Global Environmental Change Report articles from March 2004

Global Environmental Change Report archives from March 2004

Biomass co-firing promises the best of both worlds.(Focus Report)
March 1, 2004... Burning coal to produce electricity has advantages. Coal is relatively inexpensive, the supplies are stable, and coal-fired power plant technology has had the bugs worked out. But coal emits large amounts of carbon dioxide (C[O.sub.2]), a...

European Renewable Energy target--"20 percent by 2020".(Policy and Economics)
March 1, 2004... At the conclusion of the 19-21 January 2004 European Conference for Renewable Energy--Intelligent Policy Options, held in Berlin, Germany, the leaders set a new target for 20 percent of the European Union's (EU's) energy to be generated from...

Renewables show favorable outlook.(Policy and Economics)
March 1, 2004... The International Energy Agency (IEA) has released a report, Renewables for Power Generation: Status and Prospects, that details the status and near-term potential of six renewable energy technologies. The report is the first comprehensive...

Kyoto update: political climate heating up?(Policy and Economics)
March 1, 2004... The Kyoto Protocol is an international treaty aimed at reducing greenhouse gases (GHGs) on a global scale. The Protocol, adopted by the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change in 1997, sets legally-binding GHG targets for each...

Fire emissions contribute to greenhouse gas variability.(Science Update)
March 1, 2004... Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide (C[O.sub.2]) and methane (C[H.sub.4]), two prominent greenhouse gases (GHGs), are increasing on a global scale, but the rate of increase is variable. In an effort to better predict future changes...

Organic farming combats global warming.(Science Update)
March 1, 2004... Based on 23 years of research at The Rodale Institute (TRI) Experimental Farm, it appears that, unlike conventional farming, organic farming helps fight global warming. Since 1981, TRI has been comparing soil carbon levels from three...

Dirty snow turns up the heat.(Science Update)
March 1, 2004... According to a paper published online in the 29 December 2003 issue of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, black soot might be responsible for 25 percent of the global warming experienced in the past century. The authors of...

Salinity changes may be due to global warming.(Science Update)
March 1, 2004... According to recent research efforts by Ruth Curry (Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution, Woods Hole, Massachusetts, USA), Bob Dickson (Centre for Environment, Fisheries, and Aquaculture Science, Lowestoft, UK), and Igor Yashayaev (Bedord...

Burning biomass for cleaner air?(Industry Watch)
March 1, 2004... The US National Renewable Energy Laboratory (NREL) recently completed life cycle assessments (LCAs) of the energy and environmental impacts associated with generating electricity from biomass, coal, and natural gas. Five scenarios were...

Solid acid fuel cells show promise.(Industry Watch)
March 1, 2004... What do you want in your sandwich? This question may be an important one when deciding on fuel cells that will feed the power needs of future vehicles and buildings. Considering that fuel cells consist of two electrodes (an anode fed by fuel,...

Ukraine and Indonesia hope to benefit from Kyoto.(Emissions Trading)
March 1, 2004... Two additional countries are expected to ratify the Kyoto Protocol soon. The ratification by Ukraine, an Annex I Party (or developed nation), is waiting only for the signature of President Leonid Kuchma after a 242-226 vote by the Ukrainian...

EU Member States losing sleep over NAPs.(Emissions Trading)
March 1, 2004... On 6 January 2004, the European Commission (EC) issued guidelines for national allocation plans (NAPs), only a week behind schedule, yet not a moment too soon. NAPs detail annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emission limits for each regulated...

New Zealand foresters seek credit.(Emissions Trading)
March 1, 2004... The government of New Zealand (NZ) projects that sale of carbon credits associated with forest sequestration projects could generate NZ $2.6 billion over the first commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, from 2008 to 2012. The problem is,...

Waste Management Inc. credits the Super Bowl.(In Brief)
March 1, 2004... Waste Management Inc. Credits the Super Bowl: Super Bowl XXXVIII was a greener event than previous Super Bowls, thanks largely to a generous donation from Waste Management Inc. The city of Houston (Texas, USA) received an 85,000 metric ton...

European Emissions Trading excellence awards.(In Brief)
March 1, 2004... European Emissions Trading Excellence Awards: Oil and Gas IQ/Commodities Now has established two new awards to recognize the most innovative and effective work by corporations and service providers in preparation for the launch of the...

World Economic Forum launches Global Greenhouse Gas Register.(In Brief)
March 1, 2004... World Economic Forum Launches Global Greenhouse Gas Register: Recently, the World Economic Forum announced the launch of their Global Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Register, with 10 companies signing up to be part of the effort's debut. Using a...