| September/October 2006
Climate Change | Energy | Environment |
D1 - Global Warming "Points Of Light"
E Magazine, July-August 2006, v17, #4, pp26-39, 62-63
Subtitled "The World Wakes Up to Climate Change", this
series takes a regional look at successful country-level efforts
to combat climate change. For example, the town of Hull, Massachusetts
is investing in wind power while in Africa, Nigeria is ending
gas flaring in the Niger Delta. Other countries include Domenica,
Germany, Iceland, Spain, Sweden, Czech Republic, Estonia, Russia,
China, India, Philippines, Kenya, Liberia, and Malawi. Each story
comes with a contact for further information. Sidebars cover the
trend at U.S. universities to switch to "green" power,
a list of the ten "greenest" cities in the U.S. (with
Chicago at the top), and a profile of the University of California-Davis
Energy Efficiency Center, which tries to commercialize new energy
technologies. Fulltext
D2- 2006 Corporate Governance and Climate Change: Making
the Connection
Cogan, Douglas G.
Ceres, March 2006, 300p (Ceres commissioned this
report from the Investor Responsibility Research Center - IRRC).
“This first-ever report issued .. by the Ceres investor coalition
.. analyzes how 100 leading companies are addressing the growing
financial risks and opportunities from climate change-whether
from expanding greenhouse gas regulations, direct physical impacts
or surging demand for climate-friendly technologies. Altogether,
76 U.S. companies and 24 non-U.S. companies in 10 business sectors
are profiled in the report. … The report's overall results are
encouraging. In 2003, Ceres released a report on 20 companies
showing that major U.S. businesses were doing little to address
climate challenge. By contrast, this report shows that leading
companies in many key industries are now tackling the issue at
the highest level, with boards conducting strategic assessments
and management setting performance goals for reducing greenhouse
gas emissions and developing new climate-friendly products.” Fulltext
D3 - Rising to the Challenge: Six Steps to Cut Global Warming Pollution in the United States
Dutzik, Tony; Figdor, Emily
Penn Environment Research & Policy Center, Summer 2006;
Web-posted August 24, 2006, 51p
“This report details six steps to improve the energy efficiency
of the U.S. economy and use more renewable energy. Coupled with
strong, mandatory limits on global warming emissions, say the
authors, these strategies would reduce U.S. global warming emissions
by 19% below 2004 levels, by 2020. The six steps include increasing
vehicle gas mileage standards; replacing vehicle fuel partly with
biofuels or other clean alternatives; reducing energy consumption
in homes, business, and industry; obtaining more electricity from
new renewable energy sources; stabilizing vehicle travel; and,
holding emissions from other sources to current levels.” Tony
Dutzik is affiliated with the Frontier Group. Emily Figdor is
from the U.S. PIRG Education Fund. Fulltext
D4- Agriculture's Role in Greenhouse Gas Mitigation
Paustian, Keith, Antle, John M., Sheehan, John, Paul, Eldor A.
Pew Center on Global Climate Change. September 2006, online edition, 87p
This report notes the unique position of the agriculture and forestry
sectors both as sources of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions (including
carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide) and as "sinks"
that can remove carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. The authors
advocate programs of "suitable payments" that encourage
farmers to adopt new management practices to store carbon in agricultural
soils, and reduce agricultural emissions of methane and nitrous
oxide. Policy incentives also are needed, the authors say, to
reduce costs of producing biofuels and accelerate key technologies.
The report notes that climate mitigation could potentially become
a source of new income and cost reductions for farmers. However,
access to financing, changes in economic conditions and technologies,
and policies will be key factors that will affect farmers' willingness
to play a part in climate solutions. Keith Paustian is from
Colorado State University, John M. Antle from Montana State University,
John Sheehan from the National Renewable Energy Laboratory, Eldor
A. Paul is from Colorado State University. Fulltext
D5 - Global Climate Change: Major Scientific and Policy Issues
Justus, John R.; Fletcher, Susan R.
The Library of Congress, Congressional Research Service, August 11, 2006, 22p
“The measurable increase in average global temperatures, termed “global warming” and linked to increases in “greenhouse” gases in the Earth’s atmosphere, has led to international efforts to achieve reductions of emissions of those gases from human activities, as well as domestic debates in the United States concerning the appropriate policies to address related concerns. This report briefly review the status of scientific research on the underpinnings of global climate change, and briefly outlines both international sction and domestic policies, including legislation in the 109th Congress to address climate change.” John R. Justus and Susan R. Fletcher are from CRS’ Resources, Science, and Industry Division. Fulltext
D6- No Silver Bullet
Kriz, Margaret
National Journal, August 5, 2006, v38, #31, pp16-25
“Getting Serious about global warming will mean improving existing technologies an developing new ones to more cleanly and economically power the refrigerators, computers, cars, and factories of tomorrow.” Margaret Kriz offers a look at seven of the most promising technologies. Margaret Kriz is a National Journal staff correspondent. Fulltext
D7- Biofuels Boom: Alternative
Energy - Can an Ethanol Satisfy America's Thirst for Foreign Oil?
Bettelheim, Adrian
The CQ Researcher, Sep. 29, 2006, pp. 793-816
"Energy companies across the Midwest are building new plants to convert locally grown corn into ethanol. The construction spurt is the most visible evidence of expanded interest in renewable fuels, which politicians increasingly believe can begin to wean America from its voracious appetite for foreign oil. Ethanol, the only renewable fuel being produced in the United States in any significant quantity, is being aggressively promoted as a key ingredient in the quest for energy security. But before competing head-to-head with gasoline, it will have to overcome major hurdles. Not only is it more expensive to produce, but some studies say it takes more energy to process corn into ethanol than the fuel delivers. Experts believe a more viable long-term ethanol source could be switchgrass or other so-called cellulosic biomass. The current biofuels boom also bodes well for other renewables, including biodiesel, which has achieved popularity in Europe." Adriel Bettelheim is an editor at the CQ Researcher. Order Article
D8 - Cougars On The Move
Kemper, Steve
Smithsonian, September 2006, v37, # 6, pp72-78
The American mountain lion, the fourth largest cat in the world, has a range throughout much of the Western hemisphere, but they are such elusive creatures that their true numbers in the United States are unknown. For almost a century, lions have been spotted only in the mountainous Rocky Mountain and Western states, but now the big, roaming cats have been spotted farther east in isolated cases. Their spread is beginning to intensify the debate about whether the animal should be regarded as a threat to hikers and farmers, or as species deserving protection. Different Western states are taking opposite positions. California has banned hunting the animals, while other states have increased the limit. More states are likely to be drawn into the controversy if animal sightings continue to occur beyond the current range. Steve Kemper is the author of Reinventing the Wheel: A Story of Genius, Innovation, and Grand Ambition. Fulltext
D9 - U.S. National Report On Population And The Environment
Markham, Victoria D.
Center for Environment and Population (CEP), web-posted August 30, 2006, 69p
This report documents existing scientific evidence of how the
nation's dramatic population changes (such as rapid growth, suburbanization,
and coastal concentrations) are linked to equally remarkable environmental
changes (such as rapid land development, habitat and species loss,
water pollution, and climate change). The report highlights a
number of developments, including the following: Rapid population
growth and high rates of resource consumption show how the nation
has the largest per-capita environmental impact in the world.
The U.S. has become a "metropolitan nation," shifting
from being primarily rural to a primarily urban and suburban nation.
Urban "sprawl" is the most predominant form of land-use
change in the country. Land is developed twice as fast as population
growth. The South and West, the nation's fastest growing and most
populous regions (home to over half of all Americans today), are
the nation's first "Population & Environment Hot Spots."
Half of the nation's fastest growing states are in vulnerable
coastal ecosystems in the South, and another four are in the driest
Western areas. Victoria D. Markham is with the Center for
Environment and Population. Fulltext
D10 - Black Water Rising
Young, John
World Watch, September/October 2006, v19, #5, p26ff
“The threat of escalating damage from disasters such as hurricanes
is rising thanks to rising seas and warmer waters that may increase
the intensity and destructiveness of future storms; both are effects
of global climate change.” John Young, a former senior researcher
at John Young, a former senior researcher at Worldwatch, is an
independent writer and consultant on global environmental issues.Fulltext
D11 - Endangered Species: Many Factors Affect the Length of Time to Recover Select Species
Government Accountability Office, September 6, 2006, 77p
“The U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and the National Marine Fisheries
Service are responsible for administration and implementation
of the Endangered Species Act of 1973. The act generally requires
the services to develop recovery plans for endangered and threatened
species--species facing extinction or likely to face extinction,
respectively. Recovery plans identify threats to the species'
survival and the actions needed to mitigate those threats… This
.. report provides more detailed information on the factors that
affect species recovery and the importance of recovery plans in
recovery efforts." Fulltext
D12 - Wall Street’s New Love Affair
Thornton, Emily, Aston, Adam
Business Week, August 14, 2006, #3997, pp48-56
This article explores why some of the world’s smartest investors are betting millions on clean energy. It provides an overview of arguments and samples of American companies engaging in green investing. Emily Thornton is an associated editor of Business Week, and Adam Aston is the industries’ department editor. Fulltext
D13 - The Green Machine
Gunther, Marc
Fortune, August 7, 2006, v154,#3, pp42-57
Lee Scott is Wal-Mart’s CEO. He “says he wants to turn the world’s
largest retailer into the greenest. The company is so big, so
powerful, it could force an army of suppliers to clean up their
acts too." This article explores whether he is serious. Marc
Gunther is a "Fortune" Staff writer. Fulltext
|
