[GWSG] 0 targets; 2050 guides; RGGI success; less coal; Boulder suit; reef in peril; melt feedback; dark snow

[Tilley, Al]

1. Isabella Lovin, deputy prime minister of Sweden, reports that her country has committed to zero greenhouse gas emissions by 2045. Other nations, including the EU as well as several developing nations, have also pledged zero emissions. Those serious about climate action must follow the example. Such a pledge, though challenging, stabilizes both business and government. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/apr/17/to-lead-on-climate-countries-must-commit-to-zero-emissions



2. By 2050 we would need to increase renewable energy production six fold, accounting for two-thirds of our energy use, to meet the 2C target for warming, and more to keep under 1.5C. https://mailchi.mp/climatenewsnetwork/clean-energy-spurt-vital-for-2c-warming-limit?e=ea792e87f2



3. The carbon-trading program of the nine states in the Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative has generated $1.4 billion revenues in the past three years. The money was returned to the consumers in a package of programs which includes energy efficiency (52%), renewable energy investments (18%), and subsidies for low income energy customers (13%).  Overhead is modest (7% administrative costs).  Emissions have been halved since the program was initiated nine years ago. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/16042018/cap-and-trade-economics-energy-efficiency-jobs-rggi-regional-greenhouse-gas-initiative-carbon-market-data



4. Solar power gained ground over coal power in India last year, with no new coal being added after May. https://cleantechnica.com/2018/04/17/india-had-coal-free-power-capacity-addition-during-8-months-in-2017/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+IM-cleantechnica+%28CleanTechnica%29



5. Boulder, CO, is joining several other communities in suing ExxonMobil and Suncor for damages due to climate change, the first such suit by non-coastal communities. https://www.climateliabilitynews.org/2018/04/17/colorado-climate-lawsuits-exxon-suncor/

The basis for the suit is the common law tradition that property owners have the right to protect use of their property. https://www.nytimes.com/2018/04/18/climate/exxon-climate-lawsuit-colorado.html



6 . About half the corals of the Great Barrier Reef died in the past two years. The character of the reef is changing and given the pace of warming cannot be reversed. https://www.washingtonpost.com/news/energy-environment/wp/2018/04/18/global-warming-has-changed-the-great-barrier-reef-forever-scientists-say/?utm_term=.f0c35e69a36e



The Guardian's story on the reef includes a video and further details. https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/apr/19/great-barrier-reef-30-of-coral-died-in-catastrophic-2016-heatwave



7. The melt from glacial ice sheets is less salty and more buoyant than the water below, and so does not mix. The relatively warmer deep water melts the ice sheet, leading to a larger volume of fresher water and less mixing in a positive feedback. The process could account for the rapid rates of sea level rise, up to five meters a century, at the end of the last glacial period. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/04/180418141520.htm



8. Western Greenland has an expanding dark zone about the size of Virginia, formed by a buildup of soot, dust, and algae. Because it absorbs more solar energy than open snow, the dark zone speeds melting. https://insideclimatenews.org/news/19042018/greenland-ice-sheet-melting-climate-change-arctic-pollution-sea-level-rise-algae-black-carbon ?

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