California’s cap-and-trade program, known as “AB32,” is moving closer to its first binding auction. Mandated as part of California’s Global Warming Solutions Act of 2006, it requires greenhouse gas emissions in California to be reduced to 1990 levels by 2020 and to 80 percent of 1990 levels by 2050. Recently, the state modified its greenhouse [...]
Archive for the ‘Climate Change’ Category
27 Apr
The Economics of Hype: Rio+20
In June, the UN Conference on Sustainable Development will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil. Known as Rio+20 because it aims to address similar issues to the 1992 Earth Summit in Rio, its official discussions will focus on building a green economy to lift people out of poverty and improving international coordination for sustainable [...]
18 Apr
How the Militaries of the World Will Conquer the Arctic
Do you ever wonder about what will happen in the Arctic north as the ice caps slowly (or not so slowly) melt away? According to a recent article in the Guardian: “Arctic sea ice that used to cover around 9m sq km of ocean at the end of summer has, after 30 years, reduced at [...]
17 Apr
Overall GHG Emissions Up by 3.2% in 2010
The EPA yesterday announced the release of their annual greenhouse gas inventory report, which showed a trend towards increased energy consumption (due to the economy improving) and increased demand for electricity for air conditioning (due to the warm 2010 summer weather). However, despite the 3.2 percent increase in overall emissions from 2009 to 2010, there [...]
11 Apr
That Was the Warmest Winter Ever!
If you felt like you did less ice scraping, cocoa brewing, teeth chattering, or parka donning over the past few months, new data from the NOAA suggests that you are not alone. In fact, this winter set numerous records for warm temperatures, including the warmest winter months (January – February) on record in the contiguous [...]
24 Feb
A Trade War at 30,000 Feet
The U.S. joined twenty-three other nations on Wednesday in signing the so-called Moscow Joint Declaration to protest the EU’s Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), which in 2008 was extended to include aviation. It is the latest show of American opposition to the scheme, following a joint letter from the U.S., Canada, and Mexico to the International [...]
1 Feb
USDA Releases First Plant Hardiness Zone Map Since 1990
Last week, the USDA’s Agricultural Research Service, along with Oregon State University’s PRISM Climate Group, released a 2012 Plant Hardiness Zone Map, an interactive tool that displays (via colored zones) the average annual minimum winter temperature in any given area of the fifty states, using climate data collected from 1976 – 2005. With spring (well, [...]
23 Nov
Romney Takes Two Steps Back on Climate Change
Politico reports that Republican Presidential hopeful (and current runner up to Newt Gingrich) Mitt Romney took another step towards reversing what once seemed to be a sound, moderate stance on climate change and global warming over the weekend at an event in Manchester, N.H., when he glibly stated: “I know there is also a movement [...]
22 Nov
Water Disclosure
Jenner & Block’s Corporate Environmental Lawyer Blog yesterday posted a bit about the results of the recently released 2011 Water Disclosure Report by the not-for-profit Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP), which holds “the largest database of primary corporate climate change information in the world”. The blog post highlighted the following “key findings” from the process and [...]
8 Nov
High Class European Banks Say ‘No, Thank You’ to Dirty Coal
A short and sweet Environment and Climate Change Bulletin from Linklaters last week tipped us off to an interesting development in power plant financing, but left us thirsty for more details. According to the global law firm, several international banks (including the likes of HSBC, BNP Paribas, Crédit Agricole, Standard Chartered and F&C Asset Management) [...]
