British industrialists in denial about climate change
The Science Minister of the United Kingdom, Lord Drayton said last week that he is shocked by the number of climate deniers in Britain’s industrial sector. “Industrialists are faced with a very difficult challenge, which is huge infrastructure investment in existing ways of doing business and very difficult global economic circumstances.” Given that many captains of industry quote theories that solar activity is responsible for global warming it appears that the scientists paid by the fossil fuel lobby to promote that belief are having some impact. Lord Dayton’s comments imply that this discredited theory appeals to those who have the greatest economic need to believe it. Lord Dayton said the government needs to invest in further education.
Rainforest drought speeds up global warming
The impact of drought on the world’s rainforests is a huge positive feedback loop, releasing billions of tonnes of carbon dioxide that accelerate global warming increasing the likelihood of further drought. The journal Science last week published the results of a thirty year study of the Amazon rainforests that reveals in dry years the rainforest absorbs much less than its standard two billion tonnes of carbon dioxide. Over 40 institutions from 13 nations participated in the study which found that in the particularly harsh drought of 2005, the rainforest drastically reduced it’s growth rate and shed leaves, bark and other plant matter.
40 nations condemn UK as climate criminal
Campaigners from more than 40 developing nations have written to UK climate change secretary, Ed Milband, accusing the government of the United Kingdom of being a climate criminal because of its plans to build new coal fired electricity plants. The open letter expresses alarm at the moves and identifies claims that demonstration plants for clean coal are inadequate. They blame emissions from rich countries for causing global warming and the “increased floods, droughts, sea-levels and disease” that threaten the livelihoods of “hundreds of millions of people”.
Turnbull discovers biochar
After years of lobbying by farm groups, environmentalists and advocates of renewable energy, the leader of the opposition, Malcolm Turnbull, has called for recognition of perennial grasses, bio-char and forestry as components of a national scheme to reduce carbon-dioxide emissions. His claim the bio-sequestration could buy 150 million tonnes of carbon are consistent with the figures prepared by the CSIRO and other lobby groups but he refused to detail his plan, or provide a time frame for implementing it. The government claimed that the call was a distraction to cover up the oppositions failure to support carbon trading.
UK government infighting fails climate
Britain’s efforts to cut carbon emissions have been hampered by government infighting and a reluctance to stand up to industry, according to the UK’s former climate change minister. Elliot Morley, head of the new energy and climate change select committee, said tensions between different government departments had undermined moves to cut greenhouse gas pollution. Policies Continue Reading →
Rudd in the cold on warming
From the Australian
THE Rudd Government is increasingly isolated on the emissions trading scheme, with business supporters demanding further concessions to mitigate its immediate impact and green groups and the Coalition intensifying their attacks.
A day after the Government was forced to confirm publicly it was sticking by its plans to introduce an ETS in July next year, after cancelling an inquiry into the scheme, the Opposition accused the Government of being divided on the issue and the Business Council of Australia said more action was needed to reduce its impact on business during the economic crisis.