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.Â
The Council of International Relations in the United States has warned that armed conflict is likely over the resources of the Arctic Seabed unless a framework for international negotiations is set up as soon as possible. The Arctic sea floor has been the subject of a number of claims and counter claims since 2001 when Continue Reading →
The Economic and Security Implications of Global Warming
By Scott G. Borgerson
From Foreign Affairs , March/April 2008
Summary: Thanks to global warming, the Arctic icecap is rapidly melting, opening up access to massive natural resources and creating shipping shortcuts that could save billions of dollars a year. But there are currently no clear rules governing this economically and strategically vital region. Unless Washington leads the way toward a multilateral diplomatic solution, the Arctic could descend into armed conflict.
SCOTT G. BORGERSON is International Affairs Fellow at the Council on Foreign Relations and a former Lieutenant Commander in the U.S. Coast Guard.
Environment Canada has "muzzled" its scientists, ordering them to refer all media queries to Ottawa where communications officers will help them respond with "approved lines."
The new policy, which went into force in recent weeks and sent a chill through the department research divisions, is designed to control the department’s media message and ensure there are no "surprises" for Environment Minister John Baird and senior management when they open the newspaper or turn on the television, according to documents obtained by Canwest News Service.
"Just as we have ‘one department, one website’ we should have ‘one department, one voice,’ " says a PowerPoint presentation from Environment Canada’s executive management committee that’s been sent to department staff.
It laments that there has been "limited co-ordination of messages across the country" and how "interviews sometimes result in surprises to minister and senior management."
It is less than two months since the Australian government did the same thing.
TOKYO (AFP) — Some of the world’s top companies vowed Friday to step up efforts to cut greenhouse gas emissions, saying governments were failing to show sufficient leadership in the fight against global warming.
The declaration reflects a growing trend by global corporations waging war on climate change by taking steps to reduce or offset the amount of carbon dioxide belched out by their offices and factories.
A dozen corporations including Sony Corp., Nokia Corp., Nike Inc. and Hewlett-Packard Co. issued an urgent call for firms around the world to reduce the damage they inflict on the planet and to promote a "low-carbon lifestyle".
"There is no doubt that climate change is one of the most important issues of our time," Sony chief executive Howard Stringer told a meeting here hosted by the Japanese electronics giant and the WWF environmental group.
"Governments are more easily distracted by the crisis of today than the crisis of tomorrow," he said. "We need to act now."
The Senate descended into climate chaos today in response to a motion moved by Australian Greens climate change spokesperson, Senator Christine Milne, calling on the Government to phase out perverse subsidies to the fossil fuel industry and reverse its decision to cut research funding into climate change science and renewable energy programs.
Senator Milne said "Anyone who thought a new era on climate had dawned, with the new Prime Minister saying that ‘climate change represents one of the greatest moral, economic and environmental challenges of our age’ had better think again. At the first test in the first sitting week, the new Government voted against a motion to prioritise climate programs above fossil fuel subsidies.
"While Labor was very clear this morning that it has no intention of prioritising climate initiatives over fossil fuel subsidies, the Coalition’s confusion nearly embarrassed both sides by letting my motion pass.
The European Commission is reported to have shied away from imposing tariffs on imports from countries with no carbon price in place to tackle greenhouse gas emissions.
The idea was floated by former French President Jacques Chirac last year, drawing heavy criticism from the United States and other countries which have no commitment to firm targets to reduce emissions. Such an impost would help protect import-competing industries in Europe, such as the steel industry, now subject to a greater costs from the price on carbon under the EU Emissions Trading Scheme (EU_ETS).
A carbon tariff had been one of the measures being discussed as part of a review of the EU ETS which will result in a proposals to be released later this month for shaping the scheme beyond 2012, when the current second phase is finishes.