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Archive for July, 2013
Crude on the tracks: Oil spills from trains skyrocket
Posted by Grist: Claire Thompson on July 19th, 2013
Grist: As more oil is being shipped by train across North America, more oil is being spilled from trains. EnergyWire reports:
The number of spills and other accidents from railroad cars carrying crude oil has skyrocketed in recent years, up from one or two a year early in the previous decade to 88 last year.
Most of the spills are relatively small - nothing like the deadly disaster in Lac-Mégantic, Quebec, earlier this month - but with oil shipments on the rise, there`s cause to be concerned.
Oil...
Water companies warn over fracking
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 19th, 2013
BBC: Drinking water could be contaminated with methane gas and chemicals due to fracking, water companies have warned.
Water UK, which represents all major UK water suppliers, said the shale gas extraction method posed a threat if not "carefully planned and carried out".
It also warned fracking's "huge" use of water could cause shortages in areas of low supply, like South East England.
Shale gas company Cuadrilla said there were no proven cases of aquifers being contaminated by fracking.
Dr...
‘Heat dome’ grips two-thirds of the US
Posted by LA Times: Benjamin Mueller on July 19th, 2013
LA Times: Cooler temperatures are approaching, but the year's worst heat wave continues to punish areas from South Dakota to coastal Massachusetts on Thursday, prolonging withering conditions that have already claimed one man's life in Kentucky.
Officials warn that persistent overnight heat, high humidity and intense sunshine threaten areas of the country, especially the Midwest, that aren't accustomed to near-tropical conditions. Excessive heat still blankets parts of 21 states and the District of Columbia,...
Naturalists urge British public to help wildlife survive the hot weather
Posted by Guardian: Natalie Starkey and Shiona Tregaskis on July 19th, 2013
Guardian: Gull chick taking a splash! Heatwaves and hot weather are affecting local wildlife too
While many of us are enjoying the heatwave, naturalists have urged the British public to help wildlife struggling to survive as water and food supplies have dwindled in the heat.
After six consecutive days of 30C-plus temperatures and with rainfall at only around 15% of average monthly totals so far, wardens at The Lodge in Sandy, an RSPB nature reserve in Bedfordshire, are working to keep their animals,...
Posted in Water Conservation 
Comments Off on Naturalists urge British public to help wildlife survive the hot weatherEU pledges to support China’s climate efforts
Posted by BusinessGreen: None Given on July 19th, 2013
BusinessGreen: China has asked the EU to help it tackle pollution related to heavy metals and water and waste treatment. Janez Potocnik, EU Environment Commissioner, told news agency Reuters that Brussels was investing EUR10m in a scheme called the EU China Environmental Sustainability Project, which is set to be launched today. "If you're following the statements of political leaders, obviously they are recognising that this is becoming a serious issue," Potocnik said. "They are also addressing it more thoroughly...
Thirsty clean energy may add to water stressed world
Posted by New Scientist: Sara Reardon on July 19th, 2013
New Scientist: As the world gets hotter and drier thanks to our predilection for burning fossil fuels, the technologies we need to reduce emissions could be too thirsty to be sustainable.
The choices we make balancing power and water are already becoming an urgent issue in the fight against climate change, says Amanda Fencl of the Stockholm Environment Institute in Davis, California.
While cutting emissions is necessary to curb global warming, some renewable and clean energy sources use more water than fossil...
Fossil fuels tax to fund climate efforts proposed at UN talks
Posted by RTCC: Ed King on July 19th, 2013
RTCC: UN climate finance talks in Manila ended on Wednesday with no new pledges but showed signs of progress in identifying new sources of funding, such as a levy on fossil fuels.
The two-day meeting marked the latest attempt by countries to establish how developed countries can meet their pledge to provide $100 billion a year by 2020 to enable poorer states to cut pollution and build a climate resilient infrastructure.
As yet it is unclear where that money will come from, but delegates attending...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Fossil fuels tax to fund climate efforts proposed at UN talksTransCanada Says Keystone XL Start in 2015 ‘Difficult’
Posted by Bloomberg: Rebecca Penty on July 19th, 2013
Bloomberg: TransCanada Corp. (TRP) Chief Executive Officer Russ Girling said the timeline for U.S. approval of the $5.3 billion Keystone XL pipeline project will make the start of operations in the second half of 2015 “difficult.”
The CEO said a final environmental impact statement from the State Department may come in “weeks, not months,” after which there will be a 90-day review of whether the project is in the U.S. national interest. “I hope a decision can be made this year,” Girling said today in an...
Volta River and Climate Change
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 19th, 2013
Environmental News Network: A new study released today finds that so much water may be lost in the Volta River Basin due to climate change that planned hydroelectric projects to boost energy and food production may only tread water in keeping up with actual demand. Some 24 million people in Ghana, Burkina Faso and four other neighboring countries depend on the Volta River and its tributaries as their principal source of water. Specifically, the researchers with the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) and their...
UK: Tax Cut for Shale Gas Firms Planned
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 19th, 2013
BBC: The government has outlined plans to give tax breaks to companies involved in the UK's nascent shale gas industry.
It has proposed cutting the tax on some of the income generated from producing shale gas - found in underground shale rock formations - from 62% to just 30%.
The plans would make the UK the "most generous" regime for shale gas in the world, the government said.
But they have been criticised by environmentalists, with Friends of the Earth calling them a "disgrace".
Greenpeace...