Jenna Kennett

December 2, 2009

President Obama to Attend United Nations Climate Change Conference

President Obama has announced that he will attend the COP15 Climate talk in Copenhagen. The President is willing to commit to greenhouse gas reductions of seventeen percent below 2005 levels by 2020. While this target is far less stringent than almost every other developed country, it represents an important step in the right direction for the United States.

Sources

John M. Broder, Obama Goes to Copenhagen With Emissions Target, N.Y. Times, Nov. 26, 2009, available at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/26/us/politics/26climate.html?scp=2&sq=copenhagen&st=cse.

Michael von BŸlow, Obama is Coming to Copenhagen, COP15: Copenhagen, Nov. 25, 2009, available at http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=2709.

China Follows U.S. Lead in Emission Reductions

China, the largest emitter of greenhouse gases, announced Thursday that it would reduce, by 2020, its "carbon intensity" or the amount of carbon dioxide emitted per unit of economic output, by forty to forty-five percent compared with 2005 levels. This reduction target would still result in an increase of emissions, however, emissions would occur at a much slow rate. Many find this reduction target "disappointing" and hope that negotiations at the COP15 will persuade China to commit to greater energy efficiency.

Sources

David Pierson & Jim Tankersley, China's Climate Pledge Raises Expectations for Copenhagen Summit, L.A. Times, Nov. 27, 2009, available at http://www.latimes.com/news/nation-and-world/la-fg-china-climate28-2009nov28,0,7373512.story.

Edward Wong & Keith Bradsher, China Joins U.S. in Pledge of Hard Target Emissions, N.Y. Times, Nov. 26 2009, available at http://www.nytimes.com/2009/11/27/science/earth/27climate.html?_r=1&ref=science.

Preliminary Victory for Personal Care Products Falsely Advertised as "Organic"

The United States Department of Agriculture (USDA) National Standards Board (NSB) recently announced a recommendation that the USDA National Organic Program place new requirements on personal care products labeled "organic." The NSB suggests that any use of the word "organic" on personal care products must be confirmed by a third-party certification to USDA organic standards. While this announcement is encouraging, some organizations, like the Organic Consumers Association, encourage the USDA to apply current agricultural standards to personal care products, rather than adopting a new standard for organic personal care.

Sources

Organic Consumers Association, National Organic Standards Board Tells USDA: "Stop Organic Body Care Fraud!", http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/index.cfm.

Certification, Accreditation, & Compliance Comm., USDA Nat'l Organic Standards Bd.: Solving the Problem of Mislabeled Organic Personal Care Products (2009), http://www.organicconsumers.org/bodycare/documents/CACCNOSBOrganicPersonalCareAug312009.pdf.

Salt: The Newest Form of Alternative Energy

On Tuesday, Norway unveiled the world's first prototype of an osmotic power plant. The project is small scale but unlike other forms of renewable energy, osmotic energy is "predictable and stable" regardless of the weather. Furthermore, osmotic energy has the potential to provide 1,700 terawatt hours globally each year, the equivalent of half the current, annual energy consumption of Europe.

Source

Pierre-Henry Deshayes, Harnessing the Power of Salt, Norway Tries Osmotic Power, Agence France-Presse, Nov. 21, 2009, available at http://www.wbcsd.org/Plugins/DocSearch/details.asp?DocTypeId=32&ObjectId=MzY2MDI&URLBack=%2Ftemplates%2FTemplateWBCSD4%2Flayout.asp%3Ftype=p%26MenuId=ODQ%26doOpen=1%26ClickMenu=RightMenu.

Bad News for Nuclear Power Plants, Good News for Green Energy

While nuclear power plants are being built around the world, those plants that are currently in operation are likely to face two serious problems: uranium shortages and higher mining costs. The uncertain future of nuclear power could be good news for green renewable energy; governments and corporations are likely to invest in more stable forms of green renewable energy.

Source

Justin Mullins, Nuclear Fuel: Are We Heading for a Uranium Crunch?, New Scientist, Nov. 25, 2009, available at http://www.newscientist.com/article/mg20427364.500-nuclear-fuel-are-we-heading-for-a-uranium-crunch.html.