[GWSG] Solar dev. & counter-dev.; droughts; energy jobs; modelling abrupt change; US climate opinon

[Tilley, Al]

1.  Florida has not developed a more robust solar industry in part because its private utilities have spent at least $12 million in the past five years to support state legislators who work to block solar development.  Also, ALEC is actively hampering solar power in FL.    http://fcir.org/2015/04/03/in-sunshine-state-big-energy-blocks-solar-power/
Duke Energy plans to add 500 megawatts of utility-scale solar in Florida by 2024 (but not much until close to that date).  It is retiring two coal plants in the next three years.    http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/duke-energy-florida-plans-to-add-500mw-of-utility-scale-solar-by-2024?utm_source=Daily&utm_medium=Headline&utm_campaign=GTMDaily  Rooftop solar power is also under attack from Koch-funded groups in Arizona, Kansas, and Ohio.  http://ecowatch.com/2015/03/27/solar-under-attack-koch-brothers/?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=5c537cae5d-Top_News_4_5_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-5c537cae5d-85965093



2.  A 13 minute CBC News clip and stories from the WA Post and the NY Times profile California's water problems.  http://climatecrocks.com/2015/04/03/drought-groundwater-and-agriculture-in-california/  The CA state government has mandated an immediate 25% cut in potable urban water usage but exempted big agriculture and the oil industry from those restrictions.  Since agriculture uses 80% of the water, it is difficult to believe the executive order will relieve the situation.  Mark Hertsgaard argues in the good 16 minute clip on this link that water costs must rise to control usage.    http://ecowatch.com/2015/04/02/california-exempts-big-oil-big-ag/?utm_source=EcoWatch+List&utm_campaign=fa279aa98a-Top_News_4_3_2015&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_49c7d43dc9-fa279aa98a-85965093
Many other areas are in or are approaching water crisis, including Spain, China, and India.  http://climatecrocks.com/2015/04/05/not-just-california-the-water-crisis-is-here-now/
Tom Larson sends this story from Science News predicting an 80% chance of the worst drought in at least 1000 years for the Central and SW US under a business as usual scenario.  (Subs. req.)  https://www.sciencenews.org/article/worst-drought-millennium-predicted-central-and-southwest-us



3.  President Obama announced a program to train 75,000 workers for the solar industry.  The plan includes a program for veterans, Solar Ready Vets.  http://www.climatecentral.org/news/obama-announces-plan-to-train-75000-solar-workers-18854?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+climatecentral%2FdjOO+Climate+Central+-+Full+Feed  In 2008-12 the coal industry lost almost 50,000 jobs.  Natural gas was the big energy job gainer in that period, with solar and wind close behind.  http://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2015/04/01/the-decline-in-coal-jobs-in-one-chart/



4.  Providing for abrupt climate changes (tipping points) in models of the economic impact of warming dramatically increases the cost projections, and therefore the strength of the courses of action recommended to avoid disaster, based on cost-benefit analyses of remedies for the increased risks.  http://news.mongabay.com/2015/0330-scherer-study-links-big-costs-to-global-warming.html



5.  The Yale Project on Climate Change Communication has prepared an interactive map allowing users to explore regional differences in the strength of US climate change opinion.  http://environment.yale.edu/poe/v2014/  The "Display Model Output" menu at the top of the page allows you to explore opinion on the questions.  The Nature Climate Change article of which the map is a part has more detail but requires a subscription.
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