[TheClimate.Vote] September 8, 2018 - Daily Global Warming News Digest
Richard Pauli
richard at theclimate.vote
Sat Sep 8 11:53:41 EDT 2018
/September 8, 2018/
[Summer is not over]
*New Northern California Wildfire Erupts in Shasta County
<https://www.democracynow.org/2018/9/7/headlines/new_northern_california_wildfire_erupts_in_shasta_county>*
SEPT 07, 2018 - H15 delta fire
In Northern California, a massive wildfire tripled in size overnight,
amid high temperatures and dry conditions. The Delta Fire in Shasta
County has consumed more than 34 square miles of trees and brush and
forced the closure of Interstate 5, where some truck drivers abandoned
their rigs to flee oncoming flames. The fire comes amid a record fire
season in California that climate scientists say is likely exacerbated
by global warming.
https://www.democracynow.org/2018/9/7/headlines/new_northern_california_wildfire_erupts_in_shasta_county
[Look for changes]
*BBC admits 'we get climate change coverage wrong too often'
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/07/bbc-we-get-climate-change-coverage-wrong-too-often>*
Briefing sent to editorial staff on global warming says 'you do not need
a denier to balance the debate'
The BBC has accepted it gets coverage of climate change "wrong too
often" and told staff: "You do not need a 'denier' to balance the debate."
In a briefing note sent to all staff warning them to be aware of false
balance, the corporation has offered a training course on how to report
on global warming. The move follows a series of apologies and censures
for failing to challenge climate sceptics during interviews, including
Nigel Lawson...
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/07/bbc-we-get-climate-change-coverage-wrong-too-often
- - - -
[BBC internal course name: Reporting Climate Change (for News Teams)]
*BBC issues internal guidance on how to report climate change
<https://www.carbonbrief.org/exclusive-bbc-issues-internal-guidance-on-how-to-report-climate-change>*
All of the BBC's editorial staff have also been invited to sign up for a
one-hour "training course on reporting climate change". Carbon Brief
understands *this is the first time that the BBC has issued formal
reporting guidance to its staff on this topic.*
[Sample clip:]
What's the BBC's position?
*Man-made climate change exists:* If the science proves it we should
report it. The BBC accepts that the best science on the issue is the
IPCC's position, set out above.
*Be aware of 'false balance':* As climate change is accepted as
happening, you do not need a 'denier' to balance the debate.
Although there are those who disagree with the IPCC's position, very
few of them now go so far as to deny that climate change is
happening. To achieve impartiality, you do not need to include
outright deniers of climate change in BBC coverage, in the same way
you would not have someone denying that Manchester United won 2-0
last Saturday. The referee has spoken. However, the BBC does not
exclude any shade of opinion from its output, and with appropriate
challenge from a knowledgeable interviewer, there may be occasions
to hear from a denier.
*There are occasions where contrarians and sceptics should be
included within climate change and sustainability debates*. These
may include, for instance, debating the speed and intensity of what
will happen in the future, or what policies government should adopt.
Again, journalists need to be aware of the guest's viewpoint and how
to challenge it effectively. As with all topics, we must make clear
to the audience which organisation the speaker represents,
potentially how that group is funded and whether they are speaking
with authority from a scientific perspective – in short, making
their affiliations and previously expressed opinions clear.
The document concludes with a list of "common misconceptions" produced
by theScience Media Centre (SMC)
<http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/about-us/>. The list appears to be an
adapted update of a document (pdf)
<http://www.sciencemediacentre.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/09/SMC-Briefing-Notes-Climate-Change.pdf>
published by the SMC in 2012.
The SMC was established in 2002 and seeks to "provide, for the benefit
of the public and policymakers, accurate and evidence-based information
about science and engineering through the media, particularly on
controversial and headline news stories when most confusion and
misinformation occurs".
https://www.carbonbrief.org/exclusive-bbc-issues-internal-guidance-on-how-to-report-climate-change
[See the Elon Musk interview - about sustainable energy - video]
*Elon Musk tells Joe Rogan "Accelerate Transition to Clean Energy"
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxahB_AqC_0>*
Climate State
Published on Sep 7, 2018
Elon Musk is a business magnet, investor and engineer. Watch the full
Joe Rogan Experience
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxahB_AqC_0
[Better watch out]
*On Environmental Record, Did Kavanaugh Lie to Senate?
<https://www.ecowatch.com/did-kavanaugh-lie-to-senate-2602840127.html>*
By Scott Faber
In testimony before the Senate Judiciary Committee Wednesday, Supreme
Court nominee Brett Kavanaugh grossly misrepresented his record on the
environment.
Kavanaugh, President Trump's nominee to fill the court's critical swing
seat, cited four cases as evidence of his willingness to rule against
industry to protect the environment.
But in one of those cases, Kavanaugh actually ruled in favor of
weakening air quality rules for cement plants. In another, Kavanaugh
doubled down on his position that the U.S. Environmental Protection
Agency (EPA) lacks the legal authority to regulate the greenhouse gases
that cause climate change. In a third case, Kavanaugh's concurring
opinion laid the groundwork for challenges of EPA regulations by
polluting industries.
What's more important are the cases he failed to mention. The fact is
that in 16 of 18 cases, Kavanaugh has ruled in favor of more air and
water pollution, and in 17 of 18 cases, he has ruled to weaken
protection for endangered species.
So, when it comes to the environment, Judge Kavanaugh has ruled for
industry 32 out of 35 times. That's good news for industry, but really
bad news for the rest of us.
Kavanaugh has ruled that the EPA lacks the authority to regulate
greenhouse gases. He ruled against regulating cross-state air pollution.
He ruled in favor of dumping coal waste and dumping hazardous waste. He
ruled that it's okay for factory farms to foul the air of their neighbors.
When the Trump administration sought to delay rules designed to reduce
climate-changing emissions of methane, Kavanaugh sided with polluters.
When the EPA sought to replace fluorinated chemicals known as HFCs to
reduce greenhouse gas emissions, he complained that the proposed rule
pulled the rug out from under polluters—even though replacement
chemicals are readily available. Kavanaugh also supported giving large
plants and factories more time to comply with greenhouse gas rules.
In some cases, Kavanaugh has adopted the view that the EPA must always
weigh the costs to polluters against the benefits to public health,
regardless of Congressional direction. When the EPA was proposing to
regulate mercury emissions, Kavanaugh argued that the EPA was obligated
to consider the costs of regulatory compliance to polluters.
Likewise, when the EPA proposed to apportion cross-state pollution,
Kavanaugh sided with industry by advocating for the regulation that is
least costly to industry, not most protective of public health.
In another case, Kavanaugh argued that the EPA had failed to consider
the costs to a coal company dumping mine waste into streams, even though
the agency had no obligation to consider cost. In one case, Kavanaugh
sought to underestimate the public health benefits of reducing mercury
pollution by discounting other benefits, like reducing particulate matter.
https://www.ecowatch.com/did-kavanaugh-lie-to-senate-2602840127.html
[Activism]
*Climate change protest blitz targets local action in face of Trump
hostility
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/07/climate-change-protest-blitz-targets-local-action-in-face-of-trump-hostility>*
With little hope of federal action, a series of marches and events in 70
countries will focus on climate change's effects now and the low-income
and minority groups bearing the brunt
Climate change activism has always had the stubbornly tough task of
mobilizing the public to confront a slow-moving, largely invisible
problem while being stymied by a fantastically wealthy fossil fuel
industry and an array of sceptics in politics and the media.
Climate campaigners would, therefore, be forgiven a few moments of
despair in the era of Donald Trump. Trump's election elicited two large
public howls from those concerned about climate change – the People's
Climate March and the Science March, held within days of each other in
April last year – but any hopes of persuasion have now given way to
attritional confrontation and attempts to bypass the administration
altogether...
https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/07/climate-change-protest-blitz-targets-local-action-in-face-of-trump-hostility
[72%]
*Fears over climate change hit highest level in a decade following
heatwave, study says
<https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change-heatwave-global-warming-opinium-poll-leo-barasi-a8522901.html>*
Exclusive: 72 per cent of British adults now 'very' or 'fairly'
concerned about impacts of climate change
Harry Cockburn
British people's concern over climate change hit the highest level in
almost a decade amid the record-breaking heatwave which swept across
Britain this summer, a new poll has revealed.
While many people took the opportunity to enjoy the hot weather, the
unprecedented temperatures also appear to have led many to worry about
what caused it.
The poll by Opinium showed 60 per cent of British adults think climate
change made the heatwave "stronger or more likely to happen".
It also revealed almost a third of respondents (30 per cent) now
describe themselves as "very concerned" about climate change – higher
than any poll since 2008. A further 42 per cent said they are "fairly"
concerned.
The soaring summer heat surpassed the record set in 1976 in England and
daytime temperatures regularly rose above 30C across the country
throughout June and July.
The dry conditions had a significant impact on farms, with warnings food
prices could rise in the coming months. There were also record A&E
admissions over the summer.
- - - -
"This is also not the first time that the fingerprints of climate change
have been seen on extreme weather events in the UK, with devastating
storms that caused hundreds of millions of pounds in damage in 2015 made
40 per cent more likely by climate change."
He added: "As more of these events occur in the UK, public support for
action to cut emissions is likely to continue to swell."
A spokesperson from the Department for Environment, Food and Rural
Affairs told The Independent: "We are taking robust action to ensure our
country is resilient and prepared for the challenges a changing climate
brings.
"Our long-term plan for climate change adaptation sets out ongoing work
and investment to make sure food and water supplies are protected,
businesses and communities are properly prepared and the right
infrastructure is in place."
https://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change-heatwave-global-warming-opinium-poll-leo-barasi-a8522901.html
[Significant]
*Massachusetts Can Legally Limit CO2 Emissions from Power Plants, Court
Rules
<https://insideclimatenews.org/news/05092018/climate-change-power-plant-carbon-emissions-law-massachusetts-state-clean-energy-transition-trump>*
While the Trump administration tries to roll back pollution controls,
states are setting their own climate change rules in a shift toward
cleaner energy.
BY MARIANNE LAVELLE
Massachusetts' highest court on Tuesday resoundingly upheld the state's
power to impose limits on carbon emissions from power plants.
It's the latest example of states establishing their authority to fill
the regulatory void the Trump administration is creating as it moves to
roll back the Clean Power Plan and other federal climate regulations.
The Massachusetts Department of Environmental Protection finalized rules
last year to require power plants within the state's borders to reduce
their emissions annually, amounting to a 7 percent reduction in
greenhouse gas emissions from current levels by 2020 and an 80 percent
reduction by 2050. It is one of a suite of clean energy and pollution
control policies state officials have put into place under the Global
Warming Solutions Act, signed into law by then-Gov. Deval Patrick in 2008...
- - - - -
Massachusetts' Push Away from Fossil Fuels
The decision comes at pivotal moment for Massachusetts, as it
transitions to cleaner energy.
The state's last coal plant, Brayton Point in Somerset, closed last
year, and the state has been investing in the infrastructure to support
an offshore wind industry. The Vineyard Wind project, an 800 megawatt
offshore wind farm planned off the coast of Martha's Vineyard, is
expected to soon start the state toward its goal of having 1,600
megawatts of offshore wind energy by 2027.
"It spells the end of fossil fuel electricity in Massachusetts," said
David Ismay, an attorney with the Boston-based Conservation Law
Foundation, arguing the standards will mean a gradual phase-down in the
natural gas generation, which dominates the state's electricity mix.
"It solidifies the shift to clean energy."...
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/05092018/climate-change-power-plant-carbon-emissions-law-massachusetts-state-clean-energy-transition-trump
[Long practice]
*Tribe: Army Corps Is Stonewalling on Dakota Access Pipeline Report,
Spill Risk
<https://insideclimatenews.org/news/05092018/standing-rock-tribe-dapl-dakota-access-pipeline-oil-spill-risk-report-army-corps>*
The Corps says it found no significant environmental impact, but it's
holding back the report. Standing Rock calls it rubber-stamping an
'illegal and flawed permit'.
BY PHIL MCKENNA
The U.S. Army Corps of Engineers is defending its claim that the Dakota
Access pipeline has no significant environmental impact, but it issued
only a brief summary of its court-ordered reassessment while keeping the
full analysis confidential.
The delay in releasing the full report, including crucial details about
potential oil spills, has incensed the Standing Rock Tribe, whose
reservation sits a half-mile downstream from where the pipeline crosses
the Missouri River.
The tribe said the Army Corps is stonewalling, and it said it will
continue to oppose the pipeline. Meanwhile, oil continues to flow
through the pipeline two years after opponents set up a desperate
encampment to try to block the project.
- - - -
Memo Fails to Address Oil Spill Risk
A key omission from the Corps' memo was detailed technical information
about a worst case scenario spill from the pipeline into the Missouri
River and the risks such a spill would pose to members of the Standing
Rock reservation, Hasselman said. The reservation is just downstream
from where the pipeline crosses the Missouri River, the tribe's water
supply. The tribe says it has struggled to get detailed information
about potential spills and spill response plans from Energy Transfer
Partners...
- - - - -
"You shouldn't have to trade your ecosystem to have quality of life and
decent infrastructure, and that is basically what tribes are being
forced to do," Winona LaDuke, Honor the Earth's Executive Director, said.
https://insideclimatenews.org/news/05092018/standing-rock-tribe-dapl-dakota-access-pipeline-oil-spill-risk-report-army-corps
[You probably know this]
*Climate Point: Summer nights are getting hotter
<https://www.usatoday.com/story/nletter/climatepoint/2018/09/06/climate-point-summer-nights-getting-hotter/1215439002/>*
Because summer wasn't hot enough already: One of the devilish
consequences of global warming is that overnight temperatures are rising
faster than daytime temperatures, which doesn't sound terrible until you
realize how important the nighttime cooldown is for human health. (Very
important!) So it is alarming to read that the U.S. just experienced its
hottest average summer nights on record
<https://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2018/09/06/climate-change-global-warming-summer-heat-record-nighttime-temperatures-noaa/1211349002/>,
as USA TODAY's Doyle Rice reports. Also alarming, but fascinating, is
this cool feature from the New York Times that shows how much hotter
your hometown has gotten since you were born
<https://www.nytimes.com/interactive/2018/08/30/climate/how-much-hotter-is-your-hometown.html>.
https://www.usatoday.com/story/nletter/climatepoint/2018/09/06/climate-point-summer-nights-getting-hotter/1215439002/
[More Activism]
*Tell us: are you taking part in a Rise for Climate event?
<https://www.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/05/tell-us-are-you-taking-part-in-a-rise-for-climate-event>*
Wherever in the world you are, we'd like to hear your stories and see
your pictures if you are participating this weekend
Wed 5 Sep 2018Last modified on Wed 5 Sep 201807.13 EDT
* <https://www.facebook.com/dialog/share?app_id=180444840287&href=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fenvironment%2F2018%2Fsep%2F05%2Ftell-us-are-you-taking-part-in-a-rise-for-climate-event%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_fb>
* <https://twitter.com/intent/tweet?text=Tell%20us%3A%20are%20you%20taking%20part%20in%20a%20Rise%20for%20Climate%20event%3F&url=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fenvironment%2F2018%2Fsep%2F05%2Ftell-us-are-you-taking-part-in-a-rise-for-climate-event%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_tw>
* <mailto:?subject=Tell%20us%3A%20are%20you%20taking%20part%20in%20a%20Rise%20for%20Climate%20event%3F&body=https%3A%2F%2Fwww.theguardian.com%2Fenvironment%2F2018%2Fsep%2F05%2Ftell-us-are-you-taking-part-in-a-rise-for-climate-event%3FCMP%3Dshare_btn_link>
Shares
367
Tens of thousands of people around the world will mobilise over the
weekend of 8-9 September under the banner of Rise for Climate, a
grassroots movementseeking a fossil fuel free world
<https://riseforclimate.org/>.
More than 600 events are planned in at least 80 countries, with one of
the key aims to challenge the decision-makers attending the Global
Climate Summit in California on 12 September to escalate decarbonisation
efforts and targets.
As well as a flagship event in San Fransisco which the organisers say
will be the largest climate march the US west coast has ever seen,
community groups are findinginnovative ways to urge a future in which
all energy sources are 100% renewable
<https://riseforclimate.org/plan-highlights/>, including an initiative
asking participants toshare artworks related to the movement
<https://riseforclimate.org/rise-art/>.
We would like to hear from you if you are taking part in any of the
events or involved in organising where you live, and will highlight some
of your contributions in our coverage. You can also share pictures and
stories from the events you attend.
Rise For Climate's website hasan interactive map can search for events
near you <https://riseforclimate.org/#map>.
https://w.theguardian.com/environment/2018/sep/05/tell-us-are-you-taking-part-in-a-rise-for-climate-event
[Birds]*
Alaska Refuge Can't Protect its Wildlife from Climate Change
<https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/09/plastics-birds-climate-change-alaska-news/>
*Plummeting populations in a huge Alaska wildlife refuge might be caused
by climate change and plastics.
BY SAMANTHA YADRON
Jones researches marine heat waves, which can cause extreme,
ecosystem-wide harm to wildlife. The most well-known marine heat wave,
"the blob," caused an unprecedented auklet die-off just south of the
refuge from 2014-2015.
"Marine heat waves are becoming more frequent and more intense," says
Jones, and they build upon each warmer year, affecting seabirds "in ways
that are fairly unpredictable."
The die-offs have continued into 2018, with more than 1,400 birds
reported rotting on Bering Sea beaches and showing signs of starvation
since May, according to the National Park Service...
- - - - -
"There was a huge die-off, as a matter of fact, of murres this winter
and they were mostly emaciated. They didn't have the food they needed to
eat," Causey said.
"It seems to be an ecosystem-wide problem," Padula said.
According to the National Park Service, "Hundreds of thousands of
seabirds, mostly common murres, died of starvation" along the Pacific
coast, the Gulf of Alaska, and in the Aleutian Islands from 2015-2016.
Surveys discovered nearly 2,100 bird carcasses rotting on the region's
beaches in 2016.
"The Bering Sea is so dependent and so responsive to changes in the sea
ice," says Jones, to the point where the food supply dwindles and
becomes less nutritious. "We've seen this in parts of Alaska pretty much
every year since 2014."
https://www.nationalgeographic.com/environment/2018/09/plastics-birds-climate-change-alaska-news/*
This Day in Climate History - September 8, 2003
<http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/FR-2003-09-08/03-22764/content-detail.html>
- from D.R. Tucker
*September 8, 2003: The EPA denies a petition by the International
Center for Technology Assessment to regulate greenhouse gas emissions
under the Clean Air Act, setting off a four-year legal battle that
culminates in the Supreme Court's Massachusetts v. EPA ruling.
http://www.gpo.gov/fdsys/granule/FR-2003-09-08/03-22764/content-detail.html/
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