16 April 2015 The New York Times: Judges Hear Challenge to Proposed E.P.A. Rule to Curb Climate Change by Coral Davenport (They just won’t give up will they?!) “WASHINGTON — A panel of federal judges on Thursday appeared inclined to dismiss the first legal challenge to President Obama’s most far-reaching regulation to slow climate change. But in arguments before the United States Court of Appeals for the District of Columbia, lawyers for the nation’s two largest coal companies, several states and the Environmental Protection Agency offered a preview of what is expected to be a protracted battle over what Mr. Obama hopes to leave as his signature environmental achievement….” Read More here
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16 April 2015 BOOK RELEASE: The Great Transition: Shifting from Fossil Fuels to Solar and Wind Energy Earth Policy Institute: Lester R. Brown, with Janet Larsen, J. Matthew Roney, and Emily E. Adams. “The worldwide transition from fossil fuels to renewable sources of energy is under way,” said Lester R. Brown, EPI President and lead author. “As fossil fuel resources shrink, as air pollution worsens, and as concerns about climate instability cast a shadow over the future of coal, oil, and natural gas, a new world energy economy is emerging. The old economy, fueled largely by coal and oil, is being replaced with one powered by solar and wind energy.” The Great Transition details this evolving trend, focusing on falling prices and rising adoption for wind, solar, electric vehicles, hydropower, geothermal energy, and energy efficiency; and the emerging turn from coal, nuclear power, oil, and traditional transportation that is happening faster than anticipated. To view contents/PP presentation/ to order
15 April 2015, Severe drought due to climate change: Where and when? New research from the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA) shows that some regions may see unprecedented levels of drought before 2050—drawing increasing urgency to calls for adaptation and updated water management policy. Many regions of the world, including the Mediterranean and the western United States, may see unprecedented drought due to climate change before the year 2050. These findings were presented this week at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly in Vienna, Austria. Read More here
2 April 2015 World Resource Institute: Tree Cover Loss Spikes in Russia and Canada, Remains High Globally. “New, high-resolution satellite-based maps released today by the University of Maryland and Google on Global Forest Watch, a partnership of over 60 organizations convened by the World Resources Institute, reveal a significant recent surge in tree cover loss largely in Russia and Canada during 2013…” Read More here