‘The concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has reached 399.72 parts per million (ppm) and is likely to pass the symbolically important 400ppm level for the first time in the next few days.’

via Global carbon dioxide levels set to pass 400ppm milestone | Environment | The Guardian.

April 19, 2013, Berkeley

Travers Conference on Ethics and Accountability, California’s Energy Future

“One of the things that’s really true about renewables in California is we have plenty of them….We’re barely tapping into what we have, we are the Saudi Arabia of renewable energy here in California. We have all kinds and we have plenty of it. So that’s not the issue, it’s not a capacity issue.” ~ Jane S. Long

Jane S. Long, Associate Director for Energy and Environment, Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory, and Co-chair, California’s Energy Future Committee, spoke about California’s future energy requirements, climate change, and GHG emissions reductions at the Travers Conference on Ethics and Accountability.

She discussed the challenges of doubling energy production while simultaneously decarbonizing it and maintaining a stable power grid. Long’s approach and conclusions differ from those which Stanford’s Marc Jacobson recently presented at a ‘Pathways to 100% Renewables Conference‘ in San Francisco, notably, Long’s decarbonization energy pathway includes nuclear power and biofuels, and she describes the difficulty in reaching 80% emission cuts by 2050 as an innovation challenge.

As far as achieving 100% emission reductions, Long says, ‘the last 20% will be as much effort as the first 60%’.

report by James George

‘Last year, the Solar Foundation issued a census of the solar industry showing 119,016 jobs spread around the country. Today the organization has updated that resource with an interactive map detailing where around the country those solar jobs are located.’

via California Has More Solar Jobs Than Actors : Greentech Media.

‘The latest round of international climate change talks commenced today with the now perennial warning about the need for greater urgency from governments as they battle to curb global greenhouse gas emissions.’

via UN climate talks kick off in Bonn | Environment | guardian.co.uk.

‘Cities around Europe may have to erect flood defences similar to the Thames Barrier as tidal surges become more likely’

via Adapt faster to changing climate, Europe warned | Environment | guardian.co.uk.

‘(Reuters) – Plants help to slow climate change by emitting gases as temperatures rise that lead to the formation of a sunshade of clouds over the planet, scientists said on Sunday.’

via Plants slow climate change by forming cloud sunshade: study | Reuters.

‘The Powder River Basin in Montana and Wyoming already is producing 42% of the nation’s coal, and with diminishing U.S. markets, producers are mounting a push to serve booming Asian industrial centers.’

via In Montana, ranchers line up against coal – latimes.com.

‘(Reuters) – Industrialized nations’ greenhouse gas emissions dipped 0.7 percent in 2011, helped by a U.S. shift from high-polluting coal in power plants and by Europe’s economic slowdown, data compiled by Reuters showed on Friday.’

via Industrialized nations’ greenhouse gas emissions dipped in 2011 | Reuters.

‘”Our democracy has been hacked. The operating system has been taken over.” That was the message former Vice President Al Gore brought to Stanford Tuesday night. In a far-reaching, impassioned call to civic and environmental action, Gore warned against a political system that fails to serve the majority’s interest when it comes to climate change and other pressing issues.’

via At Stanford, Al Gore connects climate change inaction to political dysfunction.