Policy: UK Gov publishes CO2 Offsetting code of practice

The UK government has opened consultation on a draft standard for carbon offsetting. The aim of the code of practice is so that people will be able to tell whether the offsetting schemes they are using, or thinking of using, really do take that carbon out of the global carbon economy for good and whether they can trust the schemes they are using.

Defra launched a consultation on a Code of Best Practice for the provision of carbon offsetting to UK customers on 18 January 2007. The purpose of establishing a Code is to ensure consumer confidence the emerging carbon emissions offsetting market. The consultation will finish on 13 April 2007 and the intention is to have the Code operating by November 2007.

UK Government (DEFRA) Carbon Offsetting page: Link

Action: London Borough of Richmond introduces parking fees linked to emissions levels

Liberal-Democrat controlled Richmond upon Thames Council in southwest London has introduced a sliding scale of parking fees linked to vehicle emission levels. The cost of parking the most polluting vehicles will rise to 300 pounds from 100 pounds.
A sliding scale of charges for permits will come into force from around April, based on the government's car tax bands. Band A, electric cars, will be free. Band B, which includes the Toyota Prius hybrid and the Renault Megane dCi 106 diesel hatchback, get a 50 percent reduction. Hardest-hit will be owners of 4x4s like the BMW X5, the Renault Espace people-carrier and saloons like the Jaguar X-type.

Action: UK Retailer Tesco installes $13m BIPV roof array

In January 2007, Los Angeles-based Solar Integrated Technologies won a US$13 million contract to put solar panels on the roof of Tesco USA's new distribution centre in Riverside, California. The BIPV roofing system will provide a fifth of the depot's power supply, and save 1,200 tons of carbon dioxide emissions each year. Tesco accounts for almost one pound in every three spent in British supermarkets.

Tesco has also pledged to spread an environmentally friendly message to its millions of customers and to set an example by spending over 500 million pounds (US$987 million), cutting prices on energy-efficient products and reducing pollution.

Australian Government research body publishes national energy options analysis

The CSIRO created the concept of the Energy Futures Forum (EFF) in 2003 as a means of engaging in developing and assessing pathways for the future of energy in Australia. It published the findings of extensive research into the future energy options for Australia in December 2006.

Report: Link

Policy: UK Gov - Zero Carbon Homes by 2016

UK Government publishes new report: ‘Building a Greener Future: Towards Zero Carbon Development’ that proposes a requirement that by 2016 all new homes should be net zero CO2 emitters.

The energy used to heat, light and run homes in the UK accounts for 27 per cent of all UK CO2 emissions - around 40 million tonnes.

Energy efficient and insulated buildings, which draw their energy from zero or low carbon technologies and therefore produce no net carbon emissions from all energy use over the course of a year, will help reduce carbon emissions as well as lowering fuel bills for households.

The report is part of a number of such measures, including:

• a framework for progressively tightening building regulations up to 2016 to increase the energy efficiency and reduce the carbon footprint of new homes;
• publication of the Code for Sustainable Homes, which aims to increase the environmental sustainability of new homes and give homeowners better information about the sustainability of their home. It sets out a star rating from one to six (with six being the most sustainable) which can be applied to all new homes
• From April 2008, after a voluntary phase, all new homes should be required to have a mandatory Code rating, indicating whether they have been assessed and the performance of the home against the Code;
• the requirement that by 2016 all new homes should be net zero CO2 emitters.
• a draft Planning Policy Statement on climate change, which expects planning strategies to be tested on their carbon ambition and, in providing for new homes, jobs and infrastructure needed by communities, shape places with lower carbon emissions and resilient to climate change.
• consultation on regulations to set minimum standards for water efficiency in new homes and new commercial buildings.

Gov Press Release: Link

UK Retailer announces carbon neutrality target among raft of green measures

UK retailer Marks&Spencer (M&S) announced in January 2007 that it would spend around 200 million pounds (US$394 million) over the next five years going "green". It aims to become carbon neutral by 2012. Proposed measures include ensuring:

• all its packaging and clothing is biodegradable or compostable;
• none of its waste is dumped in landfill sites;
• it will label all products on its shelves that have been flown in from suppliers;
• trial using food waste to power its stores;
• trial using electric vehicles (Smith Trucks, manufactured by Tanfield Group Plc) for city centre logistics operations, with a view to replacing existing trucks where possible.

Policy: Building Green Guidance Report published by UK Gov

The UK Environment Agency has published a report providing practical advice on reducing the environmental impacts of new development, titled ‘Building a better environment’. It argues that development doesn’t have to harm the environment – if it is well located, planned and designed, it can actually make improvements to the environment and provide a better place for people to live.

The report includes guidance on:

• Managing the risk of flooding
• Managing surface water
• Using water wisely
• Wildlife and green space
• Preventing pollution
• Managing waste
• Land affected by contamination
• Sustainable construction
• Recreation, society and health

Report: Link

Policy: EU proposes common energy market with binding renewables targets

On 10 January 2007 the European Commission released ‘Energy for a Changing World’ an integrated energy and climate change package comprised of 9 major policy papers, namely:

• An Energy Policy for Europe
• Renewable Energy Road Map
• Progress in renewable electricity
• Progress in Biofuels
• Internal Market for Gas and Electricity
• Gas and Electricity Infrastructures
• Nuclear Energy
• Sustainable Power Generation from Fossil Fuels
• Strategic Energy Technology Plan

As part of the policy package, the EC committed to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 20% below 1990 levels by 2020, in particular through energy measures.

Link

The European Commission has urged its members to sign up to this new common EU energy policy. There are three central pillars to the proposed integrated EU energy policy.
1) A true internal energy market;
2) Accelerating the shift to low-carbon energy;
3) Energy efficiency through the 20% target by 2020.
In addition, 10% of vehicle fuel should come from biofuels.

The EU wants to make these targets to be binding for the first time. It also wants to make sure all new power stations are carbon neutral in 13 years - they should be built in such a way that carbon can be captured and buried - as well as ensuring there is a big increase in renewable power like wind and wave energy.

The EU wants to fully open up the existing energy market to enable half a billion citizens to get their electricity or gas from anywhere else in Europe.

Media: Link

Impacts: 2006 warmest year in US

The US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has reported that 2006 was the warmest year in United States since record keeping began in 1895.

Link

Action: California introduces solar incentive programme

The California Pubic Utilities Commission (CPUC) has issued requirements for a new energy program that aims to make the state one of the world's biggest producers of solar energy.

The CPUC issued a guide about the rules for installing and operating solar photovoltaic projects. California aims to install 1 million rooftop solar panels on homes, businesses, farms, schools and public buildings over the next 10 years to produce 3,000 megawatts, or the equivalent of six large power plants.

The program has a budget of US$2.2 billion that will pay incentives for solar projects beginning on Jan. 1, 2007.

The solar handbook is available on the CPUC's Web site at: link

Action: Norwegian Government to offset employee flight emissions

Norway has announced plans to offset the greenhouse gases produced by public employees when they fly abroad by buying emissions credits. The government will buy credits to be invested in projects which reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Link

Econ: Green building premium only 2%

Report finds that green buildings are now financially competitive.

The report, 'Green Buildings and the Bottom Line', in the US publication 'Building Design and Construction (BD+C)' found that the US green building standard, LEED, is an established, respected development tool in Canada and the United States, and the cost premium for LEED certification is actually quite low, and can be paid back in a few years by lower energy costs and other savings.

The report cites studies finding an average cost premium of just 1.84% for LEED Certified buildings, from a low of 0.66% to a high of 6.5% for LEED Platinum. “Many projects achieve sustainable design within their initial budget, or with very small supplemental funding.”

Experienced builders using integrated design and off-the-shelf solutions - such as low-e glazing, “cool” or vegetated roofs, energy-conserving lighting, dual-flush toilets, low-demand landscaping, and grey water irrigation - could readily bring in even the most sophisticated projects at a cost owners and developers can be happy with.

With the business case becoming clearer, developers, property investors, building owners, real estate investment trusts, and pension funds are also turning their investment eyes towards sustainable building projects.

The report examines bottom-line issues of green building across a wide range of building types and sectors – industrial, commercial, educational, health-related and residential. It concludes with 10 constructive recommendations—an “Action Plan”—for consideration by stakeholders in the green building movement.

Report: Link

Publisher: Link

Media: Link

Market: Sanyo to double solar cell production in 2 years

Sanyo will spend 19 billion yen (US$161 million) over the next two years to more than double its solar cell production capacity, in order to better compete with larger Japanese rivals such as Sharp and German Q-Cells.

Link

Action: two large offshore wind turbine projects planned to service London

Planning approval has been granted for two offshore wind farms in the Thames Estuary, one of which, when complete, will be the world's biggest.

London 350 turbine project Link

The larger London Array project covers 90 sq miles (232 sq km) between Margate in Kent and Clacton, Essex. The £1.5bn London Array scheme will have 341 turbines rising from the sea about 12 miles (20km) off the Kent and Essex coasts, as well as five offshore substations and four meteorological masts. The consortium behind it is made up of Shell WindEnergy Ltd, E.ON UK Renewables and Core Ltd.

Thanet 100 turbine project Link

The second wind farm, called the Thanet scheme, will cover 13.5 sq miles (35 sq km) off the north Kent coast. The £450m Thanet project will be located seven miles (11km) out from North Foreland, Kent, and will have 100 turbines. Developed by Warwick Energy, it could be supplying electricity to about 240,000 homes by 2008.

Media 1: Link
Media 2: Link

Action: big corporates going carbon neutral

Fortune 500 companies are installing renewable energy generation on-site as well as purchasing green power directly or through renewable energy certificates.

Link

Action: WBCSD Green Buildings programme

Buildings use about one-third of the world’s energy. Leading companies in the building, equipment and energy industries launched Energy Efficiency in Buildings (EEB) with the WBCSD in March 2006. The project brings together companies worldwide, which are determined to remove barriers to energy-efficient concepts in new and existing buildings.

WBCSD web page Link

WBCSD Report Link

The WBCSD has started a blog about its Energy Efficiency in Buildings (EEB) project: Link

Econ: Green buildings make economic sense

Financial Advantages of Green Buildings

"Green Buildings and the Bottom Line" a 64-page White Paper that assesses the financial costs and benefits of environmentally sustainable buildings, has been published by Building Design+Construction

Link

Policy: UK zero carbon homes by 2010

At present, more than a quarter of carbon emissions come from households, adding greatly to global warming.

"Within 10 years, every new home will be a zero-carbon home and we will be the first country ever to make this commitment," said Chancellor Gordon Brown during his pre-Budget speech.

Link

"Zero carbon means in practice striking a balance between consumption and production of carbon -- using design technology to make sure you need less energy and renewables and microgeneration to generate what you do need,"

Link

Science: Offsetting with trees only works in tropics

Research by ecologist Govindasamy Bala of Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory has found that planting more trees in high latitudes could be counterproductive from a climate perspective.

This raises concern about many so-called carbon offsetting projects which rely on tree planting. The scientists warn that many schemes designed to offset emissions of carbon by planting trees may not be appropriate. Dr Bala said: "When you plant trees to slow down global warming, you have to be careful where you do it. I think our study shows clearly the climate benefits are maximised if you plant them in the tropics."

Link

Policy: EU Parliament proposes Renewable Energy and CO2 reduction targets

The European Parliament welcomed a European Commission green paper on a strategy for sustainable, competitive and secure energy.

The European parliament has resolved in a non-binding conclusion that by 2050 the overwhelming proportion of EU energy needs should be met by carbon-free sources. Strategies should focus on:

• energy saving,
• efficiency and
• renewable energies

The European Parliament said the overall goal for renewables should be 25 per cent of primary energy consumption by 2020, and that a binding EU CO2 reduction target for 2020 of 30% and an indicative goal for 2050 of 60-80% should be agreed upon in 2007.

Science: new prediction of sea level rise between 50cm to 1.4m by 2100

Stefan Rahmstorf, from the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research, Germany, has published new research in Science that applies a different method to the scenarios outlined by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in the 2001 TAR, that found that in 2100 sea levels would be 0.5-1.4m above 1990 levels. This projection is much greater than the 9-88cm forecast made by the IPCC itself in the TAR.

The next assessment report from the IPCC, due in Feb 2007 will include data based on more robust modelling, thereby reducing uncertainties surrounding models on sea level rises.

The complex mechanisms at work include: thermal expansion of water through heat absorption; water entering the oceans from glaciers; and ice sheets increased ice flows after the removal of buttressing ice shelves. The main uncertainty is the response of large ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica to rising temperatures, which is difficult to predict.

Link

Science: Methane gas hydrates in ice - study

Hydrates are a frozen mixture of water and gas, primarily methane. They form under the frigid temperatures and high pressures found in ocean sediments and under the permafrost on land.
In the ocean, hydrates exist in a "zone of stability" under the seafloor in locations where water depths exceed 500m.

However new research by the Integrated Ocean Drilling Program (IODP) found anomalous occurrences of high concentrations of gas hydrate at relatively shallow depths, 60-100m below the seafloor.

Vast reserves of the ices are thought to exist. One calculation suggests some 10,000 billion tonnes of carbon is stored in the form of gas hydrate around the world. That is twice the volume stored in all known reserves of fossil fuels - oil, coal and natural gas.

The amount of carbon that could be available to climate change and to altering the atmosphere and its chemistry - this could be a very significant contribution to CC.

BP will begin an exploratory programme to drill hydrates under the Alaskan permafrost in the New Year.

Link

Science: 2006 is hottest UK year on 347 year record

The Central England Temperature Record (CET) is the oldest continuous dataset for temperature anywhere in the world. Its principal finding this year is that the average temperature for 2006 was almost certainly the highest ever seen in 347 years of CET measurements.

Link

Enforcement: UK enforces ETS obligations

The UK Environment Agency has fined 4 companies for failing to meet ETS obligations.

4 companies out of 535 in England and Wales failed to surrender sufficient carbon dioxide allowances by the due date to cover their emissions. This is the cornerstone of the scheme. As such they are liable to automatic civil penalties."

The companies are Alphasteel, Scandstick, Daniel Platt, and Mars (UK) (trading as Masterfoods). They have been issued with a combined total of €1,127,840 (£758,810.73) in civil penalties.

Link

Science: Arctic sea ice melting at -8% per decade

The latest data presented at the American Geophysical Union Fall Meeting suggests Arctic ice is no longer showing a robust recovery from the summer melt.

Scientists from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR) found that the ice system could be being weakened to such a degree by global warming that it soon accelerates its own decline.

As the ice retreats, the ocean transports more heat to the Arctic and the open water absorbs more sunlight, further accelerating the rate of warming and leading to the loss of more ice," explained Dr Marika Holland.

"This is a positive feedback loop with dramatic implications for the entire Arctic region."
Eventually, she said, the system would be "kicked over the edge", probably not even by a dramatic event but by one year slighter warmer than normal. Very rapid retreat would then follow.

Including 2006, the September rate of sea ice decline is now approximately -8.59% per decade, or 60,421 sq km (23,328 sq miles) per year less arctic ice.

Link

Media: Global emissions now 25% higher than 1990 level

Gregg Marland, senior staff scientist at the US Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center (CDIAC), which supplies emissions data to governments, researchers and NGOs worldwide.
Half of all human emissions have occurred since 1980.

The CDIAC estimates that global carbon emissions rose to 7.9 billion tonnes in 2005. That's 28%above 1990 levels. About 200 million tonnes of emissions occurred in 2005 alone.

Link

Impacts: Livestock grazing produces GHGs, induces deforestation and causes land degradation

UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) reports that cattle-rearing generates more global warming greenhouse gases (ie methane), as measured in CO2 equivalent, than transportation.

Methane is roughly 23 times more harmful as a greenhouse gas than CO2. 37% of all human-induced methane emissions are produced by livestock.

Nitrous Oxide is even worse, at 296 times the Global Warming Potential (GWP) of CO2. The livestock sector generates 65% of human-related nitrous oxide, mostly from manure.

30% of the earth’s entire land surface is used directly for livestock, with another one third of all arable land used to produce feed for those livestock.

Demand for livestock production also induces forest clearance. 70% of Amazonian deforestation has been to create areas for grazing.

Link

Market: EU eco-industry growth at 7%pa with 2004 turnover of 227 Billion Euros

Environmental industries booming with stricter environmental laws

Eco-industry is in dynamic expansion, with a growth in turnover of around 7% (in constant euros) between 1999 and 2004 for the EU-15 area. The total turnover of eco-industries in the EU-25 was €227 billion in 2004, equivalent to 2.2 per cent of the EU’s GDP.

The largest national eco-industry markets are France and Germany, followed by the United Kingdom, Italy, and the Netherlands. The authors estimate that the EU’s environment industries represent around 3.4 million jobs.

The most important sectors in terms of revenue are by far water supply, wastewater treatment and solid waste management. The last two represent approximately one third of all pollution management turnover.

More recent markets such as renewable energy and eco-construction are growing fast. They are essentially based on investment needs generated by new environmental policy and legislation.

The study identifies 5 main factors that will be crucial for the growth of the European eco-industry in the future:

• Setting more ambitious environmental requirements and targets, as well as broadening the scope of existing legislation.
• Establishing harmonised standards for environmental goods and services, which will allow the quality of outputs delivered by eco-industry to be promoted and awareness of potential purchasers to be developed. For example, integrating environmental performance requirements in building standards can strongly develop markets for eco-construction.
• Supporting price transparency and the internalization of environmental costs in market prices. In addition, the establishment of market incentives such as tax credits, or trading schemes, could significantly contribute to increasing the demand for environmental goods and services.
• Increasing consumers’ awareness of the nature and availability of services provided by the eco-industry.
• Facilitating access to financial supports such as grants and loans to ensure the implementation of eco-industry projects.

Overall, this study shows that eco-industry provides a large number of possibilities for economic growth. It also provides new insights into the driving forces of the European eco-industry that could be very helpful in supporting its continued growth in the near future.

For more information: European Commission DG Environment Report « Eco-industry, its size, employment, perspectives and barriers to growth in an enlarged EU» , https://exchange.lse.ac.uk/exchweb/bin/redir.asp?URL=http://ec.europa.eu/environment/enveco/industry_employment/ecoindustry2006.pdf(2006-p. 347).

Econ: EEA releases report on ecosystem accounting framework

Land and Ecosystem Accounting (LEAC) is a systemic way of describing how the social, economic and environmental resources on which human wellbeing depends can be linked within a single framework.

“Land and Ecosystem Accounting provides the overview that we need to better protect and maintain our natural capital; both now and into the future”, said Professor Jacqueline McGlade, Executive Director of the EEA, co-chair of the International workshop on ecosystem and natural capital accounting together with Mr Ivo Havinga, Chief Economic Statistics Branch, UN Statistical Division.

An EEA report “Land accounts for Europe 1990-2000 - Towards integrated land and ecosystem accounting” summarises the approach.

“The accounting framework will eventually allow us to connect the natural system to the economic system”, said Mr Ronan Uhel, Head of the EEA Spatial Analysis group. “These accounts are tools that help us understand how well the environment would be able to withstand change and still provide us with the services and resources we need in the future”.

Link

Tech: Wind powered desalination

Wind powered desalination plant development deal

GE Global Research is partnering with Texas Tech University (TTU) to integrate renewable energy systems, such as wind turbines, with membrane desalination processes. If successful, the project could help develop affordable water desalination systems to increase the quantity and quality of clean water in arid areas around the world.

Link

Media: UK Finance Minister outlines zero carbon homes proposal

UK plans to make all new homes carbon neutral

Photo: BedZed - Beddington Zero Emissions Development, an early demonstration project.

Finance Minister Gordon Brown announced that the UK plans to make all new homes carbon neutral within ten years, in his speech delivering the British government’s preliminary budget for 2007-08.

Link: UK pre-budget report
Link: Mr Brown’s speech.

Science: CC will reduce Phytoplankton productivity

Warmer temperatures at the ocean surface will reduce phytoplankton productivity, the basis of the marine ecosystem, and an important natural global carbon sink.

Link

Legal: US Supreme Court hears CC case

The US Supreme Court is considering its first global warming case.

The case, known as Massachusetts v. EPA, was brought by a dozen states and 13 environmental organizations against the Environmental Protection Agency.

The plaintiffs argue that the greenhouse gas emissions from cars, trucks and factories should be regulated by the US government.

The EPA, along with 10 states, four motor vehicle trade associations and two coalitions of utility companies and other industries, maintain the agency lacks the authority to limit emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide.

At issue is whether the US government has the power to cap these emissions. Industry groups argue that it doesn't, and that carbon dioxide is a naturally occurring gas that does not fit the US Clean Air Act's definition of a pollutant.

Media: Link

Policy: UK Climate Change Bill details

UK Climate Change Bill Details released

Plans for the UK Government’s Climate Change Bill include four key elements:

• a long-term commitment to reduce carbon dioxide emissions by 60% by 2050, which will be put into statute;
• the establishment of a new independent body – the Carbon Committee – to work with Government to reduce emissions over time and across the economy;
• the creation of new powers to put in place emissions reduction measures; and
• improvements to monitoring and reporting arrangements, including how the Government reports to Parliament.

Link

Science: WRI Summary of recent climate science discoveries

WRI Report: Climate Science 2005 Major New Discoveries

Link

Policy: Ecosystem services valuation report

Report: "Business and Ecosystems: Issue Brief I - Ecosystem Challenges and Business Implications", WBCSD, WRI, Earthwatch, IUCN, 2006.

Report: Link

The report outlines the challenges and risks facing business from the following ecosystem crises:

• water scarcity,
• habitat change,
• biodiversity loss
• invasive species,
• overexploitation of oceans,
• nutrient overloading,
• climate change.

Risks fall into four categories: operational, regulatory, reputational, and access to capital.

The report stresses the importance of developing an "ecosystem marketplace" to deliver payment for ecosystem services - eg a levy on fresh water supply to fund upstream catchment conservation, in payment for the service of clean water.

The the report was sponsored by the World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD), the Earthwatch Institute, the World Conservation Union (IUCN), and the World Resources Institute (WRI).

WRI page: Link

Finance: CO2 offset funds increase in popularity

Voluntary carbon market "set to explode"

The global market for voluntary carbon offsets could grow by as much as forty-fold between 2005 and 2010 to reach 400m tonnes per year, according to an assessment by climate consulting firm ICF.

Against a backdrop of escalating political attention to climate change, some organisations are looking to enhance their green reputation. Others are motivated primarily by a desire to gain experience in anticipation of future extension of official cap-and-trade schemes. Some see the issue as a matter of principle. There is also growing interest in offsets as a hedge against possible criticism for inaction over global warming.

Companies are increasingly looking to offset emissions up and down the supply chain, including those of consumers.

A lack of agreed generic standards continues to be the sector’s main weakness, ICF says.

Emerging standards for offset project development and verification such as the Voluntary Carbon Standard are a positive sign, it concludes.

ICF: press release

Science: Nature article on Atlantic Ocean Circulation

Climate Change may have a Rapid Effect on Ocean Circulations

A US study published in Nature provides further evidence that climate change may have a direct and rapid impact on ocean salinity, which in turn, may affect deep ocean circulation and climate. The researchers reconstructed a 45,000 to 60,000 year-old record of ocean temperature and salinity from the chemical traces in fossil shells of tiny planktonic animals recovered from deep sea sediment cores and compared their results to the record of abrupt climate change recorded in ice cores from Greenland. The results show that sudden shifts in temperature over Greenland and tropical rainfall patterns during the last ice age were linked to rapid changes in the salinity of the North Atlantic Ocean. In particular, the ice records show that cycles of sudden warming, when temperatures in Greenland rose by five to ten degrees Celsius over a few decades, matched rapid changes in surface-water salinity in the north Atlantic subtropical gyre. This deep-ocean circulation cell is very sensitive to changes in the density of north Atlantic surface waters and could slow down if the upper water masses become less salty or too warm. Consequently, a warmer climate and higher rainfall in the North Atlantic could potentially alter this deep-circulation cell, which in turn could result in a much colder climate in Europe.

Source: Matthew W. Schmidt, Maryline J. Vautravers and Howard J. Spero (2006) « Rapid subtropical North Atlantic salinity oscillations across Dansgaard–Oeschger cycles », Nature 443: 561-564.

Image source, NASA: Link

Funding: Green building funds in the US

WBCSD Report growth in green building funds in the US.

WBCSD Media: Link

Science: Old growth forests may take up more CO2 than previously thought

Old-growth forests 'are key carbon sinks'

Classified as forests at least 100 years old, old-growth forests are widespread in tropical and subtropical developing countries. Until now, they were not thought to absorb and store significant amounts of greenhouse gases from the atmosphere.

In a study published in Science this week, however, scientists show that a 400-year-old forest in southern China is soaking up carbon from the atmosphere considerably faster than expected.

Developing countries with abundant old-growth forest cover could ask rich countries for compensation through the global carbon trade. This could help reduce deforestation in the developing world.

WBCSD Media: Link

Building: New ASHRAE GreenGuide for sustainable building

New sustainable building design, construction and operation guideline document published by US industry association ASHRAE.

American Society of Heating, Refrigerating and Air-Conditioning Engineers has published a new "GreenGuide" for the design, construction, and operation of sustainable buildings.

The guide aims to help teach designers how to participate effectively on teams charged with designing and constructing green buildings.

The ASHRAE GreenGuide provides guidance to designers of Heating, Ventilation, Air conditioning & Refrigeration (‘HVAC&R’) systems about how to participate effectively in green building design teams.

The ASHRAE ‘GreenGuide’: Link
Media: Link

Science: Ice shelf research shows historical collapses

Antarctic drilling project finds the Ross Ice Shelf has collapsed numerous times in the past

A team forming part of the international Antarctica Geological Drilling project (Andrill), led by Dr Tim Naish, a palaeoclimatologist at New Zealand's Institute of Geological and Nuclear Sciences and one of the chief scientists for the Andrill project, has found that by drilling into the seafloor off Antarctica, that the world's largest ice shelf has disintegrated and reappeared many times in the past.

The aim, said Dr Naish, is to consider what might happen as a result of global warming at levels predicted by the IPCC.

On the Antarctic Peninsula, where temperatures have risen 2.5C in the past 50 years, there have been spectacular ice shelf collapses, including the Larsen B shelf in 2002.

The collapse of an ice shelf can lead to further loss of ice from the Antarctic continent itself. Dr Naish explained: "One of the things we've learnt from the collapse of the ice shelves around the Antarctic Peninsula is that once the ice shelf goes, the glaciers feeding it speed up and you start to lose ice mass off the continent much faster because the ice shelves essentially buttress the glaciers that are feeding them." … "If they collapsed in the past without the present level of CO2 and the Earth was two to three degrees warmer, what's going to happen with the doubling of CO2 and potentially much higher temperatures?"

Link

Power: Stern says China is acting

China is on course to overtake the United States by 2009 as the largest emitter of carbon dioxide, largely because coal-fired stations provide over 80 percent of China's electricity supply.

However, Nicholas Stern said he believed Beijing had embraced the idea of using price incentives to encourage the move to a low-carbon economy.

Link

Transport: Virgin shaves fuel use during airport taxiing

Virgin Atlantic airline trials longer towing period to reduce aircraft fuel burn while taxiing on runways at Heathrow Airport.

Link

Agriculture: new crop strains required

The Consultative Group on International Agricultural Research (CGIAR) says yields of existing varieties will fall as rainfall patterns become less predictable and more variable and temperatures rise.

Photosynthesis slows down as temperatures rise, which also slows the plants' growth and capacity to reproduce. Rice yields are declining by 10% for every degree Celsius increase in night-time temperature.

Traditional areas suitable for certain crops will shift, as indicated by the BBC graphic, below. However not all regions are capable of shifting crop production into the newly appropriate climatic zones, because of existing urbanisation or geographic features, like mountains or the sea.

Media: Link

Transport: Shipping firm to use para-sails

High fuel prices drive eco-efficiency saving innovation in the shipping industry.

The "SkySail", a 160 square-metre (191 square-yard) kite tethered to a mast, has successfully undergone years of trial runs and Bremen shipowner Beluga Shipping believes it will help its vessels cut fuel use by 15 to 20 percent.

"When energy prices double in such a short time, you've got to innovate. We won't be able to switch the engines off. But we're confident we can reduce fuel usage -- and cut emissions."

"From the European Union point of view, you will have restrictions with CO2 emissions and they'll fine you," said Frank. "You've got to find ways to avoid that. As restrictions are coming, every shipper must rethink their strategy."

By using the SkySails-System, a ship‘s fuel costs can be reduced by 10- 35% on annual average, depending on wind conditions. Under optimal wind conditions, fuel consumption can temporarily be reduced by up to 50%. Even on a small, 87 metre cargo ship, savings of up to 280,000 euros can be made annually.

Skysails: Link

Media: Link

Tech: Clean coal theories

Two options are being considered by Spanish Power Company Endesa for zero carbon emissions coal fired power stations.

• CO2 can be stripped out after coal is burned by separating the exhaust gases. Burning the coal in oxygen produces exhaust gas with a high concentration of CO2, making it easier to separate.
  
• If the coal is first turned into gas, the CO2 can be removed before it is burnt.
  

Media on Endesa plans: Link

Policy: GLA sustainable design and construction guidelines

“Sustainable Design and Construction: The London Plan Supplementary Planning Guidance”, Greater London Authority, May 2006

As part of Mayor Ken Livingstone’s environmental agenda, this guideline document sets out what can be done within the current London policy framework to design and construct new developments in ways that are consistent with sustainable development.

The Guideline document: Link
The intro page to the guideline doc on the GLA site: Link
The section of the 'London Plan' Policy Document that the Guidance Document supplements: Link

Transport: Tesla electric Roadster

California car maker Tesla releases high-end production model fully electric sports car.

Tesla: Link
Wikipedia: Link

Media: Chinese coal seam methane carbon credit deal

Banks Buy Over 200 Million Euro Chinese Carbon Credits

The banks and specialist investors the European Carbon Fund have bought 18 million tonnes of carbon credits, worth over 200 million euros, arising from a two coal seam methane recovery for power generation projects associated with coal mines in China. The project was developed by carbon specialists Camco.

"The projects will improve the safety in the mines and will reduce greenhouse gas emissions in the atmosphere," deal arrangers IXIS Environnement & Infrastructures said in a statement.
The idea is to buy credits cheap in bulk from countries like China and then sell them, for example, to European companies which face emissions targets under the EU's carbon market.

Link

Policy: EU ETS Phase 2 NAP Decisions

European Commission lowers EU Member State CO2 allowances made under the ETS Phase 2 (2008-20012).

The European Commission has imposed stricter targets for 10 European Member State National Allocation Plans than the states had proposed.

The NAPs decided upon were from Germany, Greece, Ireland, Latvia, Lithuania, Luxembourg, Malta, Slovakia, Sweden and the United Kingdom.

These represent 42 per cent of CO2 allowances allocated across Europe in the first phase.

All 10 States except the UK were told by the EC to cut their allocation to firms in the main CO2 emitting sectors (Power, Steel, Mining and Pulp and paper industries).

Five countries were told to make cuts of at least 25 per cent.

ENDS Europe DAILY 2215, 29/11/06

Media: Green business can be profitable

"Green business equals good business"

Article for special advertising supplement appearing in Scientific American Dec 2006 issue written by Björn Stigson, President, World Business Council for Sustainable Development.

Link

Media: Nissan plans electric vehicle

Nissan Plans To Sell Electric Cars In 3 Yrs

Reuters article: Link

Nissan: Link

European Climate Exchange

European Climate Exchange website: Link

ECX summary of carbon pricing factors: Link

Media: Reuters summary of EU ETS

EU ETS factbox

Link

Media: BBC Opinion - Regulation required on CC

Dr Matt Prescott, an environmental consultant and web-campaigner for CC solutions, argues that the market can't be relied on to provide solutions to CC, regulation is required.

It will not be easy, but we must learn to accept that consumer choice cannot be expected to solve complex, large-scale problems.

Governments have to step up to the plate and to step in with legislation when it is needed; giving all the responsibility to markets and consumers is not good enough.

We must find the courage to remove the worst products from the market, to build environmental costs into prices, and give the low-carbon alternatives a half-decent chance of getting established.

Consumers will then take care of the rest.

Link

Stats: Global Carbon Project - CO2 emissions rising faster since 2000

Global Carbon Project research finds rate of increase in GHG emissions is rising, not falling.

New research from the Global Carbon Project says that emissions are now rising at 2.5% per year, while they were previously rising by less than 1% annually up to the year 2000.

7.9 billion tonnes (gigatonnes, Gt) of carbon passed into the atmosphere in 2005.
In 2000, the figure was 6.8Gt.

"At these rates, it certainly sounds like we'll end up towards the high end of the emission scenarios considered by the IPCC," commented Myles Allen from Oxford University, one of Britain's leading climate modellers. The "high end" of IPCC projections implies a rise in global temperature approaching 5.8C between 1990 and the end of this century.

Corinne Le Quere, of the Global Carbon Project said "Improvements that have been made in the last 30 years appear to be stalling ... We are going to need a real decrease in emissions."

Link

The Global Carbon Project (GCP) was established in 2001. The scientific goal of the project is to develop a complete picture of the global carbon cycle, including both its biophysical and human dimensions together with the interactions and feedbacks between them. The Global Carbon Project is responding to this challenge through a shared partnership between the International Geosphere-Biosphere Programme (IGBP), the International Human Dimensions Programme on Global Environmental Change (IHDP), the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP) and Diversitas. This partnership constitutes the Earth Systems Science Partnership (ESSP).

Link: GCP home
Link: GCP scientific framework document

Policy: EU ETS Summary

CN summary of the EU Emissions Trading Scheme, as implemented in the UK

1. EU ETS in the UK - summary

Phase 1 of the ETS commenced in May 2005. It runs until Dec 2007. It caps CO2 emissions in energy intensive industries including:

• energy (power stations, oil refineries, coal coke processing);
• metal works (processing metal ores, such as for making iron and steel);
• mineral industries (including cement, lime and glass production using furnaces, and ceramics, including roofing tiles, bricks, stoneware or porcelain, using kilns); and
• pulp and paper production.

These industries account for about 50% of the UK’s total CO2 emissions.

The EU ETS creates an incentive for companies in the regulated sectors to reduce emissions, so they can trade surplus GHG emission allowances (tonnes of CO2) with other regulated companies whose emissions are rising, and who therefore need to buy extra GHG emission allowances.

Phase 2 of the ETS commences in Jan 2008 to coincide with the Kyoto commitment period (2008 to 2012). The UK government has announced that there will be 3% fewer CO2 allowances available in Phase 2.

The reduction in allowances against business as usual will be borne entirely by the Large Electricity Producers (aka the Electricity Supply Industry). DEFRA estimates that the reduction in allowances from Phase 1 to Phase 2 will result in a one-off rise in industrial energy prices in the region of 1% and approximately 0.5% for domestic users.

The UK’s implementation of the EU ETS is expected to deliver a 16% reduction in UK emissions below 1990 levels by 2010. This is better than the UK’s Kyoto target of 12.5%, but worse than the UK’s domestic goal of a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2010.

While the EU Emissions Trading Directive covers the basket of six greenhouse gases that are included in the Kyoto Protocol (i.e. carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, sulfur hexafluoride, hydrochlorofluorocarbons (HFCs), and perfluorocarbons (PFCs)), in the UK, the first and second phases of the EU ETS only cover carbon dioxide.

1.1 Link between EU ETS and Kyoto

Under the Kyoto Protocol, the EU is required to make an 8% reduction in emissions compared to 1990 levels by the first Kyoto Protocol commitment period (2008 to 2012). The EU ETS is one of the key policies introduced by the European Union to help meet this target. EU Member States are required to use emissions trading as a means to deliver their Kyoto Protocol commitments for 2008 to 2012.

1.2 What is the EU ETS?

The EU ETS is a cap and trade system. The EU cap is the 8% reduction in emissions required by Kyoto. Within that, each EU country’s cap is different.
The UK’s binding greenhouse gas emission reduction target under the Kyoto Protocol is a 12.5% reduction below 1990 levels by the commitment period (2008–12). The UK cap under the EU ETS is therefore 12.5%.

The main regulator enforcing the EU ETS in England is the Environment Agency.

1.3 National allowances

National allowances are distributed by Member States to the “installations” in the scheme.
Each country divides the emissions it’s allowed to make between the major industrial GHG emitters (i.e. Power, Steel, Mining, Pulp and paper companies). These companies are each given a greenhouse gas emission allowance (equivalent to a number of tonnes of CO2 that they can emit each year).

1.4 Regulated ‘installations’

Installations covered by the EU ETS are those that carry out activities listed in Schedule 1 of the UK Regulations (ETS Regulations 2005). These include:
Power, ie energy activities (e.g. boilers, electricity generations, CHP);
Steel, ie production and processing of ferrous metals;
Mining, ie mineral industries; and
Pulp and paper industries.

The scheme covers the main CO2 intensive industries - power stations, refineries and offshore, iron and steel, cement and lime, paper, food and drink, glass, ceramics, and engineering and vehicles. Overall, these account for around 50% of UK CO2 emissions.

(a) 1. Energy Activities

1.1 Activities of combustion installations* with a rated thermal input exceeding 20 megawatts* (excluding hazardous or municipal waste installations).
*combustion installations = power stations

1.2 Activities of mineral oil refineries*.
* Oil refineries distil crude oil into useful petroleum products, such as gasoline and diesel fuel. The fractionating column is cooler at the top than at the bottom so the vapours can condense more easily while moving up the column. (Diagrammatic Ref: Link)

1.3 Activities of coke ovens*.
* Coke is used in smelting iron ore in blast furnaces. A coke oven bakes coal to distil it. The volatile constituents of the coal, including water, coal-gas and coal-tar, are driven off by baking in an airless oven at temperatures as high as 1,000 degrees C so that the fixed carbon and residual ash are fused together.

(b) 2. Production and processing of ferrous metals

2.1 metal ore roasting* (including sulphide ore) and sintering** installations.
* Metal ores are roasted to extract the metal from the ore.
** Sintering is partial melting. Sintering involves heating powdered metal to below its melting point in order to fuse it.

2.2 Activities of installations for the production of pig iron* or steel (primary or secondary fusion), including continuous casting, with a capacity of more than 2.5 tonnes per hour.
* Pig iron is raw iron, the immediate product of smelting iron ore with coke and limestone in a blast furnace.

(c) 3. Mineral Industries

3.1 Activities of installations for the production of cement clinker in rotary kilns with a production capacity of more than 500 tonnes per day.

3.2 Activities of installations for the production of lime in rotary kilns or other furnaces with a production capacity of more than 50 tonnes per tonnes.

3.3 Activities of installations for the manufacture of glass including glass fibre where the melting capacity of the plant is more than 20 tonnes per day.

3.4 Activities of installations for the manufacture of ceramic products (including roofing tiles, bricks, refractory bricks, tiles, stoneware or porcelain) by firing in kilns where-
(i) the kiln production capacity is more than 75 tonnes per day; or
(ii) the kiln capacity is more than 4m3 and the setting density is more than 300 kg/m3.

(d) 4. Other activities

4.1 Activities of industrial plants for the production of pulp from timber or other fibrous materials.

4.2 Activities of industrial plants for the production of paper and board with a production capacity of more than 20 tonnes per day.

1.5 GHG Emissions Permit

The UK Regulations require all installations carrying out any activity listed in Schedule 1 to hold a greenhouse gas emissions permit.
The permit will specify the number of GHG emissions allowances for each installation (1 allowance = 1 tonne of CO2 equivalent).

(a) Monitoring and reporting

Conditions on the permit require monitoring and reporting of emissions by the installation company.

(b) Annual surrender of quota

At the end of each year installation companies are required to ensure they have enough allowances to account for their installation’s actual emissions.

They can buy additional allowances (beyond their original allocation), or sell any surplus allowances generated from reducing their emissions below their allocation.

The buying and selling of allowances takes place on an EU-wide market. All transfers and surrenders of allowances take place on electronic national registries.

(c) Verification

Each year, emissions data for the previous calendar year must be verified (by a verifier accredited by the UK Accreditation Service (UKAS)).

(d) Penalty

There is a penalty for producing excess emissions (e.g. EUR 40 per tonne of CO2 equivalent (in Phase I) and requirement to make up the surrender shortfall in the following year).

1.6 Phases

(a) Phase 1

The first phase of the EU ETS runs from 2005 – Dec 2007; Phase II runs from Jan 2008 – 2012.

Carbon dioxide is the only greenhouse gas covered by Phase I of the EU ETS.

It has not been agreed between EU member states whether other greenhouse gases or activities will be covered in Phase II (2008 to 2012).

In May 2005, the UK allocated 93.7% of its total national allowance to existing UK installations (for free). The remaining 6.3% were held as a new entrant reserve

Verified emissions for Phase I installations were 242.2 Mt CO2* per year.
*A tonne is a unit of mass equal to 1,000 kilograms. A Megatonne (Mt) (106) is a million tonnes, or 1,000,000,000 kg (1 billion kg). The UK Phase 1 CO2 emissions were therefore 242,200,000,000 kg of carbon dioxide (242 billion kilograms of carbon dioxide per year).

(b) Phase 2

The emissions cap for Phase 2 is 238 Mt CO2 per year.

Phase 2 coincides with the first Kyoto period (2008-12). In the UK, Phase 2 of the EU ETS only covers carbon dioxide.

The UK government will allocate 238 million allowances (tonnes of CO2 equivalent) per year during the second phase, which will run between 2008-2012, compared to 245 million allowances per year under the current phase of the scheme – a 3% reduction in the allowances available.

This represents a reduction of 8 million tonnes of Carbon per year below the business as usual scenario. The reduction in allowances against business as usual will be borne entirely by the Large Electricity Producers (aka the Electricity Supply Industry).
So that emission reductions occur within the EU, the UK Government has set a limit on the use of project credits* at an installation level. The limit is an 8% of an installation’s allowance.
*Project credits are Carbon Credits under the Kyoto Joint Implementation (‘JI’) or Clean Development Mechanism (‘CDM’), that are valid for use under the EU ETS because of the EU linking directive and the UK Regulations Transposing The Linking Directive into UK law.
Recognising the uncertainty as to final emissions in any one year, this limit will apply annually and operators may bank their permitted level of project credit use between years within the period.

It is predicted to put the UK on course to achieve a 16.2% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010. This is better than the UK’s Kyoto target of 12.5%, but worse than the UK’s domestic goal of a 20% reduction in CO2 emissions by 2010.
DEFRA estimates that the reduction in allowances from Phase 1 to Phase 2 will result in a one-off rise in industrial energy prices in the region of 1% and approximately 0.5% for domestic users.

2. UNFCCC – KYOTO JI and CDM mechanisms

2.1 Joint Implementation

JI allows companies in UNFCCC Annex 1 Parties (the industrialized countries) to undertake emission reduction projects in other Annex 1 Countries.
JI projects generate emission reductions units (ERUs).

2.2 Clean Development Mechanism

CDM allows companies in UNVCCC Annex 1 countries to implement emission reduction projects and contribute to sustainable development in countries without a Kyoto target (non-Annex I Parties, i.e. developing countries).
CDM projects are awarded certified emission reduction units (CERs).

2.3 Kyoto Project credits and the EU ETS

Project credits – which refer to credits generated in developing countries through the Clean Development Mechanism (CERs), or in other developed countries by Joint Implementation projects (ERUs) – may be used to help meet the caps set for operators under the EU ETS.
This was made possible by the EU Linking Directive, which amends the EU ETS Directive and provides for the use of credits from the Kyoto Protocol’s flexible mechanisms in the EU Emissions Trading Scheme. It was transposed into UK law via regulations which came into effect in the UK on 13 November 2005.

The use of these credits provides a driver for sustainable energy projects in the developing world and for technology transfer. However, member states need to ensure a balance between domestic and international effort.

UNFCCC Backgrounder page

UNFCCC background page

Overview: Link

Backgrounder publications: Link

Summary of what can be done: Link

UNFCCC Annex 1 Parties list

Annex 1 of the UNFCCC

Link

1. Australia
2. Austria
3. Belarus*
4. Belgium
5. Bulgaria*
6. Canada
7. Croatia*/**
8. Czech Republic*/**
9. Denmark
10. European Economic Community
11. Estonia*
12. Finland
13. France
14. Germany
15. Greece
16. Hungary*
17. Iceland
18. Ireland
19. Italy
20. Japan
21. Latvia*
22. Liechtenstein**
23. Lithuania*
24. Luxembourg
25. Monaco**
26. Netherlands
27. New Zealand
28. Norway
29. Poland*
30. Portugal
31. Romania*
32. Russian Federation*
33. Slovakia*/**
34. Slovenia*/**
35. Spain
36. Sweden
37. Switzerland
38. Turkey
39. Ukraine*
40. United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland
41. United States of America

*Countries that are undergoing the process of transition to a market economy.
** Countries added to Annex I by an amendment that entered into force on 13 August 1998.

UNFCCC text

Text of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, 1992

Link (HTML)
Link (PDF)

UNFCCC Kyoto Protocol Text

The Kyoto Protocol, 1998

Link

Key: Kyoto targets

Kyoto Protocol Annex B: List of individual targets for Annex I Parties

Link

UNFCCC Kyoto Protocol home page

UNFCCC Kyoto Protocol home page

Link

The 1997 Kyoto Protocol shares the UNFCCC’s objective, principles and institutions, but significantly strengthens the Convention by committing Annex I Parties to individual, legally-binding targets to limit or reduce their greenhouse gas emissions. Only Parties to the Convention that have also become Parties to the Protocol (i.e by ratifying, accepting, approving, or acceding to it) will be bound by the Protocol’s commitments. 165 countries have ratified the Protocol to date. Of these, 35 countries and the EEC are required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions below levels specified for each of them in the treaty. The individual targets for Annex I Parties are listed in the Kyoto Protocol’s Annex B. These add up to a total cut in greenhouse-gas emissions of at least 5% from 1990 levels in the commitment period 2008-2012.

Stats: UNFCCC powerpoint presentation of 2006 GHG Emissions Inventory Data

The GHG emissions data submitted by Annex I (industrialized) Parties under the United Nations Climate Change Convention are considered accurate and reliable as a basis for assessing progress in emission reductions. The report includes data for all 41 Annex I (industrialized) Parties to the Climate Change Convention.

Every year, developed countries submit their greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions data to the United Nations Climate Change Secretariat, which then publishes an annual report on the latest available data on GHG emissions from these countries. The 2006 GHG data report covers emissions from 1990 to 2004.

Link

Policy: UK committments under the EU ETS Phase 2

Statement by David Milliband introducing the new round of targets under the EU ETS.

Link

DEFRA's (UK Gov) "An Operator’s Guide to the EU Emissions Trading Scheme - The steps to compliance", May 2006



Link

Stats: World's largest photovoltaic systems

List of the world's largest photovoltaic systems.

Maintained by pvresources.

Link

Stats/Policy: IEA PVPS

IEA Photovoltaic Power Systems Programme

Link

Stats/Policy: IEA Global Renewable Energy Policies and Measures Database

Global Renewable Energy Policies and Measures Database

Link

Stats: IEA Renewables Information 2006

IEA Renewables Information 2006

Link

Media: 100+ Megawatt solar power plants planned

Big solar plans: China, Portugal, Israel, Australia.

The largest solar power plant in the world today is

- China

China has announced it will build a 100 megawatt (mw) project to be located in the northwestern province of Gansu. Planners chose the "oasis town" of Dunhuang for the solar plant. Construction is expected to take five years

Link

- Portugal

Portugal announced a 116 megawatt development, to be located site at an abandoned pyrite mine near the town of Beja, in the southern Alentejo region.

A consortium of mainly German companies plans to erect 116 hexagonal clusters of solar panels. A German manufacturer of solar panels has said it also plans to build a factory at the site, bringing 250 permanent jobs to one of the poorest regions of Europe.

Link

- Israel

Israel is reportedly planning a 100 megawatt solar power station for the Negev desert.

- Australia

The Australian government will contribute 75 million Australian dollars (£30.5million) to a 420 million dollar (£171million) project to build a 154 megawatt solar power plant in Victoria, which will use mirrored panels to concentrate the sun's rays, Treasurer Peter Costello said.

Link

- US

A 500 megawatt solar concentrator plant is planned in southern California.

Link 1
Link 2

Media: BBC - UK Carbon Trust launches LCA for CO2 emissions

A scheme to help companies measure the total amount of carbon emissions from their goods and services has been launched by the Carbon Trust.

The new scheme's "carbon investigations" will look at the amount of carbon being emitted at each stage of a product's life; from the supply of raw materials and production, through to delivery, consumption and disposal. This approach is also known as a "lifecycle assessment" or "cradle-to-grave" analysis.

Link

Media: Nairobi outcomes - Belarus

Media: Belarus allowed to trade ‘hot air’

Kyoto parties agreed to allow Belarus to adopt a binding limit on its emissions of greenhouse gases from 2008-12. But Belarus is well within its new target to cut emissions, meaning it can sell surplus rights using the carbon trading mechanism. The decision was conditional that Belarus would have to reinvest revenues from its emission trading into making emissions cuts.

Link

Media: Nairobi outcomes - post Kyoto plan by 2008

Key Nairobi outcome: review Kyoto by 2008

Ministers at the Nairobi UNFCCC COP have agreed to a review of the Kyoto Protocol. The review is to be concluded by 2008.

This proposed review of the effectiveness of the Kyoto Protocol could open the way to extending and widening it beyond 2012.

Russia has put forward a proposal to allow developing countries to sign up for cuts in greenhouse gas emissions under Kyoto.

German Environment Minister, Sigmar Gabriel, said the talks had achieved too little: "It's not enough, what we've reached in the conference," … "We have heard many things about national interests ... but relatively seldom about climate change".

Barbara Helfferich, spokeswoman for the European Commission said "If we get the ... review done in 2008 we are well on our way for a new climate change regime after 2012."

Kyoto obliges Annex 1 parties to cut emissions to 5 percent below 1990 levels by 2012. Those parties account for 30 percent of all GHG emissions.

Link

Model: IPPR peak and decline emissions model results

IPPR Policy Paper: “Designing emissions pathways to reduce the risk of dangerous climate change”

Summary:

The report estimates the emissions policies necessary to reduce temperature and impacts risks to any chosen level. It finds that:

● Even if CO2 is reduced to 60% below 1990 levels by 2050 there's still a 16-43 % risk of exceeding the 'dangerous threshhold of 2ºC.

● If CO2 is reduced to 80% below 1990 levels by 2050 there's still a 9-26 % risk of exceeding 2ºC

The most widespread interpretation of ‘dangerous climate change’ has been the definition of the ‘2ºC threshold’. The goal of holding global average temperature increase to less than 2ºC above the pre-industrial level has been a stated objective of the European Union, including the UK government, for a number of years.

Based Baer 2005 and Retallack 2005 the Report suggests that the likely and possible consequences of exceeding the 2ºC threshold warrant seeking a high to very high likelihood of staying below the 2ºC threshold. This is interpreted in this Report, quantitatively, as requiring no more than a 10 to 25 per cent likelihood of exceeding the 2ºC threshold.

Our primary focus in this study, then, is to develop estimates of emissions pathways that lead to a ‘peak and decline’ in both CO2 concentrations and in the net equivalent CO2 concentration (including other GHGs) and that have a high likelihood of keeping the average surface temperature below the 2ºC threshold.

The 2006 CO2 concentration is 380ppm.

The report discusses the risk associated with a non peak and decline scenario - the familiar stabilisation scenario in which CO2 concentrations reach 450 ppm and are held at that level indefinitely. In this example the Report finds that the likely risk of exceeding temperature thresholds in the next 200 years are as follows:

● Risk of exceeding 2ºC: between 46 and 85 per cent

● Risk of exceeding 2.5ºC: between 21 and 55 per cent

● Risk of exceeding 3ºC: between 11 and 24 per cent

● Risk of exceeding 3.5ºC: between 4 and 11 per cent

Scenarios in which CO2 concentrations reach 500 or 550 ppm have a correspondingly greater risk of exceeding 2°C: 70-95 per cent and 78-99 per cent respectively.

In the six peak and decline scenarios modelled in th Report, global emissions peak between 2010 and 2014, and the maximum annual rate of emissions reductions – between three and five per cent (depending on the scenario) – are reached between 2015 and 2020. (We discuss the modelling of non-CO2 GHGs and aerosols in the text.) Here we show the results for the highest and lowest of the scenarios and one in between. The results for global CO2 emissions are sobering:

● Peak in 2014, three per cent maximum annual rate of decline, 48 per cent reduction below 1990 levels by 2050: 20-49 per cent risk of exceeding 2ºC.

● Peak in 2010, three per cent maximum annual rate of decline, 57 per cent reduction below 1990 levels by 2050: 16-43 per cent risk of exceeding 2ºC.

● Peak in 2010, five per cent maximum annual rate of decline, 81 per cent reduction below 1990 levels by 2050: 9-26 per cent risk of exceeding 2ºC.

The message should already be clear: while very rapid reductions can greatly reduce the level of risk, it nevertheless remains the case that, even with the strictest measures we model, the risk of exceeding the 2ºC threshold is in the order of 10 to 25 per cent.

What these calculations show is that, if the 2ºC threshold is taken seriously, our situation is indeed very urgent.

In addition to our modelling of global emissions scenarios, we also make estimates of the allowable emissions for the UK under our peak-and-decline scenarios. Assuming that global per capita emissions of CO2 converge no later than 2050, we calculate that the UK’s fair global allocation in 2050 would be in the order of 88 to 94 per cent below 1990 levels, compared with the 60 per cent cuts that have been proposed by the UK government.

Link

Policy: IPPR Zero Waste vision report

Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR) report: "A Zero Waste UK"

A Zero Waste UK offers an alternative vision of a shared responsibility between government, product manufacturers, retailers and consumers to increase recycling and waste prevention.

Nick Pearce, the IPPR director, said: "Business needs to take greater responsibility for the whole life of products by paying a product tax that goes towards payment for disposal."

"Taxing disposable products to encourage consumers to switch to more durable alternatives, or taxing products to pay for their recycling, will give manufacturers no choice but to ultimately design out waste," said Julie Hill of the Green Alliance.

Link

Media: continued CC trading growth requires post 2012 agreement soon

Risk for carbon trading growth: gap between Kyoto 2012 sunset and a new emissions capping agreement.

A post Kyoto deal for beyond 2012 is expected to be reached in 2009 or 2010. This would further boost demand for renewable energy and rights to emit greenhouse gases - carbon credits.

Britain set up its own carbon trading scheme in 2002 .
Kyoto came into force on 16 Feb 2005
The European Union's Emissions Trading Scheme was launched in 2005.

Trading in carbon credits is expected to be worth 20 billion euros (US$25.62 billion) this year, double the level in 2005 when Kyoto came into force and the EU's trading scheme started.

"In 2012 the carbon market will be worth US$40 billion," said Sultan Ahmed Al Jaber, chief executive officer of Masdar, oil-rich Abu Dhabi's Future Energy Company, which established the fund with Credit Suisse and the Consensus Business Group.

One possible problem looms -- while a deal to extend Kyoto beyond 2012 is expected, investors are worried about a possible gap before the new regime starts, if talks go to the wire. "The big risk is you will not get post 2012 certainty early enough. All those big investments could shudder to a halt," Climate Change Capital's Hobley said.

Link

Media: WP - ES Co article

Article about a small startup Solar Energy Services Company.

Link

Media: Currency market analysis of CC impacts

Clinically bleak appraisal of CC impacts by money market investors

"Droughts, flooding and food shortages are consequences that can impact economies, and thus currency prices," said Michael Woolfolk, currency strategist with Bank of New York

At a U.N climate conference in Nairobi this month, Washington reiterated its stance by rejecting pleas from U.N Secretary-General Kofi Annan to cut emissions of greenhouse gases.

Australia is the world's third largest wheat exporter but the drought has seen this year's wheat crop size fall by more than 60 percent to its smallest in 12 years, contributing to wheat prices rising to ten years highs on the Chicago Board of Trade.

The longer term outlook for Australian farming is starting to look bleaker, with a farmer committing suicide every four days, according to beyondblue, an Australian national mental health organization.

Australia's cities are starting to run out of water and every major metropolitan area has imposed restrictions on water use.

The Australian dollar is up 4.6 percent this year against the greenback but largely on the back of rising interest rates, and an economy bolstered by demand from China for it's mineral wealth.
The Canadian dollar may be a better bet longer term, as Canada may be able to supply water to the south western United States which is also starting to suffer from water supply problems.

Link

Media: APEC Hanoi Outcomes

APEC forum debates CC response

The 21-nation Asia Pacific Economic Cooperation meeting will pledge to accelerate the development of new technologies and alternative energy sources.

New Zealand Prime Minister Helen Clark, said on Friday that climate change should be a top priority for the trade-focused group: "The dire economic effects of unchecked climate change should be addressed by APEC because of the organisation's primary concern for growth and development"... "Without a commitment to sustainability, we will likely get neither in future" Clark said.

Australia pushed for a six-nation alliance of the world's biggest polluters -- China, India, the United States, Australia, South Korea and Japan -- to promote new technologies to tackle climate change.

Link

Media: BBC reports agreement at Nairobi

The UN climate talks in Nairobi have ended with agreement reached on all outstanding matters.

However, there is no deal on another round of mandatory cuts in emissions to follow the Kyoto Protocol, and no firm timetable for negotiating cuts.

Link

Media: BBC reports UK Environment Secretary comments

Commentary: UK Environment Secretary David Milliband on Nairobi COP outcomes.

UK Environment Secretary David Milliband was upbeat about the conclusions, citing decisions to allocate more resources to Africa for clean technology and for adaptation to the impacts of climate change. However, he acknowledged there was a large gap between the emissions cuts which science suggests are necessary, and the level of political commitment to making those cuts.

"I come away from this conference with two senses: one, the world community can make progress when it puts its mind to it, but two, my goodness we really need to up the momentum, we need to increase the acceleration," he told BBC News.
"And for that, you don't just need environment ministers - you need prime ministers, finance ministers, and foreign secretaries to put themselves behind this global drive."
Mr Milliband acknowledged that even alongside the welter of other international initiatives on climate, the UN process is especially important because it is the only one which can demand binding cuts in emissions.

The next round of talks will be in Bali next December.

Link

Media: BBC critical commentary on Nairobi outcomes

Critique: all talk, no strong action.

"Clearly there is no appetite in any government for doing things the straightforward way - mandating clean energy, banning coal-fired electricity generation, clearing city centres of cars, forcing builders to adopt stringent energy efficiency standards."

Yvo de Boer, the new executive secretary of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change, summed it up thus: "From looking at climate change policies as a cost factor for development, countries are starting to see them as opportunities to enhance economic growth in a sustainable way. "The further development of carbon markets can help mobilise the necessary financial resources needed for a global response to climate change, and give us a future agreement that is focused on incentives to act. Read these words in a positive way, and you visualise a mobilisation of business might to cool the Earth while making a profit - but turn the thought around, and what you have is the acknowledgment that making money, not reducing emissions, is the priority for governments and their advisers."

The headline outcomes include:

• a less than firm commitment to begin negotiations on further Kyoto Protocol emissions cuts in 2008, and no target date for concluding them - despite an acknowledgement that emissions need to fall by about 50% in the near future
• a decision that the protocol has been reviewed at this meeting, as its original wording demanded - many of us must have missed the review when we blinked
• a commitment to have a full review in two years' time
• an extension of work on technology transfer to the developing world, but only for a single year, which brought condemnation from the Chinese delegation
• agreement that Belarus can enter the Kyoto Protocol's trading mechanisms in a way which could allow it to make money without reducing emissions; this decision will have to be ratified
• a decision that carbon capture and storage (CCS) projects should not yet be eligible for money from the Protocol's Clean Development Mechanism
• agreement that the Adaptation Fund, a pot of money to help developing countries adapt to the impacts of climate change, should be primarily under the control of developing nations

Away from the main negotiations, a number of other initiatives were announced, the most striking being a UN fund to build capacity among African governments, enabling them better to bid for clean technology projects and protect against climate impacts.

Link

Policy: Nairobi outcomes

Agreements reached so far at the UN FCCC COP 12 in Nairobi (6-17 Nov)

• reaffirmed goal of agreeing an extension of Kyoto "as early as possible" to ensure a smooth transition to a new set of rules starting in 2013
• help poor nations, especially in Africa, win new funds from the CDM
• agreed principles for running an Adaptation Fund financed by a levy on CDM projects that is meant to help poor nations, especially in Africa, to adapt to climate changes.
• five-year programme to look at the impact of climate change, the vulnerability of the world and ways to adapt to changes such as floods, heatwaves, or droughts. Experts will make recommendations by end-2008.
• further study of proposals to help nations slow deforestation, which accounts for about 20 per cent of emissions of greenhouse gases
  
  Link

Policy: UK Gov - Office of Climate Change starts work

UK Government creates Office of Climate Change

The UK Government has created a new Office of Climate Change (OCC) that will work across Government to provide a shared resource for analysis and development of climate change policy and strategy, Environment Secretary David Miliband said today.

The OCC will support Ministers as they decide future UK strategy and policy on domestic and international climate change by:

• High level management and reporting of progress on existing commitments
  Consolidating existing analysis to develop a cross-government consensus on current progress and outstanding issues
• Identifying short and medium term goals for particular sectors/ areas and consequent priorities for action
• Carrying out time-limited policy-focussed projects where Ministers agree that this adds value
• Promoting understanding of climate change across government and supporting departments to adapt their policies

Link

Action: greening office energy supply

Report by WRI: "SWITCHING TO GREEN: A Renewable Energy Guide for Office and Retail Companies".

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Policy: practical steps for CFOs toward sustainability

Nearly 70 per cent of chief executives of mid-sized to large companies believe that sustainability is vital to their profitability, and more than two-thirds say it will remain a high priority, according to recent global surveys by PwC of its clients.

3 practical steps for CFOs toward sustainability:

• Substantiate the business case for sustainability
• Measure the results from sustainability initiatives in financial terms
• Communicate the value of sustainability to shareholders

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Econ: Model to estimate value of ecosystem services

World Wildlife Fund, the Nature Conservancy and scientists from Stanford University in California and the University of British Columbia announced a new model to estimate the dollar value to people of "ecosystem services" such as mangroves and wetlands. The new model is part of a trend for scientists and economists to measure the natural world in economic terms.

Link

Action: India to raise wind power stake in energy mix

India is the fourth largest user of wind power in the world, after Germany, Spain and the United States. India's President says 16 percent of its power could come from wind by 2030.

India has clinched a historic civilian nuclear energy deal with the United States which will help the power-starved nation establish energy security, and is also increasing looking at renewable sources of power.

Link

Science: Australian drought permanent

CSIRO report predicts Australian drought will continue

A report by Australia's Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO) finds that Australia's climate is now permanently hotter and drier, and the country faces major temperature rises and significantly less rainfall by 2070. It predicts that rainfall in parts of eastern Australia will drop 40 percent by 2070, with a seven degree Celsius rise in temperature. By 2030 the risk of bushfires will be higher, droughts more severe and rainfall and stream run-off lower.

Report: Link
Media: Link

Media: CC action required on Peatlands

Peatlands — rich densely packed soils made up of dead organic matter, mainly plants — are known as 'carbon sinks' for their ability to store more carbon per unit area than any other ecosystem. Although they occupy only 3-5 per cent of the earth's land and fresh water surface, they absorb 25-30 per cent of the world's carbon dioxide.

"Drainage starts a rapid process of decomposition, made worse by annual peat fires that last for months... Together these contribute large amounts of carbon dioxide to the atmosphere."

On a global level, it is essential that the Kyoto Protocol, which is limited to emissions caused by industry, housing, traffic and agriculture, includes emissions from soil and degraded vegetation.

http://www.scidev.net/content/news/eng/climate-change-action-must-include-peatlands.cfm

Media: drought in Australia worst in 1000 years

"What we're seeing with this drought is a frightening glimpse of the future with global warming," the leader of the South Australian state government Mike Rann told reporters.

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Policy: UK Gov - Energy Review

Major energy policy strategy paper from the UK Government's Department of Trade and Industry.

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Media: IEA backs nuclear for CC mitigation

The International Energy Agency urges governments to build more nuclear plants to slow climate change and increase energy security in in its annual World Energy Outlook. The IEA said more spending was needed to lift nuclear capacity by more than 40 percent to 519 gigawatts by 2030.

Media: Link
IEA report: Link

Media: German Chancellor to use EU presidency for CC work

Chancellor Angela Merkel said "International climate protection will be a central theme of the German EU presidency".
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Media: Times CC action portal

Times newspaper 'Carbon Champions' page - in association with UK Carbon TrustLink

Media: UK individual CC impacts survey

A Times report finds there is a large gap between what people say they are doing to help the environment, and the reality of the changes actually being made.

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Impacts: CC impact on European farmers

EC funded study on agricultural and biodiversity impacts of CC in Europe

A study by Berry P.M. et al (2006), "Assessing the vulnerability of agricultural land use and species to climate change and the role of policy in facilitating adaptation" in Environmental Science and Policy 9: 189-204, supported by the EC Directorate General of Research 5th Framework Programme, contributing to key action "Global change, climate and biodiversity" within the "Energy, Environment and Sustainable Development" programme finds:

• farmers in northern Europe are less vulnerable to future climate change as crop yields are expected to increase.
• farmers in southern Europe are expected to be more vulnerable to future climate change.
• vulnerability of species in Europe will increase in the future.

Stats: EEA report on EU-15 CC target progress

European Environment Agency report: "Greenhouse gas emission trends and projections in Europe 2006"

Link

A recent study by the European Environment Agency has assessed the actual historic and projected progress in Europe towards achieving the emission targets set out under the Kyoto Protocol. The report highlights that progress towards the Kyoto Protocol targets is very uneven around Europe.

The EU-15 is committed to delivering the collective 8% cut in emissions by 2008-2012 to which it signed up under the Kyoto Protocol.

Regarding the effectiveness of current policies, the EU emissions trading scheme is considered to be one of the measures that will contribute the most to achieving the targets. Other key policies and measures include promotion of electricity from renewable energy, promotion of combined heat and power, improvements in energy performance of buildings and energy efficiency in large industrial installations, and promotion of the use of energy-efficient appliances. However, current trends suggest that the EU-25 renewable electricity target (21% of gross electricity consumption by 2010) is unlikely to be met.

Science: sea level rise greatest CC threat for people

German Science body describes CC impacts on oceans

The German Advisory Council on Global Change (set up by the German federal government in 1992 in the run-up to the Rio Earth Summit as an independent, scientific advisory body) has released a report “The Future Oceans – Warming Up, Rising High, Turning Sour” discussing the impact of GHG emissions on the world’s oceans. This WBGU Special Report was presented at the 12th Conference of the Parties to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) in November 2006, at a side event named "Climate Impacts on the Ocean".

Report: Link

“To keep the adverse effects on human society and ecosystems within manageable limits, it will be essential to adopt new coastal protection approaches, designate marine protected areas and agree on ways to deal with refugees from endangered coastal areas. All such measures, however, can only succeed if global warming and ocean acidification are combated vigorously. Ambitious climate protection is therefore a key precondition to successful marine conservation and coastal protection.”

Media: UK to introduce long term binding CC target

The UK Government has stated it will legislate to require a 60% reduction in GHG emissions by 2050.

The Queen’s Speech, which is a statement read by the Queen on behalf of the Government that sets out its legislative agenda for the Parliamentary year ahead, included a proposal for legislation introducing a long term target addressing Climate Change: “My government will publish a bill on climate change as part of its policy to protect the environment, consistent with the need to secure long-term energy supplies.”

The details are expected to be published in an Energy White Paper in March 2007 setting out the Government’s policy proposal in full. However, the BBC reports (Link) that the climate change bill will introduce a binding target of a 60% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2050; establish an independent "Carbon Committee" to work with ministers to deliver reductions "over time and across the economy"; create new powers to reach the 2050 target; and improve the way CO2 reductions are monitored and reported, including to Parliament.