[GWSG] NYC vs. big oil; land use; US emissions down; and GE profits; CS for H; fake news on Sundays

[Tilley, Al]

1. New York City's suit against five major oil companies is not about revenge but about paying for past emergencies and preparing for future threats, all direct results of the corporations' basic pursuits. https://www.climateliabilitynews.org/2018/02/22/new-york-climate-adaptation-liabiilty-suit/



2. Most but not all of our effect on the global temperature arises from the use of fossil fuels. Some comes from land use change-cutting vegetation, typically for agriculture. Satellite data from 2000-2015 indicate that of all land use changes the surface energy balance is most impacted by the cutting of evergreen tropical forests. https://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2018/02/180220143516.htm



3. US greenhouse gas emissions hit a 25-year low in 2017. The primary drivers for the first time were not coal to gas conversions, but renewable energy and energy conservation. https://thinkprogress.org/carbon-emissions-decline-with-renewables/



4. Last March, GE forecast that natural gas, coal, and some nuclear plants would provide the cheapest power available. That was not the case-renewables have been cheaper for a few years-and GE profits fell 45%, with further drops in prospect. Their current strategy includes the proposition that "The transformation will not happen overnight." It is already in progress, even if not instantaneous, and a business model counter to it may not be profitable. https://www.reuters.com/article/us-ge-power/how-general-electric-gambled-on-fossil-fuel-power-and-lost-idUSKCN1G60I3



5. The German Aerospace System has developed a system which allows a concentrating solar installation to operate around the clock, splitting water and producing hydrogen. Most H for power is now produced from fossil fuels. https://cleantechnica.com/2018/02/22/weird-contraption-marries-concentrating-solar-power-produce-hydrogen-eventually/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+IM-cleantechnica+%28CleanTechnica%29



6. 35% of the guests on Sunday news show segments on climate in 2017 were from the Trump administration; no climate scientists or climate journalists were featured. Women and minorities were scarce. https://www.mediamatters.org/blog/2018/02/22/Sunday-shows-climate-coverage-in-2017-included-few-women-fewer-minorities-and-zero-scienti/219444?

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