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Archive for the ‘Climate Change’ Category

Lights Out? Storm Surge, Blackouts, and How Clean Energy Can Help

Monday, November 2nd, 2015
FIGURE 1. U.S. Electric Grid Disruptions

UNION OF CONCERNED SCIENTISTS
To maintain our present and future access to reliable electricity—and all the health, safety, and economic benefits such access allows—we must prepare our electric grid for increased coastal flooding. One necessary approach is adapting electricity infrastructure. However, it is also critical to simultaneously pursue solutions that go beyond intervening with specific pieces of equipment. For that, we can look to bolstering the overall electricity resilience of critical facilities and vulnerable populations.

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Climate Change and the U.S. Energy Sector: Regional Vulnerabilities and Resilience Solutions

Thursday, October 29th, 2015
Projected Climate Impacts on U.S. Energy by Region

UNITED STATES DEPARTMENT OF ENERGY
Changes in climate create diverse challenges across the U.S. energy system. Some energy infrastructure assets have already suffered damage or disruption in services from a variety of climate-related impacts, such as higher temperatures, rising sea levels, and more severe weather events. In the absence of concerted action to improve resilience, energy system vulnerabilities pose a threat to America’s national security, energy security, economic wellbeing, and quality of life.

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The Decisions We Make Today Will Shape Tomorrow

Monday, October 26th, 2015
Figure 1: Business-as-usual urban contribution to the remaining carbon budget

C40 CITIES CLIMATE LEADERSHIP GROUP
The world is becoming ever more urban, with 1.5 million people moving into towns and cities every week, all requiring infrastructure like homes, roads, electricity and water supplies. As a result, the approach taken to urban infrastructure construction, renewal and refurbishment will play a substantial role in avoiding or locking in future emissions. For example, hundreds of millions of new homes will either produce large quantities of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions through poor energy performance, or avoid emissions through sensible and efficient design.

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Ensuring New Infrastructure is Climate-Smart

Thursday, October 8th, 2015
Global investment requirements 2015–2030, US$ trillion, constant 2010 dollars

THE NEW CLIMATE ECONOMY
THE GLOBAL COMMISSION ON THE ECONOMY AND CLIMATE

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ASCE: Engineering Resilient Cities

Tuesday, October 6th, 2015

In “Engineering a Resilient Community,” watch experts discuss what it means to be resilient, why it’s important and how sustainability and resiliency are interconnected.

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Accelerating U.S. Clean Energy Deployment

Wednesday, September 30th, 2015
Table 1: Ways for Institutional Investors to Finance Clean Energy

CERES
Institutional investors, and the corporations they invest in, are playing a growing role in financing the clean energy infrastructure needed to meet international climate goals. These investors and companies must support policymakers who seek an international agreement that will provide clearer market signals and greater certainty for needed clean energy investments.

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Accelerating Low-Carbon Development in the World’s Cities

Tuesday, September 15th, 2015
Figure 1 The net present value (NPV) of the urban mitigation scenario in the transport, buildings and waste sectors between 2015 and 2050

THE GLOBAL COMMISSION ON THE ECONOMY AND CLIMATE
Cities are engines of economic growth and social change. About 85% of global GDP in 2015 was generated in cities. By 2050, two-thirds of the global population will live in urban areas. Compact, connected and efficient cities can generate stronger growth and job creation, alleviate poverty and reduce investment costs, as well as improve quality of life through lower air pollution and traffic congestion. Better, more resilient models of urban development are particularly critical for rapidly urbanizing cities in the developing world.

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Natural Gas & Pipeline Infrastructure: Impacts of the Clean Power Plan

Friday, September 4th, 2015
Figure 1. Projected U.S. Natural Gas Demand in AEE Institute Scenarios

ADVANCED ENERGY ECONOMY INSTITUTE (AEE INSTITUTE)
The Environmental Protection Agency’s proposed Clean Power Plan (CPP) establishes state-by-state carbon emissions rate targets that it projects will reduce U.S. electricity sector carbon emissions 30% below 2005 levels by 2030. Some stakeholders, including the North American Electric Reliability Corp. (NERC), have raised concerns that states might rely heavily on natural gas generation for CPP compliance, creating stress on gas pipeline capacity and ultimately affecting electric system reliability. While it is likely that states will pursue a diverse portfolio of emission reductions, examining the infrastructure implications of gas use scenarios helps with risk management.

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Cool Solutions: New Technology to Fight Climate Change in Massachusetts

Tuesday, September 1st, 2015
Figure ES-1. Historical Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Trajectories Needed to Achieve 2020, 2030 and 2050 Emission Reduction Targets

ENVIRONMENT MASSACHUSETTS
To ensure that the Commonwealth stays on track to meet its target under the Global Warming Solutions Act of cutting emissions by at least 80 percent by 2050, Massachusetts should adopt a target of reducing greenhouse gas emissions to at least 45 percent below 1990 levels by 2030…Achieving that goal will require Massachusetts to fully implement previous commitments to reduce global warming pollution. It will also require us to take full advantage of a new wave of game-changing opportunities – from cutting-edge technologies to emerging societal trends – that can help Massachusetts build on its position of national leadership in the fight against global warming.

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Interactive Map: California Climate Investments

Wednesday, August 26th, 2015
California Climate Investment Map - broad

A new interactive map from the State of California shows just how serious the Golden State is about the climate. Literally hundreds of pins dot the map, from San Diego to Humboldt, and each one represents a unique effort to mitigate climate change and promote sustainable living.

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