, the rest of customers were found to be switching back to gas vehicles, especially SUVs. The results indicate loyalty for these alternative fuel vehicles is declining. In 2015, Edmunds.com found 38.5 percent of hybrid and electric trade-ins were used for the purchase of a new hybrid or electric car.”

“Moniz: Congress must act on climate change”

April 26, 2016: Washington Examiner reports: “The next president would be better off working with Congress on climate change than by moving ahead solely using regulation, according to Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz. ‘Whoever the president is, return to the dialogue with Congress, because we have to move at some point, in my view, to a statutory, economywide approach to climate,’ Moniz said in an interview published Monday. He said the president’s climate program is strong, but it would be better to have a much more elegant and economywide plan in place, which will require legislation.”

“Obama envoy: World leaders worried about US on climate”

April 26, 2016: The Hill reports: “President Obama’s new United Nations climate envoy says he has fielded questions from international allies on the fate of U.S. climate change commitments if a Republican wins this fall’s presidential election.  ‘There is some concern globally about where we’re headed,’ Jonathan Pershing, U.S. Special Envoy for Climate Change, told reporters Monday. Pershing and others attended meetings at the UN over the weekend to mark the signing of the Paris climate deal.  Despite the concerns, Pershing said, ‘I think we were able to really address it with a couple of really telling points that were persuasive for folks.’”

“Kerry signs deal, calls it a ‘turning point’ in climate war”

April 25, 2016: E&E News reports: “Secretary of State John Kerry cast the signing today of the landmark Paris climate agreement as a spur toward victory in a decades-long war on global warming. ‘Knowing what we know, this is also a day to recommit ourselves to actually win this war,’ Kerry told the U.N. General Assembly. ‘While it isn’t done yet, today we are on the march.’ Joining 170 world leaders in signing the climate deal, he called Paris a ‘turning point’ after so many years of conferences, speeches and wrangling over how countries should divide responsibilities for reducing emissions of heat-trapping greenhouse gases. Kerry was part of the fight in the beginning, having attended the Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro as a junior senator from Massachusetts in 1992.”

“Bill Nye puts GOP candidates in hot seat on climate change”

April 25, 2016: Washington Examiner reports: “Bill Nye sought to burn any would-be presidents in an Earth Day interview in which he panned all three Republican presidential candidates for being ‘in denial about climate change.’ ‘There’s still a very strong contingent of people who are in denial about climate change,’ Nye said in an interview with CNN published Friday. ‘And if you don’t believe me, look at the the three people currently running for president of the world’s most influential country who are … climate change deniers.’ The science educator was referring to billionaire businessman Donald Trump, Texas Sen. Ted Cruz and Ohio Gov. John Kasich.”

“Over 165 nations to sign Paris deal Friday”

April 22, 2016: Washington Examiner reports: “Over 165 countries plan to sign the Paris climate change agreement on Friday in New York, and the United Nations is hoping the deal can take effect in 30 days. ‘The large number of countries will set a record for the most countries to sign an international agreement on one day, previously set in 1982, when 119 countries signed the Law of the Sea Convention,’ the U.N. said. The signing ceremony will be hosted by U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon at U.N. headquarters, who will be joined by Oscar award-winner Leonardo DiCaprio, a U.N. Messenger of Peace, along with French President Francois Hollande and other country representatives who will speak during the event.”

“Senate GOP tries to throw cold water on Paris climate deal”

April 22, 2016: The Hill reports: “Senate Republicans are trying to dampen excitement for the Paris climate change agreement, saying it is destined to fail. In a 30-page white paper Thursday, Republicans on the Environment and Public Works Committee argued that the Paris deal is no more likely to result in major greenhouse gas emissions cuts than 1997’s Kyoto Protocol. ‘If the past is any indication, countries will or will not reduce emissions based on what is politically and economically feasible regardless of their non-binding [individual contribution] promises because of the immense damage draconian cuts in GHG emissions would have on each individual states’ population,’ the white paper says.”

“EPA says deniers are about climate solutions”

April 22, 2016: Washington Examiner reports: “Climate change deniers are really about solutions, said Environmental Protection Agency chief Gina McCarthy on Thursday. Just as long as the solutions flow to their advantage. ‘Climate deniers are not about a lack of data,’ McCarthy said during an environmental summit held at George Washington University. ‘They’re about deniers of whether or not the solutions, once you recognize the problem, are going to be to their advantage or not.’ McCarthy was at the university to address a packed house of students and environmental advocates ahead of Earth Day celebrations on Friday, when the Obama administration will join 150 countries in signing a deal agreed to in December to address the threat of climate change.”

“Kerry to sign Paris climate deal on Friday”

April 21, 2016: The Hill reports: “Secretary of State John Kerry will sign the landmark United Nations climate change deal on Friday on the United States’s behalf. Kerry will travel to New York on Earth Day to sign the pact during a U.N. event, a senior State Department official said on Wednesday. He will also give a speech about the U.S.’s commitments under the deal, which was forged in Paris last December, and participate in other events surrounding its signing.  ‘The swift action by so many countries — every climate, every size, every economy — is really a testament to the undeniable momentum coming out of Paris,’ the official said. ‘It’s spurring not only swift action on the Paris agreement itself but really continued progress on our collective efforts to move to clean energy, to low carbon, to a climate-friendly future.’”

“Study: We don’t mind global warming because we like the new weather”

April 21, 2016: Associated Press reports: “Global warming has mostly made the weather more pleasant for Americans over the last 40 years, which may explain why much of the public doesn’t rank climate change as big a threat as do scientists and the rest of the world, a new study suggests. But that perceived benefit of global warming — mostly milder winters — will soon be outweighed by more oppressive summer heat, according to a study in the journal Nature that’s dividing the scientific community. ‘Americans are getting the wrong signal from year-round weather about whether they should be concerned about climate change,’ said study lead author Patrick Egan, a public policy professor at New York University. ‘They’re getting the good parts and haven’t had to pay the price of the bad part.’”

“Will we ever stop using fossil fuels?”

April 20, 2016: Writing in the Journal of Economic Perspectives, Thomas Covert et al argue: “Current battery costs for an electric vehicle are roughly $325 per kWh. This estimate is consistent with the cost of Tesla’s Powerwall home battery, which retails for a price of $350 per kWh for the 10 kWh model (and does not include the price of an inverter for use in the home). This cost estimate may be lower than an average battery cost. For example, Tesla charges $3,000 for an extra 5 kWhs of battery capacity in its Model S, which is $600 per extra kWh; however, this incremental price may also include some level of price discrimination on the part of Tesla. In a 2014 “EV Everywhere Grand Challenge” study, the US Department of Energy finds that the current battery cost is $325 per kWh.12 At a battery cost of $325 per kWh, the price of oil would need to exceed $350 per barrel before the electric vehicle was cheaper to operate. During 2015, the average price of oil was approximately $49 per barrel. At present, the costs of batteries make large-scale penetration of electric vehicles unlikely.”

“Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2014”

April 20, 2016: A report from U.S. EPA states: “In 2014, total U.S. greenhouse gas emissions were 6,870.5 MMT or million metric tons CO2 Eq. Total U.S. emissions have increased by 7.4 percent from 1990 to 2014, and emissions increased from 2013 to 2014 by 1.0 percent (70.5 MMT CO2 Eq.). In 2014, relatively cool winter conditions led to an increase in fuels for the residential and commercial sectors for heating. Additionally, transportation emissions increased as a result of a small increase in vehicle miles traveled (VMT) and fuel use across on-road transportation modes. There also was an increase in industrial production across multiple sectors resulting in slight increases in industrial sector emissions. Lastly, since 1990, U.S. emissions have increased at an average annual rate of 0.3 percent… Overall, net emissions in 2014 were 8.6 percent below 2005 levels.”

“Earth Day’s Anti-fossil Fuel Focus Could Plunge Millions into Poverty”

April 19, 2017: An op-ed in Townhall by Marita Noon states: “Friday, April 22, will mark the 47th Earth Day. At this year’s high-level celebration at the United Nations headquarters in New York, the Paris Climate Agreement will officially be signed. Thirty days after its signing by at least 55 countries that represent 55 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions, the agreement will take effect—committing countries to establishing individual targets for emission reductions with the expectation that they will be reviewed and updated every five years. While news reports of Earth Day 2016 will likely depict dancing in the streets, those who can look past the headlines will see a dire picture—one in which more than 10 percent of a household’s income is spent on energy costs; one of ‘green energy poverty.’”

“Does Tesla’s Claim For Environmental Friendliness Stand Up?”

April 18, 2016: Forbes reports: “Whisper it to the home crowd whooping and hollering every time Tesla Motors CEO Elon Musk said ‘sustainability’ and ‘CO2 reduction’ at the reveal of the Model 3 prototype, but lifetime carbon dioxide from electric cars may actually not be much different from conventional internal combustion engines in some markets. Until most electricity is generated by clean, renewable sources, claims electric cars are saving the planet are hollow. That’s the view of Bernstein Research, which studied the car market in Hong Kong where it is based. Bernstein Research said because Hong Kong, and China’s, production of electricity is carbon intensive, mainly from coal in other words, electric cars are increasing rather than reducing pollution. And worse, the government subsidizes the rich to do this.”

“Climate deal to be ratified without Europe’s help — for now”

April 18, 2017: E&E News reports: “If last year’s landmark Paris climate agreement enters into force this year or early next year, it will likely do so without the help of one of its strongest supporters. That’s because the European Union, which carried the torch for international climate action for two decades before playing a leading role in brokering the agreement last year, is not to be found on the growing list of countries pledging early adoption ahead of next week’s signing ceremony in New York City. There’s almost no scenario where the European Union doesn’t eventually become a party to the deal reached last year outside the French capital. In fact, more than 50 European leaders, including French President François Hollande and Ecology Minister Ségolène Royal, will attend next week’s signing.”

“Mr. Sanders’s war on clean energy”

April 19, 2017: The Washington Post editorializes: “Can the country do without nuclear power and natural gas? Sen. Bernie Sanders (I-Vt.) thinks so. But his position would set back the fight against global warming… Mr. Sanders has also attacked fracking, the process of fracturing shale formations deep underground in order to extract natural gas… The recent fracking boom contributed to a reduction in national carbon dioxide emissions over the past several years, as utilities switched from cheap coal to now-cheaper gas. It is true that some concerns remain. Methane leaks from natural gas wells and pipelines. Many worry about drinking water near fracking operations. But the government can require drillers to address these issues without shutting the industry.”

“Greens promote carbon pricing to achieve Paris goals”

April 15, 2016: E&E News reports: “Environmentalists today pushed the creation of an international market mechanism as a means of achieving the goals of the Paris climate change agreement. Along with helping nations meet their pledged carbon reductions, a global carbon pricing mechanism would help nations go beyond their stated goals, Environmental Defense Fund and the International Emissions Trading Association said in a paper released today. More than 190 nations in Paris in December agreed to limit global warming to 2 degrees Celsius and to pursue efforts to limit warming to 1.5 C.”

“Engine design trends lead to increased demand for higher-octane gasoline”

April 13, 2016: A report from the Energy Information Administration states: “Since 2013, the share of premium gasoline in total motor gasoline sales has steadily increased to 11.3% in August and September 2015, the highest share in more than a decade. Although lower gasoline prices may be supporting demand for premium gasoline, the upward trend in sales is more likely driven by changes in fuel requirements for light-duty vehicles (LDV) in response to increasing fuel economy standards, which will have widespread implications for future gasoline markets. The latest Corporate Average Fuel Economy (CAFE) regulations, which were finalized in October 2012, set automaker LDV fleet-wide fuel economy for model years 2017-21 to a range of 40.3–41.0 miles per gallon (mpg), with standards for model years 2022-25 rising to 48.7–49.7 miles per gallon. To meet these standards, automakers are implementing a wide range of technical solutions to improve fuel economy.”

“The ‘Colossal Unmentionable’ of the Climate Fraud”

April 13, 2016: Wall Street Journal editorializes: “Today’s climate activism ‘exists to promote the Democratic agenda, whatever it may be this week,’ writes our columnist Holman Jenkins. And that agenda does not include ‘policies that might actually alter the course of climate change. The president’s power-plant rules, even if climate models are accurate, would affect global temperature a century hence by 0.03 degrees Celsius. His fuel mileage rules, though costly to Detroit and a life-support for Tesla, would have even less effect.’”

“How fracking reduces greenhouse gases”

April 11, 2016: An op-ed in the Washington Times by Stephen Moore states: “The Department of Energy published data last week with some amazing revelations — so amazing that most Americans will find them hard to believe. As a nation, the United States reduced its carbon emissions by 2 percent from last year. Over the past 14 years our carbon emissions are down more than 10 percent. On a per unit of GDP basis, U.S. carbon emissions are down by closer to 20 percent. Even more stunning: we’ve reduced our carbon emissions more than virtually any other nation in the world, including most of Europe. How can this be?”

“Dem senator: There are ‘deniers’ on both sides of climate change debate”

April 11, 2016: The Hill reports: “There are ‘deniers’ on both sides of the climate change debate, West Virginia Sen. Joe Manchin (D) said on Friday. Republicans who claim human activity hasn’t contributed to climate change — a scientific consensus doubted by GOP presidential front-runners Donald Trump and Ted Cruz — are ‘deniers’ of climate change, he said.  But Democrats and greens have ‘deniers’ of their own, Manchin said at a conference hosted by The Wall Street Journal on Friday. ‘Even worse than that, we have deniers that believe we’re going to run this country or run this world without fossil,’ he said. ‘That’s a worse denier, thinking they’re just going to just shift it and everything’s going to be hunky-dory.’”

“Washington voters to consider nation’s first carbon tax”

April 11, 2016: Washington Examiner reports: “A landmark vote in Washington state could see the country’s first tax on carbon emissions become law in November. While advocates hope it’s the first in a nationwide wave of similar initiatives to combat climate change, opponents — including Democrats — say the plan could cripple the state’s economy. Initiative 732, which will be a ballot measure, would phase in a $25-per-metric-ton tax on carbon emissions over two years while dropping the state’s sales tax 1 percent, repeal a business tax and partially fund a tax rebate for low-income families. Those proposals put together would make the new carbon tax revenue neutral, proponents say.”

“California carbon tax hikes gas prices 11 cents”

April 9, 2016: KCRA reports: “The California Legislature’s nonpartisan analyst estimates the state’s pollution tax has raised gasoline prices by 11 cents per gallon and diesel prices by 13 cents, according to a month-old letter released on Thursday. The pollution tax costs drivers collectively about $2 billion a year, Legislative Analyst Mac Taylor said. His staff calculated the estimate in response to questions from Assemblyman Tom Lackey, R-Palmdale, who is pushing legislation that would require the state to report more detailed information about the costs to drivers…The analysis was based on the $12.73-per-ton price for allowances in the most recent auction, held in February. It says some people paying the higher gas prices will ultimately benefit from the money it generates.”

“Climate Change Can’t Excuse Electric Car Subsidies”

April 7, 2016: An op-ed in The Daily Caller by Cato Institute senior fellow Alan Reynolds states: “The New York Times reports the auto industry ‘will be hard pressed to meet its [federal government] target of 54.5 miles per gallon in 2025,’ despite spending billions on fuel-saving technologies. Average mileage for vehicles sold this year is about 25 mpg, the article notes, and ‘the lowest-emission models are among the least popular.’ The excuse for this quixotic crusade to shove us into tiny cars designed in Washington (preferably electric) is that U.S. cars and SUVs are widely believed to be a huge source of global greenhouse emissions. ‘Our personal vehicles are a major cause of global warming,’ claims The Union of Concerned Scientists. But such claims aren’t based on science or even basic math.”

“Anti-Carbon Tax Movement Gains Momentum Around the Globe”

April 7, 2016: The Daily Caller reports: “Coalitions are rising up in the U.S. and Europe to oppose taxes on carbon dioxide emissions to keep industries from fleeing high energy prices. In The U.S., conservative groups have joined together to oppose attempts by federal lawmakers to impose a CO2 tax, and in Europe, steel companies are fighting for their lives as high energy taxes and competition from cheap Chinese steel threatens their economic prospects. In the United Kingdom the plight of the steel industry has moved at least one Conservative Party member to propose abolishing the country’s minimum carbon tax that’s hampering businesses.”

“The Impacts of Climate Change on Human Health in the United States: A Scientific Assessment”

April 6, 2016: A report from the U.S. Global Change Research Program states: “This assessment’s findings represent an improvement in scientific confidence in the link between climate change and a broad range of threats to public health, while recognizing populations of concern and identifying emerging issues. These considerations provide the context for understanding Americans’ changing health risks and allow us to identify, project, and respond to future climate change health threats. The overall findings underscore the significance of the growing risk climate change poses to human health in the United States.”

“Want to Fight Global Warming? Forget Fuel Economy Standards and Focus on Land Use.”

April 6, 2016: Salim Furth of the The Heritage Foundation argues: “Rather than trying to make car trips more efficient, governments could help citizens reduce their reliance on long daily commutes. One smart reform: Better land use policy. Let’s take Los Angeles as an example. Despite a strong history of environmentalism and weather that is the envy of the world, the built environment in L.A. makes it unrealistic for most people to walk or bike to work. Perversely, sprawl is encouraged by environmental review boards and neighborhood preservation campaigns. To allow denser, environmentally conscious construction, Sacramento should repeal the “private right of action” in the California Environmental Quality Act. The provision allows anonymous front groups to tie up construction projects in court, dissuading developers from investing in the first place… We don’t need to pit the environment against prosperity.”

“EPA head says Paris agreement will require more climate work from next administration”

April 6, 2016: Fuel Fix reports: “As the United States works to meet the climate change goal agreed to in Paris last year, actions taken by President Barack Obama to reduce greenhouse gas emissions will need to be expanded, Environmental Protection Agency Administrator Gina McCarthy said Tuesday. The EPA head said the next administration would need to help promote technologies like carbon capture, nuclear energy and electric cars. She cited efforts now to better understand the extent to which emissions from airplanes and landfills are contributing to global warming. ‘We already have a lot in the queue, but I’m sure people will bring new ideas as time moves on,’ McCarthy told reporters Tuesday morning. ‘There’s opportunities everywhere.’ With seven months until the election, presidential candidates are widely divided on climate change.”

“EPA chief: Climate change study backs up agency’s carbon regulations”

April 5, 2016: The Hill reports: “The head of the Environmental Protection Agency said Monday that a new study on the effects of climate change on public health reinforces the need for the Obama administration’s work on greenhouse gas emissions. At a White House event on Monday, Gina McCarthy said the public health study validates the EPA’s ‘endangerment finding,’ a 2009 decision that says greenhouse gases are a threat to the public so severe that the agency has a responsibility to regulate climate change-causing emissions.  ‘It does, actually, underscore it. It’s just building on the wealth of evidence we have here,’ McCarthy said. ‘This gives people a really good sense of what the consensus is of all of the top science on this, and the scientists.’”

“Climate change expected to raise public health risks”

April 5, 2016: The Hill reports: “Climate change is expected to exacerbate a host of public health risks for Americans over the next century, the White House concluded in a report released Monday. The study found that, as the Earth warms, it will lead to an increase in air pollution and allergens, which will worsen asthma and other respiratory diseases. Hotter temperatures will lead to more premature deaths during the summer, earlier annual onset of Lyme disease in the eastern U.S. and threaten the safety of food from pathogens and toxins. Vulnerable populations — low-income people, communities of color, children, pregnant women, people with disabilities, etc. — are more likely to be at risk, the report said.”

“Over 200 current, former lawmakers back Obama in climate case”

April 4, 2016: The Hill reports: “Over 200 current and former members of Congress are supporting the Obama administration in the legal challenge to its landmark climate rule for power plants. The lawmakers, almost all Democrats, argued in a brief filed late Thursday that the Environmental Protection Agency’s (EPA) regulation follows exactly what Congress intended to do when it wrote the Clean Air Act (CAA) and amended it in 1990. ‘The rule at issue effectuates the policy Congress established in the CAA because it is consistent with the text, structure, and legislative history of the act,’ the lawmakers wrote to the D.C. Circuit U.S. Court of Appeals.”

“Carbon farming is a zero-risk strategy for curbing climate change”

April 4, 2016: The Hill reports: “Now that 195 nations, including the U.S., have agreed to ambitious greenhouse gas emission reductions to slow the pace of climate change, the question everyone is asking is: How will we actually meet our targets set for 2035? Given past performance, many don’t think we will get there without so-called “geoengineering” solutions, such as blasting sulfur dioxide or other particles into the atmosphere to shade the planet and compensate for the warming effect of greenhouse gases. Clever, eh? Maybe not. Some recent modeling studies show these seemingly easy fixes could backfire in catastrophic ways, such as disrupting the Indian monsoon season and completely drying out the Sahel of Africa. Another risk is atmospheric chemical reactions that deplete the ozone layer. Do we really want to run global-scale experiments for 20 or 30 years and see what happens? There is another way, one that is zero-risk and builds on something farmers around the world are already motivated to do: manage soils so that a maximum amount of the carbon dioxide plants pull out of the air via photosynthesis remains on the farm as carbon-rich soil organic matter. “Carbon farming,” as it is sometimes called, is Mother Nature’s own geoengineering, relying on fundamental biological processes to capture carbon and sequester it in the soil, carbon that would otherwise be in the air as the greenhouse gas, carbon dioxide.”  

“Britain Abandoning Global Warming Taxes And Subsidies”

April 4, 2016: The Daily Caller reports: “Great Britain slashed its generous subsidies for solar power Friday and is under immense pressure to end its carbon tax as industry threatens to leave the country. Britain’s ruling Conservative Party says it is cutting the subsidies to protect consumers and the industry from expensive energy bills, which were roughly 54 percent higher than American energy bills in 2014, while energy taxes cost residents roughly $6.6 billion every year. Green energy subsidies and heavy taxes on carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions were responsible for the pricey power, causing British industry and consumer groups to leave the country or heavily lobby for relief.”