Energy Information Administration, US DOE http://www.eia.gov/analysis/studies/worldshalegas/ Initial assessments of 48 shale gas basins in 32 countries suggest that shale gas resources, which have recently provided a major boost to U.S. natural gas production, are also available in other world regions. A new EIA-sponsored study reported initial assessments of 5,760 trillion cubic feet (Tcf) of technically … Continue reading »
Posted on April 6, 2011 …
Destination Sustainability: Reducing Greenhouse Gas Emissions from Freight Transportation in North America
Commission for Environmental Cooperation http://www.cec.org/Storage/99/9783_CEC-FreightTransport-finalweb_en.pdf [Green Car Congress] Cross-border cooperation to improve environmental performance of the North American freight system is urgently needed not just to enhance environmental sustainability, but to safeguard regional economic competitiveness, according to a new report from the Secretariat of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation (CEC). The report, Destination Sustainability: Reducing … Continue reading »
Role of Fuel Carbon Intensity in Achieving 2050 Greenhouse Gas Reduction Goals within the Light-Duty Vehicle Sector
Environmental Science & Technology (April 1, 2011) DOI: 10.1021/es1037707 / by M. Melain and K. Webster http://pubs.acs.org/doi/abs/10.1021/es1037707 [Abstract] Recent U.S. climate change policy developments include aggressive proposals to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, including cap-and-trade legislation with a goal of an 83% reduction below 2005 levels by 2050. This study examines behavioral and technological changes required … Continue reading »
12th Five Year Plan – Chinese Leadership Towards A Low Carbon Economy
Deutsche Bank, DB Climate Change Advisors / by Mark Fulton http://www.dbcca.com/dbcca/EN/investment-research/investment_research_2366.jsp [Green Car Congress] The many new and expanded strong policy initiatives and green targets in China’s 12th Five year Plan, released on 5 March 2011, provide “clear evidence” that China’s low-carbon policies remain global best-in-class, according to a new report from DB Climate Change … Continue reading »
Climate, Health, Agricultural and Economic Impacts of Tighter Vehicle-emission Standards
Nature Climate Change v1,p59–66 (2011) doi:10.1038/nclimate1066 / by D. Shindell, G. Faluvegi, M. Walsh, S.C. Anenberg, R. Van Dingenen, N.Z. Muller, J. Austin, Koch. D., and G. Milly http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/v1/n1/full/nclimate1066.html Non-CO2 air pollutants from motor vehicles have traditionally been controlled to protect air quality and health, but also affect climate. We use global composition-climate modelling to … Continue reading »
Middle East and North Africa Unrest: Implications for Oil and Natural Gas Markets
Congressional Research Service http://tinyurl.com/3wq2g3g [Summary] Political unrest in the Middle East and North Africa (MENA) has contributed to higher oil prices and added instability to energy markets. Supply disruptions and fears about the possible spread of unrest to major exporters have pushed prices higher. Even if the crisis abates, some risk premium may persist to … Continue reading »
Valuing Water: How Can Businesses Manage the Coming Scarcity?
Knowledge@Wharton http://knowledge.wharton.upenn.edu/special_section.cfm?specialID=112 Water is a paradoxical commodity: It seems free and plentiful, yet its supply is under tremendous strain. Use of fresh water has more than doubled in the past 50 years, and many fear that we are coming close to a frightening breaking point, a world where chronic water shortages for farmers, businesses and … Continue reading »
Effects of Climate Change on Natural Resources and Communities: a Compendium of Briefing Papers
Pacific Research Station, US Forest Service / by Ralph J. Alig http://www.treesearch.fs.fed.us/pubs/37513 This report is a compilation of four briefing papers based on literature reviews and syntheses, prepared for USDA Forest Service policy analysts and decisionmakers about specific questions pertaining to climate change. The main topics addressed here are effects of climate change on wildlife … Continue reading »
Preventing Nuclear Meltdown: Assessing Regulatory Failure in Japan and the United States
Brookings Institution / by Daniel Kaufmann http://www.brookings.edu/opinions/2011/0401_nuclear_meltdown_kaufmann.aspx The manifestations and extent of regulatory capture in Japan and the U.S. differ, with the problem seemingly more acute in Japan. However in both countries, regulators have had their incentive to regulate effectively distorted by the influence of the nuclear industry. In the fallout from the Fukushima crisis, … Continue reading »
Location Efficiency and Housing Type – Boiling it Down to BTUs
US EPA http://epa.gov/smartgrowth/location_efficiency_BTU.htm How and where we construct our communities has an enormous effect on our energy consumption. Buildings and transportation together account for about 70 percent of energy use in the United States and are responsible for about 62 percent of U.S. greenhouse gas emissions. Creating more energy-efficient communities and buildings would reduce our … Continue reading »
