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2009 Large US ships must meet strict new emissions standards The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency today finalized a rule setting stricter exhaust emission standards and cleaner fuel standards for large marine diesel engines on large US-flagged ships, a part of the agency’s long-term strategy to reduce harmful marine diesel emissions. Web link: ENS Newswire
Not Nothing, But Not Enough After a marathon all night session at the UN climate summit, talks aimed at reaching a deal to limit greenhouse gases warming the planet ended with what UN Secretary-General Ban ki-Moon called an "essential beginning" that contains progress on all key fronts. Early this morning, delegates representing 194 countries agreed to "take note" of the Copenhagen Accord - the result of two weeks of talks and two years of negotiations. Web links: - WWF
Current pledges don't limit global warming enough "While the details of a binding agreement may not be completely worked out in Copenhagen, it is more important than ever that participants send a strong, indicative and ambitious signal that can guide energy investment and policy decisions globally," said Nobuo Tanaka, the Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA), Monday at the climate talks in Copenhagen.
The fifth Climate Change Performance Index - a worldwide national ranking of climate performance - was published Monday by Germanwatch and Climate Action Network (CAN) Europe.
The clownfish that inspired Disney film Finding Nemo and Australia’s iconic koala bear are just some of the species that could be wiped out by climate change, according the International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN).
Commission decisions object requests for more time to comply with EU air quality legislation The European Commission today adopted three decisions concerning requests from Bulgaria, Poland and the United Kingdom for additional time to comply with EU legislation on air quality. The decisions relate to requests for temporary exemptions in 97 zones or agglomerations from the EU's air quality standards for airborne particles (PM10). In the remaining zones in Poland, as well as all zones in Bulgaria and the United Kingdom, the Commission considered that the conditions have not been met. In many cases, this is because insufficient data has been provided or because the measures outlined in the air quality plans submitted to the Commission do not demonstrate that the standards will be met when the exemption period expires. Web links:
Developing nations slam EU climate fund pledge Developing nations at the UN climate conference rejected as "insignificant" on Friday an EU pledge of 7.2 billion euros (10.6 billion dollars) to help them tackle global warming. Every one of the 27 EU member states will contribute, with Britain giving up 1.2 billion pounds (1.3 billion euros, two billion dollars) -- despite its worse recession in decades. But in Copenhagen, the Group of 77 developing nations -- actually a caucus of 130 states that includes China -- said the proposal fails to address the issue of setting up long-term financing mechanisms. Web links:
EPA: Greenhouse gases endanger Americans' health Greenhouse gases endanger the public health and welfare of the American people, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced today. The EPA also determined that greenhouse gas emissions from on-road vehicles contribute to that threat. The finding means that the federal agency can proceed to regulate greenhouse gases under the Clean Air Act without waiting for Congress to pass legislation limiting these emissions, which are produced by the burning of fossil fuels - coal, oil and gas. "These long-overdue findings cement 2009's place in history as the year when the United States government began addressing the challenge of greenhouse gas pollution and seizing the opportunity of clean energy reform," said EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson. Web links:
'Meat-free Monday' to curb warming In a drive to halt climate change and improve public health, ex-Beatle Paul McCartney has told Europeans to abstain from eating meat at least once a week. The ex-Beatle hammered home his message in the European Parliament on Thursday (3 December) in the presence of the chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, Rajendra Pachauri. "Cutting down on meat consumption would be an extremely effective way of cutting down on global warming," said Pachauri himself. Several other speakers pointed to recognised international statistics which show that agriculture contributes to 18% of global greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions - 60% of which come from livestock - well above the 13% which come from the transport sector. In addition, methane is known to be 21 times more powerful a GHG than carbon dioxide and stays in the atmosphere for longer. Web link: Euractiv 40% emissions cuts possible in Europe A new study by the Stockholm Environment Institute should boost the argument for a higher EU emissions reduction target. It shows Europe can cut its emissions by 40% by 2020, without offsets, nuclear power, carbon capture and storage or biofuels. The research shows how Europe can cut domestic emissions by 40% in 2020, and by 90% in 2050, compared to 1990 levels. This is the minimum scale and speed of reductions science says is likely to be needed from rich countries to avert a climate catastrophe and would enable the European Union to live up to its historical responsibility for causing climate change. The report estimates the costs of the scenario, and outlines the EU’s fair share of the finances needed for developing countries to fight climate change. It calculates that between 2010 and 2020 mitigation costs in Europe would likely be about 2% of the EU’s discounted cumulative GDP of €111 trillion, or 2€ per person per day, which is a value consistent with other mitigation studies. Web link: Friends of the Earth Europe Action on climate change 'also averts health crisis' Climate change will imperil health through malaria, cholera, heatwaves and hunger, but many problems can be eased or avoided if countries make wise policy choices, doctors said. In a series of papers issued in The Lancet, experts challenged governments to factor in public health when conceiving a battle plan for global warming. "In view of the trillions of dollars likely to be spent on greenhouse-gas mitigation in the coming decades, the relatively small resources needed to guide investments along paths bringing the world closer to its health and climate goals would be money well spent," they said. Web links: - AFP - The Lancet "Health and Climate Change" LRTAP Convention celebrates 30th Anniversary Initiated due to the public outcry against the detrimental impacts of Acid Rain in Europe, the Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution (CLRTAP) was signed in 1979 and entered into force in 1983. As the first regional environmental convention, CLRTAP has been instrumental in the reduction of key harmful pollutants in both Europe and North America. Web link: Convention on Long-range Transboundary Air Pollution Stagnation in aircraft efficiency improvements A new analysis by the International Council on Clean Transportation shows that advancements in the efficiency of commercial aircraft have stagnated in the last two decades, and without an effective carbon dioxide emission standard fuel prices alone are unlikely to spur large improvements. ICAO, the UN body with the authority to regulate carbon dioxide emissions from commercial aircraft, recently took the position that a carbon dioxide standard apply to aircraft from newly introduced lines, but not those belonging to types currently in production. The new ICCT study suggests a carbon dioxide standard that also covers planes coming off existing production lines is likely needed to spur efficiency gains and reduce emissions. Commercial aviation currently accounts for about 12 percent of carbon dioxide produced by the transportation sector. That figure will grow to 19 percent in 2050, according to International Energy Agency projections. Without effective carbon dioxide standards, aviation threatens to negate progress in cutting emissions from other modes of transportation. Web link: ICCT press release (pdf)
Global warming could cost Europe €65 billion a year If the climate expected in the 2080s occurred today, the EU would face yearly GDP losses between €20 and €65 billion, depending on the temperature increase in Europe (2.5°C to 5.4°C). This result takes into account four aspects that are highly sensitive to climate changes: agriculture, river flooding, coastal systems and tourism. This is the estimation published today in a report of the European Commission's Joint Research Centre (JRC). The study also shows different regional impacts of climate change across the EU. Damages would occur mainly in Southern and Central Europe, while Northern Europe would be the sole region to benefit, in economic terms and for the aspects studied, from climate change. Web link: JRC press release (pdf)
Checklist for Copenhagen A global network of over 500 organizations today released a checklist for Copenhagen, enumerating the essential elements required of any complete and robust climate agreement in Copenhagen. “This checklist defines the actions required to avoid catastrophic climate change, while sustaining the global economy and adapting to the climate change we can’t avoid,” said David Turnbull, Director of Climate Action Network International. “The science is clear. We have the yardstick for measuring what leaders agree to in Copenhagen.” The checklist, titled Fair, Ambitious and Binding - Essentials for a Successful Deal in Copenhagen, serves as a scorecard for observers tracking the progress of the Copenhagen climate negotiations and evaluating the outcomes. Highlights from the checklist include: Web link: Climate Action Network (CAN) Climate change accelerating beyond expectations Global ice-sheets are melting at an increased rate; Arctic sea-ice is disappearing much faster than recently projected, and future sea-level rise is now expected to be much higher than previously forecast, according to a new global scientific synthesis prepared by some of the world’s top climate scientists. In a special report called ‘The Copenhagen Diagnosis’, the 26 researchers, most of whom are authors of published IPCC reports, conclude that several important aspects of climate change are occurring at the high end or even beyond the expectations of only a few years ago. The report also notes that global warming continues to track early IPCC projections based on greenhouse gas increases. Without significant mitigation, the report says global mean warming could reach as high as 7 degrees Celsius by 2100. Web link: The Copenhagen Diagnosis press release
Charge NOx emissions from ships Annual ship emissions of nitrogen oxides in the Baltic Sea could be cut by around 270,000 tons in 2015 by the application of an emissions charge, according to a new study entitled Market-based instruments for NOx abatement in the Baltic Sea. Emissions of nitrogen oxides (NOx) are a cause of major environmental problems, including eutrophication of the sea and on land, acidification and health damage, and ships account for a large and growing share of these emissions. In spite of the somewhat strengthened emission standards for new ships adopted in 2008 by the International Maritime Organization (IMO), NOx emissions from international shipping in European sea areas are projected to increase by nearly 40 per cent between 2000 and 2020. If no additional abatement measures are taken, this means that by 2020 the emissions from shipping around Europe are expected to equal or even surpass the total from all land-based sources in the 27 EU member states combined. A problem with the new IMO NOx standards is that they only apply to new ships, and the turnover of the fleet is slow. Ships tend to have a life of 25–35 years before being scrapped. Thus, in order to not only limit the growth in ships’ NOx emissions, but to actually reduce them, there is a need to both cut emissions from existing vessels and to speed up the introduction of efficient NOx abatement technologies in new ships built before 2016. The new study has investigated a series of different market-based instruments that could be used for this purpose, and also assessed the potential additional emission reductions that could be achieved by applying such instruments. The study focuses on the Baltic Sea, but the general conclusions are most probably also applicable to other sea areas. After having analysed several types of economic instruments – such as emissions trading, differentiated fairway and port dues, and emissions charging – the report proposes the introduction of a NOx-differentiated emissions charge, largely along the lines of the current Norwegian NOx charge. The level of the charge could be similar in size to that of the Norwegian NOx Fund, i.e. €470 per ton NOx, and – as is the case in Norway – the proceeds could be recycled to the shipping industry and used to finance NOx-reduction projects. A rough calculation of the emission reduction potential indicates that application of an emissions charge, as outlined above, could cut NOx emissions from ships in the Baltic Sea by around 60 per cent. This would correspond to an annual reduction of about 270,000 tons, from an expected business-as-usual level of approximately 460,000 tons in 2015. Market-based instruments for NOx abatement in the Baltic Sea (Nov 2009), APC-report No 24. By Per Kågeson. Published jointly by AirClim, T&E and EEB.
25 percent off by 2020 to save the Great Barrier Reef Australia's Great Barrier Reef has only a 50 percent chance of survival if global emissions of carbon dioxide are not reduced at least 25 percent by 2020, a coalition of Australia's top reef and climate scientists said on Tuesday. The 13 scientists said even deeper cuts of up to 90 percent by 2050 would necessary if the reef was to survive future coral bleaching and coral death caused by rising ocean temperatures. Web link: Planet Ark
Coal pollution undermines America's health Coal pollutants affect all major body organ systems and contribute to four of the five leading causes of mortality in the United States: heart disease, cancer, stroke, and chronic lower respiratory diseases, concludes a scathing report issued today by Physicians for Social Responsibility. "Each step of the coal lifecycle - mining, transportation, washing, combustion, and disposing of postcombustion wastes - impacts human health," warns the report, entitled "Coal's Assault on Human Health." Web links:
Fossil fuel CO2 up by 29 percent since 2000 The strongest evidence yet that the rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide emissions continues to outstrip the ability of the world's natural 'sinks' to absorb carbon is published November 17 in the journal Nature Geoscience. The scientists report a 29 per cent increase in global CO2 emissions from fossil fuel between 2000 and 2008 (the latest year for which figures are available), and that in spite of the global economic downturn emissions increased by 2 per cent during 2008. Web link: ScienceDaily
New study on boreal forests and climate change The Air Pollution and Climate Secretariat (AirClim), in cooperation with Taiga Rescue Network (TRN), is today publishing a study on the possible effects of climate change on the boreal forest ecosystem in Russia, North America and Scandinavia. A key finding of the study, based on a review of recent scientific literature, is that the boreal forests will not be able to respond to global warming by migrating northwards. Massive forest dieback is a more likely scenario. This should be a matter of utmost concern, not only because of the consequences for people living in the boreal region and for biodiversity, but also because deterioration of boreal forests would have severe feedback effects on global climate. Roughly speaking, the boreal forest belt contains about one third of the world´s vegetative carbon, and the same amount again of soil carbon. Whether or not this carbon stock can be maintained is not a matter of forest management, since half of the boreal forest belt consists of remote primary forests. Even though the timber frontier is constantly moving north, natural forest dynamics and the response to climate change will decide the fate of most of these forests for the foreseeable future. The most likely scenario for boreal forest is a non-linear response to warming, resulting in the creation of hitherto unseen ecosystems and the extinction of species with limited capacity to adapt. Even at moderate levels of warming, extensive decline can be expected in forests and woods. If global warming exceeds 2oC vast areas of boreal forest may be transformed into open woodland or grassland. Large-scale boreal forest dieback has been identified as one of the critical tipping points in global change, through which positive feedback effects on the climate may cause runaway warming through the release of most of the enormous boreal carbon stock into the atmosphere. Web link: AirClim report
Non-industrial emissions key for meeting Kyoto targets A report by the European Environment Agency (EEA) released today shows that the European Union and all member states but one are on track to meet their Kyoto Protocol commitments to limit and reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Web link: European Environment Agency
Electric cars likely to lead to more CO2 12 November 2009 Electric cars can play a role in cutting Europe’s carbon emissions. But current EU legislation contains loopholes that are likely to lead to emissions and oil use going up, according to a new report, How to avoid an electric shock, published today by Transport & Environment. Web link: Transport & Environment
EU biofuel rules likely to cause more harm than good 11 November 2009 There is a substantial risk that current EU biofuel policy will cause more harm than good, according to a new report, Biofuels - Handle with Care, published today by leading environmental and development organisations. The report highlights the failure of EU law to account for the environmental impact of indirect land use change (ILUC) when calculating the greenhouse gas benefits of biofuels. When agricultural land is converted for biofuel production, Web link: Transport & Environment
New register gives public access to information on emissions 9 November 2009 The European Commission and the European Environment Agency today launched a comprehensive new European pollutant release and transfer register – E-PRTR. The register contains information about the emissions of pollutants to air, water and land by industrial facilities throughout Europe. It includes annual data for 91 substances and covers more than 24 000 facilities in 65 economic activities. Web links:
Study finds vital peatlands neglected Draining and burning of the world's peat bogs accounts for about 5.5 per cent of global carbon emissions but are currently excluded from governments' climate targets and UN talks, according to a study published by Wetlands International. Peat stores around twice as much carbon as all the world's trees, but compared with the well-publicized issues of fossil fuels and forests, the sector was the "Cinderella" of climate change policies, said Hans Joosten at Germany's Greifswald University, co-author of the report. Web links:
Congestion tax in Stockholm improved air quality and health An evaluation of the effects of a congestion tax trial in Stockholm, designed to reduce traffic levels, reveals that there was a decrease of 8.5 per cent in nitrogen oxide (NOx) emissions and of 13 per cent in coarse particle (PM10) emissions in the congestion zone. Improvements of this level could avoid 27 premature deaths due to road traffic emissions a year for Stockholm. Web link: European Local Transport Information Service (ELTIS)
Final warning to three member states over fine particles pollution
EU can cut carbon dioxide by 30 per cent at no cost
Advanced biofuels will stoke global warming A new generation of biofuels, meant to be a low-carbon alternative, will on average emit more carbon dioxide than burning gasoline over the next few decades, a study published in Science found on Thursday. Governments and companies are pouring billions of research dollars into advanced fuels made from wood and grass, meant to cut carbon emissions compared with gasoline, and not compete with food as corn-based biofuels do now. But such advanced, "cellulosic" biofuels will actually lead to higher carbon emissions than gasoline per unit of energy, averaged over the 2000-2030 time period, the study found. Web links:
Climate change is a 'human emergency' A new map illustrating the global consequences of failing to keep climate change to under 2 degrees Celsius was launched by the British Government on 22 October. With just 45 days to go before international climate change talks begin in Copenhagen, British ministers are pressing for the most ambitious deal possible in order to avoid these dangerous impacts. The poster highlights some of the impacts that may occur if the global average temperature rises by 4 degrees Celsius above the pre-industrial climate average. Web link: UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office
Emissions from industrialised countries increased in 2007 According to the UN Climate Change Secretariat in Bonn, greenhouse gas emissions from industrialised countries increased in 2007, continuing the upward trend of the previous six years. Data submitted to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) show that greenhouse gas emissions of the 40 industrialised countries that have reporting obligations under the Convention rose by 1% from 2006 to 2007. The 2007 emissions of this group of countries are about 4% below 1990 levels. But there was overall a 3% growth in emissions in the period from 2000 to 2007. “The continuing growth of emissions from industrialised countries remains worrying, despite the expectation of a momentary dip brought about by the global recession,” said Yvo de Boer, Executive Secretary of the UNFCCC. “So the numbers for 2007 underscore, once again, the urgent need to seal a comprehensive, fair and effective climate change deal in Copenhagen in December,” he added. Web link: UN FCCC press release (pdf)
Need for new EU laws to end energy waste in buildings 14 October 2009 A coalition of environmental NGOs, including members of the "Coolproducts for a Cool Planet" campaign, launched today its new Cool Products, Warm Homes Manifesto at a conference in the European Parliament in Brussels. The coalition will ask EU institutions and Member States to urgently put in place new, more ambitious legislation to reduce energy demand for heating and cooling our buildings. The EU’s energy consumption for heating and cooling buildings accounts for about one quarter of all energy consumed in Europe - as much as all EU transport combined. Web link: http://coolproducts.eu/
UK Climate Body Urges "Step Change" On Emissions Britain must cut greenhouse gas emissions six times faster than at present and consider more aggressive intervention in energy markets if it is to meet its low carbon targets, the government's chief climate change adviser said on Monday. In a new report the influential Committee on Climate Change (CCC) warned the government not to rely on the short-lived effects of the recession to achieve cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. The annual emissions cuts must rise from an average of 0.5 percent between 2003-07 to 2-3 percent each year, according to the committee. leaner electricity generation will be the "crucial priority" in cutting carbon emissions, the report said. Web link: Planet Ark/Reuters
London pollution zone reintroduced London Mayor Boris Johnson will reintroduce the third phase of the low emission zone - which bars the most polluting vehicles from entering London - in 2012, one year after Britain is expected to meet a crucial deadline on reducing dangerous airborne particles. The decision, included in the long awaited draft Air Quality Strategy for London, is likely to infuriate critics who have repeatedly warned that the health of Londoners is at stake. Web link: Guardian
Prescription for a Healthy Planet Two leading European health organisations will hand a giant "Prescription for a Healthy Planet" to European Health Commissioner Androulla Vassiliou on Tuesday, 6 October. The health community is asking the EU to provide a better “treatment” for the ailing climate negotiations. The Health and Environment Alliance (HEAL) and Health Care Without Harm (HCWH) have launched a campaign to increase focus on the effects on human health and to bring the voice of the health sector in the crucial weeks leading up to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change meeting in Copenhagen, 7-18 December 2009. The organisations are joined by the Climate and Health Council whose high level pledge on climate change and health has already been signed by many thousands of doctors and health professionals. Web link: Health and Environment Alliance
EU set to miss 2010 air pollutant limits With 2010 now quickly approaching, updated emission estimates for that year show just 14 member states expect to meet their respective 2010 air pollutant limits set under the EU National Emission Ceilings Directive (NEC Directive). Spain anticipates missing three emission ceilings. Three member states - France, Germany and the Netherlands - each anticipate missing two of their ceilings. Of the four emission ceilings, NOx remains by far the most difficult for many member states to achieve - 12 Member States now estimate they will miss the ceiling for this pollutant. The NEC Directive sets pollutant-specific and legally-binding emission ceilings that each member state must meet by 2010. The NEC Directive status report from the European Environment Agency presents information from the latest reporting round for both member states and the EU as a whole for the four pollutants covered by the directive: sulphur dioxide (SO2), nitrogen oxides (NOx), non-methane volatile organic compounds (NMVOCs) and ammonia (NH3). Web link: EEA report
What could 4 degree warming mean for the world? A leading climate scientist has presented new research findings on the increasing potential for a 4 degrees Celsius rise in global temperatures if the current high emissions of greenhouse gases continue. Speaking at the international conference called ‘4 degrees and beyond’ at Oxford University, Dr Richard Betts, Head of Climate Impacts at the Met Office Hadley Centre, described the possibility of a 4 degree warming happening ‘before the end of the century’. He added that a scenario of very intensive fossil fuel burning could bring this forward by 20 years. The conference at Oxford University is the first to consider the global consequences of climate change beyond 2 degrees Celsius, and is jointly sponsored by University’s Environmental Change Institute, the Tyndall Centre for Climate Change Research and the Met Office Hadley Centre. Web links:
Impacts of climate change coming faster and sooner The pace and scale of climate change may now be outstripping even the most sobering predictions of the last report of the Intergovernmental Panel of Climate Change (IPCC), according to a new UNEP report. The compendium comes with less than 80 days to go to the crucial UN climate convention meeting in Copenhagen, Denmark. In a foreword to the document, the United Nations Secretary-General, Ban Ki-moon, writes, “This Climate Change Science Compendium is a wake-up call. The time for hesitation is over”. Web links:
Tipping towards the unknown New approaches are needed to help humanity deal with climate change and other global environmental threats that lie ahead in the 21st century. A group of 28 internationally renowned scientists propose that global biophysical boundaries, identified on the basis of the scientific understanding of the Earth System, can define a ‘safe planetary operating space´ that will allow humanity to continue to develop and thrive for generations to come. This new approach to sustainable development is conveyed in today’s issue of Nature where the scientists have made a first attempt to identify and quantify a set of nine planetary boundaries. - The human pressure on the Earth System has reached a scale where abrupt global environmental change can no longer be excluded. To continue to live and operate safely, humanity has to stay away from critical ‘hard-wired´ thresholds in Earth´s environment, and respect the nature of planet's climatic, geophysical, atmospheric and ecological processes, says lead author Johan Rockström, Director of the Stockholm Resilience Centre. He warns that transgressing planetary boundaries may be devastating for humanity, but if we respect them we have a bright future for centuries ahead. Web links:
Current pledges leave climate targets in the red Total greenhouse gas (GHG) emission reductions currently proposed by industrialized countries fall short of the pathway to reaching a 2 degree target as referred to by the UNFCCC Kyoto Protocol negotiating group, despite the fact that the cost of meeting these pledges is much lower than anticipated, according to a new study. The study by the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) states that by 2020, total GHG emissions of industrialized (Annex I) countries would decline by between only 5 and 17 percent, relative to 1990, depending on the conditions associated with the pledges. IIASA’s analysis also reveals significant co-benefits on local air quality as a result of reduced GHG emissions. Despite the low ambition, implied mitigation measures would cut SO2, NOx and particulate matter (PM) emissions by approximately 10 percent at no extra costs, which will reduce local negative health impacts from fine particulate matter (PM2.5) accordingly. Web links: - Science Daily
Global investors call for binding climate policy Banks, pension funds and other investment groups representing more than $13 trillion in assets called for a strong global agreement on climate policy on Wednesday, saying it would lead to a flood of investment into the low-carbon economy. More than 180 investor groups called for a global target of emissions reductions of 50 to 85 percent by 2050, including higher cuts by wealthy countries, and plans in developing countries to make measurable emissions reductions. Web link: Planet Ark/Reuters
US reconsiders Bush-era smog pollution standards The US Environmental Protection Agency said on Wednesday it would reconsider Bush-era standards for smog pollution that have been slammed by environmentalists for not being aggressive enough. The Bush-era standards limited ground-level ozone to no more than 75 parts per billion (ppb) in the air, which was lower than the previous standard of 84 ppb set in 1997. But environmental critics noted those standards were less strict than the 60-70 ppb advocated by the EPA's own science advisers. The EPA will propose any revisions to the ozone standards by December and will issue a final decision by August 2010. Web link: Reuters
Carmakers divided on carbon cuts 15 September 2009 Carmakers reduced carbon emissions by wildly varying degrees last year with the best performers achieving four to five times larger cuts than the worst. New figures published today by Transport & Environment (T&E) show BMW and Mazda led the field with 10% and 8.2% reductions to the average emissions of carbon dioxide for cars sold in Europe in 2008. But nine of the fourteen volume producers in the ranking achieved just 4% or lower. A new European law setting binding targets for average emissions was agreed at the end of last year. According to the report, the striking differences in performance by different carmakers reflect the amount of work each has to do to reach their new EU targets. Web link: T&E press release
The Alps: Europe’s cherished but endangered mountains 9 September 2009 As the ‘water towers of Europe’, the Alps play a crucial role in sustaining the social and economic wellbeing of millions of people living in vast lowland areas. A complex and vulnerable ecosystem, they represent Europe’s central landmark. Troublingly, a report released today by the European Environment Agency concludes that global climate change poses a grave threat to the alpine hydrological system, altering precipitation, snow-cover patterns and glaciers, with further effects downstream. Hosting most of the headwaters of the rivers Danube, Rhine, Po and Rhone, the Alps are also exposed to increasing demand for water to satisfy the needs of agriculture and the tourism sector. Web link: European Environment Agency New estimates confirm declining trend in EU GHG emissions New European Environment Agency (EEA) estimates indicate that EU greenhouse gas emissions decreased in 2008 for the fourth consecutive year. Compared to the 2007 official emissions published earlier this year, the annual reduction is estimated to be about 1.3% for the EU15 and 1.5% for the EU27. Based on these estimates, the greenhouse gas emissions in 2008 stand approximately 6.2% below the Kyoto base-year emissions for the EU15, and 10.7% below the 1990 level for the EU27.
World’s largest companies need to double the pace
Emissions of air pollutants down in EU-27
Steady European market for wind turbines in 2009
Web link: EWEA press release
China to debate 2030 emission cuts deadline Chinese legislators will debate a new resolution on climate change next week, the state media reported today as a high-powered research institute called for the country to reduce carbon emissions by 2030. The moves indicate possible flexibility in the negotiating stance of the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases ahead of climate change talks in Copenhagen at the end of this year, but, even if adopted, are far from sufficient to avoid dangerous levels of global warming.
Even "safe" ozone levels may damage the lungs Ozone concentrations below the current US clean-air standard may still temporarily impair lung function, even in healthy young people, a small study suggests.
Web link: Planet Ark/Reuters Energy efficiency could save US $600 billion The United States could save about $600 billion in energy costs by 2020 if it hiked annual efficiency spending about five-fold, business consultants McKinsey and Co said in a report on Wednesday. Governments, businesses and the general public would have to boost annual spending on existing energy-saving measures, like insulating walls and more efficient appliances, from about $10 billion annually to $50 billion per year. The upfront costs would pay off by saving $1.2 trillion by 2020, according to the report called "Unlocking Energy Efficiency in the US Economy." The report, which did not look at energy used in transportation, said the savings would cut energy used for heating and to generate power about 23 percent. It would cut U.S. greenhouse gas emissions by about 1.1 gigatons annually - or the equivalent of taking the entire fleet of US vehicles off the road, the report said. Web link: Planet Ark/Reuters EU mulls extending green criteria beyond biofuels The European Commission has begun consultations on tackling indirect land-use change caused by agro-fuel production, floating the idea that such criteria could be applied more generally to a range of other agricultural commodities. The EU's new Renewable Energy Directive obliges member states to ensure that 10% of their transport fuel comes from renewable sources, including biofuels, by 2020. The goal was aimed at contributing towards the bloc's climate goals, but questions have been raised about the unintended consequences of replacing large forested areas and food production with energy crops. To address this issue, the directive requires the Commission to present a report by the end of 2010 on how such "indirect land-use changes" impact on greenhouse gases and whether they should be tackled. Web link: EurActiv.com
US top greenhouse gas emitter, counting imports Greenhouse gases usually count toward the total of the country where they are made. Such data indicate that China has overtaken the United States as top emitter. But adjusting emissions according to the country where consumers of goods live swells emissions by developed nations, said Glen Peters, a researcher at the Center for International Climate and Environment Research in Oslo (CICERO). In the ranking of 73 nations, Americans have the biggest annual "carbon footprint" at the equivalent of 29 tonnes of carbon dioxide per capita, ahead of Australians on 21 tonnes and Canadians on 20 tonnes. Each Chinese citizen in the survey, based on 2001 data, accounts for just 3.1 tonnes. Adjusted for China's much bigger population, U.S. emissions were 7.9 billion tonnes and China's 3.9 billion. Web link: Planet Ark/Reuters Children's IQ degraded by mothers' exposure to air pollutants Prenatal exposure to air pollutants called polycyclic aromatic hydrocarbons, or PAHs, can diminish a child's intelligence quotient or IQ, according to new research by the Columbia Center for Children's Environmental Health at the Mailman School of Public Health at Columbia University. PAHs are chemicals emitted by the burning of coal, diesel, oil and gas, or other organic substances such as tobacco. In cities, motor vehicles are a major source of PAHs. The study found that children exposed to high levels of PAHs in New York City had full scale and verbal IQ scores that were 4.31 and 4.67 points lower, respectively, than those of less exposed children. Web link: ENS Newswire
Ozone pollution is declining - but not everywhere Ground-level ozone is among the most harmful air pollutants in Europe today. Elevated ozone levels cause health problems, premature deaths, reduced agricultural crop yields, damage to plants in semi-natural ecosystems and corrosion of physical infrastructure and cultural heritage. More troublingly, efforts to combat European ozone levels are achieving only limited success. Although Europe has steadily reduced emissions of the air pollutants that lead to ozone formation in recent decades, ozone levels remain largely unchanged in many countries. A new report by the European Environment Agency (EEA), released today, explores the reasons for this apparent contradiction, using data from the European air quality database and computer models to investigate ground-level ozone formation in Europe. The importance of meteorological conditions in ozone formation suggests that predicted changes in climate could also lead to increased ground-level ozone in many regions of Europe. Web link: European Environment Agency press release British Government unveils low carbon roadmap to 2020 A comprehensive plan to move the UK onto a permanent low carbon footing and to maximize economic opportunities, growth and jobs was published by the government today. The UK Low Carbon Transition Plan maps out how the UK will meet the cut in greenhouse gas emissions set out in the budget of 34 percent on 1990 levels by 2020. The government said in a statement that a 21 percent reduction has already been delivered. Around 50 percent of the annual emissions cuts between now and 2020 will be achieved by further greening of the electricity mix. The government expects 40 percent of the electricity used in the UK in 2020 to come from low carbon sources – 30 percent from renewables; the rest from nuclear, including new power plants; and so-called clean coal. Web links:
Shipping negotiations may sink global climate ambition A meeting in London next week will be the last chance for the International Maritime Organisation (IMO) to set out how it plans to meet its responsibilities under the Kyoto Protocol to control and reduce emissions from international shipping, before the crucial UN climate conference in Copenhagen in December. “The need to address shipping emissions is too urgent to be left in the hands of the IMO, who have consistently stalled when they need to take real action,” said Bill Hemmings of Transport and Environment. “We cannot risk another decade of delay. If they cannot make real commitments to cut emissions, and back this up with action, then it is time for the UNFCCC to step in.” Web link: Transport and Environment
Ban criticises G8 climate efforts UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon has criticised leaders of the G8 industrial nations for failing to make deeper commitments to combat climate change. On Wednesday, the leaders, meeting in Italy, agreed to cut emissions by 80 per cent by 2050, but Mr Ban said big cuts were needed sooner rather than later. Web link: BBC News
Major Economies Pledge to Set Greenhouse Gas Limit Leaders of the world's major economies today formally recognized for the first time the scientific view that the increase in global average temperature above pre-industrial levels should not exceed two degrees Celsius to avoid the most catastrophic impacts of global warming. These developing and industrialized countries did not announce a numeric target for reducing global greenhouse gas emissions by 2050, but did pledge to work towards identifying such a percentage by December. Web link: ENS Newswire
Commission rejects air quality derogations The European Commission has rejected 75 out of 94 requests to extend a deadline for meeting EU air quality standards on particulate matter (PM10) in various zones across nine member states, according to a press release issued on Thursday. Under the 2008 EU air quality Directive member states may, under strict conditions and for specific parts of the country, extend the time for meeting the PM10 standard until June 2011. The Commission decisions approve the time extensions for 19 air quality zones in Austria, Germany and Hungary and raised objections to the exemptions in all other zones. Web link: Commission press release
House passes landmark climate change bill President Barack Obama scored a major victory on Friday when the House of Representatives passed legislation to slash greenhouse gases. The Democratic-controlled House passed the climate change bill, a top priority for Obama, by a vote of 219-212. As has become routine on major bills in Congress this year, the vote was partisan, with only eight Republicans joining Democrats for the bill. Forty-four Democrats voted against it. The bill requires that large U.S. companies, including utilities, oil refiners, manufacturers and others, reduce emissions of carbon dioxide and other gases associated with global warming by 17 percent by 2020 and 83 percent by 2050, from 2005 levels. At the core of the bill, which is around 1,500 pages long, is a "cap and trade" program designed to achieve the emissions reductions by industry. Under the plan, the government would issue a declining number of pollution permits to companies, which could sell those permits to each other as needed. Climate change legislation still must get through the Senate. Web links:
“Member states slow to act” National governments have been slow to act on the agreements reached last December; a new kind of leadership is needed to deliver Europe’s climate ambition. This emerges from a new study by the Institute for European Environmental Policy (IEEP) that offers the first analysis of current efforts by all 27 EU governments to implement the crucial 2020 targets that form the heart of European climate policy. There remain only eleven years to meet the ambitious goals that national governments have signed up to. To deliver these goals will require a rapid shift in every European Member State’s approach to the generation and use of energy – “an energy revolution” across 27 nations. Pressure must be maintained at the national level to ensure that the necessary action is taken. Web link: IEEP press release Council weakens controls on industrial emissions European Environmental Bureau, EEB, regrets the outcome of today’s Environment Council vote on the Directive on Industrial Emissions, during which Council even further weakened the Czech presidency’s compromise “middle ground” proposal for industrial emission controls. The main points of contention debated in Council were minimal requirements for emission limits for existing large combustion plants (LCPs) and the level of flexibility needed to deviate from the emission levels achievable through the use of Best Available Techniques (BAT). Part of the Czech Presidency’s proposal, known as a TNP, which would extend the time frame for LCPs to reach their emission limit values (ELVs) by four years did not go far enough for some Member States such as the UK, Poland, Italy, Slovakia, Slovenia and Romania, who made sure the deadline was ultimately extended to 2021. Web links: Annual increase in global emissions halved in 2008 Very high oil prices up to the summer of 2008, together with a worldwide financial crisis have caused a halving of the annual increase in global emissions of carbon dioxide from consumption of oil, coal and gas, and from cement production. Emissions increased by 1.7% in 2008, against 3.3% in 2007. Since 2002, the average annual increase was almost 4%. In addition to high oil prices and the financial crisis, the increased use of new renewable energy sources, such as biofuels for road transport and wind energy for electricity generation, had a noticeable and mitigating impact on emissions. Web link: PBL press release
Solar power could be competitive by 2020 Photovoltaic solar power could be competitive with other electricity sources in 76 percent of the EU by 2020, according to a report released by the European Photovoltaic Industry Association, EPIA. The EPIA study “SET For 2020” explores different deployment scenarios: Under business-as-usual conditions, photovoltaic power should supply between 4 and 6% of Europeans’ electricity needs by 2020. However, photovoltaic power could supply as much as 12% of EU electricity demand by 2020 – up from less than 1% at present – if more favourable conditions are established by European policy makers, regulators and the energy sector at large. “Photovoltaic electricity generation will already be competitive in parts of southern Europe by next year,” said Dr. Winfried Hoffmann, EPIA president. “The study shows that under the 12% scenario, photovoltaic electricity will be competitive with other power sources in as much as 75% of the EU electricity market by 2020, without any form of external price support or subsidy.” Web link: SET for 2020 press release
EU Council continues stalemate on climate change On the crucial issues leading to the Copenhagen climate summit, the European Council kept the EU in a holding pattern. The EU appears to feel the burden is on developing countries to describe in detail why they deserve any support to tackle climate change, prior to making any pledge - a sure way to impede progress. The Council has once again failed to put a figure on the table on the actual support it is prepared to commit to, or detail the mechanisms for raising it. “European leaders were right to state that the time has now come for the international community to speed up the pace of negotiations and take the commitments needed to limit global warming to under 2°C. The question inevitably arises, therefore, why didn’t they make a decision that actually supports such goals?” said Jason Anderson, Head of European Climate and Energy Policy at WWF. Web link: WWF press release
Commission's strategy needs a reality check The European Commission has published its vision for the future of transport policy in the European Union. But the paper completely underestimates the challenges and proposes no concrete solutions, according to Transport and Environment (T&E). Jos Dings, director of Transport and Environment said: "If this is the strategy for fixing rapidly growing pollution, congestion and accidents caused by transport, then we have a big problem: it doesn't even scratch the surface." "Climate change, Europe's flagship environmental policy, is mentioned only in passing, despite the fact that transport is the single most important sector holding back progress."
Web links: - European Commission press release
US and Europe jointly raise energy-efficiency standards The European Commission and the US Environmental Protection Agency agreed today to implement new higher energy-efficiency specifications for computers, copiers and printers under the EU-US Energy Star Programme. The new criteria are effective from 1 July and are expected to trigger electricity savings of 22 terawatt hours (TWh) during the next four to six years across the European Union. Web links: - Environment News Service (ENS) - European Commission press release
Australia calls for tough stance on aviation, shipping and climate change 11 June 2009 In an attempt to break the political deadlock preventing action on international aviation and shipping emissions, Australia has called for reduction targets for these sectors to be agreed at the Copenhagen climate talks in December.
Environmental groups have welcomed the move and called on the European Union to support it. Web link: Transport & Environment (T&E) Japan’s emissions target: far too little, far too late Japan’s announcement to reduce its emissions by only 8 per cent by 2020 completely lacks ambition and stands in the way of a fair global deal, which should save the world from the catastrophic impact of climate change, WWF said. “We have waited a long time for Japan to finally inform the world about its emissions plans; and today we were presented something dangerously lacking any level of ambition,” said Kim Carstensen, the leader of WWF’s Climate Initiative. “The Japanese target translates to a reduction of only 2 percent below what Japan committed to in the Kyoto Protocol. This is a great shame, and it sets the wrong tone for the negotiations here in Bonn. Aso’s decision, influenced by polluters rather than the public, makes reaching a good deal even harder.” Web links: Climate change could drive vast human migrations By mid-century, people may be fleeing rising seas, droughts, floods and other effects of changing climate, in migrations that could vastly exceed the scope of anything before, says a new report by researchers at Columbia University, released today at a news conference in Bonn. The researchers say that the effects of climate are hard to sort from connected factors. However, they say, climate change will eventually play a dominant role by exacerbating all of these problems, and is already having detectable effects. While the report does not attempt to put numbers to those potentially uprooted, estimates from other reports it cites range from 25 million to 50 million by 2010, to almost 700 million by 2050. Web link: Columbia University press release
NGO’s write benchmark Copenhagen climate treaty Climate change experts from leading non-governmental organisations today unveiled their blueprint for a legally binding Copenhagen agreement. This will serve as the benchmark for governments negotiating a new climate deal this year and shows how major differences between rich and poor nations can be overcome. The 160-page “Copenhagen Climate Treaty” contains a full legal text covering all the main elements needed to provide the world with a fair and ambitious agreement that keeps climate change impacts below the unacceptable risk levels identified by most scientists. The document describes the path the world must be on to avoid catastrophic climate change, recognising that global temperature increase must be kept well below 2 degrees Celsius. It sets a global cap on emissions – a carbon budget – and explains in detail how both industrialised and developing countries can contribute to the safety of the planet and its people, according to their means and responsibilities and shows how the poorest and most vulnerable on the planet can be protected and compensated. Web link: WWF press release
Europe's wind energy potential assessed A new report from EEA provides a Europe-wide resource assessment of onshore and offshore wind potential. In addition to calculating raw wind resource potential, this study also introduces and quantitatively analyses the environmental and social constraints on wind sector development. Concerns addressed include the noise and visual impact of wind power, as well as the deaths of birds and bats that fly into rotor blades. The report also evaluates the future costs of wind energy production across Europe in order to gauge the potential output at competitive rates. Web link: EEA (European Environment Agency)
Investing in carbon capture and storage nature's way Boosting investments in the conservation, rehabilitation and management of the Earth's forests, peatlands, soils and other key ecosystems could deliver significant cuts in greenhouse gas emissions and avoid even more being released to the atmosphere, a new report by the UN Environment Programme (UNEP) says. Web link: UNEP press release
The EU 20% renewables target can give jobs to 2.8 million people Reaching the 2020 renewable energy targets is expected to lead to around 2.8 million jobs in the renewable energy sector and generate a total value added of around 1.1% of GDP. This is the main conclusion of a European Commission's study on the impact of renewable energy policy on economic growth and employment in the European Union. In 2005, the renewable energy sector employed 1.4 million people with a gross value added of 58 billion euro. The significance of the sector varies strongly among Member States. Biomass, wind and hydro technologies are currently the most important for employment. Web link: Commission press release
EU greenhouse gas emissions fall for third consecutive year 29 May 2009
Web link: EEA press release
Obama takes aim at car CO2 emissions US President Barack Obama took aim at climate-warming greenhouse gases on Tuesday and ordered the struggling auto industry to make more fuel-efficient cars under tough new national standards to cut emissions and increase gas mileage. Under the new standards, U.S. passenger vehicles and light trucks must average 35.5 miles per gallon (6.62 litres/100km) by 2016. The current law, approved by the Bush administration, requires a similar gain by 2020. Web links: Planet Ark/Reuters article and factbox
Shipping industry would profit by cutting emissions by 20% International shipping – responsible for almost three percent of global emissions but not so far covered by any emissions reduction agreements – could reduce its emissions by at least one fifth at a negative cost to the industry, a new International Maritime Organisation (IMO) report has shown. Web link: WWF Press release
Environmental and health impact of shipping seriously underestimated New research suggests that governments have been seriously underestimating the levels of pollution from shipping. Reports from several studies suggest container ships cause much more health damage than cars and could be taking years off people's lives. Web link: Transport & Environment (T&E)
Energy use by new electronic devices to triple by 2030 The International Energy Agency (IEA) calls on governments to urgently implement policies to make electronic devices such as televisions, laptops and mobile phones more energy-efficient. Presenting the new IEA publication Gadgets and Gigawatts today in Paris, IEA Executive Director Nobuo Tanaka said “that despite anticipated improvements in the efficiency of electronic devices, these savings are likely to be overshadowed by the rising demand for technology in OECD and non-OECD countries”. Web link: IEA press release
Poorest need funds to combat climate change Poor countries already suffering from the impact of climate change urgently need up to $2 billion to help adjust and cope, a new report submitted to the United Nations said on Thursday. The funds are needed to help the most vulnerable countries, mostly in Africa and small island states, the Stockholm-based Commission on Climate Change and Development (CCCD) said. UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon told a meeting in New York on the CCCD report that effects such as droughts, floods, storms, forest fires and melting glaciers hit the poor most. Web links: - CCCD
The biggest global-health threat of the 21st century A major report on managing the health effects of climate change, launched jointly by ‘The Lancet’ and Univerity College London (UCL) today, says that climate change is the biggest global-health threat of the 21st century. Lead author Professor Anthony Costello, UCL Institute for Global Health, says that failure to act will result in an intergenerational injustice, with our children and grandchildren scorning our generation for ignoring the climate change threat – with moral outrage similar to how we today look back on those who brought in and did nothing to stop slavery. ‘Managing the Health Effects of Climate Change’ is the work of UCL academics from many disciplines across the university – including health, anthropology, geography, engineering, economics, law and philosophy. Professor Costello says that this climate-change project brought down the traditional interdisciplinary barriers common at all universities, and hopes it could act as a model for global governance bodies to work together. Web link: University College London Coral climate crunch could displace millions If the world does not take effective action on climate change, coral reefs will disappear from the Coral Triangle by the end of the century, the ability of the region’s coastal environments to feed people will decline by 80 per cent, and the livelihoods of around 100 million people will have been lost or severely impacted. Web link: WWF Growth of renewables transforms global energy picture 13 May 2009 In 2008 for the first time, more renewable energy than conventional power capacity was added in both the European Union and United States, showing a "fundamental transition" of the world's energy markets towards renewable energy, finds a report released today by REN21, a global renewable energy policy network based in Paris. Global power capacity from new renewable energy sources in 2008 was up 16 percent over the world's 2007 capacity from new renewable sources, the REN21 Renewables Global Status Report shows. Web link: ENS newswire
Biodiversity loss and climate change: the need for an ecosystem approach Biodiversity loss and climate change are now a part of our lives. Both are rooted in overexploitation of natural resources. Both require a coherent policy response. The Syracuse Charter and the Athens Conference underline the strong political commitment to take action. To ensure our society and economy have a healthy future, we need a way to assess our impacts on the natural world. The European Environment Agency's European Ecosystem Assessment (EURECA) responds to that need. Web link: EEA press release Half a trillion tonnes of carbon left to burn The world has already burned half the fossil fuels necessary to bring about a catastrophic 2C rise in average global temperature, scientists revealed today. The experts say about half a trillion tonnes of carbon have been consumed since the industrial revolution. To prevent a 2C rise, they say, the total burnt must be kept to below a trillion tonnes. On current rates, that figure will be reached in 40 years. Web link: Guardian
Arctic nations say will cut soot that helps thaw ice Arctic nations agreed on Wednesday to crack down on soot that is darkening ice around the North Pole and hastening a thaw that they also blamed on global warming.
Web links:
29 April 2009 Six out of every 10 Americans - 186.1 million people - live in areas where air pollution endangers lives, according to the 10th annual American Lung Association State of the Air report released today. Some of the biggest sources of air pollution - dirty power plants, dirty diesel engines and ocean-going vessels - also worsen global warming, the Lung Association says in State of the Air 2009. As America deals with the linked challenges of air pollution, global warming and energy, the organization urges Congress, the U.S. EPA and individuals to choose solutions that help solve all three challenges together. Web link: ENS Newswire Building sector must change to meet global energy targets New modeling by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) shows how energy use in buildings can be cut by 60 percent by 2050 – but this will require immediate action to transform the building sector. This is the central message of the report from the WBCSD's four-year study on the subject. The project's resulting report makes six principle recommendations:
Web link: World Business Council for Sustainable Development
Deal will lead to fuel savings and reduced pollution 25 April 2009 Web link: www.eu2009.cz
EU will miss 2010 renewables target The Commission adopted today a progress report on renewable energy, highlighting the patchy progress made and the EU's likely failure to reach the 2010 indicative targets.
Web link: Commission press release NOx measures in Europe have been effective Policies introduced across Europe to reduce the emission of nitrogen oxides (NOx) from road transport have been effective, despite an increase in vehicle fuel consumption between 1990 and 2005, according to a new study. The study detailed trends in NOx emissions in Europe from the 1880s until 2005. Five periods representing distinct trends were identified. 1880-1950 saw moderate growth in the consumption of liquid fuel. During 1950-1980, growth rates were dramatic. Overall, NOx emissions increased by 13 per cent between 1980 and 1990 and peaked in 1990, despite a fall in emissions in Eastern Europe from worsening economic conditions. During 1990-2000, emissions from the traffic sector fell across Europe by 23 per cent overall. Web links:
California Air Board approves low carbon fuel standard
Web link: ENS Newswire
Greenhouse gases rise despite global recession 21 April 2009 Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide and methane - two of the most potent global warming gases - rose last year, according to a preliminary analysis for the annual greenhouse gas index compiled by the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA. At the end of December 2008, researchers measured an additional 16.2 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide and 12.2 million tonnes of methane in the atmosphere. Web link: ENS Newswire
EU greenhouse emissions fall - because it's warmer European Union emissions of greenhouse gases fell by 1.2 percent in 2007, paradoxically aided by a mild winter that cut heating demand, EU data showed on Friday.
The EU-15 emissions were 5.0 percent below 1990 levels in 2007, compared to a goal under the UN's Kyoto Protocol of an average cut in emissions of 8.0 percent below 1990 levels in the 2008-12 period. Web link: Planet Ark/Reuters
Greenhouse gases endanger public health and welfare 17 April 2009 Greenhouse gases contribute to air pollution that may endanger public health or welfare, the US Environmental Protection Agency said today, after a scientific review ordered in 2007 by the US Supreme Court. The proposed finding states, "In both magnitude and probability, climate change is an enormous problem. The greenhouse gases that are responsible for it endanger public health and welfare within the meaning of the Clean Air Act." Web links: US greenhouse emissions rose 1.4 percent in 2007 The US Environmental Protection Agency has released the national greenhouse gas inventory, which finds that overall emissions during 2007 increased by 1.4 percent from the previous year.
Web link: EPA press release
Fuel efficient cars lead to lower oil prices European fuel efficiency standards for new vehicles will lead to a lower global oil price according to a study published today by Enerdata energy consulting. National governments must respond by increasing fuel taxes to counteract the increase in oil demand and greenhouse gas emissions that would result, according to Transport and Environment (T&E) who commissioned the study. The report found that for every 1% reduction in global oil consumption, the price of oil drops by up to 2%. Furthermore it found that the economic benefits of fuel efficiency measures in Europe are typically underestimated by up to 17% because of the failure to account for a drop in oil prices. Web link: T&E press release
Polish coal plant tops EU's "dirty thirty" list EU’s dirtiest power station, the Polish Belchatow plant, spewed out 30.9 million tonnes of CO2. Kraftwerk Niederaussem in Germany was the second dirtiest and emitted 24.9 million tonnes - German utilities still owned 11 of the 30 most polluting facilities in the EU in 2008. Britain's top five polluters, including the dirty thirty's fourth-ranked Drax power station, saw their total emissions rise by 2.6 percent to 60.1 million tonnes. Web link: Reuters Small island states urge deep emission cuts Small island states have sharpened their calls for the rich to make deep cuts in greenhouse gas emissions, saying low-lying atolls risk being washed off the map by rising ocean levels. An alliance of 43 island states, backed by more than a dozen nations in Africa and Latin America, urged developed countries at UN climate talks in Bonn on Thursday to cut greenhouse emissions by "at least 45 percent below 1990 levels by 2020." Web link: Planet Ark
Draft petrol vapour recovery law strengthened 1 April 2009 On 31 March, members of the Parliament's environment committee agreed to bring forward the deadline proposed by the Commission by two years, from 2020 to 2018. MEPs also agreed to increase the minimum capture efficiency of vapour recovery systems from the Commission's proposed 85 to 90 percent. The aim is to reduce emissions of volatile organic compounds, which contribute to ground-level ozone pollution. Web link: European Parliament environment committee
Europe needs to steer transport policy in the right direction
The findings are set out in the report 'Transport at a crossroads', launched today by Jacqueline McGlade, EEA Executive Director, "We know the technology exists to tackle impacts of the transport sector on Europe's environment. However, many vehicles rolling off production lines are anything but green, the freight sector still favours the least efficient transport modes and railways across the EU still do not have a unified system." Web link: EEA press release
US wants to cut ship emissions near coasts The United States has asked the UN International Maritime Organization to create a buffer zone around America's coastline to cut pollution from ocean-going ships that harms human health, the Environmental Protection Agency said Monday. Under the proposal, which was also submitted to the IMO by Canada, big vessels like oil tankers and cargo ships that operate in a 230-mile "emissions control area" extending from two countries' coastlines, would face stricter smog and particulate pollution standards to reduce the threats the emissions pose to humans and the environment. Web links:
Tyres to get energy, noise and safety label Tyre and vehicle retailers will have to provide customers with detailed information on the energy efficiency, safety and noise performance of tyres following a vote in the European Parliament's industry committee today. Transport and Environment (T&E), the sustainable transport campaign group and the European Environmental Bureau (EEB) welcomed the agreement, which goes further than a European Commission legal proposal issued last year. Web link: T&E press release
How clean is Europe’s air? Particulate matter and ground-level ozone remain important air pollutants in Europe, according to two new reports by the European Environment Agency (EEA). Across the EU, fine particles (PM10) is estimated to have caused approximately 373 000 premature deaths in 2005. One in four Europeans endured many days of frequent and high concentrations of PM10 in 2005, according to the EEA technical report "Spatial assessment of PM10 and ozone concentrations in Europe (2005)". In addition to these daily peaks above EU thresholds, one in ten Europeans was exposed throughout the year to persistent PM10 levels higher than the EU’s annual mean limit. The report records similar findings for ground-level ozone, with more than a third of the European population exposed to ozone levels higher than the EU’s target value. The second technical report "Air pollution by ozone across Europe during summer 2008" asserts that, by several measures, ozone levels during last summer were the lowest since Europe-wide reporting began in 1997. Nevertheless, all EU member states and eight other European countries exceeded the long-term objectives set by EU legislation. Web link: European Environment Agency
World wants tough 2050 climate cuts, split on path Governments broadly support tough 2050 goals for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions but are split on how to share out the reductions, according to a new guide to negotiators of a new UN climate pact. A document to be presented to UN climate talks in Bonn from 29 March to 8 April narrows down a list of ideas for fighting global warming in a new treaty due to be agreed in December to about 30 pages from 120 in a text late last year. Web link: Reuters Greenland thaw among feared climate shifts by 2200 A drastic climate shift such as a thaw of Greenland's ice or death of the Amazon forest is more than 50 percent likely by the year 2200 in cases of strong global warming, according to a survey of experts.
Web link: Planet Ark/Reuters
Parliament wants limits on industrial emissions 11 March 2009 In a vote on Tuesday 10 March on the revision of the EU's 1996 integrated pollution prevention and control (IPPC) directive, the European Parliament backed Commission proposals for stricter emission limits for Large Combustion Plants (LCPs). In particular, they backed a 2016 deadline for applying new SO2 and NOx emission limits for LCPs. (Some member states want to grant large emitters another four years to comply.) Parliament also agreed to extend the scope of the directive to smaller LCP plants between 20 and 50 megawatts, but not those operating at no more than 500 hours annually. Emission limits should be set for all activities regulated under industrial pollution legislation, according to the Parliament. This would ensure plant operators cannot deviate too much from emission levels recommended in EU pollution guidance on the use of Best Available Techniques (BAT). In the Council, the Czech presidency is hoping to reach an agreement on the revised industrial pollution legislation at the next meeting of environment ministers in June. Web link: European Parliament Press Release
European birds feeling the heat Climate change is having an observable impact on birds across Europe, according to a scientific team that has created the world's first indicator of the impacts of climate change on wildlife at a continental scale. Of the 122 common species included in the analysis, 75 percent are predicted to experience declines, while the remaining 25 percent of species are projected to increase. Web link: ENS Newswire
Rising ocean acidity cutting shell weights Acidifying oceans caused by rising carbon dioxide levels are cutting the shell weights of tiny marine animals in a process that could accelerate global warming. William Howard of the University of Tasmania in Australia described the findings as an early-warning signal, adding the research was the first direct field evidence of marine life being affected by rising acidity of the oceans. Web link: Planet Ark/Reuters
Amazon's carbon sink under threat Researchers monitoring the long-term health of the Amazon tropical rainforest have made a startling discovery. A severe drought in 2005 not only restricted the rainforest's ability to absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere but also, in some cases, killed off so many trees that it made areas net emitters of carbon dioxide. Web link: Science
Environment ministers “drop climate funding hot potato” EU environment ministers meeting today in Brussels failed to make concrete financial commitments to support developing country action against climate change. This issue will next be discussed by finance ministers (on 10 March) and then by EU leaders at the March summit. The EU recognises that the world's poorer nations will need capital to produce clean energy and improve efficiency, to protect forests, and to adapt to the already unavoidable climate impacts, mainly caused by greenhouse gas emissions in the industrialised world. "Environment ministers have ducked and passed the climate funding hot potato to finance ministers. While billions of taxpayers' money is being used to prop up failed banks and carmakers, not one eurocent is being pledged to help the developing world tackle a problem that Europeans helped create," said Joris den Blanken, Greenpeace EU climate and energy policy director. Web links:
Maritime shipping makes hefty contribution to air pollution Globally, commercial ships emit almost half as much particulate matter pollutants into the air as the total amount released by the world’s cars, according to a new study led by NOAA and the University of Colorado at Boulder. Ship pollutants affect local air quality and the health of people living along coastlines. The findings appear online this week in the Journal of Geophysical Research. “Since more than 70 percent of shipping traffic takes place within 250 miles of the coastline, this is a significant health concern for coastal communities,” said study lead-author Daniel Lack, a researcher with the NOAA-supported CU Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences, based at NOAA’s Earth System Research Laboratory. Web link: NOAA press release Polar research reveals new evidence of global change Multidisciplinary research from the International Polar Year 2007-2008 provides new evidence of the widespread effects of global warming in the polar regions. Snow and ice are declining in both polar regions, affecting human livelihoods as well as local plant and animal life in the Arctic, as well as global ocean and atmospheric circulation and sea level. These are but a few findings reported in “State of Polar Research”, released today by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the International Council for Science (ICSU). In addition to lending insight into climate change, IPY has aided our understanding of pollutant transport, species’ evolution, and storm formation, among many other areas. Web link: WMO press release
New tyre rules will save fuel but fail on noise 23 February 2009 An informal political agreement has been reached on Europe's first energy efficiency and noise standards for car and lorry tyres. The deal hammered out last week between representatives of the European Parliament, Commission and member states will lead to an improvement in the “rolling resistance” or energy efficiency of new tyres of around 20 per cent by 2016. That translates to 3 per cent lower fuel consumption for the average car or truck. Nina Renshaw, Policy Officer at T&E said: "We welcome this long-overdue change. It will result in modestly lower fuel costs and CO2 emissions. But this is no revolution; over half of tyres currently on the market already meet the second stage standards for 2016. More could and should have been done to drive further innovation." The legislation also sets noise standards for tyres but these will make little difference to traffic noise overall. EPA reconsiders emissions rule for new power plants The US Environmental Protection Agency said on Tuesday it will reconsider a Bush administration rule to let new coal-fired power plants open without taking climate-warming carbon emissions into account. Environmental leaders, who had petitioned the agency to overturn the Bush rule, hailed EPA's move as a step toward the regulation of carbon dioxide emissions and a departure from the Bush administration's stand on climate change. Web link: Planet Ark/Reuters
UK and Poland top dirty coal list 16 February 2009 Britain, Poland, Spain, France and Romania top the list of countries that will have to retire coal-fired power stations by 2015 to comply with European Union acid rain laws, Commission data shows. The EU adopted laws in 2001 aimed at curbing emissions of sulphur dioxide and nitrogen oxides from industrial plants that burn fossil fuels. EU nations were given the choice of forcing companies to invest in equipment to remove pollutants, or of opting them out of the standards contained in the Large Combustion Plant (LCP) Directive by closing power stations down after 20,000 hours of running time or by 2015. Web link: Planet Ark/Reuters
Climate could cross critical threshold by 2100 Without decisive action by governments, corporations and individuals, global warming in the 21st century is likely to accelerate at a much faster pace and cause more environmental damage than predicted, warns a leading member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Web link: Environment News Service
The European Union alone could make efficiency gains of 2.8 billion euro a year by 2020 by combining assaults on air pollution and climate change, according to a study by the Center for International Climate and Environmental Research, Oslo (CICERO). Web links: MEPs put brakes on green road charges The future of green road charging schemes in Europe has been hampered by a vote in the European Parliament's Transport Committee, according to a press release by Transport & Environment (T&E). Web link: T&E
Wind now leads EU power sector In 2008, more wind power was installed in the EU than any other electricity generating technology. Statistics released by the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) show that 43% of all new electricity generating capacity built in the European Union last year was wind energy, exceeding all other technologies including gas, coal and nuclear power. For the first time, wind energy is the leading technology in Europe. A total of 64,949 MW of installed wind energy capacity was operating in the EU by end 2008, 15% higher than in 2007. Germany and Spain are still battling over the top spot. In 2008, Germany is back in a narrow lead with 1,665 MW against Spain’s 1,609 MW. On average, 20 wind turbines were installed for every working day of 2008. By the end of the year, a total of 160,000 workers were employed directly and indirectly in the sector, which saw investments of about €11 billion in the EU. The wind power capacity installed by end 2008 will, in a normal wind year, produce 142 TWh of electricity, equal to about 4.2% of the EU’s electricity demand, and avoid the emission of 108 million tonnes of carbon dioxide per year, the equivalent of taking more than 50 million cars off Europe’s roads. Web link: European Wind Energy Association
Acid oceans 'need urgent action' The world's marine ecosystems risk being severely damaged by ocean acidification unless there are dramatic cuts in carbon dioxide emissions, warn scientists. Web links:
- Lists of zones in exceedance by member state
Commission pursues action over industrial permits The European Commission had to take infringement action against 10 member states for failing to issue new or updated permits for over 4,000 industrial installations already in operation across Europe. Eight of these member states had already been sent a first warning last May. They will now receive a final written warning, the last step before being taken to the European Court of Justice. The Member States concerned are Belgium, Bulgaria, Greece, Italy, the Netherlands, Portugal, Slovenia, and Spain. Denmark and Ireland will receive first written warnings for the same reason. The permits should have been issued by 30 October 2007. Web link: European Commission press release
Europe needs to go much further towards Copenhagen New European proposals for this year’s crucial Copenhagen climate conference contain “some rhetoric in the right direction” but need to put forward more concrete commitments and accept a larger role in helping developing nations reduce their emissions and adapt to climate impacts, WWF said today. In today's communication towards a comprehensive climate change agreement in Copenhagen, the European Commission proposes how the EU should negotiate a global climate deal at the UN talks in December. EU Heads of Government intend to finalize the EU’s position at the Spring Council in March.
- WWF press release
Obama orders higher auto fuel efficiency
In what he called "a down payment on a broader and sustained effort to reduce our dependence on foreign oil," the president directed the Department of Transportation to establish higher fuel efficiency standards for carmakers' 2011 model year. The second memo paves the way for California and 18 other states to raise tailpipe emissions standards for the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide above and beyond the national standard. Web link: ENS newswire
Green economy will help fight climate change New figures released today show that moving to a “green” global economy could not only protect the planet from the worst effects of climate change but is surprisingly affordable. Web links:
A step in the right direction toward cleaning up industrial pollution 23 January 2009 Europe’s largest federation of environmental citizens’ organisations welcomed yesterday’s Environment Committee vote on the Commission’s proposal for a Directive on Industrial Emissions. Some shortcomings of the proposal were improved, particularly in increasing public participation and transparency when it comes to industrial activities and correcting major flaws in the monitoring requirements for waste incineration. The Committee also recognised the need for a robust inspection regime for Member States, setting minimum periods for the frequency of random inspections for the large facilities covered under IPPC.
Counting the cost of ozone pollution on crops A recent study has calculated crop losses as a result of surface ozone pollution. The study suggests that future earnings will be significantly reduced by ozone damage to crops, especially for some developing and agriculture-dependent countries.
Cleaner air equals longer lives Dramatic improvements in U.S. air quality over the last two decades have added 21 weeks to the life of the average American, researchers reported on Wednesday. Web links:
Wind power jobs to double in EU by 2020 Employment in the wind power industry will more than double in the European Union to around 330,000 in 2020, according to the European Wind Energy Association (EWEA) Web links:
Halt all carbon emissions by 2050 To avoid the most catastrophic effects of climate change, world carbon emissions will have to drop to near zero by 2050 and "go negative" after that, the Worldwatch Institute reported on Tuesday. Web links:
Study reveals truth about trucks Lorries cause far more environmental damage and congestion than previously thought, and are twice as likely to kill than cars, according to a report published by Transport & Environment (T&E). Carbon dioxide emissions from European road freight are predicted to increase 54% by 2030 according to the study, made by Dutch consultants CE Delft. It also found that lorries are responsible for 20% of road congestion in the EU, despite representing just 3% of road vehicles. Per kilometre driven, trucks were found to be responsible for twice the number of deaths caused by passenger cars. Web link: T&E press release
Climate blamed for slow growth of corals 9 January 2009 Global warming is slowing the growth of corals on the world's largest reef, Australian scientists have shown in a newly published study. The decline has been caused by a combination of rising sea surface temperatures and ocean acidification. "It is cause for extreme concern that such changes are already evident, with the relatively modest climate changes observed to date, in the world's best protected and managed coral reef ecosystem," said co-author Dr. Janice Lough. Web link: Environment News Service
Eleven eastern states commit to regional low carbon fuel standard 6 January 2009 Eleven eastern states in the US have signed a letter of agreement to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from transportation fuels and other sources by developing a regional low carbon fuel standard. The push towards a regional low carbon fuel standard started in June 2008. The 11 states already are partners in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, RGGI, the first mandatory, market-based effort in the United States to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. Web link: Environment News Service |
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