In today’s edition: the Texas Climate & Carbon Exchange Opens for Global Trading, the group announces in a press release; Bloomberg says the UN Envoys Close to Deal on Energy, Sustainability Goals, while also reporting: EU Lawmakers Urge Cut of at Least 1.4 Billion CO2 Permits.
Quote of the Day:
“In that time period [Clinton Presidency] there really was a [climate change fix] conversation, a narrative with the American people that got created. That is much harder to do today, in my opinion, with the 24-7 news cycle.”
–Former EPA Chief Carol Browner in The Hill E2 Wire’s “Obama’s green team criticizes the media”
Lead Stories
Texas Climate & Carbon Exchange Opens for Global Trading; Announces deals with Australian and Japanese partners; Membership Now Available to Companies, Utilities, and Municipalities
Press Release
Texas Climate & Carbon Exchange (TCCX)—an electronic, emissions offsets mercantile dedicated to global trading of carbon offsets and credits—will open for global trading on Thursday at 9:30 am Eastern/8:30 am Central and will be open to member cities, corporations, and utilities globally. TCCX is currently the only exchange based in Texas that exclusively trades in environmental attributes. Membership applications are now being accepted.
http://jlne.ws/KPiSsO
Phil O’Reilly: Emissions trading scheme must bring investors certainty
New Zealand Herald
ETS should be changed infrequently and with care, writes Phil O’Reilly.
http://jlne.ws/M2uaxm
**RKB — Column stresses: The ETS is an economic instrument, embedded in our economy. As such, it should be treated more like tax policy – changed infrequently and with care.
UN Envoys Close to Deal on Energy, Sustainability Goals
Bloomberg
Envoys from 190 nations attending a United Nations conference in Rio de Janeiro are close to reaching an agreement that will mark one of the broadest steps yet to harmonize economic development with global efforts to protect the environment.
http://jlne.ws/NLtCwl
**RKB – Most commentary is undermining effectiveness of talks, citing economic weakness and other factors. But this Bloomberg piece slightly more upbeat: Negotiators are “galloping toward the finish line” and mood is “positive.”
Global Economy Limits Expectations at Earth Summit in Brazil
The New York Times
Global leaders, development experts, bankers, academics and activists are gathering here this week to celebrate the anniversary of the landmark Earth Summit of 1992 and to try to address the linked problems of poverty, hunger, energy shortages and environmental degradation.
http://jlne.ws/LucdYT
Arrested Development
International Herald Tribune
Don’t expect too many developments on development at the Rio+20 summit this week. Touted as an opportunity for developing countries to show their new strength in the global economy, the meeting is shaping up to be an exercise in putting off important decisions.
http://jlne.ws/NLt8Xb
EU Lawmakers Urge Cut of at Least 1.4 Billion CO2 Permits
Bloomberg
Three European Union lawmakers have urged the European Commission to withhold at least 1.4 billion emission permits from the bloc’s carbon-trading system to help boost prices, according to a letter obtained by Bloomberg News.
http://jlne.ws/MjYamV
**RKB — Key notation: Chris Davies, Bas Eickhout and Linda McAvan, members of the EU Parliament’s Environment Committee, said in the letter dated today that they look forward to “an immediate, effective and significant intervention that restores the EU Emissions Trading System to the stringency that all the EU institutions agreed in 2008 and removes at least 1.4 billion allowances from auctioning.”
Brazil leading Latin America’s clean energy charge
Business Green
Rio+20 Earth Summit host Brazil is winning the clean energy race in Latin America and the Caribbean, but there are massive opportunities right across the continent if investors can identify them, according to a major new report to be released this week.
http://jlne.ws/LxWdSJ
**RKB – Climatescope ranking report due for release Tuesday.
Brazil sets modest 2020 GHG targets for three sectors
Reuters
Brazil this weekend announced targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in its heavy industry, transports and mining sectors, but the goals are likely to fall short of creating domestic demand for offset credits, observers said.
http://jlne.ws/KItQF2
Green accounting movement to recognize costs of using natural resources gains global traction
AP
What is a sip of clean water worth? Is there economic value in the shade of a tree? And how much would you pay for a breath of fresh air?
http://jlne.ws/MJEF3D
They Fought The Law: Big Utilities Sue the EPA and Lobby the Senate to Stop Public Health Protection
Climate Progress blog
Two essential Environmental Protection Agency, or EPA, regulations to protect children, seniors, the infirm, and others from air pollution are under attack from the coal industry and many utilities.
http://jlne.ws/MjZerb
Obama’s green team criticizes the media
The Hill’s E2 Wire
President Obama’s former top energy aide and current EPA chief are both making the case that today’s media landscape is rough terrain for environmental policymakers.
http://jlne.ws/LxX7OY
REDD+ as an idea is a success but implementing it is fraught with challenges, new global study says
Press Release – Center for International Forestry Research
Implementation of a UN-backed scheme that aims to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by protecting tropical forests is fraught with challenges but these can be overcome with technical solutions and increased political will, according to the authors of a new publication from the Center for International Forestry Research (CIFOR).
http://jlne.ws/MJGrlp
Events
Responsible Business Summit
Asherleaf
June 27 -28, 2012, New York
http://jlne.ws/I9JaGh
Carbon Forum North America
October 1-2, 2012
Washington, DC
http://jlne.ws/zDe43B
Sustainability Summit – Innovation Challenge
October 9, 2012
New York
http://jlne.ws/wKbX7U
Carbon
Asian carbon tax debate set to warm up
China Daily
Countries in the region examine ways to lead a greener lifestyle, reports Karl Wilson in Sydney.
http://jlne.ws/NJ4eJ5
Coal hard light of day for dud scheme
The Age
Kevin Rudd’s decision to spend hundreds of millions of dollars on technology to capture and store carbon has failed to deliver.
http://jlne.ws/MJGDkC
Total Sticking With Emissions Cuts Through Economy Slump
Bloomberg
Total SA (FP), Europe’s third-biggest oil company, will continue curbing emissions to mitigate the environmental impact of its operations despite the financial crisis that’s roiling markets, said Chief Executive Officer Christophe de Margerie.
http://jlne.ws/Nc3PML
Natural Gas/Coal
Shale Is Hard To Crack Outside U.S.
The Wall Street Journal
The geopolitics of energy dictates Poland’s loss being Russia’s gain. But the implications of Exxon Mobil‘s XOM -0.13% withdrawal from Polish shale development, announced Monday, even as it beefs up efforts in Siberian shale, are more complex.
http://jlne.ws/Nc5iT9
Icahn Ally Is Joining Board of Chesapeake
The Wall Street Journal
A representative of activist investor Carl Icahn will join the board of embattled natural-gas giant Chesapeake Energy Corp., CHK -2.38% according to people familiar with the matter.
http://jlne.ws/KZvuLW
Exxon Ends Drilling for Poland Shale Gas
The Wall Street Journal
Exxon Mobil Corp. XOM -0.13% will stop exploring for natural gas in shale formations in Poland, dealing a blow to hopes the country could replicate the shale-drilling boom that revolutionized gas production in North America.
http://jlne.ws/KIsPwE
Hearing to revive natural-gas climate battle
The Hill’s E2 Wire
A Senate Environment and Public Works Committee hearing Tuesday will be the next venue for a raging battle over the climate-change benefits of natural gas compared to other fossil fuels.
http://jlne.ws/MJGHAX
Power
U.K. Solar Industry Sidesteps Tariff Cut to Build Biggest Plants
Bloomberg
Solar-energy companies are applying to build the U.K.’s biggest projects, sidestepping a cut in state subsidies aimed at limiting new power plants by relying on a decade-old incentive program and tumbling panel prices.
http://jlne.ws/LavSh4
Japan approves renewable subsidies in shift from nuclear power
Reuters
Japan approved on Monday incentives for renewable energy that could unleash billions of dollars in clean-energy investment and help the world’s third-biggest economy shift away from a reliance on nuclear power after the Fukushima disaster.
http://jlne.ws/LhFPaK
Power to More People
The Wall Street Journal
Africa may be about to get a whole lot more power. For years, nonprofits have worked to make lighting available and affordable to Africans who aren’t connected to a power grid. But they’ve managed to help only a tiny percentage of that population, mainly by selling them inexpensive kerosene lamps.
http://jlne.ws/N21XCG
Israel’s SDE Discusses Marine Power Plants With Ecuador Ministry
Bloomberg
SDE Energy Ltd., an Israeli marine- technology developer, is in talks with Ecuador’s Ministry of Electricity and Renewable Energy to develop several power projects as the nation seeks to cut its use of fossil fuels.
http://jlne.ws/NLtWvd
Reports
Public Views on Climate Policy Options: Spring 2012 NSAPOCC Findings (Posted June 18, 2012)
Brookings
http://jlne.ws/ND07OJ
Energy Technology Perspectives 2012 (Posted June 11, 2012)
IEA
http://jlne.ws/Kzt8mX
Strengthening the European Union Emissions Trading Scheme and Raising Climate Ambition
WWF/Greenpeace/Oko Institut (Posted June 11, 2012)
http://jlne.ws/LjodaU
Characterizing Pivotal Sources of Methane Emissions from Unconventional Natural Gas Production (Posted June 4, 2012)
API, ANGA
http://jlne.ws/M6RzMQ
Vulnerability of US and European electricity supply to climate change (Posted June 4, 2012)
Nature Climate Change
http://jlne.ws/L3Slcb
Developing Dimension: State of the Voluntary Carbon Markets 2012 (Posted May 31, 2012)
Ecosystem Marketplace
http://jlne.ws/JQ18Bv
