Global Warming Today articles from March 2004

Global Warming Today archives from March 2004

Swiss Scientist Predicts More High Temperatures for Europe.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Reuters recently reported that a study conducted by Swiss scientist Martin Beniston of the University of Fribourg and published in the journal Geophysical Research Letters predicts an average increase of approximately four degrees Celsius...

EC Commissioner Suggests Reconsideration of EU ETS.(Emissions Trading Scheme)(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Reuters recently reported that European Commission (EC) vice-president on relations with the European Parliament, transport and energy Loyola de Palacio commented during a news conference held in Madrid, Spain late last week that the Emissions...

Ireland Releases Draft Plan for CO2 Emissions Allowances.(Brief Article)
March 1, 2004... Ireland's Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) recently announced the publication of the country's draft national allocation plan (DNAP) for the distribution of CO2 emissions allowances. According to EPA, the total allocation of allowances...

Oil & Gas Industry Faces 13 Warming Shareholder Resolutions.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2004... The Newton, MA-based Civil Society Institute recently reported that the oil and gas industry faces a "record number" of global warming shareholder resolutions in 2004, as state, city, religious and other institutional shareholders have filed 13...

FOE Says U.K. CO2 Emissions 'Soared' in 2004.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2004... Friends of the Earth (FOE) recently announced that, according to newly released government figures, greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions in the U.K. rose by approximately three percent in 2003. "This is a huge increase in one year, especially as...

Tuvalu PM Faults Global Warming for Recent Flooding.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2004... Agence France-Presse recently reported that Tuvalu prime minister (PM) Saufatu Sopo'aga has blamed global warming for the recent increase in frequency of flooding of the atoll chain by "king tides." According to Agence France-Presse, the...

Hungarian Company to Sell Carbon Credits.(Brief Article)
March 2, 2004... MTI-Econews recently reported that Hungarian farming company Agrospecial Kft has made a deal with Austria under which the state-owned company will use the funds acquired from its sale of CO2 emission credits to Austria to help finance the...

NZ Company Awarded Carbon Credits for Wind Farm Expansion.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Industry officials in New Zealand recently reported that Genesis Power has been awarded carbon credits by the federal government for a proposed five-megawatt expansion of its currently operational Wairarapa wind farm, as well as for a proposed...

Austrian Officials Agree on CO2 Emissions Allowances.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Austrian newspaper Die Presse recently reported that environment minister Josef Proell and economics minister Martin Bartenstein have reached a consensus on draft plans for the allocation of CO2 emissions allowances. Under the draft...

Russia to Record Industrial GHG Emissions Through 2020.(Brief Article)
March 3, 2004... Russian Information Agency (RIA) Novosti recently reported that Russian deputy energy minister Sergei Fedorov has informed the news service that the country's energy minister has instructed ministerial departments to begin recording the volume...

EPA Honors Servidyne Systems With ENERGY STAR Award.(Brief Article)
March 4, 2004... Servidyne Systems, LLC recently announced it has been awarded its fourth consecutive EPA ENERGY STAR award for leadership in greenhouse gas emissions reduction. According to Servidyne, this year's ENERGY STAR Sustained Excellence Award was...

Studies Highlight Impact of Warming on Tropical Rainforests.
March 4, 2004... The University of Leeds recently announced that new papers published in the themed issue "Tropical Forests and Global Atmospheric Change" of the Royal Society's journal Philosophical Transactions B highlight the impact of global environmental...

Canada Launches CO2 Capture and Storage Initiative.(Brief Article)
March 4, 2004... Natural Resources Canada (NRCan) recently announced a two-year initiative aimed at helping develop a market for carbon dioxide (CO2) capture and storage in Canada, as well as "innovative" new uses for CO2 from industrial emitters. ...

CCX Announces Trading Results for February.(Brief Article)
March 5, 2004... The Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) recently announced trading results for the month of February, recording a total monthly volume of 479,500 metric tons of carbon dioxide (CO2), compared to January's volume of 82,800 metric tons of CO2, and a...

Scientists Say Warming Could Release Carbon From Arctic Soils.(National Science Foundation)(Brief Article)
March 5, 2004... The American Geophysical Union (AGU), together with the National Science Foundation and the University of South Carolina (USC), recently announced that a team of researchers headed by USC scientist Ronald Brenner has published a new study in...

Canada to Host Emission Registries Conference.(Brief Article)
March 5, 2004... CleanAir Canada and Environment Quebec will host the North American Emission Registries Conference March 7 through 9 at the Omni Mont-Royal in Montreal, Quebec. "There are currently a number of registries supporting both voluntary and...

Weekly Update.(Brief Article)(Calendar)
March 5, 2004... CLEAN AIR CANADA'S NORTH AMERICAN EMISSION REGISTRIES CONFERENCE, March 7-9, 2004, OMNI Hotel-Montreal, Quebec, Canada BUILDING ENERGY 2004: THE 29TH ANNUAL CONFERENCE OF THE NORTHEAST SUSTAINABLE ENERGY ASSOCIATION, March 10-13, 2004,...

Swiss Re Says Costs of Warming Could Lead to 'Catastrophe'.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... Reuters recently reported that reinsurer Swiss Re has released a new report which indicates that the economic costs of human-induced climate change could potentially lead to "climatic catastrophe." "There is a danger that human...

Finland Unveils Emissions Allocation Proposal.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... The Finnish Ministry of Trade and Industry recently unveiled a proposal for a national plan for allocating emissions allowances that complies with the European Commission (EC) Emissions Trading Directive. According to the ministry, the...

EC Commissioner Faults Coverage of Kyoto Comments.(European Commission, Kyoto Protocol)(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... European Commission vice-president for energy and transport Loyola de Palacio recently wrote a letter to the editor of the Financial Times chiding the newspaper for its take on her remarks earlier this month concerning the Emissions Trading...

NESEA to Host 'Building Energy 2004' Conference.(Brief Article)
March 8, 2004... The Northeast Sustainable Energy Association (NESEA) will host Building Energy 2004, a conference focusing on "the intersection of renewable energy and green building," March 10 through 13 at Boston University's George Sherman Union Student...

U.S. Senators Plan to Reintroduce Global Warming Bill.(Brief Article)
March 9, 2004... U.S. Senator Joseph Lieberman (D-CT) recently informed the Senate Commerce Committee that he and Senator John McCain (R-AZ) plan to reintroduce their "Climate Stewardship Act," which was defeated last fall by a margin of 43 to 55, for another...

U.S. GHG Inventory Released for Public Comment.(Brief Article)
March 9, 2004... The EPA recently announced the release of a draft version of the "Inventory of U.S. Greenhouse Gas Emissions and Sinks: 1990-2002" for a 30-day public comment period. According to the agency, the report's major finding is that overall...

Study Evaluates Climate Change's Effect on Canadian Security.(Brief Article)
March 9, 2004... The Canadian Press (CP) recently reported that University of Guelph geography professor Barry Smit and former foreign services officer and university doctoral student Robert McLeman have prepared a new study for the Canadian Security...

EC Awaits Final NAPs From Member States.(National allocation plans)(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Reuters recently reported that officials with the European Commission (EC) have stated that while several European Union (EU) member states have published draft national allocation plans (NAPs) for the distribution of greenhouse gas (GHG)...

Denso to Install Cogen Plants to Help Cut CO2 Emissions.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... Japan's Denso Corporation recently announced plans to build additional cogeneration systems by FY 10 in order to further reduce the company's emissions of carbon dioxide. The company's aim is to cut CO2 emissions by 10 percent from 1990...

AWEA to Host Global WINDPOWER 2004 in Chicago.(Brief Article)
March 10, 2004... The American Wind Energy Association (AWEA) will host the Global WINDPOWER 2004 conference and exhibition March 28 through 31 at the McCormick Place convention center in Chicago, IL. On Sunday, March 28, AWEA will offer three pre-conference...

EMA, CleanAir Canada to Form New Entity.(EMA Canada)(Brief Article)
March 11, 2004... The Emissions Marketing Association (EMA) and CleanAir Canada have signed an agreement to form EMA Canada, a chapter of EMA International, which will initially include chapters serving the U.S. and EU as well. "EMA and CleanAir Canada...

Auditor-General Report Reveals AGO's Climate Change Spending.(Brief Article)
March 11, 2004... Local officials in Australia recently reported that a newly released Auditor-General report has revealed that the Australian Greenhouse Office (AGO) spent $204 million on seven climate change programs over the course of five years -- a figure...

Global Change, MYA Group to Host GreenTrading Summit.(Brief Article)
March 11, 2004... Global Change Associates and The MYA Group will host the "Third Annual GreenTrading Summit: Emissions, Renewables and Negawatts" March 22 through 24 at the McGraw-Hill Conference Center at Rockefeller Center in New York, NY. The event will...

Senate Committee Approves Climate Change Research Bill.(Brief Article)
March 12, 2004... The U.S. Senate Committee on Commerce, Science and Transportation recently announced the adoption, by voice vote, of S. 1164, the Abrupt Climate Change Research Act. According to committee officials, the measure, which was introduced by...

LogicaCMG Launches New Tool for Europe's ETS.(CarbonSim)(Brief Article)
March 12, 2004... LogicaCMG and CarbonSim recently unveiled "Emissions logic," a management solution designed to assist European companies in their efforts to comply with European Union Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS) regulations. According to LogicaCMG,...

Earth Technologies Forum to be Held Next Month.(Brief Article)
March 12, 2004... The 15th Annual Earth Technologies Forum and Mobile Air Conditioning Summit will be held April 13 through 15 at the Hyatt Regency on Capitol Hill in Washington, DC. The Earth Technologies Forum is scheduled to open the morning of April 13...

Weekly Update.(Calendar)
March 12, 2004... NATIONAL GREEN BUILDING CONFERENCE, March 14-16, Hilton Austin Hotel and Convention Center, Austin, TX CPS AND PROFILE ENERGY MANAGEMENT SYSTEMS ENERGY EFFICIENCY SEMINARS, March 16-18, 2004, Northside Customer Service Center, San Antonio,...

Point Carbon, ESP Form Strategic Partnership.(Environmental Software Providers)(Brief Article)
March 15, 2004... Point Carbon and Environmental Software Providers (ESP) have entered into a partnership that will provide software and services to companies involved with the European Union emissions trading scheme (ETS). According to the companies, ESP's...

Silicon Metals Seeks Negotiated Greenhouse Agreement.(Brief Article)
March 15, 2004... New Zealand convenor of the ministerial group on climate change Pete Hodgson recently announced that the federal government plans to enter into discussions with Silicon Metal Industries to produce a negotiated greenhouse agreement (NGA). ...

U.K. Scientific Adviser Gainsays Censorship Claims.(Brief Article)
March 15, 2004... The U.K.'s Press Association (PA) recently reported that the federal government's chief scientific adviser David King has denied reports that he was directed by government officials to discontinue the sharing of his views on the threat of...

CT Governor Accepts Climate Change Recommendations.(Brief Article)
March 16, 2004... Connecticut governor John Rowland recently announced his acceptance of 38 recommendations from the Governor's Steering Committee on Climate Change. "The committee's significant and practical recommendations touch upon nearly every aspect...

All Provisions of Kyoto Now Legally Binding in EU.(Brief Article)
March 16, 2004... The European Commission (EC) recently announced the entering into force of a decision of the European Parliament and the Council that makes all the remaining requirements under the Kyoto Protocol legally binding in all member states. ...

Australian Report Envisages 50-percent GHG Reduction.(Brief Article)
March 16, 2004... The Clean Energy Future Group has released a study for Australia maintaining that existing technology can be used to reduce the nation's greenhouse gas emissions by 50 percent by 2040. According to the study, cleaner energy sources such as...

WRI Warns of Continued Warming.(Brief Article)
March 16, 2004... The World Resources Institute (WRI) recently expressed disappointment that "there has been a collective failure to reduce greenhouse gas emissions" in the decade since ratification of the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change....

Canada Introduces Mandatory Reporting of GHG Emissions.(Green house gases)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2004... The government of Canada recently announced the launch of the first phase of mandatory reporting of greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by the country's major emitters. During the first phase, government officials said only facilities that emit...

FOE U.K. Urges Chancellor to Implement 'Green Taxes'.(Brief Article)
March 17, 2004... Friends of the Earth (FOE) U.K. recently called on British chancellor Gordon Brown to "tackle global warming and reduce pollution in this year's budget by offering sensible alternatives to indiscriminate taxation on employers and individuals."...

Environmental Skeptic Vindicated in Denmark.(The Skeptical Environmentalist)(Brief Article)
March 17, 2004... The Danish Committees on Scientific Dishonesty have decided against continuing to review the work of global warming skeptic Bjoern Lomborg despite determining last year that "The Skeptical Environmentalist," a book authored by Lomborg, defied...

EMA Forms European Advisory Committee.(Emissions Marketing Association)(Brief Article)
March 18, 2004... The Emissions Marketing Association (EMA) has formed a European Advisory Committee (EAC). The EAC will assist in the formation of an EMA chapter in Europe, and will help the group make inroads into the European emissions market. Nine...

U.K. MPs Criticize Government's Air Travel Expansion Plan.(Brief Article)
March 18, 2004... Friends of the Earth (FOE) U.K. recently announced the release of a new House of Commons Environmental Audit Committee (EAC) aviation report which concludes that if aviation emissions increase on the scale predicted by the Department for...

Consortium Presents Ultra Low CO2 Steelmaking Program.(Brief Article)
March 18, 2004... London, England-based metal company Corus recently announced it has joined with a consortium of "nearly all" European steelmakers to present to the European Commission (EC) for funding the Ultra Low CO2 Steelmaking (ULCOS) program, which is...

Gore Urges Stanford Students to Combat Global Warming.(Brief Article)
March 18, 2004... The San Jose Mercury News recently reported that while speaking at Stanford University's Graduate School of Business, former vice president Al Gore urged students to take part in efforts to reduce man-made climate change. "We're at a...

First New York Securities Joins CCX.(Brief Article)
March 19, 2004... First New York Securities, LLC (FNYS) has joined the Chicago Climate Exchange (CCX) as a liquidity provider. Rather than participate in the CCX in order to facilitate compliance with accepted emissions reduction requirement, liquidity...

EEA, UNEP Say Arctic at Risk From Climate Change.(Brief Article)
March 19, 2004... The European Environment Agency (EEA) recently announced the release of a new report published jointly by EEA and the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) which warns that "the Arctic's unique environment and indigenous peoples are under...

Denmark, Chile Sign Climate Change MOU.(Brief Article)
March 19, 2004... Business News Americas recently reported that Danish environment minister Han Christian Schmidt and Chilean presidential minister Francisco Huenchumilla have signed a memorandum of understanding (MOU) on climate change cooperation. ...

Weekly Update.(Calendar)
March 19, 2004... THIRD ANNUAL GREEN TRADING SUMMIT: EMISSIONS, RENEWABLES & NEGAWATTS, March 22-24, 2004, McGraw-Hill Conference Center at Rockefeller Center, New York, NY EUROPEAN EMISSIONS TRADING 2004, March 23-24, 2004, Hotel le Plaza, Brussels,...

NASA Study Says Warming 'Relative' to Water Vapor Levels.(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) recently announced the publication of a new study in the American Meteorological Society's Journal of Climate which reveals that while warming trends have increased levels of water vapor, a greenhouse...

Groups Unite to Form International Climate Task Force.(Institute for Public Policy Research)(Center for American Progress)(the Australia Institute)(Brief Article)
March 22, 2004... The London,England-based Institute for Public Policy Research (IPPR), Washington, DC's Center for American Progress and the Australia Institute are combining forces to create the International Taskforce on Climate Change. The taskforce...

Collaborative Group Develops Climate Policy Framework.(Pew Center on Global Climate Change )
March 22, 2004... The Pew Center on Global Climate Change recently announced the release of a new report, titled "A Climate Policy Framework: Balancing Policy and Politics," which contains recommendations made by "a diverse group of business, government and...

NC Attorney General Looks to Limit Interstate Emissions.(North Carolina)(Brief Article)
March 23, 2004... North Caroline attorney general Roy Cooper late last week urged the Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to eliminate sources of pollution in 13 other states that he contends are "interfering with North Carolina's ability to meet national air...

Report Cites CO2 Emissions Increase, Energy Savings Decline.
March 23, 2004... The International Energy Agency (IEA) recently announced the publication of a new report, titled "Oil Crises and Climate Challenges: 30 Years of Energy Use in IEA Countries," which examines how energy efficiency and such factors as economic...

New NOAA Climate Station Opens in WV.(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)(West Virginia)(Brief Article)
March 24, 2004... The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) has opened a new climate monitoring station in Elkins, WV as part of its U.S. Climate Reference Network (CRN). The Elkins station is one of 46 operating in 28 states. A total of...

Study Says CO2, Not Cosmic Rays Controlled Ancient Climate.
March 24, 2004... Penn State recently announced that a team of researchers has published new findings in the journal GSA Today which indicate that carbon dioxide (CO2), not cosmic ray intensity, was the factor controlling ancient global temperatures. ...

Ottawa, Manitoba Sign Climate Change Agreement.(Brief Article)
March 24, 2004... Environment Canada recently announced that the federal government and the government of Manitoba have signed a memorandum of understanding for cooperation on addressing climate change. "The government of Canada has made it clear that we...

NIWA Research Vessel to Study How Oceans Control Climate.(National Institute of Water & Atmospheric)(Brief Article)
March 25, 2004... New Zealand's National Institute of Water & Atmospheric Research (NIWA) recently announced the launch of the Tangaroa research vessel, which will travel to the Southern Ocean to conduct a study on how the ocean controls climate through the...

Russia's Putin Urged to Ratify Kyoto Protocol.(Brief Article)
March 25, 2004... Friends of the Earth recently urged Russian president Vladimir Putin to ratify the Kyoto Protocol, reiterating a call by United Nations (UN) secretary general Kofi Annan for those nations that have not yet supported the treaty to take action...

Vancouver, BC to Host GLOBE 2004 Conference.(British Columbia)(Brief Article)
March 25, 2004... GLOBE 2004, "the eighth event in a series of biennial conferences and trade fairs on the business of the environment," will be held March 31 through April 2 at the Vancouver Convention & Exhibition Centre in Vancouver, British Columbia. ...

ITOCHU to Sell AgCert CO2 Reductions in Japan.(Brief Article)
March 26, 2004... Japanese trading company ITOCHU Corporation has signed an agreement to market greenhouse gas emissions reductions from North American company AgCert. According to AgCert, Itochu will initially market up to 5 million tons of carbon dioxide...

Bird Study May Indicate Effects of Warming.(Brief Article)
March 26, 2004... Scientists from the University of Rhode Island (URI) say songbirds in New England are exhibiting dietary patterns that could be indicating the effects of global warming. Recent study results reveal that black-capped chickadees from around...

Researchers Discover New Carbon Pollution.(tar balls)(Brief Article)
March 26, 2004... The American Geophysical Union (AGU) recently announced that an international team of scientists has discovered new carbon-bearing particles, dubbed "tar balls," in air pollution over Hungary, the Indian Ocean and southern Africa. ...

NASA Scientists Explain 1930s 'Dust Bowl' Drought.(Brief Article)
March 26, 2004... Scientists with NASA's Goddard Space Flight Center (GSFC) recently announced the publication of a new study in Science magazine that provides an explanation of what caused the "Dust Bowl" drought in the Great Plains between 1931 and 1939. ...

Weekly Update.(Calendar)
March 26, 2004... SEVENTH SOCIETY OF PETROLEUM ENGINEERS INTERNATIONAL CONFERENCE ON HEALTH, SAFETY & ENVIRONMENT IN OIL AND GAS EXPLORATION AND PRODUCTION, March 29-31, 2004, TELUS Convention Centre, Calgary, Alberta CLEAN AIR THROUGH ENERGY EFFICIENCY...

Study Says Iron Fertilization Not Effective for CO2 Removal.
March 29, 2004... The University of Otago recently announced that a research team led by oceanographer Philip Boyd has published the results of a new study in the journal Nature which indicate that iron fertilization of phytoplankton in the surface ocean "may...

New GHG Reduction Plan Launched in Australia.(greenhouse gas emissions plan by the Australian Coal Association)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... The Australian Coal Association (ACA) recently announced the launch of a comprehensive new plan for reducing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions from the use of coal in Australia's electric power generation. According to ACA, the COAL21 National...

EMA Calls for Fall Conference Papers, Abstracts.(Emissions Marketing Association)(Brief Article)
March 29, 2004... The Emissions Marketing Association (EMA) has issued a call for abstracts and papers in advance of its 8th annual Fall Meeting and International Conference, scheduled for September 19 through 22 in Toronto, Ontario. Abstracts are due at...

NOAA Observatory Notes Increased CO2 in Hawaii.(National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration)(Brief Article)
March 30, 2004... The Associated Press (AP) recently reported that researchers monitoring the climate from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Mauna Loa Observatory in Hawaii have recorded "record-high" levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide...

UN Grants GHG Assessment Approval to DNV.(Det Norske Veritas)(Brief Article)
March 30, 2004... Norway's DNV recently announced it has earned a United Nations permit for assessing greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions under the clean development mechanism. "More than 20 companies have been seeking accreditation," said DNV deputy technical...

Ruhrgas Invests in Russian Projects for CO2 Credits.(Brief Article)
March 30, 2004... Reuters recently reported that Frankfurt, Germany-based gas supplier Ruhrgas, together with Russian gas firm Gazprom, is currently investing in a joint implementation project to reduce carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions along Gazprom's pipeline...

Belgium Says It Will Miss CO2 Plan Deadline.(Brief Article)
March 31, 2004... Belgium is the latest European Union (EU) member to acknowledge it will miss a March 31 deadline to submit a carbon dioxide emissions reduction plan to the EU executive. France declared it would miss the deadline earlier this month. Legal...

Iberdrola Recommends CCGT Plants to Help Reduce GHGs.(combined-cycle gas turbine plants can help reduce greenhouse gases)(Brief Article)
March 31, 2004... Dow Jones recently reported that officials with Spanish utility Iberdrola SA earlier this month commented that Spain should consider replacing coal-fueled power plants with combined-cycle gas turbine (CCGT) facilities to help the country meet...

Tokyo Considers CO2-based Business Facility Rating System.(Brief Article)
March 31, 2004... Local Japanese newspaper the Daily Yomiuri Shimbun recently reported that the metropolitan government of Tokyo is considering the introduction of a new system that would rate large business facilities "according to their voluntary efforts to...