Global warming could create 150 ‘climate refugees’ by 2050
Global warming could create 150 million ‘climate refugees’ by 2050
Environmental Justice Foundation report says 10% of the global population is at risk of forced displacement due to climate change
- guardian.co.uk, Tuesday 3 November 2009 00.05 GMT
- Article history
People displaced by Cyclone Nargis line up by their tents for a visit from UN secretary-general Ban Ki-Moon in 2008 in Kyondah, Myanmar. Photograph: Stan Honda/AFP/Getty Images
Global warming will force up to 150 million “climate refugees” to move to other countries in the next 40 years, a new report from the Environmental Justice Foundation (EJF) warns.
In 2008 alone, more than 20 million people were displaced by climate-related natural disasters, including 800,000 people by cyclone Nargis in Asia, and almost 80,000 by heavy floods and rains in Brazil, the NGO said.
President Mohamed Nasheed of the Maldives, who presented testimony to the EJF, said people in his country did not want to “trade a paradise for a climate refugee camp”. He warned rich countries taking part in UN climate talks this week in Barcelona “not to be stupid” in negotiating a climate treaty in Copenhagen this December.
Carbon markets not working, says Deutsche Bank
Carbon markets not working, says Deutsche Bank Ecologist 2nd November, 2009 Carbon markets are not working and UK and US government policy is not encouraging investment in renewable energy, says a leading bank A report from Deutsche Bank’s Asset Management division (DeAM) says that the carbon market is not likely to contribute to significantly cutting Continue Reading →
Climate expert Clive Splash ‘ heavied’ by CSIRO management
Climate expert Clive Spash ‘heavied’ by CSIRO management
Nicola Berkovic | November 03, 2009
A CSIRO economist whose research criticising emissions trading schemes was banned from publication said last night he had been subjected to harassment by the senior agency management.
Clive Spash also accused the agency of hindering public debate and trampling on his civil liberties by preventing the research being published in British journal New Political Economy.
Dr Spash defended the paper, The Brave New World of Carbon Trading, saying it was a dispassionate analysis of ETS policies and was not politically partisan.
He was told in February he could publish the work if it were peer reviewed. But in July, CSIRO management said it could not be published after it was cleared for publication.
This month, he was informed he could not publish it even in his private capacity, because it was “politically sensitive”. Within 24 hours, he also received a letter outlining a list of trivial instances in which he was accused of breaching CSIRO policy, for example not completing a leave form properly.
Why growing virgin vegetable oil to burn is crazy
Why growing virgin vegetable oil to burn is crazy
The chief executive of Blue-NG implies he’s greener than the Greens – but the argument for his grotesque trade falls flat
Growing rapeseed oil for power stations harms people and the environment. Photograph: Christopher Furlong/Getty
What makes more sense, burning virgin vegetable oil in car engines, or burning it in power stations? The answer is neither. In both cases you are snatching food from people’s mouths.
Copenhagen is only the start of climate change
Copenhagen is only the start of climate change
- The Observer, Sunday 1 November 2009
- Article history
THERE ARE five weeks left to the opening of the climate-change summit in Copenhagen. Virtually every national leader is expected to gather in the Danish capital in an attempt to hammer out a deal to bring unity to the battle against global warming. All that is required is an agreement to find a method to achieve one simple goal. Emissions of carbon dioxide from the planet’s factories, power plants, cars, planes and homes must be made to peak in a few years so that by 2020, a substantial decline in the world’s output of greenhouse gases will have begun.
World leaders accused of Myopia over climate change deal
World leaders accused of myopia over climate change deal
Senior officials and negotiators increasingly gloomy about the prospects for a global warming deal next month
- guardian.co.uk, Sunday 1 November 2009 23.24 GMT
- Article history
Melting ice in Greenland. British officials say negotiations on a deal to curb global warming have been progressing too slowly. Photograph: Corbis
The head of the international group leading the fight against climate change has accused countries of pushing science aside in favour of self-serving “political myopia” ahead of the vital Copenhagen summit.