Climate Capsule: Week of July 7

Government Lifts Moratorium On Solar Power Applications

Amid increasing pressure on a temporary halt on solar power development applications, the Bureau of Land Management (BLM) has lifted the freeze on the nearly month-old ban.

The governmental BLM announced in late May that it was no longer accepting applications to build solar plants on federal land. Since 2005, BLM has received 130 applications to develop solar plants across 1 million acres of federal land, according to Forbes.com.

"By continuing to accept and process new applications for solar energy projects, we will aggressively help meet growing interest in renewable energy sources, while ensuring environmental protections," James Caswell, the agency's director, said in a statement.

Before accepting any more, federal officials wanted to complete a "programmatic environmental impact study" to assess this source of energy, a process that could take 18-24 months.

This delay was seen as a dangerous threat to the solar energy, especially amidst today's steadily rising gas prices and environmental degradation. "I am glad the Bureau of Land Management has arrived at this good decision. Nevada is the Saudi Arabia of solar energy and is poised to lead a global clean energy revolution," Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid, D-Nev., said in a statement.

"We need to do all we can to encourage public and private investment in projects to develop this amazing potential."

Quote:  "We tend to think of climate change as something in the future. It is not. We see now, most of all in Africa, that drought and changing weather patterns are compounding the challenges we face in attaining the [Millennium Development Goals]."

-- U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon urged the Group of Eight rich nations to set a long-term goal to cut greenhouse gas emissions.

World Bank Approves Global Warming Fund

The World Bank this week agreed to establish two climate investment funds that will help developing nations curb harmful emissions in their fight against global warming.

The Clean Technology Fund and Strategic Climate Fund were established to help developing economies switch to renewable energy technologies. The approval came a few days before a summit of Group of Eight leaders from industrial nations met in Hokkaido, Japan.

On Tuesday, July 08, climate change issues are on the agenda. "The G8 is likely to broadly support the establishment of the climate investment funds," Warren Evans, director of the World Bank's environment department, told reporters.

The United States, Britain and Japan have pledged they will contribute to the funds, with more countries expecting to join now that the investments have been approved.

"It recognizes the need to scale up rapidly the investments in low-carbon technologies and adaptation to climate change," Evans said, adding that the investments would be funded through either low-interest loans or grants, or both.

World Bank President Robert Zoellick said the climate investment funds are part the Bank's response to global warming challenges.

"We think the (funds) will have a significant impact in generating even more financing for climate action," Zoellick said, "but also in demonstrating new approaches to address the current and future effects of climate change."

Many environmental and development groups and some countries are wary of the World Bank initiative because of the questionable track record of the bank on clean energy and concern that its activities might detract from efforts under the UN Convention on Climate Change.  While these stakeholders seek G8 action supporting clean energy, they will be looking closely at the details of any deal.

India Unveils Its First Global Warming Action Plan

India unveiled this week a national plan to combat global warming, with a focus on renewable energy for sustainable development. The country did not pledge to cap harmful emissions nor did it commit to emission targets that risk slowing economic growth.

India's National Action Plan identified sources of renewable energy - such as solar power - as central to the country's fight against global warming and said a climate change fund would be set up to research these new technologies.

"Our vision is to make India's economic development energy efficient," Prime Minister Manmohan Singh said on releasing the national plan. "Our people have a right to economic and social development and to discard the ignominy of widespread poverty."

Goldman Sachs released a report this month asserting that climate change is likely to deplete India's agricultural land area and productivity, reduce labor efficiency and increase the threat of toxic waste in the environment. 

"Our people want higher standards of living," Singh said, "but they also want clean water to drink, fresh air to breathe and a green earth to walk on."

While recognizing India's plan as a step forward, a number of nongovernmental organizations in India are suggesting that it needs strengthening.

Gallon Jug Redesign Brings You Fresher, Cheaper, 'Greener' Milk

The American gallon milk jug has been redesigned to be more efficient to ship and cheaper to buy. This simple redesign, adopted by Wal-Mart and Costco, is streamlined and allows for less wasteful packaging and shipping.

The traditional milk jug shape does not allow for stacking and therefore requires that crates be used for transport. The new containers are rectangular with flat sides and can be stacked and shrink-wrapped for easier shipping and storage. Eliminating the need for crates frees up room for more gallons per shipment, translating to a big fuel savings.

The redesign of the gallon milk jug is an example of the likely changes that will occur in the American economy over the next few decades. Many products will demand redesign for greater shipping efficiency and lower environmental impact.

"This is a key strategy as a path forward," said Anne Johnson, the director of the Sustainable Packaging Coalition, a project of the nonprofit group GreenBlue. "Re-examining, 'What are the materials we are using? How are we using them? And where do they go ultimately?'"

Advocates and consumers praise the lower cost, which moved from $2.18 to $2.58 a gallon. Sam's Club said that was a savings of 10 to 20 cents a gallon compared with old jugs.

At Sam's Club, this new shipping operation is so efficient that milk can make it to the stores much sooner than with the old method. "That's our idea of fresh milk," Greg Soehnlen, a vice president at Creative Edge, said.