Consequences
Politics
Other NewsEditorialsWhat does Slave Lake teach us?Scientists are loath to say a single fire is the direct result of climate change. However, as University of Alberta scientist Mike Flannigan explained this week, studies show climate change and its dry heat and wind provides a backdrop for fire activity not just in Alberta, but across the country and elsewhere. Edmonton Journal Wanted: Climate change policy.Zimbabwe, like many other countries in southern Africa and beyond, is reeling under the adverse effects of climate change. Unfortunately, it is clear that government is not doing enough to confront this scourge. Zimbabwean Confronting Keystone again.The Keystone issue is alive again in Congress, where the House version of a new transportation bill would force Mr. Obama to make an early decision, again without sufficient environmental review. The Senate has rejected this push before and should do so again. New York Times OpinionGlobal warming scary for plants.Some people believe the concept of climate change is a plot cooked up by tree-hugging liberals to get everyone else to stop treating planet Earth like a trash heap. But assisted colonization — moving plants to higher elevations - is already being done by botanists desperate to stave off plant extinctions. Lakeland Ledger A refreshingly thoughtful discussion of oilsands challenges.A conference put on by the University of Alberta this week was something of a welcome escape from the daily grind. And by grind I mean the ongoing war of words between those who consider the oilsands the root of all evil and those who think the oilsands the pinnacle of all that is good Edmonton Journal UK ministers must resist the siren call of spin to prevent climate failure.No one thinks it will be easy to slash the carbon emissions driving climate change while keeping the lights on and at an affordable price. But trying to tackle the challenge with policies that contradict each other and silly spin makes a tough job unnecessarily harder. The Guardian |
U.S. imposes tariffs on China solar panels.Trade tensions between the U.S. and China are likely to ratchet up after the Commerce Department found several Chinese solar-panel companies guilty of dumping and slapped 31 percent tariffs on their products. Within the trade dispute is a larger debate about the best way to accelerate the growth of clean energy. Wall Street Journal Denmark aims low with green energy policy.Regarded as a model of how to spend oil and gas wealth wisely, Norway has stashed away surplus revenues from exports while hydropower caters for the bulk of its domestic electricity needs. But Denmark has also found its own path to energy pragmatism, supplementing its relatively few oil rigs with wind turbines and a deep commitment to energy saving. Reuters Brazil's leader faces defining decision on bill relaxing protection of forests.President Dilma Rousseff is facing pressure to veto a bill that would open vast protected areas of forests to ranching and farming, potentially reversing Brazil’s major gains in slowing Amazon deforestation. New York Times Apple to use only green power for main data center.Apple Inc plans to power its main US data center entirely with renewable energy by the end of this year, taking steps to address longstanding environmental concerns about the rapid expansion of high-consuming computer server farms. Reuters Exploring the life and death of a lithium-ion battery.With current battery systems reaching their performance limits, researchers are scrutinizing every component of lithium-ion cells in order to develop energy storage mechanisms that can make electric vehicles better competitors to fossil-fueled engines. ClimateWire Powered by swine.Danny Kluthe’s not too worried about the high price of diesel fuel. After all, he gets 71 miles per gallon. But his pickup’s not running on diesel. It’s running on biomethane generated from his 8,000-head hog operation. Columbus Telegram Feeling the heat in the race to provide greener homes in China.The energy consumption of China's apartment buildings is twice or triple the energy use of Western homes, according to a recent report. Aging, ill-designed heating systems and poor insulation are mainly to blame – flaws that bode ill for China's campaign to cut carbon emissions and meet green-growth targets. Shanghai Daily What does the green gas lobby do when drillers go back to brown?Drilling companies that once touted clean, green natural gas are going back to being big, brown oil companies. So do they have to change their lobbying pitch, and if so, how? EnergyWire Clean energy standard hearing previews next year's debate.The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday ostensibly met over Chairman Jeff Bingaman’s clean energy standard. But it also shed light on the future agenda of the panel after the New Mexico Democrat retires this year. Politico Canada axes green advisory body.The Canadian government is to mark the 25th anniversary of its green business advisers by shutting the agency down, saying funding will be cut in 2013 because of the availability of information from thinktanks, the internet and universities. The Guardian New Jersey panel OKs solar boost.Utility companies and their ratepayers will once again be asked to help shoulder the solar industry, under a measure that cleared a state senate panel. The bill would require utilities to devote a rising percentage of their power production to solar — from 1.83 percent next year to 3.73 percent by 2028. West Paterson Herald News |
Inside TDC
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Daily Climate 18 May
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New Yorker 17 May
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The Guardian 17 May
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'Nobody is exempt.'Christiana Figueres has the world's toughest job: Getting all nations to agree to tackle climate change.
New Scientist 16 May
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Jackson Hole Star Tribune 18 May
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New York Times 18 May
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Friday, May 18 2012
Top ConsequencesHow to save Bangladesh?Bangladesh is a prime example of a vulnerable developing nation that faces formidable challenges in food security, water shortages, the health of oceans, disaster readiness and assuring people a livelihood. Bangladesh will be directly affected by the decisions that are made at the Rio+20 conference, said one UN expert. New York Times Mangroves reduce disaster risk, boost income options in Vietnam.Following an increase in cyclones that have affected Vietnam in the last five years, a number of organizations have begun working in disaster-prone coastal areas of Vietnam, building on evidence that mangroves can play a crucial role in reducing the destruction. Reuters Cassava a 'rambo root' that can fight climate change in Africa.Drought, poor soil and erratic rainy seasons are problems that affect African farmers daily. But scientists are hoping to change that, with the help of cassava roots that seem able to withstand climate change. Deutsche Welle Top SolutionsDenmark aims low with green energy policy.Regarded as a model of how to spend oil and gas wealth wisely, Norway has stashed away surplus revenues from exports while hydropower caters for the bulk of its domestic electricity needs. But Denmark has also found its own path to energy pragmatism, supplementing its relatively few oil rigs with wind turbines and a deep commitment to energy saving. Reuters Apple to use only green power for main data center.Apple Inc plans to power its main US data center entirely with renewable energy by the end of this year, taking steps to address longstanding environmental concerns about the rapid expansion of high-consuming computer server farms. Reuters Exploring the life and death of a lithium-ion battery.With current battery systems reaching their performance limits, researchers are scrutinizing every component of lithium-ion cells in order to develop energy storage mechanisms that can make electric vehicles better competitors to fossil-fueled engines. ClimateWire Top CausesBrazil's leader faces defining decision on bill relaxing protection of forests.President Dilma Rousseff is facing pressure to veto a bill that would open vast protected areas of forests to ranching and farming, potentially reversing Brazil’s major gains in slowing Amazon deforestation. New York Times Feeling the heat in the race to provide greener homes in China.The energy consumption of China's apartment buildings is twice or triple the energy use of Western homes, according to a recent report. Aging, ill-designed heating systems and poor insulation are mainly to blame – flaws that bode ill for China's campaign to cut carbon emissions and meet green-growth targets. Shanghai Daily Palm oil industry adds lobbying muscle in EPA climate battle.The palm oil industry has a lobbying firm to battle the Environmental Protection Agency’s preliminary finding that palm-based biofuels don’t meet the greenhouse gas standards of the federal renewable auto fuels mandate. The Hill Top PoliticsU.S. imposes tariffs on China solar panels.Trade tensions between the U.S. and China are likely to ratchet up after the Commerce Department found several Chinese solar-panel companies guilty of dumping and slapped 31 percent tariffs on their products. Within the trade dispute is a larger debate about the best way to accelerate the growth of clean energy. Wall Street Journal Brazil's leader faces defining decision on bill relaxing protection of forests.President Dilma Rousseff is facing pressure to veto a bill that would open vast protected areas of forests to ranching and farming, potentially reversing Brazil’s major gains in slowing Amazon deforestation. New York Times What does the green gas lobby do when drillers go back to brown?Drilling companies that once touted clean, green natural gas are going back to being big, brown oil companies. So do they have to change their lobbying pitch, and if so, how? EnergyWire Clean energy standard hearing previews next year's debate.The Senate Energy and Natural Resources Committee on Thursday ostensibly met over Chairman Jeff Bingaman’s clean energy standard. But it also shed light on the future agenda of the panel after the New Mexico Democrat retires this year. Politico |
From the Daily Climate NewsroomComing Monday: Science ed graduates.The drive to improve climate science education in public schools – and the effort to add 'balance' to those lesson plans – is reshaping how science is taught in America. Starting Monday, a two-part DailyClimate.org series by reporter Lisa Palmer explores the leading edge of this changing landscape of science education. more Rising coal exports have Montana rail communities braced for worst.With Asia's energy demands pulling more U.S. coal to West Coast ports, rail-line communities across Montana fear the effects: More train traffic, health problems, noise and congestion. more Professor McCarver's 'baseball bat' theory of climate change.A Fox TV commentator, midgame, links global warming to home runs, and fans on all sides of the climate debate call foul. more The Cook: A celebrated chef preaches sustainability.Snakehead with a side of Kudzu? Washington, D.C.'s Barton Seaver is pushing boundaries in the kitchen, urging restaurants to use menu choice to help sustain diversity – and connect the dots – in a changing climate. A Climate Query. more Essay: Lies in the energy debate.The heartbreaking irony is that nothing about the energy debate in Washington or the Keystone XL pipeline fight will bring down gas prices or alter unemployment. It will not free us from foreign oil. These are the WMD equivalents trotted out by politicians and industry. They are lies. more |
