I believe they are calling it the Watergate scandal. Some scientists ignored data that was contrary to their findings in a paper published about two decades ago. Climate Change skeptics are jumping all over it. The article under scrutiny was published in 1990 and is concerned with urban heat bubble heating compared to heating in the atmosphere outside of urban heat bubbles. The scandal does not disprove global warming. Furthermore, global warming is not the only environmental problem. Global warming is only one aspect of global environmental degradation.
The urban heat bubble is due to all of the pavement and black roofs. Painting your roof white is one option, "green roofs" are another option. Scientific American explains.
Obama is trying to create a Green Economy. Part of his plan is increased funding for Nuclear power through research and loans. Depending on your beliefs, this is a victory or a loss.
National Geographic lists resources for learning about freshwater environmental issues.
California attempts to create laws to decrease transportation emissions. The industries being regulated claim that the legislation would violate interstate commerce laws.
Obama wants to uphold his Copenhagen commitments of reducing pollution to 4% below 1990 emissions by 2020. This is pending American National legislation though.
Some centrist democrats are seeking to scrap cap and trade and go for a policy that would do little and give many concessions to polluting industries. Mother Jones reports.
Scientific American attempts to explain some of the many atmospheric characteristics that contribute to the global atmospheric temperature. There are forces both cooling and heating our atmosphere, the temperature we experience is a product of many forces.
And...say hello to genetically modified forests that do not reproduce.
Showing posts with label copenhagen. Show all posts
Showing posts with label copenhagen. Show all posts
Wednesday, February 3, 2010
Sunday, December 13, 2009
Copenhagen
This post will contain most of what you need to know about Copenhagen and the Climate Change negotiations.
First, Grist published a list of "myths and facts" about the negotiations.
This story from Mother Jones gives some general news, something to notice is Obama's chief negotiator rejects the idea that the countries that caused climate change owe money or aid to countries that are victims of climate change. This is surprising and saddening. The European Union's position is the opposite but the EU is still reluctant to give up too much money. At the same time Australia is dedicated to reducing emissions, but not by a radical amount, and demands that the creators of climate change put up the money to help the victim countries.
Poor countries, victims of climate change, demand quick action and help from the perpetrators. This is will be one of the greatest strains at the negotiations, since there is no international court poor countries have to beg for action instead of sue for it. If the climate negotiations were a domestic Tort case, the rich would pay and the poor would be reimbursed for damages.
Religious leaders are having their say about climate change and the negotiations, the Archbishop of Canterbury is speaking out and urging countries to reach an agreement that protects the citizens of the world from climate change. The church bells rang 350 times, 350ppm of CO2 in the atmosphere is the target to avoid climate catastrophe.
Protesters are angry, not just about the negotiations but about treatment from riot police. Many have been arrested and treated inhumanely. Some of the mass arrests did not occur when protesters acted out of line, there of course are the violent anarchists present. Peaceful protesters were arrested, not allowed bathroom services, heat, food or drink. An investigation into the Danish police force is being campaigned for.
Sarah Palin had her views about climate change published in the Washington Post, of course they were inaccurate and help to rally ignorant people to march to their own demise.
While the majority of Americans are worried about climate change and think that their actions affect it they are unwilling to change too much, the Christian Science Monitor reports.
Advances in technology will be one of our saviors. Scientists have been able to use paper and nanotubes to create a battery. The comments on the article ask "The result is a highly conductive sheet that can carry a charge" Sounds more like a capacitor than like a battery to me. Did I miss something?"
First, Grist published a list of "myths and facts" about the negotiations.
This story from Mother Jones gives some general news, something to notice is Obama's chief negotiator rejects the idea that the countries that caused climate change owe money or aid to countries that are victims of climate change. This is surprising and saddening. The European Union's position is the opposite but the EU is still reluctant to give up too much money. At the same time Australia is dedicated to reducing emissions, but not by a radical amount, and demands that the creators of climate change put up the money to help the victim countries.
Poor countries, victims of climate change, demand quick action and help from the perpetrators. This is will be one of the greatest strains at the negotiations, since there is no international court poor countries have to beg for action instead of sue for it. If the climate negotiations were a domestic Tort case, the rich would pay and the poor would be reimbursed for damages.
Religious leaders are having their say about climate change and the negotiations, the Archbishop of Canterbury is speaking out and urging countries to reach an agreement that protects the citizens of the world from climate change. The church bells rang 350 times, 350ppm of CO2 in the atmosphere is the target to avoid climate catastrophe.
Protesters are angry, not just about the negotiations but about treatment from riot police. Many have been arrested and treated inhumanely. Some of the mass arrests did not occur when protesters acted out of line, there of course are the violent anarchists present. Peaceful protesters were arrested, not allowed bathroom services, heat, food or drink. An investigation into the Danish police force is being campaigned for.
Sarah Palin had her views about climate change published in the Washington Post, of course they were inaccurate and help to rally ignorant people to march to their own demise.
While the majority of Americans are worried about climate change and think that their actions affect it they are unwilling to change too much, the Christian Science Monitor reports.
Advances in technology will be one of our saviors. Scientists have been able to use paper and nanotubes to create a battery. The comments on the article ask "The result is a highly conductive sheet that can carry a charge" Sounds more like a capacitor than like a battery to me. Did I miss something?"
Friday, November 27, 2009
Obama is Back on for Copenhagen
Obama has announced that he will attend the climate change negotiations in Copenhagen next weekend. This will be the first international climate change negotiations that a US President has ever attended.
Obama and Hu Jintao (China) have talked about climate change, now Obama and Dr. Manmohan Singh (India) talk about climate change and the possibilities for mitigation.
International climate change negotiations between the industrialized and unindustrialized world always come to money, how are poor countries to advance technology when they don't have the money to do so? Gordon Brown has announced that Great Britain will put over $1 billion into a fund that functions to fast track money to poorer countries so they can fund efforts to mitigate and deal with climate change. The fund will grow quickly in the next decade.
Reuters reports on "Det Norske Veritas, a leading international certifier, has drafted standards which businesses ranging from coffee making to diamond sourcing can use to flag sustainability of supply chains, DNV senior executives said."
This is very important for environmental-economics as the consumer needs as much information about their products as they can get. With the expansion of sustainability certifications consumers will see more transparency in the market and can signal the market more intentionally.
The California Energy Commission bans t.v.s that eat too much energy. It will save California a lot of money. This environmentally friendly move would have never been possible without a financial crisis in California.
Innovation in the wind turbine industry makes wind turbines more efficient in their use of land.
A new study says that Americans waste a large amount of their food. From manufacturing, to transporting and selling to the dinner table Americans throw away their food in large amounts. There is much more room for becoming more conscious about our consumption habits.
Obama and Hu Jintao (China) have talked about climate change, now Obama and Dr. Manmohan Singh (India) talk about climate change and the possibilities for mitigation.
International climate change negotiations between the industrialized and unindustrialized world always come to money, how are poor countries to advance technology when they don't have the money to do so? Gordon Brown has announced that Great Britain will put over $1 billion into a fund that functions to fast track money to poorer countries so they can fund efforts to mitigate and deal with climate change. The fund will grow quickly in the next decade.
Reuters reports on "Det Norske Veritas, a leading international certifier, has drafted standards which businesses ranging from coffee making to diamond sourcing can use to flag sustainability of supply chains, DNV senior executives said."
This is very important for environmental-economics as the consumer needs as much information about their products as they can get. With the expansion of sustainability certifications consumers will see more transparency in the market and can signal the market more intentionally.
The California Energy Commission bans t.v.s that eat too much energy. It will save California a lot of money. This environmentally friendly move would have never been possible without a financial crisis in California.
Innovation in the wind turbine industry makes wind turbines more efficient in their use of land.
A new study says that Americans waste a large amount of their food. From manufacturing, to transporting and selling to the dinner table Americans throw away their food in large amounts. There is much more room for becoming more conscious about our consumption habits.
Friday, November 6, 2009
Shaky Ground Ahead, but There is No Where Else to GO
Nanotechnology is the next frontier for technology and could potentially solve a lot of environmental problems. An article in Science highlights a study that analyzes the safety of one application of nanotechnology. This is very important because while nanotechnology could be the greatest wonder of the future we need to ensure it is safe for us as well. The conclusion is that nanotechnology is safe when carefully used.
The Guardian gives an overview of Green Investment in celebration of England's National Ethical Investment Week. The trick is to get a positive return on your investment. Reuters published an article about big wind companies in Europe, Germany especially, are in line to receive government funds to support their business. Wind power is growing and is a potential investment opportunity. A similar article from Reuters compares investment in Wind and Solar companies.
The US government is dithering, as conservative pundits would say, over Copenhagen. The US is refusing to give a definite number that it will reduce carbon emissions to. A failure in Copenhagen would draw the agreement out placing the needs of our environment behind the needs of industry. The argument from industry is that any environmental regulation will kill jobs, as if they care about jobs! Coal and oil are some of the most profitable industries in the world and can afford to bring us energy while not poising us and our environment.
Democrats in the US Senate show that they can play hardball too and pass a Climate Change plan in a key Senate Committee while Republicans were boycotting the effort and not showing up to meetings. At least someone in our government cares about environmentalism and the UN Copenhagen negotiations, hopefully this will spur more positive attention on reaching an agreement in Copenhagen.
A study about discussing climate change is published and covers why, psychologically, people have a hard time understanding and believing in the existence of climate change.
Finally! A universal cell phone charger will come onto the market. Mother Jones reports.
Another oil spill, this time in the Red Sea. The Exxon Valdez oil spill was a precedent setting case that paved the way for oil companies to continue spilling oil without much repercussion. The original settlement of the case required Exxon to pay $5 billion , one year's revenue at the time, but their lawyers got that number down to $.5 billion and oil spills are still cheaper to let happen than prevent. The Christian Science Monitor reports, and is a great source for news from a different perspective than large news sources with vested interests.
US and the EU continue to allow chemicals to be manufactured that are not safe for humans or our environment. The EU has decided to act, and this article highlighting the affect of some chemicals on the development of gender in children discusses the issue.
The Guardian gives an overview of Green Investment in celebration of England's National Ethical Investment Week. The trick is to get a positive return on your investment. Reuters published an article about big wind companies in Europe, Germany especially, are in line to receive government funds to support their business. Wind power is growing and is a potential investment opportunity. A similar article from Reuters compares investment in Wind and Solar companies.
The US government is dithering, as conservative pundits would say, over Copenhagen. The US is refusing to give a definite number that it will reduce carbon emissions to. A failure in Copenhagen would draw the agreement out placing the needs of our environment behind the needs of industry. The argument from industry is that any environmental regulation will kill jobs, as if they care about jobs! Coal and oil are some of the most profitable industries in the world and can afford to bring us energy while not poising us and our environment.
Democrats in the US Senate show that they can play hardball too and pass a Climate Change plan in a key Senate Committee while Republicans were boycotting the effort and not showing up to meetings. At least someone in our government cares about environmentalism and the UN Copenhagen negotiations, hopefully this will spur more positive attention on reaching an agreement in Copenhagen.
A study about discussing climate change is published and covers why, psychologically, people have a hard time understanding and believing in the existence of climate change.
Finally! A universal cell phone charger will come onto the market. Mother Jones reports.
Another oil spill, this time in the Red Sea. The Exxon Valdez oil spill was a precedent setting case that paved the way for oil companies to continue spilling oil without much repercussion. The original settlement of the case required Exxon to pay $5 billion , one year's revenue at the time, but their lawyers got that number down to $.5 billion and oil spills are still cheaper to let happen than prevent. The Christian Science Monitor reports, and is a great source for news from a different perspective than large news sources with vested interests.
US and the EU continue to allow chemicals to be manufactured that are not safe for humans or our environment. The EU has decided to act, and this article highlighting the affect of some chemicals on the development of gender in children discusses the issue.
Tuesday, October 27, 2009
Climate Change- Coppenhagen and the US Congress
The UN believes that the upcoming Climate Change talks in Copenhagen will not produce a Treaty. And Obama quietly takes himself off of the attendee list. Democrats in the Senate still push for a Climate Change bill. Without a UN agreement we are in for quite a surprise.
Politics unfold with the people in the background mobilizing themselves to show the politicians that representation means legislation. And support for Cap and Trade in America wanes as polluting industries weigh in to change Climate Change legislation into something close to business as usual.
If politicians are not going to do it for us, we must do it for ourselves. Science Journal shows some numbers that empower average citizens to change their lives to change the world.
The American Petroleum Institute weighs in on the Climate Change bill and how it will hurt Americans. What hurts Americans is the oligopoly (oiligopoly) of the oil market, controlled by 5 companies, that raises prices needlessly while reaping the highest profits in world history during a recession.
Solar power is starting to become economical to utilize.
Politics unfold with the people in the background mobilizing themselves to show the politicians that representation means legislation. And support for Cap and Trade in America wanes as polluting industries weigh in to change Climate Change legislation into something close to business as usual.
If politicians are not going to do it for us, we must do it for ourselves. Science Journal shows some numbers that empower average citizens to change their lives to change the world.
The American Petroleum Institute weighs in on the Climate Change bill and how it will hurt Americans. What hurts Americans is the oligopoly (oiligopoly) of the oil market, controlled by 5 companies, that raises prices needlessly while reaping the highest profits in world history during a recession.
Solar power is starting to become economical to utilize.
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