Air Pollution Alerts - May 31st, 2009

News & Information; Every Sunday (Last on May 24, 2009)

Himal South Asian Journal, June 1st, 2009
Black to green: The carbon debate and beyond.

SEI, 2009
A Balancing Act: China’s Role in Climate Change.

Inhabitat, May 30th, 2009
ECO ART: Plastic Bottle Installation in NYC.

The Star Online, May 30th, 2009
The haze is back in Petaling Jaya, Indonesia.

Scientific American, May 29th, 2009
Climate Change Hits Poor Hardest in U.S.

Economist, May 29th, 2009
Climate Change, go on, guess.

Reuters, May 29th, 2009
U.S. says rich nations likely to miss carbon targets.

Reuters, May 29th, 2009
Climate change causes 315,000 deaths a year.

Reuters, May 29th, 2009
India to quantify climate benefits from poverty project.

Guardian, May 29th, 2009
Climate change toll is crucial evidence.

Guardian, May 29th, 2009
This silent suffering - IPCC Chairman.

New York Times, May 29th, 2009
Climate Shift Brings Deaths.

Jakarta Post, May 29th, 2009
Jakarta to celebrate anniversary with clean air campaign.

Colorado, May 28th, 2009
Alerts signal start of ozone season.

Green Leap Frog, May 28th, 2009
China and U.S. Not As Far Apart As Each Other Thinks.

Science Daily, May 28th, 2009
The Coming Of Biofuels: Study Shows Reducing Gasoline Emissions Will Benefit Human Health.

XinhuaNet, May 28th, 2009
Australian mining magnate announces huge coal deal with China.

Science Daily, May 28th, 2009
All The Carbon Counts: Including Land-based Carbon In Greenhouse Gas Control Strategies Lowers Costs And Preserves Forests.

Bright Hub, May 28th, 2009
Air Pollution Threatens the Health of Children in China.

Guardian, May 28th, 2009
Moscow's new interest in climate change.

China Dialogue, May 28th, 2009
The Future of Carbon Trading.

National Academy Press, May 28th, 2009
Rising Air Pollution Increases Health Risks.

WV PBS, May 28th, 2009
Air pollution in West Virginia: what you can’t see could hurt you.

Oil & Gas Journal, May 28th, 2009
New EIA international outlook sees more use of unconventional sources.

Center for American Progress, May 27th, 2009
Counting the Real Progress on Climate Action.

New York Times, May 27th, 2009
China Is Said to Plan Strict Gas Mileage Rules.

Guardian, May 27th, 2009
Stern breaks the east-west deadlock on who's responsible for CO2.

Guardian, May 27th, 2009
The climate change debate is not a simple battle of good and evil.

Science Daily, May 26th, 2009
Global Responsibility To Help Vulnerable Communities Adapt.

PhysOrg.Com, May 26th, 2009
Higher summer ozone concentrations in Atlanta, US.

Recorder, May 26th, 2009
Bill wants to ban some agriculture burning.

Bike Europe, May 26th, 2009
European Cities Commit to Cycling.

Asia Sentinal, May 25th, 2009
Manila: The City that Might Have Been.

New Wales, May 24th, 2009
Air pollution kills 1,200 a year in Wales, UK.

Los Angeles Times, May 24th, 2009
Dust storms speed snowmelt in the West.

Science Daily, May 24th, 2009
How Solid Is Concrete's Carbon Footprint?

Reuters, May 24th, 2009
U.N.'s Ban urges business to back climate policies.

Guardian, May 24th, 2009
America's new green guru sparks anger over climate change U-turns.

Guardian, May 24th, 2009
Climate change summit hijacked by biggest polluters.

New York Times, may 24th, 2009
With Billions at Stake, Trying to Expand the Meaning of ‘Renewable Energy’.

Online Athens, May 23rd, 2009
Fuel-economy rules good for automakers.

TIME, May 22nd, 2009
Greens Celebrate Cap-and-Trade Victory — Cautiously.

China Dialogue, May 22nd, 2009
Assessing European climate policy.

NPR, May 22nd, 2009
Climate Change Bill Heads For House Vote.

Encyclopedia of Earth, May 19th, 2009
Population growth rates by country.

Environmental Science & Technology, May 18th, 2009
Potential Impact of Climate Change on Air Pollution-Related Human Health Effects.

BBC, May 12th, 2009
Powering our way out of poverty.

Who is Responsible for CO2 - East West Deadlock

China says it's unfair that the west 'outsources' emissions. Now that Lord Stern has said responsibility should be split between producers and consumers, other countries may follow suit (Guardian, May 27th, 2009).

While the debate for the West to establish greener ways, China is already leading the way in clean coal technology and electric vehicles.

Science Daily, February 24th, 2009
Rich countries are contributing to the emission increases in developing nations, but this is not accounted for in international negotiations.

Science Daily, July 30th, 2008
Carnegie Mellon University's Christopher L. Weber argues that China's new title as the world's largest greenhouse gas emitter is at least partly due to consumption of Chinese goods in the West.

Energy integration for China, China Dialogue, May 11th, 2009
Faced with worsening energy scarcity, environmental damage and climate change, China is striving to develop renewable energy sources; in particular, large-scale wind power generation... Large-scale development of wind power is the current trend, but the connection to the grid is a major issue.

Reducing energy use at low cost, China Dialogue, May 04th, 2009
Energy saving in buildings may be the most cost-effective and achievable strategy to address climate change. Collaboration between China and the US, writes David Hathaway, demonstrates that the best strategy is decidedly low-tech.

Population vs Pollution (PM10) in the Urban Africa, Asia, and Latin America

Estimated annual average PM10 concentrations for year 2002 (from WDI) are compared against the urban population in Africa, Asia, and Latin America (for year 2005). Click on the images to enlarge view. A detailed analysis of PM pollution is Asia is presented in SIM-20-2009.



The measurement data from the WHO AMIS 3.0 for year 2000.

Population Growth Rates by Country (EoE)

An article on Encyclopedia of Earth,

provides estimates of the average annual percent change (2009 estimated) in the population, resulting from a surplus (or deficit) of births over deaths and the balance of migrants entering and leaving a country.

The rate may be positive or negative.

The growth rate is a factor in determining how great a burden would be imposed on a country by the changing needs of its people for infrastructure (e.g., schools, hospitals, housing, roads), resources (e.g., food, water, electricity), and jobs.

Rapid population growth can be seen as threatening by neighboring countries.

Impact of Climate Change on Air Pollution-Related Human Health Effects (EST)

New journal article "Potential Impact of Climate Change on Air Pollution-Related Human Health Effects" published in Environmental Science & Technology, May, 2009.

Abstract:The potential health impact of ambient ozone and PM2.5 concentrations modulated by climate change over the United States is investigated using combined atmospheric and health modeling. Regional air quality modeling for 2001 and 2050 was conducted using CMAQ Modeling System with meteorology from the GISS Global Climate Model, downscaled regionally using MM5, keeping boundary conditions of air pollutants, emission sources, population, activity levels, and pollution controls constant.

BenMap was employed to estimate the air pollution health outcomes at the county, state, and national level for 2050 caused by the effect of meteorology on future ozone and PM2.5 concentrations.

The changes in calculated annual mean PM2.5 concentrations show a relatively modest change with positive and negative responses (increasing PM2.5 levels across the northeastern U.S.) although average ozone levels slightly decrease across the northern sections of the U.S., and increase across the southern tier. Results suggest that climate change driven air quality-related health effects will be adversely affected in more than 2/3 of the continental U.S. Changes in health effects induced by PM2.5 dominate compared to those caused by ozone. PM2.5-induced premature mortality is about 15 times higher than that due to ozone.

Nationally the analysis suggests approximately 4000 additional annual premature deaths due to climate change impacts on PM2.5 vs 300 due to climate change-induced ozone changes. However, the impacts vary spatially. Increased premature mortality due to elevated ozone concentrations will be offset by lower mortality from reductions in PM2.5 in 11 states.

Uncertainties related to different emissions projections used to simulate future climate, and the uncertainties forecasting the meteorology, are large although there are potentially important unaddressed uncertainties (e.g., downscaling, speciation, interaction, exposure, and concentration−response function of the human health studies)

Air Pollution Alerts - May 24th, 2009

News & Information; Every Sunday (Last on May 17, 2009)

American Thinker, May 23rd, 2009
The Geography of Carbon Emissions.

Daily Herald, May 23rd, 2009
To curb smog, banks ask customers to cut engines.

Guardian, May 23rd, 2009
Climate change and the everyday.

NPR, May 23rd, 2009
Concrete And Global Warming: A Mixed Bag.

XinhuaNet, May 23rd, 2009
China says stimulus won't endanger environment.

Clean Air Through Green Roofs, May 23rd, 2009

Wall Street Journal, May 22nd, 2009
Light Cars Are Dangerous Cars.

Telegraph, May 22nd, 2009
Lack of action is a dereliction of duty.

PHYSorg.com, May 22nd, 2009
Traffic's true toll: Researchers explore the health effects of vehicle exhaust.

Guardian, May 21st, 2009
Carbon emissions.

BBC, May 21st, 2009
US CO2 goals 'to be compromised'.

Scientific American, May 21st, 2009
China's Tire Demand Rolls over Southeast Asian Forests.

World Watch Institute, May 21st, 2009
India Election May Renew Climate Leadership.

China Daily, May 21st, 2009
World Bank to lend $80 million for clean coal technology in China.

Climate of Our Future, May 21st, 2009
“Clean” Coal: Energy Answer or Oxymoron?

WWI, May 21st, 2009
Winds of Change in the U.S. Auto Industry.

Breakthrough Institute, May 21st, 2009
Waxman-Markey Climate Bill's Emissions "Cap" May Let U.S. Emissions Continue to Rise Through 2030.

Reuters, May 21st, 2009
U.S. EPA to rely more on scientists for air rules.

Oil & Gas Journal, May 21st, 2009
Experts urge US policymakers to address long-term challenges.

Economist, May 21st, 2009
America & Climate Change - Cap and trade, with handouts and loopholes.

Camden News, May 21st, 2009
Pollution: ‘We break the law and people know nothing about it’.

PRN News Service, May 21st, 2009
Air Quality Action Day Forecast for Friday for Three Pennsylvania Regions.

CNN, May 20th, 2009
Bill Clinton to cities: Act on climate.

Sentinel Tribune, May 20th, 2009
Environmental students spend spring break in Ethiopia testing air pollution.

Science Daily, May 20th, 2009
Climate Change Odds Much Worse Than Thought.

Herald Tribune, May 20th, 2009
Better cars, cleaner air.

China, May 19th, 2009
Is China choking to death?

NPR, May 19th, 2009
New Carbon Emissions And Mileage Standards.

Straight.Com, May 19th, 2009
Is Canada a petro-state or prosperous nation?

Market Watch, May 19th, 2009
Speeding down a Brave New Road.

Economist, May 19th, 2009
American Car Emissions.

Scientific American, May 19th, 2009
New fuel efficiency standards: Too much or not enough?

Science Daily, May 19th, 2009
European Industry Dominates Climate Lobby.

Science Daily, May 19th, 2009
Ecologists And Ethicists Urge Scientists To Speak Out On Environmental Policy.

Los Angeles Times, May 19th, 2009
China's edge in the energy-efficiency industry.

Science Daily, May 19th, 2009
Nitrogen From Human Activities May Be As Damaging As Phosphorus.

China Dialogue, May 18th, 2009
One year of open information.

Guardian, May 18th, 2009
Wandsworth Council outlines response to air pollution crisis.

Oil & Gas Journal, May 18th, 2009
Study says oil sands boost emissions 5-15%.

WHO, May 17th, 2009
Priorities for Climate and Health Research.

Times of Malta, May 17th, 2009
Vehicle emissions top air pollution concerns.

MSNBC, May 15th, 2009
Earth Talk: Climate Peat & People.

IEA, May 13th, 2009
IEA Contributes to Renewables Global Status Report.

Berkeley, May 1st, 2009
Life-cycle Energy and Emissions Inventories for Motorcycles, Diesel Automobiles, School Buses, Electric Buses, Chicago Rail, and New York City Rail.

Concrete = 5% of Global Carbon Footprint (NPR)

On NPR, May 22nd, 2009

Concrete may be responsible for as much as five percent of the global carbon footprint, taking into account the energy required to make it and the CO2 emitted by the kilning process. But a new study by engineer Liv Haselbach finds that concrete may also be an important CO2 sink.

Listen to the show here.

Cost of No-Action - Timing is Everything !!

Price of doing nothing costs the earth, says George Monibot of the Guardian.

Air Pollution Decision Support Timing Is Important

Air Pollution & Management in Delhi (SIM Series)

This paper, SIM-22-2009, presents the past and the current air quality management in Delhi, India, including the discussions on the air pollution levels, sources of air pollution, and policy interventions of the past and on-going.

This paper is based on a presentation delivered at the BioVision Conference in Lyon, France, in March, 2009.

Image below presents monthly 24 hour averages of PM10 and NOx concentrations at one of the monitoring stations (Siri Fort) in Delhi, India, including variance over each month. Click on the image to enlarge view and download the report for further details.



Also see

• Megacities threaten to choke India
• Coal use and air pollution
• BRT guide and India
• Carbon monitoring for action in India
  

Articles on Air Pollution & Climate Change by "China Dialogue"

Here is a list of interesting articles on Air Pollution & Climate Change by "China Dialogue".

Getting out of the shade, May 13th, 2009.
Part 1, Part 2, and Part 3
In the second segment of a three-part article, Julian L. Wong argues that solar energy should be viewed as a crucial part of China’s national security strategy.

Energy integration for China, May 11th, 2009.
Faced with worsening energy scarcity, environmental damage and climate change, China is striving to develop renewable energy sources; in particular, large-scale wind power generation... Large-scale development of wind power is the current trend, but the connection to the grid is a major issue.

Reducing energy use at low cost, May 04th, 2009.
Energy saving in buildings may be the most cost-effective and achievable strategy to address climate change. Collaboration between China and the US, writes David Hathaway, demonstrates that the best strategy is decidedly low-tech.

Low carbon living begins at work, April 21st, 2009.
We need an office revolution to combat these environmental challenges. Green offices will retain or improve on current levels of productivity, but use less energy and create less pollution.

Climate on the Couch Part 1 and Part 2, April 10th, 2009.
Western culture lives in fear of wild nature, both external and internal, writes ecotherapist Mary-Jayne Rust. How can we find a way of working with nature in this consumerist age?

Fixing Beijing's Transport Nightmare, April 9th, 2009.
The surprising insight is that mitigating climate change through transport demand management is highly beneficial for car drivers, who can enjoy relatively free roads – and for citizens who will love more “blue sky days”. Of course, political courage is required to take the automobile lobby out of the proverbial driver’s seat, and discourage, if not ownership, at least car usage.

A High Cost to Hong Kong, April 7th, 2009.
Hong Kong has traditionally been China’s most dynamic city, at the cutting edge of economic development and a leader in introducing international best practice to China. Yet, in air quality management the city lags far behind other world cities. As one of Asia’s premier financial centres, we need to ask what air pollution is really costing us.

A New Approach at Copenhagen, Part 1, Part2, and Part 3, April 06th, 2009.
To classify a nation as “developing” or “developed” is insufficient to decide its climate-change responsibilities.

Paint it White, March 10th, 2009.The idea is a form of geo-engineering, a broad term used to cover all schemes that tackle the symptoms of climate change -- namely catastrophic temperature rise, without addressing the root cause, our spiralling greenhouse-gas emissions. And if altering all of the world's roofs and roads sounds extreme, then take a look at some ideas from the other end of the geo-engineering scale: giant mirrors in space, shiny balloons to float above the clouds and millions of fake plastic trees to suck carbon from the air.

The High Cost of Low Carbon, March 02nd, 2009.
Is leading a low-carbon lifestyle too expensive, particularly for ordinary Chinese people? Do you buy environmentally friendly goods and services despite the cost? If not, would you switch to more eco-friendly products and practices if the costs were lower? How important is this lifestyle decision to you?

Mountains of Concrete, February 26th, 2009.
Against these dramatic changes, the governments of India, Pakistan, Nepal and Bhutan are planning to transform the Himalayan rivers into the powerhouse of south Asia. They want to build hundreds of mega-dams to generate electricity from the wild waters of the Himalayas. With over 150,000 megawatts (MW) of additional hydropower capacity proposed in the next 20 years across the four countries, the Himalayan region could potentially have the highest concentration of dams in the world. At what cost?Road to Rapprochement, February 09th, 2009.
It is essential that both the Obama administration and the Chinese leadership engage at the highest levels to begin a new programme of significantly scaled-up cooperation on energy and climate change as soon as possible. Successful US-China cooperation on energy and climate security will substantially enhance prospects for a new international climate agreement as well as bolstering political support in each country for climate change mitigation policies. It will also build mutual trust between the United States and China, strengthen the US-China partnership for tackling a wide range of common strategic challenges in the twenty-first century, and be a constructive force in US-China relations at a point in time when the American public is increasingly sceptical of the benefits of bilateral economic integration.

Winds of Change Blow in India, January 26th, 2009.

A Tax on Breathing? January 09th, 2009.

Can Congestion Charging Soothe Beijing's Woes? October 27th, 2008
The geography of Beijing, with its various ring roads, would lend itself very easily to congestion charging. At the beginning, a congestion charge zone could be introduced within either the second or third ring road and then be extended outwards depending on the success of the scheme and public demand for it. In order to win public support, the funds raised from the congestion charge would have to be reinvested into public transport.

Slideshow: Air Pollution in Beijing. July 15th, 2008.

Air Pollution Alerts - May 17th, 2009

News & Information; Every Sunday (Last on May 10, 2009)

New York Times, May 16th, 2009
From a Theory to a Consensus on Emissions.

New York Times, May 16th, 2009
2 Studies Tie Disaster Risk to Urban Growth.

Money Control (India), May 16th, 2009
Ashok Leyland stutters but JNNURM bails it out.

The News, May 15th, 2009
Missing Opportunities to control air pollution in Pakistan.

In Forum, May 15th, 2009
Keep North Dakota air quality the best.

Wall Street Journal, May 15th, 2009
Garbage Gets Fresh Look as Source of Energy.

Reuters, May 15th, 2009
Draft U.N. climate texts mark step towards treaty.

New York Times, May 14th, 2009
Empire of Carbon.

CNN, May 14th, 2009
What if global-warming fears are overblown?

Science Daily, May 14th, 2009
Working On The Railroad? Using Concrete Could Help Environment.

Guardian, May 14th, 2009
The public deserves the full picture on climate change.

Scientific American, May 14th, 2009
How Should U.S. Government Apportion the Right to Pollute?

Pasadena Weekly, May 14th, 2009
Breaking the smog bank.

China Daily, May 14th, 2009
Urumqi hits environmental target.

Center for American Progress, May 14th, 2009
The Road to a Clean-Energy Future Begins Now.

LA Times, May 13th, 2009
EPA's greenhouse gas ruling draws criticism.

Thanhnein, May 13th, 2009
Doctors point traces of air and noise pollution.

Wall Street Journal, May 13th, 2009
Megacities Threaten to Choke India.

The New Nation, May 13th, 2009
World Bank to cut Urban Air Pollution.

Guardian, May 13th, 2009
Climate change biggest threat to health.

The Hindu, May 13th, 2009
Delhi govt. faces cancellation of bus funding under JNNURM.

Times of India, May 13th, 2009
Low floor buses delayed in Delhi, India.

Guardian, May 12th, 2009
100 million early deaths could be prevented by cutting global emissions by 50% by 2050.

Financial Times, May 12th, 2009
UK car emissions exceed forecasts.

Chron Business, May 12th, 2009
Ethanol bankruptcy filing a blow to biofuels industry in US.

New York Times, May 12th, 2009
Document Is Critical of E.P.A. on Clean Air.

New Kerala, May 12th, 2009
'Vehicle-free day' to be observed on June 5 in Bhopal, India.

World Over, May 12th, 2009
Russia, Mongolia to cooperate on nuclear energy.

China Dialogue, May 11th, 2009
Energy integration for China.

Desert News, May 11th, 2009
Clear the Air Challenge aims to reduce air pollution.

Discovery Channel, May 11th, 2009
Coal supply may be vastly overstated.

The Californian, May 11th, 2009
What you can't see can hurt you.

Times of India, May 11th, 2009
Car sales up 4.20%, bikes jump 12.11% in April, 2009.

New York Times, May 11th, 2009
China Outpaces U.S. in Cleaner Coal-Fired Plants.

Scientific American, May 11th, 2009
Why European Diesel Cars Are Not Available in the U.S.A..

Express India, May 10th, 2009
GSFDC to develop biomass briquettes as alternative fuel.

Center for American Progress, May 6th, 2009
Wildfires Heat Up in the West.

2009,
Urban Growth Management Initiative Working Papers.

Geology.com, March, 2008
Satellite Measures Pollution From East Asia to North America.

Media, Climate, & Pubic Awareness

The media is the main conduit for people to learn more, but the disconnect between the need for education and the journalistic mission to provide news means that climate stories are often missing the context needed to understand the bigger picture. Read the article on Guardian.

By Marc Roberts (Throbgoblins) on May 15th, 2009


Urbanemissions.info listed as a reference. Thank you Marc.

Megacities Threaten to Choke India (WSJ)

In Wall Street Journal,

Can People Really Have Carbon-Neutral Lives? (Scientific American)

From the Scientific American article - What does "carbon neutral" really mean? And is it really possible to live in such a manner without just resorting to buying carbon credits?

One comment -
Absolutely. The amount of carbon created at the big bang was fixed. Therefore, the amount of carbon on the planet is fixed. By definition, we will all live carbon neutral lives.

See examples of carbon calculators.

Coal Use & Air Pollution in China, India, UK, & USA

This is a repository of publications, news, and information on coal use and related air pollution/climate change discussions in China, India, and USA, and updated periodically.

If the reader has similar links, please forward by email.

• China outpaces U.S in cleaner coal power plants (New York Times, May, 2009)
• China to shut small oil refineries and metal smelters (Bloomberg, May, 2009)
• How much fossil fuel can we burn? (Guardian, May, 2009)
• Coal fired power plants: The writing on the wall (Economist, May, 2009)
• U.S coal power plants scuttled (Reuters, May, 2009)
• Clean air act and climate change: Killing old power plants (Gazette, May, 2009)
• Climate countdown: Half a trillion tonnes of carbon left to burn (Guardian, April, 2009)
• World can burn 25 percent of oil and coal "safely" (Reuters, April, 2009)
• '60 Minutes' blows on coal segment (AlterNet, April, 2009)
• Coal: Capturing the future (Guardian, April, 2009)
• 'Clean' coal plants get go ahead in UK (BBC, April, 2009)
• Bound to burn (City Journal, Spring, 2009)
• In areas fueled by coal, climate bill sends chills (New York Times, April, 2009)
• E.ON's 'integrated' technology claim is a shameless spin (Guardian, April, 2009)
• Debating a clean coal future (Council for Foreign Relations, March, 2009)
• The clean coal myth (Market Watch, March, 2009)
  
• Plea for clean coal investment (BBC, March, 2009)
• Are we breeding ourselves to extinction (AlterNet, March, 2009)
• U.S Energy department said to Err on coal project (New York Times, March, 2009)
• It's time to clear the air - Polluting industries should pay (Guardian, March, 2009)
• What to do about coal? (Scientific American, March, 2009)
• Research matters for clean technology fund (CARMA, March, 2009)
• Cleaning up the dirtiest fossil fuel (Scientific American, March, 2009)
  
• Why I'll get arrested to the stop burning coal (Yale e360, February, 2009)
• Doing nothing is too costly a solution (Carbon Based, March, 2009)
  
• Carbon capture - scrubbing the skies (Economist, March, 2009)
• The illusion of clean coal (Economist, March, 2009)
• Coal and climate change - Can king coal clean up (Ethical Corporation, March, 2009)
  
• Coal becomes future fuel (US DoE, December, 2008)
  
• 'Clean' coal plant canceled - Hydrogen economy too (Scientific American, February, 2008)

More articles will be posted shortly.

Geographical Information Systems (GIS) Based Resources for Energy & Environment

• An interactive map of suitable areas for wind and solar energy harvesting in America. This map was developed by Natural Resouces Defense Council (NRDC)
• 3-dimensional map of air pollution in London (UK)
• Visualizing the Electric grid in US (Fossil, Solar and Wind)
• Gridded global population and population density of the world is available at 2.5' (~3,000 meters) or 1/4 or 1/2 or 1 degree grid resolution for the years 1990, 1995, 2000, 2005, 2010, and 2015. These datasets are developed by the SocioEconomic Data & Applications Center (SEDAC)
• Satellite images of dust storms and haze pollution around the world by NASA Earth Observatory
• Urban Development Growth Initiative Working Papers
• China Population: 5th Census data
• City population with GIS overlay

This list is under development and will be updated shortly.

Air Pollution Alerts - May 10th, 2009

News & Information; Every Sunday
See the last issue on May 03, 2009

DNA India, May 9th, 2009
Damn carwallahs, trains are better.

Science Daily, May 9th, 2009
Way To Cut Cattle Methane.

Khaleej Times, May 8th, 2009
Environmental Pollution in Arab Countries will Increase.

Tennessean, May 8th, 2009
We must invest far more in transit.

Times Herald, May 8th, 2009
US Report on air ties refinery to ozone woes.

Yale 360, May 8th, 2009
Burning Corn More Efficient Than Manufacturing Biofuels.

Scientific American, May 7th, 2009
What Is The Best Way to Turn Plants into Energy?

Queens Chronicle, May 7th, 2009
Bad air days: Queens fails pollution test.

The Economist, May 7th, 2009
Coal Fired Power Plants, the Writing on the Walls.

Global Post, May 6th, 2009
Santiago struggles to deal with its longtime smog woes.

Guardian, May 6th, 2009
How much fossil fuel can we burn?

Guardian, May 6th, 2009
China ready for post-Kyoto deal on climate change.

The News, Pakistan, May 6th, 2009
Pollution in air on the rise in Lahore.

Jakarta Globe, May 6th, 2009
Choose People Over Cars.

Guardian, May 6th, 2009
Barack Obama's $1.8bn vision of greener biofuel.

Nanyang 100, May 6th, 2009
Test-bedding of Electric Vehicles in Singapore from 2010.

Digital Journal, May 6th, 2009
More Urban Transport means less Pollution and Illness.

Railway Gazette International, May 5th, 2009
Abu Dhabi unveils transport master plan.

Guardian, May 5th, 2009
Car ads 'should carry climate health warnings'.

BD News, May 5th, 2009
Study to ease city air pollution, jam okayed.

Science Daily, May 5th, 2009
Climate Experts Warn That Short-Term Snapshots Of Temperature Data Can Be Misleading: Focus Instead On The Bigger Picture.

Science Daily, May 5th, 2009
Mercury Levels In Arctic Seals May Be Linked To Global Warming.

Reuters, May 5th, 2009
Asia construction frenzy needs green injection.

Global Post, May 5th, 2009
The Nano's Burning Rubber.

Guardian, May 5th, 2009
Nicholas Stern on "Why global warming could make or break south-east Asia".

Guardian, May 5th, 2009
US climate change denier James Inhofe joins Al Gore in fight against soot.

PR News Wire, May 5th, 2009
Clean Air Partners Joins EPA Campaign to Reduce the Effects of Climate Change.

Reuters, May 5th, 2009
U.S. drafts rule to lower CO2 output from biofuels.

Bloomberg, May 4th, 2009
China to Shut Small Oil Refineries, Metal Smelters.

The World Bank, May 4th, 2009
Bangkok's Skytrain an example of the good infrastructure and services Thailand needs.

Cape Argus, May 4th, 2009
Cape Town City to debate revised air pollution bylaw.

Thaindian News, May 4th, 2009
Asthma control is appalling in most countries.

China Daily, May 2nd, 2009
Beijing has 'cleanest month' in 9 years.

BBC, May 2nd, 2009
Cairo's terrifying traffic chaos.

Asahi.com, May 2nd, 2009
China's pollution issues.

Star Tribune, May 1st, 2009
State should stay with EPA ozone standard.

LA Times, April 28th, 2009
Southern California's air pollution remains high.

Economist, April 27th, 2009
Two wheels good.

CAP, April 27th, 2009
Helping Vulnerable Countries Adapt to Global Warming.

Technology Review, April 23rd, 2009
Does Anyone Understand Geo-Engineering?

CAP, March 23rd, 2009
Retiring Old Cars, Creating New Jobs.

Indian Express, June 17th, 2008
Delhi Traffic at Saturation.

Air Pollution Due to Brick Kilns in Dhaka, Bangladesh (SIM Series)

This paper, SIM-21-2009, presents the results from the dispersion modeling of the brick kiln cluster emissions and their impact on the air quality in Dhaka, Bangladesh.

Image below presents monthly average PM2.5 concentrations in Dhaka, Bangladesh, with the brick manufacturing season (October-March) separated. Click on the image to enlarge view.

Miles per Acre of Biomass (Scientific American)

In Scientific American, May 7th, 2009
"What is the Best way to turn plants into fuel?"



Similar graphs and posts..

Oil price at which fuel sources become economically viable
Financial Times, December 21, 2008

Beijing Announces Cleanest Month in 9 Years?

May 14th, 2009. Note:
Thanks to Vance for flagging the editorial mistake by China Daily. This is the "cleanest April" in 9 years.

**********

Blue Skies are Shining on Beijingers ! says China Daily

The city experienced 23 blue sky days in April, 2009 (a blue sky day = day with API less than 100).

Question: Why is this the cleanest month in 9 years,
August 2008, 30 days with average API of 56;
September, 2008, 29 days with average API of 56;
August 2006, 30 days with average API of 74;

and April 2009, 23 days with average API of 84?

See statistical Beijing Air Pollution Index (API) analysis @ Room with a View

Also see

• Air Quality Monitoring in Asia
• Air Quality Index in Urban Centers
• Environmental assessment of Beijing 2008 Olympic Games (UNEP)
• Dust Storms, Fires, and Haze Pollution in Asia
• Particulate Pollution in Asia
  
• Articles on air pollution and climate on "China Dialogue"
• More new cars are registered in 2009 in Beijing, China
  
• Transport Emissions Inventory for China
• Photo Diary of Air Pollution in Beijing
• Sensing air quality in Beijing (Interactive Maps)
• Beijing still hazy !!
• Air pollution in Beijing

2 Wheels & 2 Legs are Greener !!

That's for motorcycles and the non-motorized transport (NMT). One cannot get more efficient at burning fuel than a motorcycle (fossil or electric) and the NMT is "zero emissions".

US Administration announced a stimulus package of $1.8 billion to make greener biofuels. Why not use those funds to promote NMT or public transport?

Get out of the cars. The air pollution (and other emissions linked to climate change) is severe along the corridors and worse during the rush hours, mostly due to congestion and idling emissions. A lot of energy is wasted every where, in US, China, Europe, India, and the rest of the World.

Latest article in the Economist, praised the efforts of China in promoting the electric motor cycles, which provide 30-50 kilometers for a fraction of the cost of the fuel spent in the regular motorcycle. The charging takes 5-8 hours, depending on the battery power, but the travel is safer and faster than the regular bicycles, and the environment is clean.

Do we really need to the incentive to buy an electric car? UK Govt. announced a 5,000 pounds rebate for every electric car. Why not promote the NMT or safer ways to bike with that money? MP Challen wants the car manufacturers to carry an advertisement showing "the climate health warnings" of driving cars. Just get off the cars?

The program that is worth a mention is the bike share program in Europe - Paris, Lyon, Milan, etc., all with excellent service and people are one click away from becoming users.

In 2008, 21 million electric bicycles were sold in China. Were there any subsides involved? Chinese makers are also in the business plug-in hybrids, expecting to sell at least 400,000 in 2009.

Henry Li, the head of BYD Auto's export and trade division (China) says, "We are not trying to save the world, we are making money. Our strategy aims to give value to shareholders. If we can help the planet at the same time, all the better" and well positioned to be the World's Leader in electric cars (NY Times).

Watch Shai Agassi's bold plan to mass produce electric vehicles.


Electric vehicles, given enough supply to power them are not bad. They could reduce the noise levels in the neighborhood and increase property value. Clean environment, anyone?

Yes, we need to find ways to power these vehicles. Power plants are an option (in spite of Dr. Hansen saying no to them). As far as the air pollution is concerned, emissions of PM, SO2, NOx, and the likes are easy to control at a power plant than emitted at the ground level and into our noses, and causing more health damage. The pollution out of a power plant stack disperses farther than the emissions out of a car or a bus.

Mr. Penolosa (of Bogota) says, choose people over cars, NMT is the best and the city authorities need to promote these more.

Black Carbon to the Climate Change Rescue?

May 6th, 2009
In Guardian, "US climate change denier James Inhofe joins Al Gore in fight against soot", and his interest stems from the horrors of the impact of the black carbon on the poor families in Africa, while he still doesn't buy the idea of GHGs causing climate change.

This U-turn has anything to due to the fact that the new found science shifts the "climate change targets" and primary focus of the discussions to the poor stove users of Asia and Africa?

*****

April 16th, 2009
An interesting article in the New York Times by Elisabeth Rosenthal, "Third World Stove Soot is Target in Climate Fight", discusses the possibility of reducing a bulk of the current global warming potential by going after the soot (aka. black carbon) from the stoves in Asia and Africa.



The science behind the potential of black carbon in reducing the global warming and its immediate effects on the local health (primarily the Women and Children, via indoor air pollution in Asia and Africa, and partly to the outdoor air pollution) are unquestionable.

But, two points in the article,
1. In Asia and Africa, cookstoves produce the bulk of black carbon, although it also emanates from diesel engines and coal plants there. In the United States and Europe, black carbon emissions have already been reduced significantly by filters and scrubbers.

2. While carbon dioxide may be the No. 1 contributor to rising global temperatures, scientists say, black carbon has emerged as an important No. 2, with recent studies estimating that it is responsible for 18 percent of the planet’s warming, compared with 40 percent for carbon dioxide.

are questionable.

By claiming, 18% of the impact is from black carbon, and the majority is coming from Asia and Africa (see image posted on NYT above), sounds like the "blame game" in play, and downplaying all the diesel and coal use of the developed nations. How about the underestimation of the ship emissions (revised regulations by IMO)?

The figure below from Bond et al., (2004) depicts 1996 global black carbon emissions inventory from contained burning. When overlapped with population, the map makes sense, which is not the case for a similar CO2 emissions inventory map.



Yes for the climate change and making a case for it is important and is scientific, but at the end of the day, reducing black carbon in the rural sector will benefit the public health and it SHOULD remain the PRIMARY indicator, as rightly concluded by Dr. Ramanathan at the end of the article.

While the solar programs are innovative and clean (from black carbon), why isn't there a similar focus on the proven technologies, like scaling up of the LPG supply for the rural sector? The article talks about the pilots and testing of stove designs in the rural India, but isn't it about time that we have learnt enough to know what has worked in the past (see the web archive of information on the stoves using biomass fuels for the developing regions) and what will benefit the most and fast?

Some additional links to the data and articles on Black Carbon:

• Air quality and health (WHO, 2008)
• Black Carbon pollution emerges as major player in global warming (Science Daily, March, 2008)
• Improving Carbon measurements in global climate studies (Science Daily, November, 2008)
• Evaluation of the costs and benefits of household energy and health interventions at global and regional levels (WHO, 2005)
  
• Scientists warn of soot effect on climate (Guardian, March, 2008)
• Black Carbon emissions reduction act (US Congress, 2009)
• Global Emissions Inventory of Black Carbon (Dr. Tami Bond, UIUC)
• A technology-based global inventory of black and organic carbon emissions from combustion (JGR, July, 2004)
• Carbonaceous aerosols in the industrial era (JGR, July, 2004)
• Climate Change: Information on Three Air Pollutants' Climate Effects and Emissions Trends (US GAO, April, 2003)
• Researcher's tracking China's Black Carbon (NOAA, February 2009)
• Inventory of Black Carbon emissions from China (2007)
• Black Carbon reductions could reverse arctic warming within weeks (Eco Worldly, April, 2009)
• New Fuels Technology Impacts: Black Carbon Emissions and Climate Change (October, 2004)
• Black Carbon emerges as major contributor to global warming (WRI, 2009)
• Solid fuel use and indoor air pollution (WRI, October, 2007)
• New air quality directive for EU nations (EU, 2008)
• Use of Black Carbon and Organic Carbon Inventories for Projections and Mitigation Analysis (US EPA, 2007)
• Effects of Anthropogenic Aerosol Particles and Their Precursor Gases on California and South Coast Climate (Dr. Jacobson, 2004)
• Jump starting climate protection: Laws for controlling Black Carbon (INECE, June, 2008)
• CO2 and black carbon offset trading store (Dr. Bond, 2004)
  

Particulate Pollution in Asia: Part 1 (SIM-air Series)

A new working paper in the SIM Series, SIM 20-2009, "Particulate Pollution in Asia - Part 1: Multi-pollutant Modeling of Sources, Contributions, & Health Impacts"


This paper is intended to develop a broader perspective of understanding the air pollution mixture of fine and coarse particulates in Asia (with 2000 baseline) and aims to identify the information needed for a sound assessment of the impact of PM pollution on public health.

The modeling exercise was conducted for all of Asia using established multi-pollutant emissions inventory's, STEM eulerian dispersion model coupled with RAMS meteorological processor, and health impacts methodology in SIM-06-2008.

Dust Storms, Fires, & Haze Pollution in Asia

Click on the images for the source link (NASA Earth Observatory).

Dust storm in Eastern China, April 24th, 2009


Dust storm in China/Mongolia, April 23rd, 2009


Haze over Sea of Japan, April 10th, 2009


Haze over Chengdu basin, China, March 21st, 2009


Forest Fires in Nepal, March 12th, 2009


Fires in Eastern India & Burma (Myanmar), March 09th, 2009


Fires in Burma, Thailand, and Laos, March 09th, 2009


Haze over Chengdu basin, China, February 24th, 2009


Haze collects over Bangladesh, January 20th, 2009


Haze over Eastern China, January 15th, 2009


Haze over Northern India, December 29th, 2008


Haze over Yellow Sea, China, December 02nd, 2008


Haze along Himalayas, November 16th, 2008


Haze along Himalayas, November 11th, 2008


Fires in Northern India, November 03rd, 2008


Haze along Himalayas, October 31st, 2008


Haze along Himalayas, October 04th, 2008


Dust storm in Afghanistan, September 7th, 2008


Haze over Eastern China, June 12th, 2008


Dust over Yellow Sea, China, May 21st, 2008


Haze over Northern Pacific, April 21st, 2008


Haze over India & Bangladesh, January 10th, 2008


Haze over Eastern China, November 06th, 2006