Logging the Onset of The Bottleneck Years
This weekly posting is brought to you courtesy of H. E. Taylor. Happy reading, I hope you enjoy this week's Global Warming news roundup
Another week of Global Warming News
Logging the Onset of The Bottleneck Years
November 27, 2011
- Chuckles, COP17+, Horn of Africa, Schmittner et al.
- CRU2, SREX, GCF, Ecocide, Cook, Post CRU
- Fukushima Note, Fukushima News, Nuclear Policy
- Melting Arctic, Antarctica
- Food Crisis, GMOs, Food Production
- Hurricanes, Monsoon, GHGs, Carbon Cycle, Temperatures, Aerosols, Paleoclimate
- ENSO, Climate Sensitivity, Extinctions, Satellites
- Impacts, Forests, Desertification, Extreme Weather, Phenology
- Wildfires, Corals, Acidification, Glaciers, Sea Levels, Floods & Droughts
- Mitigation, Transportation, Buildings, Sequestration, Adaptation
- Journals, Other Docs , Misc. Science, Margulis
- Rio+20, UN, Carbon Trade, Bank Tax, Optimal Carbon Reduction Strategy
- International Politics: Solar Spat, Law & Activism, Activism, Polls, H2O Biz, Predictions
- National Politics: America, BP Disaster, 2012, Keystone XL, Obama, USAdmin, Congress
- Britain, Europe, Australia, MDBP, New Zealand, India, China, Japan, Middle East, South America
- Canada, Post G20, Offshore Drilling, Water, Job Cuts, Pipelines, CWB, ISA, BC, Tar Sands, Alberta, North, Canadiana
- Ecological Economics, Apocalypso, Media, Books, Video, Courts
- Energy, Fracking, Coal, Oil & Gas, Pipelines, Peak Oil, Biofuel
- Wind, Solar, FITs, Nukes, LENR, Grid, Efficiency, Cars, Energy Storage
- Business, Greenwashing, Joe's List, Carbon Lobby, Miscellaneous Climate, Useful Links
- New Web Site, Shameless Self Promotion, .sig
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- 2011/11/25: uComics: (cartoon - Toles) A New Tax
- 2011/11/23: SeattlePI: (cartoon - Horsey) One way to end debt: hit the brakes and do nothing
- 2011/11/22: DVoice: (gfx) Corporation by Doug Minkler
- 2011/11/21: Flickr: (pic) There is no Planet B
Looking ahead to COP17 and future international climate negotiations:
- COP17/CMP7 - Durban
- UNFCCC: The United Nations Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, COP 17 / CMP 7, 28 November - 9 December 2011
- UNFCCC: Durban Climate Change Conference - November 2011
- 2011/11/24: PI: [link to 378k pdf] UN climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa
- 2011/11/27: BBC: Climate summit faces big emitters' stalling tactics
Some of the developing world's biggest greenhouse gas emitters are bidding to delay talks on a new climate agreement. To the anger of small islands and other vulnerable countries, India and Brazil are joining rich nations such as the US and Japan in wanting to start talks on a legal deal no earlier than 2015. The EU and climate-vulnerable blocs want to start as soon as possible, and have the deal finalised by 2015. - 2011/11/26: CBC:Q&Q: The Rocky Road to Durban
- Nature News Special : Climate showdown in Durban
- 2011/11/25: Guardian(UK): A meaningful Durban treaty would be a triumph of weak over strong
- 2011/11/24: BBC: UK calls for new legal climate deal by 2015
The UK's climate secretary has called on delegates at next week's UN climate summit to agree on a way to deliver a legally-binding global treaty by 2015. It should "start to bite" into emissions by 2020, Chris Huhne said. - 2011/11/24: Guardian(UK): Climate change: vulnerable countries consider 'occupying' Durban talks
Former president of Costa Rica calls on countries most affected by climate change to refuse to leave talks until progress is made - 2011/11/24: Guardian(UK): Chris Huhne: a new global climate change treaty is not a luxury
- 2011/11/24: Guardian(UK): At Durban, the big emitters will no doubt fail us again on climate change
- 2011/11/25: PlanetArk: UK Wants Global Climate Pact "Operational" By 2020
- 2011/11/26: GEP: What to Look for in Durban
- 2011/11/25: NewInt: Are Durban climate talks worth the bother?
- 2011/11/26: 350orBust: Bracing For Disappointment As Durban Climate Talks Begin
- 2011/11/24: DerSpiegel: EU Climate Chief on UN Summit -- 'Whatever We Pledge Should Be Equally Binding'
With UN climate talks starting next week in Durban, South Africa, hopes remain for new momentum in the drive to reduce CO2 emissions. In an interview with Spiegel Online, EU Climate Commissioner Connie Hedegaard reveals Europe's strategy. Divisions between rich and poor countries must end, she says. - 2011/11/25: DerSpiegel: UN Environment Chief -- 'Climate Policy is Neither Futile Nor Defeated'
Achim Steiner, 50, executive director of the United Nations Environment Program, speaks to Spiegel about the current state of global climate negotiations ahead of the UN conference in Durban, South Africa. If the world can afford billions in bank bailouts, it can also subsidize climate protection to ensure a better future, he argues. - 2011/11/26: Guardian(UK): Western nations 'used bullying tactics' at climate talks
World Development Movement report accuses developed countries of threatening behaviour at climate change summits - 2011/11/24: CDreams: UN Chief Slams Rich Nations' Plans to Delay Climate Change Treaty
Achim Steiner says reaching an agreement in 2020 instead of at next month's Durban conference would be 'very high risk' - 2011/11/24: EUO: Developing world's climate arguments are out of date, says EU
The EU has said it will sign up to extending the international treaty on climate change but has little hope that the US and China will follow suit. In a speech laying out the EU's position ahead of international talks beginning in Durban next week, EU climate change chief Connie Hedegaard Thursday (24 November) said it is unlikely that Washington and Beijing will sign up to "what the world needs" but called on them to set out a clear "roadmap." - 2011/11/23: TP:JR: Congress Skips Durban Climate Talks: Is That a Good Thing?
- 2011/11/24: PlanetArk: Science Not Politics Must Drive Durban Climate Talks
- 2011/11/24: PlanetArk: Angela Merkel: China, India, Brazil Must Cut CO2 Emissions
- 2011/11/23: Guardian(UK): UN chief slams rich nations' plans to delay climate change treaty
Achim Steiner says reaching an agreement in 2020 instead of at next month's Durban conference would be 'very high risk' - 2011/11/23: Guardian(UK): [Letters] Lack of agreement on climate change helps no one
- 2011/11/23: PlanetArk: China Says Economic Woes No Excuse For Climate Inaction
- 2011/11/23: NatureN: India pushes for tech transfer at Durban climate talks
Environment minister says that sharing intellectual property is vital for tackling global warming. - 2011/11/21: CCurrents: Rich Nations 'Give Up' On New Climate Treaty Until 2020
- 2011/11/22: Guardian(UK): China pre-empts Durban conference with boasts on green progress
- 2011/11/22: PlanetArk: Africa Leads Climate Push As Its People Go Hungry
- 2011/11/22: NatureN: Showdown nears for climate deal -- Expected debate over Kyoto Protocol threatens to stall progress on other fronts
- 2011/11/21: CSW: IPCC says essential actions needed to reduce risks of changing climate extremes
- 2011/11/21: BWeek: U.S. Sets High Bar for Post-2020 Climate Accord, Stern Says
Climate-change deals reached at a United Nations meeting starting this month may be "completely silent" about how to combat global warming after 2020, the U.S. climate envoy said. "It's not self-evident that you need to talk about that at all," Todd Stern, President Barack Obama's lead climate negotiator, told reporters yesterday at a briefing in Arlington, Virginia. - 2011/11/21: Guardian(UK): Climate aid dispute 'would jeopardise Durban conference'
Brazil's climate negotiator, Luiz Alberto Figueiredo, issues warning to America and other industrialised countries America and other industrialised countries are being warned they could prompt the collapse of next week's Durban climate talks if they to try to escape their commitments to a $100bn climate aid fund. - 2011/11/21: Guardian(UK): Talk point: What is at stake for poor countries in Durban talks?
- 2011/11/20: Guardian(UK): Rich nations 'give up' on new climate treaty until 2020
Ahead of critical talks and despite pledge for new treaty by 2012, biggest economies privately admit likelihood of long delay - 2011/11/22: CSM: Kenya's Somalia operation hits at humanitarian aid
- 2011/11/21: Guardian(UK): Sudan -- battling the twin forces of civil war and climate change
- 2011/11/21: JQuiggin: Still time to help East Africa
The Schmittner et al. paper on temperature reconstructions of the LGM has implications for climate sensitivity:
- 2011/11/24: Science: (ab$) Climate Sensitivity Estimated from Temperature Reconstructions of the Last Glacial Maximum by Andreas Schmittner et al.
- 2011/11/24: Science: (ab$) Using the Past to Predict the Future? by Gabriele C. Hegerl & Tom Russon
- 2011/11/25: QuarkSoup: A Lower Climate Sensitivity
- 2011/11/25: JEB: More on Schmittner
- 2011/11/24: Eureka: Climate sensitivity to CO2 more limited than extreme projections
- 2011/11/24: P3: Interview with Nathan Urban on his new paper "Climate Sensitivity Estimated from Temperature Reconstructions of the Last Glacial Maximum"
- 2011/11/24: BBC: Climate sensitivity to CO2 probed
Global temperatures could be less sensitive to changing atmospheric carbon dioxide (CO2) levels than previously thought, a study suggests. - 2011/11/25: ABC(Au): Global warming rate could be less than feared
- 2011/11/27: SkeptiSci: Schmittner et al. (2011) on Climate Sensitivity - the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly by dana1981
- 2011/11/25: MLynas: Climate sensitivity -- Could we be lucky?
- 2011/11/25: ERW: Is climate sensitivity lower than IPCC finding?
Like it could have been predicted, the ClimateGate 2.0 PR campaign rolled out just in time for Durban:
- 2011/11/25: MattGBush: Who are the real sceptics? [CRU2]
- 2011/11/25: QuarkSoup: 200,000 More Emails??
- 2011/11/25: DeSmogBlog: Did UK Police Quietly Sideline 'Climategate' Hacker Investigation?
- 2011/11/26: Tamino: What a Bore [CRU2]
- 2011/11/25: CSW: On finding one's email in the hacked climate science email files
- 2011/11/25: BCLSB: "Climategate" 2.0: Anatomy Of A Fake Scandal
- 2011/11/25: PSinclair: Press Begins Skeptical Dissection of Bogus Climate Hack Spin
- 2011/11/24: P3: Of emails and scientific research
- 2011/11/24: Maribo: Coming clean: new e-mail leak proves climate change is a hoax
- 2011/11/24: Guardian(UK): The leaked climate science emails -- and what they mean
- 2011/11/23: UEA: Cherry-picked phrases explained
Professor Phil Jones, and his colleagues, explain the context of some of the phrases cherry-picked from the thousands of emails (1995-2009) posted on the web on November 22, 2011. - 2011/11/23: PI:B: Climate confusion sequel heads straight to video
- 2011/11/23: NatureNB: Climate scientists respond to second e-mail leak
- 2011/11/23: ScienceInsider: Son of Climategate: 5000 New UEA E-mails Released, Jones Responds
- 2011/11/24: CSW: Pro-science pushback helps put release of second batch of climate scientist emails in perspective
- 2011/11/24: PeakEnergy: New Climategate emails reveal life is tough for scientists
- 2011/11/23: CCP: Don Shelby: How will the media handle Climategate Version 2.0?
- 2011/11/23: PSinclair: Abraham: Smarter This Time Around [CRU2]
- 2011/11/23: QuarkSoup: Apology to Michael Mann [CRU2]
- 2011/11/23: WottsUWT: Climategate 2.0 emails -- They're real and they're spectacular!
- 2011/11/23: Guardian(UK): Climate scientists defend work in wake of new leak of hacked emails
Latest leak appears to be attempt to undermine public support for international climate change action ahead of Durban talks - 2011/11/23: CCP: Republicans for the Environment: 'Climategate 2' Belongs on the Cutting Room Floor
- 2011/11/23: Guardian(UK): Attacks on climate scientists are the real 'climategate'
- 2011/11/23: Guardian(UK): Failure to catch climate email hacker is the real scandal
- 2011/11/23: PSinclair: Bad News for Deniers: Grown-ups Weigh in on Email Leftovers
- 2011/11/22: SkeptiSci: Climategate 2.0: Denialists Serve Up Two-Year-Old Turkey by Rob Painting, dana1981
- 2011/11/22: Grist: New batch of Climategate emails even lamer than the first
- 2011/11/22: Deltoid: Stolen CRU emails: the rejects
- 2011/11/22: DM:BA: Climategate 2: More ado about nothing. Again.
- 2011/11/23: BCLSB: "ClimateGate" II: The Media Snores
- 2011/11/22: TreeHugger: ClimateGate Part Deux is a Snoozefest
- 2011/11/22: CSM: Hacked 'Climategate' emails 'truly pathetic,' says climate scientist
Climate scientist Michael Mann blasted the release of new leaked emails and documents taken from the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit as "truly pathetic" and a "shameless effort to manufacture a false controversy" on Tuesday (Nov. 22) - 2011/11/23: BBC: Climate emails: Storm or yawn?
Another year, another UN climate summit on the horizon... and another release of emails hacked from climate researchers at the University of East Anglia. - 2011/11/22: CCP: Media Already Botching Reports On Hacked Climate Emails
- 2011/11/22: CCP: There is a real climategate out there
- 2011/11/23: PSinclair: The Real "Climate-Gate"
- 2011/11/22: QuarkSoup: A Good Link to the Zipped File of Emails
- 2011/11/22: TPL: Recycled Chum aka Denier Bait
- 2011/11/22: S&R: Zombie climate emails rise again (updated)
- 2011/11/23: HotTopic: Two year old turkey for Thanksgiving: CRU emails part deux
- 2011/11/22: SMandia: Snippets of Stolen Emails Cannot Make the Earth Flat
- 2011/11/22: QuarkSoup: East Anglia SwiftHack Email Nontroversy Returns: What You Need To Know
- 2011/11/22: QuarkSoup: Real 'Climategate' Scandal: UK Police Spent Measly $8,843 In Failed Attempt to Identify Criminal Hacker
- 2011/11/22: CBC: New 'Climategate' emails old but genuine -- Emails believed to be from previous leak, but held for upcoming Durban climate talks
- 2011/11/22: Guardian(UK): Q&A: 'Climategate'
- 2011/11/22: QuarkSoup: The New Batch of Emails Looks Bad
- 2011/11/22: QuarkSoup: Sorting Through the Stolen UAE Emails
- 2011/11/22: BBickmore: New Stolen E-mails Released
- 2011/11/22: RealClimate: Two-year old turkey [CRU2]
- 2011/11/22: P3: Been There, Done That [CRU2]
- 2011/11/22: IJISH: SwiftHackers release more e-mails (apparently)
- 2011/11/22: PSinclair: UEA on Climate Hack Sequel: Same Old Same Old
- 2011/11/22: ClassM: Another round of (yawn) stolen emails
- 2011/11/22: CM: Climategate Redux
- 2011/11/22: TP:JR: Fool Me Once, Shame on You, Fool Me Twice, Shame on the Media: More Stolen Emails Can't Stop Catastrophic Global Warming, Only We Can
- 2011/11/22: Grist: New batch of Climategate emails even lamer than the first
- 2011/11/22: NatureNB: Yet another Climategate?
- 2011/11/22: UEA: Release of climate emails - November 2011
- 2011/11/22: Stoat: CRU tooo?
- 2011/11/22: UCSUSA: Hackers Release Batch of Stolen Emails from Scientists
- 2011/11/22: DeSmogBlog: Climategate Hackers Slither Again in the Night
- 2011/11/22: BBC: 'New release' of climate emails
What appears to be a new batch of emails and other documents from the University of East Anglia's Climatic Research Unit has been released. Contents include more than 5,000 emails and other documents, some relating to work with the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). - 2011/11/25: DerSpiegel: Climate Change -- UN Extreme Weather Report Triggers Storm of Protest
In mid-November, the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change published a special report on extreme weather events, such as hurricanes, floods and heat waves. But its emphasis on the uncertainty of its predictions has enraged scientists and activists alike, just days before the UN Climage Change Conference in Durban. - 2011/11/23: EmbassyMag: Canada called on to boost UN green funding
As COP17 nears, how exactly the fledging global climate fund should be financed is up for debate. - 2011/11/22: Maribo: Climate change aid and the upcoming Durban summit
- 2011/11/21: PlanetArk: Emerging Economies Should Chip Into [GCF] Climate Fund: U.S.
The world inches toward creating a global legal framework for ecological crime:
- 2011/11/23: CCP: A New Kind of Crime Against Humanity?: The Fossil Fuel Industry's Disinformation Campaign On Climate Change
- 2011/11/21: TP:JR: Bolivia and Ecuador Grant Equal Rights to Nature: Is "Wild Law" a Climate Solution?
John Cook and friends continue their point-counterpoint articles:
- 2011/11/25: SkeptiSci: The Debunking Handbook Part 5: Filling the gap with an alternative explanation by John Cook, Stephan Lewandowsky
- 2011/11/25: SkeptiSci: Memo to Climategate Hacker: Poor Nations Don't Want Your Kind of Help by dana1981
- 2011/11/27: SkeptiSci: Schmittner et al. (2011) on Climate Sensitivity - the Good, the Bad, and the Ugly by dana1981
- 2011/11/26: SkeptiSci: SkS public talks in Canada and AGU, San Francisco
- 2011/11/26: SkeptiSci: What's Happening To Tuvalu Sea Level? by Rob Painting
- 2011/11/24: SkeptiSci: Arctic Sea Ice Hockey Stick: Melt Unprecedented in Last 1,450 years by Rob Painting
- 2011/11/23: SkeptiSci: The Debunking Handbook Part 4: The Worldview Backfire Effect by John Cook, Stephan Lewandowsky
- 2011/11/22: SkeptiSci: Climategate 2.0: Denialists Serve Up Two-Year-Old Turkey by Rob Painting, dana1981
- 2011/11/23: SkeptiSci: Economic Growth and Climate Change Part 1 - Factors Influencing CO2 Emissions by perseus
- 2011/11/22: SkeptiSci: Pielke Sr. Misinforms High School Students by dana1981
- 2011/11/27: SkeptiSci: The Debunking Handbook: now freely available for download by John Cook, Stephan Lewandowsky
Post CRU-Two theft, controversy & inquiry:
- 2011/11/26: IJISH: SwiftHack 2.0: more complete first impressions
- 2011/11/25: Guardian(UK): Help us find clues in climate email hacker's message
- 2011/11/24: TP:JR: Paging Sherlock Holmes: UK Police Spent Measly $8,844 This Year In Failed Attempt to Identify Criminal Hackers of Climate Emails
- 2011/11/23: IJISH: SwiftHack 2.0: incomplete first impressions
A note on theFukushima disaster:
It is evident that the Fukushima disaster is going to persist for some time. TEPCO says 6 to 9 months. The previous Japanese Prime Minister, Naoto Kan, said decades. Now the Japanese government is talking about 30 years. We'll see. At any rate this situation is not going to be resolved any time soon and deserves its own section.
Not much good news coming out of Fukushima:
- 2011/11/25: APR: Hydrogen gas / Fukushima Daiichi
- 2011/11/23: EneNews: Fukushima Worker: Nothing left we can do -- Zero plan/idea how to manage leaking reactors -- Tepco begins reducing # of workers
- 2011/11/23: EneNews: AP: Strong quake hits near Fukushima nuclear site
- 2011/11/22: NBF: Fukushima reactors are nearing cold shutdown
- 2011/11/22: NBF: Soil radiation maps around Fukushima
- 2011/11/21: EneNews: "Huge steam explosions... if nuclear fuel hits water" Just a matter of time before corium melts through Fukushima station: Former secretary of UK gov't committee (video)
- 2011/11/22: EneNews: ABC: Gov't says nearly one-tenth of Japan has been contaminated by radiation from Fukushima
- 2011/11/22: NatureNB: Fukushima closes in on cold shutdown
- 2011/11/22: NBF: Fukushima likely to cause minimal long term health effects
Post Fukushima, nuclear policies are in flux around the world:
- 2011/11/25: CBC: Sarkozy vows no retreat from nuclear power
Renouncing nuclear energy would be a 'catastrophe,' French leader says - 2011/11/24: BBC: Nuclear power 'gets little public support worldwide'
There is little public appetite across the world for building new nuclear reactors, a poll for the BBC indicates. In countries with nuclear programmes, people are significantly more opposed than they were in 2005, with only the UK and US bucking the trend. Most believe that boosting efficiency and renewables can meet their needs. Just 22% agreed that "nuclear power is relatively safe and an important source of electricity, and we should build more nuclear power plants". In contrast, 71% thought their country "could almost entirely replace coal and nuclear energy within 20 years by becoming highly energy-efficient and focusing on generating energy from the Sun and wind". Globally, 39% want to continue using existing reactors without building new ones, while 30% would like to shut everything down now. - 2011/11/25: EurActiv: Interim nuclear stress tests point to safety regime change
The EU's interim 'stress test' report has begun to flesh out the skeleton of what a new European nuclear safety regime could look like in the wake of the Fuksuhima disaster in Japan. - 2011/11/21: NatureN: Nuclear industry safety body takes on lessons of Fukushima
Operators' association intends to check nuclear plants' ability to handle serious accidents, but won't name problematic plants. The nuclear accident at the Fukushima power plant in Japan has prompted the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), the industry's self-regulating body, to broaden its remit from accident prevention to regulating and verifying how well plants are prepared to cope with a serious nuclear accident and mitigate its consequences. But WANO seems likely to stop short of publicly identifying plants that have failed to address safety and other issues -- sticking instead with its two-decades-old policy that any information shared by its members should remain confidential. - 2011/11/24: ASI: Arctic sea ice, in context
- 2011/11/24: CDreams: Arctic Sea Ice Shrinking at 'Unprecedented' Levels
- 2011/11/24: PSinclair: Hockey Stick in Reverse: Arctic Sea Ice Lowest in 1450 years
- 2011/11/24: CBC: Thawing permafrost sinks buildings, hikes costs in North -- Northern communities turn to innovative solutions to tackle thawing soil
- 2011/11/23: CBC: Arctic sea ice loss unprecedented in 1,450 years
- 2011/11/21: TreeHugger: Taking a Close Look at the "Last Ice Area"
- 2011/11/20: CCP: Arctic sea ice could disappear by summer 2015
While in Antarctica:
- 2011/11/24: Stoat: Brine rejection
- 2011/11/23: BBC: 'Brinicle' ice finger of death filmed in Antarctic
The food crisis is ongoing:
- FAO: World Food Situation - Food Price Indices
- 2011/11/25: FAO: North Korea harvest improves -- But serious nutrition concerns persist
- 2011/11/25: PlanetArk: Erratic Rains Threaten Southern Africa Food Output
- 2011/11/23: CNN: Report: 1 in 5 U.S. children at risk of hunger
Millions of American households don't have enough food for everyone - The problem is spreading to families who have never experienced it before - Food insecurity can be especially tough on children, experts say - 2011/11/22: BPA: Global Agricultural/Food Security Statistics (CGIAR)
- 2011/11/22: BPA: A World Map of Regional Food Security Challenges (CGIAR)
- 2011/11/21: BPA: Hunger in Afghanistan
- 2011/11/24: AllAfrica: IRIN: Zimbabwe: One Million Need Food Assistance
- 2011/11/24: AllAfrica: SW Radio: Zimbabwe: Farmers Blame Land Grab for Serious Food Shortages
The Commercial Farmers Union (CFU) has blamed the chaotic land grab campaign for the current food shortages in the country, saying destructive land policies have "shattered" Zimbabwe's agriculture. The United Nation's World Food Programme (WFP) has this week warned that more than one million people in Zimbabwe will be unable to meet their food needs in the coming 'lean' months. A statement from the group said failed harvests and dry weather are partly responsible for the hunger threat. - 2011/11/21: AlterNet: 4 Absurd, Damaging Right-Wing Lies About Food Stamps
- 2011/11/22: Guardian(UK): Uganda - the coffee king desperate for a downpour
- 2011/11/22: PlanetArk: Africa Leads Climate Push As Its People Go Hungry
- 2011/11/21: NSF: New Projection Shows Global Food Demand Doubling by 2050
- 2011/11/21: UMN: New projection shows global food demand doubling by 2050
- 2011/11/22: AllAfrica: UN: More Than a Million Zimbabweans Facing Food Struggle, UN Agency [WFP] Warns
- 2011/11/21: TP:JR: Defining a Fishery Disaster: The Disconnect Between the Fishing Industry and Politicians
- 2011/11/21: PlanetArk: Three Million Afghans face Hunger As Winter Looms: Aid Groups
Regarding the genetic modification of food:
- 2011/11/10: NepalTimes: Going to seed -- Hybrid and genetically-modified seeds may create more problems than they solve
- 2011/11/21: SaskBoy: Monsanto And Why You'll Care
And how are we going to feed 9 billion, 10 billion, 15 billion?
- 2011/11/26: CCurrents: Saving And Sharing Food -- World produces enough food for the year 2050. The problem is access and distribution
- 2011/11/24: BBC: How rainwater harvesting is helping Nicaraguan farmers
"I've been a farmer for more than 40 years, but I never had an opportunity like this," says Victor Beltran. Mr Beltran lives in northern Nicaragua, one of the poorest and driest areas of the country, where a pilot project to harvest rainwater is beginning to transform local agriculture and local people's lives. "Farmers have come from other parts of the country to see what is happening here. I no longer depend on seasonal rainfall. I produce three times more maize and have a surplus to trade," says Mr Beltran. The project involves building earthen dams to form reservoirs or ponds that can collect surface water run-off from the hills during the rainy season. The water is then used for irrigation during periods of drought. "The problem in Nicaragua and the majority of tropical areas in Latin America is that you have a huge contrast between the rainy and the dry season," says Gonzalo Zorrilla, who is directing the project - 2011/11/23: FeralScholar: A Million Gardens (for the 99% of the 99%)
- 2011/11/23: BPA: Everything Old is New Again: Sod-Based Rotational Farming Method for Crops and Livestock
- 2011/11/21: EnergyBulletin: Cob Cottage Company: Complete permaculture site
- 2011/11/21: CBC: Warming oceans signal fishery changes, study says -- Study co-authored by UBC scientists says Canada must adapt
Warming temperatures in the world's oceans will cause major changes for the fishing industry, according to a study published Sunday involving a University of British Columbia researcher. The study -- a collaboration among economists, biologists and climate-change scientists co-authored by UBC's Rashid Sumaila and published in the journal Nature -- says there are already signs some fish species are leaving their usual surroundings for cooler waters. - 2011/11/23: Wunderground: A strange 2011 Eastern Pacific hurricane season
- 2011/11/22: Eureka: Hurricane Kenneth becomes late-season record-breaking major hurricane
- 2011/11/22: Wunderground: Category 4 Kenneth the strongest East Pacific late-season hurricane on record
- 2011/11/21: Eureka: Late season Hurricane Kenneth forms in the eastern Pacific
- 2011/11/21: Wunderground: Rare late-season Eastern Pacific tropical storm [Kenneth] forms
As for the Monsoon:
- 2011/11/25: CNN: Deadly new, old floods wreak havoc in Thailand
A 3-year-old boy dies after floodwater sweeps him away, a provincial official says - Parts of Songkhla province, in southern Thailand, have been declared disaster zones - High water remains a big problem elsewhere, including in the capital, Bangkok - Flooding has hit the economy hard, including affecting about 660,000 workers - 2011/11/27: al Jazeera: Pakistan Under Water
Millions are homeless and hundreds dead in Pakistan after monsoon rains, but how can this nation rise above the crisis? - 2011/11/24: Stoat: Can global emissions really be reduced?
- 2011/11/24: MethaneNet: Wetland methane link to CO2
- 2011/11/24: ABC(Au): CSG emissions ignored in greenhouse targets
- 2011/11/23: UNEP: [link to 1.8 meg pdf] Bridging the Emissions Gap Report
- 2011/11/23: HQWeb: Bridging the Emissions Gap to Meet 2-Degree Target Doable
- 2011/11/23: BBC: Carbon emissions divide 'can be bridged'
The gap between where greenhouse gas emissions are headed and where they need to be for climate targets can be bridged cheaply, says a UN report. It says that if sectors such as energy, farming, forestry and transport all cut emissions by feasible amounts, global warming can be kept below 2C. But countries' current pledges are not enough to meet the 2C target. The report, Bridging the Emissions Gap, comes shortly before this year's UN climate summit opens in South Africa. - 2011/11/23: BNC: CO2 is a trace gas, but what does that mean?
- 2011/11/21: WMO: Greenhouse Gas Concentrations Continue Climbing -- WMO Bulletin highlights growth in nitrous oxide in atmosphere
- 2011/11/21: UN: Greenhouse gases reach new high, says UN meteorological report
- 2011/11/22: KSJT: Lots of Weary Ink: Greenhouse gases soaring up faster'n ever, now 389 ppm, with no new way to say it. (Plus, a failure to fact check)
- 2011/11/22: PlanetArk: Beware Climate Change Risk From Aircon, Fridge Gases: U.N.
- 2011/11/22: PlanetArk: Record High Greenhouse Gases To Linger For Decades
- 2011/11/22: AutoBG: Greenhouse gas levels still climbing, CO2 now up to 389 ppm, says UN
- 2011/11/21: STimes: Greenhouse gases soar; no signs warming is slowed
Heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere are building up so high, so fast, that some scientists now think the world can no longer limit global warming to the level world leaders have agreed upon as safe. - 2011/11/21: CSM: Greenhouse gas concentrations reach record levels, will linger for decades, new report finds
- 2011/11/21: TP:JR: Level of Heat-Trapping CO2 Reaches New High, Growth Rate Speeds Up, Methane Levels Are Rising Again
- 2011/11/21: CBC: CO2 increase in atmosphere accelerating
- 2011/11/22: ABC(Au): Greenhouse gases rose to record high in 2010: UN
- 2011/11/21: PlanetArk: Japan CO2 Emissions Rise 4.4 Percent In 2010/11
- 2011/11/21: UN: Replacement chemicals [HFCs] threaten efforts to curb global warming - UN
- 2011/11/21: BBC: Climate concerns as 'ozone-friendly' HFCs use grows
A rise in the use of "ozone-friendly" HFCs has prompted experts to voice concerns that the potent greenhouse gases could be a problem in the future. A UN report says that HFCs, many more times potent than CO2, could account for up to 20% of emissions and hamper efforts to curb climate change. They are widely used in fridges and air conditioners. - 2011/11/21: BBC: No let up in greenhouse gas rise
Concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere rose to yet another high in 2010, according to the UN's weather agency. Levels of carbon dioxide (CO2) - the major contributor to climate change - rose by 2.3 parts per million between 2009 and 2010. That exceeds the average for the past decade of 2.0 parts per million, the World Meteorological Organization says. - 2011/11/25: ERW: Salt marshes confirmed as carbon sink
Wetlands around the world are in danger of being drained for activities such as agriculture. When it comes to salt marshes, little is known about their net emissions of greenhouse gases so it's hard to predict the effect of this drainage on climate. With that in mind, researchers from North America have studied two sites in north-eastern Canada, one with a high tidal range and one with a low tidal range. - 2011/11/21: moyhu: Giss, TempLS and the October GMST
Aerosols are making their presence felt:
- 2011/11/24: NBF: Soot mitigation is cheap and the World will back into it as India and other poor countries get richer
While in the paleoclimate:
- 2011/11/24: Eureka: Ancient environment found to drive marine biodiversity
While on the ENSO front:
- 2011/11/17: WMO: El Niño/La Niña Update
La Niña conditions were re-established in the tropical Pacific during August, after a brief period of neutral conditions following the significant La Nina of 2010-11. Model forecasts and expert interpretation suggest that La Niña should remain in place until at least the end of 2011, with some further strengthening possible. The current La Niña is likely to be considerably weaker than the La Niña event of 2010-11. Over the coming months, National Meteorological and Hydrological Services and other agencies will continue to monitor and predict Pacific Basin climate patterns in order to assess the strength and longevity of this La Niña event. - 2011/11/21: QuarkSoup: Earth System Sensitivity versus Climate Sensitivity
What's new on the extinction front?
- 2011/11/22: CCurrents: Earth's Biggest Doomsday Event: Death By CO2
- 2011/11/22: Grist: We're on track to kill the planet faster than the worst extinction in history
Meanwhile in near earth orbit:
- 2011/11/22: DM:BA: New satellite gets INSANELY hi-res view of Earth
- 2011/11/22: NASA: NASA's NPP Satellite Acquires First VIIRS Image
More GW impacts are being seen:
- 2011/11/25: TP:JR: New Study Links Climate Change to Higher Medical Costs
- 2011/11/25: EUO: OECD warns catastrophic climate change ahead
- 2011/11/26: CDreams: South Africa - Where Climate Change May Trigger a Toxic Timebomb
Johannesburg's mining industry has been a mainstay of the city for decades, but its vast waste dumps are a huge threat -- and Mariette Lieferink is leading the charge for a clear-up - 2011/11/23: DerSpiegel: Species under Threat -- 'Alarming Decline' in European Aquatic Life
Biodiversity in Europe's lakes and rivers is shrinking. Pollution, overfishing, habitat loss and the introduction of invasive species threaten a large number of fish, mollusks, snails and plants, according to a new European Commission report. The situation for animals on land isn't much better. - 2011/11/26: Guardian(UK): South Africa -- where climate change may trigger a toxic timebomb
- 2011/11/27: Guardian(UK): Uganda: nomads face an attack on their way of life
Ugandan herders are well placed to adapt to global warming -- but won't be represented at the conference in Durban. Meanwhile their government, backed by EU cash, wants to force them to settle, reports John Vidal - 2011/11/23: BBC: EU sounds alarm for threatened freshwater species
Many of Europe's freshwater fish and molluscs are now threatened species, a new EU study shows. - 2011/11/25: BBC: Healthy woodlands 'need quality not quantity'
- 2011/11/24: Guardian(UK): Kenya -- ensuring Wangari Maathai's legacy branches out
Illegal logging and drought have ravaged Kenya's forests and threaten its water supply, now the government has embraced Maathai's Green Belt Movement, planting 450m trees this year - 2011/11/24: al Jazeera: Sierra Leone: Timber!
A story of corruption that is stripping the west African country bare. -- Illegal logging is laying waste to Sierra Leone's endangered forests - 2011/11/21: AlterNet: Will Programs to Off-Set Carbon Emissions Fuel Further Conflict in Bolivia's Forests?
Desertification looms as a threat:
- 2011/11/22: al Jazeera: Nomad's land: Herding reforms on the Steppe
Mongolia faces desertification and climate change, but new ways of managing pasture land could help. - 2011/11/23: al Jazeera: East and west: extreme weather in Australia
Extreme weather is affecting both eastern and western parts of Australia - 2011/11/21: CCP: Medvigy & Beaulieu: Erratic, Extreme Day-To-Day Weather Puts Climate Change in New Light
Changes in natural cycles are showing up:
- 2011/11/21: BBC: Autumn's birds delay migration
Geese, ducks and swans that spend winter in wetlands of Northern Europe are changing their migration patterns as temperatures rise, say scientists. - 2011/11/26: ABC(Au): Queensland fires threaten property
Crews have been battling four fires burning in central and south-east Queensland today. - 2011/11/23: BBC: Crews battle Western Australia bushfire
A bushfire that burned out of control has destroyed or damaged more than 20 homes in Western Australia. The fire, which started as a controlled burn lit by firefighters, swept through the town of Prevelly, about 280 km (175 miles) south of Perth. The original burn was lit in a national park near the Margaret River wine region but spread as winds picked up. - 2011/11/25: BBC: Seamounts and coral: a conservation diary from the deep
Acidification is changing the oceans:
- 2011/11/21: Yale360: Northwest Oyster Die-offs Show Ocean Acidification Has Arrived
- 2011/11/21: Grist: Climate change pantry raid: Oysters
Glaciers are melting:
- 2011/11/09: WorldCrunch: How Melting Glaciers And 'Mountain Tsunamis' Threaten Himalayan Kingdom Of Bhutan
Melting glaciers in the Himalayas put the small Kingdom of Bhutan at risk. Not only are the "frozen reservoirs" a fundamental water source, but the melting can also cause GLOFS [Glacial Lake Outburst Flood] -- aka: 'mountain tsunamis' - killer flash floods that occur when glacial lakes suddenly burst. - 2011/11/24: al Jazeera: Himalayan nations yet to break the ice
With global average temperature increasing, its most visible and direct effect can be seen on mountains. - 2011/11/23: CCP: Mauri Pelto: posts on warming climate impacts on 121 glaciers around the planet
Sea levels are rising:
- 2011/11/23: CCP: Sea-level rise may swamp Washington, D.C.
- 2011/11/22: Grist: Global warming to swamp one-third of NYC's streets
As for hydrological cycle disruptions [floods & droughts]:
- 2011/11/26: ABC(Au): Boy drowns in NSW floodwaters
- 2011/11/27: ABC(Au): Floodwaters rise -- NSW towns facing days of isolation
- 2011/11/23: JFleck: What will it take to end New Mexico drought?
- 2011/11/24: al Jazeera: Colombia swamped again -- Heavy rains cause flooding in Bogota
- 2011/11/22: DerSpiegel: War Leftovers in the Rhine -- Low Water Levels Lead to Explosive Finds
A dry autumn has led to low water levels in Germany's Rhine River. But the newly exposed banks haven't just revealed rocks and junk. Passersby in recent days have also found two bombs and a few barrels of smoke-screen chemicals left over from World War II. - 2011/11/22: Grist: This Texas town could run out of water by Dec. 6
Elsewhere on the mitigation front:
- 2011/11/24: Eureka: A how-to guide to slashing California's greenhouse gas emissions by 2050
Berkeley Lab scientists help analyze the technological steps needed to create a low-carbon future for the Golden State - 2011/11/24: PlanetArk: Emissions Cuts Off Course To Halt Global Warming: UNEP
- 2011/11/23: BPA: Lester Brown on Global Meat Consumption Trends
- 2011/11/22: Eureka: Carbon mitigation strategy uses wood for buildings first, bioenergy second
Consider transportation & GHG production:
- 2011/11/21: MLynas: Virgin Atlantic and 'sustainable' aviation
- 2011/11/23: CNN: Is Superbus the future of public transport?
Richard Branson takes a spin in prototype designed to transform commuting - It's designed to reach speeds of 250 kph and transport passengers in comfort - Creator says electric "Superbus" was designed to make public transport "sexy" - 2011/11/21: CalcRisk: DOT: Vehicle Miles Driven declined 1.5% in September
- 2011/11/26: NYT: California Bullet Train Project Advances Amid Cries of Boondoggle
While in the endless quest for zero energy, sustainable buildings and practical codes:
- 2011/11/26: P3: Fringe Suburbs American Style: RIP
- 2011/11/20: CCP: Don Shelby: Why I'm building an energy-efficient house
As for carbon sequestration:
- 2011/11/26: TP:JR: Large-Scale Carbon Capture and Storage: Feasibility, Permanence and Safety Issues Remain Unresolved
- 2011/11/22: TP:JR: Climate-Control Policies Cannot Rely on Carbon Capture and Storage: That's My Side of The Economist Debates
- 2011/11/21: USAToday: Carbon dioxide burial experiment commences
Federal environmental engineers will inject up to a million tons of condensed carbon dioxide underground over the next three years, in an experiment to check out "carbon sequestration" technology. Some 7000 feet down, the fluidized gas will end up in the Mt. Simon formation underlying most of Illinois, a 1,500-foot thick layer of briny sandstone. - 2011/11/25: Wunderground: Storm surge barriers: the New England experience
- 2011/11/23: ABC(Au): Researcher says preparedness key to climate change
Meanwhile in the journals:
- 2011/11/24: CP: Hydrological variability in the Northern Levant: a 250 ka multiproxy record from the Yammoûneh (Lebanon) sedimentary sequence by F. Gasse et al.
- 2011/11/24: CP: NALPS: a precisely dated European climate record 120-60 ka by R. Boch et al.
- 2011/11/23: CPD: Assessing extreme droughts in the Iberian Peninsula during 1750-1850 from rogation ceremonies by F. DomÃnguez-Castro et al.
- 2011/11/24: Science: (ab$) Using the Past to Predict the Future? by Gabriele C. Hegerl & Tom Russon
- 2011/11/24: Science: (ab$) Climate Sensitivity Estimated from Temperature Reconstructions of the Last Glacial Maximum by Andreas Schmittner et al.
- 2011/04/27: Nature: (ab$) On the role of the Agulhas system in ocean circulation and climate by Lisa M. Beal et al.
- 2011/11/23: NERC:NORA: East Antarctic rifting triggers uplift of the Gamburtsev Mountains by Fausto Ferraccioli et al.
- 2011/11/24: NERC:NORA: Geothermal prospects in the United Kingdom by Jon Busby
- 2011/11/25: NERC:NORA: The Cretaceous-Palaeogene boundary succession at Stevns Klint, Denmark : foraminifers and stable isotope stratigraphy by Malcolm B. Hart et al.
- 2011/11/25: NERC:NORA: Polar record of Early Jurassic massive carbon injection by Guillaume Suan et al.
- 2011/11/26: CP: High-latitude obliquity as a dominant forcing in the Agulhas current system by T. Caley et al.
- 2011/11/26: CPD: Fluctuations of Glaciar Esperanza Norte in the North Patagonian Andes of Argentina during the past 400 yr by L. Ruiz et al.
- 2011/11/25: ACP: Long-range transport of terrain-induced turbulence from high-resolution numerical simulations by M. Katurji et al.
- 2011/11/25: ACPD: Dust resuspension under weak wind conditions: direct observations and model by O. G. Chkhetiani et al.
- 2011/11/25: ACPD: Global risk of radioactive fallout after nuclear reactor accidents by J. Lelieveld et al.
- 2011/11/25: ACPD: Satellite climatology of cloud liquid water path over the Southeast Pacific between 2002 and 2009 by L. W. O'Neill et al.
- 2011/11/24: TC: Permafrost degradation risk zone assessment using simulation models by R. P. Daanen et al.
- 2011/11/23: OSD: Improvements to the PhytoDOAS method for identification of major phytoplankton groups using hyper-spectral satellite data by A. Sadeghi et al.
- 2011/11/23: TCD: Brief Communication: Greenland's shrinking ice cover: "fast times" but not that fast by J. S. Kargel et al.
- 2011/11/23: ACP: Global distribution and climate forcing of marine organic aerosol: 1. Model improvements and evaluation by N. Meskhidze et al.
- 2011/11/22: ACP: The influence of solar variability and the quasi-biennial oscillation on lower atmospheric temperatures and sea level pressure by I. Roy & J. D. Haigh
- 2011/11/22: ACP: Effects of model resolution on the interpretation of satellite NO2 observations by L. C. Valin et al.
- 2011/11/24: ACPD: A new approach to estimate pollutant emissions based on trajectory modelling and its application in the North China Plain by W. Y. Xu et al.
- 2011/11/23: ACPD: The genesis of Typhoon Nuri as observed during the Tropical Cyclone Structure 2008 (TCS08) field experiment - Part 2: Observations of the convective environment by M. T. Montgomery & R. K. Smith
- 2011/11/22: ACPD: Variability of black carbon deposition to the East Antarctic Plateau, AD 1800-2000 by M. M. Bisiaux et al.
- 2011/11/22: ACPD: Measurements of the movement of the jet streams at mid-latitudes, in the Northern and Southern Hemispheres, 1979 to 2010 by R. D. Hudson
- 2011/11/22: ACPD: Tropical biomass burning smoke plume size, shape, reflectance, and age based on 2001-2009 MISR imagery of Borneo by C. S. Zender et al.
- 2011/11/23: Nature: (ab$) Reconstructed changes in Arctic sea ice over the past 1,450 years by Christophe Kinnard et al.
- 2011/10/27: Nature: (ab$) Mitigation - Gas or coal? by Anna Petherick
- 2011/11/22: PNAS: (ab$) Oceanic islands are not sinks of biodiversity in spore-producing plants by Virginie Hutsemékers et al.
- 2011/11/22: PNAS: (ab$) Holocene dynamics of the Arctic's largest ice shelf by Dermot Antoniades et al.
- 2011/11/22: PNAS: (letter$) First synchronous retreat of ice shelves marks a new phase of polar deglaciation by Dominic A. Hodgson
- 2011/11/22: GMDD: Simulations over South Asia using the Weather Research and Forecasting model with Chemistry (WRF-Chem): set-up and meteorological evaluation by R. Kumar et al.
- 2011/11/22: GMDD: The FAMOUS climate model (versions XFXWB and XFHCC): description update to version XDBUA by R. S. Smith
- 2011/11/22: OS: How well can we derive Global Ocean Indicators from Argo data? by K. von Schuckmann et al.
- 2011/11/22: OS: A pre-operational three Dimensional variational data assimilation system in the North/Baltic Sea by S. Y. Zhuang et al.
- 2011/11/22: TC: Glacier changes in the Pascua-Lama region, Chilean Andes (29° S): recent mass balance and 50 yr surface area variations by A. Rabatel et al.
- 2011/11/21: AGWObserver: New research from last week 46/2011
- 2011/11/21: Nature: (ab$) Climate change impacts on the biophysics and economics of world fisheries by U. Rashid Sumaila et al.
And other significant documents:
- 2011/11/24: PI: [link to 378k pdf] UN climate negotiations in Durban, South Africa
- 2011/11/23: UNEP: [link to 1.8 meg pdf] Bridging the Emissions Gap Report
- 2011/11/28: MDBA: [links to several pdfs] The proposed Basin Plan for consultation
As for miscellaneous science:
- 2011/11/25: BBC: Nature journal libel case continues
A scientist has told the High Court that an article criticising him was "scandalous" and had nothing to do with freedom of expression. Professor Mohamed El Naschie is suing the Nature journal for libel and says the claims in the article are "despicable and defamatory". The barrister representing Nature said the article, published in 2008, was true and in the public interest. Judgment on the case will be reserved and is set to be announced in January. In November 2008, Nature published an article which alleged that Prof El Naschie self-published many papers and that some did not seem to have been independently checked by scientists working in the same area - a process known as peer review. - 2011/11/25: P3: Trust but Verify
- 2011/11/25: ABC(Au):TDU: Conversations: The state of science
- 2011/11/23: NatureN: What does the US budget stalemate mean for research?
- 2011/11/23: Eureka: How drought-tolerant grasses came to be -- New grass family tree reveals C4 photosynthesis is an evolutionary 1-way street
- 2011/11/22: ScienceInsider: Budget Cuts Threaten Denmark's Science Assessment Body
- 2011/11/22: ScienceInsider: Anne Glover, Rumored E.U. Science Advisor, Wins Praise at Home
- 2011/11/23: BBC: Elephant and bee researcher nets green prize
A British scientist [Dr. Lucy King] has won a coveted environment research prize for showing how bees can be used to reduce conflict between people and elephants. - 2011/11/21: NatureN: First EU chief scientific adviser named -- After a two-year delay, appointment goes to Scotland's CSA.
Europe's first chief scientific adviser (CSA) is to be Anne Glover, Nature has learned. Glover is a molecular and cell biologist and is Scotland's CSA at present. - 2011/11/21: NatureN: US science agencies dodge deep cuts -- Partial 2012 budget mostly spares research, but deficit-reduction measures still pose a looming threat
- 2011/11/21: TreeHugger: 92 Years of Remembrance Day Photos Help Cambridge Professor Document Climate Change
Margulis obit:
- 2011/11/24: WhyEvolutionIsTrue: RIP Lynn Margulis, ctd.
- 2011/11/26: DM:GNXP: Lynn Margulis, 1938-2011
- 2011/11/24: SciAm:CC: R.I.P. Lynn Margulis, Biological Rebel
- 2011/11/23: NatureNB: Lynn Margulis 1938 - 2011
- 2011/11/23: CHE: Lynn Margulis: 1938-2011
There is a steady dribble of 2012 Rio Conference news releases:
- 2011/11/24: PlanetArk: U.N. Calls On All Leaders To Attend Rio "Earth" Summit
While at the UN:
- 2011/11/25: UN: UN report suggests environmental measures that could save millions of lives
And on the carbon trading front:
- 2011/11/25: PlanetArk: Carbon Crash Spurs Price Bottom Debate
- 2011/11/25: NatureNB: European carbon market plummets
- 2011/11/25: Reuters: UK gas tracks fresh plunge in carbon prices
Carbon price falls below 7 euros, down 25 pct this week - Packed storage, warm weather drags spot gas lower - Technicals hint at further downside on summer 2012 contract
British prompt gas prices fell on Friday morning as warm weather weighed on demand and ample supplies compensated for higher exports to mainland Europe. The collapse of European Union carbon prices to fresh all-time lows of below 7 euros on Friday helped fuel selloffs on gas, coal and electricity markets. Europe's escalating debt crisis has stoked fears of a second recession that has wiped more than 25 percent off carbon prices this week. - 2011/11/22: CRG: Unravelling Carbon Markets
The Robin Hood tax, aka the Tobin tax, aka the Bank tax, aka the Financial Transaction tax keeps coming up:
- 2011/11/22: CDreams: Financier, Tax Thyself
- 2011/11/24: EUO: UK and Germany split on financial transaction tax
The debate over the optimal strategy [carbon trading, carbon offsets, auction vs. allocation, cap and trade, cap and dividend, tradable energy quotas and/or a carbon tax] to use in dealing with GHGs continues:
- 2011/11/25: NatureN: The problems with emissions trading -- How does putting a price on carbon reduce greenhouse-gas emissions?
It looks like the solar spat between China and the USA is warming up:
- 2011/11/26: ChinaDaily: Probe to look into US solar projects -- Chinese firms say subsidies create unfair barriers for clean energy
China will probe US government support and subsidies for its renewable energy sector, following a recent move by the United States to investigate solar cells from China, the Ministry of Commerce said on Friday. The probe was launched at the request of domestic industry associations, which argue that US subsidy and support policies created unreasonable barriers for the renewable energy industry in China, the ministry said in a statement. - 2011/11/25: Oregonian: China to investigate U.S. renewable energy policies as trade conflict escalates
- 2011/11/21: NYT: China Bends to U.S. Complaint on Solar Panels but Plans Retaliation
Chinese solar panel makers plan to shift some of their production to South Korea, Taiwan and the United States in hopes of defusing a trade case pending against them in Washington, according to industry executives. But at the same time, the Chinese industry is considering retaliating by filing a trade case of its own with China's Commerce Ministry. - 2011/11/24: TreeHugger: French Police Tear Gas and Arrest Anti-Nuclear Protesters
- 2011/11/24: BBC: Greenpeace 'polar bear' protester cleared by court
A protester who stormed the offices of an energy company dressed as a polar bear has been found not guilty of committing a breach of the peace. Natasha Smith, 24, was cleared at Edinburgh Sheriff Court after Sheriff Roderick MacLeod ruled prosecutors had not proved she acted illegally. Ms Smith, from Bristol, was in a group of more than 50 Greenpeace activists who raided Cairn Energy's offices. - 2011/11/24: al Jazeera: French police battle anti-nuclear activists
Protesters damage railway and delay departure of train carrying German nuclear waste treated in France. - 2011/11/23: BBC: French riot police battle protesters over nuclear train
Riot police in north-western France have made 12 arrests while battling protesters trying to stop a trainload of nuclear waste bound for Germany. - 2011/11/25: al Jazeera: Nuclear waste train enters Germany
Last of 12 shipments of treated nuclear waste from France sparks clash between German police and protesters. - 2011/11/25: BBC: German protests as nuclear train enters from France
A train carrying reprocessed nuclear waste has left France under heavy police protection en route to a storage site in northern Germany. - 2011/11/24: BBC: Germany nuclear protesters clash with police
Police in northern Germany have used water cannons against demonstrators waiting for the arrival of a shipment of nuclear waste from France. Scuffles broke out between police and protesters after fireworks and paint were thrown at officers. - 2011/11/26: TreeHugger: 20,000 Gather to Protest "Chernobyl on Wheels" Nuclear Shipment in Germany
- 2011/11/26: al Jazeera: German police injured in nuclear waste clash
Protesters throw stones at security officers as train carrying nuclear waste from France makes its way to Dannenberg. - 2011/11/23: CBC: French anti-nuclear protesters clash with police
- 2011/11/27: Grist: Julian Rodriguez-Drix: An organizer whose lectures ruffle feathers
Polls! We have polls!
- 2011/11/24: BBC: Nuclear power 'gets little public support worldwide'
- 2011/11/21: TreeHugger: 65% of Americans Want a Carbon Tax: New Study
Regarding Water Politics and Business:
- 2011/11/25: CAbyss: The Mighty Brazos
- 2011/11/25: EurActiv: Group launches effort to improve water stewardship
As the European Commission prepares to review its freshwater policies, an organisation working with industry and farm groups launched a water stewardship programme yesterday (24 November) aimed at boosting efficiency and protecting Europe's river basins. - 2011/11/24: JFleck: Dipping more drinking straws into the Colorado River
- 2011/11/25: JFleck: "focused, not fighting"
- 2011/11/26: DVoice: The Palestinian Struggle for Water in the Jordan Valley
- 2011/11/22: JFleck: Stuff I wrote elsewhere: Getting to know our river
- 2011/11/22: BBC: Jersey Water could have to start importing water to the island by tanker if the dry weather continues
- 2011/11/22: al Jazeera: Bottled water companies target minorities
A recent study found that Latino and black parents are much more likely to choose bottled water over tap water. - 2011/11/21: JFleck: Can we blame Westlands shortages on Colorado River management?
- 2011/11/21: AllAfrica: ZimStandard: Zimbabwe: Water Woes to Persist Till 2015
Harare's water problems, which are causing perennial outbreaks of water-borne diseases like cholera and typhoid, are set to continue for at least the next three years, if not longer. A council document on the development of the Kunzvi Dam, touted as the panacea to the city's water woes, shows that the project may only yield fruit in 2015. - 2011/11/24: PlanetArk: Factbox: Europe's Weather Turns To Milder Winter Outlook
And on the American political front:
- 2011/11/25: TreeHugger: Will Loopholes in Obama's Much-Heralded Fuel Standards Bring Back SUVs?
- 2011/11/25: AutoBG: T. Boone Pickens has a federal subsidy beef with the Koch brothers over natural gas, ethanol
- 2011/11/23: AlterNet: The Virus of GOP Ignorance: Why Don't Media Protect Us From the Lies Spewed in the Republican Primary?
- 2011/11/21: AlterNet: 4 Absurd, Damaging Right-Wing Lies About Food Stamps
- 2011/11/22: CSM: Is the EPA really a 'jobs killer'?
- 2011/11/21: PlanetArk: Is U.S. Farm Boom Sitting On An Ethanol Bubble?
- 2011/11/20: DeSmogBlog: ACCCE Doesn't Want To Pony Up For Life-Saving, Job-Creating New Emissions Standards
- 2011/11/26: NYT: California Bullet Train Project Advances Amid Cries of Boondoggle
The BP disaster continues to twist US politics:
- 2011/11/24: PlanetArk: BP Gags In-House Lawyer On Oil Spill Lawsuits
Oil giant BP has succeeded in preventing the public airing of comments from a senior in-house lawyer about lawsuits stemming from the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, as part of a legal claim of discrimination. John Skipper told a British employment tribunal on Wednesday that he had been passed over for promotion because he was over 50 years of age, and that his case highlighted a culture of ageism at BP. BP denies the accusation and said comments Skipper made in his witness statement, about the oil spill lawsuits, were irrelevant to his claims, and only intended to embarrass BP. BP's lawyer John Bowers said the company has no wish to stifle evidence but he argued the tribunal was being used to reveal "confidential information about highly sensitive matters." - 2011/11/23: OilDrum: Deepwater GOM: Reserves versus Production - Part 3: Older Fields and Conclusion
On the 2012 campaign trail:
- 2011/11/25: ERabett:BDS: Godfather's Pizza and Al Gore
- 2011/11/22: GreenGrok: Environmental Turkey of the Year
- 2011/11/22: TreeHugger: Sorry, Mitt: Not Even Fringy Climate Denial Will Get the Tea Party to Like You
- 2011/11/21: CCurrents: All Those Republican Candidates: Can They Be Taken Seriously?
- 2011/11/21: TP:JR: The Joke's On You, Romney: Presidential Contender Questions Ludicrous CO2 Policy Mocked By Kristen Wiig
- 2011/10/20: CPunch: Welcome, President Romney -- Low-Key, Well-Tailored, Business As Usual
- 2011/11/20: Guardian(UK): In Cain and Perry's gaffes, the Republicans' degradation is laid bare
Herman Cain and Rick Perry may look foolish now -- but their bizarre statements are the result of their party's decline - 2011/11/21: CER:RRapier: How I Would Decide the Keystone XL Pipeline Issue
- 2011/11/22: CBC: Nebraska governor OK's Keystone law
The governor of Nebraska has signed into law two bills that give the state the power to control the route of the Keystone XL pipeline and subject it to an environmental review. Nebraska Gov. Dave Heineman signed two bills into law on Tuesday that will regulate all oil pipelines within the state's borders. Last week, Nebraskan legislators voted to move the pipeline and ordered a new environmental assessment. Those decisions then went up the chain to Heineman's desk. - 2011/11/21: CDreams: The Pipeline Protests: Taking It to the Streets
- 2011/11/16: Nation: The Keystone Victory
The Obama chatter is nonstop:
- 2011/11/22: WiC: Bill McKibben, Keystone XL, and Barack Obama
- 2011/11/22: PSinclair: Obama Throws Down on "Climate Change which Cannot Be Denied"
The actions of the Obama administration are being watched closely:
- 2011/11/21: KSJT: LA Times: How the EPA doubled fuel economy standards and why automakers made no stink
- 2011/11/22: PlanetArk: EPA Delays Carbon Limits On Oil Refineries
- 2011/11/21: PlanetArk: Analysis: Energy Secretary Chu Likely To Survive Solyndra
- 2011/11/21: PlanetArk: EPA Rules Could Shut 13,000 Megawatts Of Midwest Coal Plants
Proposed federal environmental regulations could shut about 13,000 megawatts of coal fired generation, boost power prices, threaten electric reliability and cost billions to retrofit or replace most of the region's existing coal fleet, according to U.S. power grid operator Midwest Independent System Operator (MISO). - 2011/11/25: CCP: Fallout continues from confrontation during testimony between Rice University professor, Dr. Douglas Brinkley, and Alaska Rep. Don Young, over opening the Arctic National Wildlife Refuge (ANWR) to drilling
- 2011/11/22: OnEarth: Supercommittee's Super Failure Means Crucial Cuts to Environmental Protections
- 2011/11/24: DeSmogBlog: Congress Says No To Free Climate Service
- 2011/11/21: CJR: Congress Nixes Climate Service -- GOP lawmakers deny NOAA proposal to create central information hub
- 2011/11/24: CDreams: US Congress Seeks to Cut Food Stamp Program
- 2011/11/23: TP:JR: Congress Skips Durban Climate Talks: Is That a Good Thing?
- 2011/11/22: CCP: Don Shelby: A video of Rep. Don Young every American should see
- 2011/11/22: CCP: Rep. Ed Markey (D-Mass.): Who Is Trying to Sabotage International Climate Talks?
- 2011/11/22: TP:JR: Top 10 Reasons Republicans Were Wrong to Kill NOAA Climate Service
- 2011/11/22: Grist: Rep. Don Young throws a weird tantrum over arctic drilling
- 2011/11/21: NatureN: US science agencies dodge deep cuts -- Partial 2012 budget mostly spares research, but deficit-reduction measures still pose a looming threat
- 2011/11/21: al Jazeera: Chuck Grassley's Senate: American idiots
The US senate has degenerated from 'the world's most deliberative body' into the world's most deliberately stupid one. - 2011/11/21: CCP: GOP Deniers Block Creation Of [NOAA National] Climate Service
- 2011/11/21: TCoE: Score one for the champions of ignorance -- Congress nixes National Climate Service
- 2011/11/21: Grist: No National Climate Service for you, says Congress
Can Congress say no to an innocuous, zero-cost request for a government agency to reorganize itself so that it contains a National Climate Service? The answer -- in our anti-science, post-truth, batshit crazy America -- is yes. - 2011/11/20: CCP: Adam Siegel: Going toe-to-toe in a Congressional Hearing ... [Don Young (R-AK) displaying appalling behavior towards witness historian Dr. Douglas Brinkely]
While in the UK:
- 2011/11/24: Guardian(UK): Green-o-meter: Is the government keeping its green promises?
- 2011/11/23: Guardian(UK): Shale gas push 'would wreck UK's climate change targets'
Report says that exploiting just one-fifth of Lancashire's shale gas reserves would put carbon emissions targets out of reach - 2011/11/23: Guardian(UK): National road charging is inevitable, warns head of UK motoring group
- 2011/11/23: BBC: Electricity cost to rise due to government policies
- 2011/11/22: BBC: Co-op shale gas report questions carbon footprint cost
Using shale gas could stop the UK from reducing its carbon footprint, a report has claimed. The Co-operative report said if 20% of Lancashire's gas resources were recovered it would mean emissions totalling 2bn tonnes of carbon dioxide. Shale gas would account for almost 15% of the UK's total allowed emissions up to 2050, the report said. - 2011/11/22: BBC: MoD given deadline over radioactive Dalgety Bay beach
Scotland's environmental watchdog has given the MoD until the end of February to devise a plan to make safe a Fife beach contaminated with radioactivity. - 2011/11/22: Guardian(UK): Chris Huhne blasts Lord Lawson's climate sceptic thinktank
- 2011/11/21: ScienceInsider: U.K.'s Nuclear R&D Effort Lagging, Lords Conclude
- 2011/11/21: BBC: UK 'complacent' on nuclear future
The UK government's lack of strategy on nuclear research threatens long-term electricity plans, says the House of Lords Science and Technology Committee. The "complacent" UK invests far less in research than other nations, creating a skills gap and making the country a "niche player", its report concludes. - 2011/11/21: Guardian(UK): [Letter] UK commitment to climate change
And in Europe:
- 2011/11/25: CBC: Sarkozy vows no retreat from nuclear power
- 2011/11/25: EurActiv: Lithuania blasts nuclear decommissioning plan
Lithuanian Prime Minister Andrius Kubilius slammed the European Commission yesterday (24 November) for its proposal to help close the Ignalina power station as part of an aid package to decommission nuclear plants in three new EU member countries. - 2011/11/25: EurActiv: Energy savings deal pushed back to 2012
EU energy ministers reiterated their opposition to binding energy savings targets at a meeting yesterday (24 November), leaving a political agreement for the incoming Danish presidency in the first half of 2012, EurActiv has learned. Poland, which currently holds the six-month rotating EU presidency, presented a progress report on the draft energy efficiency directive at a meeting of the Energy Council on Thursday (24 November). The report included amendments pushed by member states requiring more "flexibility" in achieving the proposed targets. Most EU member states "are not convinced of the approach and request flexibility to design schemes best suited for their circumstances," the Polish presidency said, after holding consultations with all national delegations. - 2011/11/25: al Jazeera: Germany, Europe's green leader
Eco housing, car-free streets and socially conscious residents have made Germany the green leader in Europe. - 2011/11/24: EurActiv: Green space emerges as major CAP controversy
European Commission plans to require farmers to set aside green areas under the next phase of the EU's agriculture support programme face uncertainty amid mounting opposition from growers organisations and lawmakers. - 2011/11/24: EUO: UK and Germany split on financial transaction tax
- 2011/11/22: ScienceInsider: Budget Cuts Threaten Denmark's Science Assessment Body
- 2011/11/21: NatureN: First EU chief scientific adviser named -- After a two-year delay, appointment goes to Scotland's CSA.
Europe's first chief scientific adviser (CSA) is to be Anne Glover, Nature has learned. Glover is a molecular and cell biologist and is Scotland's CSA at present. - 2011/11/21: EUO: We need an honest debate on shale gas
Meanwhile in Australia:
- 2011/11/25: NatureNB: Australia unveils proposals for huge marine reserve
- 2011/11/25: BBC: Australia plans huge marine reserve in Coral Sea
The Australian government says it plans to establish the world's largest marine reserve in the Coral Sea. - 2011/11/25: ABC(Au): Private climate change bill
Tasmania's Climate Change minister has tabled a Private Members Bill to reduce carbon emissions. Greens minister Cassy O'Connor wants stronger targets for reducing greenhouse gas emissions. Her private members' bill introduces an interim target to reduce emissions by 40 per cent below 1990 levels within a decade and for the state to be carbon neutral by 2050. The existing target is to be 60 per cent below 1990 levels by 2050. - 2011/11/24: ABC(Au): CSG emissions ignored in greenhouse targets
- 2011/11/24: ABC(Au): Claims councils burdened with climate change planning
- 2011/11/24: ABC(Au): Flannery visit puts focus on climate change
- 2011/11/24: JQuiggin: Please don't blow this chance
- 2011/11/24: PeakEnergy: Coal Seam Gas - By The Numbers
- 2011/11/23: ABC(Au): Researcher says preparedness key to climate change
A scientist attending a climate change conference in Newcastle today says tweaking development guidelines is the key to the region's preparedness for sea level rises. The National Climate Change Adaptation Research Facility is hosting a workshop for researchers, government and business professionals. Research shows thousands of dwellings in Newcastle and Lake Macquarie would be inundated if sea levels rise by 90 centimetres. Research Fellow Sarah Boulter says Councils must be proactive. - 2011/11/23: al Jazeera: Australian parliament passes mining tax
Plan to impose 30 per cent tax on mining sector clears its biggest political hurdle after passing through lower house. - 2011/11/22: BBC: Australia mining tax clears hurdle, after much debate
The resignation of Harry Jenkins as House Speaker and subsequent appointment of Peter Slipper miffed the mad Abbot:
- 2011/11/24: ABC(Au): Labor denies deal to install Slipper
Labor heavyweights are denying claims that loyal Speaker Harry Jenkins took one for the team in a "squalid" deal to install Liberal turncoat Peter Slipper. Mr Jenkins resigned yesterday and was replaced by Mr Slipper, bolstering Labor's numbers in the Lower House and provoking fury amongst Mr Slipper's former Liberal colleagues. - 2011/11/24: ABC(Au): Parliament in turmoil as Speaker resigns
Federal Parliament has been thrown into turmoil today with the sudden resignation of Speaker Harry Jenkins. Mr Jenkins announced he was standing down in a statement to the House this morning, saying he wanted to go back into the cut and thrust of Labor Party decision making. The move pitched Liberal Deputy Speaker Peter Slipper into the spotlight, with Labor Caucus wasting little time in nominating him for the Speaker's role - a move which would effectively give Labor one more seat in the House of Reps and lessen its reliance on independent and Greens MPs. - 2011/11/24: ABC(Au): Slipper labelled 'Liberal rat' on becoming Speaker
Will Australia abrogate the NPT like the USA and sell India uranium?
- 2011/11/25: al Jazeera: What's the harm in selling uranium to India?
Australia may begin exporting uranium to India, but proponents have hijacked what is primarily an arms control debate. - 2011/11/24: ABC(Au):TDU: Stop punishing India, give them uranium
After a 10 year drought and recent massive flooding, water usage planning is controversial and difficult:
- 2011/11/24: ABC(Au): MP pushes for Kimberley-to-Murray [water] pipeline
- 2011/11/28: MDBA: [links to several pdfs] The proposed Basin Plan for consultation
- 2011/11/28: ABC(Au): Murray-Darling plan released
- 2011/11/27: ABC(Au): Murray Darling plan to be unveiled
And in New Zealand:
- 2011/11/26: ABC(Au): Key claims victory in NZ election
- 2011/11/26: BBC: Ruling National Party claims victory in NZ poll
- 2011/11/26: al Jazeera: Ruling party wins New Zealand election
Centre-right National party remains in power, as PM John Key works to form a coalition with smaller parties. New Zealand's opposition Labour Party has conceded defeat in general elections, giving the ruling National Party the win and allowing John Key to return as prime minister. Opposition leader Phil Goff accepted defeat on Saturday by telling his supporters "the people have made their decision and we treat their decision with humility and respect". - 2011/11/25: BBC: John Key out in front as New Zealand votes
Polls have closed in New Zealand in a general election that could see the governing National Party secure an historic outright majority. Opinion polls put PM John Key's party just over the 50% mark, with Labour, led by Phil Goff, trailing on 27%. If the polls are correct, the National Party would be the first to win an outright majority since proportional representation was introduced in 1996. It is currently in a coalition with three small parties. - 2011/11/23: HotTopic: Human stupidity and the NZ election (Heigh ho! Heigh ho!)
- 2011/11/21: HotTopic: NZ needs a bold low-carbon business strategy
While in the Indian subcontinent:
- 2011/11/26: CCurrents: Anti-POSCO Struggle Leader Abhaya Sahoo Arrested
And in China:
- 2011/11/24: CSM: Clean energy market: China promises open access
U.S. Commerce Secretary John Bryson said Chinese officials promised foreign technology suppliers equal access to their booming clean energy industry in trade talks amid pressure to revive global growth. Bryson said the officials told him Monday the country will invest $1.7 trillion over the next five years inclean energy and other emerging technologies. He said they pledged a "level playing field" for U.S. and other foreign suppliers. Beijing is spending heavily to develop wind, solar and other clean energy, both to curb demand for imported oil and gas and to create profitable industries. - 2011/11/21: ScienceInsider: ITER [fusion reactor] and Monju [experimental fast breeder reactor] on the [Japanese govt.] Chopping Block?
In the Middle East:
- 2011/11/26: DVoice: The Palestinian Struggle for Water in the Jordan Valley
- 2011/11/22: NBF: Saudis plan for future of unconventional oil from oilsands and tight oil and more expensive Saudi oil
And South America:
- 2011/11/21: CCurrents: Bolivia: Rumble Over Jungle Far From Over
In Canada, neocon PM Harper, continues his do-nothing policy:
- 2011/11/23: EmbassyMag: Canada called on to boost UN green funding
As COP17 nears, how exactly the fledging global climate fund should be financed is up for debate. - 2011/11/23: PostMedia: Choose high-speed rail over F-35s
- 2011/11/22: 350orBust: Solving The Big Environmental Calamities Requires Measuring, Research, Monitoring
- 2011/11/26: Straight: Here's why Stephen Harper visited Science World in Vancouver [a sciencey photo-op]
The G8/G20 controversy lingers:
- 2011/11/25: DawgsBlawg: Tony Gazebo, the Teflon Con
- 2011/11/24: G&M: Debate erupts over resource-intensive G20 undercover operation
- 2011/11/24: PostMedia: The curious case of the missing 'sures'
Record fails to show Clement's agreement to provide paper trail for G8 funding - 2011/11/23: G&M: Undercover officers knew of plans for downtown mayhem during G20
- 2011/11/23: G&M: Files contradict Clement, suggest he had hand in carving up G8 fund
- 2011/11/23: G&M: NDP accuses Clement of misleading MPs, doctoring Hansard on G8
- 2011/11/23: CBC: Tale of the Tape: Tony Clement and the Case of the Missing 'Sure's
- 2011/11/23: CBC: NDP accuses Tony Clement of misleading Parliament
The NDP says it has documents that show Treasury Board Tony Clement made "false and misleading statements" statements to Parliament about his role in the G8 legacy fund. New Democrat MPs Charlie Angus and Alexandre Boulerice held a press conference Wednesday morning in Ottawa to talk about emails they obtained through access to information legislation. They say the documents contradict some of the testimony Clement gave to the House of Commons public accounts committee on Nov. 2. - 2011/11/22: MediaCoop: Group statement by 17 people charged with conspiracy during the G20 regarding a plea deal
- 2011/11/22: TGBeaver: Group Statement by 17 People Charged With Conspiracy During the G20
- 2011/11/22: TGBeaver: Here's your G20 anarchists...justifying a billion dollar security budget and a thousand arbitrary arrests and beatings
- 2011/11/23: KW: We spent a billion dollars for this?
- 2011/11/23: DD: Communique from AW@L a year and a half after the G20 occupation of Toronto...
- 2011/11/22: CBC: G20 case reveals 'largest ever' police spy operation -- RCMP collaborated with provincial and local police to monitor activists
- 2011/11/22: CBC: G20 accused plead guilty
Six people accused of orchestrating the turmoil during last year's G20 summit in Toronto have pleaded guilty, part of a deal that has seen charges against 11 others withdrawn. The pleas were widely anticipated and sources close to the case told CBC News about the deal in advance of Tuesday's hearing. Alex Hundert and Amanda Hiscocks have pleaded guilty to counselling mischief and counselling to obstruct police, while four others -- Leah Henderson, Peter Hopperton, Erik Lankin, and Adam Lewis -- pleaded guilty to one count each of counselling mischief. - 2011/11/22: G&M: How police infiltrated groups planning G20 protests
- 2011/11/21: ArtThreat: Two docs explore violence & resistance -- Tales from the G20 & End:Civ compliment but still incomplete
- 2011/11/21: Impolitical: He was a skater boy...
- 2011/11/21: WpgFP: G8 resort renos include $1,650 to remove bed, $3,500 to move light fixtures
Questions and debate about offshore and Arctic drilling continue:
- 2011/11/25: CBC: N.L. oil rig damaged by supply ship
One wonders why the Liberals didn't do this when they were in power...:
- 2011/11/24: PostMedia: Liberal proposes ban on bulk water exports
Liberal MP Francis Scarpaleggia is urging the federal government to follow through on a throne speech commitment by supporting his latest attempt to introduce legislation banning bulk water exports from Canada. If adopted, the private member's bill would ban transfers of water from any basin, which as a result would prohibit large transfers from Canada to the United States. Although many provinces already have their own legislation protecting their water resources from bulk exports, Scarpaleggia said that his own legislation, Bill C-267, provides extra protection for the whole country, in case any jurisdiction changes its mind. - 2011/11/20: PostMedia: Senior bureaucrat cast doubt about ozone monitoring cuts
A senior Environment Canada bureaucrat who publicly defended the federal government's plans to slash funding and eliminate "redundancy" within the country's ozone monitoring programs, privately approved a briefing note that concluded there was no duplication in its network, Postmedia News has learned. The controversial plan to cut funding for atmospheric monitoring in Canada was revealed by the British scientific journal, Nature, in September as scientists were cataloguing a record-breaking hole above the Arctic in the ozone layer - a protective barrier that protects life on Earth from the sun's harmful radiation. Karen Dodds, an assistant deputy minister from Environment Canada's science and technology branch, told Postmedia News at the time that there was no need for "the same level of redundancy that we have now" in monitoring of ozone, which is also a smog-causing pollutant in the air people breathe. But less than a week before making those comments, she approved a briefing note, dated Sept. 16, which told a different story... - 2011/11/24: PostMedia: Oilsands pipeline through B.C. may not clear First Nations hurdle: Pat Carney
The $5.5-billion Northern Gateway pipeline linking Alberta's vast oilsands wealth to Asian markets via a northern B.C. port won't likely meet its 2017 target to begin shipments - if it's built at all, retired B.C. Conservative Senator Pat Carney said Thursday. Carney, who held both the energy and trade portfolios under the Tory government of Brian Mulroney in the 1980s, said Enbridge Inc.'s megaproject faces challenges relating to economics, environmental concerns, well-organized protests backed by Hollywood stars and aboriginal land-claims issues. But the principal problem, she said, is that First Nations along the pipeline route are the ones that stand to benefit economically, while aboriginals along the coast should expect no major economic benefit but face potentially the greatest risk if there's a significant spill. - 2011/11/24: CBC: 'Grumpy old man' sets off House manners debate
A war of words over support for TransCanada's Keystone XL project set off an unexpected debate on decorum in the House of Commons Thursday. Megan Leslie, the NDP's environment critic, was shouted down after starting a question to 70-year-old Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver by referring to cranky elderly citizens. "If being a grumpy old man makes you an expert in world ...," she said, before getting cut off. That kind of language may be surprising for people who haven't been watching question period over the past few weeks. But those who have been paying attention may recall Oliver referring to Leslie and NDP MP Claude Gravelle, the party's natural resources critic, as "clowns" for travelling to Washington, D.C., to talk to lawmakers about their opposition to extending the Keystone XL pipeline. - 2011/11/24: PlanetArk: Native Group Seeks Enbridge [Northern Gateway] Pipeline Hearing Delay
A Western Canadian native group has filed a motion to delay hearings into Enbridge Inc's C$5.5 billion ($5.2 billion) oil pipeline to the Pacific Coast, and says Ottawa is wrong in its assessment that the proposed project would bring economic benefits. Coastal First Nations, a coalition of nine aboriginal communities near the terminus of the planned oil sands pipeline, have asked regulators to adjourn hearings before a scheduled January start so Enbridge can respond for a second time to its requests for information. - 2011/11/22: BCLSB: Keystone XL Update
- 2011/11/21: PostMedia: Harper delusional if he thinks Northern Gateway's an option
Proposed B.C. pipeline faces even more obstacles than TransCanada met in Nebraska - 2011/11/25: CBC: Pro-wheat board farmer tossed from Commons gallery
- 2011/11/21: Dominion: Bye, Bye, Wheat Board? Small farmers raise concern as Conservatives prepare to cut board's monopoly
- 2011/11/22: CBC: Government's analysis of wheat board changes questioned -- Departmental analysis based on controversial 2008 study, only examined over summer 2011
The Harper government appears to have proceeded with plans to dismantle the Canadian Wheat Board's monopoly without conducting a broad analysis of the impact of that move. The extent of the department's analysis is revealed in the government's response to a written question put on the House of Commons order paper by Liberal MP Ralph Goodale. Officials appear to have relied almost entirely on assumptions made in a three-year old study done for the Alberta government by Informa Economics. The methodology and conclusions of that study were challenged by supporters of the wheat board at the time of its release in August 2008. - 2011/11/25: AlexandraMorton: Open Letter to Minister Ashfield
In BC, the stage is set. Now what will Clark and Dix do?
- 2011/11/21: Tyee: BC's Climate Plan at a Crossroads -- Today begins a series on how the province's carbon reduction plans are working, or not
- 2011/11/23: Tyee: Carbon Series Reporters Unravel Complex Knot -- Tyee Solutions Society project probes real results of BC's stated climate policies
- 2011/11/23: Tyee: Has BC's Carbon Tax Worked? Experts are divided on what the levy has achieved and how it must evolve
- 2011/11/22: Tyee: Politics Buffet BC's Carbon Agenda -- Premier Clark inherited bold climate policies and strong pressures on all sides. What will she do?
Meanwhile in that Mechanical Mordor known as the tar sands:
- 2011/11/24: CBC: N.W.T.'s water could be at risk from oilsands -- Reports says territory has no control over possible downstream pollution
- 2011/11/23: CDreams: Tar Sands Oil Producers Eye California
- 2011/11/23: CBC: Chinese firm can face trial in oilsands deaths, says court
A unit of a giant Chinese petrochemical corporation can face trial on safety charges in the deaths of two oilsands workers. The Alberta Court of Appeal has upheld a ruling that Sinopec Shanghai Engineering Co. can be prosecuted under the Health and Safety Act in the deaths of the men. The court also ruled that the Crown can apply to hold a trial on the charges under the Criminal Code if Sinopec Shanghai does not show up in court. The two temporary workers from China were killed in April 2007 when a storage tank collapsed at the Canadian Natural Resources Horizon project. - 2011/11/23: CBC: European MP defends EU oil sands policy
A member of the European Parliament says he's surprised the Canadian government is lobbying on behalf of oil companies in Europe. Kriton Arsenis, a Greek member of the Social Democratic Alliance, says he expected to hear from oil companies who object to EU plans to label Canadian oil sands oil dirtier than conventional fuel. "We would expect hard lobbying from the oil companies, there are a lot of European companies involved in the production of oil sands. And we didn't," Arsenis said. "The part that was more active was the Canadian government." - 2011/11/23: PlanetArk: Canada Oil Sands Output To Triple By 2035: Report
- 2011/11/22: PlanetArk: Canada Oil Sector Must Keep Cleaning Up Act: [former environment minister, Jim] Prentice
- 2011/11/21: G&M: Stand together against the tar-sands scourge by Robert Redford
- 2011/11/27: BCLSB: Why The Ethical Oil Argument Flops With Americans
- 2011/11/27: PostMedia: The birth of ethical oil -- How a right-wing pundit created a catchphrase to win moderate hearts and minds
Also in Alberta:
- 2011/11/23: G&M: Alberta's carbon-cutting programs failing, watchdog reports
In the North:
- 2011/11/21: TStar: Canadian elders right all along, 'lost' caribou herd had just moved
- 2011/11/24: CBC: Thawing permafrost sinks buildings, hikes costs in North -- Northern communities turn to innovative solutions to tackle thawing soil
As for miscellaneous Canadiana:
- 2011/11/24: CBC: Fossil treasure trove found at oilsands
- 2011/11/26: CleanBreak: Will miss you Mr. Layton, but why on earth did you so vigorously oppose a carbon tax?
The movement toward a long term ecologically viable economics is glacial:
- 2011/11/26: CCurrents: Why Is Economic Growth So Popular?
- 2011/11/23: OpenDem: The crisis and the change-makers by Paul Rogers
In the face of the world's urgent economic and environmental problems, political leadership is failing. But from the ground up, new tools of understanding are emerging to fill the gap and point a way forward. - 2011/11/23: CleanBreak: A century of falling commodity prices undone in eight years, and the next 20 look no better: McKinsey
- 2011/11/20: EconBrowser: Implications of the recent rise in oil prices
- 2011/11/21: SciAm:GB: Growth Has an Expiration Date
- 2011/11/21: OilDrum: Is It Really Possible to Decouple GDP Growth from Energy Growth?
Apocalypso anyone?
- 2011/08/28: CassandraLegacy: The Seneca effect: why decline is faster than growth
How do the media measure up?
- 2011/11/22: CJR: AP Rings the Alarm -- Story about cancers from Fukushima plays up the scare factor
- 2011/11/24: Deltoid: The Australian's War on Science 74: Spinning the IPCC Extreme Weather report
- 2011/11/23: PSinclair: The Media and Climate: They don't know. They don't know they don't know. And They don't care.
- 2011/11/23: PeakEnergy: Climate change episode of Frozen Planet won't be shown in the U.S.
- 2011/11/21: QuarkSoup: Chihuahuas Better Informed than Fox News Viewers
- 2011/11/21: MediaMatters: TV Media Ignore Extreme Weather Report
- 2011/11/21: TreeHugger: Surprise: Fox News Viewers are Most Misinformed About Climate Science, Study Confirms
- 2011/11/21: TP:JR: Another Self-Contradictory Attack on Clean Energy from the Washington Post
- 2011/11/21: DeSmogBlog: Fox News Viewers are the Most Misinformed: A Seventh Study Arrives to Prove It (and to Vindicate Jon Stewart!)
While activists search for effective communication techniques:
- 2011/11/22: Grist: The art of talking climate science
Here is something for your library:
- 2011/11/22: HotTopic: [Book Review] _An Introduction to Modern Climate Change_ by Andrew Dessler
And for your film & video enjoyment:
- 2011/11/25: HotTopic: The Climate Show #22: Durban doubts & Renwick on extremes
- 2011/11/23: AutoBG: Film Review: Revenge of the Electric Car
- 2011/11/20: BPA: Film: Imagining Agriculture without Oil and Forest Gardens in the UK
- 2011/11/23: DeSmogBlog: Battle For Wetzel County: Short Documentary Chronicles Impacts of Fracking In West Virginia
- 2011/11/22: CCP: Don Shelby: A video of Rep. Don Young every American should see
- 2011/11/22: PSinclair: Obama Throws Down on "Climate Change which Cannot Be Denied"
- 2011/11/21: 350orBust: The Denial Tango: As The Waters Rise Around Me, I'll Just Hold My Breath And Say It Isn't So
- 2011/11/20: P3: The science behind a climate headline
- 2011/11/21: PSinclair: D.R. Tucker: Occupy Conservatism
Meanwhile among the 'Sue the Bastards!' contingent:
- 2011/11/25: BBC: Nature journal libel case continues
Developing a new energy infrastructure is a fundamental challenge of the current generation:
- 2011/11/26: TP:JR: Clean Energy Stunner: Renewable Power Tops Fossil Fuels for First Time
- 2011/11/25: BBerg: Renewable Power Trumps Fossils for First Time as UN Talks Stall
Renewable energy is surpassing fossil fuels for the first time in new power-plant investments, shaking off setbacks from the financial crisis and an impasse at the United Nations global warming talks. Electricity from the wind, sun, waves and biomass attracted $187 billion last year compared with $157 billion for natural gas, oil and coal, according to calculations by Bloomberg New Energy Finance using the most recent data. Accelerating installations of solar and wind power led to lower equipment prices, making clean energy more competitive with coal. - 2011/11/25: OilDrum: The Energy Return on Investment Threshold
- 2011/11/21: GreenGrok: The Keys to Energy Sustainability
- 2011/11/22: TBAS: The myth of renewable energy
- 2011/11/23: PeakEnergy: Australia Could Be A Geothermal Powerhouse
- 2011/11/21: PeakEnergy: Why solar parity scares big utilities
- 2011/11/26: NBF: External costs fossil fuels, hydro, and nuclear
Google has dropped one renewable energy program to some negative comment:
- 2011/11/23: TP:JR: Google Phases Out Clean Energy R&D in Favor of Deployment, Citing the "Compelling" Cost Reductions in Solar PV
- 2011/11/23: PlanetArk: Google Quits Plans To Make Cheap Renewable Energy [Renewable Energy Cheaper than Coal Project]
Hey! Let's contaminate the aquifer for thousands of years! It'll be a fracking gas!
- 2011/11/22: Salon: Cities, the new hydrofracking victims
Despite devastating health risks, both parties are pushing to allow more drilling near urban areas - 2011/11/23: CCurrents: Shale Gas And Climate Change: The Other Burning Issue
- 2011/11/23: CCurrents: Fracking Gas = Climate Crash
- 2011/11/24: PeakEnergy: Coal Seam Gas - By The Numbers
- 2011/11/23: TCoE: If shale gas is the answer, then what's the fracking question?
- 2011/11/23: Guardian(UK): Shale gas push 'would wreck UK's climate change targets'
- 2011/11/23: OilChange: Shale Gas "Will Wreck Climate Commitments"
- 2011/11/23: PlanetArk: Propane Substitutes For Water In Shale Fracking
- 2011/11/22: BBC: Co-op shale gas report questions carbon footprint cost
- 2011/11/21: EUO: We need an honest debate on shale gas
On the coal front:
- 2011/11/26: TreeHugger: Supply Chains & Carbon: Australia Is Worlds Largest Coal Exporter, Japan It's Largest Customer
On the gas and oil front:
- 2011/11/25: BBerg: Closing oil prices Friday
OIL (US$/bbl)
Nymex Crude Future...96.77
Dated Brent Spot....106.77
WTI Cushing Spot.....96.77 - 2011/11/25: CalcRisk: Gasoline Prices and Brent WTI Spread
- 2011/11/26: Dominion: The Changing Face of Oil Extraction -- Shale oil and gas plays in Israel/Palestine, Jordan and Morocco
- 2011/11/25: WiC: Petroleum junkies of the world, unite!
- 2011/11/22: NBF: Saudis plan for future of unconventional oil from oilsands and tight oil and more expensive Saudi oil
- 2011/11/22: PlanetArk: Saudi Sees Threat Of Shale Oil Revolution
- 2011/11/22: PeakEnergy: Saudi Oil Production Declining
- 2011/11/22: CSM: Why Iran sanctions are pushing up oil prices
- 2011/11/21: OilChange: Don't Look Away Now
- 2011/11/21: BBC: The British utility Centrica has signed a 10-year deal worth £13bn to buy natural gas from Norway's Statoil
- 2011/11/27: OilDrum: Tech Talk -A second look at natural gas in the Bakken
That leak off Brazil's shore continues to plague Chevron:
- 2011/11/24: al Jazeera: Brazil suspends Chevron's drilling activities
The move is the latest twist in a political firestorm that threatens the US company's role in Brazil's oil bonanza. - 2011/11/23: BBC: Brazil bans oil giant Chevron from drilling after spill
- 2011/11/23: CBC: Brazil bans Chevron from drilling
- 2011/11/23: al Jazeera: Chevron faces $145m in possible Brazil fines
US oil firm fined $28m for spill off the coast of Rio de Janeiro state, but overall penalties could add up to much more. - 2011/11/22: AutoBG: Chevron facing fines, possible ban after oil sheen in Brazil waters found to be from leak, not seepage
- 2011/11/22: PlanetArk: Analysis: Chevron Spill May Complicate Brazil Oil Dreams
- 2011/11/21: TreeHugger: Chevron: Yup, That Massive Oil Spill in Brazil is Our Fault
- 2011/11/21: TreeHugger: Chevron Fined Just Half a Day's Profit For Oil Spill
- 2011/11/22: OilChange: Chevron Faces Possible Brazil Drilling Ban
- 2011/11/22: al Jazeera: Chevron fined $27m for Brazil oil spill
US oil giant could still face millions in additional fines if federal investigation reveals further infractions. - 2011/11/21: BBC: Brazil has announced it is fining US oil company Chevron $28m (£17.9m) for causing an oil spill off the coast of Rio de Janeiro
- 2011/11/21: CBC: Chevron faces $28M US fine, Brazil official says -- Minister says firm took 10 days to respond to oil spill
- 2011/11/20: BBC: Chevron takes full responsibility for Brazil oil spill
US oil company Chevron says it accepts full responsibility for an oil spill off the coast of Brazil. - 2011/11/21: CCurrents: The Politics Of Gas Pipelines In Asia
Yes we have a peak oil sighting:
- 2011/11/22: CCurrents: The Peak Oil Crisis: A [WEO] Report To Remember
- 2011/11/22: EnergyBulletin: The peak oil crisis: a report to remember
Biofuel bickering abounds:
- 2011/11/24: TreeHugger: Farmer-Owned Corn Ethanol Cooperative Fined For Falsifying Air Pollution Records
- 2011/11/25: CCurrents: Busy Bees And Biofuels
- 2011/11/24: EurActiv: WWF says sustainability of palm oil sources improving
Supermarkets and food companies are improving how they source palm oil, a key ingredient in half of all packaged foods - but not fast enough to prevent further environmental damage, according to the World Wildlife Fund. - 2011/11/24: PlanetArk: Wood-Burning Stoves All The Rage In Austerity Greece
- 2011/11/21: PlanetArk: Is U.S. Farm Boom Sitting On An Ethanol Bubble?
- 2011/11/21: QueensU: Second-generation ethanol processing is cost prohibitive
Costs for second-generation ethanol processing, which will ease the stress on corn and sugarcane, are unlikely to be competitive until 2020, according to a unique Queen's University study. - 2011/11/25: PeakEnergy: Which way will wind power blow?
- 2011/11/27: HotTopic: NZ wind: call for 20% by 2030
- 2011/11/24: FuturePundit: Dutch Losing Their Love Of Wind Power
- 2011/11/19: CleanBreak: Contra-rotating wind turbine more efficient, much quieter. The future of wind power?
Meanwhile among the solar aficionados:
- 2011/11/25: PlanetArk: Arab Spring A Short-Term Problem For Solar: Medgrid
- 2011/11/23: CCurrents: A Solar-Powered Car?
- 2011/11/22: TP:JR: Solar in the Asia Pacific Region Booms: China's 2011 Installs May Surpass America's for the First Time
- 2011/11/23: NBF: Nanocaviities for better thermoelectric materials
- 2011/11/22: NBF: Thermoelectric materials could become as cheap as paint and able to capture 15% of thermal energy
- 2011/11/18: ClimateSpectator: Why solar parity scares big utilities
- 2011/11/21: PeakEnergy: Advance Could Challenge China's Solar Dominance In Solar Power
- 2011/11/21: PeakEnergy: Why solar parity scares big utilities
Feed-In-Tariffs are being variously implemented around the world:
- 2011/11/26: Grist: Feed-in tariffs responsible for most renewable energy
- 2011/11/21: TP:JR: Gainesville, Florida is a Bigger Per Capita Solar Producer Than California -- Thanks to Feed-In Tariffs
The nuclear energy controversy continues:
- 2011/11/25: al Jazeera: What's the harm in selling uranium to India?
Australia may begin exporting uranium to India, but proponents have hijacked what is primarily an arms control debate. - 2011/11/25: al Jazeera: Nuclear waste train enters Germany
Last of 12 shipments of treated nuclear waste from France sparks clash between German police and protesters. - 2011/11/26: APR: PRA [Probabilistic Risk Analysis] and Public Knowledge: WASH-740/1250/1400
- 2011/11/27: BNC: Summary of China's fast reactor programme
- 2011/11/24: EUO: Critics cry foul after EU 'stress tests' give all clear to nuclear plants
- 2011/11/21: ScienceInsider: U.K.'s Nuclear R&D Effort Lagging, Lords Conclude
- 2011/11/21: NBF: Emerging Nuclear Innovations
- 2011/11/21: STimes: Energy Department: Concerns about Hanford plant
A new report released Monday shows that one of the federal government's largest construction projects is unlikely to be completed under its nearly $12.3 billion budget. - 2011/11/21: NatureN: Nuclear industry safety body takes on lessons of Fukushima
Operators' association intends to check nuclear plants' ability to handle serious accidents, but won't name problematic plants. The nuclear accident at the Fukushima power plant in Japan has prompted the World Association of Nuclear Operators (WANO), the industry's self-regulating body, to broaden its remit from accident prevention to regulating and verifying how well plants are prepared to cope with a serious nuclear accident and mitigate its consequences. But WANO seems likely to stop short of publicly identifying plants that have failed to address safety and other issues -- sticking instead with its two-decades-old policy that any information shared by its members should remain confidential. - 2011/11/21: SwissInfo: Global experts eye nuclear safety watchdog
Switzerland's Federal Nuclear Safety Inspectorate has signed up for a thorough check-up under the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). On Monday the Inspectorate announced that it was undergoing an inspection by the Integrated Regulatory Review Service (IRRS) -- an IAEA expert group. - 2011/11/21: Guardian(UK): Post-Fukushima 'anti-radiation' pills condemned by scientists
Green party distances itself from Dr Christopher Busby, a former spokesman promoting products following Japanese nuclear disaster - 2011/11/22: Monbiot: How the Greens Were Misled
- 2011/11/23: NBF: George Monbiot urges Greens to purge themselves of Chris Busby
The Rossi Energy Catalyzer keeps coming up:
- 2011/11/24: NBF: Rossi claims he will generate electricity from the Energy Catalyzer within one year
- 2011/11/21: NBF: Brian Josephson who supports cold fusion asks Rossi to do a scientific test wtih UK Energy Department
- 2011/11/20: NBF: Defkalion claims to have what they call final energy catalyzer products to be revealed in 15 days
More people are talking about the electrical grid:
- 2011/11/25: DerSpiegel: Lagging Construction -- Demand Pushes Power Grid to the Limit
The construction of new power lines in Germany, particularly crucial following Chancellor Angela Merkel's decision to swiftly abandon much of the country's nuclear power, has fallen behind schedule. The government network agency warns that the grid is at the limit of its capacity. - 2011/11/25: SciAm:Obs: Can a California Start-Up Change the Way We Think about Lightbulbs? [Video]
Automakers & lawyers, engineers & activists argue over the future of the car:
- 2011/11/21: BBC: Revamp for India's Tata Nano - the world's cheapest car
- 2011/11/20: TCoE: Acceptable EV charge times
As for Energy Storage:
- 2011/11/21: CSM: Battery breakthrough could keep smart phones charged for an entire week
The reaction of business to climate change will be critical:
- 2011/11/25: PlanetArk: Going Green, Big Business Hires Auditors For Proof
- 2011/11/21: Grist: Walmart's promised green product rankings [Sustainability Index] fall off the radar
Meanwhile in the greenwashing chronicles:
- 2011/11/22: C49: Sustainability Reports: Separating Green Winners from Green Washers
Joe Romm posts a daily list of top energy and climate stories:
- 2011/11/24: TP:JR: Durban News Round Up...
- 2011/11/23: TP:JR: November 23 News...
- 2011/11/22: TP:JR: November 22 News...
- 2011/11/21: TP:JR: November 21 News...
Other (weekly) lists:
- 2011/11/25: EnergyBulletin: ODAC Newsletter
- 2011/11/21: BPA: Agriculture News
The carbon lobby are up to the usual:
- 2011/11/25: BBickmore: Contrarians File for Intellectual Bankruptcy
- 2011/11/25: TP:JR: The Real Scandal: The Endless Effort to Smear Climate Scientists
- 2011/11/22: WottsUWT: Don't mock the Monck
- 2011/11/21: CCP: Peter Gleick: The Rise and Fall of Climate Change Denial
- 2011/11/21: SciAm: Historian Hunts for Motives Behind Climate Change Doubt-Mongering: A Q&A with Naomi Oreskes
Historians search for those behind climate change contrarianism has documented the evolution of those raising doubts - 2011/11/21: 350orBust: The Denial Tango: As The Waters Rise Around Me, I'll Just Hold My Breath And Say It Isn't So
- 2011/11/20: AlterNet: The 5 Most Toxic Energy Companies and How They Control Our Politics
- 2011/11/20: Stoat: Plus ca change
- 2011/11/20: DeSmogBlog: ACCCE Doesn't Want To Pony Up For Life-Saving, Job-Creating New Emissions Standards
Here's an interesting turn of phrase: the Internet Water Army:
- 2011/11/18: arXiv: Battling the Internet Water Army: Detection of Hidden Paid Posters by Cheng Chen et al.
- 2011/11/24: BBC: Fake forum comments are 'eroding' trust in the web
Trust in information on the web is being damaged by the huge numbers of people paid by companies to post comments online, say researchers. - 2011/11/26: ERabett: Eli Explains It All Again
- 2011/11/26: CCurrents: Democratic Struggle And The Struggle For The Environment Are Tied Together
- 2011/11/26: QuarkSoup: Is This Climate Science's Thermidorian Reaction?
- 2011/11/24: QuarkSoup: Is Global Warming Ruining Thanksgiving? (Sheesh)
- 2011/11/23: Grist: Why brown spin keeps beating green spin
- 2011/11/23: SciNow: Cold Comfort: Frigid Months Will Still Come in a Warming World
- 2011/11/23: Guardian(UK): It's time scientists set an example by reducing their carbon footprint
- 2011/11/21: ERabett: Climate related comments elsewhere
- 2011/11/20: P3: The Post-Cautionary Principle
And here are a couple of sites you may find interesting and/or useful:
- Gordon McBean
- Andrew Weaver
- Nature News Special : Climate showdown in Durban
- PerSquareMile
- Paleobiology Database
- Dirty Energy Money Campaign -- Challenging dirty energy's dominance of our democracy
- FAO Cereal Supply and Demand Brief
- DerSpiegel: Climate Change - Related articles, background features and opinions about this topic
- Wiki: Progress (history)
- FeralScholar - Making the Connections
- Jill Stein for President
- C49: Carbon49 - a blog on sustainability for Canadian businesses
- WCEL: West Coast Environmental Law
- Environmental Defence
- Science Express
- CDM Watch
- European Commission - Joint Research Centre - Institute for Energy
Low Key Plug
New Web Site:
I have a new website. Everything that was on Autobahn has been ported over. I have 100 megs to play with here, so the Archives will get deeper.
My first novel Water was published in Canada May, 2007. The American release was in October. An Introductionto the novel is available, along with the Unpublished Forewordand the Launch Talk(which includes some quotations), An overview of my writing is available here.
<regards>
-hetP.S. Recent postings can be found in the week archive and the ancient postings can be accessed here, which should open to this.
I notice moyhu has set up a monster index to old AWoGWN on AFTIC."The Earth is not dying, it is being killed, and the people killing it have names and addresses." -Utah Phillips
Here's a wee chuckle for ye:
The Horn of Africa drought and famine continues to be a major disaster, with amazingly little coverage:
Late comment on SREX:
Preparatory to Durban, wrangling over the Green/Global Climate Fund has begun:
The Arctic melt continues to garner a lot of attention:
Another relatively quiet week except for Hurricane Kenneth in the Eastern Paci fic:
While on the GHG front:
And in the carbon cycle:
As for the temperature record:
Regarding Climate Sensitivity, See also:
And then there are the world's forests:
This week in the New Normal -- extreme weather:
As for heatwaves and wild fires:
Corals are a bellwether of the ocean's health:
While on the adaptation front:
The issue of the law and activism is playing out around the world:
What are the activists up to?
Who's making predictions this week?
The Keystone XL issue is still percolating:
As for what is going on in Congress:
While in Japan:
An unexpected disclosure on the Tory job cuts:
The battle over the Keystone XL and Northern Gateway pipelines rages on:
Meanwhile in the CWB saga:
The ISA virus in BC waters is potentially disastrous:
And in pipeline news:
The answer my friend...:
An apparent case of nuclear fakery:
And then there is the matter of efficiency & conservation:
As for climate miscellanea:
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