[GWSG] German power; Forum move?; new towns; W Bank on cc; Stafford & FEMA; non-C cuts; CA sells out; 390.9 ppm

[Tilley, Al]

1.  Germany is on track to produce 80-100% of its energy renewably by 2050. http://www.businessweek.com/news/2012-11-14/the-grid-german-law-gave-citizens-a-stake-in-clean-energy-switch    They credit Jimmy Carter as their inspiration.  Their process is decentralized and democratic. http://www.truthdig.com/report/item/how_germany_is_getting_to_100_percent_renewable_energy_20121115/  This year Germany has again become an exporter of energy.  Following its shutdown of nuclear power stations, it imported power last year.  Difficulties with the transition to renewables include power storage and relations with other power sources in the EU.  http://www.renewablesinternational.net/german-power-exports-reach-record-level/150/537/58500/
A tour of Hamburg indicates what the energy transition means.  The most noticeable impact is on transportation.  http://insideclimatenews.org/news/20121119/germany-energiewende-public-transportation-buses-bikes-parks-urban-planning-renewable-energy

2.  The US is reported to be considering moving climate change action from the UN to the Major Economies Forum, on which sit countries accounting for 85% of greenhouse gas emissions.  http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/nov/16/us-considers-climate-negotiations-un

3.  A Chicago architectural firm has contracted with Chengdu, China, to build the first fully planned sustainable city.  The 80,000 citizens will be housed in high rise buildings.  The new city will be connected to the megacity of Chengdu by fast transit as a sort of suburb without sprawl.  Scores of such cities are planned.   http://www.fastcoexist.com/1680826/in-china-new-sustainable-cities-are-rising-from-nothing#1

4.  The World Bank calls for more aggressive action by governments to control climate change and warns that the time is short.  http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2225651/world-bank-governments-must-tackle-climate-change-more-aggressively?WT.rss_f=Home&WT.rss_a=World+Bank%3A+Governments+must+tackle+climate+change+%27more+aggressively%27

5.  The Stafford Act obligates the federal government to assist state and local governments in rebuilding coastal communities damaged by storms when an emergency is declared—even on barrier islands.  People are beginning to question the wisdom of that.  Thanks to Tom Larson for the link.  http://www.nytimes.com/2012/11/19/science/earth/as-coasts-rebuild-and-us-pays-again-critics-stop-to-ask-why.html   FEMA’s flood insurance program has already adopted strictures against financing the rebuilding of repetitively damaged structures but needs to recognize moral hazard in its rate structure.  Surely, too, the Stafford Act should be brought under FEMA’s rebuilding strictures.    http://www.bostonglobe.com/opinion/2012/11/15/help-new-york-rebuild-but-fix-fema-too/Ep3SjMfKAXDtZM2XeN76XN/story.html

6.   By cutting methane, soot, and tropospheric ozone we can halve the warming expected by 2050 as we cut carbon emissions to mitigate longer term warming.  http://wwwp.dailyclimate.org/tdc-newsroom/2012/11/opinion-slowing-climate-change

7.  California has sold out its first auction of carbon emission permits at slightly more than the base price, allaying fears of inflationary pressures.  http://www.sfgate.com/business/energy/article/California-sells-out-of-first-pollution-permits-4050288.php

8.  The atmosphere reached 390.9 ppm of CO2 in 2011.  http://www.climatecentral.org/news/co2-hits-new-high-world-could-warm-7f-by-2060-15268
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