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  2. Another Week in the Ecological Crisis, October 13, 2013

Another Week in the Ecological Crisis, October 13, 2013

By illconsidered on October 14, 2013.

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

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As we enter a new Age of Consequences

October 13, 2013

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Here's a wee chuckle for ye:

This would be funny if it weren't so tin-pot typical:

  • 2013/10/11: SoS: New Low in Election Fraud
    Azerbaijan achieves a new low in voter fraud. They government accidentally publishes the results of the election before the polls open.

    • Looking ahead to COP19 at (Warsaw) and future international climate negotiations:

    Nobody's coughing up real money for the Green Climate Fund yet:

    There was a Greenhouse 2013 climate conference in Adelaide:

    The Africa Climate Conference 2013 went down this week:

    There is still some post AR5 discussion:

    The Camilo Mora et al. paper on climate change timing raised a few eyebrows:

    The Potash saga continues. What will the price be in 6 months? a year?

    A bit of a shake up in the Maldives saga:

    It's getting so one has to look at what the global financial institutions are doing...

    ...as opposed to what they are saying:

  • 2013/10/11: RTCC: Analysis: world's finance chiefs are taking aim at fossil fuels
    Leaders of IMF, OECD and World Bank all called for greater climate ambition and investment this week
  • 2013/10/11: CCP: Leaders of IMF, World Bank, OECD call for reducing subsidies to fossil-fuel industry
  • 2013/10/09: TP:JR: Are There Any Major World Financial Institutions That Don't Want To Act On Climate?
  • 2013/10/09: OECD: Countries should make carbon pricing the cornerstone of climate policy, says OECD
  • 2013/10/09: CleanTechnica: Carbon Markets Cut Emissions 17x Cheaper Than Subsidies [OECD]
  • 2013/10/09: CBC: Fossil fuel emissions must be eliminated, OECD chief says
  • 2013/10/08: RTCC: World Bank and IMF stress urgency of climate action
  • 2013/10/09: RTCC: OECD chief: carbon price vital to address climate change
  • 2013/10/09: BBC: OECD: 'No bailout' for climate threat
  • 2013/10/09: TMoS: OECD - We Need a "Big, Fat Price on Carbon"

    John Cook and friends continue their point-counterpoint articles:

    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. [Whoops, that has now been updated to 40 years.]
      And the IAEA is now saying 40 years too.
      [Now some people are talking about a century or more. Sealing it in concrete for 500 years.]
      We'll see.
      At any rate this situation is not going to be resolved any time soon and deserves its own section.
      Meanwhile...
      It is very difficult to know for sure what is really going on at Fukushima. Between the company [TEPCO], the Japanese government, the Japanese regulator [NISA], the international monitor [IAEA], as well as independent analysts and commentators, there is a confusing mish-mash of information. One has to evaluate both the content and the source of propagated information.
      How knowledgeable are they [about nuclear power and about Japan]?
      Do they have an agenda?
      Are they pro-nuclear or anti-nuclear?
      Do they want to write a good news story?
      Do they want to write a bad news story?
      Where do they rate on a scale of sensationalism?
      Where do they rate on a scale of play-it-down-ness?
      One fundamental question I would like to see answered:
      If the reactors are in meltdown, how can they be in cold shutdown?

    Not much good news coming out of Fukushima:

    What do we have for Fukushima related papers this week?

    The Arctic melt continues to garner attention:

    As for the charismatic megafauna:

    That Damoclean sword still hangs overhead:

    As for the geopolitics of Arctic resources:

    While in Antarctica:

    The food crisis is ongoing:

    The state of the world's fisheries is a concern. See also:

    Food Prices are still problematic:

    The conflict between biofuel and food persists:

    • 2013/10/11: FAO: Biofuel development should not compromise food security, says CFS
      Committee on World Food Security also stresses policy and investment support for smallholder farmers and producers Following a week of intense discussions, the Committee on World Food Security stressed the link between biofuels and food security, saying that the "progressive realization of the right to adequate food for all" should be a priority concern in biofuel development.

    Regarding the genetic modification of food:

    Regarding labelling GM food:

    And how are we going to feed 9 billion, 10 billion, 15 billion?

    In the Western Pacific, Typhoon Nari smashed across Luzon and is heading for Vietnam:

    Earlier in the Western Pacific, Typhoon Fitow zapped mainland China:

  • 2013/10/09: Xinhuanet: Typhoon Fitow wreaks havoc in E China province
    Wenzhou -- Ten people were killed and five others remain missing in Wenzhou City after Typhoon Fitow brought heavy rains to east China's Zhejiang province, local authorities announced on Wednesday.
  • 2013/10/08: TP:JR: Over Half A Million People Displaced As Typhoon Fitow Hits China
  • 2013/10/08: Xinhuanet: Typhoon Fitow brings torrential rainfalls to Shanghai [pix]
  • 2013/10/08: BBC: Typhoon Fitow kills five in China
    Powerful Typhoon Fitow has killed at least five people in China, with four others missing, local media report. The tropical cyclone hit China's eastern coast early on Monday, with winds of up to 151km/h (93mph). The storm flattened houses, flooded villages and farms, and affected more than 4.5m people, officials said. It has caused economic losses of more than 21bn yuan ($3.4bn; £2.1bn), officials in Fujian and Zhejiang provinces said.
  • 2013/10/08: al Jazeera: Five dead after typhoon strikes eastern China
    Torrential rains caused by Typhoon Fitow destroy houses and large swaths of farmland.
  • 2013/10/07: Guardian(UK): Typhoon Fitow hits China after evacuation of 574,000 people
  • 2013/10/07: Xinhuanet: Typhoon Fitow leaves 5 dead,4 missing in E China
  • 2013/10/07: Xinhuanet:Typhoon Fitow affects over 3 mln people in China's Zhejiang [pix]
  • 2013/10/07: IndiaTimes: Typhoon Fitow slams into China, thousands evacuated
  • 2013/10/07: CBC: Typhoon Fitow kills 5 in eastern China, 4 others missing
  • 2013/10/07: al Jazeera: Typhoon Fitow hits China's East coast
    Typhoon rolls in with winds of up to 151 km per hour, bringing lashing rain and causing widespread blackouts.
  • 2013/10/06: BBC: Powerful Typhoon Fitow has made landfall in eastern China after triggering the evacuation of hundreds of thousands of people
  • 2013/10/06: CBC: Typhoon Fitow hits eastern China with strong winds, rain

    In the Bay of Bengal, Cyclone Phailin ran smack dab into eastern India:

  • 2013/10/13: Wunderground: Category 4 Cyclone Phailin Hits India; 13 Dead in Philippines From Typhoon Nari
  • 2013/10/13: CNN: Cyclone Phailin kills 7, leaves trail of destruction in India
    Massive evacuation efforts helped limit the number of casualties - Most evacuees are housed in nearly 250 emergency shelters - "Our first priority is to clear the roads," official says - To avoid electrocution, authorities cut the electricity in affected districts
  • 2013/10/13: CBC: India's Cyclone Phailin leaves widespread damage -- Communications ties severed, roads blocked by fallen trees
  • 2013/10/13: al Jazeera: India assesses Cyclone Phailin damage
    Few deaths reported so far but widespread destruction of crops and infrastructure feared in two eastern states.
  • 2013/10/13: ABC(Au): At least five dead, 550,000 evacuated as Cyclone Phailin crashes into India's eastern coast
  • 2013/10/13: ABC(Au): Cyclone Phailin leaves trail of destruction across eastern India
  • 2013/10/13: IndiaTimes: Phailin wreaks havoc in Srikakulam, spares Visakhapatnam
  • 2013/10/13: IndiaTimes: Cyclone Phailin leaves trail of destruction, cyclone intensity weakens
  • 2013/10/13: IndiaTimes: Cyclone Phailin devastates Puri, three feared killed
  • 2013/10/13: IndiaTimes: Panamanian cargo ship feared sunk in cyclone, rescue mission on for 20 crew members
  • 2013/10/13: BBC: India's Cyclone Phailin leaves trail of destruction
    Indian disaster teams have begun a relief operation after Cyclone Phailin crashed into eastern areas, forcing up to one million people to flee.
  • 2013/10/12: BBC: Cyclone Phailin makes landfall in India
  • 2013/10/12: Guardian(UK): Indians flee east coast as cyclone Phailin makes landfall
  • 2013/10/12: P3: Satellite view [Phailin, Nari & Wipha]
  • 2013/10/12: DD: Cyclone Phailin battering India, turns deadly - 600,000 people evacuated, 12 million people likely to be affected
  • 2013/10/12: BBC: In pictures: Cyclone Phailin batters eastern India
  • 2013/10/12: CSM: Cyclone Phailin, a monster storm, hammers India
  • 2013/10/12: Xinhuanet: Thousands flee from two Indian southern states as Cyclone Phailin nears
  • 2013/10/12: IndiaTimes: Five killed ahead of cyclone Phailin's landfall
    At least five people were killed as heavy rains and strong winds swept coastal Odisha ahead of cyclone Phailin's landfall.
  • 2013/10/12: IndiaTimes: Cyclone Phailin: Wave height to be 8.5m in Odisha
  • 2013/10/12: IndiaTimes: Cyclone Phailin: India in one of its largest evacuations, 12 million people at risk
  • 2013/10/12: RT: 'Red alert': Monster cyclone nears Indian coast, sends 440,000 fleeing
  • 2013/10/12: Guardian(UK): India cyclone: 12m people face mass disruption as Phailin nears east coast
    More than 600,000 people evacuated amid 137mph winds as severe storm approaches Odisha and Andhra Pradesh states
  • 2013/10/12: ABC(Au): Cyclone Phailin lashes India's east coast, more than 400,000 people evacuated [pix]
  • 2013/10/12: CBC: India's Cyclone Phailin forces 400,000 to flee homes
  • 2013/10/12: al Jazeera: Powerful storm approaches India's east coast
    Red alert issued as tens of thousands of people are moved to higher ground away from Cyclone Phailin's path.
  • 2013/10/12: CNN: Cyclone Phailin makes landfall on India's east coast
    The cyclone makes landfall at 9 p.m. (11:30 a.m. ET) - More than 500,000 people have now been evacuated, a disaster official says - Police say several people have been killed by trees felled by high winds in Odisha - Forecasters warn of a storm surge of up to 7 meters (23 feet), gales and heavy rainfall
  • 2013/10/12: CCurrents: India Must Rename Cyclone Phailin And Call Attention To Global Warming
  • 2013/10/11: BBC: Cyclone Phailin: Mass evacuations in eastern India
    More than 200,000 people in India are being evacuated as a massive cyclone is sweeping through the Bay of Bengal towards the east coast. Cyclone Phailin, categorised as "very severe" by weather forecasters, is expected to hit Orissa and Andhra Pradesh states on Saturday evening. The Meteorological Department has predicted the storm will bring winds up to 220 km/h (136mph).
  • 2013/10/11: Wunderground: Category 5 Phailin Nears India; Category 3 Nari Hits the Philippines
  • 2013/10/11: DD: Typhoon Phailin bearing down on India with winds and rain...
  • 2013/10/12: ABC(Au): Super Cyclone Phailin due to hit India's east coast
  • 2013/10/11: CBC: 'Super-cyclone' approaches India's east coast, thousands flee
    Storm almost fills Bay of Bengal, with gusts up to 315 km/h forecast
  • 2013/10/11: al Jazeera: Severe storm expected to hit eastern India
    Widespread damage and flooding predicted in two states as Cyclone Phailin, sweeping through Bay of Bengal, intensifies.
  • 2013/10/11: IndiaTimes: Cyclone Phailin: Govt issues high wind-wave alert for states
  • 2013/10/11: IndiaTimes: Cyclone Phailin 'may be worse than Katrina' that hit US in 2005
  • 2013/10/11: Wunderground: India Braces for Extremely Dangerous Tropical Cyclone Phailin
  • 2013/10/11: CNN: Cyclone Phailin menaces India's east coast
    Cyclone Phailin is expected to hit east coast states of Odisha and Andhra Pradesh - The tropical cyclone, now over the Bay of Bengal, is expected to make landfall Saturday - Some fear a repeat of the devastation wrought by a huge cyclone in Odisha in 1999 - Odisha's weather service warns of a 3-meter storm surge, gales and heavy rainfall
  • 2013/10/10: Wunderground: Category 3 Tropical Cyclone Phailin Rapidly Intensifying, Headed Towards India
  • 2013/10/10: TP:JR: A Katrina-Sized Cyclone Is Hurtling Toward India
  • 2013/10/09: Wunderground: Dangerous Tropical Cyclone 02B Headed Towards India

    In the Atlantic, there were several numbered TDs but none named:

  • 2013/10/08: Wunderground: 98L in Eastern Atlantic no Threat; Bay of Bengal Storm Could be Trouble for India
  • 2013/10/07: Wunderground: 98L in Eastern Atlantic no Threat; Typhoon Danas Takes Aim at Japan

    In the Eastern Pacific, there were also several numbered TDs and (unreported) Gustave has just been named:

    In the Caribbean, Karen faded away:

  • 2013/10/06: Wunderground: Tropical Storm Karen Dissipates

    While elsewhere in the hurricane wars:

  • 2013/10/13: al Jazeera: Evading the wrath of Phailin
    Why has India's strongest cyclone in 14 years produced so few fatalities?
  • 2013/10/12: CSM: Cyclone Phailin: Did India learn the lessons of 1999?
  • 2013/10/11: IndiaToday: What is a super cyclone?

    As for the Monsoon:

    This week in notable weather:

    Abrupt Climate Change put in an appearance:

    Meanwhile in the carbon cycle:

    Regarding the cosmic ray hypothesis:

    What's new in the Weather Machine?

    And on the ENSO front:

    How is the temperature record?

    The cliff, aka tipping points, aka planetary boundaries, put in an appearance:

    While in the paleoclimate:

    What's the State of the Oceans?:

    And on the extinction watch:

    The bees and Colony Collapse Disorder are a constant concern. And then, there are the Neonicotinoids:

    More GW impacts are being seen:

    And then there are the world's forests:

    Climate refugees are becoming an issue:

    As for heatwaves and wild fires:

    Corals are a bellwether of the ocean's health:

    • 2013/10/07: BBC: Sponges help coral reefs thrive in ocean deserts
      The mystery of how coral reefs thrive in "ocean deserts" has been solved, scientists say. Reefs are among Earth's most vibrant ecosystems, yet they flourish in waters lacking nutrients - a phenomenon known as Darwin's Paradox. A team found that sponges keep the reef alive - by recycling vast amounts of organic matter to feed snails, crabs and other creatures.

    Acidification is changing the oceans:

    Glaciers are melting:

    Sea levels are rising:

    These extreme rainfall events are becoming all too frequent:

    As for hydrological cycle disruptions [floods & droughts]:

    First, stop subsidizing fossil fuels
    Second, put a price on carbon
    Third, begin to reduce the human population
    And elsewhere on the mitigation front:

    Can cities take up the slack when nations shirk their responsibilities?

    Consider transportation & GHG production:

    As for carbon sequestration:

    Large scale geo-engineering keeps popping up:

    While on the adaptation front:

    Meanwhile in the journals:

    And other significant documents:

    As for miscellaneous science:

    In the science organizations:

    Regarding Mann:

    Regarding Peer Review:

    Meanwhile at the UN:

    And on the carbon trading front:

    On the international political front, tensions continue as the empire leans on Iran:

    South [& East] China Sea tension persists:

    As for reducing airline carbon emissions, the EU is declaring victory and going home:

    These treaties are not so much free trade as corporate control mechanisms:

    As for miscellaneous international political happenings:

    Climate Change is a threat multiplier exacerbating existing conflicts in food, energy, water, race, resources, religion, ideology ... etc.:

    The issue of the law and activism is playing out around the world:

    Is the Climate Movement anything more than a fantasy?

    The move to divest from fossil fuel investments is growing slowly:

    Polls! We have polls!

    Regarding Water Politics and Business; See also:

    And on the groundwater front:

    While in the UK:

    And in Europe:

    Meanwhile in Australia:

    Now we get to watch the suppository of wisdom destroy what little Australia has done to fight climate change:

    Final results...:

    After years of wrangling, the Murray Darling Basin Plan is in place. Now the real fight begins:

    And in the Indian subcontinent:

    While in China:

    And elsewhere in Asia:

    While in Africa:

    And South America:

    In Canada, neocon PM Harper, aka The Blight, pushes petroleum while ignoring the climate and ecology:

    The Lac Mégantic tragedy drags on:

    The Harper gang is defending their execrable refusal to fund care for war rape victims:

    The IdleNoMore movement poked its head up again this week:

    Among the many things Harper does not appreciate about science:

    The West-East pipeline is suddenly a focus of much dispute:

    The ISA/PRV/IHN/Alpha virus in Canadian waters is potentially disastrous:

    Now that Christy Clark has a mandate, what will she do?

    Meanwhile in that Mechanical Mordor known as the tar sands:

    Also in Alberta:

    In Ontario, Wynne is struggling to establish herself. Energy still looms large:

    In the Maritimes:

    In the North:

    And on the American political front:

    Post-Sandy commentary and news:

    The Keystone XL wheel grinds slowly. And it grinds woe:

    The Mayflower oil spill and its ramifications just keep dragging on:

    The GOP War on Women continues. See also:

    The NorthWest coal export debate remains heated:

    The Shutdown remains:

    Post Colorado flood - the cleanup and recovery:

    The actions of the Obama administration are being watched closely:

    As for what is going on in Congress:

    The movement toward a long term ecologically viable economics is glacial:

    And in the Transition movement:

  • 2013/10/11: Grist: Save yourselves: When it comes to climate change, the cavalry isn't coming

    IPAT [Impact = Population * Affluence * Technology] raised its head once again:

    How do the corporate media measure up?

    Here is something for your library:

    And for your film & video enjoyment:

    As for podcasts:

    Meanwhile among the 'Sue the Bastards!' contingent:

    It looks like this BP trial over the Gulf oil spill is going to take a long while:

    Developing a new energy infrastructure is a fundamental challenge of the current generation:

    What do you have in energy comparisons and transitions?

    Hey! Let's contaminate the aquifers for thousands of years! It'll be a fracking gas!

    On the coal front:

    On the gas and oil front:

    In the gas and oil corps:

    • 2013/10/08: ABC(Au): Campaigns will damage oil companies' reputations
      The fossil fuel industry is warned that it faces a damaging backlash if it tries to resist the mounting pressures of climate change legislation and high-profile campaigning. The financial and economic muscle of the global fossil fuel industry's corporate behemoths will not protect them from the costly effects of negative stigmatisation if they ignore climate change pressures, according to a new academic study.

    Regarding oil and the economy:

    And in pipeline news:

    Marvelous. Now the USA can have their own Mechanical Mordor:

    A rush of American triumphalism pervades the energy independence PR campaign. Think it will last?

    Biofuel bickering abounds:

    The answer my friend...

    Meanwhile among the solar aficionados:

    The nuclear energy controversy continues:

    Nuclear waste storage requires _very_ long term thinking:

    Nuclear fusion projects around the world limp along:

    Feed-In-Tariffs (Net Metering & Time-of-Use Tariffs) are being variously implemented around the world:

    How are the utilities adjusting (or not)?

    And then there is the matter of efficiency & conservation:

    Automakers & lawyers, engineers & activists argue over the future of the car:

    As for Energy Storage:

    The reaction of business to climate change will be critical:

    Insurance and re-insurance companies are feeling the heat:

    Who's fielding theFAQs?

    What do we have in other (weekly) lists?

    The carbon lobby are up to the usual:

    As for climate miscellanea:

    And here are a couple of sites you may find interesting and/or useful:

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