"We've definitely been thinking about it," Bramble said when asked about incorporating localized climate effects like albedo into the standards.

In 2011, a paper was published in Nature Climate Change on Brazilian sugar cane plantations and the historical changes in temperature tied to the albedo effect (ClimateWire, April 18, 2011).

Reprinted from Climatewire with permission from Environment & Energy Publishing, LLC. www.eenews.net, 202-628-6500

11 Comments

1. 1. napoleon_wang 02:21 PM 3/12/13

   it make know so much.

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2. 2. Alenz 03:39 PM 3/12/13

   It all started when President Lula da Silva said he would take the Brazilian people's off the misery by offering tax exemption and facilitating credit for the purchase of cars, people, world famous for not wearing a head mass, have the courage to finance a used car of U$10,000 in 60 installments of $ 1000, these wretches Brazilian indebted for many years, believe to be superior to other citizens, hurling violently their carts even at old pedestrians crossing the street, sporting a 'status' that only exists in the minds of those who are so ignorant to the point of ignoring the size of one's own ignorance, traffic in Brazil kills more than wars! The Sugarcane dominates every inch of land, the owner of the leased site no longer working, living with the money that gives the plant sugarcane, land used in this crop becomes sterile sand quickly, as there is only planting cane sugar throughout the country, food prices soared, basic items like rice and beans are too much work to be cultivated, prioritizing cultivation of Cana.
   These Brazilians are so strange, put fire to harvest Cana, kill all animals charred and spread a deadly dust in the atmosphere ... The Brazilians, slaves of funding foolish not imagine the evil spread by his dear president, consume the world's worst Diesel, pay times more by cars unsafe, are burdened with the second highest tax burden in the world, love music burglar (funk), poors killing others poors by soccer teams but are unable to see that their parents die in hospitals door unattended, after all, country rich is country without poverty! I ask: what is the meaning of a mailman driving a Audi of $ 100,000?
   
   @Aleperdido

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3. 3. Sisko in reply to Alenz 03:59 PM 3/12/13

   Brazil is an independent nation and regardless of what Climatewire or other foreigners believe, Brazil will do what it thinks is in their best interest. In this case they want to generate jobs and forgo having to buy fuel from other nations.
   
   It is interesting how western progressives feel they have the right/obligation to decide how people outside of their nation should live.
   

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4. 4. Alenz in reply to Sisko 04:20 PM 3/12/13

   It is with great regret that I inform you that I try to live with it and this kind of people, I change brazilian people by any Hurricane, Blizzard, Tsunami, Earthquake, Sandstorm, Volcanic Eruption, Typhoon, Tsunami, Avalanche ... but no, I have the worst punishment! : [

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5. 5. dwbd in reply to Alenz 08:41 PM 3/12/13

   Yes, I believe that Sugarcane ethanol is an entirely uneconomical method of producing fuel, as is ALL Agro-fuels. And enormously destructive to land that would otherwise provide a rich natural environment or otherwise supply food for people. Plants are just plain horrible at converting Solar Energy to Fuel Energy, the EROEI is just so bad that it is inherently UNSUSTAINABLE.
   
   A FAR, FAR better method is to use Agricultural, Forest, Dead Wood (i.e. pine beetle), Industrial or Refuse Organic Waste, process it in portable, transport truck sized Methanol Plants or in Large-Scale Central Plants using Nuclear Electricity, Nuclear Process Heat & Nuclear Hydrogen. That will be a 100% transfer of Organic Carbon to Liquid Fuel Carbon. The ONLY value to plants is their ability to trap atmospheric Carbon. Stupidly throwing away 80% of that Carbon as in Corn/Sugar-cane Ethanol Agro-fuels or 100% of it in Biomass Burning is inexcusable idiocy.
   
   We need liquid fuels. That almost always entails Carbon plus Hydrogen. Organic Carbon is CO2 neutral. So you want to capture 100% of that carbon and turn it into liquid fuel carbon, as in FT Methanol Production or Nuclear Synthetic Fuels does.
   
   Portable Methanol production from Woody Waste or Biomass, greatly reduce forest fires and the most efficient & cost effective use of Organic Waste - including Sugarcane Food Production waste:
   
   deq.mt.gov/Energy/bioenergy/Biodiesel_Production_Educ_Presentations/KVogt_Pablo_NCAT_10_31_07.pdf

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6. 6. Alenz 11:20 PM 3/12/13

   Wow! dwbd I appreciate the opportunity of to talk intelligently and even more by the valuable teachings! Is this dissemination of information and experiences that I value in this passage in the planet Earth!
   Many thanks,
   Alexandre
   
   @Aleperdido

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7. 7. sault in reply to Sisko 03:09 PM 3/13/13

   Sorry, but Brazil's contribution to changing the climate affects us all since the atmosphere does not abide by national boundries. International agreements are the best way to make sure that we don't go over the climate cliff, but trade policy is the 2nd best way if necessary.

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8. 8. sault in reply to dwbd 03:12 PM 3/13/13

   "The ONLY value to[sic] plants is their ability to trap atmospheric Carbon."
   
   LOL!!! You DO eat every now and then, right?

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9. 9. dwbd in reply to sault 08:21 PM 3/13/13

   Obviously I was talking about the utilization of plants for Energy applications. Carbon extraction from the atmosphere - quite impressive, Solar Energy to Biomass Energy efficiency - pathetic. You would think Sault would know that. Use some common sense.

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10. 10. greenhome123 11:32 PM 3/18/13

    I believe Brazil would be better off using their topical savannas for eco-tourisum, and converting their existing cane fields into solar farms. In 20 years almost all new cars will be hybrid or pure electric and the demand for cane ethanol will diminish, and demand for electricity in their electric grid will increase.

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11. 11. IslandGardener 04:42 AM 3/19/13

    There's an interesting link betwen this and
    http://www.scientificamerican.com/article.cfm?id=labels-that-translate-calories-into-walking-distance
    
    We all need - in Brazil, the USA, Britain (where I am) and elsewhere - to walk more and get ourselves off our dependency on cars, whether they're run on fossil fuels or biofuel, and off our addiction to sugary food and drink. Both lead to obesity and ill-health for humans and harm to wildlife, soil, water, and climate.

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