Auto dealers and business leaders appeal a decision by the EPA that allows California to establish the first greenhouse gas standards for cars and trucks in the US. The appeal sets the stage for a potential attempt to block the global warming rules.
The National Automobile Dealers Association and the US Chamber of Commerce has asked the US Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia Circuit to review the EPA's decision. The EPA in July granted California's request for a waiver allowing it to push tougher air pollution rules.
The Environmental Protection Agency's decision cleared the way for California to implement a 2002 state pollution law that required greater fuel efficiency in new cars and trucks by 2016.
California's approach serves as a national model for fighting tailpipe pollution, and the Obama administration is expected to release proposed regulations this month to setting fuel efficiency standards at 35.5 miles per gallon (15.1 kilometers per liter) by 2016.
Environmental groups have backed the tougher requirements and said the appeal is an attempt to undermine the Obama administration's efforts to curb global warming.
"It's very clear that the Chamber of Commerce and the auto dealers hope to flatten the tires of the California car standards," says Frank O'Donnell, president of Clean Air Watch.
Robin Conrad, executive vice president for the National Chamber of Commerce's public policy law firm, says there is "simply no legal justification for giving California waiver authority. Global warming is an international issue, not a local one."
Friday, September 11, 2009
Thursday, September 10, 2009
Europe wants to speed up climate negotiations
The European Union is ready to show continued leadership on the climate agenda and will speed up the green diplomacy now, with less than three months to go to the UN climate conference in Copenhagen. That was the message from the EU Presidency, the Swedish foreign minister, Carl Bildt, at a press conference in Copenhagen today.
”We will continue to show European leadership. Europe is not going to decide everything, we require of course agreement with everyone else in the world. But I think that it is not going to happen without European leadership,” Carl Bildt said. ”As we now approach the Copenhagen meeting we must accelerate the European global diplomacy and that is what we have decided here in Copenhagen to do, today, in the days, weeks, and months to come.”
By invitation of the Danish foreign minister, Per Stig Moeller, five European foreign ministers met in Copenhagen on Thursday. The foreign ministers from Sweden, United Kingdom, France, Finland and Denmark decided to unite diplomatic efforts to speed up the global negotiations on a new climate deal to take over, when emissions targets in the Kyoto Protocol expire in 2012.
”We decided to pool our diplomatic network around eight hundred embassies all together to influence key international partners in the climate negotiations. We will organize and coordinate our contacts with key countries, including of course developing countries,” Per Stig Moeller said. ”We feel that the momentum is now, and it is here in Copenhagen – only with political will from all participants – we can grasp that momentum. If we miss this opportunity it will fade away,” he said.
The British foreign minister, David Miliband, said that the world is now entering the ”hot phase of the campaign”.
”We are here because a Copenhagen deal hangs in the balance. There is a real danger that the world will not come together in the way that it is necessary to agree on an ambitious and comprehensive deal in December,” he said and mentioned the financing of a deal as an important unsolved issue.
The Danish minister said it is time for Europe to show ”leadership on ensuring an ambitious financial package that can assist the poorest countries to adapt to the challenges posed by the climate change. My colleagues and I have agreed that we must work as hard as possible together to help prepare the ground for a result at the European summit next month on this issue.”
The French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, expressed understanding that the developing countries don’t want to harm their chances of economic development by a new climate deal.
The Finnish foreign minister, Alexander Stubb, sent the message that the climate negotiations are not just about global warming. The outcome is also important for the environment, the economy and the security of the world.
”We will continue to show European leadership. Europe is not going to decide everything, we require of course agreement with everyone else in the world. But I think that it is not going to happen without European leadership,” Carl Bildt said. ”As we now approach the Copenhagen meeting we must accelerate the European global diplomacy and that is what we have decided here in Copenhagen to do, today, in the days, weeks, and months to come.”
By invitation of the Danish foreign minister, Per Stig Moeller, five European foreign ministers met in Copenhagen on Thursday. The foreign ministers from Sweden, United Kingdom, France, Finland and Denmark decided to unite diplomatic efforts to speed up the global negotiations on a new climate deal to take over, when emissions targets in the Kyoto Protocol expire in 2012.
”We decided to pool our diplomatic network around eight hundred embassies all together to influence key international partners in the climate negotiations. We will organize and coordinate our contacts with key countries, including of course developing countries,” Per Stig Moeller said. ”We feel that the momentum is now, and it is here in Copenhagen – only with political will from all participants – we can grasp that momentum. If we miss this opportunity it will fade away,” he said.
The British foreign minister, David Miliband, said that the world is now entering the ”hot phase of the campaign”.
”We are here because a Copenhagen deal hangs in the balance. There is a real danger that the world will not come together in the way that it is necessary to agree on an ambitious and comprehensive deal in December,” he said and mentioned the financing of a deal as an important unsolved issue.
The Danish minister said it is time for Europe to show ”leadership on ensuring an ambitious financial package that can assist the poorest countries to adapt to the challenges posed by the climate change. My colleagues and I have agreed that we must work as hard as possible together to help prepare the ground for a result at the European summit next month on this issue.”
The French foreign minister, Bernard Kouchner, expressed understanding that the developing countries don’t want to harm their chances of economic development by a new climate deal.
The Finnish foreign minister, Alexander Stubb, sent the message that the climate negotiations are not just about global warming. The outcome is also important for the environment, the economy and the security of the world.
French carbon tax from 2010
France’s President Nicolas Sarkozy on Thursday announced plans to impose a new carbon tax on oil, gas and coal as part of a drive to combat global warming.
As part of a drive to combat global warming, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, on Thursday, announced plans to impose a new carbon tax next year on oil, gas and coal.
"The carbon tax will be created. It will be imposed as of 2010 on oil, gas and coal," Sarkozy said in a speech.
The new tax is set at 17 euro per ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted, higher than a figure floated last week by Prime Minister Francois Fillon.
Revenues from the new tax will however be put back into taxpayers' pockets through other tax cuts and "green cheques", the French president assured.
The plan will make France the biggest economy in Europe to impose a carbon tax on households and businesses.
Finland was the first European country to impose a carbon tax, in 1990, followed a year later by Sweden and later Denmark.
As part of a drive to combat global warming, French President Nicolas Sarkozy, on Thursday, announced plans to impose a new carbon tax next year on oil, gas and coal.
"The carbon tax will be created. It will be imposed as of 2010 on oil, gas and coal," Sarkozy said in a speech.
The new tax is set at 17 euro per ton of carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted, higher than a figure floated last week by Prime Minister Francois Fillon.
Revenues from the new tax will however be put back into taxpayers' pockets through other tax cuts and "green cheques", the French president assured.
The plan will make France the biggest economy in Europe to impose a carbon tax on households and businesses.
Finland was the first European country to impose a carbon tax, in 1990, followed a year later by Sweden and later Denmark.
China could be 1 trillion dollar green tech market
The report by the China Greentech Initiative, a group of more than 80 leading technology companies, non-governmental organizations and policy advisers, pinpointed opportunities from 300 potential green technology options for China, spanning energy, water, buildings, transportation and industry.
But government support is key, says Richard Gledhill, global leader of Climate Change & Carbon Market Services in London for PricewaterhouseCoopers, a consultancy that helped head the research.
According to the US International Energy Agency, holding climate change to just a 2 degrees Celsius increase over the next two decades will require 9 trillion US dollars in extra spending, he says.
"The private sector has a key role to play in delivering the required investment at the scale required to avoid dangerous climate change. But it will only do this if there is a clear, long-term policy framework to underpin prospects of a reasonable return," Gledhill says.
While such changes are needed worldwide, China's rapid growth and dizzyingly fast urbanization are contributing to a building boom that has created more than twice the floor space as in the US.
About 18 million people migrate from rural areas to the cities each year, so that by about 2050 China will have more than 200 cities with populations of more than 1 million people, the report says.
Such growth will require huge increases in use of energy, water and materials that will force China to adopt new, environmentally friendly technologies, it said.
China and the United States are urged to make real progress in pushing ahead with collaboration on clean energy projects as President Barack Obama prepares to visit Beijing in November.
But government support is key, says Richard Gledhill, global leader of Climate Change & Carbon Market Services in London for PricewaterhouseCoopers, a consultancy that helped head the research.
According to the US International Energy Agency, holding climate change to just a 2 degrees Celsius increase over the next two decades will require 9 trillion US dollars in extra spending, he says.
"The private sector has a key role to play in delivering the required investment at the scale required to avoid dangerous climate change. But it will only do this if there is a clear, long-term policy framework to underpin prospects of a reasonable return," Gledhill says.
While such changes are needed worldwide, China's rapid growth and dizzyingly fast urbanization are contributing to a building boom that has created more than twice the floor space as in the US.
About 18 million people migrate from rural areas to the cities each year, so that by about 2050 China will have more than 200 cities with populations of more than 1 million people, the report says.
Such growth will require huge increases in use of energy, water and materials that will force China to adopt new, environmentally friendly technologies, it said.
China and the United States are urged to make real progress in pushing ahead with collaboration on clean energy projects as President Barack Obama prepares to visit Beijing in November.
Wednesday, September 9, 2009
A family can produce energy
Houses can be small power stations. A Danish family is among one of the first in the world to test how it is to live in a house, which produces more eneregy than it uses.Sverre Simonsen shows a couple of journalists from the Danish home and lifestyle magazine ”Bo Bedre” around his house. At the same time, 20 journalists from all over the world are ringing the doorbell. All the visitors are the only drawback to being a test family in the plus energy house, says Sverre Simonsen.
He is the father in the test family of four, who have moved into the ”Home for life” house in the Aarhus suburb of Lystrup. They will spend the next year testing how it is to live in a house that produces more energy than the occupants consume.
The family have lived in the house for a few months and so far they have enjoyed their stay. The house, which is 195m 2 ,has a panoramic view of the sea, but that it not the only advantage.
”Our conscience is a little better living here compared to living in a normal house with greater energy consumption,” says Sverre Simonsen, who previously lived in a 1970s single-family house.
He is enthusiastic about showing people around the house, which uses solar cells, solar panels on the roof, heat pumps and special energy windows to produce all the energy for ventilation, heating and warm water and lighting.
The perspective for the plus energy house is very good, according to the Velfac company who have built the house in Lystrup. 40 percent of all European CO2 emissions come from buildings. Building new energy-friendly houses or energy renovating existing houses therefore has great potential.
The house in Lystrup costs approx 200.000 Euros more than an ordinary single-family house in the same area. On the other hand, the house will pay for itself within 40 years due to the energy savings. Velfac would, however, like to develop the concept further, so that the house can become a standard house, with a purchase price that is within the financial reach of middle class families.
gy than it uses
He is the father in the test family of four, who have moved into the ”Home for life” house in the Aarhus suburb of Lystrup. They will spend the next year testing how it is to live in a house that produces more energy than the occupants consume.
The family have lived in the house for a few months and so far they have enjoyed their stay. The house, which is 195m 2 ,has a panoramic view of the sea, but that it not the only advantage.
”Our conscience is a little better living here compared to living in a normal house with greater energy consumption,” says Sverre Simonsen, who previously lived in a 1970s single-family house.
He is enthusiastic about showing people around the house, which uses solar cells, solar panels on the roof, heat pumps and special energy windows to produce all the energy for ventilation, heating and warm water and lighting.
The perspective for the plus energy house is very good, according to the Velfac company who have built the house in Lystrup. 40 percent of all European CO2 emissions come from buildings. Building new energy-friendly houses or energy renovating existing houses therefore has great potential.
The house in Lystrup costs approx 200.000 Euros more than an ordinary single-family house in the same area. On the other hand, the house will pay for itself within 40 years due to the energy savings. Velfac would, however, like to develop the concept further, so that the house can become a standard house, with a purchase price that is within the financial reach of middle class families.
gy than it uses
Major companies are getting on board with electric cars
Denmark is aiming to be the leading country for electric cars. And major industrial enterprises, car manufacturers and energy companies are all helping. The most recent example is the German car rental company Sixt, who have decided to send 200-300 Citroen C1 electric cars onto the Danish market.
The company will both sell and hire out the C1 cars. If on a particular day you need to drive further than the 120 km that the car’s battery can manage, you can exchange the car for a petrol-driven car at Sixt.
Europeans very rarely drive more than 60 km a day and Sixt’ Danish Managing Director Kasper Gjedsted does not think that having to visit a Sixt rental location before driving a long way will stop car-owners being spontaneous.
- If you are driving 200 km, you already need to have talked to your aunt and have taken care of various things before leaving home. We have 24 hour service and by the end of the year we will have a total of 20 offices around Denmark, explains Kasper Gjedsted.
The car can be attached to a conventional 220 volt socket at home. There is very wide-ranging interest in electric cars – extending from individual motorists to municipalities and companies.
Major industrial enterprises are also keeping an eye on the electric car market. Danfoss has recently developed components for the cooling and management of the electricity in electric cars. And Danfoss say that they are in talks with just about all car manufacturers regarding components for electric cars.
- You won’t find a car manufacturer who does not have a project concerning electric cars or hybrid cars, but it is difficult to say when this will become mainstream, says Claus A. Petersen, Director of Danfoss Silicium Power in Germany, to the Danish magazine Ingeniøren.
The company will both sell and hire out the C1 cars. If on a particular day you need to drive further than the 120 km that the car’s battery can manage, you can exchange the car for a petrol-driven car at Sixt.
Europeans very rarely drive more than 60 km a day and Sixt’ Danish Managing Director Kasper Gjedsted does not think that having to visit a Sixt rental location before driving a long way will stop car-owners being spontaneous.
- If you are driving 200 km, you already need to have talked to your aunt and have taken care of various things before leaving home. We have 24 hour service and by the end of the year we will have a total of 20 offices around Denmark, explains Kasper Gjedsted.
The car can be attached to a conventional 220 volt socket at home. There is very wide-ranging interest in electric cars – extending from individual motorists to municipalities and companies.
Major industrial enterprises are also keeping an eye on the electric car market. Danfoss has recently developed components for the cooling and management of the electricity in electric cars. And Danfoss say that they are in talks with just about all car manufacturers regarding components for electric cars.
- You won’t find a car manufacturer who does not have a project concerning electric cars or hybrid cars, but it is difficult to say when this will become mainstream, says Claus A. Petersen, Director of Danfoss Silicium Power in Germany, to the Danish magazine Ingeniøren.
Tuesday, September 8, 2009
Greenland dialogue moves to New York
With only three months left before the climate conference COP15 in Copenhagen, the Danish Minister for Climate and Energy, Connie Hedegaard, has invited a number of influential climate and environment politicians to New York on September 19 and 20.
The purpose is to maintain momentum in the international climate negotiations. The meeting continues Hedegaard's annual, informal climate summit, known as the Greenland dialogue that provides an informal setting for ministers to debate openly the most pressing issues up to COP15 in Copenhagen.
”With less than 100 days left until we meet in Copenhagen, it is important to give further impetus to the negotiations. The ministerial meeting could be a major input into the negotiations on a global climate agreement. It is possible to achieve success in Copenhagen, and the time is right to achieve common understanding about key policy issues and how they can be resolved in a reasonable way,” says Connie Hedegaard.
The purpose is to maintain momentum in the international climate negotiations. The meeting continues Hedegaard's annual, informal climate summit, known as the Greenland dialogue that provides an informal setting for ministers to debate openly the most pressing issues up to COP15 in Copenhagen.
”With less than 100 days left until we meet in Copenhagen, it is important to give further impetus to the negotiations. The ministerial meeting could be a major input into the negotiations on a global climate agreement. It is possible to achieve success in Copenhagen, and the time is right to achieve common understanding about key policy issues and how they can be resolved in a reasonable way,” says Connie Hedegaard.
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