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ARB Newsclips for November 2, 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.

CAP AND TRADE

51% of Canadians favor carbon pricing. Published: Wednesday,
November 2, 2016 A majority of Canadians support the carbon
pricing policy their government has proposed. According to a poll
conducted in the first week of October, 51 percent of Canadians
are for the plan. However, the poll found high opposition to the
policy in some pockets of the country. In Alberta, for instance,
only 29 percent of respondents approved of it.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/11/02/stories/1060045144 

AIR POLLUTION

British court rules government failing to tackle air pollution.
UK government measures to tackle air pollution still don't comply
with European Union legislation to improve air quality and meet
nitrogen dioxide limits, Britain's High Court ruled on Wednesday.
Nitrogen oxides reduce air quality and member states have been
flouting EU limits on a range of pollutants associated with
respiratory…
http://in.reuters.com/article/us-britain-pollution-idINKBN12X18S

http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-OG0H9F6TTDSY01-5KQI9VU0T9A2TBEL1JR5FNV3RS


New York Adopts Stricter Emissions Limits on Generators for
Buildings. Rules cover diesel generators or gas-fired engines
used to supply backup power to hospitals, offices. New York state
now has tougher emission limits for diesel generators and natural
gas-fired engines commonly used to supply backup power in large
buildings like hospitals and offices.
http://www.wsj.com/articles/new-york-adopts-stricter-emissions-limits-on-generators-for-buildings-1478039049


Farmers’ Unchecked Crop Burning Fuels India’s Air Pollution.
Desperate to reduce the pollution that has made New Delhi’s air
quality among the worst in the world, the city has banned private
cars for two-week periods and campaigned to reduce its ubiquitous
fireworks during holiday celebrations. But one thing India has
not seriously tried could make the most difference: curtailing
the fires set to rice fields by hundreds…
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/03/world/asia/farmers-unchecked-crop-burning-fuels-indias-air-pollution.html?_r=0

Air district proposes toxics rule that could affect 1,000
industries and businesses. Pollution officials are proposing what
they hope will be a bold new step to make the Bay Area’s air
healthier, but the burden squarely falls on hundreds of local
businesses that would face tough new scrutiny. Up to 1,000
businesses — from oil refineries, gas stations, hospitals to even
schools…
http://www.santacruzsentinel.com/article/NE/20161101/NEWS/161109945


Green group wins air pollution court battle. Campaigners have won
the latest battle in legal action against the UK Government over
levels of air pollution. A judge at the High Court in London
ruled in favour of environmental lawyers ClientEarth. The group
called air pollution a "public health crisis" and said the
government has failed to tackle it.
The ruling in the judicial review called the government's plan
"woefully inadequate".
http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-37847787 

Indigenous rights are key to preserving forests, climate change
study finds. Leaving forests in communal hands cuts carbon
emissions from deforestation, helps communities and offers
long-term economic benefits: ‘Everyone wins’. The world’s
indigenous communities need to be given a bigger role in climate
stabilization, according to a new study that shows at least a
quarter of forest carbon is stored on communal land, particularly
in Brazil.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/02/indigenous-rights-forests-climate-change-study


Make central London diesel-free to solve air pollution crisis –
report. IPPR study on delivering clean air in the capital comes
as the high court is due to rule on the UK government’s air
quality plan. Ridding inner London of virtually all diesel
vehicles would solve the capital’s air pollution crisis,
according to research published as the high court is due to rule
on the government’s air quality plan.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/02/make-central-london-diesel-free-to-solve-air-pollution-crisis-report


Diesel vehicles face charges after UK government loses air
pollution case. Ministers now bound to implement new measures to
cut toxic air quickly after high court ruling that current plans
are so poor they are illegal.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/nov/02/diesel-vehicles-face-charges-after-uk-government-loses-air-pollution-case


Madrid poised to restrict cars in city centre amid air pollution
fears. With high nitrogen dioxide levels in Spanish capital,
council is on verge of halving number of cars allowed in.
Madrid’s city council is on the verge of temporarily slashing the
number of cars allowed into the city centre by half as the
Spanish capital struggles with high levels of air pollution. With
levels of nitrogen dioxide rising above permitted levels…
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/nov/01/madrid-poised-to-restrict-cars-in-city-centre-amid-air-pollution-fears?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=8240ac9e42-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-8240ac9e42-327747457


ALISO CANYON

Utility wants to resume pumping natural gas into Aliso Canyon
facility that was site of massive leak. Barely a year after the
largest methane leak in U.S. history, and with two-thirds of its
wells still shut down, operators of the Aliso Canyon storage
field want to pump gas again. Southern California Gas Co. on
Tuesday asked California regulators for permission to resume
pumping pressurized natural gas into the ground…
http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-porter-ranch-20161101-story.html?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=8240ac9e42-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-8240ac9e42-327747457

http://hosted2.ap.org/CAANR/CA/Article_2016-11-01-US--California%20Gas%20Leak/id-61289020ad0c4647bd23990b6bd0a54e


CLIMATE CHANGE

Merkel's climate-change zeal turns into hot air. If Angela Merkel
is cooling on climate change, the world is in trouble. The German
chancellor has been a formidable force in the fight against
man-made global warming. In 2015 she pushed the leaders of the
G7, a rich-country club, into a historic pledge to stop using
fossil fuels by the end of this century. Later that year, she
helped to broker the Paris agreement to limit the global
temperature rise to below two degrees.
http://in.reuters.com/article/uk-climate-change-outlook-breakingviews-idINKBN12X167


Exclusive: Oil majors join forces in climate push with renewable
energy fund. Top oil companies including Saudi Aramco and Shell
are joining forces to create an investment fund to develop
technologies to promote renewable energy, as they seek an active
role in the fight against global warming, sources said. The chief
executives of seven oil and gas companies -- BP, Eni, Repsol,
Saudi Aramco…
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-oil-climatechange-idUSKBN12X0WA?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=8240ac9e42-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-8240ac9e42-327747457


Geoengineering to Alter Climate Moves Closer to Reality. A United
Nations body is investigating controversial methods to avert
runaway climate change by giving humans the go-ahead to
re-engineer the Earth’s oceans and atmosphere. So-called
geoengineering is seen as necessary to achieve the COP21 Paris
agreement clinched in December, when 197 countries pledged to
keep global temperatures rises below 2 degrees Celsius (3.6
degrees Fahrenheit),…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-31/geoengineering-to-alter-climate-change-moves-closer-to-reality


Amid political uncertainty, businesses must step up on climate
change. As the United Nations convenes COP 22 in Marrakech, it
provides a milestone to assess progress made in the global fight
to combat climate change. The Paris Climate Agreement that came
out of COP21 a year ago has shown unprecedented collaboration
among nations. The agreement goes into effect November 4 after
being ratified…
http://www.washingtonpost.com/sf/brand-connect/wp/enterprise/amid-political-uncertainty-businesses-must-step-up-on-climate-change/


How a Changing Climate Is Shaping a Leaf Peeper’s Paradise. A
century ago, the flaming fall foliage in Nova Scotia would have
long faded by late October. But the hills are still as nubbly
with color as an aunt’s embroidered pillow. Climate change is
responsible, scientists say. As the seasonal change creeps later
into the year, not only here but all across the northern United
States and Canada, the glorious colors will last longer…
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/11/03/science/climate-change-leaves.html


Trump Says Plan to End Climate Spending Would Save $100B. Donald
Trump says he would save $100 billion over eight years by cutting
all federal climate change spending—a sum his campaign says would
be achieved by eliminating domestic and international climate
programs. “We’re going to put America first. That includes
canceling billions in climate change spending for the United
Nations,”… http://www.bna.com/trump-says-plan-n57982082131/ 

US election result to dominate COP22 UN climate summit. After a
year of celebrating the Paris climate agreement, the hangover is
about to kick in for the 195 countries who helped deliver the
deal last December. It’s one thing to sign off on a piece of
paper that says you need to limit warming to well below 2C, quite
another to see policies implemented at national and regional
levels to make it happen.
http://www.climatechangenews.com/2016/11/01/us-election-result-to-dominate-cop22-un-climate-summit/?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=8240ac9e42-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-8240ac9e42-327747457


Saudi Arabia to ratify climate deal. Saudi Arabia will join the
list of signatories to the Paris Agreement before further
discussions begin next week in Marrakech, Morocco, according to
the country's energy minister. In a foreword to the summit,
Khalid Al-Falih noted that Saudi Arabia is determined to see the
climate accord implemented. "In fact, we are updating our
environmental plan…
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/11/02/stories/1060045143 

DROUGHT

California relaxes conservation rules as rain eases drought.
California on Tuesday moved to ease water conservation rules for
farmers in the northern and central parts of the state, a sign
that a wet fall may portend an easing of the state's five-year
drought. The decision to temporarily stop requiring mostly
agricultural users from detailing how much they take from key
watersheds comes as new data show…
http://uk.reuters.com/article/us-california-drought-idUKKBN12W56P

South Africa Drought ‘Recovery’ Forecast Even as Dam Levels Drop.
South African weather forecasters predict an “extended period of
recovery” from a drought in the next few months even as dam
levels continue to drop, the Water and Sanitation Department
said. “The likelihood for extreme wet conditions is also highly
favored” in the summer months of November to January…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-02/south-africa-drought-recovery-forecast-even-as-dam-levels-drop


Drought and wildfires plague a region typically known for its
‘rainforest-like’ climate. The Southeast is not a region that we
tend to associate with wildfires. It’s humid, it’s wet, and twice
this year deadly floods ravaged vast areas of two states —
Louisiana and North Carolina. Yet here we are, talking about
tinderbox conditions propelled by a historic drought and
record-breaking heat.
https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/capital-weather-gang/wp/2016/11/02/drought-and-wildfires-plague-a-region-typically-known-for-its-rainforest-like-climate-southeast/


Folsom, Granite Bay among those called out for dramatic increase
in water use.  Californians are continuing to use more water,
state drought regulators said Tuesday, with residents of Folsom
and Granite Bay among those who’ve ramped up their consumption
the most. The State Water Resources Control Board announced that
urban consumption grew by 8 percent in September…
http://www.sacbee.com/news/state/california/water-and-drought/article111846237.html#storylink=cpy


Drought weary California improves on lagging conservation. Urban
Californians still are saving less water since mandatory
conservation measures were lifted earlier this year in the
state's drought, but monthly figures released Tuesday show the
conservation backslide is leveling off. Californians used 18
percent less water than usual in September than in the same month
during the benchmark year of 2013.
http://www.dailyprogress.com/wet-start-of-rainy-season-respite-in-california-drought/article_63db4de9-837f-5d7f-a992-82de2f6ad355.html


Sod it: Californians turn back to grass lawns as drought shaming
ebbs. The state’s punishing drought saw neighbors scorned and
water-guzzling lawns ripped up. But turf-industry insiders say
grass is making a comeback. Yumi Wong adores the latest addition
to her southern California home: a lush, emerald lawn. “It just
looks much nicer with all the green.
https://www.theguardian.com/us-news/2016/nov/02/california-drought-lawns-grass-sod


FUELS

U.S. vehicle fuel efficiency hits record high: EPA. The fuel
efficiency of new U.S. vehicles hit a record high in 2015 even as
more Americans bought larger trucks and SUVs instead of cars, the
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) said on Wednesday. The
EPA said the average fuel efficiency of new vehicles reached a
record 24.8 miles per gallon in the 2015 model year…
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-autos-efficiency-idUSKBN12X1U7
http://www.miamiherald.com/news/article112024082.html 
http://www.omaha.com/news/nation/us-average-fuel-economy-at-record-high-of-mpg/article_083f3d9c-b61e-5c1c-ad9e-0f6fa6c1b253.html

http://www.autonews.com/article/20161102/OEM11/161109964/fleet-wide-fuel-economy-resumes-its-climb
http://www.foxnews.com/us/2016/11/02/us-average-fuel-economy-at-record-high-248-mpg.html


Winter blend gasoline on tap for California; will prices go down?
 California stations can start pumping winter blend gasoline Nov.
1, a fuel that is cheaper to make than the less-volatile summer
blend, and usually brings lower prices. But some current refinery
issues may temporarily throttle the usual price drop, said
Automobile Club of Southern California spokeswoman Marie
Montgomery.
http://blog.ucsusa.org/dave-cooke/fuel-economy-reaches-highest-level-ever-as-automakers-continue-to-beat-epa-regulations


Torrid gas consumption lasted all summer. The U.S. Energy
Information Administration revealed Wednesday that consumption of
U.S. finished motor gasoline reached a record 9.663 million
barrels a day in June, eclipsing the previous high mark of 9.640
set in July 2007. The EIA has reported such consumption since
1945. U.S. gas consumption for the summer months…
http://www.theadvertiser.com/story/news/2016/11/02/torrid-gas-consumption-lasted-all-summer/93161644/


VW RECALL

U.S. House Republicans want answers on VW settlements. Two senior
U.S. House Republicans on Tuesday asked environmental regulators
to answer questions about Volkswagen AG's (VOWG_p.DE) diesel
emissions settlements, including disclosing how the government
calculated the penalties imposed on VW to offset excess
pollution.In a letter, Representative Fred Upton, who chairs the
House Energy and Commerce Committee…
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-volkswagen-emissions-idUSKBN12W4SY


GREEN ENERGY

Peak Renewable Energy Investment Seen Holding Back Climate Fight.
Renewable energy investment probably has reached a peak of $349
billion that won’t be surpassed for at least five years,
signaling a lull in the global fight against climate change.
That’s the outlook from Michael Liebreich, founder of Bloomberg
New Energy Finance, who predicted funding for wind, solar and
other clean-energy projects…
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-11-02/peak-renewable-energy-investment-seen-holding-back-climate-fight


After wind turbine failure, most of Maui wind farm back online.
All but one of the eight wind turbines at the 21-megawatt Auwahi
Wind project at Ulupalakua Ranch on Maui are now back online
following the failure of one of the turbines, a spokeswoman for
the wind farm's owner confirmed to Pacific Business News. Major
parts of one of the turbines separated from the tower structure
and dropped to the ground…
http://www.bizjournals.com/pacific/news/2016/11/01/after-wind-turbine-failure-most-of-maui-wind-farm.html


Renewable energy growth accelerating, says International Energy
Agency. The overall carbon emissions associated with electric
cars decrease as the electricity used to recharge them gets
cleaner. And the latest statistics from the International Energy
Agency (IEA) will be good news indeed for electric-car drivers.
Last year saw record growth in renewable energy, according to the
IEA…
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1107036_renewable-energy-growth-accelerating-says-international-energy-agency


Tesla is killing off the ugly solar panel. But there's one
problem. Can you trust a car company to sell you your next roof?
Tesla unveiled a beautiful rendition of its solar roofs Friday
evening. They're practically indistinguishable from an ordinary
roof, but the shingles absorb sunlight to generate electricity
for your home and car. The shingles are part of an all-in-one
energy solution for home owners.
http://money.cnn.com/2016/11/02/technology/tesla-solar-city-solar-roof/index.html


Clean Line, GE to build $2.5B wind power line. A deal that would
create the largest clean-energy transmission project in the
United States was announced yesterday, a $2.5 billion effort to
build a high-voltage, direct-current (HVDC) power line that would
take wind energy produced in Oklahoma's windy Panhandle region to
the Memphis, Tenn., area.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/11/02/stories/1060045154 

BLOGS

Fuel Economy Reaches Highest Level Ever as Automakers Continue to
Beat EPA Regulations. EPA released its annual reports on the fuel
economy of new vehicles and how well automakers are complying
with regulations—and yet again, new vehicles sold are more
efficient than they’ve ever been, while automakers continue to
exceed the federal standards. Fiat-Chrysler CEO Sergio Marchionne
said that EPA needs to weaken or delay implementation of fuel
economy…
http://blog.ucsusa.org/dave-cooke/fuel-economy-reaches-highest-level-ever-as-automakers-continue-to-beat-epa-regulations




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