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• Damian Carrington
• guardian.co.uk, Monday 1 July 2013 03.19 AEST
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Flooding in Thailand in 2011. Photograph: Narong Sangnak/EPA

Climate change poses as grave a threat to the UK’s security and economic resilience as terrorism and cyber-attacks, according to a senior military commander who was appointed as William Hague’s climate envoy this year.

In his first interview since taking up the post, Rear Admiral Neil Morisetti said climate change was “one of the greatest risks we face in the 21st century”, particularly because it presented a global threat. “By virtue of our interdependencies around the world, it will affect all of us,” he said.

He argued that climate change was a potent threat multiplier at choke points in the global trade network, such as the Straits of Hormuz, through which much of the world’s traded oil and gas is shipped.

Morisetti left a 37-year naval career to become the foreign secretary’s special representative for climate change, and represents the growing influence of hard-headed military thinking in the global warming debate.

The link between climate change and global security risks is on the agenda of the UK’s presidency of the G8, including a meeting to be chaired by Morissetti in July that will include assessment of hotspots where climate stress is driving migration.

Morisetti’s central message was simple and stark: “The areas of greatest global stress and greatest impacts of climate change are broadly coincidental.”

He said governments could not afford to wait until they had all the information they might like. “If you wait for 100% certainty on the battlefield, you’ll be in a pretty sticky state,” he said.

The increased threat posed by climate change arises because droughts, storms and floods are exacerbating water, food, population and security tensions in conflict-prone regions.

“Just because it is happening 2,000 miles away does not mean it is not going to affect the UK in a globalised world, whether it is because food prices go up, or because increased instability in an area – perhaps around the Middle East or elsewhere – causes instability in fuel prices,” Morisetti said.

“In fact it is already doing so,” he added, noting that Toyota’s UK car plants had been forced to switch to a three-day week after extreme floods in Thailand cut the supply chain. Computer firms in California and Poland were left short of microchips by the same floods.

Morisetti is far from the only military figure emphasising the climate threat to security. America’s top officer tackling the threat from North Korea and China has said the biggest long-term security issue in the region is climate change.

In a recent interview, Admiral Samuel J Locklear III, who led the US naval action in Libya that helped topple Muammar Gaddafi, said a significant event related to the warming planet was “the most likely thing that is going to happen that will cripple the security environment, probably more likely than the other scenarios we all often talk about”.

There is a reason why the military are so clear-headed about the climate threat, according to Professor John Schellnhuber, a scientist who briefed the UN security council on the issue in February and formerly advised the German chancellor, Angela Merkel.

“The military do not deal with ideology. They cannot afford to: they are responsible for the lives of people and billions of pounds of investment in equipment,” he said. “When the climate change deniers took their stance after the Copenhagen summit in 2009, it is very interesting that the military people were never shaken from the idea that we are about to enter a very difficult period.”

He added: “This danger of the creation of violent conflicts is the strongest argument why we should keep climate change under control, because the international system is not stable, and the slightest thing, like the food riots in the Middle East, could make the whole system explode.”

The military has been quietly making known its concern about the climate threat to security for some time. General Wesley Clark, who commanded the Nato bombing of Yugoslavia during the Kosovo war, said in 2005: “Stopping global warming is not just about saving the environment, it’s about securing America for our children and our children’s children, as well.”

In the same year Chuck Hagel, now Obama’s defence secretary, said: “I don’t think you can separate environmental policy from economic policy or energy policy.”

Morisetti said there was also a direct link between climate change and the military because of the latter’s huge reliance on fossil fuels. “In Afghanistan, where we have had to import all our energy into the country along a single route that has been disrupted, the US military have calculated that for every 24 convoys there has been a casualty. There is a cost associated in bringing in that energy in both blood and treasure.

“So to drive up efficiency and to use alternative fuels, wind, solar, makes eminent sense to the military,” he said, noting that the use of solar blankets in Afghanistan meant fewer fuel resupply missions. “The principles of delivering your outputs more effectively, reducing your risks and reducing your costs reads across far more widely than just the military: most businesses would be looking for that too.”

Morisetti’s former employer, the Ministry of Defence, agrees that the climate threat is a serious one. The last edition of the Global Strategic Trends analysis published by the MoD’s Development, Concepts and Doctrine Centre concludes: “Climate change will amplify existing social, political and resource stresses, shifting the tipping point at which conflict ignites … Out to 2040, there are few convincing reasons to suggest that the world will become more peaceful.”

Schellnhuber was also clear about the consequences of failing to curb global warming. “The last 11,000 years – the Holocene – was characterised by the extreme stability of global climate. It is the only period when human civilisation could have developed at all,” he said. “But I don’t think a global, interconnected world can be managed in peace if climate change means we are leaving the Holocene. Let’s pray we will have a Lincoln or a Gorbachev to lead us.”

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July 1, 2013 – 9:53AM

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Switched to Rudd: Bill Shorten. Photo: Andrew Meares

• Rudd names his team
• Labor voters swing support to Rudd

Last-minute Rudd backer Bill Shorten has been rewarded in the new look ministry, adding school education to his existing workplace relations portfolio.

Kevin Rudd unveiled his ministry in Newcastle on Monday as former trade and regional Australia minister Simon Crean – who was tipped to secure a spot in Mr Rudd’s new frontbench – announced he was quitting politics at the upcoming election.

Former Labor leader Simon Crean to quit politics. Photo: Andrew Meares

Mr Shorten, who dramatically changed his support from Julia Gillard to Mr Rudd before the leadership ballot last week, will now have responsibility for the school funding reforms.

While Brendan O’Connor, a Gillard supporter, loses the immigration portfolio to Tony Burke, he will take an element of Mr Shorten’s old responsibilities – employment – along with skills and training.

Other Rudd backers have also been rewarded in the new-look ministry.

New Climate Change Minister Mark Butler. Photo: Alex Ellinghausen

Joel Fitzgibbon has been made Minister for Agriculture, while Ed Husic and Alan Griffin have been made parliamentary secretaries to the Prime Minister, with Mr Griffin also taking on the role of Cabinet Secretary.

The reshuffle comes after a raft a ministers – including Greg Combet, Stephen Conroy, Peter Garrett, Craig Emerson and Joe Ludwig – quit their positions in the wake of the Labor leadership ballot last Wednesday.

Chris Bowen has already been sworn in as Treasurer and Anthony Albanese as Deputy Prime Minister following the resignation of Wayne Swan.

Mr Albanese will take on responsibility for the NBN as Minister for Communications and Broadband. He retains his infrastructure and transport portfolio.

“This is a large set of responsibilities for a man with a prodigious work ethic and a heart for all Australia,” Mr Rudd said.

Mr Rudd told reporters in Newcastle on Monday that the core task of government was to “keep the economy strong”.

“I have assembled today a strong economic team, one with vastly more experience and vastly more competence than those we face opposite,” he said.

Along with Mr Bowen as Treasurer, Penny Wong keeps her position has Finance Minister.

Assistant Treasurer David Bradbury picks up financial services and superannuation from Mr Shorten.

Another key Rudd backer, Kim Carr, rejoins cabinet with responsibility for innovation, industry, science, research and higher education.

In another significant change, with Mr Burke, the former environment minister, taking on immigration, Mark Butler swaps mental health for climate change, environment, heritage and water. Mr Burke will, however, keep the arts portfolio.

Another key Rudd supporter, Richard Marles will enter cabinet as the Minister for Trade – taking over from Mr Emerson, who is also quitting politics.

Mr Marles had earlier quit his role as Parliamentary Secretary for Foreign Affairs after the March leadership ballot.

On Sunday, Fairfax Media reported that the announcement of the new cabinet and outer ministry was delayed as Mr Rudd was not able to fill some crucial roles as quickly as he hoped. Labor sources said a number of ministerial offers were refused and efforts were poured into coaxing some key Gillard ministers back into cabinet.

On Monday, Opposition Leader Tony Abbott said Mr Rudd’s new look team “is not even the B team, it’s the C team”.

In a surprise move, Home Affairs and Justice Minister Jason Clare has been moved to the outer ministry and loses the Cabinet Secretary role.

Mr Clare, who has been touted as a future Labor leader, was only recently promoted to cabinet.

Kate Lundy – a strong support of Ms Gillard – loses the prized sports portfolio to Senator Don Farrell. Ms Lundy keeps multicultural affairs and will be minister assisting for the digital economy (a new role) as well as minister assisting for innovation and industry.

The new ministry will be sworn-in at Government House at 2pm Monday.

Crean quits politics

When announcing the line-up, Mr Rudd acknowledged Mr Crean’s departure and his contribution to politics.

The former Labor leader joined Stephen Smith, Ms Gillard, Mr Garrett, Mr Emerson and Mr Combet in deciding not to contest the upcoming election.

Mr Crean has been on the backbench since March this year, when he unsuccessfully called on Mr Rudd to challenge then prime minister Ms Gillard.

Mr Crean, who served as opposition leader between 2001 and 2003, stood in last week’s ballot for the deputy leadership, but lost to Mr Albanese.

Mr Rudd said he had spoken to Mr Crean on Sunday.

“He has been an extraordinary leader in our movement for a long time,” Mr Rudd said.

Mr Crean said he had turned down an offer to serve in Mr Rudd’s new cabinet.

“I welcomed that, but I indicated to him I had come to the decision not to contest the next election and he should take that into account,” he told Fairfax Radio on Monday.

“I left him essentially the option to use the position to regenerate or if he needed me to plug a gap until the election I was happy to.”

Six women in cabinet

Three women have been promoted to cabinet in Mr Rudd’s reshuffle.

Julie Collins joins cabinet as Minister for Housing and Homelessness, and Catherine King will retain the regional portfolio.

Jacinta Collins also joins cabinet as Minister for Mental Health and Ageing.

The promotion of Ms King, Ms Collins and Senator Collins bring the total number of women in cabinet to six, with Senator Wong, Jenny Macklin and Tanya Plibersek.

”This will the largest number of women in the Australian cabinet in history, and the same for the ministry at large,” Mr Rudd told Channel Seven on Monday morning.

Asked if he made the appointments because he feared a backlash after he deposed Australia’s first female prime minister last week, Mr Rudd replied: ”These are women who are strong, professional, highly experienced and they are there exclusively on their merit.”

Ms Macklin keeps families, disability reform and indigenous affairs and Ms Plibersek adds medical research to her responsibility for health.

with AAP

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July 1, 2013 – 7:45AM

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A landslide which hit Harris Park station in Sydney’s west on Sunday night. Photo: Carlos Furtado

Sunshine has returned to Sydney but not before a week of rain caused a variety of issues over the weekend, including a land slip that caused a brick wall to collapse onto a train station in Sydney’s west, and the fall of an enormous fig tree to fall in Hyde Park on Saturday afternoon.

It is expected to take several days to clear debris caused by a landslide from rail tracks at Harris Park.

For the first week of July residents can expect an average of nine hours sunshine per day and virtually no rain

The tracks and platform at Harris Park station were covered with debris after the retaining wall gave way about 5.50pm on Sunday.

Here comes the sun: A ferry makes it way south as a rainbow tries to break through after heavy rainstorms. Photo: Jenny Evans

At approximately 5.50pm an embankment at Harris Park station collapsed due to heavy rain.
No one was injured during the incident and rail staff  and emergency services attended the scene.

At approximately 8.40pm another segment of the embankment wall collapsed onto the station, causing the suspension of all services stopping at Harris Park. Buses were operating between Harris Park and Parramatta and Harris Park and Granville, although on Monday morning some train services were again stopping at the station.

Parramatta local area command Acting Inspector James Littler said nobody was injured and it is believed nobody was on the platform when the embankment fell.

Force of nature: A large tree was uprooted in Sydney’s Hyde Park. Photo: Wolter Peeters

‘‘It’s quite a significant landslide. It’s basically gone on the platform and covered the tracks,’’ Acting Inspector Littler said.

‘‘It’s very fortunate there wasn’t a train at the time and the best thing is that nobody has been injured.’’

The fragments of concrete, trees and fencing partially buried two of the station’s four rail lines.

Out and about: Rain didn’t put off walkers and dogs in Centennial Park. Photo: Jenny Evans

It could take several days to clear the debris from the tracks.

Dave Wright, from the Transport Management Centre, said the landslip was causing minimal delays for train services on Monday morning.

‘‘The impact is only for people getting on or off at Harris Park, which is a smaller station between two bigger stations,’’ Mr Wright said.

Click for more photos

Landslip at Harris Park Railway Station

Harris Park train station has had a landslide over night. Photo: Carlos Furtado

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‘‘Some trains are still stopping at Harris Park, but not every train, and some trains will go through without stopping.

‘‘Delays are relatively minimal at this stage but as the morning progresses we might see some additional delays.’’

Bureau of Meteorology forecaster Olenka Rudewych said there had been more than 240 millimetres of rain in Sydney during the past nine days, making up about 77 per cent of this month’s total rainfall.

But there will finally be a chance to drain the dirty clothes overflowing from laundry baskets with rain expected to clear early Monday morning and the rest of the week due to remain mostly sunny.

“Generally we expect showers to clear by early Monday morning and the rest of the week should remain mostly sunny with a return to dry conditions,” Ms Rudewych said.

The bad weather will take a rain check with the sunniest week since May or April now expected, according to Weatherzone senior meteorologist Brett Dutschke.

“For the first week of July residents can expect an average of nine hours sunshine per day and virtually no rain,” Mr Dutschke said.

“There has been a total of just seven hours of sunshine, an average of an hour per day, the cloudiest week since February 2009.”

State Emergency Service spokeswoman Sue Pritchard said volunteers were looking forward to a rest after responding to 1211 calls for help, including 600 in the Sydney metropolitan area, since strong rain and wind started to batter the state’s east coast last Saturday.

Seventeen of the callers required assistance for animals or people trapped in flood waters and most of the others were about roof damage, fallen trees and minor flooding.

“I think all of our volunteers deserve a rest this week. They have been fantastic of course. A lot of them work full time, they don’t even come home, they just go straight from work and out in the field at night,” Ms Pritchard said.

In Hyde Park on Sunday, nobody was injured when a hills weeping fig toppled over but there were reports that two mothers and their young children narrowly missed being hit.

A City of Sydney spokesman said a crane would remove the tree on Monday and it would be replaced with another one.

It’s not just the emergency service workers who are looking forward to the sunshine, reptiles have been stuck on heat pads and giraffes in their dens at Taronga Zoo.

The zoo’s spokesman Ben Gibson said workers would be out in force raking and sweeping once the rain stopped.

“The zoo attendance was down due to the weather but we still had huge amount of schools kids coming in for excursions who braved it with ponchos and umbrellas,” Mr Gibson said.

Car wash workers are also restocking soap supplies in the hope that customers will return with the sunshine.

Crystal Car Wash Cafe manager Lina Toutonji said she had experienced a stressful week.

“It’s been really dead. There has hardly been any customers at all, one day there was just no one,” Ms Toutonji said.

“Because of that a lot of the guys who work here have left their job during the last week. They just can’t rely on this type of business when consistently raining for 10 days and there are no customers.”

Weatherzone.com.au is owned by Fairfax Media, publisher of this website.

Effects of ocean acidification on iron availability to marine phytoplankton

Published 29 June 2013 Newsletters and reports , Science Leave a Comment
Tags: biological response, chemistry, phytoplankton

Dalin Shi is currently a professor at the State Key Laboratory of Marine Environmental Science, Xiamen University, China. His research focuses on the biogeochemical cycling of trace metals in the ocean and their roles in the global carbon and nitrogen cycles.

About one-third of the anthropogenic carbon dioxide (CO2) released into the atmosphere dissolves in the ocean, increasing the partial pressure of CO2 (pCO2) and lowering the pH in surface water. These changes in seawater chemistry, commonly referred to as ocean acidification, will likely have significant effects on marine phytoplankton, which are responsible for about half of the contemporary global primary production (Field et al., 1998) and form the basis of all marine food webs.

In vast areas of the oceans, the vanishingly low concentration of iron (Fe) often limits the growth of marine phytoplankton (Martin and Fitzwater, 1988). It is known that the bulk of Fe in the ocean is chelated by organic compounds (Rue and Bruland, 1995), and that the availability of Fe to phytoplankton depends largely on its chemistry in seawater, which is highly sensitive to changes in pH (Shaked and Lis, 2012). We therefore examined the effect of ocean acidification on the complexation of Fe by organic ligands, and, hence, its bioavailablility to phytoplankton. In the presence of organic complexing agents with various chemical functionalities, the bioavailability of dissolved Fe to model species of diatoms and coccolithophores was observed to decline at low pH. This effect is quantitatively explained by the decrease in the free Fe concentration, Fe’, in seawater with decreasing pH and is thus not a physiological response of the organisms.

Editorial: A war on climate change

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