New Technology Announced to Cut Carbon Emissions
While new figures show the UK is making little headway in reducing carbon dioxide emissions, a British company says it is making rapid progress in its quest to deliver a zero emissions energy solution for homes and businesses.
ITM Power has obtained key UK and US patents for advanced technology and hydrogen production techniques which it says could cut significantly the country's dependence on hydrocarbon fuels. A new factory to produce electrolysers - devices which can convert water and 'green electricity' from renewable sources into hydrogen - will open in Sheffield later this year, Meanwhile, the company has announced that it expects to start commercial production and sales of its first fuel cell, which can convert hydrogen back into electricity, late next year.
Following a five-year development programme, ITM Power is close to completing work on a unique, prototype, home refuelling station, It uses an electrolyser to produce hydrogen which can be stored safely and used to fuel adapted petrol-engined vehicles,
In addition, the company has also started design of a low-pressure etectrolyser for use in low carbon domestic housing projects to fuel central heating boilers and domestic cookers and supply electricity via a small fuel cell. In both domestic and automotive applications, the use of hydrogen as a fuel would generate no carbon dioxide emissions.
Jim Heathcote, CEO of ITM Power, said: 'The latest news that efforts to cut carbon dioxide emissions are making little progress in the UK, underlines the vital nature and urgency of our work. We have made genuine breakthroughs in both the design of electrolysers and fuel cells and methods of low-cost manufacture, which are now being recognised around the world. We are moving rapidly from research and development to the commercial phase of bringing these exciting new products to market and offering solutions which will alleviate our dependence on hydrocarbon fuels.'
UK on Track to Meet Kyoto Targets as Emissions Continue to Fall
Thursday 27 March 2008
Department for Environment, Food And Rural Affairs (East Midlands)
Environment Secretary Hilary Benn today said that the UK is making progress on cutting Greenhouse Gas emissions, but there is still much work to do.
Provisional statistics published today for total UK Greenhouse Gas emissions for 2007 showed a drop of two per cent over the previous year, with 639.4 million tonnes carbon dioxide equivalent, down from 652.3 million tonnes in 2006.
They also show that in 2007, UK net emissions of Carbon Dioxide (CO2) were provisionally estimated to be 543.7 million tonnes. This was two per cent lower than the 2006 figure of 554.5 million tonnes.
The decrease in CO2 emissions resulted from fuel switching from coal to natural gas for electricity generation, combined with lower fossil fuel consumption by households and industry.
Secretary of State for the Environment, the Rt. Hon. Hilary Benn said:
"These figures show we are making progress in cutting emissions and are on target to go beyond our Kyoto targets. But there's much to do at home and abroad if we are to going to avert dangerous climate change.
"We need to see a major change across the whole of the UK economy if we are to meet the ambitious emissions reduction targets set in the Climate Change Bill. To aid this, the Government will develop carbon markets and promote the development of low carbon technology, while continuing to work to get international agreement on global emissions targets. More ....
IPCC Reports on "Mitigation of Climate Change"
(25 Novermber 2007)
The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) have released the fourth assessment report "Climate Change 2007", which aims to provide an integrated view of climate change. The report provides a more systematic understanding of the timing and magnitude of the impacts of climate change including a chapter on waste management and its potential to help in mitigating the effect of climate change. More...
Nobel Peace Prize Win for Al Gore and UN’s IPCC
The Nobel Peace Price for 2007 has been jointly awarded to leading climate change campaigner Al Gore and the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. The Norwegian Nobel Committee awarded the prize for “their efforts to build up and disseminate greater knowledge about man-made climate change, and to lay the
foundations for the measures that are needed to counteract such change.”
UK Secretary of State for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs, Hilary Benn said:
"I would like to congratulate Al Gore and the IPCC on this award. They have each made a pioneering contribution to the world's understanding of the threat posed to every one of us by climate change. The best way we can honour this contribution is to act now to prevent it from happening."
The Nobel committee said the IPCC’s scientific reports, issued over the last two decades, had "created an ever-broader informed consensus about the connection between human activities and global warming". They praised Al Gore as one of the world’s leading environmental politicians and “probably the single individual who has done most to create greater worldwide understanding of the measures that need to be adopted.” More...
Climate Change Declared a Business Opportunity Worth Billions
(8 July 2007)
Accepting climate change, would be really hard if the result was all negative. Here at Climate Change for better or Worse, we think that the will be many winners as well as losers. We now have even large Oil Company’s declaring that climate change is a business opportunity. Shell recently reports that climate change is worth £30 Billion (USD$60 Billion) for British companies over the next decade (January 2007), one of the world's biggest oil companies, has said.
The study commissioned by Shell in 2006, was the first to put a number to the climate-related products, services and technology market. The Report has been named “The Business Opportunities for SMEs in Tackling the Causes of Climate Change”, and it identifies areas where small and medium-sized firms should find the biggest opportunities arising from both consumer and government-driven climate change demand.
The report identifies areas of opportunity which include:
- Renewable electricity - £800M
- Renewable road transport fuels - E500M
- Building regulations for commercial and industrial use - £950M
- Domestic energy efficiency - £400M
- Building regulations for domestic use - £275M
James Smith, chairman of Shell UK’s Chaimanr, said: "For business, tackling climate change is both a necessity and a huge opportunity. This creates a huge new opportunity for British business nationally and internationally. More here..
Go Green for ‘Live Earth’: 2007’s Biggest Music Event is Set to Raise Climate Change Awareness
(30 June 2007)
Madonna is due to share the Live Earth Concert bill with top music artists such as Red Hot Chili Peppers, Keane and the Black Eyed Peas, on Saturday 7 July, for a 24 hour music marathon which will be held on stages around the world.
It promises to do for Climate Change awareness what Live 8, did for World Poverty. Let us hope it does, as grass routes popular action is essential to get politicians everywhere acting on the fine words we have heard recently.
UK Inquiry Into the Structure and Operation of Government and the Challenge of Climate Change
(28 April 2007)
The Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) has launched an inquiry focussing on the adequacy of the current structure and operation of government in dealing with the challenge posed by climate change. The EAC has over the years stressed the need for effective co-operation and communication between departments of government, so that the appropriate policies are seamlessly implemented across the breadth of government activity without the contradictions and inconsistencies that sometimes occur. For more information see EAC here.
(5 April 2007)
The Irish National Climate Change Strategy 2007-2012
Under the Kyoto Protocol, Ireland agreed to a target of limiting its greenhouse gas emissions to 13% above 1990 levels by the first commitment period 2008-2012 - as part of its contribution to the overall EU target. Ireland ratified the Kyoto Protocol on the 31 May 2002 - along with the EU and all other Member States - and is internationally legally bound to meet the challenging greenhouse gas emissions reduction target.
To ensure Ireland reaches its target under the Kyoto Protocol and, building on measures put in place following the publication of the first National Climate Change Strategy in 2000, Mr. Dick Roche, T.D., Minister for the Environment, Heritage and Local Government, has today launched the Government's National Climate Change Strategy for the period 2007-2012. Click
Here.
(2 April 2007)
US Supreme Court Decides NSR, Greenhouse Gas Cases
The U.S. Supreme Court has issued two rulings regarding air quality and global warming issues.
In the first case, the court ruled 5-4 that carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are considered air pollutants under the Clean Air Act and that the Environmental Protection Agency has the authority to regulate the gases.
The Supreme Court´s decision in Massachusetts v. EPA rejects a 2003 EPA decision that it lacked the authority to regulate emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases. The EPA made the decision as environmental groups and 12 states were asking the agency to regulate emissions of greenhouse gases from automobiles. More here...
(21 March 2007)
UK Budget Promotes Green Homes and Cars But Not Much Else
Gordon Brown's 2007 Budget, widely heralded as green long before its publication on Tuesday, focused on energy efficient homes and cars but critics said it failed to seriously take on climate change.
The chancellor chose to tackle building emissions with tax breaks on zero-carbon homes.
Demonstrating his "carrots and sticks" approach to environmental policy the Chancellor announced a series of tax breaks and "green taxes" that grow with environmental impact to encourage people to buy energy-efficient homes and vehicles.
Zero-carbon homes costing under £500,000 will be exempt of stamp duty while those costing over half a million will benefit from a £15,000 reduction in tax liability, the Chancellor announced, filling in the details on measures announced in December's pre-budget report aimed at making all new homes zero-carbon within a decade.
As well as energy efficiency, the budget also contains measures designed to get householders generating their own green electricity. The 2007 budget gives funding for micro-generation through the Low Carbon Buildings Programme a £6m boost, bringing available funds up to a total of over £18m.
Measures aimed at cutting home emissions - contributing around a quarter of the UK's carbon - included:
£300-£4,000 in grants for pensioners installing insulation and central heating
Government to work with banks and building societies to develop new 'green' mortgages
zero stamp duty rate for new zero-carbon homes under £500,000 until 2012
£6m boost for the Low Carbon Buildings Fund. More ...
21 February 2007
US EPA seeks comment on greenhouse gas report
The Environmental Protection Agency is seeking public comment on a draft report that analyzes sources of greenhouse gas emissions.
The Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2005 will be open for public comment for 30 days after the Federal Register notice is published.
The major finding in the draft report is that overall emissions during 2005 increased by less than 1 percent from the previous year. Total emissions of the six main greenhouse gases in 2005 were equivalent to 7,262 million metric tons of carbon dioxide. These gases include carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons, and sulfur hexafluoride. The draft report indicates that overall emissions have grown by 16 percent from 1990 to 2005, while the U.S. economy has grown by 55 percent over the same period. More ...
10 August 2006
‘Climate porn’ turning off public from action
The alarmist language used to discuss climate change is tantamount to ‘climate porn’ - offering a thrilling spectacle, but ultimately distancing the public from the problem - according to new research published by the Institute for Public Policy Research (ippr).
The research analysed more than 600 articles from the UK press - as well as over 90 TV, radio and press ads, news clips and websites - to find out how the media, government and green groups are communicating climate change.
The report argues that the discussion on climate change in the UK is confusing, contradictory and chaotic - and, with the likely result that the public feels disempowered and uncompelled to act. More here..
Blow for Britain's fight against climate change as emissions target is missed
29 March 2006
Britain's credibility as a leader in the fight against climate change has suffered a massive blow with the Government being forced to announce it will not meet its flagship target for cutting the carbon dioxide emissions causing global warming.
The target, to cut UK CO2 emissions from industry and transport to 20 per cent below their 1990 levels by 2010, will be missed by a wide margin, even after an intensive, year-long review of all the measures in the Government's climate change programme, designed to bring it within reach. More..
Stark warning over climate change
(24 February 2006)
Rising concentrations of greenhouse gases may lead to dramatic sea level rises, a new malaria epidemic and possible water shortages for as many as 2.8 billion people, a major Government report has claimed.
‘Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change’ echoes the apocalyptic scenarios of a ravaged environment recently proposed by environmental scientist James Lovelock.
The report brings together evidence from a February 2005 conference on greenhouse gases hosted by the UK Meteorological office. The conference’s objectives were to try and judge what level of greenhouse gas would be too much, and what options are avoidable to avoid that level.
Environment secretary Margaret Beckett said the report’s conclusions would be a shock to many people who had not yet realised that ‘we could come to a tipping point where change could be irreversible.’
The report goes on to claim that even the EU target of keeping global warming to two degrees Celsius could have disastrous results, leading to ‘potentially large number of extinctions and ecosystems collapse’ and widespread ‘hunger and water shortage risks’.
However, the UK’s chief scientific advisor believes that even accomplishing the two degrees Celsius goal is unlikely to happen. More...
Russia Planning on Mining Moon for ‘Ideal Fuel’
(24 February 2006)
Nikolai Sevastyanov, head of Russia's giant Energia Space Corporation, has unveiled plans to build a permanent base on the Moon within a decade and to start mining Earth’s only natural satellite for helium 3, a sought-after isotope, by 2020.
The idea would be to use helium 3 to power thermo-nuclear power stations, harnessing its potency to achieve nuclear fusion.
The technology to exploit helium 3 is still under development, but it has been touted by a significant academic school of thought as "the ideal fuel of the future" with several countries expressing interest. The race is now on to be the first to make it work. More...
Poll shows that UK Civil Engineers are worried about Climate Change (29 January 2006)
Civil engineers are not only convinced that Climate Change is taking place: A recent NCE poll shows that they are also worried about it. What is more striking is that more than half of those that expressed an opinion, said that they would be prepared to alter their lifestyle a lot, to reduce the UK’s green house gas emissions. More...
Climate change: understanding it rather than trying to stop it (13 January 2006)
Civil engineers need to focus on understanding how climate change will affect how they manage future risks like flooding rather than trying to prevent it happening, according to a paper in the latest issue (158 WM4) of the ICE’s Water Management journal.
Murray Dale, senior hydrologist at Halcrow and former senior applied scientist at the UK Met Office, says ‘influencing the weather is almost impossible, apart from long-term climate-change effects resulting from greenhouse gas emissions and actions such as deforestation.’ More...
‘Empties’ could help stop climate change (12 January 2006)
A new report published by the UK’s Institution of Civil Engineers (ICE) argues that climate change could be tackled by changing the way the UK treats its waste. The report comes as the country disposes of hundreds of thousands of tonnes of packaging, card, paper and glass waste generated during the festive period. More ..
BP says “It’s Time to go on a Low Carbon Diet”
(20 November 2005)
BP gets behind the Climate Change Challenge!
Whether in coal, oil or gas, carbon is the essential ingredient of all fossil fuels. When these fuels are burned to provide energy, carbon dioxide (CO2), a "greenhouse gas", is released to the Earth’s atmosphere...
Based on current scientific opinion, BP believes that it is realistic to promote actions that ensure stabilization of atmospheric CO2 concentrations at around 500-550 ppm. This is a considerable challenge, given that global energy demand is expected to double between 2000 and 2050. More...
The intensity of Hurricane Katrina may be due to Climate Change (4 September 2005)
A recent scientific paper has confirmed previous indications that hurricanes have been becoming more intense of the past 10 to 15 years, as sea temperatures rise in the Gulf of Mexico and elsewhere. Politicians in the US will need to consider their climate change policy in the light of this. More...
American Senators Speak on Climate Change after seeing evidence (23 August 2005)
Two leading hopefuls for the next Presidential Election have delivered an urgent warning to the United States on global warming after a recent visit to Alaska and the Canadian Yukon.
Senators John McCain (Republican) and and Hillary Clinton (Democratic Senator for New York) were convinced of the reality of global warming when they saw melting permafrost and shrinking glaciers. Native Inuit also told them how rising sea levels were altering their lives.
Mrs Clinton said at a press conference in Anchorage: “I don’t think there’s any doubt left for anybody who actually looks at the science. There are still some holdouts, but they’re fighting a losing battle. The science is overwhelming.” See article here.
The America/Asia-Pacific Partnership’s Answer to “Kyoto” (29 July 2005)
A new pact has been announced (26 July 2005) which links the US, Australia, and four other leading Asian Countries (China, India, Japan and South Korea).
"The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate" has declared its aim to use new technology to reduce emissions of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide, from power stations, without setting mandatory targets. More...
'Green' Olympics tackles environment and transport with plans to offset emissions (16 July 2005)
The London Olympic bid, which included plans to offset carbon emissions due to international air travel, will now see these come to fruition. The estimated 35,000 tonnes of carbon dioxide emissions arising from games-related travel over the next seven years will be offset by supporting renewable energy projects in developing countries. Click here for the full story.
UK on target to cut Greenhouse Gas (16 July 2005)
Elliot Morley, the UK Minister for Climate Change, wrote in a letter published yesterday that contrary to a recent article and charts in the Independent Newspaper showing progress on the UK’s Kyoto targets, which predicted that the UK’s current over-performance (currently 12.5% better than the target) would deteriorate with emissions rising above targets, this is not now what the most recent modelling suggests.
In fact, the latest modelling shows that current policies will lead to a continued reduction in greenhouse gas emissions to 20.7% below 1990 levels in 2010. Furthermore, additional carbon emissions reduction measures are likely to be announced before the end of this year, and these will be aimed at achieving the UK’s target of a 20% reduction in carbon dioxide emissions by 2010.
G8 leaders agree to climate change plan
, Gleneagles, Scotland (8 July 2005)
British Prime Minister Tony Blair said on Friday that the Group of Eight leaders have agreed to a new dialogue on climate change.
At a news conference at the end of the week's summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, Blair said G8 leaders reached a consensus that global warming is a problem and the issue must be tackled. He said there never was any hope he would convince US President George Bush to accept the Kyoto treaty and there were no plans to renegotiate the document.
If it is impossible to bring America into the consensus on tackling the issue of climate change we will never ensure the huge emerging economies, particularly China and India ... we will never ensure they are part of the dialogue. If we cannot include them in the dialogue, there is no possibility in succeeding in resolving this issue, Blair said.
The issue will come up again at the next G8 meeting, to in Russia, and a full report on the issue will be delivered in 2008.
Waste dump under threat (29 June 2005)
The UK Environment Agency is concerned that global warming could cause the UK's major nuclear waste dump to leak. Worldwide sites face a similar risk and a consultation has been opened on the future of the Drigg site, in Cumbria.
A leak could cause an increase in the risk of local people contracting cancers by at least 100 times and the British Nuclear Group has said that it will act on any recommendations from the Agency.
Click here for the full story.
Greenhouse gases to be stored under the sea
The UK Government has put aside £40 million to store greenhouse gases under the North Sea. The plans, which could be in place by 2015, will involve carbon dioxide being captured from power plants and stored in depleted North Sea oil and gas fields.
A pioneering plan has been announced to tackle climate change by capturing CO2 from power plants and storing it safely in depleted North Sea oil and gas fields by Energy Minister Malcolm Wicks.
Carbon capture is central to this new package for emerging low-carbon technologies designed to stimulate demonstration projects for cleaner electricity generation from coal and gas as well as for hydrogen and fuel cells. More...
US seeks British advice on carbon trading
America is seeking British advice on how to set up a carbon emissions trading scheme, UK environment secretary Margaret Beckett told delegates at the Environment Agency’s annual conference this week. This may seem strange in the light of the American Election result.
She said that state governments on the east and west coasts were seeking help despite President George W Bush’s refusal to sign up to the emissions reducing Kyoto agreement.
“However, the US is involved in tackling climate change,” Beckett said. Nine states on the east coast are considering implementing an emissions trading scheme and they want UK advice to make sure it is compatible with the European scheme. (Source: New Civil Engineer, 28 October 2004).
On this web site we can also add that one of those organisations talking to the Americans about Carbon Discharge Management is Enviros Consulting.
Russia ratifies Kyoto Protocol
Source: www.edie.net
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