Climate News Roundup 4/3/2015

• Let’s start with some good news.
  • Robert Shiller, a professor of economics at Yale, argues that individual actions can have a beneficial effect fighting climate change.
  • Utilities are making progress in reducing leaks from their natural gas distribution systems.
  • There was an unprecedented boom in renewables across the globe in 2014, but it still isn’t fast enough.
• There were several interesting article in The Guardian this week.
  • A new study has shown that limiting climate change could have huge economic benefits.
  • The U.S. Episcopal Bishop said that climate change denial is immoral.
    
  • The drought in California is having a major impact on the state and global warming is thought to be influencing it. (The second article is from The Washington Post).
  • So far, corporate America is reluctant to sign on to EPA’s Clean Power Plan.
    
• Other items of interest:
  • There is a new book examining the economic consequences of a hotter planet.
  • Two stations in Antarctica have reported what may well be record high temperatures.
    
  • The amount of water used for fracking gas wells is twice that used for oil wells.
    
  • The Washington Post has an interesting graphic showing where the world’s CO2 is coming from.
    
  • Polar bears were back in the news with articles discussing the impacts of a need for a change in their diet as a result of sea ice loss.
  • Blue crabs have been found further north than they typically live.
    
  • Ivy Main has a new post, this one about sea level rise and coastal property.

These news items have been compiled by Les Grady, member and former chair of the CAAV steering committee. He is a licensed professional engineer (retired) who taught environmental engineering at Purdue and Clemson Universities and engaged in private practice with CH2M Hill, the world’s largest environmental engineering consulting firm. Since his retirement in 2003 he has devoted much of his time to the study of climate science and the question of global warming and makes himself available to speak to groups about this subject. More here.