– A round-up of the day’s top climate change stories
– Tweet @RTCCnewswire and use #RTCCLive hashtag
– Contact the team at [email protected]
UK: The Government’s climate change advisory body has said households could save £1600 if the country invests in nuclear and renewable energy instead of gas. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) has appealed for the UK’s new energy bill to include a 2030 decarbonisation target for the electricity sector. Its latest report presents the financial benefits of doing so. (The Independent)
Investment’s like the London Array offshore wind farm, the world’s largest, would be more stable with a 2030 decarbonisation target its supporters say (Source: London Array)
USA: The House of Representatives has voted to take the final decision on the Keystone XL tar sands pipeline out of the hands of President Obama. Yesterday, the White House said it would veto the proposal but if it receives enough support in the Senate the veto could be rendered moot. (Reuters)
Solar dispute: The USA is thought to have intervened in the solar panel trade dispute between the EU and China. Next month the EU will apply a 47% levy on Chinese solar components in an attempt to cancel out what it calls unfair subsidies handed out to manufacturers in China by their government. It is the largest ongoing trade dispute by value between the two parties and the US is keen to avoid an escalation. (Renewable Energy World)
Australia: The opposition Coalition’s proposed Direct Action Plan on climate change faces renewed scepticism after a provincial government eased rules on clearing forests. The plan would scrap the country’s carbon tax and replace it with intensive afforestation and soil improvement projects to lock more carbon into the ground. WWF Australia says the new rules in Queensland could unlock 369 million tonnes of CO2. (Sydney Morning Herald)
USA: The Tesla electric car company is to repay its $465m government loan nine years ahead of schedule. The firm was labelled a “loser” by Mitt Romney during the election campaign but recently raised $1bn of financing that will now be used to wean itself off government support. (Bloomberg)