[GWSG] Gas mess; peak coal; Obama acts on coal; authority to act more; IRENA calls for transition; NE waters heating

[Tilley, Al]

1. The natural gas leak in California which is now the largest source of greenhouse gas emissions in the state was known to the company responsible 24 years ago.  They did nothing.  CA has declared a state of emergency, which gives it power to compel the company to take action.   http://motherboard.vice.com/read/the-company-behind-las-methane-disaster-knew-its-well-was-leaking-24-years-ago



2.  Coal use seems to have peaked globally.  Goldman Sachs reports that "The industry does not require new investments."  http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/01/14/3739164/global-coal-peak-2013/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=cptop3  I look forward to the day when I can write the same about oil and gas as they, too, take their natural course and become dying industries.  They're leaving such a mess.



3.  President Obama is halting new coal mining leases on public lands.  The move will be a further blow to an industry already experiencing a wave of bankruptcies. http://www.nytimes.com/2016/01/15/us/politics/in-climate-move-obama-to-halt-new-coal-mining-leases-on-public-lands.html  Coal mining leases on federal land amounted to a heavy subsidy of the coal industry.  The halt in leasing is for three years and will probably be followed by higher-priced leasing based on the social cost of carbon.  http://ecowatch.com/2016/01/15/obama-coal-announcement/  In his State of the Union address the President mentioned oil in the same sentence as coal, which indicates a further announcement: "I'm going to push to change the way we manage our oil and coal resources so that they better reflect the costs they impose on taxpayers and our planet."



4.    Section 115 of the Clean Air Act may give the administration authority to require states to do their part to meet emissions targets under the Paris Agreement, current and future, without further authorization by congress.  http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2016/01/14/3739649/paris-climate-agreement-clean-air-act/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A%20climateprogress/lCrX%20%28Climate%20Progress%29



5.  The International Renewable Energy Agency stated that the target of 2c of warming could be achieved by doubling the global share of renewable energy to 36% by 2030, and intensifying efficiency measures.  http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2016/jan/16/rapid-switch-to-renewable-energy-can-put-paris-climate-goals-within-reach  The Agency also stated that such an increase in renewable energy would increase global GDP by 1.1%, improve human welfare, and greatly increase employment.  http://gulfnews.com/business/sectors/energy/dramatically-scaling-up-renewables-in-the-global-energy-mix-by-2030-would-increase-gdp-social-welfare-and-employment-worldwide-1.1654620



6.  Waters of the NE US coast are warming twice as rapidly as previously thought, according to NOAA.  http://e360.yale.edu/digest/gulf_of_maine_warming_far_faster_and_intensely_than_previously_thought_study_says/4632/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+YaleEnvironment360+%28Yale+Environment+360%29?

-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.unf.edu/pipermail/gwsg/attachments/20160117/57bfd571/attachment.html