Posted June 24, 2010
Climate Change | Energy | Environment
Climate Change Indicators in the United States
U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, April 27, 2010, online edition, 80p (PDF)
EPA's Climate Change Indicators in the United States report will help readers interpret a set of important indicators to better understand climate change. The report presents 24 indicators, each describing trends related to the causes and effects of climate change. It focuses primarily on the United States, but in some cases global trends are presented to provide context or a basis for comparison. Fulltext D1/02-10
What Hath Copenhagen Wrought? A Preliminary Assessment
Stavins, Robert N.; Stowe, Robert C.
Environment, May/June 2010, v52, #3, pp8-14
"After years of preparation, the Fifteenth Conference of the Parties (COP-15) of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) commenced on December 7, 2009, in Copenhagen, Denmark,and adjourned some two weeks later on December 19, after a raucous all-night session. During the last 24 hours of the conference, a small group of leading heads of state and government negotiated directly, to a degree unprecedented in recent history." This article discusses the architecture of the Accord, its key provisions,
temperature targets, adaptation funds, and emission-reduction measurement,
reporting, and verification. Robert N. Stavins is the Albert Pratt professor of Business and Government at the Harvard Kennedy School. Robert C. Stowe is the executive director of the Harvard Environmental Economics Program and Manager of the Harvard Project on International Climate Agreements. Fulltext D2/02-10
Moving Beyond Climate Change
Hulme. Mike
Environment, May/June 2010, v52, #3, pp15-19
"The rhetoric leading up to the Copenhagen Climate Summit last December (COP15)
was deafening. Voices—some sombre, some shrill, some almost hysterical—told us
that COP15 must deliver a deal “to save the planet” and “to protect civilisation
as we know it.” These people characterized it as “the last chance we have to
tackle climate change.” Such an atmosphere was not conducive to calm, considered, and realistic negotiating. And it was a task made harder because in recent years, so many other issues have been added to the tangled knot of climate change politics: the loss of biodiversity, the gross inequity in patterns of development, degradation of tropical forests, trade restrictions, violation of the rights of indigenous peoples, intellectual property rights, and others. The list seemed to grow by the month. The world arrived at Copenhagen with a Rubik's cube climate-change puzzle containing just too many dimensions to be solved." Mike Hulme is professor of climate change in the School of Environmental Sciences at the University of East Anglia, Norwich, England. Fulltext D3/02-10
Copenhagen and the Governance of Adaptation
Livermann, Diane; Billett, Simon
Environment, May/June 2010, v52, #3, pp28-36
"For many countries and nongovernmental organizations (NGOs) attending Copenhagen, a primary objective was to secure funds for adaptation and a system for managing them. As hopes for deep cuts in emissions receded, concern about coping with the impacts of climate change increased, and
funds for adaptation were seen as a key response both to the moral claims of the most vulnerable countries and as a political bargaining chip to encourage support for deals over mitigation." Diana Liverman is the co-Director of the Institute of the Environment
at the University of Arizona and a senior research fellow with the Environmental Change Institute at Oxford University. Simon Billett works for a multilateral development agency giving climate change policy support to governments. Fulltext D4/02-10
Burden-Sharing and Global Climate Negotiations: the Case of the Kyoto Protocol
Bhatti, Yosef; Lindskow, Kasper; Pedersen, Lene Holm
Climate Policy,
Spring 2010, v10, #2, pp131-147
"International climate agreements are important examples of internationally
negotiated distributive politics and the resulting obligations vary considerably
across countries. Nevertheless, few studies have empirically examined the
determinants of burden sharing in this context. The allocation of emission
reductions in the Kyoto protocol is investigated in relation to the different
arguments advanced during the Kyoto negotiations. Regression-based evidence
suggests that countries were compensated for early action and that affluent
countries, states with high GHG emissions, countries with a high projected
growth rate as well as potential EU member states undertook to meet the
strictest targets. These findings demonstrate that the context in which
negotiations are undertaken influences the obligations that countries are
willing to accept and they indicate that there may be a potential for reaching a
burden sharing agreement even in the context of financial crisis."
Lene Holm Pedersen is the director of Research at AKF (Danish Institute of Governmental Research). Yosef Bhatti is a PhD Fellow at the University of Copenhagen. Kasper Lindskow is a student at the University of Copenhagen. Fulltext D5/02-10
Climate Crisis, Credit Crisis: The Quest for Green Growth
Dervis, Kemal et al.
Global Economy & Development at Brookings, Brookings Blum Roundtable 2009, April 2010, online edition, 40p
"As the global economy struggles to sustain its recovery from the deepest recession in sixty years, another challenge looms large: preventing the Earth from warming more than 3.6 °F, widely considered by climate experts as the acceptable level to reduce the risk of irreversible global damage resulting from climate change. To meet these challenges, we must look beyond our national borders, recognize that we face an uncertain future, and collaborate to ensure our collective well-being. Our success or failure will depend both on our timeliness and resolve—and will shape the fate of our planet for years to come."
Kemal Dervis is a Turkish economist and politician. Fulltext D6/02-10
The Crisis Comes Ashore
Gore, Al
New Republic, June 10, 2010, v241, #9, pp10-12
"The continuing undersea gusher of oil 50 miles off the shores of Louisiana is
not the only source of dangerous uncontrolled pollution spewing into the
environment. Worldwide, the amount of man-made CO2 being spilled every three
seconds into the thin shell of atmosphere surrounding our planet equals, in
tons, the highest current estimate of the amount of oil spilling from the
Macondo well every day. Indeed, the average U.S. coal-fired power plant gushes
more than three times as much global-warming pollution into the atmosphere each
day--and there are over 1,400 of them."
In this article, Al Gore discusses why the oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico presents an important reminder of the necessity of changing our energy policy and energy-consuming habits. Al Gore, former vice president of the United States, is chairman of the Alliance
for Climate Protection. Fulltext D7/02-10
The Case for Action: Creating a Clean Energy Future
Pew Center on Global Climate Change, May 2010, online edition, 16p (PDF)
"The United States needs strong action now to reduce the risks of climate change, strengthen our energy independence, protect our national security, and create new jobs and economic opportunities. The Pew Center on Global Climate Change believes that the case for action has never been stronger. With a strong energy and climate policy the United States can lead the 21st century clean energy economy." Fulltext D8/02-10
The Power Plan
Discover, June 2010, v31, #5, pp47-51
"When the colonists of Virginia depleted their cropland, they relocated westward. When prospectors found gold in the Rockies, they rushed to exploit it without a thought to the environment. There is no Wild West anymore. As it becomes increasingly clear that our energy supply is finite and unpredictable, the United States must make a clean break from its history of squandering resources. To brainstorm an action plan, Discover teamed up with the National Science Foundation, the Institute of Electrical and Electronics Engineers (IEEE-USA), and the American Society of Mechanical Engineers (ASME) to sponsor a series of briefings on Capitol Hill. Eight leading thinkers offered visions of how to make our energy supply cleaner, more efficient, and more abundant. Here is their expert analysis." Fulltext D9/02-10
Next-Generation Biofuels: Near-Term Challenges and Implications for Agriculture
Coyle, William
Amber Waves, June 2010, online edition, 8p (PDF)
"The Energy Independence and Security Act (EISA) of 2007 mandates a tripling in
U.S. biofuel use to 36 billion gallons by 2022. Achieving this goal will depend
on rapid expansion in next-generation biofuels, primarily from cellulose." William T. Coyle is a senior economist with the Economic Research Service. Fulltext D10/02-10
The Coming Clash between Water and Energy
IEEE Spectrum, June 2010, v47, #6, pp22-27
"In almost every type of power plant, water is a major hidden cost. Water cools the blistering steam of thermal plants and allows hydroelectric turbines to churn. It brings biofuel crops from the ground and geothermal energy from the depths of the Earth. Our power sources would be impotent without water. […] The era of easy energy and plentiful water is ending; a new way of husbanding these resources must begin." IEEE Spectrum magazine is the flagship publication of the IEEE, the world's largest professional technology association. Fulltext D11/02-10
Offshore Drilling; Is Tougher Federal Oversight Needed? (NEW)
Billiteri, Thomas
CQ Researcher,
June 25, 2010, v20, #24, pp553-580
"The blowout two months ago at the Deepwater Horizon oil rig in the Gulf of Mexico has turned into one of the worst environmental catastrophes in U.S. history. Well owner BP failed in repeated attempts to stop the undersea gusher spilling millions of gallons, and experts say it may be months before it is brought under control. The blowout has exposed corner-cutting by BP and massive regulatory failures. . . ."
Thomas J. Billitteri is a CQ Researcher staff writer. Order article D18/02-10
What the Spill Will Kill
Begley, Sharon
Newsweek, June 6, 2010, online edition
"Giant plumes of crude oil mixed with methane are sweeping the ocean depths with devastating consequences. ‘I’m not too worried about oil on the surface,’ says one scientist. ‘It’s the things we don’t see that worry me the most.’" Fulltext D12/02-10
On the Edge
Walsh, Bryan; Padgett, Tim; Crowley, Michael
Time Magazine, June 14, 2010, v175, #23, pp30-37
The article discusses the likely long-term environmental and economic impact of
the BP oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. In addition to the oil on the surface of
the ocean which has threatened wildlife, coastal wetlands and marshes,
scientists believe that the long-term environmental and economic threat could
result from the massive plumes of oil and dispersants near the bottom of the
ocean. The U.S. government has banned fishing in more than 37% of the Gulf of
Mexico waters, causing an economic blow to the coastal states which may last
for years after the spill is contained.
Bryan Walsh is the environmental columnist at TIME magazine. Tim Padgett is the bureau chief of the Time Magazine in Florida. Michael Crowley is a senior correspondent for TIME Magazine. Fulltext D13/02-10
Black Water Rising
Thomas, Evan; Stone, Daniel
Newsweek, June 7, 2010, v155, #23, pp26-33
"This article discusses the political and environmental ramifications of the April
20, 2010 BP oil rig explosion and resulting oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico. In
the aftermath of the explosion, BP has been unable to stop the continuous flow
of oil spilling into the Gulf of Mexico and U.S. President Barack Obama's
handling of the disaster has been criticized. Critics argue that Obama has given
BP too much control over the oil spill cleanup and been too willing to believe
BP's assurances about the amount of oil being released into the Gulf of Mexico. Experts estimate that the environmental damage will last for decades." Evan Thomas is the assistant managing editor of Newsweek magazine. Daniel Stone is a senior reporter in Newsweek's Washington bureau covering
national politics and environmental policy. Fulltext D14/02-10
Flushing Forests
Robbins, Noelle
World Watch, May/June 2010, v23, #3, pp6-11
As global population grows and access to sanitation improves, the world's forests are "under assault" from paper companies competing to respond to growing consumer demand for toilet tissue, the only paper product that cannot be recycled after use.
Noelle Robbins is a freelance
writer specializing in community and environmental health issues. Fulltext D15/02-10
The New Environmental Activists
MacDonald, Christine
E - The Environmental Magazine, May/June 2010, v21, #3, pp22-32
"Let's face it: Things are looking pretty bleak on the environmental front. Scientists warn we are running out of time to put the breaks on global warming before the planet slips beyond a "livable" climate, but public opinion is headed in the other direction. Two years ago, an overwhelming majority of Americans — 71% — agreed global warming was happening and only 10% doubted it. But after "Climategate," in which hacked e-mails between U.K. climate scientists showed that certain information was being withheld from the public, the economic recession and the politicization of global warming, that consensus has slipped dramatically. A new poll shows just over one-half of the public now believes that global warming is a serious problem." This article discusses the modern environmental activists and the politization of
global warming.Christine MacDonald is the author of Green, Inc. (Lyons Press), which examines the corporate ties of several of the country's largest environmental groups. Fulltext D16/02-10
Carbon Cowboys
Knoblauch, Jessica A.
E - The Environmental Magazine, May/June 2010, v21, #3, pp15-17
"The article discusses the significance of carbon storage in soil to the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions. It explains that soil carbon sequestration helps curb climate change and provides additional sequestration. Researchers reveal that landowners may improve their land and sequester more carbon through a half-inch compost layer on the soil and careful rotational grazing." Jessica A. Knoblauch is a freelance journalist. Fulltext D17/02-10
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