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CAP AND TRADE

Air district might ax controversial cap-and-trade program.
Southern California air quality regulators are considering
dropping a controversial local cap-and-trade program designed to
curb certain non-greenhouse gas pollutants. The South Coast Air
Quality Management District's RECLAIM program lets refineries,
power plants, cement plants and other industries install
pollution…
http://www.scpr.org/news/2016/10/25/65769/air-district-might-ax-controversial-cap-and-trade/
 

AIR POLLUTION

China vows better environmental monitoring to improve health.
China aims to create a comprehensive environmental monitoring
system by 2030 in its efforts to boost citizens' health and raise
life expectancy, the government has said. Pollution has been
identified as one of the biggest threats to public health in
China, with smog in the northern region blamed for higher rates
of cancer, respiratory disease…
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-china-health-idUSKCN12Q0QK

Air Pollution’s Toll on Heart May Begin Early. Even healthy young
adults may suffer ill effects from air pollution. For three
consecutive winters, researchers traced levels of air pollution
at three monitoring sites in and near Provo, Utah, where air
pollution varies predictably with the weather and snow cover.
They took blood samples from 72 healthy young volunteers, average
age 23…
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/25/well/live/air-pollutions-toll-on-heart-may-begin-early.html?_r=0

http://www.greencarcongress.com/2016/10/20161026-pm25.html 

Dutch unveil giant outside vacuum cleaner to filter dirty air.
Inventors develop large purifying system intended to capture tiny
toxic particles from the surrounding atmosphere. Dutch inventors
have unveiled what they called the world’s first giant outside
air vacuum cleaner – a large purifying system intended to filter
out toxic tiny particles from the atmosphere surrounding the
machine. 
https://www.theguardian.com/world/2016/oct/26/dutch-unveil-giant-outside-vacuum-cleaner-to-filter-dirty-air

http://www.ibtimes.com/worlds-largest-vacuum-suck-pollution-emissions-right-out-air-2437260

Why investors may want to keep tabs on air pollution.
Americans are increasingly aware of the negative health impact of
air pollution, but researchers have found another reason to track
air quality: its impact on stock market returns. When pollution
levels rise in Manhattan, stocks take a dive, according to a new
study from researchers at the University of Ottawa and Columbia
University. The study tracked the S&P 500 index, the most widely
cited New York Stock Exchange benchmark, over a 15-year period
and compared its returns with hourly measures of fine particulate
matter in lower Manhattan, where the NYSE is based.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-investors-may-want-to-keep-tabs-on-air-pollution/


Delhi govt to fight air pollution with new monitoring stations
By next Diwali, Delhi will have eight new air quality monitoring
stations. The air pollution data in the capital is currently
taken from 13 monitoring stations – six run by Delhi Pollution
Control Committee (DPCC) and seven by Central Pollution Control
Board (CPCB). According to a Delhi government official, the
process to have seven fixed and one mobile station in place by
next year has started, even though the sites are yet to be
finalised. “These will help us get a comprehensive picture of air
pollution in Delhi, especially during winter, when the city’s air
quality worsens,” the official told HT.
http://www.hindustantimes.com/delhi/delhi-govt-to-fight-air-pollution-with-new-monitoring-stations/story-SeFNgITLOBrqeaDbSrtshM.html


CLIMATE CHANGE

White House weighing whether greenhouse gas deal needs Senate
approval. The Obama administration is evaluating whether an
international agreement reached earlier this month to cut back on
greenhouse gases used in refrigerators and air conditioners will
need approval by the U.S. Senate, the White House said on
Tuesday. Nearly 200 countries, including the United States and
China…
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-un-climatechange-usa-idUSKCN12P2ZX


Humans create carbon emissions which spawn Australia's extreme
weather – report. State of the Climate report from CSIRO and
Bureau of Meteorology says human activities have driven
‘significant changes’ to Australia’s climate. Carbon emissions
from human activities have driven significant changes to the
climate in Australia, including about 1C of warming and an
increase in extreme hot days and fire weather…
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/oct/27/humans-create-carbon-emissions-which-spawn-australias-extreme-weather-report


Warm Ocean Water Takes Toll on Antarctica’s Glaciers. It has
become increasingly clear in recent years that ocean waters are
eating away at the undersides of the ice shelves that fringe
Antarctica and buttress its many glaciers. A new study released
Tuesday has found that hundreds of feet of ice have been lost
from the bottoms of a few of these ice shelves and glaciers in a
region of the continent that is contributing the most to sea
level rise.
http://www.climatecentral.org/news/warm-ocean-takes-toll-antarcticas-glaciers-20815?utm_source=Inside+Climate+News&utm_campaign=ea15cfe9ae-Today_s_Climate12_10_2014&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_29c928ffb5-ea15cfe9ae-327747457


US negotiator: 'severe' damage without more climate action.
Countries will be expected to increase their level of ambition on
climate change as they gather next month to build on a landmark
deal to curb greenhouse gas emissions, the top United States
climate negotiator said Tuesday. Jonathan Pershing, the State
Department’s special climate change envoy, said aggressive action
is needed at the…
http://www.csmonitor.com/Environment/Inhabit/2016/1026/US-negotiator-severe-damage-without-more-climate-action


Intergovernmental Panel On Climate Change Set To Tackle 1.5ºC
Report. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has
confirmed the outlines for two new reports it will be tackling
over the next few years, including a report dedicated to the
1.5ºC global warming issue requested by delegates at the UN
climate change conference held in Paris in December of last year.
https://cleantechnica.com/2016/10/26/intergovernmental-panel-climate-change-set-tackle-1-5oc-report/

Corporations have GHG targets but still lack plans — study. Most
of the world's major corporations have at least one target in
place to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, but few are thinking
strategically, new research finds. In a survey of nearly 1,000
companies, the climate-focused organization CDP found about 85
percent have set a climate target.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/oct/27/humans-create-carbon-emissions-which-spawn-australias-extreme-weather-report


Climate envoy sees 'shift' in global response to warming. The
State Department's climate chief yesterday called the
international agreements of the past year a major turning point
in global warming diplomacy even as he warned against
"backsliding" by some countries. With the Paris Agreement set to
take force on Nov. 4, climate envoy Jonathan Pershing said the
world had made historic progress recently in combating harmful
warming.
http://www.eenews.net/climatewire/2016/10/26/stories/1060044802 

Climate change: Voters will be hot under the collar by 2099.
By 2099 the nature of democratic politics could change in costly
ways for politicians because of climate change, says Nick
Obradovich of Harvard University in a paper in Springer's journal
Climatic Change. Leveraging a century's worth of political
science research, he predicts that voters' disgruntlement about
the societal effects of climatic extremes and weather-related
disasters they experience will translate into more frequent
turnover of political parties elected in and out of office, and
will keep politicians of especially warmer, poorer countries more
on their toes than is currently the case.
http://phys.org/news/2016-10-climate-voters-hot-collar.html 

FUELS

What is causing the rapid rise in methane emissions? Yale
environment 360: New research finds some surprising culprits and
shows that fossil-fuel sources have played a much larger role
than previously estimated. The stomachs of cattle, fermentation
in rice fields, fracking for natural gas, coal mines, festering
bogs, burning forests — they all produce methane, the second most
important greenhouse gas, after carbon dioxide.
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/oct/26/what-is-causing-the-rapid-rise-in-methane-emissions


VEHICLES

China Looks at Extending Car Tax Cut, Improving Electric-Vehicle
Funding. China is looking at extending a tax cut on small-engine
automobiles that was responsible for reviving industry sales this
year and improving the way it gives out subsidies for new-energy
vehicles after a cheating scandal. “The Ministry of Industry and
Information Technology is working with related agencies to
improve policies involving incentives for energy-saving and
new-energy vehicles…
https://www.bloomberg.com/news/articles/2016-10-26/china-looks-at-extending-auto-tax-cut-improving-ev-subsidies

Audi quits Le Mans to focus on electric car racing. Audi will end
its involvement in the prestigious Le Mans sports car race next
year after almost two decades to focus on racing electric cars,
symbolizing a shift in strategy as parent company Volkswagen
battles to recover from an emissions scandal. Audi, which is
seeking to boost the share of zero-emission vehicles to at least
a quarter of its global sales by 2025…
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-audi-strategy-idUSKCN12Q16P?feedType=RSS&virtualBrandChannel=11563


Is electric car start-up Faraday Future already running out of
cash? Nevada’s state treasurer has a message for electric car
company Faraday Future: Show me the money. The company building a
$1-billion factory for Faraday in Nevada has a similar message:
Pay up now. Money problems appear to be plaguing the secretive
Gardena-based start-up, which is trying to rival Tesla and other
automakers.
http://www.latimes.com/business/autos/la-fi-hy-faraday-factory-late-payment-20161024-snap-story.html


Curbside electric-car charging in Jersey City highlights
importance for city drivers. City living presents many challenges
for car owners, with parking among the most significant and
painful. Scarce parking spaces are a particular problem for
electric-car drivers, who typically charge their cars where they
park overnight. Many electric-car drivers charge at home…
http://www.greencarreports.com/news/1106889_curbside-electric-car-charging-in-jersey-city-highlights-importance-for-city-drivers


Is It Possible for Electric Vehicles to Displace the Internal
Combustion Engine?
As electric vehicles would make “dramatic” inroads into the car
market, they could have noticeable effect on traditional cars
that run on petroleum and the internal combustion engine. That’s
according to Fitch Ratings, which says that this would be
“resoundingly credit negative” for the oil sector, as the
transportation sector accounts for 55% for all of oil
consumption.
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2016/10/26/is-it-possible-for-electric-vehicles-to-displace-the-internal-combustion-engine/


Best electric cars: 2016's top EVs.
Electric cars are becoming more and more viable as a form of
everyday transport. Many mainstream carmakers now offer an
electric model, or are actively developing one. Several of the
latest models offer all-electric ranges in the hundreds of miles,
meaning that most motorists will find that EVs now meet their
commuting needs. The technology is improving at a rapid pace with
better electric cars appearing every year. The UK's charging
network is also on an expansion path, making it easier to top up
your electric car on the go. 
http://www.theweek.co.uk/69705/best-electric-cars-2016s-top-evs 

GREEN ENERGY

Solar battery power takes up the charge in Kenya. Staff of the
International Center of Insect Physiology and Ecology (ICIPE)
don’t worry too much about the frequent power outages at their
campuses. A bank of diesel generators ensure that when power from
the national grid goes off, the center's research into insects,
food and health is not disrupted.
http://www.reuters.com/article/us-kenya-solar-batteries-idUSKCN12Q18K


Sunrun to offer solar panels plus batteries with LG Chem. The
same company that builds the battery for GM’s upcoming Bolt
electric car now wants to put one in your basement — and plug it
into solar panels on your roof. LG Chem and San Francisco’s
Sunrun announced a partnership Wednesday to offer solar arrays
paired with in-home batteries — a combination that many analysts
consider the future of the solar industry.
http://www.sfgate.com/business/article/Sunrun-to-offer-solar-panels-plus-batteries-with-10339807.php


Duke Energy's Charlotte control center takes big role in nation's
first off-shore wind farm. Duke Energy Renewables has signed a
long-term contract to provide remote monitoring, control and
dispatch services to the nation’s first offshore wind farm from
its Charlotte Renewables Control Center. Duke (NYSE:DUK)
announced the deal with the 30-megawatt Block Island Wind Farm,
which is completing its final testing phase.
http://www.bizjournals.com/charlotte/news/2016/10/26/duke-energy-to-provide-operation-services-for.html


OPINIONS

Magical Thinking Won’t Stop Climate Change. World leaders have
started to generate some real optimism with their efforts to
address global climate change. What’s troubling, though, is how
far we remain from getting carbon emissions under control -- and
how much wishful thinking is still required to believe we can do
so. The Paris agreement on climate change has garnered the
national signatories needed to go into force on Nov. 4.
https://www.bloomberg.com/view/articles/2016-10-26/magical-thinking-won-t-stop-climate-change


India’s Air-Conditioning and Climate Change Quandary.
Air-conditioning is not just a luxury. It’s a critical adaptation
tool in a warming world, with the ability to save lives. It also
warms the world. Which is why the structure of the recent
landmark agreement reached in Kigali, Rwanda, on limiting
hydrofluorocarbons (HFCs) used in, among other things,
air-conditioners and refrigerators is so important.
http://www.nytimes.com/2016/10/27/upshot/indias-air-conditioning-and-climate-change-quandary.html


Why investors may want to keep tabs on air pollution.  Americans
are increasingly aware of the negative health impact of air
pollution, but researchers have found another reason to track air
quality: its impact on stock market returns. When pollution
levels rise in Manhattan, stocks take a dive, according to a new
study from researchers at the University of Ottawa and Columbia
University.
http://www.cbsnews.com/news/why-investors-may-want-to-keep-tabs-on-air-pollution/


Is It Possible for Electric Vehicles to Displace the Internal
Combustion Engine? As electric vehicles would make "dramatic"
inroads into the car market, they could have noticeable effect on
traditional cars that run on petroleum and the internal
combustion engine. That's according to Fitch Ratings, which says
that this would be "resoundingly credit negative" for the oil
sector, as the transportation sector accounts for 55% for all of
oil consumption.
http://www.environmentalleader.com/2016/10/26/is-it-possible-for-electric-vehicles-to-displace-the-internal-combustion-engine/#ixzz4OCs3HMxI


BLOGS

Electric Buses and Trucks Can Deliver Opportunity in California
by Cutting Poverty and Heavy-duty vehicles are the single largest
source of smog-forming pollution in California. Transportation
emissions endanger public health and hurt low-income communities
and communities of color the most because these communities are
more likely to be located near busy roads, highways, and ports.
Powering our cars, buses, and trucks with electricity can clean
our air, fight climate change…
http://greenlining.org/blog/2016/electric-buses-trucks-can-deliver-opportunity-california-cutting-poverty-pollution/


Military Veterans Are Helping To Save Coral Reefs By Combating
Climate Change. At a time when the presidential election is
dividing families and friends, at least one issue is bridging the
gap: giving veterans of the U.S. military a new lease on life by
teaching them how to restore coral reefs. And they are trying to
enlist big business as their ally. Indeed, the marriage of the
ocean’s ecology along with those who have served their nation is
breathing a new spirit into the coral reefs…
http://www.forbes.com/sites/kensilverstein/2016/10/26/military-veterans-are-helping-to-save-coral-reefs-by-combating-climate-change/#4fbaed70500c


Volkswagen Phideon Launches In China -- But You've Got To Wonder
Why. The Volkswagen Phideon has been launched on the Chinese car
market. The Phideon is the new flagship of the locally-made
Volkswagen lineup. It is positioned above the Volkswagen Passat
and below the imported Phaeton. It is a large sedan developed
especially for China; there are no plans for export to other
countries.
http://www.forbes.com/sites/tychodefeijter/2016/10/26/volkswagen-phideon-launches-in-china-but-youve-got-to-wonder-why/#31de4d3f1c94


The World Just Made A Major Shift Toward Renewable Energy.  “We
are witnessing a transformation of global power.” The world
installed more new renewable energy last year than coal, as
countries attempt to shift away from fossil fuels and take
advantage of massive cost reductions in wind and solar
technology. More than half of all energy generation capacity
added in 2015 came from renewable sources…
http://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/renewable-energy-production-2015_us_58104a39e4b001e247df4ac1


9 Reasons Why California's Electric Buses and Trucks Can Help the
Environment and Poor Communities. Electric buses and trucks can
help clean the air and give a big economic boost to communities
most in need. When most people think of electric vehicles, we
think of cars, like Teslas, Chevy Volts and Nissan Leafs. But
trucks and buses are going electric, too, and the impact on both
our air and our economy could be huge.
http://www.alternet.org/environment/9-reasons-why-californias-electric-buses-and-trucks-can-help-environment-and-poor




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