Sens. Chris Murphy (D-CT) and Susan Collins’ (R-ME) introduced the "Super Pollutants Act of 2014" (click to download it) to reduce so-called "short-lived' - but very dangerous - pollutants.   One of the targets of the bill are rising emissions from burning natural gas. 

A bipartisan effort is impressive, its needed, and it is the way of the future if we want to really effectively fight climate change.  The bill is aimed at super pollutants - these are gases that are considerably more damaging to the atmosphere than Carbon Dioxide. they do not stay in the atmosphere as long.   The will will help in the short term, which can help help food security.

The bill focused on 3 of these super pollutants: Hydrofluorocarbons (also called HFCs), methane, and black carbon.  Each of them are dangerous to the atmosphere, and have several causes.   Taken together they cause about 40% of Global Warming; CO2 causes about 55%.  

We need to act now; these gases have been on the increase, and that is exactly what we do not need.

Black carbon is a major part of the soot from cook stoves, natural-gas based power generators, wildfires, and other similar kinds of burning.  It is much more damaging than CO2, though it stays in the atmosphere only days to weeks.  It also contributes to Global Warming when it changes the color of ice; a glacier that is white will reflect the sun but when covered by pollutants like Black Carbon, the sun's rays are absorbed and melting accelerates.  Black carbon is also linked to heart attacks, respiratory problems, cancer, and developmental defects in children.   Almost half of Black Carbon Emissions are from trucks (mainly diesel engines).

HFCs are used in refrigerators and air conditioners.  These devices leak; it is the nature of hi pressure devices.  HFCs are thousands of times worse than CO2, and stay in the air for up to 15 years.  They are also used in insulation, solvents, aerosol, and fire-protection products - and form the category of fastest-growing greenhouse gases.  

Methane is released in large amounts by several industries including natural gas, petroleum, and agriculture industries.  It lasts up to 12 years in the atmosphere and is 20 times more dangerous then CO2.  Methane is also stores in enormous quantities in the Permafrost in Russia; if Global Warming melts the Permafrost, then warming will accelerate.  Methane has many factors to consider as it is also produced by agriculture, and by landfills.   Methane in the atmosphere reduces crop yields.  Methane is a real problem; for example, up to a million abandoned natural gas wells, in the state of Pennsylvania alone, are leaking methane (read more here).

The bill has several components.  It creates a task force to study and promote good practices; it has initiatives to reduce emissions by working with certain organizations; it aims to help the efforts to reduce diesel pollutants; and it extends the Clean Air Act to work on HFCs by reducing the equipment that uses them and work toward an eventual phaseout of all HFC use. Methane 'leakage' is accelerating due to increase natural gas drilling in the US.

Limiting super pollutants can not only decrease warming, it can also increase crop yields.

CO2 can last in the atmosphere up to 100 years, so limiting CO2 is the needed solution, it is also very long-term.  Reducing these Super Pollutants is the best way to get some help in the short term.  Hopefully the Bill will pass congress, and also be a model for other countries.

The UN created something called the Montreal Protocol; it is designed to protect the atmosphere, reduce HFCs, and it is signed by all UN members - it is in fact the only such UN initiative ever signed by all members and thus, the first 'universally accepted UN initiative.  It resulted in eliminating 100% of the ozone-depleting chemicals that created the big hole in the ozone layer years ago. Now the protocol is focusing on HFCs, and super pollutants.  The Montreal Protocol.is impressive for people all working together.

Climate Change news from around the world:

• Since Congress has refused to work on Climate Change, President Obama is moving to reduce the limits on emissions from Coal plants.  This is a very important move and one that needs to become law.  Over time, the limits need to be lowered even further - both here, and around the world.  China is now worse than the US when it comes to coal emissions.
• A recent military report concludes that Climate Change represents a national security risk, that could lead to global "instability and conflict".  In fact for thousands of years, climate issues have led to clashes, wars, and even demise of entire civilizations.   For example, extreme drought around 1200 BC in the Aegean and Eastern Mediterranean regions led to widespread death, and the displacement of people. Egyptians, Hittites, Canaanites, Cypriots, Minoans, Mycenaeans, Assyrians and Babylonians and 'sea peoples' from the Mediterranean area had conflicts during this time.  Drought and the famine it brings are very destabilizing.  Drought, earthquakes, and other events led to the collapse of civilization in this part of the world, as the Bronze Age was ending.
• You can become a tree!  There is a neat product from Unabios.com that lets you put your ashes into an urn, from which a tree grows - Maple, Oak, Pine, or othre choices.  Its a beautiful idea, and a way for a person to have an enduring legacy.
• Climate models predict increased storms near the poles.  A recent study found that very large ocean waves are accelerating the break of the ice in Antarctica.  This seems to be happening more, than in the Arctic or Greenland.   While the large waves can fracture ice even further inland, they are also behind the process 

• Climate Change leads to health risks.  We are seeing that in California already.   Drought there means that underground water supplies are being used more and more - supplies which can be contaminated by pesticides and herbicides.   Plus, drought leads to a drop in agriculture, which in turn hurts the economy of the entire area.
• The State of Wyoming has rejected new science standards for education because they include education about Climate Change.  This is backwards and hurts our children, and our future.
• Shell oil now says that Climate Change is a serious issue; they are joining Exxon and Mobile in calling for change.
• Cities cannot wait for the federal government to take action.  Cities all around the US, and around the world, are forming sustainability policies, and developing plans for dealing with Climate Change, and rising seas.  Coastal cities cannot ignore this risk - even if Congress is completely ignoring it.  
• A new study says that Climate Change will reduce Biodiversity
• Companies are starting to offer Climate Change Insurance
• The government of Scotland is preparing national standards for dealing with Climate Change; one of the first countries to do so.  We need more countries to follow suit.  Germany has pledged to be completely run by Renewables by 2050.
• Invasive species will invade the arctic, as melting continues.
• On a positive note, Israel no longer has water shortages; they are building desalinization plants.  If this could be run from renewable energy sources, it would be ideal.  Israel has 4  such plants now, and a fifth one is being produced.  Negotiations are underway for more sharing of water resources with Palestinians.  
• How to best reduce emissions in coal plants and other kinds of energy producing plants is not clear; it needs to be cost-effective to be accepted.  Experts do not agree.  Here is a good article in the New York Times.
• Good article in the Huffington post about the *rate* of species extinction; the rate is increasing.  We are killing off species faster than ever before.  Human activities like strip mining, deforestation, and even pollution are being eclipsed by Climate Change as the mechanism of species extinction.  Some are calling this the next "Great Exinction"; there have been 5 of them before, in all fo Earth's history.  We are causing the sixth.

  

The Earth is undergoing a rapid transition; industrial processes are driving much of that, and how we respond right now will determine how bad things will get.  The official US report website is at GlobalChange.org.
   

 
Climate Change is no longer a worry for the future - its here now.  Don't count on any help from Conservatives or Republicans; they are so tied to industry that they just don't care about the environment.   Remember that, when you head to the polls.  Also remember, when you read news online, that there are many mis-informed bloggers; don't trust what you read on random websites.  Some of those who speak out against climate change are simply afraid of change in general.  This new report from the US Government had input from many sources, and is firmly based on science.  

One big focus of the report is on water and water scarcity.  This will become an increasingly important topic in the years and decades to come.  

For example the report details what people living in Idaho are already seeing: warmer winters, more early runoff, leading to hotter and dryer summers and more wildfires. You can find 'armchair bloggers' on the internet claiming skepticism but in the real world, people can see what is happening.  Changes in the water cycle are reducing available water in the whole Northwest, especially California.  Coastal regions are starting to see changes in habitat, and rising ocean acidity.  Coral reefs continue to degrade.  Forest mortality is on the rise with increase in tree diseases, less water, and more forest fires; which will also lead to different kinds of trees that are smaller and less absorptive of CO2.  There are many projected risks in the report as well as seeing effects now.

The new report from the US Government is called the National Climate Assessment; a 1,300 page report produced by 300 scientists, that looks at all aspects of how Climate Change will affect Americans.   This report follows other, recent reports including one from the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on Climate change), an education campaign from the AAAS (American Association for the Advancement of Science), and reports from the National Academy of Sciences and the Royal Society (British).  The Obama administration will use the report as the basis for legislative proposals over the next 2 years.  A primary goal is reducing emissions in power plants.
  

  
Hopefully this report can help educate people, raise awareness of the need for action, reduce emissions, increase the number of climate projects that people start, help increase spending on all government levels for Climate Change planning and action, and reduce skepticism about those who do not yet understand Climate Change.

Not all effects of Climate Change are bad.  A warmer winter means longer growing seasons.  But that in turn can worse climate change as we use more nitrogen-based fertilizers.  As ice melts, formerly ice-bound areas will become arable land; that has utility, but it also means sea level rise which puts coastline communities at risk.

Water is a prime concern.  Both surface and groundwater supplies are shrinking, which puts many at risk.   California agriculture is of particular concern at this time.  

2012 was the warmest year on record, as long as we have kept records.  And right now in California, 77% of the state is in a drought emergency - and summer has not even started yet.

No one will be spared form Climate Changed.  Biodiversity will be impacted, and indigenous people will be affected including Native Americans in the US, Aborigines in Australia, and others.