[GWSG] US on Koch; bipartisan caucus; temps adjusted; two plots of solar; PG&E solar options; how soon, how long; new dry zones

[Tilley, Al]

1.  The Koch brothers and other fossil fuel interests have spent hundreds of millions of dollars to control public opinion, the agenda, and action on climate in the US.  They have been remarkably successful, most visibly among the leadership of the Republican party.  http://america.aljazeera.com/opinions/2016/2/moneyed-interests-are-blocking-us-action-on-climate-change1.html



2.  Two Florida congressmen have formed a Climate Solutions Caucus: Rep. Carlos Curbelo (R) and Rep. Theodore Deutch (D).  (All sixty members of the existing Safe Climate Caucus are Democratic.) http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/02/05/3746212/house-climate-caucus/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20climateprogress/lCrX%20%28Climate%20Progress%29



3.  NOAA has been adjusting surface temperature records to account for changes in the measurement arrangements and physical surroundings of the gauges, and the new data picture more accurately aligns with a set of reference gauges.  http://www.theguardian.com/environment/climate-consensus-97-per-cent/2016/feb/08/no-climate-conspiracy-noaa-temperature-adjustments-bring-data-closer-to-pristine



4.  A plot of the price of solar PV and the installation record suggests a heartening reciprocity.  http://reneweconomy.com.au/2016/graph-of-the-day-why-solar-power-is-taking-over-the-world-94360



5.  Pacific Gas & Electric is offering customers an option of 50-100% solar power at a premium.  An existing community solar program can provide power at less than current cost but requires more action by the customer, and the new program is part of a range of choices.  http://www.greentechmedia.com/articles/read/pge-launches-community-solar-program-enabling-customers-to-go-100-renewable?utm_source=Daily&utm_medium=Newsletter&utm_campaign=GTMDaily



6.  We are in the process of learning how fast to expect sea levels to rise.  A new study reports that some major floating ice shelves which help bottle up the land-based Antarctic ice sheets are becoming more and more unstable.    Another study advises that once the ice sheets do melt, sea levels could remain high for twice as long as humans have been building cities.  http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/feb/08/sea-level-rise-could-last-twice-as-long-as-human-history



7.  Global warming models predict that the belt of high pressure zones behind deserts will move toward the poles and away from the equator.  The American Southwest and Australia now appear to be entering new dry zones.  http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/02/08/3746706/southwest-enters-drier-climate-state/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cptop3  ?

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