Energy and Environment News Roundup – 11.14.13
A daily roundup of the most important energy, environment, and climate news from around the world.
COP 19
Nearly 3 in 10 countries not sending ministers to COP 19 (via The Guardian)
G77+China submit proposal to COP 19 on Loss and Damage (via The Hindu)
Developed nations back out on earlier emissions cut commitments (via Economic Times)
TAR SANDS/KEYSTONE XL
IEA: Tar sands export pipelines needed for Canadian oil to boom (via InsideClimate News)
Canada attacks EU data labeling tar sands a “dirty” fuel (via The Guardian)
New warnings of construction problems on Keystone XL (via CBS News)
RENEWABLES
Global solar PV installations will double, hit grid parity by 2020 (via CleanTechnica)
US ethanol output could reach 14 billion gallons in 2014 (via Reuters)
California closes in on smart solar inverter rules (via Greentech Media)
In Arizona, a closely watched vote to decide solar policy’s fate (via Reuters)
New York’s green bank addresses distributed solar financing dilemma (via Solar Industry Magazine)
Wisconsin bill would grant wide latitude to sue wind farms (via Midwest Energy News)
EMISSIONS
UN seeks carbon market revamp as green fund backers bolt (via Bloomberg)
Masdar digs deep on Middle East’s first carbon capture project (via BusinessGreen)
CBO estimates carbon tax would cut $1 trillion from US deficit (via The Hill)
Poll: Majority of people in 40 states support cutting power plant emissions (via The Hill)
California marks first anniversary of cap-and-trade system (via C2ES)
OIL
Improving US oil production reaches milestone in October, says EIA (via Washington Post)
TRANSPORTATION
New study of EV drivers reveals plug-in attitudes (via Plugin Cars)
The surprising reasons gas prices have fallen sharply (via Washington Post)
CLIMATE
Ocean acidification may increase 170% this century (via Phys.org)
Haiyan foretells military challenges in warming world (via Climate Central)
One senator’s war against climate change (via Bloomberg)
ENERGY EFFICIENCY
LEED green building projects span 10.6 billion square feet (via Environmental Leader)
Maryland approves $95 million in energy-efficiency funding (via Baltimore Sun)
Washington Metro will install LEDs at zero cost (via Greentech Media)
GRID
Global smart meter market to hit $10.7 billion by 2020 (via Renew Grid)
First major US transmission project in decades brings wind energy across West (via Sustainable Business)
GREEN BUSINESS
Walmart’s sustainability results don’t match promises, report finds (via Huffington Post)
OPINION
Chu unplugged: Former energy secretary on climate, politics, and tough decisions (via Politico)
China’s bad bet on the environment (via Council on Foreign Relations)
Will President Obama slash the ethanol mandate? (via Politico)