US to cut CO2 from existing power plants

The 1900s called, they want their means of energy production back.

By 2030, the CPP proposal should reduce CO₂ emissions from the power sector by 30 per cent nationwide, compared to 2005 levels, and provide up to US$93 billion in climate and public health benefits

On 2 June, the United States Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) published its Clean Power Plan, a proposal to cut carbon dioxide (CO₂) emissions from existing power plants. Accounting for roughly one-third of all domestic greenhouse gas emissions in the US, power plants are the country’s single largest source of carbon pollution.

While there are already limits in place for air pollutants such as sulphur dioxide, nitrogen oxides, particulate matter (PM), mercury and arsenic from this sector, there are currently no national limits on carbon pollution levels.

In 2009, following a US Supreme Court decision, the EPA determined that greenhouse gas pollution threatens Americans’ health and welfare by leading to long-lasting changes in Earth’s climate that can have a range of negative effects on human health and the environment. This determination gave the EPA the authority to regulate CO₂ emissions.

It is estimated that by 2030 the proposal will cut CO₂ emissions from the power sector by 30 per cent nationwide below 2005 levels. As a co-benefit it will also reduce emissions of PM, nitrogen oxides, and sulphur dioxide by more than 25 per cent, thus avoiding up to 6,600 premature deaths, up to 150,000 asthma attacks in children, and up to 490,000 missed work or school days – providing up to US$93 billion in climate and public health benefits. Moreover, it will shrink electricity bills roughly eight per cent by increasing energy efficiency and reducing demand from the power grid.

“By leveraging cleaner energy sources and cutting energy waste, this plan will clean the air we breathe while helping slow climate change so we can leave a safe and healthy future for our kids,” said EPA Administrator Gina McCarthy.

The plan is to be implemented through a state-federal partnership under which states identify a path forward using either current or new electricity production and pollution control policies to meet the goals of the programme. The proposal provides guidelines for states to develop plans to meet state-specific goals to reduce CO₂ emissions and gives them the flexibility to design a programme that makes the most sense for their specific situation. States can choose the right mix of generation using diverse fuels, energy efficiency and demand-side management to meet the goals. It allows them to work alone to develop individual plans or to work together with other states to develop multi-state plans.

The EPA will accept comments on the proposal for 120 days after its publication and will hold several public hearings. Based on this input, EPA will finalize standards by June 2015.

Friends of the Earth US acknowledges the proposed rule, which is supported by Barack Obama, as “the most significant step any American president has taken to mitigate climate disruption”, but states that it needs to be strengthened in order deliver the emission reductions needed to avoid the worst impacts from climate change and recommends the following changes to the rule:

Increase state targets to require greater emission reductions substantial enough to avert catastrophic climate disruption;

Require reductions to be made by 2020, rather than 2030, to accelerate action to prevent the accumulation of greenhouse gas emissions;

Change the base year from 2005 to the internationally accepted baseline of 1990, which will more accurately reflect the required reductions;

Promote the use of clean renewable energy, such as wind and solar, over dirty fossil fuels, such as natural gas and coal; and

Allow a sufficiently robust carbon tax as a means for states to comply with the rule.

Kate DeAngelis, climate and energy campaigner at Friends of the Earth, calls on the EPA to “heed public demand and release more stringent state targets. The rule remains woefully insufficient and will not lead to the emission reductions necessary to avoid catastrophic climate disruption. The EPA must strengthen the rule so that the state targets are stringent enough to substantially shift our energy system from dirty fossil fuels to a clean, renewable energy future”.

Source: EPA press release 2 June 2014.

Fact sheet by FOE US

In this issue

Air pollution still harms ecosystems

While acidification has been greatly reduced since its peak in 1980, emissions of nitrogen-containing air pollutants continue to damage more than half of sensitive ecosystems.

Editorial: Protect people and nature from air pollution

Since their peak around thirty years ago, emissions of air pollutants in Europe have come down significantly. Tougher emission standards for industry and road vehicles have resulted in less polluting power plants and cars.

Continued succes for renewables

Denmark got 41 per cent of its power from the wind in the first six months of 2014. Renewables are advancing all over Europe.

Saving Turkey from coal

Turkey should stop the construction of new coal- and lignite-fired power stations and start phasing out the existing ones, says Greenpeace Mediterranean.

A fair share of climate responsibility

Annex 1 countries need to have negative emissions of 441 GtCO₂ by 2050, according to a new equity proposal from several Latin American countries.

Lignite power provides bargain-priced pollution

Combustion of lignite is one of the environmentally worst ways to generate energy. Even so, there is a continued increase in many parts of Europe.

Proposal for coal phase-out in Germany

BUND, a German environmental organisation, suggests a legally binding law to close all coal power stations by 2030.

Emissions are falling – but not enough

While emissions of acidifying sulphur pollutants in the EU have come down by 84 per cent since 1990, those of nitrogen compounds have fallen only by 41 per cent.

UK brought to court on bad air quality

New figures from the UK government show air quality in some of the country’s biggest cities will not meet European Union pollution limits until after 2030, twenty years after the original deadline.

Sustainable food choices

Excluding meat from our diet is not enough on its own to benefit the climate. Eating a lot of cheese or simply eating a lot of everything also leads to high greenhouse gas emissions.

New figures on global ship emissions

In 2012 worldwide shipping consumed some 300 million tonnes of fuel oil, resulting in emissions of 949 million tonnes of carbon dioxide. Unless concerted action is taken, these emissions are expected to grow by up to five times by 2050.