President Barack Obama’s national fuel efficiency standards in the USA have come in for criticism in The Wall Street Journal where a columnist points out that there could be severe costs in terms of urban air pollution and human life. Most people know about the positive effects of developing greener, lighter cars. However, could there be a downside too? MORE

I contributed the following to the World Wildlife Climate Witness site last week and it was published this morning. What we’re not breathing is clean air, because the smoke from the La Canada-Flintridge fire, about 38 miles from here, is still making air quality hazardous and people in the L.A. In 2001 she terminated our grass lawns and replaced them with drought tolerant plants because of her concerns for water use. MORE

The average gap between official fuel consumption figures and actual fuel use for new cars in the EU has reached 42%, according to the latest update by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT) to its on-going research into vehicle fuel consumption and CO 2 emissions. However, says Dr. Peter Mock, Managing Director of ICCT Europe, since 2001 Europe has seen the largest increase in its gap. MORE

The gap between official and real-world fuel-economy figures in Europe has risen to about 38%, according to a new report published by the International Council on Clean Transportation (ICCT). The data show that for private cars, the difference between on-road and official CO 2 values rose from around 8% in 2001 to 31% in 2013. This procedure was developed in the 1980s and was not originally intended to be used for fuel consumption testing but air pollutants. MORE

The two areas suffer from some of the worst air quality in the country due to a number of factors, such as meteorology, geography, climate and weather. The Clean Air Act (CAA) allows areas such as these (designated and classified as “extreme” nonattainment under the CAA) to rely on the development and implementation of new and improved technologies given the relatively long time between SIP development and attaining clean air. US EPA Region 9 8-hour ozone trends, 1979-2000. MORE

The state’s latest Greenhouse Gas Emissions Inventory shows that California emitted 429 million metric tons of climate pollutants in 2016—a drop of 12 million metric tons, or three percent, from 2015. They fell 23% from a peak of 14 metric tons per person (roughly equal to driving 34,000 miles) in 2001 to 10.8 The carbon intensity of California’s economy has dropped 38% since the 2001 peak and is now one-half the national average. MORE

Overall trends in the inventory also demonstrate that the carbon intensity of California’s economy, the amount of carbon pollution per million dollars of GDP, is declining. Carbon intensity has dropped 23% from the peak in 2001, and declined an average of 1.9% tons per person in 2001 to 12.0 These climate pollutants the potential to warm the atmosphere hundreds and even thousands of times more than CO 2. MORE

Most of the immediate project benefits will accrue in the San Joaquin Valley, an economically disadvantaged area with some of the highest pollution burdens in the country, as evidenced by CalEnviroScreen scores within the worst five percent in the state. Since 2001, the USPS has operated 30 electric two-ton vehicles on the streets of New York City, and these were later joined by a pair of two-ton hybrid electric vehicles in Long Island. MORE

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pollution in the state. is especially burdensome in California and accounts for the greatest percentage of health impacts attributable to air pollution. The study demonstrates the success of California’s air pollution control programs, regulations, enforcement efforts and clean-air plans in regions with the greatest air quality challenges: Southern California and the southern Central Valley. MORE

As the climate change crisis goes from bad to worse (while the deniers get nuttier and more cult-like with each passing day) and Australia gives Californians an advanced sneak preview at what is without a doubt headed our way sooner than you expect , your Creative Greenius has only gotten more Fired Up, Ready to Go! In Manhattan Beach I’ve been watching the four committees of the ETF present their recommendations for the city council on water, waste, building and climate change. MORE

The radiative forcing affects of a reduction in non-CO 2 pollutants (dominated by ozone and black carbon) can outweigh CO 2 effects, depending on the replacement energy source, according to a multi-pollutant study by researchers from the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies and the Environmental Defense Fund that examined the impact of a 50% reduction in on-road transportation emissions. Wang (2009) Climate forcing by the on-road transportation and power generation sectors. MORE