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Preventing the Sparks From Igniting the Roofs of All Our Homes
Copenhagen, December 19 / 31, 2008 -
As 2008 closed, the plodding progress in Poznan was put in stark relief by the release of three new reports documenting the alarming disappearance of ice in the Arctic. Let us resolve that 2009 be the year we finally heed warnings from scientists desperately trying to shake us into taking action.
www.copenhagenclimatecouncil.com: Preventing the Sparks From Igniting the Roofs of All Our Homes
Coping With Climate
London, December 30, 2008 -
Even if the world were to take steps to quickly and dramatically limit greenhouse-gas emissions, the levels already in the atmosphere will continue to alter our climate in the coming decades.
As the focus of the debate on global warming shifts to assessing the impact of rises in temperature and coping with their effects, it has become increasingly clear that the developing world will face some of the greatest challenges.
Dealing with this problem will require broad partnerships between public, private and nonprofit organizations.
www.enn.com: Coping With Climate
2009 to be one of warmest years on record: researchers
London, December 30, 2008 -
Next year is set to be one of the top-five warmest on record, British climate scientists said.
The average global temperature for 2009 is expected to be more than 0.4 degrees celsius above the long-term average, despite the continued cooling of huge areas of the Pacific Ocean, a phenomenon known as La Nina.
That would make it the warmest year since 2005, according to researchers at the Met Office, who say there is also a growing probability of record temperatures after next year.
www.reuters.com: 2009 to be one of warmest years on record
www.metoffice.gov.uk: Pacific continues to influence climate
Food needs 'fundamental rethink'
London, December 27 2008 -
A sustainable global food system in the 21st Century needs to be built on a series of "new fundamentals", according to a leading food expert.
Tim Lang warned that the current system, designed in the 1940s, was showing "structural failures", such as "astronomic" environmental costs.
news.bbc.co.uk: Food needs 'fundamental rethink'
Earth Meanders: Earth Bailout and the Stewardship Revolution
December 25, 2008 -
Global citizens together committing to a revolutionary spirit of action are the Earth and humanity's last best hope.
www.ecoearth.info: Earth Bailout and the Stewardship Revolution
Solar Meets Polar as Winter Curbs Clean Energy
London, December 25 2008 -
This time of year, wind turbine blades ice up, biodiesel congeals in tanks and solar panels produce less power because there is not as much sun. And perhaps most irritating to the people who own them, the panels become covered with snow, rendering them useless even in bright winter sunshine.
www.nytimes.com: Solar Meets Polar as Winter Curbs Clean Energy
Cities May Sprout Vertical Farms
December 24, 2008 -
Cities may sprout vertical farms Proposed high-rise greenhouses could help solve a looming food crisis, professor says.
www.enn.com: Cities May Sprout Vertical Farms
Top 10 Places Already Affected by Climate Change
December 23 2008 -
Catastrophic effects of global warming are being felt from the deserts of Darfur to the island nation of Kiribati.
www.sciam.com: Top 10 Places Already Affected by Climate Change
Met Office warn of 'catastrophic' rise in temperature
London, December 23 2008 -
A new study by the Met Office warns that the world could warm by more than 5C in the next 90 years, if emissions keep on rising. This would be catastrophic for the environment and for humanity. Dr Vicky Pope, Head of Climate Change Advice at the Met Office’s Hadley Centre explains the science.
www.timesonline.co.uk: Met Office warn of 'catastrophic' rise in temperature
climateprogress.org: Hadley Center: “Catastrophic” 5-7°C warming by 2100 on current emissions path
No Quick Or Easy Technological Fix For Climate Change, Researchers Say
San Francisco, December 19 2008 -
Global warming, some have argued, can be reversed with a large-scale "geoengineering" fix, such as having a giant blimp spray liquefied sulfur dioxide in the stratosphere or building tens of millions of chemical filter systems in the atmosphere to filter out carbon dioxide.
www.sciencedaily.com: No Quick Or Easy Technological Fix For Climate Change, Researchers Say
www.wunderground.com: Geoengineering: a bad idea whose time may come
Gordon Brown unveils economic measures to prepare UK for downturn
London, December 19 2008 -
Prime minister pledges government support for nuclear power and carbon capture technology and measures to ensure banks lend to businesses. Gordon Brown said today that Britain could be an international "beacon of hope" as he promised to unveil a wide-ranging series of economic measures early next year to prepare the country for the future.
www.guardian.co.uk: Gordon Brown unveils economic measures to prepare UK for downturn
Now China is growing slower, can it grow cleaner?
Shanghai/Beijing, December 19 2008 -
China's dramatic economic slowdown is paying an environmental dividend, slashing emissions levels from the world's biggest greenhouse gas emitter as its highest-carbon industries begin to contract.
www.reuters.com: Now China is growing slower, can it grow cleaner?
Abrupt Climate Shifts May Come Sooner, Not Later
San Francisco, December 17 / 18, 2008 -
The world could suffer the effects of abrupt climate changes within decades -sooner than some previously thought - says a new government report.
Further reading...
World has ‘responsibility to deliver’ in year of crises, Ban declares
New York, December 17 2008 -
United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon warned today that the coming year promises to be no less difficult than 2008, which he called the “the year of multiple crises.”
“Our commitments and good intentions will be tested as never before,” he told an end of year news conference at UN Headquarters in New York, outlining a host of challenges from climate change to the economic meltdown to ongoing crises in Sudan’s Darfur region, the Middle East, Iraq, Somalia, Zimbabwe and Afghanistan.
Mr. Ban stressed that 2009 will be the year of climate change culminating in a meeting in Copenhagen next December to draw up a new treaty to slash global warming greenhouse gases. He added that he would hold a climate change summit at the UN in September.
www.un.org: World has ‘responsibility to deliver’ in year of crises, Ban declares
Has the Arctic melt passed the point of no return?
Arctic Sea Ice (Photo: www.iodp.de)
London, 16/17 December 2008 -
Scientists have found the first unequivocal evidence that the Arctic region is warming at a faster rate than the rest of the world at least a decade before it was predicted to happen.
ZN / Arctic Melt: Has the Arctic melt passed the point of no return? (Dec 16/17)
Livermore Lab And American Shale Oil Team To Study Carbon Sequestration
(Picture: Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory)
Newark NJ (SPX/US), December 16 2008 -
The Lawrence Livermore National Laboratory (LLNL) and American Shale Oil has announced that they have entered into a technical cooperation agreement to develop carbon sequestration technologies for in-ground shale-oil production processes.
energy-daily: Livermore Lab And American Shale Oil Team To Study Carbon Sequestration
Last decade is the warmest on record, scientists say
London, December 16 2008 -
The last decade has been the warmest on record because of man-made climate change, according to scientists.
Global warming has pushed the world's temperature up by more than 1.26F (0.7C), said the Met Office, as they unveiled figures that show the dramatic effect human influence has had on the Earth's climate.
They predict that this year will be the tenth warmest worldwide since records began in 1850, with a global mean temperature of 58F (14.3C).
planetark.org: Last decade is the warmest on record, scientists say
www.wmo.int: 2008 among the ten warmest years; marked by weather extremes and second-lowest level of arctic ice cover
www.metoffice.gov.uk: 2008 global temperature in top ten (Dec 16)
www.metoffice.gov.uk: Global temperature 2008: Another top-ten year (3 January 2008)
Electric Car Maker Zenn Sees Growth Environment
Ottawa, December 16 2008 -
As hope endures for a bailout to salvage the struggling U.S. auto sector, Canadian electric car maker Zenn Motor Co may once again find itself in the right place at the right time.
planetark.org: planetark.org
Don't expect recession to mean lower carbon emissions
London, December 16 2008 -
The economic downturn may not mean a decline in greenhouse gas emissions. Environmentalists who hope a slowing global economy will mean big falls in greenhouse gas emissions are likely to be disappointed.
www.guardian.co.uk: Don't expect recession to mean lower carbon emissions
Scientists Urge Caution in Ocean-CO2 Capture Schemes
Fragilariopsis kerguelensis (Photo: photography.si.edu)
Singapore, December 16 2008 -
To some entrepreneurs, the wild and icy seas between Australia and Antarctica could become a money spinner by engineering nature to soak up carbon dioxide and then selling carbon credits worth millions of dollars.
planetark.org: Scientists Urge Caution in Ocean-CO2 Capture Schemes
Greenpeace: "Five percent, which is what we are looking at, is an outrage"
Australia vows 5-15 pct CO2 cut, unveils trade scheme
Canberra, December 15/16, 2008 -
Australia pledged to cut its greenhouse emissions by 5 to 15 percent by 2020 as it unveiled on Monday the world's broadest carbon trading scheme, rebuffing business calls for a delay due to the global slowdown.
While Australia is now second only to the European Union in its drive to cut emissions by establishing a cap-and-trade system that puts a price on carbon output, critics said the target was too weak and blasted the trading plan that will give free credits to some of the economy's most carbon-intensive industries.
www.reuters.com: Australia vows 5-15 pct CO2 cut, unveils trade scheme
planetark.org: Australia Brings Forward A$500 Million Green Energy Fund
news.bbc.co.uk: Australians condemn climate plan
www.terradaily.com: Protests heat up over Australia's climate plan (16-12)
In "eat local" movement, Cuba is years ahead
Havanna, December 15, 2008 -
After the collapse of the Soviet Union in 1991, Cuba planted thousands of urban cooperative gardens to offset reduced rations of imported food.
www.reuters.com: In "eat local" movement, Cuba is years ahead
Climate Safety Report: In case of emergency....
London, December 11 2008 -
The Public Interest Research Centre has published the 'Climate Safety' report examining the recent record Arctic melts alongside other accelerating climate impacts, and discussing what such observations imply for the current discourses of target-setting. The report includes a foreword by Sir John Houghton, former co-chair of the IPCC.
Climate Safety’ provides a simple summary of the latest science, delivering a clear message that to have any chance of maintaining a safe climate, we must rapidly decarbonise our society, preserve global sinks, and address the problem with an unprecedented degree of seriousness.
Even with a commitment to 80% carbon cuts by 2050, “Climate Safety” warns that our current policy response does not match up to the scale of the challenge.
Climate Safety can be downloaded from climatesafety.org
Wetter and wilder: the signs of warming everywhere
London, December 10 2008 -
In the third part of their series on the eve of the Poznan conference, the Guardian looks at how climate change is already changing ordinary people's lives from Australia to Brazil.
www.guardian.co.uk: Wetter and wilder: the signs of warming everywhere
Scottish climate bill could set global example
Edinburgh, Scotland, December 10 2008 -
The newly published Scottish Climate Change Bill has the potential to become a world leading piece of legislation if it receives cross-party backing from Scottish MPs, according to WWF-Scotland.
www.enn.com: Scottish climate bill could set global example
The Dirty Side of Clean Coal
Dorothy, (US) December 9 2008 -
As long as mountaintop removal mining continues coal cannot be clean, even if the pollution from burning it can be minimized.
www.sciam.com: The Dirty Side of Clean Coal
Climate change: The carbon atlas
London, December 9 2006 -
New figures published today confirm that China has overtaken the US as the largest emitter of CO2. An interactive emissions map shows how the rest of the world compares. Global C02 emissions totalled 29,195m tonnes in 2006 – up 2.4% on 2005.
www.guardian.co.uk: The carbon atlas
Obama says climate change a matter of national security
Chicago, December 9 2006 -
President-elect Barack Obama said on Tuesday attacking global climate change is a "matter of urgency" that will create jobs as he got advice from Al Gore, who won a Nobel Peace Prize for his work on the issue.
In remarks to reporters, Obama made clear he would adopt an aggressive approach to global warming when he takes over the White House on January 20.
www.reuters.com: Obama says climate change a matter of national security
edition.cnn.com / Obama and Gore: Time to deal with climate change
www.newsweek.com: Obama meets Gore, talks energy, economy
Climate change is 'unequivocal', say scientists
Chicago, December 9 2006 -
Scientists studying the changing nature of the Earth's climate say they have completed one crucial task -- proving beyond a doubt that global warming is real. Now they have to figure out just what to do about it.
"It is critical for us to get a much better understanding of the impact of climate change in some parts of the world," Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, told The Associated Press in an interview Tuesday.
www.cnn.com: Climate change is 'unequivocal', say scientists
A Beardful of Bunkum
London, December 9 2006 - (By George Monbiot) -
We all create our own reality, and shut out the voices we do not want to hear. But there is no issue we are less willing to entertain than manmade climate change. Here, three worlds seem to exist in virtual isolation. In the physical world, global warming appears to be spilling over into runaway feedback: the most dangerous situation humankind has ever encountered. In the political world – at the climate talks in Poznan for example – our governments seem to be responding to something quite different: a minor nuisance which can be addressed in due course. Only the Plane Stupid protesters who occupied part of Stansted airport yesterday appear to have understood the scale and speed of this crisis. In cyberspace, by contrast, the response spreading fastest and furthest is flat-out denial.
www.monbiot.com: A Beardful of Bunkum
Long, detailed, impressive - but futile in the face of runaway climate change
Whistling in the Wind
London, December 2 2008 - (By George Monbiot) -
The new climate change report falls miles short of what we need. Here are some of the emergency measures it should have contained.
Lord Turner has two jobs. The first, as chair of the Financial Services Authority, is to save capitalism. The second, as chair of the Committee on Climate Change, is to save the biosphere from the impacts of capitalism. I have no idea how well he is discharging the first task, but if his approach to the second one is anything to go by, you should dump your shares and buy gold.
www.monbiot.com: Whistling in the Wind
www.guardian.co.uk: Long, detailed, impressive - but futile in the face of runaway climate change
Reframing the climate change challenge in light of post-2000 emission trends
Manchester, December 2nd 2008 -
The 2007 Bali conference heard repeated calls for reductions in global greenhouse gas
emissions of 50 per cent by 2050 to avoid exceeding the 2 degree C threshold. While such endpoint targets dominate the policy agenda, they do not, in isolation, have a scientific basis and are likely to lead to dangerously misguided policies. To be scientifically credible, policy must be informed by an understanding of cumulative emissions and associated emission pathways.
www.tyndall.ac.uk: Reframing the climate change challenge in light of post-2000 emission trends
EU to exceed air pollutant limit due to growth in road transport
Brussels, December 1 2008 -
Despite significant emission reductions in recent years, only 11 EU Member States expect to remain within their emission limits for all four air pollutants set by the EU National Emission Ceilings Directive (NEC Directive). The nitrogen oxides ceiling remains the most difficult to comply with. This is partly due to the fact that demand for road transport has grown faster than anticipated.
www.eea.europa.eu: EU to exceed air pollutant limit due to growth in road transport
Climate change gathers steam, say scientists
Paris, November 30 2008 -
Earth's climate appears to be changing more quickly and deeply than a benchmark UN report for policymakers predicted, top scientists said ahead of international climate talks starting Monday in Poland.
Evidence published since the Intergovernmental Panel for Climate Change's (IPCC) February 2007 report suggests that future global warming may be driven not just by things over which humans have a degree of control, such as burning fossil fuels or destroying forest, a half-dozen climate experts told AFP.
Even without additional drivers, the IPCC has warned that current rates of greenhouse gas emissions, if unchecked, would unleash devastating droughts, floods and huge increases in human misery by century's end.
But the new studies, they say, indicate that human activity may be triggering powerful natural forces that would be nearly impossible to reverse and that could push temperatures up even further.
news.yahoo.com / www.afp.com: Climate change gathers steam, say scientists
gristmill.grist.org: Another climate impact comes faster than predicted
Germany Reaches Kyoto Emissions Commitments
Berlin, November 28 2008 -
A new study shows that Germany has already reduced greenhouse gas emissions to the level pledged in the Kyoto Protocol. But a greater reliance on coal-fired power plants may soon reverse the trend.
www.spiegel.de: Germany Reaches Kyoto Emissions Commitments
Hansen et allies: Carbon dioxide levels already a danger
London, England November 27 2008 -
A team of international scientists led by Dr James Hansen, director of NASA's Goddard Institute for Space Studies, say that carbon dioxide (CO2) levels are already in the danger zone.
Hansen et allies: Carbon dioxide levels already a danger
Stern urges switch to low carbon economy during downturn
London, November 26, 2008 -
Lord Stern, who advises the Government about tackling climate change, has urged ministers to use a period of economic downturn to switch to a green economy.
The author of the Government's 2006 report on climate change said that while demand is low, it is a good time to switch to "a more sustainable pattern of growth" by replacing fossil fuels with more renewables and clean energy, designing new technologies and improving energy efficiency.
www.telegraph.co.uk: Stern urges switch to low carbon economy during downturn
Harvard urges rich nations to cut emissions first
London, November 24 2008 -
Rich nations should make the first cuts in greenhouse gases while developing countries carry on business-as-usual for the time being, according to a report published on Monday by Harvard University.
www.enn.com: Harvard urges rich nations to cut emissions first
How the Rich Are Destroying the Earth
November 22 2008 -
We've got to think about our choices for the future collectively, seeking cooperation rather than competition.
Read this reprinted chapter from the new book by Herve Kempf and published by Chelsea Green.
www.alternet.org: How the Rich Are Destroying the Earth
China's crops at risk from massive erosion
Beijing, (CHI), November 21, 2008 -
Over a third of China's land is being scoured by serious erosion that is putting its crops and water supply a risk, a three-year nationwide survey has found.
Soil is being washed and blown away not only in remote rural areas, but near mines, factories and even in cities, the official Xinhua agency cited the country's bio-environment security research team saying.
www.enn.com: China's crops at risk from massive erosion
Business as usual not an option for the energy system
Copenhagen, (DK), November 20, 2008 -
80 % of the greenhouse gas emissions in Europe still come from the energy sector, warns a report from the European Environment Agency released today. The sector continues to have significant impacts on the environment, despite the fact that more efficient production of electricity and heat, together with an increased share of renewable energy sources and replacement of coal and oil with gas are gradually contributing to cut emissions of greenhouse gas and air pollutants in Europe.
www.eea.europa.eu: Business as usual not an option for the energy system
FAO Reform: Director-General Diouf Calls for New World Agricultural Order
Rome, November 19 2008 -
Speaking at the 35th Special Session of the Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) Conference, taking place from 18-22 November 2008, in Rome, Italy, FAO Director-General Jacques Diouf outlined a strategy for a new global system for food security that would ensure that production meets growing demand in the face of climate change and the need for environmental conservation.
www.climate-l.org: FAO Reform: Director-General Diouf Calls for New World Agricultural Order
Airport expansion must be halted to meet CO2 target, say climate scientists
London, November 18, 2008 -
Only practical solution to meet emissions target is for airline industry to curb demand for flying, says climate scientist.
www.guardian.co.uk: Airport expansion must be halted to meet CO2 target, say climate scientists
Dirty Brown Clouds Impact Glaciers, Agriculture And The Monsoon
New York, November 16, 2008 - Cities from Beijing to New Delhi are getting darker, glaciers in ranges like the Himalayas are melting faster and weather systems becoming more extreme, in part, due to the combined effects of man-made Atmospheric Brown Clouds (ABCs) and greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.
www.sciencedaily.com: Dirty Brown Clouds Impact Glaciers, Agriculture And The Monsoon
Schwarzenegger orders climate change strategy
Sacramento, (CA/USA) November 14, 2008 -
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger on Friday ordered state agencies to begin preparing for the projected impacts of global warming on California's economy, people and natural resources.
The executive order calls on state officials to develop a "comprehensive climate adaption strategy" to cope with rising sea levels, higher temperatures, increased flooding, changing precipitation patterns and more extreme weather events.
sfgate.com: Schwarzenegger orders climate change strategy
news.yahoo.com: California ordered to prepare for sea-level rise
www.enn.com: California gets dire warning on global warming
Updating the Science of Global Warming
Copenhagen, November 14 2008 -
An international climate change congress aims to gather the world's top scientists to update the book on global warming.
www.sciam.com: Updating the Science of Global Warming
New Energy Realities – WEO Calls for Global Energy Revolution Despite Economic Crisis
London, November 14 / 12 2008 -
“We cannot let the financial and economic crisis delay the policy action that is urgently needed to ensure secure energy supplies and to curtail rising emissions of greenhouse gases. We must usher in a global energy revolution by improving energy efficiency and increasing the deployment of low-carbon energy,” said Nobuo Tanaka, Executive Director of the International Energy Agency (IEA) today in London at the launch of the World Energy Outlook (WEO) 2008 – the latest edition of the annual IEA flagship publication. The WEO-2008 provides invaluable analysis to help policy makers around the world assess and address the challenges posed by worsening oil supply prospects, higher energy prices and rising emissions of greenhouse gases.
www.enn.com: Coal to remain world's top power source: IEA
www.cnn.com: Report urges fuel revolution
www.iea.org: WEO Calls for Global Energy Revolution Despite Economic Crisis
www.ap.com: Energy agency warns of supply crunch
www.guardian.co.uk: After the credit crunch, the oil crunch: watchdog warns over falling supplies
www.reuters.com: IEA stokes doubts over world's climate fight
Revised Theory Suggests Carbon Dioxide Levels Already in danger zone
Is Detroit worth saving?
Washington, November 12 2008 -
Reducing greenhouse gas emissions to avert catastrophic climate change requires cutting automobile oil consumption by a factor of five over the next three decades. Yet Detroit has been waging a four-year legal battle against efforts by California and other states to regulate tailpipe emissions of greenhouse gases. In other words, Detroit has not only been suicidally lobbying against its own inescapable future, but it has been lobbying against the future of all Americans who want to end our oil addiction, and against the future of all humans who want to preserve the health and well-being of our planet for future generations. And for this they are to be rewarded with billions in taxpayer money?
www.salon.com: Is Detroit worth saving?
2008 Set To Be About 10th Warmest Year - Expert
Oslo, November 11 2008 -
This year is on track to be about the 10th warmest globally since records began in 1850 but gaps in Arctic data mean the world may be slightly underestimating global warming, a leading scientist said on Tuesday.
www.planetark.com: 2008 Set To Be About 10th Warmest Year
Reducing consumption key to a sustainable future
Washington, November 11 2008 -
Based on then ground-breaking modelling, the forecasts of global ecological and economic collapse by mid-century contained in the controversial 1972 book; The Limits to Growth, are still ‘on-track’ according to new CSIRO research.
www.physorg.com: Reducing consumption key to a sustainable future
The security consequences of the nuclear renaissance
London, 11 november 2008 -
On 30 October 2008, the Royal Society, the British academy of science, announced the launch of a major new study looking at whether planetary scale geoengineering schemes could help reduce the effects of global climate change (1). Among the schemes are: placing giant mirrors in space to reflect sunlight away from the Earth; releasing tiny particles into the upper atmosphere to help cool the climate by reducing the amount of the sun's energy that reaches the Earth's surface; and fertilising the oceans with nutrients, such as iron, to promote blooms of phytoplankton which would soak up carbon dioxide from the atmosphere.
scitizen.com: The security consequences of the nuclear renaissance
Global investors urge action on climate change
Washington, November 11 2008 -
Global institutional investors holding more than $6 trillion in assets pushed policymakers Tuesday to quickly hash out a binding agreement to cut greenhouse gas emissions and promote clean technology.
www.reuters.com: Global investors urge action on climate change
Corn-fed animals are fuelling America
Hawaii (US), November 11 2008 -
Biofuel demand is not the only market pressure being felt by US corn farmers. Much of the fast food that powers Americans - a $100 billion annual market - is indirectly made from corn as well, according to researchers in Hawaii.
www.newscientist.com: Corn-fed animals are fuelling America
Paying for climate justice
Stockholm, November 9 2008 -
One major issue in reducing global carbon emissions is how developing nations can lower both national poverty and carbon emission. Who is most responsible for carbon emissions and who should pay the most to reduce them?
The underprivileged now have their own global cheerleader in the form of the Greenhouse Development Rights (GDR) framework, an initiative created by an organization called EcoEquity and the Stockholm Environment Institute.
It creates a system where payments for reductions are not just based on the level of responsibility for emissions, but on the capacity to pay for it as well.
www.cnn.com: Paying for climate justice
Revised Theory Suggests Carbon Dioxide Levels Already in danger zone
Atmospheric CO2 if coal emissions are phased out linearly between 2010 and 2030, calculated using a version of the Bern carbon cycle model.
London, November 7, 2008 -
If climate disasters are to be averted, atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) must be reduced below the levels that already exist today, according to a study published in Open Atmospheric Science Journal by a group of 10 scientists from the United States, the United Kingdom and France.
The authors, who include two Yale scientists, assert that to maintain a planet similar to that on which civilization developed, an optimum CO2 level would be less than 350 ppm — a dramatic change from most previous studies, which suggested a danger level for CO2 is likely to be 450 ppm or higher. Atmospheric CO2 is currently 385 parts per million (ppm) and is increasing by about 2 ppm each year from the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas) and from the burning of forests.
www.physorg.com: Revised Theory Suggests Carbon Dioxide Levels Already in Danger Zone
www.eurekalert.org: World needs climate emergency backup plan, says expert
www.planetark.com: EU Global Warming Limit May Not Be Possible
www.newscientist.com: Energy Agency warns of 6 °C rise in temperatures
Hansen: Earth climate near tipping point (June 25)
Greenhouse Gas Increase Highest Since 1998 / Hansen: Climate target not radical enough (April 7)
China tells rich polluting nations to change lifestyle
Beijng, November 7, 2008 -
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao said rich nations must abandon their "unsustainable lifestyle" to fight climate change and expand help to poor nations bearing the brunt of worsening droughts and rising sea levels.
Wen told the opening of a conference Friday the financial crisis was no reason for rich nations to delay fighting global warming.
www.enn.com: China tells rich polluting nations to change lifestyle
www.planetark.com: China Set To Take The Initiative In Climate Talks
Rich Nations Should Pay for Green Technology
Beijng, November 7 2008 -
Chinese Premier Wen Jiabao opened a climate conference in Beijing on Friday with a call for industrial nations to pay for green technology in the developing world. Westerners are skeptical, and the UN says nothing will change until America shows its cards.
www.spiegel.de: Rich Nations Should Pay for Green Technology
Germany Urges Obama To Give World New "Green" Deal
Berlin, November 7, 2008 -
The United States after Barack Obama becomes president must work closely with Europe to fight climate change, German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier said on Thursday.
www.planetark.com: Germany Urges Obama To Give World New "Green" Deal
The rate of warming is 'unprecedented'
Washington, November 7, 2008 -
Research on Arctic and North Atlantic ecosystems shows the recent warming trend counts as the most dramatic climate change since the onset of human civilisation 5 000 years ago, according to studies published recently.
www.iol.co.za: The rate of warming is 'unprecedented'
www.physorg.com: 'Unprecedented' warming drives dramatic ecosystem shifts in North Atlantic
Related: www.physorg.com: Sunlight has more powerful influence on ocean circulation and climate than North American ice sheets
Related: www.physorg.com: Ecologists use oceanographic data to predict future climate change
UK Scientists Compare Official G8 Proposals To Combat Climate Change With Real Carbon Cycle Data
London, November 7, 2008 -
A few UK scientists have done a smart thing; they’ve combined the proposals of G8 policymakers for combating climate change with actual data on the status of play in the carbon cycle. The resulting study (pdf) is interesting not only because of this highly useful approach but also because it focuses on atmospheric carbon dioxide and its impact on the environment in the far future.
www.enn.com: More stringent carbon dioxide emissions reduction targets needed
Eight Nations Warn EU Over Biofuel Barriers
Brussels, November 7, 2008 -
Eight developing nations warned the European Union on Thursday they could file a World Trade Organisation complaint over what they see as unfair barriers being raised against their biofuels.
www.planetark.com: Eight Nations Warn EU Over Biofuel Barriers
What an Obama win means for the environment
November 5, 2008 -
Among the many pressing issues that President-elect Barack Obama will face when he takes office in January is climate change, which he has called an “immediate threat” and warned has made Earth a “planet in peril.” In an effort to prevent and reverse the problem, he supports a so-called cap-and-trade scheme similar to one now in effect in the U.S. Northeast and the European Union.
www.sciam.com: What an Obama win means for the environment
gristmill.grist.org: What can greens expect from Obama?
Obama promises new era of scientific innovation
Paris, November 5, 2008 -
Yesterday, the American people chose Barack Obama as the country's 44th president, promising a sea change in US policy that could affect not just the US, but the whole world.
www.newscientist.com: Obama promises new era of scientific innovation
www.newscientist.com: How green will president Obama be?
Obama's energy plan may be curbed but not halted
Washington, November 5, 2008 -
President-elect Barack Obama promises a bold energy plan to develop green technology, slash oil imports from unfriendly nations and tax more of the profits of oil companies, but the cost of the Wall Street bailout and an expected U.S. recession may impede his efforts.
www.reuters.com: Obama's energy plan may be curbed but not halted
More about Obama and the environment:
> www.guardian.co.uk: Obama victory signals rebirth of US environmental policy
> gristmill.grist.org: Obama triumphs, names environment and energy as priorities
> www.sciam.com: Scientific Challenges Facing the Next President
> scitizen.com / Obama's Top Priority: Spark a New Energy Economy
'The Goal Is to Change Course not Slow Down'
Berlin (DE), November 3, 2008 -
In an interview with SPIEGEL, economist and climate change expert Ottmar Edenhofer, 47, speaks about how the current financial crisis has affected climate-protection efforts and why current government proposals don't go far enough.
www.spiegel.de: 'The Goal Is to Change Course not Slow Down'
Data pins polar warming blame on humans
London, (England), October 30 2008 -
Scientists think they have uncovered conclusive proof that human activity is responsible for rising temperatures in both polar regions. Changes in polar temperatures are not consistent with natural climate changes say scientists.
Research carried out at the Climatic Research Unit at the UK's University of East Anglia (UEA) demonstrates for the first time that anthropogenic climate change is responsible for warming at the Arctic and Antarctic.
edition.cnn.com: Data pins polar warming blame on humans
Man is to blame for Antarctic temperature rise (Oct 30)
Greenpeace Protests Against UK Coal Power Plant
London (UK), October 30, 2008 -
The environmental campaign group Greenpeace staged protests for climate change at the power station Kingsnorth, where E.ON plans to build one of Britain's first new coal-fired power generators in decades.
www.planetark.com: Greenpeace Protests Against UK Coal Power Plant
China Sets Price For Cooperation On Climate Change
Beijing (China), October 29, 2008 -
China wants rich countries to commit 1 percent of their economic worth to help poor nations fight global warming, and will press for a new international mechanism to spread "green" technology worldwide.
www.planetark.com: China Sets Price For Cooperation On Climate Change
Risks of global warming greater than financial crisis: Stern
Honkong (UK), October 27, 2008 -
The risks of inaction over climate change far outweigh the turmoil of the global financial crisis, a leading climate change expert said on Monday, while calling for new fiscal spending tailored to low carbon growth.
www.reuters.com: Risks of global warming greater than financial crisis
The Public's Dangerous Misunderstanding of Climate Change
London (UK), October 26, 2008 -
It may seem to many like good common sense to wait until we see proof of the serious damage global warming is doing before we take action. But by then it will be too late, so scientists have to do a better job explaining why.
www.reuters.com: Risks of global warming greater than financial crisis
Eco-horror films shocking us into action
October 26, 2008 -
There's a new wave of horror films stalking the box office. You can forget the torture porn of "Saw" and "Hostel" - in fact these new films are marked by a distinct lack of blood and guts. But there is no doubting their ability to chill audiences to the core: Welcome to the world of eco-horror.
edition.cnn.com: Eco-horror films shocking us into action
500 places to see before they die
London (UK), October 26, 2008 -
The first guidebook of 'last chance saloon' holidays will be published tomorrow for travellers who want to visit the most endangered tourist destinations across the world. Frommer's 500 Places To See Before They Disappear provides a list of sites where it is still possible to see rare and vulnerable animal species, special landscapes and unique cultural sights in their unspoilt glory.
www.guardian.co.uk: 500 places to see before they die
Global warming cools hopes for Dutch skating race
Bilthoven (NL), October 24, 2008 -
Global warming is taking a heavier toll than previously thought on a gruelling 200-kilometer speedskating marathon over frozen rivers and canals linking 11 towns in northern Holland.
www.nrc.nl: Global warming cools hopes for Dutch skating race
UN-HABITAT: State of the World’s Cities Report Underlines Coastal Cities’ Vulnerability to Climate Change
New York, October 23, 2008 -
The UN Human Settlements Programme (UN-HABITAT) has launched “State of the World’s Cities 2008/2009: Harmonious Cities,” a flagship report published every two years by the UN agency.
The Report indicates that half the world’s population currently lives in cities, and within two decades this proportion will increase to 60%. In relation to climate change, the report finds that many cities are at risk from rising water levels, and more needs to be done now to mitigate the impact this will have on their populations and assets.
www.unhabitat.org: UN-HABITAT unveils State of the World’s Cities report
Danish PM Says China Onboard For Climate Pact Goal
Beijing, (China) October 23, 2008 -
China is committed to seeking a climate change pact at key talks next year, the prime minister of Denmark said on Thursday, urging countries not to use global economic upheaval as a reason for delaying a deal.
www.planetark.com: Danish PM Says China Onboard For Climate Pact Goal
UN announces green 'New Deal' plan to rescue world economies
London, October 22, 2008 -
A global green 'New Deal' is needed to transform the world's economies, according to a new UN report.
# Low carbon economy must be part of economic recovery
# Credit crisis is time to act on climate change, says Lord Stern
# Greening the global economy
It would be similar to Franklin D Roosevelt's New Deal which helped the US recover from the Great Depression of the 1930s.
www.telegraph.co.uk: UN announces green 'New Deal' plan to rescue world economies
China Report Warns Of Greenhouse Gas Leap
Beijing, (China) October 23, 2008 -
China's greenhouse gas pollution could double or more in two decades says a new Chinese state think-tank study that casts stark light on the industrial giant's role in stoking global warming.
www.planetark.com: China Report Warns Of Greenhouse Gas Leap
Geoengineering: How to Cool Earth--At a Price
October 20 2008 -
Global warming has become such an overriding emergency that some climate experts are willing to consider schemes for partly shielding the planet from the sun's rays. But no such scheme is a magic bullet.
www.sciam.com: How to Cool Earth
Exotic climate study sees refugees in Antarctica
Oslo, October 13 2008 -
Refugees are moving to Antarctica by 2030, the Olympics are held only in cyberspace and central Australia has been abandoned as too dry, according to exotic scenarios for climate change on Monday.
www.enn.com: Exotic climate study sees refugees in Antarctica
www.forumforthefuture.org: 'New Year’s Day 2030'
World Bank Group President Addresses Climate Change Challenges at IMF and World Bank Annual Meetings
Washington, October 13 2008 -
The annual meetings of the Boards of Governors of the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and World Bank took place on 13 October 2008, in Washington DC, US. Finance ministers from developing and industrialized nations attended the event, which was preceded by a meeting of the International Monetary and Financial Committee and the Development Committee. Robert Zoellick, President of the World Bank Group, addressed the meeting, noting the effects of the current financial crisis on energy and climate change.
www.climate-l.org: World Bank Group President Addresses Climate Change Challenges "
Yet another denier talking point melts down
London, October 13 2008 -
Bad data analysis by University of Alabama scientists set old myth in motion.
Yet another denier talking point melts down
www.realclimate.org: Tropical tropospheric trends again (again)
U.N. says credit crisis could enable "green growth"
New York, October 11 2008 -
Instead of sidelining the fight against climate change, the global credit crisis could hasten countries' efforts to create "green growth" industries by revamping the financial system behind them, the U.N. climate chief said.
But that would depend on governments helping poor countries -- who are key to saving the planet's ecology -- tackle their problems, instead of spending most available money on rescuing the financial world, Yvo de Boer told reporters.
www.reuters.com: U.N. says credit crisis could enable "green growth"
Greenpeace Fumes at German Carmakers
Berlin, October 10 2008 -
Greenpeace is pointing its finger at auto giants like Audi, Porsche and Volkswagen, saying their new cars emit more carbon dioxide than earlier models. The new findings blacken the environmental report cards of the German firms -- and undermine an industry trend of flaunting green credentials.
www.spiegel.de: Greenpeace Fumes at German Carmakers
European Parliament recognizes the need to support developing countries in their fight against climate change
Brussels / London, October 8 2008 -
Oxfam welcomed today’s vote by the European Parliament’s Environment Committee on the ETS Directive to use 50% of the auctioning revenues generated from the emission permits for developing countries to tackle climate change via an international fund.
www.oxfam.org: European Parliament recognizes the need to support developing countries in their fight against climate change
The Physical Science behind Climate Change
October 6 2008 -
Why are climatologists so highly confident that human activities are dangerously warming Earth? Members of the IPCC, the 2007 peace winner, write on climate change.
www.sciam.com: The Physical Science behind Climate Change
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