What's New List Serve Post Display

ARB Newsclips for November 6, 2013. 

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

California says ready to link carbon market with Quebec. 
California is ready to link its carbon cap-and-trade program with
a similar effort in the Canadian province of Quebec, a move that
could pave the way for further expansion of the market in coming
years, state officials said on Tuesday.  In a letter to Governor
Jerry Brown, California Air Resources Board chair Mary Nichols
said that starting on Jan. 1, businesses in both jurisdictions
will be able to surrender carbon emission permits generated by
either territory to meet their obligations under the program. 
Posted. 
http://in.reuters.com/article/2013/11/06/california-carbon-idINL2N0IR03520131106


AIR POLLUTION

UN: CO2 pollution levels at annual record high.  World carbon
dioxide pollution levels in the atmosphere are accelerating and
reached a record high in 2012, the U.N. weather agency said
Wednesday.  The heat-trapping gas, pumped into the air by cars
and smokestacks, was measured at 393.1 parts per million last
year, up 2.2 ppm from the previous year, said the Geneva-based
World Meteorological Organization in its annual greenhouse gas
inventory.  That is far beyond the 350 ppm that some scientists
and environmental groups promote as the absolute upper limit for
a safe level.  Posted. 
http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/E/EU_UN_GLOBAL_WARMING?SITE=AP&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT


OTHER RELATED STORIES
http://www.sfgate.com/news/science/article/UN-CO2-pollution-levels-at-annual-record-high-4959852.php
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/nov/06/un-co2-pollution-levels-at-annual-record-
http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/un-carbon-dioxide-pollution-levels-at-record-high-chief-gas-warming-earths-atmosphere/2013/11/06/a82b2fdc-46d6-11e3-95a9-3f15b5618ba8_story.htmlhigh/

http://www.redding.com/news/2013/nov/06/un-carbon-dioxide-pollution-levels-annual-record-h/
http://www.fresnobee.com/2013/11/06/3592781/un-co2-pollution-levels-at-annual.html
 
http://news.yahoo.com/greenhouse-gas-volumes-reached-high-2012-wmo-100418687.html
 
http://www.contracostatimes.com/ci_24464942/un-co2-pollution-levels-at-annual-record-high?IADID=Search-www.contracostatimes.com-www.contracostatimes.com
 
http://www.insidebayarea.com/ci_24464942/un-co2-pollution-levels-at-annual-record-high?IADID=Search-www.insidebayarea.com-www.insidebayarea.com
  

Dozens in hospital over pollution in south Iran.  An Iranian
newspaper says more than 50 people were hospitalized in a
southern city where air pollution levels spiked this week.
Tuesday's report by the pro-reform Arman daily quotes the head of
provincial health department, Mohammad Hossein Sarmast, as saying
that at least 5,000 people rushed to the city hospitals in Ahvaz
seeking medical assistance after pollution levels increased
following lightning strikes and heavy rains on Sunday. Posted.
http://www.vcstar.com/news/2013/nov/05/dozens-in-hospital-over-pollution-in-south-iran/#ixzz2jszilb7q
 

Air quality board votes to sue Morongo reservation decision. 
Concerns over relaxed air pollution rules for the Morongo Band of
Mission Indians Reservation appear to be heading to court.  The
move from the South Coast Air Quality Management District comes
in response to the Environmental Protection Agency’s decision in
September allowing heavier polluting development on the
reservation before ozone-offsetting requirements take effect. 
Posted. 
http://www.mydesert.com/article/20131105/NEWS07/311050009/Air-quality-board-votes-sue-EPA-over-Morongo-decision


CLIMATE CHANGE

Global Climate Deal Should Include Emissions Budget, CMIA Says. 
The global climate deal for 2020 being negotiated through 2015 by
United Nations envoys should include a budget limiting greenhouse
gas emissions, according to the Climate Markets & Investment
Association. The London lobby group which represents banks and
law firms called on almost 200 nations meeting in Warsaw starting
next week to agree on the “legal form” of the deal to be sealed
at a meeting in Paris in two years, CMIA said today by e-mail.
Posted.
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2013-11-06/global-climate-deal-should-include-emissions-budget-cmia-says.html
 

Obama appoints Brown, Garcetti to climate-change task force. Los
Angeles Mayor Eric Garcetti and Gov. Jerry Brown are among the
state and local leaders named to a national task force that will
recommend steps the federal government can take to help
communities cope with climate change. President Obama established
the task force last week when he signed an executive order
directing federal agencies to prepare for climate change. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-sci-sn-obama-jerry-brown-eric-garcetti-climate-change-20131105,0,5975457.story#axzz2jt23NZdm


Polar bear researchers to try crowdsourcing. Researchers studying
the effects of climate change on polar bears are experimenting
with the idea of crowdsourcing data as improving technology
allows anybody with an Internet connection to monitor the
animals' annual migration in Canada. Polar bears gather at this
time of year on the Hudson Bay's southwestern shore to wait for
the water to freeze so they can wander the ice and hunt for
seals. Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/11/05/5883697/polar-bear-researchers-to-try.html#storylink=cpy

http://www.sfgate.com/default/article/Polar-bear-researchers-to-try-crowdsourcing-4957480.php


Conference to review state climate policies.  California’s
efforts to cut greenhouse-gas emissions will come under review
Friday at the fifth annual Climate and Energy Law Symposium
hosted by the University of San Diego School of Law. The event,
featuring experts in climate, energy and environmental law, will
address the strengths and weaknesses of the state’s cap-and-trade
markets, zero-emission vehicles policies and low-carbon fuel
standard. Participants also are set to examine the progress state
utilities have made toward generating a third of their
electricity from renewable sources by 2020. Posted.
http://www.utsandiego.com/news/2013/nov/06/tp-conference-to-review-state-climate-policies/
 

Antarctic ice core may disclose 1.5 million years of climate
change. Regions of Antarctica could hold ice revealing
significant chapters in Earth's climate history, new research
suggests. The potential locations of the ice were described Nov.
5 in the journal Climate of the Past. One of those locations
could allow scientists to drill miles-long sections of ice to
explain why natural cycles in climate shifted about 1 million
years ago. Posted.
http://www.csmonitor.com/Science/2013/1106/Antarctic-ice-core-may-disclose-1.5-million-years-of-climate-change

DIESEL EMISSIONS

Over $8 million Available to Reduce Emissions in Bay Area in
Calif.  The California Bay Area Air Quality Management District
is announcing that funding is now available to help Bay Area
truck owners reduce emissions and meet upcoming state air quality
requirements.  Recent program changes prioritize funding for
small fleets of three or fewer trucks, provide for an extended
application period, and allow trucks with older engines to
participate. Grant applications must be submitted by Dec. 12 to
be considered for funding.  Posted. 
http://www.truckinginfo.com/news/story/2013/11/over-8-million-available-to-reduce-emissions-in-bay-area-in-calif.aspx


FUELS

Crude-Oil Futures Climb on U.S. Inventory Data. U.S. gasoline
stockpiles dropped to the lowest level since Nov. 23, 2012.
Crude-oil futures prices climbed Wednesday after government data
suggested stronger-than-expected demand for gasoline and diesel
fuel. U.S. gasoline stockpiles dropped 3.755 million barrels in
the week ended Nov. 1 to the lowest level since Nov. 23, 2012.
Analysts surveyed by The Wall Street Journal expected a
300,000-barrel decline. Posted.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303309504579181320305305880?KEYWORDS=energy


VEHICLES

Tesla shares plunge on battery shortage and heavy research
spending. Tesla Motors shares plunged in early trading Wednesday
after the electric car maker said a battery shortage was limiting
sales and that it is spending heavily on research and development
to bring new models to market. Shares of the automaker dropped
16%, or $28.67, to $148.14. Tesla shares have been on a run for
most of the year, rising about 400% before this reversal. Posted.
http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-tesla-shares-plunge-20131106,0,827926.story#axzz2jt23NZdm


Automakers, states to discuss zero-emission vehicle plan. 
Automakers and eight U.S. states led by California that want to
get more than 3 million zero-emission vehicles on the nation’s
roads by 2025 will meet in Washington this week to discuss the
ambitious plan.  At a two-day meeting starting Thursday,
automakers, officials from the states, California Air Resources
Board and the Environmental Protection Agency will meet to
discuss the new zero emission requirements. Posted. 
http://www.detroitnews.com/article/20131105/AUTO01/311050099/Automakers-states-discuss-zero-emission-vehicle-plan


GREEN ENERGY

Hitting EU green energy goals 'would save billions, boost GDP'
Hitting energy and environment targets for 2030 under discussion
in the European Commission would save up to 35 billion euros ($47
billion) per year in health costs as air pollution declines, EU
sources said. It would also add an estimated 0.5 percent to gross
domestic product, due mainly to lower oil and gas imports, they
said. The numbers are from a draft Commission assessment of the
impact of 2030 goals expected to be announced early next year.
Posted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/2013/11/06/us-eu-idUSBRE9A50FK20131106


Dairy digester to turn cow waste into valuable electricity. The
small city of Galt on Sacramento County’s southern edge was
founded by farmers, ranchers and dairymen like Arlin Van
Groningen, a third-generation dairy farmer who continues the
family tradition on a 90-acre plot off Harvey Road just north of
town. “We concentrate on cows,” he said. “Our goal is to produce
a clean milk product.” Posted.
http://www.sacbee.com/2013/11/05/5884722/dairy-digester-to-turn-cow-waste.html#storylink=cpy


OPINIONS

Stephens: Does Environmentalism Cause Amnesia? Climate-change
alarmists warn us about coming food shortages. They said the same
in 1968. Warming is becoming a major problem. "A change in our
climate," writes one deservedly famous American naturalist, "is
taking place very sensibly." Snowfall, he notes, has become "less
frequent and less deep." Rivers that once "seldom failed to
freeze over in the course of the winter, scarcely ever do so
now." Posted.
http://online.wsj.com/news/articles/SB10001424052702303482504579177651057373802?KEYWORDS=climate+change


Too Big to Breathe?  I arrived here on Oct. 19th and was greeted
with this news: A combination of cold weather, lack of wind,
coal-powered heating and farmers burning off post-harvest debris
had created a perfect storm of pollution in the northeastern
industrial city of Harbin, home to 10 million people. It was so
bad that bus drivers were getting lost because the smog-enveloped
roads would only permit them to see a few yards ahead. Posted.
http://www.nytimes.com/2013/11/06/opinion/friedman-too-big-to-breathe.html?hp=&adxnnl=1&rref=opinion&adxnnlx=1383756668-28e25RjOEQAJWV3SnTa+ZQ


BLOGS

Climate change is decreasing farm yields just when we need them
to go up. One of the most disturbing details included in the
recently leaked IPCC report is that climate change could begin
reducing farm yields worldwide by up to 2 percent a decade.
Meanwhile, demand for crops is increasing 12 percent per decade.
You don’t have to be a math whiz to see how that (doesn’t) add
up. A collision between a rising need for food and falling yields
would be terrible for the environment, as well as for people.
Posted.
http://grist.org/food/climate-change-is-decreasing-farm-yields-just-when-we-need-them-to-go-up/


Build it and they will come: I-5 corridor EV fast charge stations
getting lots of use.  Washington State plug-in vehicle charging
stations along Interstate 5 are getting used more than twice as
much as they were a year ago, the Associated Press says, citing a
study from the Washington State Department of Transportation. In
September, the state's 14 fast-charging stations along I-5 were
collectively used 1,155 times, up from 528 sessions a year
earlier. Posted.
http://green.autoblog.com/2013/11/06/i5-corridor-ev-fast-charge-stations-heavily-used/


US military tipped to drive electric vehicle demand.  The US
military is set to become one of the world's largest operators of
electric vehicles, according to new research which predicts the
Department of Defense will buy more than 92,400 electric vehicles
between 2013 and 2020.  The study from Navigant Consulting argues
that with the Department of Defense already investing heavily in
a range of low emission vehicles it is now poised to ramp up
spending on plug-in electric vehicles (PEVs) and hybrid electric
vehicles (HEVs) that can be used for non-tactical purposes. 
Posted. 
http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2304588/us-military-tipped-to-drive-electric-vehicle-demand
 

Schools install pricey filters to protect kids from frac sand. 
Kids should play in sand, not breathe it in.  Wisconsin’s New
Auburn school district is upgrading air filters to prevent sand
fragments from floating in from nearby frac-sand mines and
getting into children’s lungs.  Much of the sand in the state is
perfectly suited to be mixed with water and chemicals and used in
fracking operations, where it holds open fractures in shale and
allows gas and oil to escape. Posted. 
http://grist.org/news/schools-install-pricey-filters-to-protect-kids-from-frac-sand/