Climate change media to 28 October 2009
••••••• Freakonomics without the facts Kate Sheppard, Guardian, 23 October 2009 Steven Levitt and Stephen Dubner's bogus claims on climate change have riled up scientists. Maybe that was the point. ••••••• What a difference four degrees makes: warming's extra toll Tom Arup, SMH, 23 October 2009 A
research project commissioned by the British Government reveals
regional temperature increases from global warming will be much higher
on land surfaces than the overall global average ••••••• $2bn threat from rising oceans Aam Morton and Peter Ker, The Age, 27 October 2009 More
than 80,000 coastal buildings in Victoria are at risk and large parts
of Western Port are likely to be swamped as climate change triggers
rising seas, floods and erosion, a report to Federal Parliament has
warned. Download the report AUDIO Coastal erosion and king tides ••••••• Backers of UN climate treaty look to 2010 for deal Alister Doyle, Reuters, 27 October 2009 UN
climate talks in Copenhagen in December are unlikely to agree a legally
binding treaty and even backers of a robust pact are reluctantly
starting to look to new deadlines in 2010. ENERGY&INNOVATION-------------- Who says it's green to burn woodchips? Graham Mole,The Independent, 25 October 2009 Woodchip power stations are set for a boom. But conservationists are increasingly challenging their green credentials. Tallying Biofuels' Real Environmental Cost Bryan Walsh, Time, October 23, 2009 The promise of biofuels like ethanol is that they will someday help the world grow its way out of its addiction to oil. China's march towards green revolution BBC News, 20 October 2009 Roger
Harrabin reports on the Chinese car maker BYD, which is about to
release a vehicle capable of revolutionising the world of motoring, if
its claims prove correct. Interview: Ken Caldeira on geo-engineering's possibilities and pitfalls Yale Environment 360, Guardian Environment Network, 22 October 2009 Climate
scientist Ken Caldeira talks about why he believes the world needs to
better understand which geo-engineering schemes might work and which
are fantasy. From Yale Environment 360, part of the Guardian
Environment Network Why Levitt and Dubner like geo-engineering and why they are wrong Real Climate, 18 October 2009 Many
commentators have already pointed out dozens of misquotes,
misrepresentations and mistakes in the ‘Global Cooling’ chapter of the
new book SuperFreakonomics by Ste[ph|v]ens Levitt and Dubner POLITICS&POLICY---------------- US coal stands in way of Copenhagen Jeffrey Sachs, Guardian, 23 October 2009 It's not India and China that threaten the success of a new climate change treaty, but senators of coal-producing US states. The Australia clause bites back Rodney Tiffen, The Age, October 24, 2009 Here's a final twist to the sorry history of the Howard government and the Kyoto Protocol. Changes 'lock in polluter paradise' Josh Gordon, Sunday Age, 25 October 2009 Polluting
coal-fired power plants and other heavy emitters would be protected
from rises in emissions targets for at least a decade under Coalition
amendments being considered by Labor. Rainforest treaty 'fatally flawed' Michael McCarthy, The Independent, 26 October 2009 Climate summit loophole lets palm oil producers cull vital wilderness A show of power Melissa Fyfe, Sunday Age, 25 October 2009 Some
things, it seems, never change. In 1989, The Age published a profile on
Peter Batchelor. And this is how Shaun Carney described the 38-year-old
political operative's ''straightforward objective in life'': it was, he
wrote ''to maintain the hegemony and keep the other side traumatised''. Denmark urges nations to "lock in" climate measures John Acher, Reuters, 24 October, 2009 Denmark
urged world leaders on Saturday to "lock in" a commitment to implement
climate policy measures to be agreed in December from the beginning of
next year rather than waiting for existing rules to expire. Time running out for climate talks Jeff Tollefson, Nature 461:1034, 21 October 2009 Rift between developed and developing nations might be too great. Rich-poor divide could be Copenhagen climate 'deal-breaker' AFP, 24 October 2009 World
leaders could fail to reach a new climate deal at a UN summit in
Copenhagen if rich countries refuse to financially help developing
nations tackle climate change, government and NGO officials said at a
development conference that wrapped up Saturday. SCIENCE&IMPACTS-------------- Ravaged by drought, Madagascar feels the full effect of climate change David Smith, Guardian, 23 October 2009 A 10% increase in temperature and a 10% decrease in rainfall sees Indian Ocean island struggle to feed its children. 'Freezer plan' bid to save coral Matt McGrath, BBC News, 25 October 2009 The
prospects of saving the world's coral reefs now appear so bleak that
plans are being made to freeze samples to preserve them for the future. Arctic Sediments Show That 20th Century Warming Is Unlike Natural Variation ScienceDaily, October 25, 2009 The
possibility that climate change might simply be a natural variation
like others that have occurred throughout geologic time is dimming,
according to evidence published October 19. PAPER Recent changes in a remote Arctic lake are unique within the past 200,000 years Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, October 19, 2009; DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0907094106 Southeast US exposed to climate change impact-Oxfam Reuters, 21 October 2009 Poverty
and climate hazards make the southeast United States the country's most
vulnerable area to climate change impact, Oxfam America said on
Wednesday. When Is a Species Endangered? Bryan Walsh, 19 October 2009 The
planet is in the middle of an extinction crisis, the sixth great wave
in its history. But unlike major extinction events of the past — like
the Permian-Triassic event 250 million years ago, in which 70% of all
terrestrial species were wiped out, probably because of an asteroid
impact or a similar natural disaster — this time human beings are the
cause. Water crisis in west as Lachlan River runs dry SMH, October 24, 2009 Thousands
of households in western NSW are facing an unprecedented water crisis
and the State Government is stepping up plans to help truck water to
several towns, while others will be restricted to using water only for
critical human needs. Is It Too Late to Prevent Catastrophic Climate Change? Birds in serious decline after prolonged drought Adam Morton, The Age, October 22, 2009 An
unprecedented investigation of Victoria's bird life has found it is
collapsing, with two out of three woodland species in significant
decline. PSYCHOLOGY, STRATEGY AND CHANGE------------------ From saving lives to saving planet Penelope Moodie, The Age, 24 October 2009 Protecting
politicians and responding to riots are all part a day's work for Matt
Astill. Next month the veteran policeman will be donating his annual
leave to a higher priority: saving the planet. Climate counts in global day of action John Mangan, The Age, October 25, 2009 It
began with a tinkle of bells on a sunny spring morning as Bikezilla, a
multi-storey, seven-seat, six-wheeled cycle arced across the Melbourne
Museum forecourt, leading about 1000 yellow-clad cyclists along
Rathdowne Street for a rally to promote the 350.org campaign. Climate change media to 21 October 2009
•••••••Climate Solutions 2: Low-Carbon Re-Industrialisation WWF, 19 October 2009 This
report models the ability of low-carbon industries to grow and
transform within a market economy. It finds that runaway climate change
is almost inevitable without specific action to implement low-carbon
re-industrialisation over the next five years. The point of no return
is estimated to be 2014. •••••••A race to the bottom Tin Colebatch, The Age, October 20, 2009 Rudd and Turnbull are in a bidding war to reward our dirtiest emitters. •••••••Sceptics' figures on global warming simply don't add up Geoffrey Lean, UK Telegraph, 16 October 2009 Almost
all climatologists expect warming to continue in the long term, but –
because of natural fluctuations – they disagree about the immediate
future, writes Geoffrey Lean •••••••The Photon Economy: Alfred Deakin Eco-Innovation Lectures (audio) http://www.sustainablemelbourne.com/events/the-photon-economy-alfred-deakin-eco-innovation-lectures/ Dr. David Mills, BMW Edge, 6 October 2009 Join
solar scientist Dr. David Mills as he talks about how the switch to a
complete photon commercial economy is finally underway. ENERGY&INNOVATION-------------- Buy our brown coal! Now cleaning up on eBay Greg Foyster, Crikey, 20 October 2009 Oil prices hit high but report warns of supply crunch Ashley Seager, Guardian, 19 October 2009 US light crude oil futures pushes above $79 a barrel, Report blames government for ignoring supply problem REPORT US may steal green march on us http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story/0,25197,26219912-17803,00.html Peter Beattie, The Australian, October 17, 2009 When
an investor with the track record of US billionaire George Soros is
prepared to put serious money into clean technology, it's time to
realise the climate change debate is more than a passing fad. Why high-speed trains are vital for Australia http://www.cosmosmagazine.com/features/online/3072/why-australia-needs-a-rapid-rail-network Matt Wright, Cosmos, 15 October 2009 A zero-emissions, high-speed train network linking Australian cities, would be visionary, nation building and go a long way to stemming our greenhouse gas emissions. The Coming Energy Revolution: Decentralizing Electricity Stefan Schultz, Spiegel, Electric
cars, intelligent washing machines, mini power plants in your basement:
Germany is on the verge of an energy revolution. Need energy? Forget nuclear and go natural http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/society-and-culture/need-energy-forget-nuclear-and-go-natural-20091014-gvzo.html Mark Diesendorf, The Age, October 14, 2009 Is nuclear power the only way to meet Australia's future energy needs and cut carbon emissions? The answer is no! VERSUS Nuclear energy key to future Leslie Kemeny, The Age, October 14, 2009 About
60 countries are preparing for the Copenhagen climate conference next
December equipped with a unique measure of economic assurance and
environmental confidence. RESPONSE Nuclear delusions keep mushrooming Bill Williams, The Age, October 15, 2009 Little
wonder Australians are reconsidering the nuclear option for electricity
production. The recent wave of euphoric predictions of a global nuclear
renaissance from industry promoters has created high community
expectations. Problems Plague Launch of 'Safer' Next-Generation Reactors Dinah Deckstein, Frank Dohmen and Cordula Meyer, Spiegel, 15 October 2009 The
executives of electric utilities worldwide are dreaming of a
renaissance in nuclear power. But problems with a new, state-of-the-art
reactor in Finland suggest that this is unlikely to happen. The
industry's alternative strategy is to modernize older plants to
drastically extend reactor lifetimes. POLITICS&POLICY---------------- Illusions on the edge of a precipice David Spratt, the Age, 19 October 2009 The climate crisis is not a negotiable issue and politicians must start paying attention to science. Use of Forests as Carbon Offsets Fails to Impress In First Big Trial Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post, October 15, 2009 Project in Bolivia Keeps Trees Standing But Has Little Clear Effect on Emissions Polluting plant asks for public buyout Ben Cubby and Flint Duxfield, SMH, October 16, 2009 THE owner of the country's most heavily polluting coal-fired power plant wants the Government to buy it out with public money rather than face the costs of carbon trading. Supporters say summit won't reach climate deal Thu Oct 15, 2009 9:04am EDT By Richard Cowan, Reuters An
international meeting in December to create tough new goals for
fighting global warming will fail to produce a deal, but more modest
objectives can be achieved, supporters said on Wednesday. Smelters costing us $4.5 billion Royce Millar, The Age, October 17, 2009 A
liberal Party elder and senior member of the state cabinet that decided
to build a huge aluminium smelter in south-western Victoria has
declared the decision ''absolute madness'', saying it had been a costly
''disaster'' for the state. AND Testing our mettle Need for a new era of climate-friendly farming REPORT Global warming suit gets go-ahead Miss. plaintiffs sue energy, utility firms Mark Schleifsteiny, October 17, 2009 A
group of Mississippi landowners can pursue their lawsuit against more
than 30 major oil, electric and coal companies they say have created
global-warming pollutants that contributed to rising sea levels and
increased Hurricane Katrina's destruction. Richard Denniss, Crikey, 21 October 2009 The
CPRS is increasingly looking like the answer to a question that nobody
asked, namely, what would be the best way to introduce a complex and
expensive national scheme that sounds like a solution to climate change
without really changing anything? Arrests in power station protest BBC News, Saturday, 17 October 2009 At least 80 people have been arrested and police and campaigners injured during protests at a Nottinghamshire power station. Sun goes down on solar schools Lenore Taylor | October 16, 2009 THE
Rudd government's $480 million "national solar schools" program was
quietly suspended yesterday afternoon via a notice posted on the
popular scheme's website SCIENCE&IMPACTS-------------- Arctic lands and oceans account for 25 percent of world's net sink of CO2 Washington, October 15, 2009 In
a new study, ecologists estimate that Arctic lands and oceans are
responsible for up to 25 percent of the global net sink of atmospheric
carbon dioxide New Study Says Arctic Could Become Emitter of Carbon Dioxide (audio) Alaska Public Radio News, October 15, 2009 U.S. Headed for Massive Decline in Carbon Emissions http://www.earth-policy.org/index.php?/plan_b_updates/2009/update83 How do we know CO2 is causing warming? Coral growth stunted by CO2 emissions ABC 7.30 Report, 20 October 2009 About
a quarter of CO2 emissions are absorbed into the oceanr. Coral and
shellfish are suffering as a result and recent studies have shown that
the growth of coral is slowing down. Anna Barnett, Nature, 5 October 2009 Concerned
by escalating greenhouse gas emissions, scientists are now looking in
earnest at the possibility of global temperatures rising by 4 °C or
more. Rising seas threaten cities Elaine Kurtenbach, The Whig, 16 October 2009 This
city of 20 million rose from the sea and grew into a modern showcase,
with skyscrapers piercing the clouds, atop tidal flats fed by the
mighty Yangtze River. High tide for housing Marian Wilkinson, SMH, 19 October 2009 The
NSW Premier will give beachfront property owners threatened by coastal
erosion and sea level rises more rights to build sea walls and barriers
to protect homes, despite fears it will severely damage some of the
Australia's best beaches Last time carbon dioxide levels were this high: 15 million years ago, scientists report By Stuart Wolpert,ERW, 13 October 2009 You
would have to go back at least 15 million years to find carbon dioxide
levels on Earth as high as they are today, a UCLA scientist and
colleagues report Oct. 8 in the online edition of the journal Science. PSYCHOLOGY, STRATEGY AND CHANGE------------------ What do politicians think about climate change and how might we influence their thinking? (pdf) http://watch.id.au/share/keep/Politicians_and_climate_change_research.pdf Lizette Willinck-Salmon, 5 October 2009 Taking the temperature of climate scientists, part 2 Margot O'Neill, ABC blog, 15 October 2009 Here's
a sample of how some of the world's leading climate change scientists
who live in Australia are feeling as we hurtle towards the Copenhagen
climate summit in just six weeks. Climate Roulette Mark Hertsgaard, October 26, 2009 edition of The Nation. October 7, 2009 They
say that everyone who finally gets it about climate change has an "Oh,
shit" moment--an instant when the full scientific implications become
clear and they suddenly realize what a horrifically dangerous situation
humanity has created for itself. Hamilton: How to deal with climate change grief Clive Hamilton, Crikey, 16 October 2009 The
climate predictions are frightening. Those who listen to them feel
anxiety, fear, rage, guilt, anguish, helplessness, hope and apathy PAPER Psychological Adaptation to the Threats and Stresses of a Warming World CCCC Reports Recent reports: Global Warming's Six Americas 2009 Climate Change in the American Mind The BBC should report climate change facts rather than political spin Stefan Rahmstorf, Guardian, 19 October 2009 Science reporting that downplays sober science in favour of the shrill shriek of climate denialists is nothing but propaganda. ____Climate change media to 14 October 2009
•••••••Climate: What's to become of the Kyoto Protocol? Marlowe Hood, AFP, 8 October 2009 Whether
to tweak, bolster or bury the Kyoto Protocol -- the only binding global
agreement for curbing greenhouse gases -- has become a red-hot issue as
UN negotiators in Bangkok try to lay the groundwork for a successor
treaty. •••••••Green guru says businesses still don't 'get' climate change James Murray, BusinessGreen, 14 October 2009 Former
executive director of Friends of the Earth, Tom Burke, warns that while
great progress has been made, many firms are reluctant to accept the
extent to which their business models must change to tackle climate
change •••••••Greenland ice sheet could be lost even if CO2 levels are slashed UK Telegraph, 07 October 2009 Global
warming could cause the huge Greenland ice sheet to melt past "tipping
points" from which it could not fully recover - even if carbon dioxide
levels were slashed, a Met Office report has warned. •••••••The ecocidal moment Archbishop Rowan Williams, Guardian, 13 October 2009 The climate and financial crises reveal an amnesia about the human calling. Heed Moses: choose life •••••••Earth Alert: A Photographic Response To Climate Change (24 pictures) ENERGY&INNOVATION-------------- Brumby's dirty secret: coal for export Royce Millar and Adam Morton, The Age, 14 October 2009 Victoria's
massive brown coal reserves look set to be opened up to export for the
first time - prompting claims the state is putting commercial
opportunity ahead of its responsibility to curb greenhouse gas
emissions. Pulling CO2 from the Air David Biello, Environment 360, 8 October 2009 Of
the various geoengineering schemes being proposed to cool an overheated
planet, one approach — extracting carbon dioxide from the atmosphere
using “artificial trees” — may have the most potential. But both
questions and big hurdles remain before this emerging technology could
be widely deployed. Era of cheap, easy oil is over, warns study Louise Gray, UK Telegraph, 08 Oct 2009 The
world could start to run out of oil in the next ten years, sparking
soaring energy prices and a rush for even more polluting fossil fuels,
an influential new study by the UK Energy Research Council has warned. POLITICS&POLICY---------------- At Last, Some Realistic Climate Policy Ideas Ben Eltham, New Matilda, 13 October 2009 The
Greens' amendments to Labor's emissions trading scheme are sensible,
rational improvements to a vital piece of public policy. And they'll be
ignored, writes Ben Eltham Developed country emissions pledges fall short, analysis shows World Resources Institute, Guardian Environment Network, 9 October 2009 And Now For A Healthy Emission New Matilda, 12 October 2009 Michael
Brull loves the smell of civil disobedience in the morning. And when
hundreds of ordinary people showed up at a coal mine south of Sydney on
the weekend, he was there National security response to climate change questioned Margot O'Neill, ABC Lateline, 8 October 2009 Ministers target climate change doubters in prime-time TV advert (video) Publicize or perish Joseph Romm, Climate Progress, 7 October 2009 The scientific community is failing miserably in communicating the potential catastrophe of climate change. Gore launches a 10-year safe climate plan Ali de Blas, Ecos, 12 October 2009 If
Australia is to urgently respond to what is increasingly being
considered the climate emergency, it needs a feasible plan for
fundamental action this decade Maldives Ministers prepare for sub-surface Cabinet meeting to highlight warming ABC News, October 8, 2009 Global warming drops down list Michelle Grattan and Adam Morton, The Age, October 13, 2009 Climate
change is falling as a priority for Australians, the annual Lowy
Institute poll has found - just as the Copenhagen conference approaches
and Liberal leader Malcolm Turnbull is warning that the Opposition must
have a credible policy. SCIENCE&IMPACTS-------------- Water crisis as bad as a war: ALP Melissa Fyfe, The Age, October 11, 2009 Melburnians
believed their 13-year water crisis - with its withering parks and
gardens, dying trees, and the end of carefree water use - was as severe
as facing a war or major natural disaster. Food, famine & climate change: India's scorched earth Alex Renton, The Observer, Sunday 11 October 2009 Suicide
is the latest epidemic among farming communities as climate change
parches the heart of India, destroying agriculture and plunging the
poorest families into crippling debt Fossils Suggest an Ancient CO2-Climate Link Michael D. Lemonick, Time, October 8, 2009 Some of the best evidence linking rising carbon dioxide levels to a warmer world comes from the coldest places on earth. Marine plant life holds the secret to preventing global warming Frank Pope, The Times, October 14, 2009 Life in the ocean has the potential to help to prevent global warming, according to a report published today. Just How Sensitive Is Earth's Climate to Atmospheric Carbon Dioxide? David Biello , Scientific American, October 8, 2009 Two new studies look far back in geologic time to determine how sensitive the global climate is to atmospheric CO2 levels. Both of the World's Ice Sheets May Be Shrinking Faster and Faster Richard A. Kerr, Science, 9 October 2009, 326: 5950 The
latest analysis of the most comprehensive, essentially continuous
monitoring of the two great ice sheets—Greenland's and
Antarctica's—shows that the losses have not eased in the past few
years. More ominously, losses from both appear to have accelerated
during the past 7 years. Himalayan sherpas bugged by the sight of house flies at 5,000m John Vidal, Guardian, 12 October 2009 House flies at Everest basecamp are another sign of climate change that is melting glaciers with worrying speed 'Scary' climate message from past Richard Black, BBC News, 10 October 2009 A
new historical record of carbon dioxide levels suggests current
political targets on climate may be "playing with fire", scientists say. On top of the world Daniel stone, Newsweek, 9 October 2009 Government
estimates suggest that it may take 30 years until the Arctic is
ice-free during the summer. Crunching the numbers, University of
Alaska's Rick Steiner foresees a completely ice-free summer within the
next decade. By then, the crisis will have turned into a catastrophe. ______ Climate change media to 7 October 2009 PIcKS OF THE WEEK ••••••• ••••• Arctic seas turn to acid, putting vital food chain at risk Robin McKie, The Observer, 4 October 2009 With the world's oceans absorbing six million tonnes of carbon a day, a leading oceanographer warns of eco disaster. ••••• China leads accusation that rich nations are trying to sabotage climate treaty John Vidal, Guardian, 5 October 2009 Angry statement from 131 countries at climate talks in Bangkok claims rich nations are rejecting historical responsibilities ••••• Australian carbon pollution reduction scheme legislation – breaching international obligations Client Earth, 27 September 2009 ClientEarth'sevaluation
of the proposed CPRS says that the proposed target range leaves
Australia open to allegations of breach of its international legal
obligations under articles the World Heritage Convention, the UNFCCC
and the Convention on Biological Diversity 1992. ••••• Australia’s Dust Bowl and Global Warming New York Times blog, 30 eptember 2009 How
do scientists know when nature’s disasters are caused by global warming
— a fire, a flood and, in Australia last week, dust storms? ••••• Kingsnorth power station plans shelved by E.ON David Adam and Mark Tran, Guardian, 7 October 2009 Decision hailed by groups who staged Climate Camp protest; Lower electricity demands due to recession cited as reason ••••• Taking the temperature of our climate scientists Margot O'Neill, ABC blogs, 6 October 2009 Have
you heard the one about the international climate scientist buying land
in New Zealand? An isolated, cold and elevated hideaway could be become
de rigeur in family wills to try to protect future generations against
rising sea levels, drought and heatwaves. ••••• A Timely Reminder of the Real Limits to Growth Bill McKibben, Yale 360, 1 October 2009 It
has been more than 30 years since a groundbreaking book predicted that
if growth continued unchecked, the Earth’s ecological systems would be
overwhelmed within a century. The latest study from an international
team of scientists should serve as an eleventh-hour warning that cannot
be ignored. ENERGY&INNOVATION-------------- From Turbines and Straw, Danish Self-Sufficiency John Tagliabue, NY Times, 29 September 2009 The people of this Danish island have seen the future, and it is dim and smells vaguely of straw Nature: Ocean fertilization for geoengineering “should be abandoned” Climate Progress, October 4, 2009 In
the face of seemingly accelerating climate change, some have proposed
tackling the problem with geoengineering: intentionally altering the
planet’s physical or biological systems to counteract global warming.
One such strategy — fertilizing the oceans with iron to stimulate
phytoplankton blooms, absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere and
export carbon to the deep sea — should be abandoned. Rudd has spent not one cent on baseload solar Christine Milne, 1 October 2009 Despite
plenty of hype and grand promises approaching $2 billion, the Rudd
Government has not spent one cent on baseload solar power since it
election, and existing plans look increasingly like "Hollow Men" stunts POLITICS&POLICY---------------- Europe to propose carbon tax across all member states GreenMomentum, 25 September 2009 According
to New Energy Finance, the European Union will propose a carbon-related
tax to be levied across all member states. The proposed directive
introduces minimum levels of taxation on different types of fuels
linked to the intensity of their emissions, to be effective from 2013 The Coalfield Uprising Jeff Biggers, The Nation, October 2009 When
the Environmental Protection Agency declared this year on September 11
that all pending mountaintop removal mining permits in four Appalachian
states stood in violation of the Clean Water Act and required further
review, Lora Webb didn't have time to join in any celebrations. In case of sea change, dismantle and go: developer's environment clause Matthew Moore, Sydney Morning Herald, 6 October 2009 A
developer planning 200 beachfront homes where three houses have already
been lost to the sea will make new owners truck their homes away if the
water gets closer than 50 metres. World needs "CO2 budget" to limit warming: WWF Reuters, 2 October, 2009 The
world is in danger of spending its "carbon budget" by about 2025 and
risks temperatures rising beyond 2 degrees Celsius unless nations adopt
a flexible carbon accounting system, conservation group WWF says in a
report. BBC Worldwide bans short-haul executive flights James Murray, BusinessGreen, 02 Oct 2009 BBC's
commercial arm instigates new green travel plan which prevents staff
from flying within UK and Europe unless a rail journey would take too
long. The Decision Makers... The Age, October 5, 2009 There is a surprise or two among the members of the Government's environment and climate change caucus committee. West is outsourcing, not reducing emissions Cath Everett, BusinessGreen, 02 October 2009 New chief energy scientist says UK emissions could be twice the officially suggested levels No US climate bill before December talks: Obama aide AFP, 3 October 2009 A
top aide to US President Barack Obama said there was virtually no
chance Congress would have a climate and energy bill ready for him to
sign before negotiations on a global climate treaty begin in December
in Copenhagen, The New York Times reported Saturday. Global warming: the failure of capitalism John Passant, Sydney Morning Herald, 2 October 2009 The
CPRS is a massive wealth transfer from working people to the big
business polluters and will do little to reduce carbon pollution in
Australia, the biggest per capita greenhouse gas emitter in the world. Reparations for Climate Chaos Joshua Kahn Russell, Grist, 2 October 2009 Emissions reductions are misleading, says government's new science adviser David Adam, Guardian, 1 October 2009 UK's true energy footprint is twice as big as on paper, according to Professor David MacKay SCIENCE&IMPACTS-------------- How we know global warming is happening, Part 2 Skeptical Science, 2October 2009 Globally,
the oceans have still been steadily accumulating heat right to the end
of 2008. Combined with the results of Murphy 2009 who finds the planet
accumulating heat right to 2003, we now see a picture of unbroken
global warming Vanishing Arctic ice shows no sign of returning Yereth Rosen, Reuters, 2 October 2009 Out
in the Arctic Ocean, about 200 miles (322 km ) north of the nearest
human settlement, the future of the world's climate is written in the
patterns of ice patches on the water's surface. The great drought: Disaster looms in East Africa Daniel Howden, Independent, 3 October 2009 Rotting carcasses testify to the scale of the disaster looming in East Africa. By 2050, 25m more children will go hungry as climate change leads to food crisis Suzanne Goldenberg, The Guardian, 30 September 2009 Report says food shortages will hit developing world; Global warming set to bring back malnutrition Lasers from space show thinning of Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets The
most comprehensive picture of the rapidly thinning glaciers along the
coastline of both the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets has been
created using satellite lasers. The findings are an important step
forward in the quest to make more accurate predictions for future sea
level rise. Experts see Arctic warming decades faster than models predict Climate Progress, 2 October 2009 When it comes to climate change, what happens in the Arctic doesn’t stay in the Arctic. Soot clouds pose threat to Himalayan glaciers Randeep Ramesh and Suzanne Goldenberg, The Observer, 4 October 2009 Fumes from wood fires and from diesel engines accelerate melting, Indian scientists warn Mighty caribou herds dwindle, warming blamed Charles J. Hanley, AP, 4 October 2009 Here
on the endlessly rolling and tussocky terrain of northwest Canada,
where man has hunted caribou since the Stone Age, the vast antlered
herds are fast growing thin. And it's not just here. Mounting Costs of Climate Change Raise Fears of Conflict Ron Corben, IPS, 1 October 2009 The
rising challenge of climate change has raised fears of growing
conflicts as the impact of more extreme weather triggers food water
scarcities across the Asia region. VIDEO&IMAGES------------------------ Will Steffen: Planetary boundaries on climate change and land change Johan Rockström: Introducing Planetary Boundaries American Power: Mitch Epstein's energy photographs Coal Association ad Climate change media to 30 September 2009
••••• No rainforest, no monsoon: get ready for a warmer world Shanta Barley , Nigel Hawtin , Catherine Brahic and Tom Simonite, New Scientist, 30 September 2009 By
2055, climate change is likely to have warmed the world by a dangerous
4 °C unless we stop pumping greenhouse gases into the atmosphere the
way we do now. This is the startling conclusion of a study by the UK
Met Office, unveiled at a conference in Oxford this week. CONFERENCE PAPERS ••••• Post-human Earth: How the planet will recover from us Bob Holmes, New Scientist, 30 September 2009 When
Nobel prize-winning atmospheric chemist Paul Crutzen coined the word
Anthropocene around 10 years ago, he gave birth to a powerful idea:
that human activity is now affecting the Earth so profoundly that we
are entering a new geological epoch. ••••• New Analysis Brings Dire Forecast Of 6.3-Degree Temperature Increase Juliet Eilperin, Washington Post, September 25, 2009 Climate
researchers now predict the planet will warm by 6.3 degrees Fahrenheit
by the end of the century even if the world's leaders fulfill their
most ambitious climate pledges, a much faster and broader scale of
change than forecast just two years ago, according to a report released
Thursday by the United Nations Environment Program ••••• Droughts, melts signal climate change quickening: U.N. Timothy Gardner, Reuters, 24 September 2009 Droughts
from Australia to the U.S. Southwest, acidic ocean water and melting
glaciers are signs that the pace of climate change is surpassing the
worst-case scenarios scientists predicted in 2007, a U.N. report said
on Thursday. REPORT ••••• A safe operating space for humanity Johan Rockström, Will Steffen et al, Nature 461:472-475, 24 September 2009 Identifying
and quantifying planetary boundaries that must not be transgressed
could help prevent human activities from causing unacceptable
environmental change, argue Johan Rockström and colleagues DISCUSSION ••••• Provocative New Study Warns of Crossing Planetary Boundaries Planetary boundaries discussion ENERGY&INNOVATION-------------- First Annual High Altitude Wind Power Conference to Be Held in Northern California November 5-6 The
first High Altitude Wind Power (HAWP) Conference was announced today by
its sponsors, California State University Chico, the BayTEC Alliance
and the Cleantech Innovation Center at Oroville. Coal Association scores own-goal on emissions trading Bernard Keane, Crikey, 29 September 2009 The
Australian Coal Association’s campaign against the Government’s
emission trading scheme has been undermined from the outset by the
Association’s own website, which features material that directly
contradicts the claims in its campaign, and by the CFMEU, which has
attacked the campaign as “blatantly dishonest. Coal Exec admits "clean" coal is unlikely and too expensive New Energy News blog, 18 September 2009 Solar cells could provide US emissions reduction 'wedge' Kate Ravilious, environmentalresearchweb, 21 September 2009 Parking
meters, rooftops, mobile phones and even backpacks are just some of the
places that you might see solar photovoltaic (PV) cells. Spain's Answer to Unemployment: Go Greener Anthony Faiola, Washington Post, September 24, 2009 Leader in Renewable Energy Considers Subsidies, Mandates to Build Industry Bury the carbon and set off a quake Richard Fisher, New Scientist, 23 September 2009 POLITICS&POLICY---------------- EPA proposes regulations on biggest greenhouse-gas emitters Jim Tankersley, LA Times, 30 September 2009 The
Environmental Protection Agency's rules would apply to large-scale
industrial sources of the heat-trapping gases, such as power plants,
factories and oil refineries. Americans are 'illiterate' about climate change, claims expert UK Telegraph, 28 September 2009 America's
lack of knowledge on climate change could prevent the world from
reaching an agreement to stop catastrophic global warming, scientists
said in an attack on the country's environmental policy. Rudd Government an obedient servant of the big polluters Ken Davidson, The Age, 28 September 2009 Canberra appears to be managing the climate change issue. It is not. What makes Europe greener than the US? Guardian, 29 September 2009 The
average American produces three times the amount of CO2 emissions as a
person in France. A US journalist now living in Europe explains how she
learned to love her clothesline and sweating in summer. Climate Cover-Up: The Crusade to Deny Global Warming (book) Starting
in the early 1990s, three large American industry groups set to work on
strategies to cast doubt on the science of climate change. Even though
the oil industry’s own scientists had declared, as early as 1995, that
human-induced climate change was undeniable, the American Petroleum
Institute, the Western Fuels Association (a coal-fired electrical
industry consortium) and a Philip Morris-sponsored anti-science group
called TASSC all drafted and promoted campaigns of climate change
disinformation Business as usual Phillip Adams, The Australian, September 26, 2009 A new "Code Red" alerting residents to catastrophic bushfire conditions will be used this summer. Climate Denialese: A Phrasebook Sarah Burnside, New Matilda, 23 September 2009 Framing those who push for zero emissions as misanthropes addled by 'green faith' is a stock tactic of climate change deniers It's too late to seal a global climate deal. But we need action, not Kyoto II Jeffrey Sachs, Guardian, 29 September 2009 The
Copenhagen climate-change negotiations are 10 weeks off, and time has
run out to reach a detailed international agreement. Yet failure to
reach a comprehensive agreement need not be a cataclysm, if the US,
Europe, China, India and a few others take some important practical
steps while a new protocol continues to be negotiated. MORE ON Copenhagen------ Copenhagen: do we need a plan B? Barack Obama plays down the need to finalise a deal on climate change Has China Really Gotten Serious About Climate Change? China to remain reliant on coal in long term: official Climate groups dismayed by G20's lack of interest SCIENCE&IMPACTS-------------- 4 degrees warming "likely" without CO2 cuts: study Gerard Wynn, Reuters, 28 September 2009 Global
temperatures may be 4 degrees Celsius hotter by the mid-2050s if
current greenhouse gas emissions trends continue, said a study
published on Monday. Climate change will hit developing world harvests hardest Natasha Gilbert, Nature , 30 September 2009 Report quantifies link between global warming and food security. So Shall You Reap Jeneen Interlandi, Newsweek Many farming communities think global warming won't hurt them. They're wrong. Droughts and flooding rains to intensify Nicky Phillips, ABC, 24 September 2009 A new breed of El Nino is on the rise causing more intense monsoons over northern Australia, says a climate scientist. Two meter sea level rise unstoppable-experts Gerard Wynn, Reuters, 9 September 2009 A
rise of at least two meters in the world's sea levels is now almost
unstoppable, experts told a climate conference at Oxford University on
Tuesday Global warning: Sydney dust storm just the beginning Ben Cubby, Sydney Morning Herald, September 23, 2009 The eerie red glare that covered Sydney's sky this morning is a sign of things to come Global warming threatens Mideast UPI, 27 September 2009 Little
by little, Egypt's Mediterranean coastline is being swallowed up by the
sea because of global warming, in some places as much as 100 yards a
year. Pinpointing the cooling effect of aerosols ERW, 22 September 2009 Aerosol
particles can have complex effects on climate. Some, such as sulphate
particles, cool the Earth's surface by reflecting sunlight back into
space, while soot particles tend to absorb sunlight and warming the
Earth Vietnam's war to save Mekong from sea 27 September 2009 By Seth Mydans Cai Rang, Vietnam For
centuries, as monsoon rains, typhoons and wars have swept over them to
disappear in the sunshine, the farmers and fishermen of the Mekong
Delta have drawn life from the water and fertile fields where the great
river ends its 2,700-mile journey to the sea Thinning glaciers driving polar ice loss, satellite survey finds Ian Sample, Guardian, 23 September 2009 Satellite
survey of Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets reveals extensive network
of rapidly thinning glaciers that is driving ice loss in the regions Google Earth launches climate simulator Al
Gore stars in promo video for new emissions scenario features developed
by Google Earth to coincide with Copenhagen climate conference Decadal predictions Climate change media to 22 September 2009
••••• Climate change biggest world-health threat Adam Morton, the Age, 17 September 2009 Failure
by world leaders to reach a strong treaty to cut greenhouse gas
emissions this year could be catastrophic for world health, doctors
from six continents have warned ••••• It's the ecosystem, stupid Ross Gittins, The Age, 23 September 2009 You
little beauty. Prime Minister Kevin Rudd's admission that the world's
leaders are a long way from reaching an agreement on how to respond to
climate change means there's no reason we need to get his carbon
pollution reduction scheme passed by Parliament before the meeting at
Copenhagen in December ••••• Unless we all act together on climate change, everyone loses Marian Wilkinson, Sydney Morning Herald, 22 September 2009 The
world is now collectively planning to build so many coal-fired power
stations over the next 25 years that their lifetime carbon emissions
will equal the total of all the human coal-burning activities since the
beginning of the industrial revolution. ••••• How we discouraged Pacific Islands from tough emissions stance Bernard Keane, Crikey, 21 September 2009 The
extent to which the Government prevented small island states most at
risk from climate change from voicing their support for tough carbon
reduction targets has been confirmed in a leaked document from the
Small Island States forum in August. ••••• US court reinstates 2004 lawsuit against utilities Reuters, 21 September 2009 A
U.S. Appeals Court reinstated Monday a 2004 global warming lawsuit by
eight states and the city of New York against five of the largest U.S.
utilities. ••••• Former coal exec Ian Dunlop: Rudd and Corporate Australia are failing on climate change http://www.crikey.com.au/2009/09/22/former-coal-exec-ian-dunlop-rudd-and-corporate-australia-are-failing-on-climate-change/ Ian Dunlop, Crikey, 22 September 2009 This
week in New York, Prime Minister Kevin Rudd is honoured with
co-chairmanship of a global leaders round table, seeking to revitalise
negotiations on a climate change agreement to be finalised at
Copenhagen in December. But if he brings to this task the government’s
prevailing climate policy mindset, it will further diminish the already
shaky prospects for any realistic agreement at Copenhagen. ENERGY&INNOVATION-------------- Zeta to Mass-Produce Efficient Homes Leora Broydo Vestel, NYTimes blog, September 18, 2009 The
same economic downturn that wreaked havoc on home manufacturers appears
to be creating opportunities for Zeta Communities, a hopeful purveyor
of ultra-efficient multifamily housing. Trains in Spain signal the future Steve Kingstone, BBC News, 22 September 2009 With
no lengthy check-in queues, and a slick security control, many
passengers had turned up at the Spanish capital's Atocha rail terminal
at the last minute, safe in the knowledge that they would still catch
their train. A Whole Lot of Coal Going On: Kaethin Prizer, Conducive, Oct/Nov 2009 The Climate Bill Rolls Over for the Coal Industry Better world: Generate a feed-in frenzy Ben Crystall, New Scientist, 15 September 2009 Paying people who generate green energy and feed it back to the grid is the best way to boost uptake of renewable energy Outback solar scheme scrapped The
federal Opposition has criticised Climate Change Minister Penny Wong
for abandoning a solar incentive program for people in outback
communities. Schwarzenegger orders more renewable energy -- his way Marc Lifsher, LA Times, 16 September 2009 The
governor says California electric utilities must get 33% of their power
from renewable sources by 2020, but he plans to veto Democratic bills
that push to produce it in state. World Bank spends billions on coal-fired power stations despite own warnings http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6836112.ece#cid=OTC-RSS&attr=3392178 Ben Webster, The Times, September 16, 2009 The
World Bank is spending billions of pounds subsidising new coal-fired
power stations in developing countries despite claiming that burning
fossil fuels exposes the poor to catastrophic climate change. POLITICS&POLICY---------------- Copenhagen begins in Beijing. The world waits Ian Katz, Guardian, 16 September 2009 It could be the most crucial question we face today: just what is China's climate change strategy? Ferguson urges “science, not green faith” in letter to Batman residents Andrew Crook, Crikey, 21 September 2009 Energy Minister Martin Ferguson used a taxpayer-funded letter to slam a push for zero emissions as “faith based”. Coal funding under fire Tom Arup, SMH, 15 September 2009 Any
moves to give coal-fired electricity generators more money under an
emissions trading scheme would be an "abominable policy innovation" the
Government's former climate change adviser Ross Garnaut has warned. Scotland unveils world's first carbon budget Severin Carrell, Guardian, 17 September 2009 The Scottish government estimates spending on core services will lead to the release of 11.5m tonnes of carbon dioxide. Yes Men pranksters make fake New York Post about real climate emergency Jonathan Hiskes, Grist, 21 September 2009 The
“culture jamming” prankster troupe The Yes Men contributed to the
Climate Week excitement in New York City this morning by distributing
fake copies of the New York Post. AND Thousands send Global Climate Wake-Up Call to world leaders, leave messages College students protest coal use on campuses AP, 17 September 2009 College
students from Missouri to Oregon are urging their schools to stop using
coal-based electricity in favor of cleaner energy sources ranging from
wood chips to geothermal power. Forget about 2050, we're blowing the carbon budget right now David Spratt, CCR blog, 14 September 2009 Sick
of hearing about greenhouse emission reduction targets for 2020 or 2030
or 2050? Now there's a new way to think about what we need to do in
Australia, and its a million miles from the Canberra debate: The carbon
budget for Australians to 2050 for a 2-degree target runs out in five
and a bit years! Climate change campaigners should not have fixated on carbon dioxide Geoffrey Lean, Telegraph, 18 September 2009 If
climate negotiations 20 years ago concentrated on low-hanging fruits,
the fight against global warming would have been more successfuln. SCIENCE&IMPACTS-------------- Methane mining could trigger killer gas cloud Shanta Barley, New Scientist, 15 September 2009 by BENEATH
the shimmering surface of Africa's Lake Kivu, a deadly time bomb
awaits. A "gold rush" to extract valuable methane from the lake's
depths might trigger an outburst of gas that could wash a deadly,
suffocating blanket over the 2 million people who live around Kivu's
shores. Are walruses the latest canaries in the climate-destroying coal-mine? Climate Progress, September 19, 2009 Just
days after Arctic sea ice receded to the third lowest extent on record,
forcing thousands of walruses ashore, researchers flying along the
Alaska coast stumbled upon a grisly scene: 100 to 200 walrus carcasses
along the shoreline of Icy Cape, southwest of Barrow. Warmest Global Sea-Surface Temperatures for August and Summer NOAA, September 16, 2009 The
world’s ocean surface temperature was the warmest for any August on
record, and the warmest on record averaged for any June-August
(Northern Hemisphere summer/Southern Hemisphere winter) season
according to NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.
The preliminary analysis is based on records dating back to 1880. Desertification – an Invisible Cancer Marcela Valente, IPS, 18 September 2009 "Desertification
is the cancer of the earth," Argentine geographer Elena Abraham told
IPS. "It is a process of degradation that does not manifest itself in
spectacular ways but furtively advances, and by the time it is visible
there is nothing to be done, and people have to move away, in search of
an alternative." Greenhouse gas leaking from Arctic Ocean floor Noreen Parks, ACS, 16 September 2009 Scientists
have reported the presence of previously unknown sources of methane—a
greenhouse gas some 25 times more powerful than CO2 at trapping
heat—bubbling up from the Arctic Ocean seafloor north of Norway.
Gradual warming of a regional current has caused temperature-sensitive
methane hydrate below the seabed to break down and discharge the gas,
the researchers say. Emissions of CO2 Set for Best Drop in 40 Years Jad Mouawad, NYTimes, 21 September 2009 Global
carbon emissions are expected to post their biggest drop in more than
40 years this year as the global recession froze economic activity and
slashed energy use around the world. New insights into Greenland icesheet ABC Science, 17 September 2009 The
Greenland icesheet responded to global warming over the past 10,000
years quickier than previously thought, according to a new study. Severe drought affects 1.3 million in Syria Dania Akkad, The Christian Science Monitor, September 18, 2009 More
than 800,000 people have lost their livelihoods in a four-year dry
spell exacerbated by climate change and rising food prices. Almost half
of them live in urban makeshift camps. Setting cumulative emissions targets to reduce the risk of dangerous climate change VIDEO&IMAGES------------------ Will I still call Australia Home? A climate emergency in the Pacific ____Climate change media to 15 September 2009
••••• Australia coming last on climate Adam Morton, The Age, 14 September 2009 Ausralia
ranks last among wealthy countries in being ready to compete in a clean
energy future or play its part in a strong climate treaty, an
international report has found. AND The world's worst polluters Adam Morton, The Age, 11 September 2009 Australia has the world's highest per capita carbon dioxide emissions from energy use, according to a British analysis. ••••• Extreme ice (great video!!) ••••• Clean energy to create more jobs than coal: study Alister Doyle, Reuters, 13 September 2009 A
strong shift toward renewable energies could create 2.7 million more
jobs in power generation worldwide by 2030 than staying with dependence
on fossil fuels would, a report suggested Monday. REPORT Working for the Climate: Renewable Energy and the Green Job [R]evolution ••••• Schellnhuber: developed countries are 'carbon insolvent' Guardian, 10 September 2009 Hans
Joachim Schellnhuber, Germany's climate adviser and respected
physicist, shares his stark but simple view of how much CO2 we can emit
by 2050 AND Professor Schellnhuber of the Potsdam Institute talks pre industrial carbon levels for safe climate Green fury at plans to sell brown coal to India Melissa Fyfe, The Age, 13 September 2009 The
State Government is considering exporting millions of tonnes of
high-polluting brown coal to developing nations under a plan championed
by Energy Minister Peter Batchelor in a recent cabinet meeting. ••••• Planes 'to reset climate targets' Roger Harrabin, BBC, 9 September 2009 The UK may have to cut emissions of greenhouse gases by 90% by 2050 so the aviation sector can continue to grow. AND Ministers urged to cap aviation emissions to meet carbon targets Caroline Davies, The Guardian, 9 September 2009 Without
steps to stop growth in aviation emissions planes could account for as
much as a fifth of all CO2 produced worldwide by 2050 ••••• Punting on coal is a loser, tell the Government David Spratt, The Age, September 10, 2009 Everyone else can see the folly of propping up polluting industries. ENERGY&INNOVATION---------------------- Coal booming despite Japan's move on emissions Clancy Yeates, The Age, 14 September 2009 Investment
and production in the coal industry are galloping towards record highs,
in stark contrast to moves in Australia's biggest export market to
shift towards cleaner fuels. Better world: Generate a feed-in frenzy Ben Crystall, New Scientist, 15 September 2009 Paying people who generate green energy and feed it back to the grid is the best way to boost uptake of renewable energy. Google plans new mirror for cheaper solar power Poornima Gupta, Reuters, 9 September 2009 Google
Inc is disappointed with the lack of breakthrough investment ideas in
the green technology sector but the company is working to develop its
own new mirror technology that could reduce the cost of building solar
thermal plants by a quarter or more. US and China to unveil joint plan to 'take over' cleantech market Jonathan Watts, Guardian, 9 September 2009 Business
collaboration between US and China to secure clean technology market
opportunities will be unveiled at World Economic Forum in Dalian. U.S. Company and China Plan Solar Project Todd Woody, New York Times, 8 September 2009 Chinese
government officials signed an agreement on Tuesday with First Solar,
an American solar developer, for a 2,000-megawatt photovoltaic farm to
be built in the Mongolian desert. POLITICS&POLICY---------------------- Lost opportunities from the crisis Paddy Manning, Sydney Morning Herald, 12 September 2009 LEHMAN
Brothers' collapse brought the financial system to the brink. But a
year later - not only in Australia, but also in China - the world is
already dusting itself off. New 'code red' warning for dangerous fire days David Rood, The Age, 11 September 2009 Victoria's
most dangerous bushfire days, such as Black Saturday, will be labelled
''code red'' under a new national fire warning system. Clinton Initiative suspends PNG forest carbon plans in wake of scam fears C+E Daily, 10 September 2009 The
Clinton Climate Initiative's forestry program has suspended plans for
carbon credits projects to protect PNG's rainforests, and will instead
focus on projects in Indonesia and Cambodia. More in Europe Look to Carbon Tax to Curb Emissions James Kanter and Matthew Saltmarsh, New York Times, 10 September 2009 Economists have long seen a carbon tax as a good idea because of its simplicity: Polluters pay at a level that is set by decree. AND France Considers a Tax on Carbon Emissions Personal carbon trading: the next step in tackling carbon emissions? The Ecologist, Tuesday 8 September 2009 A report published by the IPPR this week will say personal carbon trading may be the next step in tackling climate change. Plan B Calls for Personal Carbon Rationing SustainableBusiness.com, 10 September 2009 Seventy
years after wartime rationing was introduced, the United Kingdom may
need to look to rationing again--this time of carbon emissions rather
than food--warns a new report published by the Institute for Public
Policy Research (IPPR). Nicholas Stern, world’s top climate economist, endorses 350 ppm as “a very sensible long-term target.” AND Stern: Rich nations will have to forget about growth to stop climate change Lost opportunities from the crisis Paddy Manning, Sydney Morning Herald, 12 September 2009 Lehman
Brothers' collapse brought the financial system to the brink. But a
year later - not only in Australia, but also in China - the world is
already dusting itself off. The 8 Dirtiest Tricks Played by Foes of Clean Energy Reform AND House Unearths a 14th Forged Letter from a Lobbyist Copenhagen---- If Obama can't defeat the Republican headbangers, our planet is doomed David Adam, Guardian, 15 September 2009 One year on, the world still looks to the US and holds its breath. The fate of a global climate treaty rests in American hands Jonathan Freedland, Guardian, 15 September 2009 BUT US planning to weaken Copenhagen climate deal, Europe warns Exclusive:
Key differences between the US and Europe could undermine a new
worldwide treaty on global warming to replace Kyoto, sources say Rich countries to foot climate change bill Tom Arup, 16 September 2009 Rich
countries will have to spend about $550 billion a year to help
developing countries tackle climate change, the World Bank has
estimated before crucial international talks next week. Japanese carbon cut may sweep away UN who-jumps-first obsession Rchard Ingham, Brisbane Times, 8 September 2009 Japan's
announcement of a 25 per cent cut in its greenhouse gas emissions could
be a game-changer at the UN showdown on climate change in Copenhagen in
December, observers say. Can climate spending save money? Richard Black, BBC News blogs, 10 September 2009 How much are you prepared to pay to combat climate change? Hazelwood community protest------- What Is A 'Community Decommission Order'? Politics has failed — time for civil disobedience Hazelwood protest included 'ordinary people', not just guys in wombat suits Police tactics under fire at Hazelwood Video Hazelwood protest has support of key greens Police tactics under fire at Hazelwood Photos SCIENCE&IMPACTS---------------------- Climate change onslaught on Arctic wildlife Emily Beamant, 11 Sep 2009 Polar
bears, seals and walruses are among a host of wildlife being hit by
“devastating changes” brought on by warming temperatures in the Arctic,
scientists have warned. Arctic May Be Changed Forever, Study Finds Live Science, Andrea Thompson, 10 September 2009 The
dramatic changes sweeping the Arctic as a result of global warming
aren't just confined to melting sea ice and polar bears — a new study
finds that the forces of climate change are propagating throughout the
frigid north, producing different effects in each ecosystem with the
upshot that the face of the Arctic may be forever altered Climate change: melting ice will trigger wave of natural disasters Robin McKie, The Observer, 6 September 2009 Scientists
at a London conference next week will warn of earthquakes, avalanches
and volcanic eruptions as the atmosphere heats up and geology is
altered. Even Britain could face being struck by tsunamis. Greenland's melt mystery unfolds, at glacial pace Karl Ritter, AP, 11 September 2009 Suddenly
and without warning, the gigantic river of ice sped up, causing it to
spit icebergs ever faster into the ocean off southeastern Greenland. Climate change media to 8 September 2009 ••••• Great Barrier Reef faces catastrophe Tom Arup, The Age, 3 September 2009 The
Great Barrier Reef's chances of survival from even moderate climate
change are poor and ''catastrophic damage'' may not be avoided, a
report has found. AND How global warming sealed the fate of the world's coral reefs David Adam, Guardian, 2 September 2009 Destroyed
by rising carbon levels, acidity, pollution, algae, bleaching and El
Niño, coral reefs require a dramatic change in our carbon policy to
have any chance of survival, report warns AND Rising ocean temperature 'threatens coral' Murray Cornish, ABC News, 2 September 2009 Ocean temperatures on the northern Great Barrier Reef have stayed a degree above average through winter. ••••• First-Ever Climate Change Vulnerability Index Identifies the Most and Least Vulnerable... Reuters, 23 July 2009 The
newly released Maplecroft Climate Change Risk Report includes the
first-ever climate change vulnerability index and a set
of best-to-worst rankings for more than 168 countries worldwide. AND Climate change risk report ••••• 10:10 launch attracts campaigners, celebs and a public eager for change http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/sep/01/10-10-launch-tate Adam Vaughan, Guardian, 1 September 2009 Director Mike Figgis, author Sarah Waters, and chef Hugh Fearnley-Whittingstall are among those there to sign up. AND The 10:10 campaign offers more than emissions reductions ••••• Scientists study possible responses to climate emergencies Eureka Alert, 1 September 2009 The
future of the Earth could rest on potentially dangerous and unproven
geoengineering technologies unless emissions of carbon dioxide can be
greatly reduced, a new study has found. AND Investment in geo-engineering needed immediately, says Royal Society REPORT ••••• Stumbling to Copenhagen Adam Morton, The Age, 5 September 200909 It
was a spectacular photo opportunity - the United Nations
Secretary-General at Norway's Ny-Aalesund climate change research
centre, surrounded by ice. Just not as much ice as once would have been
there. ••••• Caldeira calls the vision of Lomborg’s Climate Consensus “a dystopic world out of a science fiction story” Joseph Romm, 5 september 2009 If
you don’t do aggressive greenhouse mitigation starting now, you pretty
much take geo-engineering off the table as a very limited (but still
dubious) add-on strategy. FOCUS ON "CLEAN" COAL-------------- Too late for clean coal? Margot ONeill, Lateline, 3 September 2009 Amid
the dire predictions of climate change - international governments and
the fossil fuel industry are clinging to the promise of clean coal
technology. But some are warning that it may already be too late for
clean coal, unless billions of dollars are poured into the technology
very quickly The planet-saver that's still just a pipe dream Paddy Manning, Brisbane Times, September 7, 2009 Carbon capture and storage is expensive, risky and may not work, writes Paddy Manning. Clean Coal in China Said to Face ‘Staggering’ Costs Jim Efstathiou Jr., Bloomberg, 4 September 2009 Western
governments pushing China to use clean-coal technology may need to
lower their expectations for the world’s largest producer of greenhouse
gases. The coal nightmare 4 Corners, ABC TV, 7 September 2009 Reporter
Liz Jackson travels to China and the United States, the world's two big
coal burning countries, to find out how far they've come in creating a
technology that will trap and store greenhouse gases. What she found
will shock you. Coal on the outer as US goes green Peter Beattie, The Australian, September 05, 2009 I
grew up to a Rolling Stones song that said, "Time is on my side. Yes it
is." For our coal industry, sadly, it is not. In fact, if the US
experience is anything to go by, time is fast running out. China faces massive bill for clean coal Sydney Morning Herald, September 5, 2009 Western
governments pushing China to use clean-coal technology may need to
lower their expectations for the world's largest producer of greenhouse
gases. ENERGY&INNOVATION-------------- The electric-fuel-trade acid test The Economist, 3 September 2009 After
many false starts, battery-powered cars seem here to stay. Are they
just an interesting niche product, or will they turn motoring upside
down? $1.6bn not enough to build Rudd's solar vision Lenore Taylor, The Australian, September 05, 2009 Kevin
Rudd's budget promise to produce 1000 megawatts of solar power by
building "the single-largest solar power station in the world" cannot
be met within the Rudd government's $1.6billion budget, the renewable
energy industry has warned. Ontario Coal Closure Launches Countdown To Green Energy Onario, 3 September 2009 Early Closure of Four Coal Units Significant Milestone to Improving Air Quality and Lives Is solar power the future for Whyalla? ABC AM, 3 September 2009 In
South Australia, Whyalla is known as a steel city, with iron-ore mines
nearby, and steelworks historically providing the lion's share of the
town's employment. But if iron and steel employed 5,000 people at their
peak in the mid-70s, now the figure's down below 2,000. So could
Whyalla now go from steel to solar? POLITICS&POLICY---------------- Where to now on the CPRS? http://blogs. crikey.com. au/rooted/ 2009/09/04/ where-to- now-on-the- cprs/ Tim Hollo, Crikey blogsSeptember 4, 2009 There´s a lot of burn-out in the climate movement right now. A lot of tired people, a lot of grumpy people. I know - I am one! AND Carbon scandal snares Australian Marian Wilkinson and Ben Cubby, The Age, 4 September 2009 An Australian company has been swept up in a $100 million carbon trading scandal in Papua New Guinea. The US freezes on climate change Kate Sheppard, the Guardian, 3 September 2009 The stalled US climate change debate has killed the hope of reaching a final agreement at the Copenhagen summit UN: Rich countries will suffer unless they help poor on climate change Ashley Seager, Guardian, 1 September 2009 £300bn needed by poor nations to tackle carbon emissions; Failure to give could reduce world gross product by 20% AND Australia pressed on climate aid Climate Camp hits the govt Liz Stephens and Ian Dunt, 2 September 2009 The protesters then unfurled a banner reading: "Climate Emergency: Sink or Swim" and proceeded to hand out goggles to passers-by Widen global warming fight beyond CO2: U.N. Alister Doyle, Reuters, 4 September 2009 The
world should widen a fight against global warming by curbing a string
of pollutants other than carbon dioxide, the main greenhouse gas, the
U.N. Environment Programme (UNEP) said on Friday. Seeking rapid change in human behavior Douglas Fischer, Daily Climate, 5 September 2009 Paul
Ehrlich, citing 'humanity's collision with the natural world,' launches
a new forum to direct human activity toward a more sustainable future. Tougher global warming caps still possible: U.N. Reuters, September 4, 2009 The
world can still cap global warming at far lower levels than widely
expected if nations "bite the bullet" and slash greenhouse gas
emissions, the chairman of the U.N. climate panel says. SCIENCE&IMPACTS-------------- Studies of the Arctic Suggest a Dire Situation Bryan Walsh, Time, 5 September 2009 Climate
change is happening everywhere, but nowhere faster than in the Arctic,
where annual temperatures in the far North are warming twice as fast as
the rest of the globe. Albania to Zimbabwe: the climate change risk list AFP, 2 September 2009 Africa
and much of south Asia face extreme risk from climate change but top
carbon polluters will be relatively shielded from its ravages,
according a ranking of 166 nations obtained by AFP Wednesday. What's Holding Antarctic Sea Ice Back From Melting? Adam Voiland, 2 September 2009 Global
temperatures are increasing. Sea levels are rising. Ice sheets in many
areas of the world are retreating. Yet there’s something peculiar going
on in the oceans around Antarctica: even as global air and ocean
temperatures march upward, the extent of the sea ice around the
southern continent isn’t decreasing. In fact, it's increasing. Earth experiment could buy precious time Alan Gadian, BBC News, 1 September 2009 As
the UK's Royal Society prepares to publish its conclusions on whether
geo-engineering can help combat climate change, physicist Alan Gadian
argues that geo-engineering techniques, in particular cloud whitening,
must be properly tested - and soon. Climate change killing corals, costing billions: study AFP, 2 September 2009 Climate change is killing valuable coral reef systems, a United Nations-backed report published on Wednesday warned. Studies of the Arctic Suggest a Dire Situation Bryan Walsh, Time, 5 September 2009 Climate
change is happening everywhere, but nowhere faster than in the Arctic,
where annual temperatures in the far North are warming twice as fast as
the rest of the globe. Australia’s weird winter Blair Trewin, September 4, 2009 Australia
has just experienced an exceptionally warm August. Almost the entire
country experienced above-average temperatures during the month, but
the warmth was most extraordinary in the subtropics. Our best guess about global warming may be wrong Moises Velasquez-Manoff, The Christian Science Monitor, August 31, 2009 Scientists wonder whether rising CO2 may trigger something else that further warms the climate The Sermilik fjord in Greenland: a chilling view of a warming world Patrick Barkham,The Guardian, 1 September 2009 'We all live on the Greenland ice sheet now. Its fate is our fate' Dead ahead: Similar early warning signals of change in climate Eureka Alerts, 2 September 2009 Scientists identify 'tipping points' at which sudden shifts to new conditions occur Arctic sea ice thickness down 53 percent UPI, 2 September 2009 US
scientists using satellite data and records from cold war submarine
missions have found Arctic Ocean ice thickness has declined 53 percent
since 1980 Global warming has made Arctic summers hottest for 2,000 years Ian Sample, Guardian, 3 September 2009 The Arctic has warmed as a result of climate change, despite the Earth being farther from the sun during summer months Climate Change Threatens Water, Food Security of 1.6 Billion South Asians ADB, 2 September 2009 Melting
Himalayan glaciers and other climate change impacts pose a direct
threat to the water and food security of more than 1.6 billion people
in South Asia, according to preliminary findings of a new study
financed by ADB. VIDEO---------- Greenland: a dangerously melting world Climate change media to 1 September 2009
•••••• It's not drought, it's climate change, say scientists Melissa Fyfe, The Sunday Age, 30 August 2009 SCIENTISTS
studying Victoria's crippling drought have, for the first time, proved
the link between rising levels of greenhouse gases and the state's
dramatic decline in rainfall •••••• Scientists warn UN "drastically under-estimated" climate change costs James Murray, BusinessGreen, 28 Aug 2009 With 100 days to go until Copenhagen, new report slams official climate change costs estimates as woefully inaccurate REPORT Assessing the costs of adaptation to climate change: A critique of the UNFCCC estimates •••••• The 350 Climate Campaign Claims a Victory Dan Shapley, The Daily Green, 25 August 2009 The
"Colbert Bump" leads to a United Nations endorsement for a simple
global warming goal: Base political negotiations on current science. •••••• Averting a perfect storm of shortages Stephen Mulvay, BBC News, 24 August 2009 As
the world's population grows, competition for food, water and energy
will increase. Food prices will rise, more people will go hungry, and
migrants will flee the worst-affected regions. •••••• Melting glaciers threaten 'Nepal tsunami' Subel Bhandari, AFP, 30 August 2009 Over
two decades, Funuru Sherpa has watched the lake above his native
village of Dengboche in Nepal's Himalayas grow, as the glacier that
feeds it melts. •••••• Polluters win no matter who is in power Kenneth Davidson, The Age, 31 August 2009 Labor's policies to tackle climate change pander to big business. •••••• Plimer’s homework assignment Gavin Schmidt, RealClimate, 24 August 2009 Some
of you may be aware of George Monbiot’s so-far-unsuccessful attempt to
pin down Ian Plimer on his ridiculous compendium of non-science. In
response to Monbiot’s request for explanation and sources for some of
Plimer’s more bizarre claims, Plimer has responded with a homework
assignment that is clearly beyond even his (claimed) prowess ENERGY&INNOVATION-------------- U.S. Biofuel Boom Running on Empty Ann Davis and Russell Gold, Wall St Journal, 27 August 2009 The biofuels revolution that promised to reduce America's dependence on foreign oil is fizzling out. Man-made volcanoes may cool Earth Jonathan Leake, The Sunday Times, 30 August 2009 The
Royal Society is backing research into simulated volcanic eruptions,
spraying millions of tons of dust into the air, in an attempt to stave
off climate change. Maldives find a new black gold http://business.timesonline.co.uk/tol/business/industry_sectors/natural_resources/article6814774.ece Jonathan Leake, The Sunday Times, 30 August 2009 For
Craig Sams, life is sweet. The entrepreneur, who with co-founder Jo
Fairley sold the Green & Black’s organic chocolate firm to Cadbury
for a reputed £20m, has founded a biochar business, and his firm is
about to announce its first deal with the government of the Maldives. POLITICS&POLICY---------------- Activists seek tough UN climate pact in 100 days Alister Doyle, Reuters, 28 August 2009 Activists
launched what they called the world's biggest campaign to combat global
warming on Friday, urging governments to agree a tough U.N. climate
pact at talks in Copenhagen starting in 100 days' time. Carbon Trading Scheme Pushing People off Their Land Wambi Michael, IPS, 31 August 2009 With
the world’s attention focused on climate change, one of the methods
suggested to reduce global carbon emissions is causing the displacement
of indigenous persons as western companies rush to invest in
tree-planting projects in developing countries. A Sometimes Lonely Trek for Global Warming Awareness Leslie Kaufman, New york Times. 28 August 2009 On
Route 11 north of Tuscaloosa, Ala., last April, a pickup truck pulled
up next to Greta Browne, and a young man began lecturing her about
global warming. Top UN climate scientist backs ambitious CO2 cuts Marlowe Hood, AFP, 25 August 2009 Barely
100 days before the world hopes to seal a global climate treaty, the
UN's top climate scientist has given his personal endorsement to hugely
ambitious goals for slashing emissions. U.S. Chamber of Commerce seeks trial on global warming Jim Tankersley, LA Times, 25 August 2009 The
business lobby, hoping to fend off potentially sweeping emission
limits, wants the EPA to hold a 'Scopes'-like hearing on the evidence
that climate change is man-made. Hijacked by climate change? Richard Black, BBC News, 27 August 2009 As
the UN climate summit in Copenhagen approaches, exhortations that "we
must get a deal" and warnings that climate change is "the greatest
challenge we face as a species" are to be heard in virtually every
political forum. Carbon tax better: Clinton official http://business.theage.com.au/business/carbon-tax-better-clinton-official-20090826-ezu5.html Tim Colebatch, The Age, August 27, 2009 Trading of emission permits around the world will become a financial rort that fails to reduce carbon emissions - and will ultimately be scrapped in favour of a simple carbon tax, a former senior official in the Clinton administration has forecast SCIENCE&IMPACTS-------------- Sea rise 'will exceed forecast' The Age, August 29, 2009 Climate
change is likely to lead to sea level rises above the State
Government's previous expectation of 80 centimetres by 2100, a new
report says. Climate trouble may be bubbling up in far north Charles J. Hanley, AP, 30 August 2009 Only
a squawk from a sandhill crane broke the Arctic silence — and a low
gurgle of bubbles, a watery whisper of trouble repeated in countless
spots around the polar world. Nepal villagers on climate change frontline AFP, August 28, 2009 This
year Nepal's winter rains failed altogether, leading to severe water
shortages and power cuts of up to 18 hours a day in the capital as
hydro-electric projects struggled to meet demand. Computing climate change The Economist, 24 August 2009 According
to a report published by the Climate Group, a think-tank based in
London, computers, printers, mobile phones and the widgets that
accompany them account for the emission of 830m tonnes of carbon
dioxide around the world in 2007 Taming the Yellow Dragon Chris Gelken, CriEnglish, 25 August 2009 Experts
say the risk of further desertification now poses one of the greatest
environmental and ecological threats to sustainable development - not
only to China, but also to the whole North East Asian region. Water shortage threatens two million people in southern Iraq Martin Chulov, Guardian, 26 August 2009 Electricity supply to Nasiriyah has dropped by 50% because of falling levels of Euphrates river. Climate tipping point defined for US crop yields Shanta Barley, New Scientist, 26 August 2009 While
news reports and disaster movies remind us about tipping points for
Arctic melt and sea level rise, some things closer to home get less
attention. Take food supply: new modelling studies show that there are
climate tipping points here too, beyond which crop yields will collapse. Nitrous oxide fingered as monster ozone slayer Janet Ralof, Science News, 27 August 2009 New
calculations indicate that it has risen to become the leading threat to
the future integrity of stratospheric ozone, Earth’s protective shield
against the sun’s harmful ultraviolet rays. Editor's note: And it also a significant greenhouse gas! AND Manure major source of greenhouse gas Nicky Phillips, ABC News, 31 August 2009 A
new study has found manure is the major driver behind a rise in
atmospheric nitrous oxide levels since the beginning of last century. “Global Warming Is A Medical Emergency”: Hellish heatwaves to harm health of millions Joseph Romm, Climate Progress, August 26, 2009 Tipping elements remain a 'hot' issue |