The Hartwell group for the Breakthrough Institute http://thebreakthrough.org/blog/2011/07/climate_pragmatism_innovation.shtml [From a post by Michael Levi] Climate Pragmatism, which is well worth reading, makes two basic points. First, internationally, we’re heading (or at least should be heading) away from a focus on universal and binding treaties to a more heterogeneous and less law obsessed approach. I’m all … Continue reading »
Posted on August 10, 2011 …
How Risk Perceptions Influence Evacuations From Hurricanes
Rice University, Baker Institute for Public Policy http://bakerinstitute.org/publications/POL-pub-SteinHurricaneRiskPerception-080311.pdf [Abstract] This study shows that people are more sensitive to overall perceived hurricane-related hazards than they are to individual risk types. Emergency managers can use this information to achieve greater compliance to emergency government directives and evacuations.
Getting to Zero: A Pathway to a Carbon Neutral Seattle
Stockholm Environment Institute / by Michael Lazarus, Pete Erikson and Chelsea Chandler http://sei-international.org/publications?pid=1903 [From Website] Recognizing the extraordinary challenge of carbon neutrality and in preparation for updating its Climate Action Plan by 2012, the Seattle Office of Sustainability and Environment (OSE) commissioned SEI and its partners at Cascadia Consulting Group and ICF International to develop a … Continue reading »
Energy Planning in Response to Climate Change: Accurate Costs are Critical
Bulletin of Atomic Scientists (July 13 2011) / by Bruce Biewald http://thebulletin.org/web-edition/op-eds/energy-planning-response-to-climate-change-accurate-costs-are-critical Article Highlights During the 1970s and 1980s, the actual costs (in inflation-adjusted dollars) of building US nuclear power plants were about three times as much as the estimated costs. So far, modern nuclear plants are also proving to be prone to cost escalation, … Continue reading »
Testimony on S. 937 The American Alternative Fuels Act of 2011: Addendum
by James T. Bartis / Document submitted on June 29, 2011 as an addendum to testimony presented before the Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on June 7, 2011 http://www.rand.org/pubs/testimonies/CT364z1.html
Near-Term Opportunities for Integrating Biomass into the U.S. Electricity Supply
Rand Corp. / by David S. Ortiz, Aimee E. Curtright, Constantine Samaras, Aviva Litovitz, Nicholas Burger http://www.rand.org/pubs/technical_reports/TR984.html [Abstract] In light of potential regulatory limits on greenhouse-gas (GHG) emissions, requirements for greater use of renewable fuels, and higher prices for some conventional fossil resources, over the course of the next few decades, biomass is expected to … Continue reading »
Securing a Clean Energy Future: The Australian Government’s Climate Change Plan
Government of Australia http://tinyurl.com/3c5pkv9 [From a PEN-e post] “Scientists advise that the world is warming and high levels of carbon pollution risk environmental and economic damage. No responsible government can ignore this advice. The Australian Government has developed a comprehensive plan to move to a clean energy future. A price on carbon pollution will create incentives … Continue reading »
Climate Change Adaptation: Aligning Funding with Strategic Priorities
US Government Accountability Office http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-876T [From Summary] A 2009 assessment by the United States Global Change Research Program (USGCRP) found that many types of extreme weather events, such as heat waves and regional droughts, have become more frequent and intense during the past 40 to 50 years. According to the assessment, changes in extreme weather … Continue reading »
FEMA Has Made Progress in Managing Regionalization of Preparedness Grants
US Government Accountability Office http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-732R [From Summary] This report responds to Congress’ March 2010 request related to the Federal Emergency Management Agency’s (FEMA) efforts to delegate grants administration responsibilities to its regions. Specifically, we are reporting on (1) the extent to which FEMA has operationalized delegation of grants administration responsibilities for preparedness grants to the … Continue reading »
FEMA and the Corps Have Taken Steps to Establish a Task Force, but FEMA Has Not Assessed the Costs of Collecting and Reporting All Levee-Related Concerns
US Government Accountability Office http://www.gao.gov/products/GAO-11-689R [From Summary] Recent catastrophic flooding in Arkansas, Louisiana, Mississippi, Missouri, and Tennessee caused levee breaches and forced mandatory evacuations…These events underscore the importance of the nation’s levee system and the role federal agencies play in assessing levee integrity and assisting communities in the aftermath of levee failure. Levees are found … Continue reading »
