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German power plant testing CO2-scrubbing algae

Swedish energy group Vattenfall said it had launched a major pilot project using algae to absorb greenhouse gas emissions from a coal-fired power plant in eastern Germany.

The two-million-euro (2.6-million-dollar) trial run, which will continue until October 2011, in the depressed Lausitz mining region is one of several experimental attempts in the sector using algae to slash carbon dioxide output.

“The microalgae use climate-killing CO2 to create valuable biomass,” the chairman of Vattenfall Europe Mining and Generation, Hartmuth Zeiss, said in a statement.

“Moreover the new technology will bring useful know-how to the Lausitz and increase its importance as a region for energy production.”

Half the funding for the project called green MiSSiON (Microalgae Supported CO2 Sequestration in Organic Chemicals and New Energy) comes from Vattenfall, the other half from state and European Union subsidies.

The gas emitted at the Senftenberg brown-coal-fired plant is being pumped through a kind of broth using algae cultivated in 12 plastic tanks.

“The aim is to find out what kinds of algae work with brown coal dust and then, how economical this kind of CO2 reduction is,” a spokesman for the Vattenfall division, Axel Happe, told AFP.

The biomass produced in the process can be used to produce biodiesel, to feed biogas power plants and as a nutritious supplement in fish food, Happe said.

He said it was difficult to quantify the amount of CO2 emissions normally emitted at Senftenberg or estimate how sizeable the reduction could be with the use of algae, which can scrub 10 times as much CO2 as land-based plants.

But he said the company aimed to publish initial results in late 2011.

A project at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology in 2008 found that diverting CO2 through an algae broth could reduce emissions by as much as 85 percent.

Vattenfall is the third biggest electricity provider in Germany.

Last month, European aerospace giant EADS unveiled what it called the world’s first “hybrid” aircraft to run on algae fuel.

>>> Please read the full article here

Recession ‘created illusion of CO2 cuts

The reduction in carbon emissions seen over the past year were not due to improved implementation of climate change policy, an influential committee has claimed.

In its second progress report to parliament, the Committee on Climate Change indicated that the 8.6 per cent drop in greenhouse gas emissions seen over the past 12 months was due to a drop in economic activity and an increase in energy prices.  According to the group, there is a real risk that emissions will increase again as economic activity increases again.

Chair of the committee Lord Adair Turner said: “The recession has created the illusion that progress is being made to reduce emission.”  Lord Adair went on to explain that the analysis in the report shows that climate change measures has little effect on emissions, adding “we are repeating our call for new policy approaches to drive the required step change, in order that the UK can ensure a low-carbon recovery”.

The Committee on Climate Change also recently recommended to the government that it explores the option of employing carbon capture and storage technology at gas-fired power stations to ensure it meets its emissions targets.

>>> Please read the full article here

MoreEco Joins Green Earth Appeal

MoreEco has joined the Green Earth Appeal partner program.The Green Earth Appeal is a partner of the UNITED NATIONS Environment Programme and is a social enterprise committed to the reduction of carbon emissions through the act planting trees.

They work with strategic partners, including MoreEco, to allow visitors to their site the opportunity to plant 10 trees completely free of charge simply by making 3 Green pledges.

The Green Earth Appeal and the United Nations Environment Programme are working to reduce the carbon in the atmosphere through tree planting. They are also promoting the use of renewable energy because 30% of the UK’s carbon comes from burning fossil fuels to generate electricity.

Partners, sponsors and advertisers pay for the trees to be planted which promotes them as ‘Green’ companies. Working with the Green Christmas Appeal they are focused on planting 100,000 trees by Christmas 2010.

If you make 3 completely free and simple pledges to help Green Earth Appeal towards their aim they will in turn offset 12 months of your carbon. Although offsetting helps you should also reduce your footprint by using less electricity and opting for renewable energy sources such as wind and solar.

Visit Site>>>

Year ends with record-high CO2 level in the atmosphere

Co2 Emissions Image Mauna Loa Observatory, Hawaii (USA) Atmospheric CO2 was 387.27 parts per million (ppm) in the last month of 2009, according to scientific data released January 7, 2010, by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) in the United States. Atmospheric CO2 was 385.54 ppm one year earlier in December 2008.

The 2009 annual mean concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere was 387.35 ppm, up from 385.57 ppm in 2008.

These rising levels are significantly higher than the natural range (~180 ppm to 300 ppm) that existed for at least 2.1 million years until the start of the industrial revolution. [reference]

Carbon dioxide (CO2) is the chief human-made greenhouse gas that fuels global warming, climate change and ocean acidification. The main anthropogenic source of CO2 emissions is the use of fossil fuels for energy. Atmospheric CO2 levels continue to rise with on a year-over-year basis because carbon emissions from human sources exceed the capacity of the land and oceans to absorb it.

The absorbtion of CO2 by oceans is a natural process that both slows the rate of global warming and puts damaging quantities of carbonic acid in the oceans. The most direct thing that people can do is make decisions and take actions that actually reduce and eliminate the addition of more invisible CO2 into the atmosphere.

Copenhagen Summit – Day 11 Summary

After the Danish COP presidency was forced to give up on creating consensus around a draft text for a political climate deal, negotiations broke the deadlock Thursday and continued on a two-track basis.

Sarkozy: Failure in Copenhagen would be a catastrophe - European leaders expressed themselves in no uncertain terms when addressing fellow heads of state and governments attending the penultimate day of the UN climate conference in Copenhagen.

Brown urges Copenhagen to overcome obstacles to a deal - Prime Minister Gordon Brown will deliver an impassioned plea this morning to fellow world leaders to ‘make the desirable possible’ by overcoming their differences.

Prime Minister Gordon Brown addresses climate summit – ‘In these few days in Copenhagen, which will be blessed or blamed for generations to come, we cannot permit the politics of narrow interest to prevent a policy for human survival.’

Kyoto proponents win first round - The Copenhagen negotiations broke the deadlock on Thursday and are now moving forward on a two-track basis that maintains the integrity of the Kyoto protocol.

Uphill struggle for ambitious deal - The Danish Presidency has given up on its ambition to create consensus on a text that would form the basis of a global political deal to combat global warming, reports a Danish daily.

China willing to detail emission effort – According to Vice Foreign Minister He Yafei China is ready for “dialogue and cooperation that is not intrusive, that does not infringe on China’s sovereignty”.

The US insists on transparency – In partnership with other countries, the US will try to mobilize 100 billion dollars a year for climate aid by 2020, according to Secretary of State Hillary Clinton. The US insists that funding will only be granted if developing countries allow for full transparency of their emissions.

China signals hope for deal - China was reported to signal an operational accord out of reach. Now China’s climate change ambassador says China has not given up hope for a deal.

COP15 agree on procedure - At Thursday noon, the delegates at the UN climate conference decided to continue the climate talks in two tracks, one on the Kyoto Protocol, another on the Climate Change Convention.

Obama won’t break new ground at summit – US officials stressed Wednesday that when Obama travels to the climate conference in Denmark this week he won’t bring anything to the talks beyond Washington’s already stated goals.

Emissions pledges do not match needs - Emissions cuts offered so far at the Copenhagen summit will lead to global temperatures rising by an average of three degrees, a confidential UN analysis obtained by The Guardian reveals.

>>>Full in depth article visit COP15 and Act on Copenhagen

>>> View other MoreEco News & Views Summit Summary’s

Copenhagen Summit – Day 10 Summary

A compromise proposal to be presented by the Danish presidency Wednesday was held up as the negotiating process, according to UN climate chief Yvo de Boer, was subject to an “unexpected stop”.

De Boer: “Unexpected stop” in negotiations - The negotiating process at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen was subject to an “unexpected stop” on Wednesday, according to Yvo de Boer, the UN’s top climate official.

New compromise proposal said to be on its way - Danish PM takes over the COP15 presidency, he will present a compromise on Wednesday afternoon, a Danish newspaper reports.

Climate talks deadlocked as clashes erupt outside – Danish police fired pepper spray outside the UN climate conference on Wednesday, as disputes inside left major issues unresolved just two days before world leaders hope to sign a historic agreement to fight global warming.

Africa shows a willingness to negotiate - African Union climate negotiator Meles Zenawi has scaled back the demands for climate finance from rich countries, signaling thaw under way in the deadlocked UN negotiations.

Countries pledge billions to protect rainforests - The US, Australia, France, Japan, Norway and Britain will make 3.5 billion US dollars available for developing countries that produce ambitious plans to slow and eventually reverse deforestation.

Japan: 15 billion dollars in climate aid - Japanese pledge outbids the EU’s funding for short-term climate aid in developing countries.

Kerry: US to pass “major” climate legislation - A successful deal in Copenhagen will lead the way for climate legislation in the US Congress, says Senator John Kerry.

India: Kyoto in intensive care if not dead - Whether the expiring Kyoto Protocol, which sets targets for greenhouse gas emissions from rich countries only, should be continued, expanded or replaced with an alternative agreement still splits the parties.

British PM warns of failure but brings hope - According to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the first sign of progress in the negotiations could be seen Wednesday with new proposals for climate change from African Union climate negotiator Meles Zenawi.

Hillary Clinton to attend COP15 - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Copenhagen this week, it emerged yesterday.

>>>Full in depth article visit COP15 and Act on Copenhagen

>>> View other MoreEco News & Views Summit Summary’s

Cynicism over Copenhagen Treaty

The UK government says it is highly unlikely that a new legally binding climate treaty can be agreed this year – and a full treaty may be a year away.

Two years ago, the world’s governments vowed to finalise a new treaty at next month’s climate summit in Copenhagen.

Climate Secretary Ed Miliband has until now said it could be done – but now he says only a political deal is likely, echoing some other senior figures.

Developing countries reacted with frustration and disappointment.

“When we left (UN talks in) Bali two years ago, we all expected that would be agreeing on a legally binding outcome to respond to the urgency… that we were on the verge of catastrophic climate change, so we’re very disappointed,” said Selwin Hart from Barbados, speaking for the group of small island developing states.

“If we don’t take urgent and ambitious action, the reality is that some small island developing states will not be around within a couple of decades – certainly not by the end of the century.”

This is thought to be the first time that UK ministers have acknowledged the slim chances of achieving anything legally binding.

In the middle of October, Mr Miliband said a new treaty looked “more do-able” following a meeting of the Major Economies Forum in London.

His comments now echo warnings from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Denmark’s Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen and US chief climate negotiator Todd Stern that only a “politically binding” agreement can now be achieved.

Officials then warned it could take up to a full year to finalise the treaty.

The UK government says it is highly unlikely that a new legally binding climate treaty can be agreed this year – and a full treaty may be a year away. Two years ago, the world’s governments vowed to finalise a new treaty at next month’s climate summit in Copenhagen. Climate Secretary Ed Miliband has until now said it could be done – but now he says only a political deal is likely, echoing some other senior figures.

Developing countries reacted with frustration and disappointment.

This is thought to be the first time that UK ministers have acknowledged the slim chances of achieving anything legally binding. In the middle of October, Mr Miliband said a new treaty looked “more do-able” following a meeting of the Major Economies Forum in London. His comments now echo warnings from UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, Denmark’s Prime Minister Lars Loekke Rasmussen and US chief climate negotiator Todd Stern that only a “politically binding” agreement can now be achieved.

Officials then warned it could take up to a full year to finalise the treaty.

View full article at bbc.co.uk

Image sourced from bbc.co.uk - Activists strung a banner from Barcelona’s Sagrada Familia church

Carbon Quilt Video

Climate change is the greatest challenge facing humanity, but we cannot see the root cause of the problem. We put 80 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every day, but greenhouse gases are invisible.

This excellent short film shows how the carbon quilt and our emissions are helping to heating up the planet.

>>>>For more information visit Carbon Sense.

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