Chinese and American scholars discuss climate change at USC

LOS ANGELES - College students and professors from the United States of America and the People’s Republic of China gathered to discuss global climate change and the impact their nation’s actions have on the environment at the University of Southern California (USC) on October 17 2012. The ‘Road to the White House’ panel took place less than 24 hours after the second debate between Democratic and Republican presidential candidates Barack Obama and Mitt Romney...

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Continuing urbanization to impact global biodiversity – U.N. report

Urban areas are growing according to the UN and this will have negative implications on global biodiversity and ecosystems. The world’s urban areas will triple in size between 2000 and 2030, with urban populations also doubling to about 4.9 billion in the same period, according to the “Cities and Biodiversity Outlook.” More than half of the world’s population is expected to live in cities over the coming years...

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Commerce releases determination on Chinese solar dumping case

The United States is standing firm on their claims that Chinese solar companies have been dumping their products in the U.S. market. After a period of investigation prompted by a formal complaint from American solar companies, the U.S. Department of Commerce found that several Chinese solar cell producers and exporters were selling their products in the U.S. at artificially low prices. The preliminary...

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Asia ‘center of the universe’ in emission reduction – Figueres

Asia is now “the new center of the universe” concerning emission reduction efforts according to United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change executive secretary Christiana Figueres. The climate chief, during the Carbon Forum North America event held last week at Washington D.C., said the region currently leads the push toward the cutting of emissions through cap-and-trade and other market-based...

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Europe to monitor shipping emissions starting 2013

The European Union will start measuring and monitoring emissions from shipping emissions starting next year, in an effort to slash the sector’s impact on climate change. European Commission vice president Siim Kallas and Climate Action commissioner Connie Hedegaard have issued a joint statement calling for urgent action to curb greenhouse gas emissions from shipping. According to the joint statement, shipping is a global industry that calls for global...

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U.S. House energy subcommittee wants E.P.A.’s foreign grants stopped

Pointing to the United States’ $16 trillion debt, the House of Representatives Energy and Commerce Subcommittee on Energy and Power is looking to stop the Environmental Protection Agency from awarding grants under Section 103 of the Clean Air Act for foreign projects. The agency has been awarding grants to foreign recipients totaling over $100 million under the said act since 2001, with additional grants...

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Poor chemical management poses environment and health threats – U.N.E.P.

Both governments and industries worldwide have to act immediately to slash the growing risks posed to the environment and human health by poor management of chemicals, a new report by the United Nations Environment Program suggested. The Global Chemicals Outlook identified that these risks as growing due to rising production, utilization and disposal of these products in developing nations,...

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E.P.A. creates mapping tool for renewables development in California

An online mapping tool which enables users to find contaminated or degraded properties that can be converted to renewable energy redevelopment has been launched by the United States Environmental Protection Agency and the Department of Energy’s National Renewable Energy Laboratory. Called the Renewable Energy Siting Tool, it screens an estimated 11,000 contaminated, degraded or cleaned up federal and state...

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Better climate models needed in U.S. – report

To deliver more detailed, smaller scale, and more efficient climate projections, the United States’ collection of climate models should be advanced and improved “substantially,” according to a report from the National Research Council. Climate models, which simulate the interactions of the atmosphere, oceans, land surface, and ice to predict future climate, should be more integrated and use a common...

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Sea otters guardians of oceans’ carbon sinks – study

While sea otters may be known as clowns of the sea – delighting observers with their aerobatics and friendly whiskered faces – a study from the University of Santa Cruz finds that they can also be unlikely climate heroes by increasing the oceans ability to store carbon dioxide. The new study suggests that thriving sea otter pollutions can keep sea urchins in check which in turn allows kelp – a species...

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