From a new Center for American Progress report, Out of the Running:

Is clean energy deployment a race? Tom Friedman and others at The Times say yes, while Bradford Plumer and Christina Larson aren’t so sure.

Either way, China installed more wind capacity than the United States in 2009, and will likely have more capacity overall within a few years.

Here is what the last five years of installations looked like in the two countries:*

As recently as 2005, the United States installed nearly five times more wind capacity than China on an annual basis (2,431 MW vs. 498 MW). In 2009, China installed 31% more capacity than the United States did (13,000 MW vs. 9,922 MW).

*All data via the Global Wind Energy Council.

Press release via Avaaz.

Majority supports a legally binding climate deal that peaks emissions by 2015

A new poll commissioned by global campaign network Avaaz.org in the middle of the Copenhagen climate negotiations shows widespread American support for the Obama administration to lead the world to a real climate deal in Copenhagen.

“This poll shows that the majority of Americans want a real deal — an ambitious and binding global climate treaty that peaks global emissions by 2015,” said Ricken Patel, Executive Director of Avaaz.org.

The poll showed a majority of Americans support a legally binding climate treaty that peaks emissions by 2015. By a two-to-one margin (61% in favor, 33% opposed), Americans want the US to sign a treaty in Copenhagen that peaks global emissions by 2015. Moreover, a majority (53%) want that treaty to be legally binding, with only 40% opposed.

“Americans know who the villains are in the fight against climate change. Sixty-four percent of Americans believe that oil and coal companies have too much influence over Congress”, said Patel.

The poll showed that 64% of Americans say that oil and coal companies have too much influence on Congress and decisions on climate change policies, with only 11% saying they have too little influence and 19% saying the right amount of influence. Obama’s base of strong Democrats feels that way even more strongly, with 74% saying too much influence — but over two-thirds of independents (68%) agree, and even a majority of strong Republicans (52%) agree.

“Americans are fully aware that political promises are not sufficient in the fight against climate change — only 6% of Americans trust world leaders fully to cut emissions without a legally binding treaty,” added Patel.

According to the poll, only 6% of Americans say they have “a lot” of trust in world leaders to reduce emissions without a legally binding climate treaty, and only an additional 20% say they have “some” trust — with fully 71% saying they have very little trust or none at all (26% saying “very little” and a stunning 45% saying “none at all”.

From the Department of Energy.

Beijing, China – Today, President Barack Obama and President Hu Jintao announced a far-reaching package of measures to strengthen cooperation between the United States and China on clean energy.   Please see the attached fact sheets for additional details on each of the U.S-China clean energy announcements.

1.  U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center. The two Presidents announced the establishment of the U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center.   The Center will facilitate joint research and development of clean energy technologies by teams of scientists and engineers from the United States and China, as well as serve as a clearinghouse to help researchers in each country.  The Center will be supported by public and private funding of at least $150 million over five years, split evenly between the two countries.  Initial research priorities will be building energy efficiency, clean coal including carbon capture and storage, and clean vehicles.  The Protocol formally establishing the Center was signed in Beijing by U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu, Chinese Minister of Science and Technology Wan Gang, and Chinese National Energy Agency Acting Administrator Zhang Guobao.
U.S.-China Fact Sheet on Clean Energy Research Center

2.  U.S.-China Electric Vehicles Initiative. The two Presidents announced the launch of the U.S.-China Electric Vehicles Initiative.  Building on the first-ever US-China Electric Vehicle Forum in September 2009, the initiative will include joint standards development, demonstration projects in more than a dozen cities, technical roadmapping and public education projects.  The two leaders emphasized their countries’ strong shared interest in accelerating the deployment of electric vehicles in order to reduce oil dependence, cut greenhouse gas emissions and promote economic growth.
U.S.-China Fact Sheet on Electric Vehicles Initiative

3.  U.S.-China Energy Efficiency Action Plan. The two Presidents announced the launch of a new U.S.-China Energy Efficiency Action Plan.  Under the new plan, the two countries will work together to improve the energy efficiency of buildings, industrial facilities, and consumer appliances.  U.S. and Chinese officials will work together and with the private sector to develop energy efficient building codes and rating systems, benchmark industrial energy efficiency, train building inspectors and energy efficiency auditors for industrial facilities, harmonize test procedures and performance metrics for energy efficient consumer products, exchange best practices in energy efficient labeling systems, and convene  a new U.S.-China Energy Efficiency Forum to be held annually, rotating between the two countries.
U.S.-China Fact Sheet on Energy Efficiency Action Plan

4.  U.S.-China Renewable Energy Partnership. The two Presidents announced the launch of a new U.S.-China Renewable Energy Partnership.  Under the Partnership, the two countries will develop roadmaps for wide-spread renewable energy deployment in both countries.  The Partnership will also provide technical and analytical resources to states and regions in both countries to support renewable energy deployment and will facilitate state-to-state and region-to-region partnerships to share experience and best practices.  A new Advanced Grid Working Group will bring together U.S. and Chinese policymakers, regulators, industry leaders, and civil society to develop strategies for grid modernization in both countries.  A new U.S.-China Renewable Energy Forum will be held annually, rotating between the two countries.
U.S.-China Fact Sheet on Renewable Energy Partnership

5.  21st Century Coal. The two Presidents pledged to promote cooperation on cleaner uses of coal, including large-scale carbon capture and storage (CCS) demonstration projects.  Through the new U.S.-China Clean Energy Research Center, the two countries are launching a program of technical cooperation to bring teams of U.S. and Chinese scientists and engineers together in developing clean coal and CCS technologies.  The two governments are also actively engaging industry, academia, and civil society in advancing clean coal and CCS solutions.  The Presidents welcomed: (i) a grant from the U.S. Trade and Development Agency to the China Power Engineering and Consulting Group Corporation to support a feasibility study for an integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC) power plant in China using American technology, (ii) an agreement by Missouri-based Peabody Energy to participate in GreenGen, a project of several major Chinese energy companies to develop a near-zero emissions coal-fired power plant, (iii) an agreement between GE and Shenhua Corporation to collaborate on the development and deployment of IGCC and other clean coal technologies; and (iv) an agreement between AES and Songzao Coal and Electric Company to use methane captured from a coal mine in Chongqing, China, to generate electricity and reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
U.S.-China Fact Sheet on 21st Century Coal

6.  Shale Gas Initiative. The two Presidents announced the launch of a new U.S.-China Shale Gas Resource Initiative.  Under the Initiative, the U.S. and China will use experience gained in the United States to assess China’s shale gas potential, promote environmentally-sustainable development of shale gas resources, conduct joint technical studies to accelerate development of shale gas resources in China, and promote shale gas investment in China through the U.S.-China Oil and Gas Industry Forum, study tours, and workshops.
U.S.-China Fact Sheet on Shale Gas Initiative

7.  U.S.-China Energy Cooperation Program. The two Presidents announced the establishment of the U.S.-China Energy Cooperation Program.  The program will leverage private sector resources for project development work in China across a broad array of clean energy projects, to the benefit of both nations.  More than 22 companies are founding members of the program.  The ECP will include collaborative projects on renewable energy, smart grid, clean transportation, green building, clean coal, combined heat and power, and energy efficiency.

International Energy Agency:

At a press conference in London on Tuesday, 10 November, the IEA Executive Director Nobuo Tanaka and Chief Economist Fatih Birol presented the results of the World Energy Outlook 2009 (WEO). The WEO 2009 looks at the impact of the economic downturn on energy use, CO2 emissions and energy investment and what will be required at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen to put together an agreement that stops global temperatures rising at a price that is affordable. The WEO also focuses on the natural gas resource base, current trends and the role gas will play in the future energy mix. The book includes a review of energy in Southeast Asia, looking at this fast-growing region and its implications for global energy markets.

Here is the Executive Summary:

Press release via Avaaz.

Barcelona, Spain, November 4, 2009: At the halfway point of the UN climate talks in Barcelona this week, the USA was named as ‘Fossil of the Day’, with Canada coming in second, by a vote of the Climate Action Network International (CAN-I) – a global coalition of over 450 leading non-government organisations. The daily award is given to those nations judged to be the ‘best’ at blocking or stalling progress in the global climate negotiation that day.

The first-place ‘Fossil Award’ was given to the USA for delaying passage of domestic climate change legislation.

The US ratified the UN’s ‘Framework Convention on Climate Change’ in 1992, promising to reduce its greenouse gases emissions to 1990 levels by 2000. But it has failed to meet this promise. The US delegation to the international negotiations now says they will follow the lead of the Congress – so the delay in climate legislation hamstrings the US delegation’s negotiating ability.

Earlier this year, when the House of Representatives pushed forward climate legislation, it seemed likely that domestic legislation would be passed before the crucial Copenhagen climate summit this December. Recent delay tactics in the US Senate – boycotts and commissioning redundant economic analysis – leave the world wondering whether the US will get it done.

“Other countries – developed and developing alike – have moved forward, committing to emission reductions and advancing prospects of a global deal,” said Sara Svensson, a youth climate activist from Sweden.

“It is time for the US Administration and for those on Capitol Hill to get the job done. Their lack of action undermines international trust in the UN negotiations and endangers the prospects of reaching a global solution to climate change.”

Youtube:

Dr. R.K. Pachauri, Director General of TERI, Chairman of the IPCC and Chair of ADB’s Advisory Group on Climate Change, discusses the importance of this week’s High Level Dialogue on Climate Change.

Greanpeace has a new report:

Global warming is an urgent crisis that demands immediate action to prevent climate catastrophe. The consequences of inaction are far too great, and the time remaining to reduce those consequences is running out.

This study aims to shed light on the United States’ responsibility for taking the lead to solve global warming as a result of its outsized role in causing the problem in the first place. Using data from the Carbon Analysis Indicators Tool maintained by the World Resources Institute, the analysis examines state-by-state carbon dioxide emissions from fossil fuel combustion from 1960-2005 and compares those emissions to 184 other countries of the world.

Download the report here. (PDF)

Joe Romm has identified some highlights:

* Historically, no nation has emitted more global warming pollution than the United States. From 1960-2005, the U.S. emitted 213,608 MtCO2, 26% of total global emissions. The next biggest polluter, China, emitted 88,643 MtCO2 over the same time frame, 10.7% of global emissions.
* The U.S. also exceeded almost every other nation in per capita emissions. Per capita, the U.S. emitted 720 tons of CO2 per person per year from 1960-2005. This is more than ten times China’s per capita emissions (68 tons of CO2) during the same period, and ninety times the per capita emissions of Kenya (7.7 tCO2). Even considered individually, the 50 U.S. states are among the nations that are the largest emitters of carbon dioxide on earth.
* Even considered individually, the 50 U.S. states are among the nation that are the largest emitters of carbon dioxide on Earth.
* The average U.S. state emitted 4,449 MtCO2 from 1960-2005, which would rank 30th among the nations of the world. The combined historic emissions of just seven states—Texas, California, Illinois, New York, Indiana, Pennsylvania, and Ohio—totalled 96,517 MtCO2, more than any other country in the world, including China (92,950).
* If Texas were its own country, it would rank sixth out of 184 countries in the world in total emissions, trailing just China, Russia, Germnay, Japan, and the United Kingdom.

What is wrong with this picture?

Wikipedia: “Solar power in the United States is the largest available energy source for the United States, although in 2006 it accounted for less than 0.1% of electricity generation.”

Wikipedia: “Germany is the world’s top photovoltaics (PV) installer, accounting for almost half of the global solar power market in 2007.”

Any questions?