The West takes lead on climate change
Half a dozen Western governors impatient for more federal action on global warming are mounting state campaigns to deal with climate change on their own. Driving their efforts are signs that harmful effects may be occurring in the West: record dry spells, millions of acres of dead forests, warmer winters, dwindling water and catastrophic wildfires. (02/28/06) MORE»
Water Wars: Climate change may spark conflict
John Reid warns climate change may spark conflict between nations—and says British armed forces must be ready to tackle the violence. Five per cent of the world's population survives on 1 per cent of its water in the Middle East and this contributed to the 1967 Arab-Israeli war. It could fuel further military crises as global warming continues. Israel, the Palestinian Territories and Jordan rely on the River Jordan but Israel controls it and has cut supplies during times of scarcity. Palestinian consumption is severely restricted by Israel. (02/28/06) MORE»
Climate scientists issue dire warning
The Earth's temperature could rise under the impact of global warming to levels far higher than previously predicted, according to the United Nations' team of climate experts.
A draft of the next influential Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report will tell politicians that scientists are now unable to place a reliable upper limit on how quickly the atmosphere will warm as carbon dioxide levels increase. The report draws together research over the past five years and will be presented to national governments in April and made public next year. It raises the possibility of the Earth's temperature rising well above the ceiling quoted in earlier accounts. (02/28/06) MORE»
Hill Action Could Kill Planned Wind Farm, Backers Say
A proposal before Congress that would limit the construction of wind turbines near shipping lanes could effectively doom plans to build the country's first offshore wind farm near Massachusetts, the project's supporters say.
Officials at Cape Wind Associates LLC say that the rule, being considered as an amendment to a bill in a House-Senate conference committee, would rule out so many crucial sections of Nantucket Sound that there would not be enough space for their 130-windmill complex. (02/28/06) MORE»
Can fungi trim the gasoline habit?
Souped-up microscopic fungi could help cut the U.S. gasoline habit by converting a billion tons of agricultural waste into domestic fuel, while also slashing greenhouse gas emissions.
As if that isn't enough, the concept has the blessing of the president—an ex-oilman.
On a tour of the Midwest this week, President George W. Bush reiterated that he wants to wean the United States off its "addiction" to imported oil, partly by funding research into new methods of producing ethanol—a fuel currently made in North America mostly from corn kernels and in Brazil from sugar cane juice. (02/24/06) MORE»
Four Mayors agree to work together to combat climate change
The Mayors of Berlin, London, Moscow and Paris have agreed a joint declaration to tackle climate change during their regular four Mayors’ meeting, held in Berlin.
Tabled by the Mayor of London, the four Mayors agree in the declaration to work together to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and adapt to the changing weather patterns that come with global warming. They agreed to approach other Mayors across the world to seek similar collaboration in particular with the US and China. (02/06) MORE»
Farmers are set to become the energy moguls of the 21st century
Large-scale capture of wind and solar energy requires the management of significant areas of land, and—if the market for renewable energy continues to grow at the current rate—farmers will occupy a strategic position within the energy market within two decades. According to CarbonFree, a Cambridge UK based research company that has recently completed a study of the farmed renewable energy market, while incumbent energy producers are starting to look beyond oil and petroleum, farmers need to look beyond ethanol and start to build comprehensive energy supply businesses. (02/06) MORE»
Presentation on climate change and agriculture in Albuquerque Saturday Feb. 25 at New Mexico Organic Farming Conference
Our changing world is making safe and local food more critical than ever. Come hear some marvelous speakers and learn more about how food can and should be grown. This is always an exciting event and a wonderful way to network with great people. (02/23/06) MORE»
Bush encourages spending on energy-saving products
President Bush visited one of the nation's leading producers of energy-efficient technologies Monday and hailed the company's innovations as proof that the United States can one day wean itself off foreign oil. Speaking at Johnson Controls, a Fortune 500 company that produces batteries for hybrid vehicles and energy-saving devices for buildings, Bush said, "In order to seize the moment, this country needs to remain technologically advanced." (02/21/06) MORE»
Global churches urged: 'Speak with one voice' on climate change
The top official of the World Council of Churches says climate change represents one of humanity's most dire threats and he has appealed to denominations around to world to speak with one voice to alert political leaders to tackle the issue. "Just as atomic weapons changed the very way we thought about life, so too the potential of major climatic changes put life as we know it in danger," WCC general secretary, the Rev. Samuel Kobia said. (02/17/06) MORE»
Governor to push global warming fight; bold policy gambits foreseen in bid to lower greenhouse gases
Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger's administration is expected this month to release a far-reaching proposal to combat global warming that calls for increasing the price of gasoline to fund research into alternative fuels and requiring industries for the first time to report the amount of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gas emissions they produce.
(02/17/06)
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Statement Acknowledges Some Government Scientists See Link to Global Warming
Amid a growing outcry from climate researchers in its own ranks, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration backed away from a statement it released after last year's powerful hurricane season that discounted any link to global warming. A corrected statement, which says some NOAA researchers disagree with that view, was posted to NOAA's Web site yesterday. (02/16/06)
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If we burn all the fossil fuels left underground, the globe will warm by up to 13°C, according to an assessment which looks beyond 2100
The 20th century was warmer than any time in the past thousand years, but that is nothing compared with how hot the Earth could become over the next millennium. (02/15/06) MORE»
Utilities Offer Rewards to Cut Heating Bills
Incentives and rewards programs from utility companies around the country are leading to a marked reduction in energy use in many communities. Even though lower energy usage means lower profits for some utilities, many companies are encouraging conservation to bolster their public image and minimize consumer complaints to state utilities commissions. (02/14/06) MORE»
One year later Kyoto targets still far off
Governments are failing to take the necessary action to ensure delivery of the Kyoto Protocol, one year after this global treaty came into force to cut greenhouse gas emissions. Emissions data from countries signed up to Kyoto reveal that many of the world's industrialised countries are still failing to bring carbon emissions under control. (02/14/06) MORE»
New report says the growing impact of climate change could cause up to 70 per cent more 'extreme fires' by the middle of the century
The research, commissioned by the Federal Government, says inland Australia is most at risk.
Federal Environment Minister Ian Campbell says it is a warning that all levels of government must improve their fire management approach. (02/13/06) MORE»
NASA climate researcher accuses 2nd agency of muzzling scientists
James Hansen, the NASA climate scientist who sparked an uproar last month by accusing the Bush administration of keeping scientific information from reaching the public, said Friday that officials at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration are also muzzling researchers who study global warming. (02/11/06) MORE»
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