WASHINGTON, Nov 25 (IPS) - As climate scientists defend their work from sceptics in the aftermath of researchers' emails being stolen over the weekend, a new report hopes to provide an update on science's latest climate-related findings."The Copenhagen Diagnosis: Updating the World on the Latest Climate Science" is intended to fill the gap between the last assessment of climate research by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), released in 2007, and the climate summit in Copenhagen less than two weeks away. The report comes as climate change sceptics are crying foul in the U.S. Congress, editorial pages and elsewhere over recently hacked and publicised emails that they say reveal a manipulation of the science to paint climate change as more human-caused than they believe it is. Unfazed by this uproar, the report's authors released their findings Tuesday after combing academic journals for the hundreds of papers that have been written on climate change-related topics since the IPCC's last cut-off, in 2006. What they uncovered was a climate changing at a rate that outstrips what the IPCC projected based on the best available data of just three years ago. "We're not the IPCC, we're not criticising the IPCC. We're just saying the science has not stopped since the last IPCC report," said Richard Somerville, a coordinating lead author of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report from 2007 and one of the 26 authors of Tuesday's report. "There's new science and there's also three more years of data."
When aliens come to write the story of the rise and fall of humanity ...
That's my gig. :) In the end, might makes right. Nothing has changed since the caveman.
In his Late Victorian Holocausts, Mike Davis teases out the mechanisms of famine in British-ruled 19th century India. When a drought would wipe out a grain harvest in one region of India, the price of grain would spike. People all over the subcontinent would suddenly find themselves priced out of grain markets--even in places where grain harvests went well. Grain would then flow out of India to the "mother country," where people could afford it, and literally millions of Indians would starve. That's one way relatively minor natural disasters become vast human catastrophes. Devastatingly, Davis details how the British Empire (wittingly or not) used these eminently avoidable famines to consolidate its grip over the Indian Raj. I got to thinking of Davis' dark masterpiece while reading Andrew Rice's excellent, nuanced report, "Is There Such a Thing as Agro-Imperialism?," in last Sunday's New York Times Magazine.
In his Late Victorian Holocausts, Mike Davis teases out the mechanisms of famine in British-ruled 19th century India.
When a drought would wipe out a grain harvest in one region of India, the price of grain would spike. People all over the subcontinent would suddenly find themselves priced out of grain markets--even in places where grain harvests went well. Grain would then flow out of India to the "mother country," where people could afford it, and literally millions of Indians would starve. That's one way relatively minor natural disasters become vast human catastrophes.
Devastatingly, Davis details how the British Empire (wittingly or not) used these eminently avoidable famines to consolidate its grip over the Indian Raj.
I got to thinking of Davis' dark masterpiece while reading Andrew Rice's excellent, nuanced report, "Is There Such a Thing as Agro-Imperialism?," in last Sunday's New York Times Magazine.
The White House announced today that President Obama will travel to Copenhagen on Dec. 9 to participate in the United Nations Climate Change Conference, where he is eager to work with the international community to drive progress toward a comprehensive and operational Copenhagen accord. The President has worked steadily on behalf of a positive outcome in Copenhagen throughout the year. Based on the President's work on climate change over the past 10 months - in the Major Economies Forum, the G20, bilateral discussions and multilateral consultations - and based on progress made in recent, constructive discussions with China and India's Leaders, the President believes it is possible to reach a meaningful agreement in Copenhagen. The President's decision to go is a sign of his continuing commitment and leadership to find a global solution to the global threat of climate change, and to lay the foundation for a new, sustainable and prosperous clean energy future. The White House also announced that, in the context of an overall deal in Copenhagen that includes robust mitigation contributions from China and the other emerging economies, the President is prepared to put on the table a U.S. emissions reduction target in the range of 17% below 2005 levels in 2020 and ultimately in line with final U.S. energy and climate legislation. In light of the President's goal to reduce emissions 83% by 2050, the expected pathway set forth in this pending legislation would entail a 30% reduction below 2005 levels in 2025 and a 42% reduction below 2005 in 2030. This provisional target is in line with current legislation in both chambers of Congress and demonstrates a significant contribution to a problem that the U.S. has neglected for too long.
The White House announced today that President Obama will travel to Copenhagen on Dec. 9 to participate in the United Nations Climate Change Conference, where he is eager to work with the international community to drive progress toward a comprehensive and operational Copenhagen accord. The President has worked steadily on behalf of a positive outcome in Copenhagen throughout the year. Based on the President's work on climate change over the past 10 months - in the Major Economies Forum, the G20, bilateral discussions and multilateral consultations - and based on progress made in recent, constructive discussions with China and India's Leaders, the President believes it is possible to reach a meaningful agreement in Copenhagen. The President's decision to go is a sign of his continuing commitment and leadership to find a global solution to the global threat of climate change, and to lay the foundation for a new, sustainable and prosperous clean energy future.
The White House also announced that, in the context of an overall deal in Copenhagen that includes robust mitigation contributions from China and the other emerging economies, the President is prepared to put on the table a U.S. emissions reduction target in the range of 17% below 2005 levels in 2020 and ultimately in line with final U.S. energy and climate legislation. In light of the President's goal to reduce emissions 83% by 2050, the expected pathway set forth in this pending legislation would entail a 30% reduction below 2005 levels in 2025 and a 42% reduction below 2005 in 2030. This provisional target is in line with current legislation in both chambers of Congress and demonstrates a significant contribution to a problem that the U.S. has neglected for too long.
PARIS, Nov 25 (AFP) Nov 25, 2009 France said Wednesday a US offer to cut its greenhouse gas emissions by 17 percent from 2005 levels by 2020 is "extremely encouraging" in the run-up to the Copenhagen climate conference."To have a figure put on an American undertaking, announced by the White House, is worthwhile progress," said environment minister Jean-Louis Borloo as he set off for Beijing for talks with Chinese officials.World leaders will meet in the Danish capital for 12 days from December 7 to try to agree a global pact to reduce manmade emissions of the gases that are blamed for climate change.
"To have a figure put on an American undertaking, announced by the White House, is worthwhile progress," said environment minister Jean-Louis Borloo as he set off for Beijing for talks with Chinese officials.
World leaders will meet in the Danish capital for 12 days from December 7 to try to agree a global pact to reduce manmade emissions of the gases that are blamed for climate change.
BEIJING -- China's top climate envoy lashed out at Europe for failing to meet its previous greenhouse-gas commitments, and said reaching an agreement at the global warming summit in Copenhagen next month is essential. "Europe made a lot of commitments. But if you compare those commitments to actions, there is a big disparity," China's special envoy on climate change, Yu Qingtai, told reporters Wednesday. He said Europe had failed to meet its previous promises to cut greenhouse gases and deliver on technology transfer and aid to poor countries. Mr. Yu's comments reinforce China's tough negotiating stance less than two weeks ahead of the Dec. 7 global climate summit in the Danish capital. China has repeatedly called for a global agreement on carbon emissions, but has been unwilling to commit to the kind of difficult sacrifices needed to reach one, saying the burden lies on wealthier nations.
"Europe made a lot of commitments. But if you compare those commitments to actions, there is a big disparity," China's special envoy on climate change, Yu Qingtai, told reporters Wednesday. He said Europe had failed to meet its previous promises to cut greenhouse gases and deliver on technology transfer and aid to poor countries.
Mr. Yu's comments reinforce China's tough negotiating stance less than two weeks ahead of the Dec. 7 global climate summit in the Danish capital. China has repeatedly called for a global agreement on carbon emissions, but has been unwilling to commit to the kind of difficult sacrifices needed to reach one, saying the burden lies on wealthier nations.
He said Europe had failed to meet its previous promises to... deliver on technology transfer...
Excuse me? China's entire wind industry commercially is due to Eurozone technology transfer. "Life shrinks or expands in proportion to one's courage." - Anaïs Nin
He said Europe had failed to meet its previous promises to cut greenhouse gases
Europe is currently nicely below its emissions commitment under the Kyoto treaty, the only one of the signatories in that case. Sure, some individual countries have failed in their goals, but the overall target for the EU is being met. In the long run, we're all dead. John Maynard Keynes
New Delhi (AFP) Nov 24, 2009 India's water needs are set to double by 2030, which could dry up its river basins, according to new research released Tuesday that paints a grim picture for supplies across the emerging world. Global fresh water demand by 2030 will be 40 percent higher than current supplies and agriculture is predicted to suck up 65 percent of all resources, said the report by the 2030 Water Resources Group. The initiative, headed by consulting firm McKinsey and Co., studied China, India, South Africa and Sao Paulo state in Brazil -- four areas that together by 2030 will account for 42 percent of projected global water demand. "The situation is getting worse. There is little indication that, left to its own devices, the water sector will come to a sustainable, cost-effective solution to meet the growing water requirements," it said. Demand for rice, wheat and sugar will push India's huge agricultural sector to consume 1.5 trillion cubic metres of water by 2030, almost double that of China, said the study, called "Charting Our Water Future: Economic Frameworks to Inform Decision Making."
Global fresh water demand by 2030 will be 40 percent higher than current supplies and agriculture is predicted to suck up 65 percent of all resources, said the report by the 2030 Water Resources Group.
The initiative, headed by consulting firm McKinsey and Co., studied China, India, South Africa and Sao Paulo state in Brazil -- four areas that together by 2030 will account for 42 percent of projected global water demand.
"The situation is getting worse. There is little indication that, left to its own devices, the water sector will come to a sustainable, cost-effective solution to meet the growing water requirements," it said.
Demand for rice, wheat and sugar will push India's huge agricultural sector to consume 1.5 trillion cubic metres of water by 2030, almost double that of China, said the study, called "Charting Our Water Future: Economic Frameworks to Inform Decision Making."
Read and interview with Arundhati Roy or her devastating essay about the Narmada dam keep to the Fen Causeway
A warning has been issued to ships in the southern Pacific Ocean after more than 100 iceberg were spotted drifting towards New Zealand.The icebergs, some of which are 200m (650ft) in size, are believed to have broken from an Antarctic ice floe. Many scientists have said they believe these segments will break up long before reaching the New Zealand coastline. The last time such a large flotilla was spotted so nearby was in 2006. Maritime New Zealand has issued the alert to vessels in the area although it is not a major shipping lane
A warning has been issued to ships in the southern Pacific Ocean after more than 100 iceberg were spotted drifting towards New Zealand.
The icebergs, some of which are 200m (650ft) in size, are believed to have broken from an Antarctic ice floe.
Many scientists have said they believe these segments will break up long before reaching the New Zealand coastline.
The last time such a large flotilla was spotted so nearby was in 2006.
Maritime New Zealand has issued the alert to vessels in the area although it is not a major shipping lane
A Newsnight investigation suggests that UK government plans to build a new generation of nuclear power stations to fill the energy gap by 2020 are wildly optimistic.The British nuclear regulator has told Newsnight that he would not hesitate to halt construction if problems emerged and that no British nuclear power station had ever been built on time.
A Newsnight investigation suggests that UK government plans to build a new generation of nuclear power stations to fill the energy gap by 2020 are wildly optimistic.
The British nuclear regulator has told Newsnight that he would not hesitate to halt construction if problems emerged and that no British nuclear power station had ever been built on time.
