Today’s top five climate change stories chosen by RTCC
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Source: Flickr/Wolfgang Staudt
1 – Surge in China’s renewable electricity
More than half of the new power added to China’s electric grid in the first ten months of 2013 came from renewable sources, according to government data. Point Carbon reports that this is part of China’s attempt to rein in the pollution that clouds its cities, a growing source of public anger.
2 – Large companies prepare for carbon tax
America’s largest corporations are planning their future growth on the expectation that they will have to pay a price for the carbon they emit, reports the New York Times. A new report by the environmental data company CDP has found that at least 29 companies, some with close ties to Republicans, including ExxonMobil, Walmart and American Electric Power, are incorporating a price on carbon into their long-term financial plans.
3 – IPCC underestimated sea level rise
The sea level rise projections in the IPCC were too conservative, a new study suggests.The Guardian reports that a survey of 360 experts reveals that most scientists believe that the oceans will rise by between 0.4-0.6 metres by 2100 even in the best case scenario for emissions reductions – higher than than the UN’s climate science report.
4 – Hong Kong pollution reaches toxic levels
The concentration of nitrogen dioxide in the air at Hong Kong has jumped to the level at which is become a toxic gas, reports Bloomberg. The reading at 10am in the Central district yesterday hit 361.7 micrograms, exceeding the point at which the World Health Organisation says it can cause inflammation of the airways. Old diesel vehicles have led to worsening air quality since 2007.
5 – Polls show most Americans want climate action
Analysis of 21 public opinion surveys from 46 states show that the majority of Americans believe climate change is a manmade problem and want the government to rein in greenhouse gas emissions from power plants, reports Forbes. The surveys hail from some of the US traditional coal states, such as Pennsylvania, Indiana and Ohio.