Momentum from #ParisAgreement for climate action at #COP22 Marrakech

The Paris agreement will enter into force on November 4, 2016 in record time. Never before has an international United Nations Agreement come into force so quickly. But Australia is still to ratify. Unfortunately with the lack of ambitious targets and climate policies Australia is on the outer as theParis Agreement comes alive for Marrakech.

Three days after the Paris Agreement comes into force the UNFCCC climate Conference of the Parties, COP22, will meet in Marrakech to discuss the finer details of the Paris Agreement and how action can be taken further on climate change. This will include encouraging other actors, such as city level and regional governments and businesses, to step up.

In the last two months there has also been significant steps on a global level in two other areas which has maintained the momentum of the Paris moment: aviation emissions and phasedown of HFC greenhouse gases under the Montreal Protocol.

Frydenberg in Hazelwood power station closure talks with Engie in Paris

Rather than just meeting Environment Minister Segolene Royal and discuss the upcoming COP22 in Marrakech, the real reason Josh Frydenberg was in Paris was to meet with the Management of Engie, the owners of the Hazelwood coal fired Power station.

It has been rumoured Hazelwood may close down as soon as April 2017, and Engie is under pressure from the French state to disengage from coal. The French state owns a one third share of Engie.

Engie, trading as GDF SUEZ/ Australian Energy, is listed as the third highest carbon polluter in Australia by the Australian Conservation Foundation. In the 2014-2015 year Hazelwood Hazelwood was responsible for 15.5 MT CO2-e of emissions. It's emissions intensity was 1.4 Tonnes CO2/MWh. (See Australia's Biggest Polluters PDF)

"We're very conscious at the Federal Government level of the heightened speculation about Hazelwood's future," he told 774 ABC Melbourne's Mornings with Jon Faine as reported at the ABC online.

Australia making efforts to ratify #ParisAgreement by 15 November at #COP22

Segolene Royal, France's minister for the Environment, in tweeting a photo with Josh Frydenberg, appeared to announce when Australia is likely to lodge our Paris Agreement ratification documents.

"Entretien avec le ministre de l'Environnement d'Australie : l'Australie met tout en œuvre pour ratifier l'#AccordDeParis le 15/11 #COP21" she said.

This translates as: A meeting with the Australian Environment Minister: Australia is making every effort to ratify the #ParisAgreement by 15/11 #COP21

An unusual way to hear about an Australian treaties process and when it is likely to be complete.

Warm ocean water melting Antarctica from below adding to sea level rise

Latest observational data from Amundsen Sea embayment (ASE) of West Antarctica confirms the retreat of ice shelf grounding lines caused by warmer water melting the underside of the ice shelves.

Warm ocean waters are melting the junction of the ice shelves where they meet the bedrock, so that the grounding line retreats. This then allows for an acceleration in glacier dischange of ice mass to the sea increasing sea level rise.

Many of the glaciers of the West Antarctic Ice Sheet (WAIS) have topographies where they get deeper as they go further inland.

As the ice shelf grounding line retreats into deeper areas due to basal melting by warmer water, it moves much more rapidly, which then allows more warm water to continue the process of basal melting, and so the ice mass discharge from the glaciers speeds up.

New Victorian Solar Feed-in Tariffs to recognise Greenhouse gas avoidance

First published at Climate Action Moreland.

New solar feed-in tariffs (FIT) are being introduced by the Andrews Labor government in Victoria, based on the time-of-day - peak, off-peak and shoulder – which better reflects current electricity pricing. The new tariff structure will also compensate solar households with a tariff component taking into account the environment value of greenhouse gases avoided.

Minister for Energy, Environment and Climate Change Lily D’Ambrosio announced the changes as a fairer way to pay people for the solar and wind power they produce for the electricity network.

“Victorians should be fairly compensated for the power they generate – plain and simple.” said Lily D'Ambrosio. “Households will now be compensated through the most cost effective and fairest system available, which is through a time-of-use feed-in tariff.”

Seagrass carbon Storage - marine biosequestration could be important for negative emissions

Updated 28 October.

Blue carbon is part of the solution to tackle climate change. So why aren't we talking about it far more?

Blue carbon refers to the carbon sequestration potential of coastal ecosystems: that zone reaching from just above the high tide mark to the coastal shallows. It includes salt marsh, mangroves and seagrass meadow ecosystems.

We need to take care and nurture our coastal ecosystems as they can play a vital role in bio-sequestration of carbon at rates far in excess of forests and soil carbon farming.

Biologists working with seagrasses met to present papers and discuss scientific practices at the 12th International Seagrass Biology Workshop (ISBW) (Conference website) in Wales 16th to 21st October. Just before the conference 122 scientists across 28 countries associated with the World Seagrass Association released a statement on the global importance of conserving and expanding seagrass meadows.

Nobel prize for Literature to Dylan. The Times they are a changin': two songs through a climate change prism

The 1964 classic protest anthem The Times they are a changin' by Bob Dylan is just as relevant as a song about climate change. That is the poetic greatness of Bob Dylan, who has just been awarded the Nobel Prize for Literature for 2016.

Try listening to Blowin in the Wind as an ode to wind turbines and wind power as part of the solution to the necessary energy transition to a zero carbon economy and social justice.

Australia on outer as Paris Agreement comes alive for Marrakech #COP22

Article first published at nofibs.com.au

This year's annual United Nations climate conference is meeting in Marrakech from November 7-18. Our Nofibs reporter John Englart will be attending as an NGO Observer for Climate Action Moreland/CANA.

An international milestone was passed this week with Canada, the European Union, India and even New Zealand ratifying the Paris Agreement. The agreement was negotiated in December 2015 at the United Nations Climate conference in Paris COP21.

The significance of this is that the two thresholds set for the agreement coming into effect - ratification by at least 55 nations and 55 percent of greenhouse gas emissions - has now been met. The Agreement enters into force thirty days after both thresholds are passed. The UN has now determined the Paris Agreement goes into effect as 4 November 2016.

Netherlands parliament increases climate targets: 25 percent by 2020, 55 percent by 2030

The Netherlands parliament, in a non-binding vote, decided to increase their countries emission reduction targets to 25 percent by 2020 and 55 percent by 2030. This will almost certainly require the shut down of the 5 remaining coal fired power stations to achieve these targets.

These targets align the Netherlands with the temperature goals articulated in the Paris Agreement that were formulated and agreed to at COP21 last year in Paris.

During 2015 five coal fired power stations were closed down, however 3 of the 5 remaining power stations were new plants that had only come on line in 2015. These new power stations were built by Germany's E.ON and RWE, and France's Engie at a cost of 5.5 billion euros. These are now looking to be stranded assets.

The Netherlands had a 5 percent increase in carbon dioxide emissions during 2015 and coal fired power has been blamed for this increase in emissions.

According to Reuters:

Dutch carbon dioxide emissions were 2 percent higher in 2015 than in 1990, mostly due to the increase in coal-powered generation.

Overall greenhouse gas emissions were 12 percent lower in 2015 than in 1990, as use of methane, nitrous oxide and fluorine containing gases have all been sharply reduced.

The vote ocurred in the Dutch parliament on the night of 22 September 2016. Both Liberal and Labour parties say they will now push for speedy implementation of the motion. The Labour party is part of the centre right coalition government but backed the opposition parties for this motion.

The Dutch government has been under pressure from citizens to step up climate action. In the Urgenda case, some 900 citizens took their government to court and won arguing for the Dutch government to have climate policies in place that were in keeping with the best climate science advice with emission reduction targets of 25 percent by 2020.

The Dutch coalition Government had initiated an appeal of the judgement, while preparing a climate package for early November. It now seems that appeal may not be necessary.

Voters in the Netherlands will head to the polls in March 2016. There are fears Geert Wilders’ far-right, populist and anti-immigrant Freedom Party may make major electoral inroads, and attempt to wind back renewable energy and climate policies.

Above average heat has continued during September in the Netherlands. The month is forecast to end at 17.2°C average, which while normal for July and August, will be the 3rd warmest September on record, according to a tweet by Kees van der Leun.

Read more at the Guardian: Dutch parliament votes to close down country's coal industry

Here is how Kees van der Leun saw the parliamentary vote:

"NL Parliament is clear: CO2-emissions -25% by 2020, -55%(!) by 2030. Govt appeal against climate verdict not necessary anymore" https://t.co/7aPdMMkSXE

— Kees van der Leun (@Sustainable2050) September 22, 2016

By voting for a target of 55% CO2-emission reduction by 2030, NL Parliament showed it understands what is needed. Consequences are enormous!

— Kees van der Leun (@Sustainable2050) September 23, 2016

55% less CO2 emissions by 2030 means ~100% renewable *electricity* in NL, just 14 years from now. And a major effort in energy efficiency.

— Kees van der Leun (@Sustainable2050) September 23, 2016

This is what Parliament's vote of yesterday evening means for NL greenhouse gas emissions in the coming 14 years. Massive! pic.twitter.com/LI7m9XSgok

— Kees van der Leun (@Sustainable2050) September 23, 2016

Unexpectedly, NL Parliament voted yesterday to close coal-fired power plants and, in the process, for 55% emission reduction by 2030! pic.twitter.com/VobCLG6QdV

— Kees van der Leun (@Sustainable2050) September 23, 2016

What impact #sealevelrise on Melbourne's privatised port facilities?

The Andrews Victorian state government has been successful with the sale of the Port of Melbourne for $9.7 billion, an election promise. The government had been expecting around $7 billion for the asset. Technically, its not a sale, but a 50 year lease of the port’s commercial operations. The long term lease of Australia's largest port facilities had bipartisan support, with the State Liberal Party, when in power, doing much of the initial paperwork to bring about the privatisation.

The new owners of the Port of Melbourne are the Lonsdale consortium which includes the Queensland Investment Corporation, the Future Fund, GIP and OMERS.

This is another public asset sale deriving from neoliberalism which has had the support of both major political parties. There are really very few state owned assets left to flog now.

The money will be a windfall gain for the state's budget, but it sacrifices future revenue and control of Port infrastructure. The port is a major gateway for imports and exports and holds a near monopoly position. Being at sea level, the port facilities are extremely vulnerable to sea level rise due to climate change.