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newsclips -- ARB Newsclips for April 14, 2016.
Posted: 14 Apr 2016 12:42:26
ARB Newsclips for April 14, 2016. 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 New car emissions in EU beat climate targets with 3 percent fall. Average carbon dioxide emissions from new cars sold in the European Union fell 3 percent last year, remaining below EU targets for 2015 as part of efforts to slow climate change, the European Environment Agency (EEA) said on Thursday. http://www.reuters.com/article/us-europe-autos-emissions-idUSKCN0XB139 CO2 Emissions Down as EU Drivers Buy Cleaner Cars. New cars sold in the European Union are increasingly more fuel-efficient and beat the official CO2 emissions target handily, concludes the European Environment Agency (EEA) in a new report published today. Official test results reported by national authorities to the agency show that last year new passenger cars sold emitted… http://ens-newswire.com/2016/04/14/co2-emissions-down-as-eu-drivers-buy-cleaner-cars/ ALISO CANYON New gas-odor complaints in Porter Ranch. There are new complaints of a gas odor in the neighborhood where a huge leak forced thousands from their homes – but officials say they can’t find the cause. The South Coast Air Quality Management District received some 40 complaints Wednesday in the Porter Ranch area. Officials say their air sampling and inspectors … http://www.ocregister.com/articles/gas-712034-complaints-leak.html http://www.mercurynews.com/california/ci_29763564/new-odor-complaints-la-neighborhood-near-huge-gas http://canmua.net/california/strong-odors-spark-new-fears-in-porter-ranch-and-prompt-649859.html CLIMATE CHANGE Scientists: Greenland ice sheet is melting freakishly early. Greenland's massive ice sheet this week started melting freakishly early because of a weather system that brought unseasonably warm temperatures and rain, scientists say. While the record early melt is mostly from natural weather on top of overall global warming, scientists say they are concerned about what it will mean when the melt season… http://bigstory.ap.org/urn:publicid:ap.org:a6236ae3af404af9a022d071b0269a7a?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=93cb5c510e-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-93cb5c510e-327747457 The most important mystery about U.S. climate change policy. On the surface, it looks like extraordinarily good news. The United States is burning less coal — less of the fuel that contributes the most carbon dioxide to the atmosphere when burned. Instead, we’re swapping in cleaner burning natural gas, which could serve as a “bridge” to an era in which wind and solar provide the bulk of the nation’s power. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2016/04/13/the-most-important-mystery-about-u-s-climate-change-policy/ Exxon asks Texas court to block subpoena in climate-change investigation undertaken by states. Exxon Mobil Corp. is squaring off against government investigators who believe the energy giant covered up knowledge of how fossil fuels contribute to climate change. Exxon went to state court this week in Texas to quash a subpoena issued last month by the attorney general of the U.S. Virgin Islands. http://www.usnews.com/news/business/articles/2016-04-14/exxon-seeks-to-block-subpoena-over-climate-change-documents http://www.modbee.com/news/nation-world/article71766662.html#storylink=cpy Oyster hatchery sows pearls of wisdom on climate change. Say "infrastructure" and most people think roads and bridges, not tubes and valves. But to Bill Mook, the black box in the basement of his oyster hatchery is every bit as fundamental as the basic facilities and structures that serve as a community's framework. http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/business/20160414/oyster-hatchery-sows-pearls-of-wisdom-on-climate-change Consensus Affirmed: Virtually All Climate Scientists Agree Warming Is Manmade. New paper tries to counter denialists' arguments and sway public opinion in the U.S., which lags far behind the science. Ninety to 100 percent of climate scientists agree that the planet is warming due to human activity… http://insideclimatenews.org/news/14042016/climate-change-consensus-affirmed-global-warming-manmade-scientists Is it possible to reduce CO2 emissions and grow the global economy? Yale Environment 360: Surprising new statistics show that the world economy is expanding while global carbon emissions remain at the same level. Is it possible that the elusive ‘decoupling’ of emissions and economic growth could be happening? http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/14/is-it-possible-to-reduce-co2-emissions-and-grow-the-global-economy UN climate science body green-lights 1.5C report. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change accepts call for report on tough aspirational global warming threshold agreed in Paris. The UN’s climate science body will produce a special report by 2018 on the impacts of 1.5C global warming and emissions cuts needed to stay within that threshold. http://www.climatechangenews.com/2016/04/14/un-climate-science-body-green-lights-1-5c-report/?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=93cb5c510e-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-93cb5c510e-327747457 Carbon price needed to avoid economic disruption from Paris climate goals – analysis. Climate Institute says regulations to phase out coal-fired generators and subsidies to encourage clean energy are needed. Australia faces significant economic disruption in 2030 to meet the Paris climate goals unless action is quickly taken, according to a new analysis. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/15/carbon-price-needed-to-avoid-economic-disruption-from-paris-climate-goals-analysis Paris climate deal on target, two years ahead of schedule. The UN climate chief has said that the Paris climate agreement could swing into action as early as 2018, two years earlier than expected. The global deal reached at the Paris climate conference of December 2015 could come into force two years ahead of schedule… http://www.csmonitor.com/World/Global-News/2016/0414/Paris-climate-deal-on-target-two-years-ahead-of-schedule Berkeley Resilience Plan Is About More Than Fires and Flooding. To increase disaster preparedness, Berkeley wants to make better neighbors. A cornerstone of the city’s new resilience strategy, released earlier this month, is forging stronger connections among neighbors and neighboring institutions to help them better withstand the effects of climate change and natural disasters… https://nextcity.org/daily/entry/new-berkeley-resilience-plan-community-resilience-centers More moose on the loose in a warmer Alaska. Rising temperatures and longer summers have helped the iconic Alaskan moose conquer vast new stretches of frozen tundra according to a new study. Changes in climate have seen a rapid increase in the size of plants that the moose depend on in winter to survive. http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-36038237 Climate change inspections may join building inspections as prerequisites for buyers. Buying a house? OK, you’ve ordered a building inspection to check the condition of the house, but what about a “climate valuation” report to consider the impact of climate change? This could be the new box to tick when buying property, with an Australian company planning to have climate valuation reports available by October. http://www.domain.com.au/news/climate-change-inspections-may-join-building-inspections-as-prerequisites-for-buyers-20160414-go5ae8/ World's scientists to join forces on major 1.5C climate change report. Special UN report will offer comprehensive assessment of impacts of a 1.5C rise in global warming on sea level, coral bleaching and biodiversity. Scientists from around the world will contribute to a major UN report on how global temperatures can be held to a rise of 1.5C and what the impact might be on sea level rises, the bleaching of corals and biodiversity. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/apr/14/worlds-scientists-to-join-forces-on-major-15c-climate-change-report Changing climate parches mountain streams. The debate began in September 2014 with a roughly sketched mountainside on a napkin, as five hydrologists sipped coffee and exchanged heated words about stream systems. Almost two years later, the results of their friendly academic sparring have been published in Environmental Research Letters. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/04/14/stories/1060035578 Race, poverty complicate climate resilience – study. Coastal communities in low-lying Louisiana, threatened not only by subsiding land but rising seas, face social vulnerabilities that must be taken into consideration as the state adapts to climate change, new research finds. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/04/14/stories/1060035577 Peabody Energy's rocky relationship with climate change. Peabody Energy Corp. has a checkered past on climate change. The coal mining giant, which filed for bankruptcy yesterday, once embraced a legislative effort to curb greenhouse gas emissions. The company supported parts of the so-called Waxman-Markey cap-and-trade bill when it was working its way through Congress in 2009. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/04/14/stories/1060035597 Nutritional value of fish threatened by climate change. Warmer waters could one day make fish and other aquatic species less rich in two omega-3 fatty acids, researchers at Ryerson University in Canada revealed this week. The culprit is climate change, but researchers said rising global temperatures are not directly affecting the fish that are humans' main source of the fatty acids… http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/04/14/stories/1060035596 DROUGHT California drought fears ease, don’t vanish, with rain. A wetter winter has dampened Californians’ anxiety about the drought, though large majorities remain deeply concerned about ongoing water shortages and committed to consuming less. Well over half of California voters dubbed an enduring lack of water a major problem, with 62 percent of Field Poll respondents… http://www.fresnobee.com/news/nation-world/national/article71770667.html#storylink=cpy California drought: Odds of La Niña increase for next winter, bringing concerns the drought may drag on. El Niño, the warming of the Pacific Ocean that brought Northern California its wettest winter in five years, easing the drought, is continuing to weaken and appears to be giving way to La Niña conditions, which historically have increased the chances of drier-than-normal weather in much of the state. http://www.eastbaytimes.com/california/ci_29766135/california-drought-odds-la-nina-increase-next-winter FUELS RWE Reviving Gas Plant Shows Fuel Has Place Among Renewables. While Europe’s vision of the future may be one where all power is generated using renewable energy, for now natural gas has its place. RWE AG, Germany’s biggest electricity producer, plans in October to restart part of its mothballed Moerdijk-2 gas-fired plant in the Netherlands as fuel prices near a record low make previously unprofitable units viable. http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-O5IYBS6S973001-6IC33K4Q3USVTIBLT0EON62APP Gulf Refiners Pay More for Mexican Crude as Fuel Demand Soars. Mexican heavy crude became more expensive for U.S. Gulf Coast refiners as gasoline demand surges ahead of the summer driving season. The trading arm of Petroleos Mexicanos cut the discount on Maya crude for Gulf refineries to $1.80 per barrel in May, the narrowest since July, down from $2.75 in April. http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-O5LBXN6KLVRI01-7SG2JJQ8H5A32L4KN4DM6HA8S3 VEHICLES Tesla Tested by Enel to Buffer South Africa Power Cost (Correct). Enel Green Power SpA, the renewable energy unit of Italy’s biggest utility, is rolling out a version of Tesla Motors Inc.’s home-power kit to help South African retail customers buffer against rising electricity prices and grid outages. With South African power tariffs set to rise 9.4 percent this year, Tesla’s battery systems could become more attractive… http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-O5INOP6TTDS401-3420FR1CVEPLFDQ2DGLBFSDDLA Merkel says Germany on track with electric car incentives review. The German government is on target with a review of the case for incentives to boost demand for electric cars and plans to meet automotive market representatives later this month, Chancellor Angela Merkel said on Thursday. "When this meeting has taken place, then of course we will inform you. http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL5N17H2ZZ LG Chem plans to build electric car battery factory in Poland – source. South Korea's LG Chem plans to build an electric vehicle (EV) battery factory in Poland to meet rising demand from European automakers, a person familiar with the matter said on Thursday. "The plant will be completed in about one-and-a-half years," said the source, who did not want to be named as he was not authorized to talk to the media. He did not provide any details on the size of the investment. http://af.reuters.com/article/commoditiesNews/idAFL3N17H1IV Cal Energy Commission approves ~$9M for DC fast chargers; $12.6M for NGV incentives. The California Energy Commission approved nearly $9 million in grants for the installation of DC fast chargers along major state freeways and highways to allow electric vehicle drivers to travel from San Diego to the Oregon border without worrying about running out of energy. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/04/20160414-calenergy.html Tesla And Other Tech Giants Scramble For Lithium As Prices Double. Demand for lithium—the hottest commodity on the planet and the only commodity to show positive price movement in 2015—is poised to continue on its upward trajectory, becoming the world’s new gasoline and earning the moniker of “White Petroleum”. http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/04/20160414-lithium.html VW RECALL VW diesel fallout: hot-selling Porsche Macans finally certified by EPA. It may not be sold in the U.S. with a diesel engine after all, but the 2017 Porsche Macan was recently ensnared in the Volkswagen diesel scandal. Shipments of the small luxury crossover were held up at ports for weeks pending regulatory approval. The issue prevented Porsche from shipping the vehicles to the 13 states… http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1103417_vw-diesel-fallout-hot-selling-porsche-macans-finally-certified-by-epa GREEN ENERGY UK's 3 billion pound green home scheme not value for money: watchdog. A British government scheme costing energy firms 3 billion pounds to help people cut their bills and greenhouse gas emissions through measures such as subsidized loft insulation has not been value for money, a parliament watchdog said. The report, by the National Audit Office (NAO), said "neither we nor the Department (of Energy and Climate Change)… http://www.reuters.com/article/us-britain-energy-efficiency-idUSKCN0XB17H?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29 Calpers seeks Anadarko shareholder support on climate disclosures. Calpers, the largest public U.S. pension fund and a shareholder of Anadarko Petroleum Corp, has sought shareholder support for a proposal requiring the company to report risks linked to climate change through routine annual disclosures. Calpers, which holds about 1.5 million shares in Anadarko… http://af.reuters.com/article/energyOilNews/idAFL3N17H33R The Wheel Thing: Untangling electric vehicle tax credits. It’s been two weeks since Tesla introduced its all-electric Model 3 sedan, with a range of 215 miles per charge and a starting price of $35,000. Costing half as much as the auto maker’s larger Model S, the Model 3 surprised industry analysts when more than 325,000 people placed deposits on the compact luxury sedan in little more than a week. http://www.scpr.org/programs/take-two/2016/04/14/47956/the-wheel-thing-untangling-electric-vehicle-tax-cr/ Can banks raise an annual $1T for clean energy? National and multilateral development banks can help the world achieve the climate goals enshrined in last year's Paris deal by taking steps to make clean energy investment less risky and expensive, according to a report by the New Climate Economy. The international initiative spearheaded by former Mexican President Felipe Calderón proposes a target of $1 trillion a year for low-carbon energy. http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/04/14/stories/1060035576 MISCELLANEOUS California mulls HFC bans in refrigeration, air conditioning from 2020-21. The Air Resources Board is proposing actions to cut HFC emissions by 40% by 2030, compared to 2013 levels. Meeting these targets will help to achieve the Governor’s goal to cut all greenhouse gas emissions in California by 40% below 1990 levels by 2030 and help to meet Federal air quality standards for 2031 and beyond. http://www.hydrocarbons21.com/articles/6949/california_mulls_hfc_bans_in_refrigeration_air_conditioning_from_2020-21 OPINIONS Climate Change: More Losers Than Winners. Heat is just one of many exposures by which climate change threatens human health. In his April 7 op-ed “An Overheated Climate Alarm” Bjorn Lomborg targets the recent Federal Climate and Health Assessment, focusing on the balance between cold-related deaths avoided and heat-related deaths caused by climate change. http://www.wsj.com/articles/climate-change-more-losers-than-winners-1460583835 BLOGS Climate Silence: How Fossil Fuel Industry Power Works to Keep Climate Out of the Presidential Debates and What to Do. About 1 percent of the questions asked at the presidential debates have concerned climate change. This is an outrage. Humanity faces an existential crisis, and over the course 21 debates, debate moderators are only able to manage 12 questions on climate out of well over 1,000. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/robert-weissman/climate-silence-how-fossi_b_9690438.html Climate change alters genes of a mustard plant. California got a bit more rain and snow this year thanks to El Niño, but is still suffering the effects of many years of drought. This drought is one example of the many extreme events, including storms and fires that are increasing in frequency as the global climate continues to change. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/steve-franks2/climate-change-alters-gen_b_9690292.html The road from Massachusetts v. EPA: Through the looking glass to lawless climate change regulation. In Lewis Carroll’s Through a Looking Glass (the sequel to Alice in Wonderland), Alice and Humpty Dumpty have the following conversation: “When I use a word,’ Humpty Dumpty said in rather a scornful tone, ‘it means just what I choose it to mean — neither more nor less.’ http://thehill.com/blogs/congress-blog/energy-environment/275921-the-road-from-massachusetts-v-epa-through-the-looking Finding a United Front as Methane Becomes Key Climate Battle. Washington Post science writer Chris Mooney weighs in today with a deep-dive on rising methane emissions from America’s surging natural gas production, calling it “most important mystery about U.S. climate change policy.” http://blogs.edf.org/energyexchange/2016/04/14/finding-a-united-front-as-methane-becomes-key-climate-battle/ Chevron’s New Willits Investments. Chevron's Richmond oil refinery is a colossal system of pipes, towers, smokestacks, and storage tanks perched on a peninsula of low hills rising from the San Francisco Bay. According to data from the California Air Resources Board (CARB), it was California's third largest emitter of climate change… http://theava.com/archives/55011 CARB Paperwork Reveals Updated 911 GTS Is Coming. It seemed slightly odd that Porsche would introduce a second-generation of the 911 GTS in 2015; less than a year before the updated 911 with turbo flat-six engines would be revealed. But it seems it was meant to be a short production run. An eagle eye member of the Rennlist forums found paperwork filed by Porsche to the California Air Resources Board (CARB)… http://www.torquenews.com/3719/carb-paperwork-reveals-updated-911-gts-coming#sthash.iKCfj2CC.dpuf EPA underestimates methane emissions. Rising amounts of greenhouse gas missed by environmental agency’s methods. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency has a methane problem — and that could misinform the country’s carbon-cutting plans. Recent studies suggest that the agency’s reports fail to capture the full scope of U.S. methane emissions... https://www.sciencenews.org/article/epa-underestimates-methane-emissions?mode=blog&context=100 California is in a drought emergency. Visit www.SaveOurH2O.org for water conservation tips.