The threats posed by climate change are worse than those imagined by most governments, warned Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, the scientist who heads the Potsdam Institute for Research on Global Warming Effects and acts as an adviser to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on climate-change issues. Schellnhuber warns that previous predictions about climate change and its catastrophic effects were too cautious and optimistic. "In nearly all areas, the developments are occurring more quickly than it has been assumed up until now," Schellnhuber told the Saarbruecker Zeitung newspaper in an interview published Monday, Dec. 29. "We are on our way to a destabilization of the world climate that has advanced much further than most people or their governments realize."...The Arctic sea ice is melting more quickly than expected. There are also signs that the entire climate pattern at the North Poll has been disrupted to the extent of causing irreversible change.For the Arctic, the global warming which has already occurred of 0.8 degrees Celsius has already stepped over the line, Schellnhuber said. If Greenland's ice cap ice melts completely, water levels will rise by seven meters (23 feet).
The threats posed by climate change are worse than those imagined by most governments, warned Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, the scientist who heads the Potsdam Institute for Research on Global Warming Effects and acts as an adviser to German Chancellor Angela Merkel on climate-change issues.
Schellnhuber warns that previous predictions about climate change and its catastrophic effects were too cautious and optimistic.
"In nearly all areas, the developments are occurring more quickly than it has been assumed up until now," Schellnhuber told the Saarbruecker Zeitung newspaper in an interview published Monday, Dec. 29. "We are on our way to a destabilization of the world climate that has advanced much further than most people or their governments realize."
...The Arctic sea ice is melting more quickly than expected. There are also signs that the entire climate pattern at the North Poll has been disrupted to the extent of causing irreversible change.
For the Arctic, the global warming which has already occurred of 0.8 degrees Celsius has already stepped over the line, Schellnhuber said. If Greenland's ice cap ice melts completely, water levels will rise by seven meters (23 feet).
Starting January 1, 2009 Romanians will pay a tax of 0.2 Romanian Ron for each non eco friendly plastic bag. The eco tax will be charged by all economic operators that introduce such bags and will be sent to the environment fund. The tax will be paid each month by economic operators and they are compelled to inform all buyers of its existence. The main goal of the tax is to decrease the consumption of plastic bags and discourage their free distribution.
The tax will be paid each month by economic operators and they are compelled to inform all buyers of its existence. The main goal of the tax is to decrease the consumption of plastic bags and discourage their free distribution.
Children are being fed misleading information about healthy eating habits by food companies which try to pass off marketing as educational resources for schools, a report reveals today.
Switzerland is host to two test tunnels where methods of storing nuclear waste are tested. In many countries, including Germany, locations used for such testing are often sites intended for storage. The Swiss tunnels are not, and that has made them popular for research with international scientists....Just like his colleague Blechschmidt, Bossart is quick to assure anyone who asks that a final storage site will never be built here. "That would be very unwise, directly next to the freeway!" He likes to refer to it as a playground. "Mistakes can be made in our laboratory." If an experiment goes wrong, it doesn't automatically discredit the site. "The French, for example, like to conduct tricky experiments here," says the geologist, "so they succeed afterwards back in France."
Switzerland is host to two test tunnels where methods of storing nuclear waste are tested. In many countries, including Germany, locations used for such testing are often sites intended for storage. The Swiss tunnels are not, and that has made them popular for research with international scientists.
...Just like his colleague Blechschmidt, Bossart is quick to assure anyone who asks that a final storage site will never be built here. "That would be very unwise, directly next to the freeway!" He likes to refer to it as a playground. "Mistakes can be made in our laboratory." If an experiment goes wrong, it doesn't automatically discredit the site. "The French, for example, like to conduct tricky experiments here," says the geologist, "so they succeed afterwards back in France."
Gay rights groups, politicians and a prominent German theologian have criticized remarks made earlier this week by Pope Benedict XVI. They accuse him of attacking same-sex marriages and sex change operations.
Yona Metzger, the Ashkenazi Chief Rabbi of Israel, talks to SPIEGEL ONLINE about the Abraham as the father of all three monotheistic religions -- Islam, Christianity and Judaism -- and explains how that connection could be a starting point for a dialogue of peace between them.
Perhaps a better uniter: to exclude infidels like me... *Lunatic*, n. One whose delusions are out of fashion.
The United States launched a so-called "Escapee Program" in 1952 to help resettle people who had fled Communist Eastern Europe for the West. But the program had a hidden side. The US assessed whether refugees could be used for intelligence or propaganda purposes. Some were secretly offered money to return home and spy for the West. A new Associated Press investigation shows that the International Tracing Service (ITS) played a role in this secret program, screening "escapees" at the request of the US government. The ITS has been part of the International Red Cross since 1955.
The United States launched a so-called "Escapee Program" in 1952 to help resettle people who had fled Communist Eastern Europe for the West. But the program had a hidden side.
The US assessed whether refugees could be used for intelligence or propaganda purposes. Some were secretly offered money to return home and spy for the West.
A new Associated Press investigation shows that the International Tracing Service (ITS) played a role in this secret program, screening "escapees" at the request of the US government. The ITS has been part of the International Red Cross since 1955.
Rail union leaders have urged the Government to halt plans by South West Trains - which operates services across the region - to reduce ticket office opening times, which they warned would lead to a "vastly poorer" service.The Rail Maritime and Transport union said South West Trains should not be allowed to "slash" ticket office opening times. A Government decision is expected soon on whether to allow cuts in hours at 114 stations that would leave some stations without ticket offices at weekends and dozens more without evening and early morning cover.
Rail union leaders have urged the Government to halt plans by South West Trains - which operates services across the region - to reduce ticket office opening times, which they warned would lead to a "vastly poorer" service.
The Rail Maritime and Transport union said South West Trains should not be allowed to "slash" ticket office opening times.
A Government decision is expected soon on whether to allow cuts in hours at 114 stations that would leave some stations without ticket offices at weekends and dozens more without evening and early morning cover.
Unless you imagine that hte purpose of railway companies is to provide a public service. To which I would have to remind you that if we wanted a railway which serves the public we wouldn't have privatised it. keep to the Fen Causeway
Little did they know. A solid majority would now probably vote for public ownership, and quite a few would agree to rule changes that bankrupted those who currently own them (or is that just me ?) keep to the Fen Causeway
