Category: Climate chaos

The atmosphere is to the earth as a layer of varnish is to a desktop globe. It is thin, fragile and essential for preserving the items on the surface.150 years of burning fossil fuel have overloaded the atmosphere to the point where the earth is ill. It now has a fever. Read the detailed article, Soothing Gaia’s Fever for an evocative account of that analogy. The items listed here detail progress on coordinating 6.5 billion people in the most critical project undertaken by humanity. 

Garrett applies bandaid to climate change

admin /8 June, 2008

Celebrating World Environment Day, Environment Minister Peter Garrett today announced three new initiatives to help householders save energy and money while reducing greenhouse gas emissions.Peter Garrett

They are:

  • a new television labelling scheme to enable consumers to identify the most energy efficient sets at point of sale;
  • a new guide to help householders and in particular renovators identify ways to incorporate energy saving measures into their homes; and
  • the accelerated phase-out of traditional incandescent light bulbs

Court orders Bush to release Climate report

admin /1 June, 2008

From The New York Times 

The Bush administration, bowing to a court order, has released a fresh summary of federal and independent research pointing to large, and mainly harmful, impact of human-caused global warming in the United States.

The report, released Thursday, is online at climatescience.gov, along with a new report updating the administration’s priorities for climate research.

San Francisco introduces local carbon tax

admin /1 June, 2008

Last month, San Francisco became the largest city to try to mandate recycling. This week, Bay Area regulators approved the nation’s first pollution fee for businesses. And in Washington D.C., President Bush’s “regulatory trainwreck” nightmares just got a little worse.

The Bay Area Air Quality Management District’s board of directors approved the unprecedented new rules by a 15-1 vote yesterday. The new measure will assess a fee on businesses of 4.4 cents per ton of carbon dioxide emitted.

Energy executives tell Wong she’s wrong

admin /1 June, 2008

By Matthew Warren in The Australian  TENSIONS are emerging between major greenhouse emitters and Climate Minister Penny Wong after a number of hostile meetings before the release of the Government’s green paper on emissions trading in July. Senator Wong has told small groups of chief executives from major power and other energy-intensive companies that the Continue Reading →

Milne accuses Productivity Commission of advocacy

admin /24 May, 2008

The Productivity Commission’s clear attempt this morning to influence the outcome of the Garnaut Review may be couched in detached and academic language, but its implications are profound. The Commission’s characterisation of the Stern Review as advocacy rather analysis can be equally applied to this morning’s Staff Paper and much of what has been published Continue Reading →

Productivity Commission challenges energy targets

admin /24 May, 2008

Matthew Warren and Christian Kerr in The Australian

THE Government’s leading economic think tank has launched a scathing attack on one of Kevin Rudd’s most significant climate change policies – the mandatory renewable energy target – claiming it will drive up energy prices and do nothing to cut dangerous greenhouse gas emissions.

In a carefully timed submission to the Government’s climate change policy review, the Productivity Commission also flagged a review of tax distortions that increase emissions, such as the generous fringe benefit tax treatment of motor vehicles.

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