Sea-level fears as Greenland ice begins to melt
Sea-level fears as Greenland begins to melt
Greenland’s icesheet is being significantly eroded by winds and currents that drive warmer water into fiords, where it carves out the base of coastal glaciers, new studies say.
The icy mass sitting atop Greenland holds enough water to boost global sea levels by seven metres, potentially drowning low-lying coastal cities and deltas around the world.
Carbon trading fraudsters steal permits worth 2.7 Bn UK in ‘phishing'[ scam
Carbon trading fraudsters steal permits worth £2.7m in ‘phishing’ scam
European Commission launches investigation after 250,000 permits stolen from companies in Germany and Czech Republi
- guardian.co.uk, Thursday 4 February 2010 17.33 GMT
- Article history
European carbon trading authorities have not yet confirmed how many companies across Europe were affected by the scam. Photograph: Haydn West/PA
Hundreds of thousands of carbon trading permits have been stolen from companies in Germany and the Czech Republic by fraudsters who duped companies into giving their details via a fake website.
Around 250,000 permits worth €3m were stolen from six companies in Germany in last week’s “phishing attack”, which was first reported to the German national carbon registry on Friday. Permit trading on the German registry was closed immediately but reopened today.
Abbott’s absurdity: “20 million trees” while libs destroy nations biggest forests.
2 February 2010Abbott absurdity: “20 million trees” while Libs destroynation’s biggest forests The Opposition’s plan to plant 20 million trees whileits own Regional Forest Agreements foster the destruction of Australia’sbiggest forests is incongruous, Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown saidtoday. “The Howard government legislated the destruction ofAustralia’s biggest carbon banks – in New South Wales, Victoria,Tasmania Continue Reading →
US sets 17% carbon emission reduction target
US sets 17pc carbon emissions reduction target
- From: AFP
- January 29, 2010
THE United States today officially stated a goal to cut carbon emissions by 17 per cent by 2020 off 2005 levels, in a submission to the United Nations as part of last month’s Copenhagen meeting.
The United States said it expected to cut emissions blamed for global warming “in the range of 17 per cent” and “anticipated” that Congress would approve legislation to meet the target.
On Wednesday, Climate Change Minister Penny Wong revealed that Australia’s target for greenhouse gas emissions cuts by 2020 under the Copenhagen Accord would be an unconditional, minimum of 5 per cent and a possible maximum of 25 per cent.
Alaskan senator seeks to block EPA’s power to regulate greenhouse gases
Alaskan senator seeks to block EPA’s power to regulate greenhouse gases
Lisa Murkowski pledges to use obscure measure in attempt to strip powers from the Environmental Protection Agency
Suzanne Goldenberg, US environment correspondent
- guardian.co.uk, Thursday 21 January 2010 22.39 GMT
- Article history
Republican Alaskan senator Lisa Murkowski is seeking to strip the EPA of its powers to regulate greenhouse gas emissions. Photograph: Win McNamee/Getty
Barack Obama faced a direct challenge to his government’s powers to curb global warming pollution today, just 48 hours after an election upset put the rest of his agenda at risk.
In a speech to Congress, a Republican senator from Alaska announced she would use an obscure and rarely used measure to try to strip the Environmental Protection Agency of its powers to regulate greenhouse gas emissions as a dangerous pollutant.
Haiti earthquake: city’s plight leads to worst humantitarian crisis in decades
Haiti earthquake: city’s plight leads to worst humanitarian crisis in decades
Emergency surpasses that caused by Asian tsunami, says UN, after disaster struck heart of country and killed key officials
- The Guardian, Monday 18 January 2010
- Article history
A young boy receivies treatment at a makeshift medical clinic at the UN logistics base in Port-au-Prince. Photograph: Logan Abassi/AFP/Getty Images
The UN secretary general, Ban Ki-moon, said yesterday that the Haitian emergency was the “most serious humanitarian crisis faced by the United Nations” in decades, surpassing those caused by the Asian tsunami, the recent Pakistan earthquake and cyclone Nargis in Burma.
Its effects were greatly magnified, said the UN, because the earthquake hit a densely populated capital city rather than a remote rural area, devastating so many of the organisations and people who would normally lead a rescue effort. “It meant that the civil service, police, emergency services, all the organisations which would normally have key roles in responding to a major disaster were affected,” said Stephanie Bunker, of the UN office for co-ordination of humanitarian affairs in New York.