[GWSG] CC and tornadoes; AUS to tax C; beef to rise; sinks diminish; trees more powerful; $21/ton or $900?; serious biking

[Tilley, Al]

1.  Paul Epstein describes how global warming increases the chance of tornadoes.  http://www.theatlantic.com/national/archive/2011/07/an-era-of-tornadoes-how-global-warming-causes-wild-winds/241639/

2.  Australia’s Prime Minister Julie Gillard announced that beginning a year from now any company which produces 25,000 tons of carbon dioxide a year will be taxed $25 (American) a ton.  The government plans to return at least part of the money to consumers to compensate them for increased energy and food bills (and to win over some of the 60% who oppose the plan).  In 2015 a market-based trading scheme for carbon will be introduced.  Among major emitters Australia has been second only to the US in resisting action on climate change.  http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/world-asia-pacific-14096750  Further information from the NY Times follows.  The plan includes significant support for renewable energy, and will favor less polluting industries (though natural gas continues to be included in those, against the findings of the Cornell study which determined that fracked gas is the worst energy source for ghg emissions among the fossil fuels).  http://www.nytimes.com/2011/07/11/business/global/australia-proposes-carbon-trading-plan-again.html?emc=tnt&tntemail0=y

3.  The drought in the Southern US will drive beef prices much higher this fall (and for some time to come).  http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2011/0708/South-s-extreme-drought-could-be-felt-at-supermarkets-soon

4.  An article in Nature reports that the oceans and soil are becoming less capable of absorbing excess carbon, and that a positive feedback is releasing increasing amounts of nitrous oxide and methane from the soil.  http://old.news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110713/sc_afp/environmentclimatewarmingscienceco2forestsoceans

5.  Tropical deforestation is responsible for over a quarter of global greenhouse gas emissions, far more than thought previously, according to an article in Science.  On the other hand, forests are potentially a more powerful carbon sink than we have realized.  They now sequester about a third of ghg emissions and could handle more.  http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/world/forests-revealed-as-climate-giants/story-e6frg6so-1226095027486

6.  The US government estimate of the social cost of carbon is $21/ton.  A new study holds that the true cost could be as high as $900/ton.  http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=economists-find-flaws-federal-estimate-climate-damage

7.  In Copenhagen, 37% bicycle to school or work.  In the US generally, it is .6%.  We need to view bicycles as serious transportation alternatives, not just as recreation.  http://e360.yale.edu/feature/on_biking_why_cant_the_us_learn_lessons_from_europe/2425/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+YaleEnvironment360+%28Yale+Environment+360%29
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