What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for November 18, 2015. 

This is a service of the California Air Resources Board’s Office
of Communications.  You may need to sign in or register with
individual websites to view some of the following news articles.

AIR POLLUTION

White House threatens to veto U.S. Senate challenge of power
plant rule.  The White House issued a veto threat on Tuesday for
a resolution from the Republican-led U.S. Senate that would
nullify new regulations to cut carbon emissions from power
plants, the central piece of President Barack Obama's climate
plan. The Senate sponsors of the motion have said the
Environmental Protection Agency regulation…
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/17/us-usa-climatechange-congress-veto-idUSKCN0T628720151117#RdhOuXkRMCaMQoPZ.99
 

In Coal Setback, Rich Nations Agree to End Export Credits.
Members of the Organization for Economic Cooperation and
Development struck an historic agreement Tuesday to scale back
public financing for coal-fired power plants, dealing another
blow to the industry ahead of a global summit on climate change
in Paris. Under the agreement, detailed by the White House in a
conference call, the world’s richest economies will restrict
subsidies…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2015-11-18/in-latest-blow-to-coal-rich-nations-agree-to-end-export-credits


Britain Calls for Closing of Coal-Fired Power Plants by 2025. The
British government on Wednesday called for the closing of all
coal-fired power plants in the country by 2025, and proposed that
use of the plants be restricted two years before that. The move,
announced in advance of the United Nations conference on climate
change set to open in Paris on Nov. 30…
http://www.nytimes.com/2015/11/19/business/energy-environment/britain-to-close-coal-fired-power-stations-by-2025.html?ref=energy-environment&_r=1


Environmentalists ask judge to halt $500-million harbor-area rail
yard. A coalition of environmentalists, community groups and Long
Beach officials is seeking a court order to halt construction of
a controversial $500-million Port of Los Angeles rail yard that
they claim will increase pollution in surrounding low-income,
minority communities.
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-port-project-lawsuit-20151117-story.html


CLIMATE CHANGE

Getting that sinking feeling in tortuous U.N. climate talks.
Abdullahi Majeed was a young delegate for the Maldives when
low-lying island states warned for the first time in 1989 that
climate change and rising seas could "threaten the very survival"
of some nations.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/18/us-climatechange-summit-negotiator-idUSKCN0T70P920151118#u7p8jqcI0clcGK8U.99
 

Obama Tells CEOs Climate Change Offers Growth Opportunities. The
president’s call to action, delivered to executives from some of
the world’s biggest companies at the Asia-Pacific Economic
Cooperation forum in Manila, was made in anticipation of talks in
Paris starting late this month intended to deliver binding
targets for each nation to cut carbon emissions.
“http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-NXYHXLSYF01S01-41VBLL04BT4V23U9S9F8FC08G9


After attacks, Paris prepares for climate change talks. 
California has long led the world in tackling climate change.
Now, Golden State leaders hope the rest of the world will follow
their lead. Negotiators from more than 190 countries will gather
in Paris two weeks from Monday, in a last-ditch effort to strike
a deal that averts catastrophic levels of global warming.
http://www.desertsun.com/story/news/environment/2015/11/14/paris-climate-talks-nations-look-california/75540806/


Berkeley reduces greenhouse gas emissions, report says. Residents
and businesses in this green-conscious city are treading ever
more softly on the earth, an analysis shows, but more work needs
to be done to achieve the goals of the Climate Action Plan.
Berkeley reduced its greenhouse gas emissions by 9 percent
between 2000 and 2013 even though the population in that time
span increased by 14 percent…
http://www.mercurynews.com/breaking-news/ci_29130478/berkeley-reduces-greenhouse-gas-emissions-report-says


What we don't know about the carbon cycle could hurt you. Palm
trees flower here in flashes of magenta and orange. Luscious
green fronds drag on the floor, and ropelike lianas hang off
trees, topped by giant flowers. Ignoring the brilliance all
around, 22 scientists trudged through their forest with their
eyes planted on the floor. At times, they picked up roots.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/11/18/stories/1060028165 

Politicization of climate change hinders adaptation in cities –
report. Portland, Ore., gets it -- adapting to climate change,
that is. Local decision makers in the liberal city, with a
bustling population of just over 600,000 people, reported very
high levels of concern about climate change and advanced
adaptation plans, according to an analysis undertaken by
researchers at George Washington University (GW).
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2015/11/18/stories/1060028192 

DROUGHT

California Water Agencies Want More Flexibility To Meet
Conservation Requirements. Sacramento-area water agencies are
hoping that the state will give them less stringent water
conservation requirements going forward. Last week in an
executive order, California Governor Jerry Brown called for
extending water restrictions through October next year if the
drought continues.
http://www.capradio.org/articles/2015/11/17/california-water-agencies-want-more-flexibility-to-meet-conservation-requirements/


FUELS

Following in Shell’s footsteps, oil major Statoil will also exit
the Alaskan Arctic. Statoil, the major Norwegian oil company,
announced Tuesday that just like Royal Dutch Shell, it too is
abandoning plans of drilling in the Alaskan Arctic. The company
said it is exiting 16 leases under its own operation and also
shutting down its Anchorage, Alaska office.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/11/17/following-in-shells-footsteps-oil-major-statoil-will-also-exit-the-alaskan-arctic/


Propel Fuels reports strong consumer adoption of renewable diesel
in SoCal; retail sales up 300% over biodiesel. Propel launched
Diesel HPR across Southern California in August 2015, and
consumer adoption of the fuel has risen 300% compared to its
former biodiesel product (B20). (Earlier post.) Utilizing Neste’s
NEXBTL renewable diesel, Propel’s Diesel HPR is a low-carbon,
drop-in renewable fuel that meets the ASTM D-976 petroleum diesel
specifications…
http://www.greencarcongress.com/2015/11/20151118-propel.html 

VEHICLES

UPDATE 1-China's Geely aims for 90 pct of sales to be green
energy cars by 2020. China's Geely Automobile Holdings plans to
concentrate entirely on developing green energy vehicles,
eschewing traditional combustion engines and completely
overhauling its product portfolio, the company said on Wednesday.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/18/autos-geely-idUSL3N13D3YA20151118#7pIgYFlG0cVYdXUP.99


Toyota says its fuel-cell vehicle gaining traction in California.
Toyota Motor Corp's hydrogen fuel-cell vehicles are gaining
traction in California, where 22 of the company's Mirai cars have
been delivered in its first month of availability, company
officials said on Tuesday. Toyota has ambitious plans to sell
30,000 fuel-cell vehicles globally by 2020…
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/18/autoshow-losangeles-toyota-idUSL1N13C2OR20151118#XQZ1VbVTQiY8dS55.99


Honda Clarity On Sale Late In 2016; Plug-In Hybrid To Get 40
Miles Of Range. The Honda Clarity Fuel Cell hydrogen fuel-cell
car will go on sale in the U.S. in late 2016, and initially it
will be sold only in California. It will be followed in 2018 by a
plug-in hybrid vehicle that shares its platform, which Honda says
will have 40 miles of electric range or more.
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1101043_honda-clarity-on-sale-late-in-2016-plug-in-hybrid-to-get-40-miles-of-range


GREEN ENERGY

Enel approves merger with green subsidiary. Italy's biggest
utility Enel and its renewable energy subsidiary Enel Green Power
said on Wednesday their boards had approved plans to merge the
companies to boost growth and generate synergies. The deal will
be carried out through a partial non-proportional spin-off of
Enel Green Power
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/18/enelgreenpower-enel-idUSI6N13001P20151118#zCYm6h2y4m5QpohH.99


White House pushes community solar power as rooftop alternative.
About half of electric customers can't install solar panels
because they don't own their building, don't get enough sun or
don't have a large, south-facing roof to install solar panels,
according to the U.S. Department of Energy. Those technical
challenges are a particular hurdle for low- and middle-income
customers…
http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/politics/2015/11/17/white-house-pushes-community-solar-power-rooftop-alternative/75950054/


Lower-cost wind and solar will drive energy storage technology.
Large wind and solar farms can compete in the power market even
with low natural gas prices and will drive the adoption of
technology to store renewable energy, according to an analysis by
financial advisers Lazard. The cost to build a utility-scale
solar photovoltaic plant has fallen by about 80 percent since
2009 while wind projects…
http://www.mercurynews.com/business/ci_29130632/lower-cost-wind-and-solar-will-drive-energy


Clean Energy Tax Incentive Will Hit Its Cap. A program to lure
clean energy and other green businesses to California will run
out of money for the first time. A state program started in 2010
awards up to $100 million per year in tax breaks to clean energy,
electric vehicle, and energy efficient manufacturing companies,
to encourage them to locate in the state.
http://www.capradio.org/articles/2015/11/17/clean-energy-tax-incentive-will-hit-its-cap/


Well-connected group brings Calif., N.Y. together on distributed
energy. California and New York regulators are working together
in the fast-moving policy arena of distributed energy. Both
states are at the forefront of policymaking on rooftop solar
systems and other technologies on the distribution side of the
electric grid.
http://www.eenews.net/energywire/2015/11/18/stories/1060028185 

OPINIONS

California's gasoline demand slowed over the summer: Kemp.
California motorists drive almost 1 billion miles every day, and
in doing so consume around 40 million gallons of gasoline and 8
million gallons of diesel. Californians use their cars a bit less
than the average U.S. resident but the state’s population is so
large it is one of the largest driving markets in the world.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2015/11/18/us-california-gasoline-kemp-idUSKCN0T71LT20151118#fICO17yiictEbZPl.99


Volkswagen Needs an Activist. VW's investors have paid a high
price for their hands-off approach to owning the German carmaker.
In the wake of the diesel emissions scandal, VW needs outspoken,
activist shareholders to press it to change gear. VW has long
traded at a discount to other carmakers. That's in part due to
governance risks, including an almost total lack of independent
shareholders…
http://www.bloomberg.com/gadfly/articles/2015-11-18/activist-investor-needed-after-volkswagen-emissions-scandal
 

BLOGS

Japan Satellite Shows Global CO2 Levels Near 400 Parts Per
Million. Operators of the world’s first satellite designed to
measure greenhouse gas levels from space said Monday that the
monthly average level of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere is
likely to exceed 400 parts per million next year. The satellite,
called Ibuki, is able to observe CO2 levels in all layers of the
atmosphere…
http://blogs.wsj.com/japanrealtime/2015/11/17/japan-satellite-shows-global-co2-levels-near-400-parts-per-million/


Exxon's Handling of Climate Change Raises Questions About Board
Oversight at Oil Giant. Corporate boards and the critical
oversight function they play have come to the fore over the last
year. You don't need to look any further than the scandal roiling
ExxonMobil to understand the high stakes at play. Exxon is facing
a moment of truth with potentially huge financial ripples.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/mindy-s-lubber/exxons-handling-of-climate-change_b_8577556.html




California is in a drought emergency.
Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.