[GWSG] FEMA rates; RMI plan; 55% benefits; UN pledges; energy guesses; Citigroup report; permafrost; Green Tea in GA

[Tilley, Al]

1.  FEMA flood insurance rates rose April 1.  The linked story describes the history and structure of the attempt, now attenuated but still pursued, to pay off the $24 billion FEMA flood deficit and cease subsidizing insurance for those who chose to live in a flood zone-or find that a flood zone has moved to them.  The comments make a useful complement to the story.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/rise-in-government-insurance-rates-to-mirror-rising-waters-flood-debt/2015/03/28/8f9f17c6-d316-11e4-ab77-9646eea6a4c7_story.html  Coastal property covered by inadequately backed federal flood insurance arguably constitutes a trillion dollar froth of many bubbles, set to burst as storms strike.  http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2015/03/30/3600645/rick-scott-climate-denial/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cptop3



2.  Fort Collins, CO, adopted a target of 80% emissions cuts by 2030 and carbon neutrality by 2050.  The Rocky Mountain Institute was asked to help their municipal utility accomplish their part of that, and came up with an Integrated Utility Service plan which preserves the utility's revenue while using efficiency and rooftop solar as the default choice for residences and small commercial customers (who would save money on their utility bills).  The RMI believes that the model could be extended to publicly traded utilities.  http://blog.rmi.org/blog_2015_03_25_utility_business_model_that_embraces_efficiency_and_solar_without_sacrificing_revenue



3.  Health and the economy benefit from greenhouse gas emissions cuts, but the improvements could be increased many times over if nations would adopt the path to limiting heating to 2C: a 55% cut by 2030.  http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/31/limiting-climate-change-economic-benefits-study-finds



4.  33 nations representing almost 60% of greenhouse gas emissions have submitted their mitigation plans to the UN.  The US is on track to cut emissions 80% by 2050.  The general idea is set up an initial framework so that further cuts may be coordinated, perhaps following the climate talks scheduled for the end of the year in Paris.  http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2015/mar/31/us-set-to-propose-emissions-cuts-of-28-ahead-of-global-climate-treaty



5.  Greenpeace remains the only major group to accurately predict the soaring rate of conversion to renewable energy sources (and they far underestimated the growth of solar power).   http://cleantechnica.com/2015/03/30/greenpeace-aces-installed-renewable-forecasts-surprised/?utm_source=Cleantechnica+News&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=2b0c59b276-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_term=0_b9b83ee7eb-2b0c59b276-331994013



6.  Citigroup reports that in every region renewables are winning and will continue to win against oil, coal, and gas, and define the future of energy.  http://reneweconomy.com.au/2015/cheap-oil-vs-wind-and-solar-fight-for-future-of-energy-47744  Investment in renewables surged last year in spite of low oil prices.  The world added as much new renewable energy as is produced by all 158 US nuclear reactors.  http://money.cnn.com/2015/04/01/news/cheap-oil-renewables/index.html



7.  Discussions of carbon emissions often ignore the release potential of thawing permafrost in a positive feedback which could overwhelm attempts at mitigation.  The Washington Post supplies a summary of the issue.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/04/01/the-arctic-climate-threat-that-nobodys-even-talking-about-yet/



8.  The Green Tea Coalition of the Sierra Club and the Georgia Tea Party has gotten a bill passed unanimously by the state's legislature which will allow companies to finance rooftop solar installations and sell the power to the local grid.  The move will expedite the development of distributed energy generation in the state.  http://cleantechnica.com/2015/04/01/georgia-legislature-passes-landmark-solar-bill/?utm_source=Cleantechnica+News&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=62316d3c58-RSS_EMAIL_CAMPAIGN&utm_term=0_b9b83ee7eb-62316d3c58-331994013
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