Growing evidence of climate change?

The environmntal and economic impacts of weather and climate are being highlighted in European, American, African and Australian media.

In parts of Australia the drought appears to be easing. But in Europe an intense heatwave has baked much of the Continent for weeks, fuelling forest fires, causing drought, and damaging crops.

Reports from Paris suggest that up to 20,000 mainly elderly people have died in the heatwave across Europe. France itself estimates 13,600 extra deaths, the Italian government is investigating reports that deaths rose 20 per cent, a Spanish rights group claims 2,000 deaths in Spain, and Portugal says the heat claimed 1,300 of its citizens’ lives. http://www.enn.com/news/2003-08-28/s_7855.asp

No individual weather event will ever be able to be attributed to climate change. Yet the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has projected an increase in climatic extremes.

The German weather service says such an extended dry and sunny period has not been seen since records began in 1870, and the chief climatologist at Italy’s National Geophysics Institute said that the searing temperatures were further evidence of global warming. http://www.iol.co.za/index.php?click_id=143&art_id=qw1059831901224B251&set_id=1

US scientists point to climate change as a significant contributor to the unprecedented pace at which previously unknown human diseases have surfaced in the past 30 years. http://www.globeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20030830/CLIMATE30//?query=greenhouse

Rising temperatures and drought have been linked to falling world grain harvests (http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release-m.asp?objid=||D1D1364B000000F745641687CA24E47E), changes in fish catches, farming, and building foundations in Britain (http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1029787,00.html), and a falling fish harvest in Africa (http://www.enn.com/news/2003-08-14/s_7517.asp).

Scientists from Britain’s Hadley Centre have found that climate change is affecting Africa more than the industrialised world, partly because industrial pollutants provide a measure of protection against radiation from the sun. http://www.capetimes.co.za/index.php?fArticleId=198444

The World Resources Institute raises growing concerns that heavy use and drought are stretching the limits of the world’s drylands, home to more than two billion people.

http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release-m.asp?objid=||D1D1364B000000F45A813231BCA408DB

And, ironically, oil companies operating on Alaska's North Slope are finding their work impeded by warmer winters. The tundra used to be frozen hard enough to enable heavy equipment to be hauled across it for six months a year. In recent years that has been down to three months. http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/21716/story.htm

In a leading article Britain’s The Guardian argues, ‘There are many ways to tackle climate change, but ignoring it is not one of them.’ http://www.guardian.co.uk/leaders/story/0,3604,1012954,00.html

As evidence of climate change and its impacts mounts, it is clear that international policy developments will make greenhouse an ever-more-significant trade and business issue. For example, Corporate Environmental Strategy and Practice has published a special issue of its journal, Greener Management International, featuring a series of papers reviewing corporate responses to climate change. http://www.greenleaf-publishing.com/gmi/gmi39.htm

Melbourne Seminar

In Australia, Positioning Australia for the emissions-constrained future, a seminar to be held in Melbourne next Tuesday (9 September 2003), will assess directions for Australian greenhouse policy and corporate strategy in the context of international policy developments.

Highlights of the program include:

· The Secretary of Environment Australia, Mr Roger Beale, speaking on the global and Australian situation post-Kyoto, focussing on the status of greenhouse issues and policies.

• Australia's Ambassador for the Environment, Mr Chris Langman, describing the Kyoto and non-Kyoto processes for establishing the longer-term greenhouse policy and trading regime.
• Mr John Buttle, who leads Ernst and Young's Environment and Sustainable Development Practice, discussing how Australia should be preparing for the post-Kyoto policy and business environment. Mr Buttle was a founding member of the Council of Management of the International Emissions Trading Association, and has advised on the implications of emissions trading for some of Australia's largest mining companies and institutional investors.
• Ms Tricia Caswell, Executive Director of the Global Sustainability Centre at RMIT, identifying Australian options and opportunities from an environmental sustainability perspective. Other speakers will discuss options and opportunities from resource-sector and business perspectives.
• The Assistant Director, Environmental and Sustainable Energy, Electricity Supply Association of Australia, Dr Harry Schaap, reviewing prospective emission abatement technologies and energy conservation.
• Dr Chris Mitchell, Chief Executive of the CRC for Greenhouse Accounting, reviewing medium- to long-term developments in emission accounting and sequestration, including land management.
• Dr Tony Beck and Mr Malcolm Gray, from the Australasian Emissions Trading Forum, discussing global trading developments, and reviewing the likely status and role of international and national emissions trading in the medium to long term.

The closing session of the seminar will include a panel discussion of challenges and opportunities.

The seminar is being organised by the CRC for Greenhouse Accounting in association with the Australasian Emissions Trading Forum.

For program details see Seminar Program Time is running out

Reserve your place now at http://www.aetf.net.au/Register.html

CRC news

Good Practice Guidance

During the past year, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has been developing Good Practice Guidance for greenhouse accounting for Land-Use, Land-Use Change and Forestry (LULUCF) that, when adopted, will underpin national inventories produced using the Revised 1996 Guidelines for the UNFCC and Kyoto Protocol reporting, and for project-level accounting. In Australia, Good Practice Guidance is required for greenhouse accounting even if the Kyoto Protocol is not ratified.

Conscious of the importance of the Good Practice Guidance being applicable to Australian conditions, the CRC for Greenhouse Accounting has been closely involved in the development of the Guidance. Three CRC scientists are lead authors of the Guidance, and groups of CRC scientists reviewed and commented on both the first and second drafts of the document.

The IPCC Good Practice Guidance for LULUCF is due for completion by November this year.

The CRC has also been closely involved with other IPCC processes, including being represented at the recent Working Group Meeting in Switzerland on 'factoring-out' the effects of age-class structure, carbon dioxide fertilisation and other indirect (eg nitrogen deposition) effects on sinks.

Agricultural emissions program

Victorian Minister for Agriculture Mr Bob Cameron has launched a range of measuring devices to be used in the CRC’s new research program into agricultural emissions of non-CO2 greenhouse gases.

The new program, made possible through a successful supplementary bid and an investment in sustainable agriculture by the Victorian Government, brings the Victorian Departments of Primary Industries and Sustainability and Environment and the University of Melbourne into the CRC as major partners, sees Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Australia and the Department of Agriculture (Western Australia) become supporting participants, and widens the CRC’s collaboration with the CSIRO to include the Division of Atmospheric Research.

Under the new research projects the CRC will:

• appraise the effectiveness of an array of options for reducing non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions in selected Australian agro-ecosystems;
• contribute to the development of farming systems and best-management practices that have the potential to reduce non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions from key agro-ecosystems; and
• raise awareness in farming and policy communities of non-CO2 greenhouse gas emissions estimates and methods developed by the CRC for reducing emissions.

Australian News

Biodiversity protection

The Minister for the Environment has announced a new nationwide strategic approach to protect Australia’s biodiversity from the impacts of climate change.

Minister’s press statement: http://www.deh.gov.au/minister/env/2003/mr26aug03.html

Workshop report on Climate Change Impacts on Biodiversity in Australia: http://www.deh.gov.au/biodiversity/science/bdac/greenhouse/index.html

Warning on emissions trading

(The Age, 25 August 2003)

Australia's energy-intensive industries have warned that the adoption of a greenhouse gas emission trading system would drive billions of dollars in new investment offshore.

Details: http://www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/08/24/1061663674146.html

Power station audit

(Point Carbon 26 August 2003)

The World Wildlife Fund has released a greenhouse emissions audit of Australia’s major power generators. The audit was undertaken by the Director of the Sustainability Centre and Adjunct Professor at Murdoch University, Dr Mark Diesendorf.

Details: http://www.panda.org/news_facts/newsroom/other_news/news.cfm?uNewsID=8486

Geothermal trial

(Reuters through Environmental News Network, 22 August 2003)

Geodynamics Ltd is drilling a 4.9 kilometre deep well into hot rock near Inamincka, 1,000 kilometres north of Adelaide, to test whether it can tap the geothermal resource to generate zero-emissions energy in large quantities.

Details: http://www.enn.com/news/2003-08-22/s_7743.asp

Great Barrier Reef threatened

The Great Barrier Reefcould be devastated by global warming over the next 50 years unless drastic action is taken, according to a report from a consortium of agencies including the Australian Institute of Marine Science.

Press release: http://statements.cabinet.qld.gov.au/portfolio-display/tmp/1062308473.html

Full report: http://www.nrm.qld.gov.au/science/climate.html

A mighty wind

(Sydney Morning Herald, 8 August 2003)

A special feature examines energy policy in Australia.

Details: http://www.smh.com.au/articles/2003/08/07/1060145798158.html

World News

Kyoto and emissions

No global warming policy

(Los Angeles Times through Daily Grist, 29 August 2003)

Car makers and oil companies will not be required to reduce greenhouse gas emissions from vehicles, the US Environmental Protection Agency announced, noting that the US Government had not established a policy for addressing global warming nor authorised the EPA to do so.

Details: http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/asection/la-na-epa29aug29,1,977609.story (free registration required)

and http://reuters.com/newsArticle.jhtml?type=politicsNews&storyID=3354122

and http://www.enn.com/news/2003-08-29/s_7886.asp

Billion dollar investment

(The Globe and Mail, Toronto Star, Environmental News Network, 13 August 2003)

Canada announces a $1 billion, five-year investment to coax consumers, politicians, business and scientists to meet Canada's pledges under the Kyoto Protocol.

Details: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/servlet/ArticleNews/TPStory/LAC/20030813/UKYOTN13/TPNational/TopStories

and

http://www.enn.com/news/2003-08-13/s_7452.asp

See also:

http://quote.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000082&sid=aUsx0pBCWmwE&refer=canada

and

http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/N12278657.htm

Comment:

http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&c=Article&cid=1060726210140&call_pageid=968256290204&col=968350116795

Regional framework

(Environmental News Network, 21 August 2003)

The University of North Dakota has developed a collaborative regional framework to support efforts by the US Department of Energy to control carbon dioxide emissions.

Details: http://www.enn.com/direct/display-release.asp?objid=D1D1366D000000F720B1BE7899528830

Voluntary program

(Environmental News Network, 19 August 2003)

More than 35 organisations and companies—representing more than $US140 billion in annual revenues—are now participating in California’s voluntary program for reducing greenhouse gas emissions.

Details: http://www.enn.com/news/2003-08-19/s_7449.asp

See also: http://www.greenbiz.com/news/news_third.cfm?NewsID=25451

Carbon levy

(The Japan Times through Point Carbon, 28 August 2003)

A Japanese government advisory panel has adopted a proposal for the introduction of a carbon levy by as early as 2005.

Details: http://www.japantimes.co.jp/cgi-bin/getarticle.pl5?nn20030828a2.htm

British attempts to slash emissions

(Guardian Unlimited, 27 August 2003 and The Sentinel, 21 August 2003, through Point Carbon)

Community supports a plan for East Anglia to cut greenhouse emissions by 60 per cent by 2025.

Details: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1029784,00.html

and

Almost 70 local authorities in England and Wales have signed up to the Nottingham Declaration on Climate Change, committing themselves to preparing a plan with their local communities to address both the causes and effects of climate change.

Details: http://www.thesentinel.co.uk/displayNode.jsp?nodeId=67725&command=displayContent&sourceNode=67252&contentPK=6739615

Warning on British jobs

(The Guardian, August 20)

A major energy supplied warns that British government that it risks exporting thousands of jobs to other parts of the European community if its limits on greenhouse emissions are too rigid.

Details: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/story/0,3604,1022039,00.html

NZ levies and rewards

(National Business Review, 19 and 21 August 2003)

The New Zealand Climate Change Office tells why its sees a need for a greenhouse livestock levy.

Details: http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=6844&cid=18&cname=

and

It will conduct the first round of tenders in September and October for projects to reward emission-reducing projects with internationally tradeable carbon credits.

Details: http://www.nbr.co.nz/home/column_article.asp?id=6821&cid=4&cname=Business+Today

Boost for innovative companies

(Cordis News through Point Carbon, 22 August 2003)

The European Commission claims that its proposed legislation on the reduction of fluorinated greenhouse gases will benefit innovative companies and act as a catalyst for less innovative companies to step up their research efforts.

Details: http://dbs.cordis.lu/cgi-bin/srchidadb?CALLER=NHP_EN_NEWS&ACTION=D&SESSION=&RCN=EN_RCN_ID:20772

Environment department sets example

(Point Carbon, 23 August 2003)

The German Ministry for the Environment is to set an example by taking all its future energy needs from renewable sources

Details: http://www.netinform.de/ke/startE.asp?Ziel=http://www.netinform.de/KE/aktuell_listing_detailE.aspx?ID=%20357

Less gas from beer

(Asia Times, 13 August 2003)

Asahi Breweries Ltd aims to reduce the carbon dioxide emitted in brewing regular and low-malt beer in 2008 through 2012 to half the 1990 level.

Details: http://www.atimes.com/atimes/Japan/EH13Dh02.html

Carbon sequestration

Bogged carbon

(The Guardian through Point Carbon, 25 August 2003)

Blocking modern drainage ditches would top up Britain’s ancient bogs and create carbon reservoirs almost as effective as tropical rainforests, according to a study by scientists at Leeds and Durham universities.

Details: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk_news/story/0,3604,1028763,00.html

GM trees plan

(CO2e.com, 28 August 2003)

Japan aims to genetically modify trees to absorb up to 20 per cent more carbon.

Details: http://www.co2e.com/News/story.asp?StoryID=1247

Geological storage study

(Suntimes News through Point Carbon, 27 August 2003)

The Illinois State Geological Survey has been awarded $US1.5 million in federal funds for a two-year study of the possibility of permanently storing carbon dioxide in coal beds, oil reservoirs, and deep saline reservoirs.

Details: http://www.suntimesnews.com/2/news_archive/aug_03archives/0827illstudy.htm

Energy

Donation for energy study

(Radio New Zealand through Point Carbon, 26 August 2003)

An unidentified trust has given Auckland University a multi-million dollar donation to study the energy industry and answer such questions as how should the electricity market should work and how greenhouse taxes should apply to coal.

Details: http://onebusiness.nzoom.com/onebusiness_detail/0,1245,215952-3-166,00.html

Subsidies threatened

(Expatica, 27 August 2003; Berkley Daily Planet, 26 August 2003)

Germany, which has 38 per cent of the world’s installed wind power generation capacity, considers reducing government support.

Details on government plans: http://213.159.10.102/germany.asp?pad=190,205,&item_id=33781

Feature on German renewable energy achievements: http://www.berkeleydaily.org/text/article.cfm?issue=08-19-03&storyID=17203

Biomass power

(Point Carbon, 27 August 2003)

Forest thinnings which used to be burnt on site are to be used to fuel a power plant in Arizona.

Details: http://www.businesswire.com/cgi-bin/cb_headline.cgi?&story_file=bw.082603/232385831&directory=/google&header_file=header.htm&footer_file=

Texas wind power

(Planet Ark through Daily Grist, 19 August 2003)

In the past three years Texas has increased its wind-power capacity from under 200 to more than 900 megawatts, and it wants to see that grow to 2,000 MW by the end of the decade.

Details: http://www.planetark.org/dailynewsstory.cfm/newsid/21899/story.htm

Hydrogen corridor plan

(Toronto Star, 19 August 2003)

An industry group representing Canadian fuel-cell companies is pushing the idea of a hydrogen corridor between Windsor and Montreal — a 900-kilometre strip of highway — with enough fuelling stations to support hydrogen-powered buses, trucks and other demonstration fleets.

Details: http://www.thestar.com/NASApp/cs/ContentServer?pagename=thestar/Layout/Article_Type1&call_pageid=971358637177&c=Article&cid=1061244610519

Nuclear

(International Herald Tribune, 15 August 2003)

Nuclear power could become an attractive economic option if costs were assigned to carbon emissions, according to a US analysis.

Details: http://www.iht.com/articles/106399.html

Beyond Kyoto

Sharing the burden

(BBC World, 7 August 2003)

Pointing out that even if fully implemented the Kyoto Protocol will not stop climate change, a British think-tank argues that the next international climate change negotiations must agree on a safe level of emissions in the long term and fair shares between nations.

Details: http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/uk_news/politics/3131285.stm

Trading

Costs left to industry

(Point Carbon, 4 August 2003)

The New Zealand government is accused of claiming up to $2.5 billion in carbon credits created by the country's forests while leaving the forestry industry to pick up 90 per cent of the cost of carbon liabilities accrued when the trees are cut down.

Details: http://www.stuff.co.nz/stuff/0,2106,2596923a13,00.html

Stakeholder views sought

(Point Carbon, 13 August 2003)

The UK has published a paper discussing allocation methods and their consequences and asked stakeholders in the EU emissions trading scheme for their views on the UK plan for the EU emissions trading scheme.

Details: http://www.defra.gov.uk/corporate/consult/eu-emissions/index.htm

Impact on electricity prices

(Financial Times through Point Carbon, 21 August 2003)

Electricity traders in Britain assume that carbon emissions trading will lift wholesale prices of electricity in 2005.

Details: http://news.ft.com/servlet/ContentServer?pagename=FT.com/StoryFT/FullStory&c=StoryFT&cid=1059479225059

European trade

(Point Carbon, 15 August 2003)

A 90,000 tonnes transaction in the EU emissions trading scheme.

Details: http://www.pointcarbon.com/article.php?articleID=2371

Chemical industry divided

(Platts Global Energy through Point Carbon, 14 August 2003)

Emissions trading is a virtual hot potato in the global chemical industry, with companies clearly divided on their views of the concept, as well as their approach and willingness to get involved in the process.

Details: http://www.platts.com/features/emissions/europechem.shtml

Spanish Carbon Fund

(Point Carbon, 8 August 2003)

A new Spanish Carbon Fund is launched.

Details: http://www.pointcarbon.com/article.php?articleID=2364

Conferences:

Bioenergy Australia’s annual conference Bioenergy Australia 2003 - Sustainable Energy for Our Future will be held in Sydney on 8 and 9 Decem ber 2003, with a technical tour on 10 December. The keynote speaker will be Professor Theo Verwijst of the Swedish University of Agricultural Sciences and Leader of the

International Energy Agency's Bioenergy Task on Short Rotation Crops for Bioenergy Systems.

Further details and program when available: http://www.users.bigpond.net.au/bioenergyaustralia/

Sustainability in practice

The Sigma Conference 2003, Sustainability in Practice, will be held in London on 26 November. Workshops include Living in a Carbon Constrained Future: The Business Implications for Sustainabiliy.

Details: http://emea.bsi-global.com/Sustainability/SIGMA_Conference/index.xalter

Global warming

(International Institute for Sustainable Development, 27 August 2003)

The Inter-American Institute for Global Change Research’s Summer Institute on Global Warming and Climate Changes: Causes, Mitigation Alternatives and International Actions will be held in Piracicaba, Brazil, from 10 to 20 November 2003.

Details: http://www.iaisummerinstitutes.iai.int/Files/SI03/GW_Announcement_English.pdf

Carbon credit market perspectives

(Point Carbon, 14 August 2003)

The fourth International Cogeneration and Decentralized Energy Conference and Exhibition will be held in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil on 1 and 2 October 2003. It includes a session on carbon credit market perspectives and carbon financing of decentralized energy.

Details: http://www.localpower.org/pages/wadeevents.htm

Carbon measurement and monitoring forum

(Point Carbon, 14 August 2003)

The Coalition for Agricultural Soils Mitigation of Greenhouse Gases is sponsoring a Carbon Measurement and Monitoring Forum on from 15 to 17

October 2003 in Manhattan, Kansas, US.

Details: http://www.oznet.ksu.edu/ctec/Fall_Forum.htm

Climate Technology Bazaar

The Confederation of Indian Industry and the Ministry of Environment and Forests conduct Climate Technology Bazaar, at New Delhi from 10 to13 November 2003. Themes include Climate-friendly technologies and Carbon Bazaar.

Details: http://www.ciionline.org/events/473/

Publications

Kyoto assessment

The Royal Institute of International Affairs Sustainable Development Programme has published A Strategic Assessment of the Kyoto-Marrakech System, number 6 in its briefing paper series.

Paper: http://www.riia.org/pdf/research/sdp/Kyoto-Marrakech%20Grubb%20et%20al%20Jun%2003.pdf