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New research indicates that storms from the west are the main reason that Norwegians can enjoy temperatures 5-10°C warmer than other places so far north. Climate researchers are casting more and more doubt on the Gulf Stream’s role as the primary cause of Norway’s relatively high temperatures.
Both the Gulf Stream and the Norwegian Sea have a major impact on Norway’s climate. However, it turns out that weather conditions are also influenced by geographical elements from much farther away. North America’s Rocky Mountains, for instance, play a major role in weather in Norway.
With the appointment of an anti-green as Environment Secretary, the pretence is over.
By George Monbiot, published on the Guardian’s website
So that’s it then. The final shred of credibility of “the greenest government ever” has been doused in petrol and ignited with a casual flick of a gold-plated lighter. The appointment of Owen Paterson as Environment Secretary, is a declaration of war on the environment, and another sign that the right of the party – fiercely opposed to anything that prevents business from doing as it wishes – has won.
Alongside the signs that the government is preparing to renege on its pledge not to build a third runway at Heathrow, this appointment reinforces the impression that Cameron’s professed environmentalism is – and always was – phoney.
Paterson is steeped in the mythologies of the anti-environment movement. A letter about wind farms he sent to his district council is riddled with schoolboy howlers of the kind that are endlessly repeated by climate change deniers. For example, he expresses the belief that if the capacity factor of a wind turbine is 30%, this means that “the wind blows sufficiently to generate useful electricity, typically, only 30 percent of the time”.
Perhaps such mistakes are unsurprising: much of the letter was cut and pasted verbatim, without acknowledgement or circumspection, from a document published by an anti-wind farm group called Country Guardian. As Environment Secretary, Paterson will have to weigh up conflicting claims, and make decisions based on the best available evidence. Though Paterson will not have responsibility for energy policy, this cutting and pasting should give you a sense of what we’re up against.
In May, when Owen Paterson was Northern Ireland secretary, Conservative Home reported that he set out a three-point plan for economic growth in a Cabinet meeting.
– “Exemption of all micro businesses from red tape, following the model Ronald Reagan pursued in the early 1980s; – Ending of all energy subsidies and then fast-tracked exploitation of shale gas; – Urgent review of airport policy to ensure Britain gets its full share of global trade.”
Perhaps it was sentiments like this that secured his new job. His predecessor at Environment, Caroline Spelman, though blighted by some terrible junior ministers (the worst of whom remains in post), and though wildly illogical on certain issues (such as the badger cull), at least appeared to understand that we are in the midst of an environmental crisis, and that action needs to be taken. This could be why she was said to have no voice within the Cabinet.
The reshuffle pushes the coalition further towards the politics of the Tea Party Republicans: in denial about about the underlying problems, opposed to democratic constraints on business, prepared to treat the planet as a dustbin. Paterson’s appointment appears to exemplify the shift.
But the Clean Energy Council’s policy director, Russell Marsh, says when winds topped 90 kilometres per hour earlier this week, that figure was much higher.
“What we’ve seen is over the last couple of days the amount of energy generated from wind power in South Australia has gone through between 55 and 85 per cent since Monday as a result of the very strong winds we’re having at the moment,” he said.
And for a few brief moments in the early hours of Wednesday morning, wind was generating so much power some of it was being exported to Victoria.
Mr Marsh says emissions from South Australia’s power sector have fallen every year since 2005, and have dropped 27 per cent over the past five years.
He says there is no reason other states could not emulate the success.
“South Australia has a great, great wind resource, it’s probably one of the best places in Australia to build wind,” he said.
“And we expect to see … many more wind farms built, not just in South Australia but in other states along the south-east coast of Australia.”
But he says the figures do not suggest coal-fired power generation’s days are numbered.
“We’re really only starting down the path of developing both wind energy specifically and renewable energy generally in Australia,” Mr Marsh said.
“I think we’re going to see coal and other fossil fuel generation around for a number of years to come. But, certainly we reckon that wind and other renewables can certainly play their part in generating more energy in the future.”
One of the criticisms of wind power has long been that times of light wind conditions result in a reduction in the amount of energy generated.
But Mr Marsh denies this week’s event reinforces that argument.
“No it doesn’t, because what the market operator’s also showing is that across the year, about 25 per cent of the state’s power comes from wind,” he said.
“And that has resulted in two things in South Australia. Firstly, you’re seeing less generation from coal and gas as a result of the amount of wind. And also you’re seeing greenhouse gas emissions in South Australia dropping.
“So… what we’re seeing in South Australia is evidence that deploying wind, in this case wind, in Australia actually does lead to using less fossil fuels and reduces emission.”
“The department has assured me it will not recommend anything for approval which has the potential to damage Sydney’s drinking water supplies” … Planning Minister Brad Hazzard. Photo: Jon Reid
THE NSW government is considering a bold plan that would lead to hundreds of coal seam gas wells being drilled across Sydney’s drinking water catchment, supplying a fifth of the city’s gas.
Apex Energy has a vision that amounts to industrialisation of near-pristine bushland – more than 150 commercial gas wells sprinkled across the catchment area between Sydney and Wollongong.
It is asking the Department of Planning to modify its permission to drill an initial 16 wells to test for coal seam gas, because its current licence expires on September 22.
The company would have to apply for further consent for a full-scale commercial development. Stiff opposition is likely from residents and the Greens, who say intensive drilling over the proposed 25-year period could contaminate Sydney’s clean water.
”Ultimately the project is likely to be somewhere in the 150 to 200-well range,” said Apex Energy’s corporate development manager, Chris Lawrence.
”Once we’ve got the data from the next two test wells, we can start working on a production plan, but that might take one to five years to get through – you tell me.”
In its plan, Apex Energy blames the Part 3A planning process and a lack of investment cash for the project’s slow progress up until now. It also says ”the rapid emergence of the anti-gas movement and sway of public opinion against the industry, and a new state government eager to allay those concerns by regulation, have all conspired to bring the CSG industry in NSW to a standstill”.
Apex has entered a joint venture with Ormil Energy, which has agreed to pay for the drilling of the test wells, should the government approve them.
The Planning Minister, Brad Hazzard, said the original approval to drill in the drinking water catchment was granted by the previous government in 2009.
”The department has assured me it will not recommend anything for approval which has the potential to damage Sydney’s drinking water supplies,” he said. If necessary, a decision on the Apex plan would be made by the independent Planning Assessment Commission.
The jury is out on the potential damage that coal seam gas drilling and hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, can cause to underground water supplies.
The coal seam gas industry body, the Australian Petroleum Production and Exploration Association, was forced to defend a TV advertising campaign this week after the CSIRO said it was incorrect.
The ads claim the CSIRO had declared gas drilling to be safe but the national science organisation said it had never stated that gas drilling would not contaminate water. The association agreed to take the CSIRO point of view ”on board”.
The Greens urged the government to stop any further drilling approvals in the catchment area.
”Barry O’Farrell has a critical decision to make: approve the development of poisonous coal seam gas wells in our drinking water catchments and suburbs, or reject Apex’s extension and protect these areas,” said Greens MP Jeremy Buckingham.
The Department of Planning is calling for public submissions on the Apex Energy plans, to be lodged by September 14.
