WRI Stories Feed: Energy Security and Climate Change

How Climate Change Impacts America’s Energy Infrastructure

Jennifer Morgan — Tue, 05 Feb 2013 16:19:40 -0500

As we’ve seen recently with Hurricane Sandy, epic drought, and…

6 Top Environment and Development Stories to Watch in 2013

Andrew Steer — Fri, 18 Jan 2013 10:17:17 -0500

This post originally appeared on Bloomberg.com.

As we enter 2013, there are signs of growth and economic…

STATEMENT: EPA Finalizes New Clean Air Standards For Boilers - A “Gift for People and the Planet”

James Anderson — Fri, 21 Dec 2012 13:06:04 -0500

The U.S. Environment Protection Agency finalized new standards for boilers and certain incinerators, the Boiler Maximum Achievable Control Technology (MACT) rules, today to protect people from exposure to hazardous, toxic air pollution from industrial, commercial and institutional boilers. By encouraging industry to use cleaner-burning fuels and to make efficiency improvements, the Boiler MACT will modernize U.S. industry, reduce toxins, and cut carbon pollution.

Following is a statement by James Bradbury, Senior Associate, World Resources Institute:

“Just in time for the holidays, this is a welcome gift for people and the planet. These new environmental standards will help spur greater efficiency across a range of U.S. industrial and commercial energy users. The EPA has taken steps to ensure that the rule will promote energy efficiency by improving environmental performance while increasing flexibility for affected facilities. This is good news for the manufacturing workforce, for public health, and for the climate.”

Background:

As required by the Clean Air Act amendments of 1990, major sources of toxic air emissions from coal, oil and biomass-fired boilers will soon be subject to technology-based emissions limits. The rule’s emissions limits will apply to certain new and existing major source boilers, which will have three years to comply by reducing emissions to levels that are consistent with demonstrated maximum achievable control technologies, or MACT standards.

Because the emissions limits under the Boiler MACT affect the largest and dirtiest polluters, 99 percent of the U.S. boilers are either unaffected or can comply with the new standards by conducting periodic maintenance or regular tune-ups. These tune-ups can improve energy efficiency as they reduce toxic air emissions.

MEDIA ADVISORY: Hope or Hype? WRI Experts Host Press Call on Rio+20 Summit

James Anderson — Wed, 16 May 2012 13:28:05 -0400

As leaders in government, business and civil society prepare to head to Rio de Janeiro for the UN Sustainable Development Summit, known as Rio+20, experts from the World Resources Institute will host a press call to discuss issues and expectations for the meeting.

WRI experts will discuss issues, including the green economy, governance, climate change, role of business, and more. WRI will provide an update on the state of play and on possible outcomes for the global summit.

Listen to the audio recording of WRI’s press call below:

WHAT:

Press call to discuss expectations for the Rio+20 Summit.

WHO:

Manish Bapna, Interim President, WRI

Craig Hanson, Director, People & Ecosystems Program, WRI

Lalanath de Silva, Director, The Access Initiative

Jennifer Morgan, Director, Climate & Energy Program, WRI

Followed by a Q&A session

WHEN:

Tuesday, May 22, 10:00a.m. EDT // 11:00a.m. BRT

CALL-IN:

United States (Toll free): (866) 803-2143

Brazil (Toll Free): 0800-8911992

Other international locations (Toll): +1 (210)795-1098

Passcode: Callers should ask for “RIO”

You can read more about WRI’s work at Rio +20 at: http://insights.wri.org/topic/rio20.

MEDIA CONTACT:

Michael Oko: Tel. + 1 (202) 729-7684; email: moko@wri.org; or

James Anderson: Tel. +1 (202) 729 7608; email: JAnderson@wri.org

ADVISORY: Press Teleconference: Launch of Online Almanac of U.S. Midwest Energy

James Anderson — Mon, 23 Apr 2012 10:08:02 -0400

National and regional energy experts will team up to launch the Power Almanac of the American Midwest, a dynamic online platform to support decision-makers and analysts in the region. Drawing on more than 50 sources, the Power Almanac will be the most comprehensive online resource for energy data in the Midwest.

The Power Almanac of the American Midwest can now be found online: www.wri.org/midwest-almanac

On the call, experts will discuss the energy challenges in the region and explain how the Power Almanac can assist in responding to a range of regional and state-level energy initiatives.

The Midwest is home to a diverse mix of energy resources, including significant generation from coal, natural gas, and nuclear power, as well as a growing renewable energy sector. However, this mix is subject to change with shifting relative costs, aging power plants, and new state and federal standards.

States included in the Power Almanac are Illinois, Indiana, Iowa, Kansas, Michigan, Minnesota, Missouri, Nebraska, North Dakota, Ohio, South Dakota and Wisconsin.

WHAT

Press call to launch the online Power Almanac of the American Midwest

WHO

Nicholas Bianco, Senior Associate, World Resources Institute

Bill Grant, Deputy Commissioner, Minnesota Department of Commerce

Rolf Nordstrom, Executive Director, Great Plains Institute

Doug Scott, Chairman, Illinois Commerce Commission

The presentations will be followed by a Q&A session.

WHEN

Thursday, April 26, 2012

11:00 a.m. EDT//10:00 a.m. CDT

CALL-IN

(888) 455-0064 (Toll Free); or

(212) 519-0819 (U.S. and International)

Access Code: WRI

For more information, contact: Michael Oko; email: moko@wri.org; tel. (202) 729-7684; or Mike Niles; email: nmiles@gpisd.net; tel. (612) 278-7159

MEDIA ADVISORY: Press Teleconference: Clean Energy and U.S.-China Relations on Eve of President Hu's Visit to Washington

Michael Oko — Tue, 11 Jan 2011 13:24:53 -0500

Leading Experts in the U.S. and China Discuss Clean Energy and Related Issues Ahead of Presidential Meeting

WASHINGTON D.C. // BEIJING – As President Hu Jintao prepares for his state visit with President Obama next week, this is a key moment for U.S.-China relations. With clean energy high on the agenda, leading experts will provide insights into key issues that are likely to be addressed. Experts from tanks and academia in the United States and China will discuss bilateral issues, including clean energy technology, coal, CCS, urbanization, business relations, and more.

The speakers are part of ChinaFAQs, a WRI-led network of independent, U.S.-China experts formed to answer questions for U.S. policymakers about climate and energy issues in China.

WHAT:
Press teleconference on clean energy and related issues ahead of President Hu’s state visit to Washington D.C.

WHO:
Manish Bapna, Managing Director, World Resources Institute

Dr. Zou Ji, China Country Director, World Resources Institute (in Beijing)

Dr. Robert Kapp, President of Robert A. Kapp & Associates, Inc.; Senior China Advisor to Kirkpatrick & Lockhart Preston Gates Ellis; and former President, US-China Business Council

Dr. Elizabeth Wilson, Associate Professor of Energy and Environmental Policy and Law, Humphrey School of Public Affairs, University of Minnesota

Sarah Forbes, Senior Associate, Climate and Energy Program, World Resources Institute

WHEN:
Friday, January 14, 2011

9:00 a.m. EST

DIAL-IN:
U.S. (Toll-free): (888) 566-6506

International (Toll ): +1 (517) 308-9173

Passcode: WRI

Twitter hashtag: #chn11

China on Track to Meet Climate Goals, New Research Reveals

Jessica Forres — Tue, 27 Oct 2009 18:12:59 -0400

China is making progress toward controlling greenhouse gas emissions, according to new research by the Word Resources Institute (WRI).

“In the last five years, Chinese leaders have embarked on policies to increase energy efficiency, using targets, quotas and a few taxes,” said Deborah Seligsohn and lead author of China, the United States, and the Climate Challenge. “While these policies may not provide the environmental certainty of a cap-and-trade system, our analysis shows they can control emissions and may be more suited to the current state of development of China’s financial markets and regulatory structure.”

China’s approach is founded on two main targets: reducing national energy intensity by 20 percent by the end of 2010 and to increasing renewable energy’s share of the national energy mix to 15 percent by 2020.

WRI’s analysis finds that China is on track to meet these two ambitious goals by enacting a broad range of measures. Chinese leaders have recognized that reducing energy intensity-the amount of energy used per unit of GDP-and expanding its energy portfolio improves energy security and air quality, as well as limiting greenhouse gas emissions.

“In 1979, China’s reform and opening policy began with a saying by Deng Xiaoping, ‘It doesn’t matter whether the cat is white or black as long as it eats mice.’ That also holds true for world efforts to control dangerous climate gases,” said Seligsohn. “Countries will use different approaches suitable to their particular circumstances.”

One key program, for instance, requires 1,000 of China’s largest state-owned enterprises to implement comprehensive reductions in energy intensity, and monitors their progress. This “Top 1,000 Enterprises Program” met its goals in the first year and exceeded its targets in 2007.

Another policy is to shut down small-scale inefficient facilities. In 2007, China closed 1,000 cement plants with a combined capacity of 50 million tons, 14.4 GW worth of small power plants, and plants producing 35 million metric tons of steel.

In the electricity sector, China has steadily improved the efficiency of its power plants, and the government now requires all new coal-fired power plants to be state-of-the-art commercially available technology. WRI’s analysis shows that the average efficiency of coal-fired plants is now higher in China than in the United States.

China is also on pace to meet very ambitious renewable-energy goals. Installation of new wind power capacity since 2006 has consistently exceeded targets. By 2010, China will have at least 10GW of installed wind power capacity, rising to an expected 150 GW in 2020 - five times the current U.S. level. China’s solar reliance is also growing rapidly: ten percent of Chinese homes have solar water heaters and the number is growing at 20 percent per year.

“WRI’s research shows that China is making substantial progress in controlling its emissions of climate gases, and in monitoring emissions by major companies,” said Seligsohn. “The challenge for U.S.-China collaboration in climate change mitigation is for each country to understand the other’s approaches, and to find creative solutions when those approaches don’t align.”

The report suggests the U.S. could selectively issue free carbon allocations to protect some firms from overseas competitors that enjoy a lower carbon price. Carefully targeted measures can address differences in carbon policies without threatening global trade.