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ARB Newsclips for January 22, 2014. 

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

EU Ban on UN Carbon May Flag End of Offset Market, Nomisma Says.
A proposed European Union ban on the use of United Nations carbon
credits in its emissions market may signal the end of the
international offset market, according to energy consultant
Nomisma Energia srl. The European Commission today set out
emissions targets for 2030 that only allow the import of carbon
credits if an ambitious global climate deal is agreed in Paris
next year, the EU’s executive arm said on its website.. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-22/eu-ban-on-un-carbon-may-flag-end-of-offset-market-nomisma-says.html


Kenya first to earn carbon credits from sustainable farming. A
project bringing together thousands of small farmers in western
Kenya has become the first to earn carbon credits using a new
sustainable farming accounting system, the World Bank said on
Tuesday. According to the bank - whose BioCarbon Fund is
financing the initiative - the Kenya Agricultural Carbon Project
issued 24,788 credits under the Verified Carbon Standard last
week. Posted.
http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/01/21/carbon-farming-kenya-idUKL2N0KV1QZ20140121?feedType=RSS&feedName=rbssFinancialServicesAndRealEstateNews

 
AIR POLLUTION

Poor air quality in Western U.S. linked to China.  The lack of
rain is causing air pollution concerns across the state. It’s no
surprise, the worst air quality is reportedly right here in the
San Joaquin Valley.  A new study attributes bad air in the
western United States, to Chinese export.  The National Academy
of Science reports 12% to 24% of daily sulfate concentration in
the western U.S., is directly related to produces manufactured in
china and exported here. Posted. 
http://www.kerngoldenempire.com/news/local/story/poor-air-quality-in-western-us-linked-to-china/d/news/local/story/D2ZgqHFg8EqmxJBA252Aeg


EPA advisory board to recommend ongoing review of carbon capture
and sequestration.  A scientific advisory board agreed yesterday
not to review the science supporting U.S. EPA's proposed rule to
cap carbon dioxide emissions from coal-fired power plants.
Instead, the board will draft a letter for EPA Administrator Gina
McCarthy, advising the agency's head to provide ongoing review of
the implementation of carbon capture and storage (CCS)
technology.  Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993257/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

Judge is asked to impose deadline for EPA ozone rule.
Environmental groups are asking a federal judge to set a deadline
for U.S. EPA to issue its long-delayed rule limiting ozone
emissions, saying the agency is in violation of the Clean Air Act
for stalling on the proposal. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059993284/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

CLIMATE CHANGE

NOAA: World in 2013 was 4th hottest on record. The sweltering
year of 1988 first put global warming in the headlines and ended
up as the hottest year on record. But on Tuesday, it was pushed
out of the top 20 warmest by 2013. Last year tied for the fourth
hottest and 1988 fell to 21st. Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_SCI_GLOBAL_WEATHER?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


OTHER RELATED STORIES
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/22/science/earth/2013-listed-as-one-of-the-warmest-years-on-record.html?ref=earth

http://www.latimes.com/nation/shareitnow/la-sh-nasa-global-warming-2013-20140121,0,7544506.story#ixzz2r9egNrQe
 
http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/NOAA-World-in-2013-was-4th-hottest-on-record-5162377.php
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993253/print  BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY  

Can public procurement fight climate change?  Public procurement
is rarely thought of as a tool to combat climate change. But in
2010, the public sector -- the largest buyer in the economy --
accounted for 19 percent of the European Union's gross domestic
product, making it a potential driving force for more innovative,
energy-efficient products. On Jan. 15, the European Parliament
approved an alteration to the public procurement directive --
rules that dictate the way public authorities buy goods and
services. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993245/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

DROUGHT

California drought: Scientists to probe cause. California's
drought will be one of the extreme weather events that the
American Meteorological Society will examine later this year to
determine whether the cause is natural variability or
human-caused climate change, a federal official said Tuesday. The
American Meteorological Society's study will be similar to one
the group undertook of extreme weather events of 2012. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/California-drought-Scientists-to-probe-cause-5163948.php

FUELS

UPDATE 1-U.S. appeals court won't revisit California fuel
standard ruling.  A U.S. appeals court on Wednesday refused to
revisit a ruling which upheld California's low carbon fuel
standard aimed at reducing transportation-related greenhouse gas
emissions, according to a court filing. A three-judge panel of
the 9th U.S. Circuit Court of Appeals in San Francisco upheld
California's regulations last year. In a decision released on
Wednesday, the 9th Circuit refused to rehear the case before a
larger panel of judges. Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/22/california-carbon-lawsuit-idUSL2N0KW1BR20140122
 

Ethanol Falls to Lowest Price in Five Weeks on Corn Crop Outlook.
Ethanol futures dropped to the lowest level in five weeks on
speculation that an abundant corn crop will encourage distillers
to increase output. Futures fell as much as 3 percent following
rain in Brazil and Argentina this week that may boost yields of
the grain, U.S. ethanol’s primary feedstock. “Corn is not an
issue,” said Mike Blackford, a consultant at INTL FCStone in Des
Moines, Iowa Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-22/ethanol-falls-to-lowest-price-in-five-weeks-on-corn-crop-outlook.html


Canadian company starts Keystone pipeline in Texas.  A Canadian
company on Wednesday started delivering oil through the Texas
portion of a proposed cross-border pipeline that has stirred
controversy and tension between the United States and its
northern neighbor. TransCanada began delivering oil from a hub in
Cushing, Okla., to customers in Nederland, Texas, early
Wednesday, Alex Pourbaix, president of energy and oil pipelines,
said at a news conference. Posted.
http://bigstory.ap.org/article/canadian-company-starts-keystone-pipeline-texas


Australia Divided on Fracking.  Debate over hydraulic fracturing
is growing in Australia, where environmentalists are concerned
about new efforts to tap the country’s substantial reserves of
oil and natural gas. So far, experts say, hydraulic fracturing
has made few inroads in Australia. But the practice, also known
as fracking, is expected to grow as Australia seeks more natural
gas for export. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/business/energy-environment/australia-divided-on-fracking.html


2 Reasons Companies Are Switching to CNG. What innovation could
possibly satisfy environmentalists and economists? Natural gas
vehicles, powered by compressed natural gas (CNG) or liquefied
natural gas (LNG) engines, may be able to do just that. Waste
Management is part of the solution. With over 2,200 vehicles of
its fleet powered by natural gas (mostly CNG), Waste Management
is leading the switch from oil to natural gas. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/2-Reasons-Companies-Are-Switching-to-CNG-5164868.php


VEHICLES

Even major increase in EVs would not significantly reduce
emissions – study. Even if electric vehicles make up almost half
of the U.S. passenger vehicle fleet by 2050, there would be
little reduction to key air pollutants like carbon, nitrogen and
sulfur dioxides, according to a new study from North Carolina
State University. The team ran 108 different scenarios under an
intricate energy systems model to determine the impact of hybrid,
plug-in hybrid and battery electric vehicles' use on emissions
between now and 2050…Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/greenwire/stories/1059993293/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

GREEN ENERGY

EU relaxes renewables target, reaps criticism. The European Union
on Wednesday shied away from more ambitious renewable energy
goals as the bloc's sluggish economy appeared to dent its zeal in
the global fight against climate change. To the dismay of
Germany, environmentalists and others, the European Commission
stepped back from proposing tougher binding renewable energy
targets for each of the 28 member nations. Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_EUROPE_CLIMATE_CHANGE?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT
 

OTHER RELATED STORIES
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-22/eu-said-to-propose-40-greenhouse-gas-reduction-target-by-2030.html
 
http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/01/22/us-eu-climate-idUSBREA0L1CI20140122
 
http://www.nytimes.com/2014/01/23/business/international/european-union-lowers-ambitions-on-renewable-energy.html?hpw&rref=business
 
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/EU-relaxes-renewables-target-reaps-criticism-5164744.php
 
http://cleantechnica.com/2014/01/22/report-european-union-carbon-emissions-cut-40-2030-using-low-cost-measures/
 
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2014/01/22/eu-to-cut-carbon-emissions-40-by-2030/

 
At Davos, push for clean energy as climate weapon. Leaders
gathered in the Swiss ski resort of Davos are pushing for nations
worldwide to shift to cleaner energy sources as the best way to
contain global warming and re-energize the global economy. U.N.
climate Chief Christiana Figueres, reflecting the top billing
that climate change has in Davos this year…. Posted.
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_DAVOS_FORUM?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


OTHER RELATED STORIES
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/At-Davos-push-for-clean-energy-as-climate-weapon-5164824.php

http://www.modbee.com/2014/01/22/3147068/at-davos-push-for-climate-relief.html
 BY SUBSCRIPTION ONLY 

EU Must Contain Energy Costs or Risk ‘Deindustrialization’: EU.
Europe must get a grip on energy prices to protect growth and
stop its industry from fleeing abroad, according to two top
policy makers.  The region needs to reduce the cost gap with the
U.S., where a shale-gas revolution has slashed prices, European
Union Energy Commissioner Guenther Oettinger told a conference in
Berlin via a video link from Brussels. Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-01-21/eu-must-get-grip-on-energy-costs-or-risk-deindustrialization-.html


MISCELLANEOUS

How to cope with allergic reactions brought on by dry spell.
Seasonal variations may be pleasant to some but a nuisance to
allergy sufferers. During a dry and windy season, those with
allergies would probably rather stay indoors in the comfort of an
air-conditioned room. In the last few weeks, I have had several
patients who have showed up complaining of allergy and upper
respiratory symptoms. Posted.
http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/How-to-cope-with-allergic-reactions-brought-on-by-5164062.php


Awareness of climate costs, risks builds among major companies –
survey. Despite rising awareness about the relationships between
business success and environmental performance, many companies
are still failing to adequately address the stresses caused to
land, air and water by economic growth and the production of
goods and services. Such are the findings of the 2014 "State of
Green Business" report from the Oakland, Calif.-based GreenBiz
Group, which monitors global businesses on a variety of
environmental performance indexes. Posted.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/stories/1059993249/print BY
SUBSCRIPTION ONLY

OPINIONS

Letters: Recycling or robbery? Re "An income hit for recyclers,"
Jan. 19 The Times sympathetically portrays the plight of
individuals who "earned an average of 7% of their income from
returning bottles and cans." For many cases, the word "returning"
should be replaced with "stealing." I have been at many meetings
in Los Angeles where residents complained about people fishing
through their recycling bins and taking what should be going to
the city. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/opinion/la-le-0122-wednesday-recycling-20140122,0,6224750.story#ixzz2r9iI3ygX


Stop the foot-dragging on climate change.  The following
editorial appeared in the Los Angeles Times on Tuesday, Jan. 21:
The world has very little time - perhaps 15 years - to make
serious inroads on climate change, according to a leaked report
from a U.N. panel. Current efforts, even among the most committed
nations, fall short, and at the current rate of carbon emissions,
the problem might grow too large to overcome with existing
technology.  Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/22/6091613/stop-the-foot-dragging-on-climate.html#storylink=cpy


Dan Walters: Jerry Brown assumes political ownership of drought. 
America’s political executives – presidents, governors and big
city mayors – are often judged by how they respond to
unanticipated crises. Thus, then-President George W. Bush’s
popularity soared after the Sept. 11, 2001, terrorist attacks on
the nation, then plummeted four years later after an erratic
response to deadly Hurricane Katrina. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2014/01/22/6090585/dan-walters-jerry-brown-assumes.html#storylink=cpy


BLOGS

U.S. Delegation to Press Issues Like Climate Change and Syria. 
When the American delegation arrives in Davos, Switzerland, this
week, it will be with a more triumphalist message than in years
past. The United States economy appears to have turned a corner.
The fever seems to have broken in Congress, with a bipartisan
budget bill passing for the first time in half a decade. Posted.
http://dealbook.nytimes.com/2014/01/21/davos-to-turn-its-attention-to-noneconomic-issues/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0
 

5 new ways Obama could jumpstart clean energy. President Obama
can push clean energy forward without the need for congressional
action, Cunningham writes. A new report lists over 200
recommendations for executive action on clean energy and energy
efficiency. A group of energy experts released a thick report
that details a laundry list of ways that the President can take
executive action to push clean energy forward without the need
for congressional action. Posted.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Energy-Voices/2014/0122/5-new-ways-Obama-could-jumpstart-clean-energy


Smooth Sailing: Wind Energy Is Breaking World and National
Records. A gale of good news is hitting both the wind industry
and the future of the planet. The new year started out with two
world records. Spain became the first country ever to get more
energy from wind than any other source during a complete year in
2013, with a 21.1-percent share at 55 gigawatts (GW). Posted.
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/javier-sierra/smooth-sailing-wind-energy_b_4639323.html?view=print&comm_ref=false

DOE Secretary Moniz announces $50 million for cleaner vehicles,
sees upside in Fisker loan failure.  The Washington Auto Show
started today with an announcement by US Department of Energy
Secretary Ernest Moniz about a new, $50-million boost for the
DOE's work on supporting more fuel-efficient vehicles. The $50
million, Moniz said, will support advanced vehicle technologies.
$30 million will go towards making plug-in vehicles better and
charging more convenient…Posted.
http://green.autoblog.com/2014/01/22/doe-secretary-moniz-announces-50-million-cleaner-vehicles/