Clipmarks | tabsey's 'climate' clips

qld, nrl Print Email Add to My Stories 'Disturbing' drought report released

Sun, 06 Jul 2008 10:12:02 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: Are we the only ones with drought? I don't think so, but I see little about drought in other continents, except Africa.

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

The Federal Government has released a report into the link between drought and climate change, which it says will trigger major review of drought policy.

The report is by the Bureau of Meteorology and the CSIRO and is the first of three commissioned by the Government.

The report warns that extreme conditions previously thought to occur once in every 20 to 25 years, could become as frequent as every one or two years.

Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has told ABC1's Insiders the report paints a very disturbing picture about the future of droughts in Australia.

"When it comes to exceptional or extreme drought, exceptionally high temperatures, the historical assumption that this occurred once every 20 years has now been revised down to between every one and two years," he said.

"Exceptional circumstances drought conditions ... will occur twice as often and with twice the area of droughted parts of Australia included.

"Now this is a serious revision of the impact of climate change on drought."

Tags: drought, can, be, effected, by, climate, change

$7.00 a gallon. Would you pay?

Wed, 20 Feb 2008 15:07:02 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: Interesting point

Clip Source: www.theoildrum.com

I made the following comment recently in a discussion on Global Warming:

If you put it to a popular vote, and people learned that GHG emissions could be arrested (hypothetically) if they were willing to pay $7/gallon of gasoline, what percentage would vote for that? My guess is that it would be well less than 20%, implying that GW concerns will give way to economic concerns.

At one time I was really worried about Global Warming. And at the risk of starting a Global Warming debate here (one that I don't wish to participate in), my position is that the scientific consensus backs the hypothesis that human activity is contributing to Global Warming. I am not an atmospheric scientist, so in this case I rely on the scientific consensus of the experts. This is the same standard I apply to other fields in which I lack expertise.

Tags: climate

Stats reveal Australia's carbon binge

Thu, 07 Feb 2008 04:03:00 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: The results of greed for the easy dollar, with no responsibilities. Industry has proven again and again that people or the environment don't count.

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

A national snapshot compiled by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) reveals there has been little growth in the production of renewable fuels over the past 30 years, and Australians continue to be high greenhouse gas emitters.

The ABS 2008 Year Book is an annual report on Australian life, people and the economy.

The report found non-renewable fuel production has gone up more than 400 per cent with little growth in renewables.

Black coal accounted for half of Australia's energy production in 2005-06 while renewable energy such as bagasse (derived from sugar cane) solar and hydro electricity made up just 2 per cent.

The most recent figures show Australians emit more than 17 tonnes of carbon per person, compared with an OECD average of just over 11 tonnes.

The ABS says that is driven by the high use of coal in electricity generation and the reliance on cars.

Use of public transport to get to work has risen little over 10 years - up just 2 per cent to 14 per cent.

Recycling and water

Tags: climate

Nordic nations sound alarm over Arctic

Tue, 05 Feb 2008 10:57:12 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: A nephew recently visited a couple of these countries to see it all before it went. What he heard from people there was scarier than what has been said publicly.

Clip Source: news.sbs.com.au

Nordic nations sounded the alarm about a quickening melt of Arctic ice and said the thaw might soon prove irreversible because of global warming.

Sweden, Finland, Denmark, Norway and Iceland also urged all governments to agree before the end of 2009 a broader UN plan to curb greenhouse gases in succession to the Kyoto Protocol.

"The Arctic and the world cannot wait any longer," environment ministers from the five nations said in a joint statement after talks in Oslo. The five all have Arctic territories.

"The climate is hurtling towards a turning point after which irreversible processes will have been set in motion," they said of the Arctic thaw.

They noted the ice on the Arctic Ocean shrank in September to 4.13 million sq km, the smallest since satellite records began in 1979 and far eclipsing the low in 2005. The ice extent is now expanding as winter approaches.

Tags: climate

Bush 'misled' US on climate change

Tue, 11 Dec 2007 05:08:21 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: One for the sceptics-even Bush acknowledges it is happening.

Clip Source: english.aljazeera.net

The White House has systematically manipulated climate science for years to play down the dangers of global warming, a US congressional report says.

Monday's report, prepared by Democrats after a 16-month investigation, came as the Bush administration pressed a UN climate meeting to drop targets for big cuts in greenhouse gases by rich nations.

"The Bush administration has engaged in a systematic effort to manipulate climate change science and mislead policymakers and the public about the dangers of global warming," the report said.

Tags: climate

Climate change emphasis 'hurting short-term efforts'

Fri, 23 Nov 2007 07:00:23 GMT

clipped by: tabsey
clipper's remarks: It has been a little confusing for many as to the importance of short term efforts. Should I keep bottling my wind?

Clip Source: www.abc.net.au

An international climate expert says the emphasis placed on the long-term problems of climate change is confusing people about the short-term impact of pollution.

Gavin Fisher is a leading air quality scientist in New Zealand, who recently conducted a four-year study of the immediate health impacts of air pollution.

He told a Clean Air Cool Climate Forum in Sydney that many people have become confused about the short-term impacts of fossil fuels on the environment, because of the current scientific focus on climate change.

"Climate change, especially since the Al Gore thing, has really taken off big time, and people I think are far more aware and interested in that than local effects," he said.

"It can be quite confusing because the two are related in sometimes very confusing ways."

Tags: climate