June 6, 2008

Inside CARMA

After 30 years of operation, this Lansing, Iowa coal-fired power plant will be fitted with a baghouse and a catalytic reduction system that will reduce nitrogen oxide and mercury emissions by more than 90%, according to parent company Interstate Power and Light. While plant neighbors will surely enjoy the cleaner air, this will have no effect on greenhouse gas emissions at the CO2-intensive facility.

June 6, 2008

Dear friends,

On Thursday I testified before the House Financial Services Committee on the Clean Technology Fund (CTF), arguing (testimony and video) that the CTF must be used to make carbon-free technologies cost competitive with coal as quickly as possible. This feat will require a focus of mission that the Bank’s bureaucracy is unaccustomed to, and it remains unclear if it is the appropriate steward of such an important fund.

As always, below is a selection of important articles on climate and development from the past two weeks. My thanks to Robin Kraft for his help in preparing this letter.

Best wishes,

David Wheeler
Senior Fellow, Center for Global Development

News

Africa: Is Biofuel The Continent's New Oil? (AllAfrica.com)

One in eight bird species threatened by climate change (New Scientist)

In Spain, Water Is a New Battleground (New York Times)

Rio Tinto Says U.S. Must Spend Billions for Clean-Coal Devices (Bloomberg)

DOE Report: Wind Could Power 20 Percent of US Grid by 2030 (Wired)

A $3 trillion climate change battle (Fortune Magazine)