“EPA’s Powers Upheld by Court With Climate Rules on Deck”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-30/epa-s-powers-upheld-by-court-with-climate-rules-on-deck.html

The U.S. Supreme Court yesterday strengthened the Environmental Protection Agency in its drive to cut air pollution, a result critics warned would lead to costly regulations as the agency moves to curb global warming.

The justices, voting 6-2 to overturn a lower court, backed the EPA’s so-called Good Neighbor rule, which targets air pollution that crosses state lines.

America’s Constitutional Democracy allows it to take the legal approach to emission controls.

“Kerosene made from CO2 and water”

http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2014/04/28/Kerosene-made-from-CO2-and-water/1931398693968/

The European Commission said Monday a type of kerosene was manufactured in the laboratory using a process that involves solar power, carbon dioxide and water.

The EU said its so-called Solar-Jet project uses concentrated simulated solar radiation as a power source to convert CO2 and water into a form of kerosene.

Carbon neutral planes.

 

 

“Drought Now Covers Every Last Inch Of California”

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/04/25/3430883/drought-all-california/

According to the April 22 release of the U.S. Drought Monitor, every last inch of California is in a state of “moderate” to “exceptional” drought — the first time in the monitor’s 15-year history that’s occurred. Indeed, the vast majority of California’s territory is now either at “extreme” or “exceptional,” which are the two most severe levels.

 

“WWF questions what European election will mean for environment”

With the UK’s European Parliament election to be held on Thursday 22 May, the environmental charity WWF has asked the five leading political parties what a vote for them would mean for the environment.

WWF questions what European election will mean for environment

Seems like every one has a plan but would they actually see it through?

“Jackfruit heralded as ‘miracle’ food crop”

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/23/jackfruit-miracle-crop-climate-change-food-security?CMP=EMCENVEML1631

It’s big and bumpy with a gooey interior and a powerful smell of decay – but it could help keep millions of people from hunger.

Researchers say jackfruit – a large ungainly fruit grown across south and south-east Asia – could be a replacement for wheat, corn and other staple crops under threat from climate change.

Interesting how Developing Nations aren’t interested in this “poor man’s fruit” because they associate it with the poverty that their industrial growth and increased emissions have lifted them out of. 

“Halving meat and dairy consumption could slash farming emissions”

 

http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/25/halve-meat-dairy-consumption-slash-emissions-farming?CMP=EMCENVEML1631

Greenhouse gas emissions from agriculture would be cut by 25-40% if Europeans cut their meat and dairy consumption by half, according to a UN report.

It’s a bit more complicated because of the Common Agricultural Policy (CAP), which pays European farmers to emit Greenhouse Gases. They will have to be paid to grow something else.

“China Enacts Biggest Pollution Curbs in 25 Years”

http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-04-24/china-enacts-biggest-pollution-curbs-in-25-years.html

China’s legislature passed the biggest changes to its environmental protection laws in 25 years, punishing polluters more severely as the government works to limit smog and tainted soil associated with three decades of economic growth.

The environmental cost of economic growth is now higher than the benefit.

“One in Four in U.S. Are Solidly Skeptical of Global Warming”

 

Link.

Over the past decade, Americans have clustered into three broad groups on global warming. The largest, currently describing 39% of U.S. adults, are what can be termed “Concerned Believers” — those who attribute global warming to human actions and are worried about it. This is followed by the “Mixed Middle,” at 36%. And one in four Americans — the “Cool Skeptics” — are not worried about global warming much or at all.  

The “Cool Skeptics” always seem to have trouble during recessions, but they are consistently making up ground on the other two groupings. It now seems that it is becoming a two horse race between the “Cool Skeptics” and the “Concerned Believers”.

What are you?

“92.1% of New Electricity Capacity From Renewables In 1st Quarter of 2014”

Link.

If you love solar, you’re going to love electricity capacity trends in the US. In the first quarter of 2014, over 51% of new electricity generation capacity came from solar (51% excludes small and medium rooftop solar projects), and renewable energy on the whole contributed 92.1%.

This follows a year (2013) when solar was the #2 source of new electricity capacity, adding 21% of all new electricity generation capacity (again, not including rooftop solar projects).

Disaster Alert

http://www.businessinsider.com/pew-research-tech-predictions-2014-4?nr_email_referer=1&utm_source=Triggermail&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Tech%20Chart%20Of%20The%20Day&utm_campaign=SAI_COTD_041814

Seventy Seven percent of Americans think that the weather will be controlled in the next 50 years. That’s a dangerous level of complacency.