| Pacific Northwest Forests Could Store More Carbon, Help Address Greenhouse Issues The forests of the Pacific Northwest hold significant potential to increase carbon storage and help mitigate greenhouse gas emissions in coming years, a recent study concludes, if they are managed primarily for that purpose through timber harvest reductions and increased rotation ages.  New Type Of El Nino Could Mean More Hurricanes Make Landfall A new study, in the journal Science, suggests that the form of El Nino may be changing potentially causing not only a greater number of hurricanes than in average years, but also a greater chance of hurricanes making landfall. A Clarion Call to Insurers The insurance industry should view two recent climate change stories of significance as a clarion call to action. Ignoring the risks could one day open up a flood of legal troubles for the industry. Siemens doubles income from environmental business 2 July: Annual revenues from Siemens' environmental activities grew 12% in 2008 to 18.9 billion ($26.5 billion) - almost double the rate for the business as a whole. Coca Cola to Put Fuel Cells to Work at N.Y. Bottling Plant Coca Cola signed a 10-year contract with UTC Power that will bring two fuel cells to a southern New York bottling plant, where they will produce enough heat and energy to satisfy nearly a third of the facility's needs. The state of New York also provided $2 million for the project. Ancient Supervolcano's Eruption Caused Decade Of Severe Winters Previous studies have suggested that Indonesia's Toba supervolcano, when it erupted about 74,000 years ago, triggered a 1,000-year episode of ice sheet advance, and also may have produced a short-lived "volcanic winter," which drastically reduced the human population at the time. Researchers have now found that none of the models to simulate the supervolcanic eruption initiate glaciation. Plant life saved Earth from an icy fate We owe our very existence to plants, which – thanks to their relationship with CO2 – have prevented the Earth from freezing over Renewables industry pushes for tougher targets 2 July: Renewable energy advocates have welcomed the momentum toward adoption of a US federal renewable electricity standard, but vowed to keep pushing for a stronger mandate. UK's Brown calls for $100 billion a year climate fund (from Carbon Finance) 2 July: UK Prime Minister Gordon Brown has called for $100 billion a year to be put aside by 2020 to help developing countries fight climate change - the first leader of an industrialised country to put a figure on the table. Sweden tables eco-efficiency roadmap for Europe A report by the Stockholm Environment Institute, entitled 'A European Eco-efficient Economy', will provide a basis for discussions during an informal meeting of energy and environment ministers in re on 23-25 July. CME launches SO2 contracts 2 July: CME Group is to launch a series of futures and options contracts based on sulphur dioxide allowances in mid July. News Wizard |