Obama on climate change: "We need to act"

WASHINGTON (AP) - President Barack Obama declared the debate over climate change and its causes obsolete Tuesday as he announced a wide-ranging plan to tackle pollution and prepare communities for global warming.

In a major speech at Georgetown University, Obama warned Americans of the deep and disastrous effects of climate change, urging them to take action before it's too late.

"As a president, as a father and as an American, I'm here to say we need to act," Obama said.

Obama announced he was directing his administration to launch the first-ever federal regulations on heat-trapping gases emitted by new and existing power plants - "to put an end to the limitless dumping of carbon pollution."

Other aspects of the plan will boost renewable energy production on federal lands, increase efficiency standards and prepare communities to deal with higher temperatures.

Even before Obama unveiled his plan Tuesday, Republican critics in Congress were lambasting it as a job-killer that would threaten the economic recovery. Obama dismissed those critics, noting the same arguments have been used in the past when the U.S. has taken other steps to protect the environment.

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http://www.salon.com/2013/06/25/obama_on_climate_change_we_need_to_act

EPA hopes to tighten emissions standards on cars

WASHINGTON (AP) - The Obama administration will unveil a proposal Friday to clean up gasoline and automobile emissions, a step that officials say will result in cleaner air across the U.S. and slightly higher prices at the pump.

The Environmental Protection Agency estimates that the rule to reduce sulfur in gasoline and tighten emissions standards on cars beginning in 2017 could increase gas prices by less than a penny per gallon and add $130 to the cost of a vehicle in 2025.

But the agency says it will yield billions of dollars in health benefits by slashing smog- and soot-forming pollution come 2030.

The oil industry, Republicans and some Democrats had pressed the EPA to delay the rule, citing higher costs. An oil industry study says the rule could increase gasoline prices by 6 to 9 cents per gallon.

The so-called Tier 3 standards would reduce sulfur in gasoline by more than 60 percent and reduce nitrogen oxides by 80 percent, by expanding across the country a standard already in place in California. For states, the regulation will make it easier to comply with health-based standards for the main ingredient in smog and soot. For automakers, the regulation allows them to sell the same autos in all 50 states.

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http://www.salon.com/2013/03/29/epa_hopes_to_tighten_emissions_standar

New Oceans Study: Global Warming Accelerated in Past 15 Years

Perhaps the most important result of this paper is the confirmation that while many people wrongly believe global warming has stalled over the past 10-15 years, in reality global warming has not paused, it has accelerated.

http://theenergycollective.com/josephromm/202626/hot-water-global-warm

NY Times Editorial Makes The Climate Case Against Keystone

The March 11 editorial in the New York Times says the overriding reason President Obama should reject the Keystone XL pipeline is climate change.

http://theenergycollective.com/josephromm/197221/climate-case-against-

Obama Nominee for EPA Has Track Record of Safeguarding Health and the Environment

President Obama has announced he is nominating Gina McCarthy to lead the Environmental Protection Agency. McCarthy's track record of standing up for clean air, climate action, and public health shows that we can count on her to protect our environment and communities.

http://theenergycollective.com/francesbeinecke/194791/obama-nominee-ep

State Dept. says no environmental bar to Keystone XL

To the chagrin of environmentalists opposed to the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline, a State Department report released Friday afternoon stated there is no conclusive environmental reason it should not be built.

The report makes no recommendations for the president's anticipated decision on whether or not to approve the project, which will carry crude oil from Alberta's tar sands to the Gulf Coast, while -- according to opponents -- producing high levels of carbon emissions, disturbing communities and adding to the coffers of oil magnates such as the Koch brothers. Friday's lengthy report suggests environmental objections have been overestimated by the project's critics. Via the New York Times:

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http://www.salon.com/2013/03/01/state_department_says_no_environmental

The Importance (or not) of Climate Change Rallies

Seems every day there is a new rally related to the environment. But in the 21st century, should we re-evaluate the effectiveness of a rally?

http://theenergycollective.com/globalwarmingisreal/187946/importance-o

Will Climate Change Hawk Kerry Kill Keystone XL?

The Senate confirmed John Kerry as a Secretary of State by a vote of 94 to 3. I believe this is a turning point in the fight to stop the Keystone XL pipeline. Once again, I do not think that a man who had dedicated his Senate career to fighting catastrophic climate change would start his term as Secretary approving the expansion of one of the dirtiest sources of fossil fuels in the world.

http://theenergycollective.com/josephromm/178816/kerry-keystone-xl-pip

Nicholas Stern: I Got It Wrong On Climate Change-It's Far, Far Worse

Looking back, I underestimated the risks. The planet and the atmosphere seem to be absorbing less carbon than we expected, and emissions are rising pretty strongly. Some of the effects are coming through more quickly than we thought then.

http://theenergycollective.com/josephromm/178351/nicholas-stern-i-got-

2012 was warmest year in USA history: NOAA

Creative Commons: Anile Prakash, 2010

2012 was the warmest year on record for most of the US, according to a new report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).

The latest data shows that the lower 48, all the states apart from Alaska and Hawaii, experienced the second most extreme year of weather as well as record high average temperatures.

The average temperature for the year was 12.9°C, 1.7°C above the 20th century average and 0.5°C above the previous record set in 1998.

"In 117 years of data the record low temperatures to 1998's previous record high average, all sit within a four degree Fahrenheit band, 2012 is 1 degree Fahrenheit above that band," said Jake Crouch, climate scientist, NOAA's National Climatic Data Center (NCDC).

Read more: Resp0nding to Climate Change >>

http://tcktcktck.org/2013/01/2012-was-warmest-year-in-usa-history-noaa

Australian Prime Minister warns of more extreme heatwaves due to climate change

Courtesy: Australia Bureau of Meteorology, 2013

Facing 'unprecedented' heat and threats of 'catastrophic' wildfires, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard has publicly stated her concerns about climate change. Gillard is the latest head of state to acknowledge the growing risk we now face from more extreme weather events after Barack Obama spoke about the issue following Hurricane Sandy. She warned of the role played by global warming during a visit to a burnt out school in Tasmania, which succumbed to the wildfires currently ravaging the Australian continent amidst a record breaking heatwave.

Australians are trapped under a 'dome of heat' which according to the Bureau of Meteorology has smashed a 40 year old record for national average temperature (weighing in at a sizzling 40.33°C) and toppled the record for number of consecutive days over 39°C which now stands at 6 days and counting. Experts believe the heatwave is set to continue, as over 100 wildfires continue to rage across the countryside in New South Wales alone, threatening lives and property in a natural disaster that some experts believe could rival the notorious firestorms of 2009 that claimed hundreds of lives.

Learn more: The Atlantic Wire >>

http://tcktcktck.org/2013/01/australian-prime-minister-warns-of-more-e

Devastating wildfires in Australia linked to climate change

Wildfires in Tasmania, Creative Commons: Toni Fish, 2013

Facing a record breaking heat wave and catastrophic wildfires raging across Tasmania and New South Wales, Australian Prime Minister Julia Gillard spoke publicly of the connection between these weather conditions and climate change.

"We do know that over time as a result of climate change we are going to see more extreme weather events," said Prime Minister Gillard.

Fires are currently burning in five out of the six Australian states. Though no fatalities have been reported, emergency workers continue to search for missing people.

According to the Australian Bureau of Meteorology, the last four months of 2012 set new maximum temperature records across the nation. In fact, the Bureau added new colors to their forecasting charts to indicate never before seen temperatures of up to 54 degrees Celsius. These temperatures, in combination with a delayed and weak monsoon season, helped to spark the dangerous wildfires in the eastern part of the nation.

Like U.S. President Obama's remarks in the wake of Hurricane Sandy, Prime Minister Gillard's comments reflect the growing awareness amongst world leaders of the connection between climate change and a 'new normal' of increased dangerous weather events. Average temperatures in Australia have climbed by almost 1 degree Celsius since 1910 due to climate change, and may continue to rise by up to 5 degrees Celsius by 2070. This news comes as the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration confirms that 2012 was the hottest year on record for the United States.

http://tcktcktck.org/2013/01/devastating-wildfires-in-australia-linked

British wind power growth blowing away forecasts

Britain has a big dream they're working on, to use wind power to provide electricity to a large portion of the country. I don't remember the percentage but they're going for wind power in a big way. As is Europe in general.

Wind power growth blowing away forecasts discusses the progress. Apparently they are well ahead of their forecast growth, and are on target to supply enough electricity from wind to provide the electricity needs of Glasgow and London.