WIMS Environmental HotSheet 1/22/14

<> Why we need to talk about the weather - Here's a stat that should scare you: only one in three Americans say they have occasionally talked to family and friends about climate change in the last year. That's down 8% since 2008, according to a Yale study released in September. Read more blogs for the World Economic Forum's Annual Meeting in Davos 2014.

<> New Web Platform Launched to Accelerate Green Economy Transition -

A robust, state-of-the-art knowledge-sharing platform was launched today by the newly established Green Growth Knowledge Platform (GGKP), a diverse consortium of leading institutions and organizations working in areas related to green growth and green economy.

<> One Week from Today: State of the Union 2014 - One week from today, President Obama will head to the Capitol to lay out his plan for the upcoming year of action in his fifth State of the Union address. The President's State of the Union address to Congress is part of a tradition that dates back to our Founding Fathers. Hear what Denis McDonough, White House Chief of Staff, had to say about why the speech is so important. . .

<> U.S. Delegation to Press Issues Like Climate Change and Syria -

Source: NY Times - When the American delegation arrives in Davos, Switzerland, this week, it will be with a more triumphalist message than in years past.

<> EPA needs to end the delay and protect public health from ozone - Today, the American Lung Association asked a federal court to compel the U.S. Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) to complete the review of the national air quality standards for ozone as required by the Clean Air Act. The longer Americans must wait for the EPA to strengthen the standards, the longer they must breathe air pollution that shortens their lives, worsens lung 

<> EPA Announces Nearly $5 Million in Grants to Support Research to Protect America's Urban Watersheds with Green Infrastructure

<> China's international trade and air pollution in the United States - Chinese air pollution related to production for exports contributes, at a maximum on a daily basis, 12–24% of sulfate pollution over the western United States. 

<> EPA Administrator to Address World Economic Forum in Davos/Will highlight business and economic opportunities in addressing climate change

<> Chairman Smith Names Rep. Schweikert Chairman of Environment Subcommittee - Science, Space, and Technology Committee Chairman Lamar Smith (R-Texas) today announced that Rep. David Schweikert (R-Ariz.) will be the new Chairman of the Subcommittee on Environment. Chairman Smith: "The Obama Administration has presided over a massive expansion of government that has invaded every part of our daily lives and nowhere is this more evident than at the EPA.

<> Alaska's U.S. Senator Begich Opposes Pebble Mine: "Wrong Mine, Wrong Place" - Joel Reynolds, Western Director, Senior Attorney, Santa Monica, CA Relying on the comprehensive Watershed Assessment completed last week by EPA, Alaska U.S. Senator Mark Begich announced on Sunday that he is opposed to development of the Pebble Mine.  "Wrong mine, wrong place . . . Too many potential long-term impacts . . . ."  A threat to a world-class fishery not only. . .

<> Yet another chemical identified as present in West Virginia chemical spill - By Richard DenisonRichard Denison, Ph.D., is a Senior Scientist. Just when you thought this story couldn't get any weirder or worse, it has just been revealed that another chemical substance was present alongside the crude MCHM mixture that leaked into the Elk River and contaminated the drinking water of 300,000 West Virginia residents. 

<> January 29 Webinar to Highlight the Latest Developments in Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy- January 29 Webinar to Highlight the Latest Developments in Energy Efficiency, Renewable Energy Attend this webinar to gain insight into how the various technologies are competing in the marketplace and how Tribes can use them separately and in combination to the greatest benefit.

<> Alberta to co-host World Economic Forum meeting - The Redford government will co-host a World Economic Forum regional meeting on energy, climate change and innovation in Lake Louise on April 24 and 25.

<> Exposure to Pesticides Results in Smaller Worker Bees - (Beyond Pesticides, January 22, 2014) Exposure to a widely used pesticide causes worker bumblebees to grow less and then hatch out at a smaller size, according to a new study by Royal Holloway University of London. The research, published this week in the Journal of Applied Ecology, reveals that prolonged exposure to a pyrethroid pesticide. . .

<> The Economic Cost of Global Fuel Subsidies - UC Center for Environmental and Energy Economics / by Lucas Davis. By 2015, global oil consumption will reach 90 million barrels per day. In part, this high level of consumption reflects the fact that many countries provide subsidies for gasoline and diesel. This paper examines global fuel subsidies using the latest available data. . .

<> Lawsuits for climate disasters? - Lawsuits against private firms for climate disaster compensation may not be winnable yet, but important groundwork is being laid. In groundbreaking peer-reviewed research, researcher Richard Heede of the Climate Accountability Institute offers the most complete picture to date of which institutions have extracted the fossil fuels that have been the root cause of global warming. . .

<> IEA: 2013 U.S. Oil Demand Growth Outpaces China - The International Energy Agency's monthly oil market report is always closely watched by energy market analysts and insiders.  Today's report is particularly compelling and contains findings that should be of interest to, well, basically everyone. And not because it's full of good news. First, the report revealed that United States oil demand reversed years of decline in 2013. .