Thursday
Carbon Market Insights Americas 2008 Conference November 12 - 13 in Washington, DC
WASHINGTON, Oct 29, 2008 (BUSINESS WIRE) -- As a member of the media, we would like to invite you to attend the Carbon Market Insights Americas 2008 conference in Washington, DC on November 12 - 13 hosted by Point Carbon and the Pew Center on Global Climate Change. Taking place in the heart of political decision making in the week following the presidential elections, the two-day event will involve key decision makers in the forthcoming US Administration and Congress and provide participants with a fresh analysis on climate policy and carbon markets in North America. Speakers, panels and workshops will delve into how federal policy changes will affect RGGI and other regional cap-and-trade schemes in North America, the wider global carbon markets and emissions trading around the world.
UK Climate Change Bill set to become law
The UK Climate Change Bill passed another hurdle last night as MPs voted by a massive majority of 460 to back the amended bill. The legislation now passes to the House of Lords for approval, and is expected to become law before the end of the year.
The bill includes the UK government’s commitment to reduce carbon emissions by 80% by 2050 and will see the inclusion of shipping and aviation emissions in the targets once a suitable method for measuring international emissions has been determined.
Wednesday
Climate change wrecking Walden’s flowers
Some 27 percent of the flowers around Walden Pond in Concord, Mass. have vanished since the mid 19th century, and another 36 percent are on the brink of disappearing.
We know this because we have meticulous records of Walden’s plant species and birds, taken by none other than Henry David Thoreau. On nearly every spring morning from 1851 to 1858, the transcendentalist writer explored the woods around the pond, noting the first seasonal blooms of 465 species of flowers.
Since then, other naturalists have revisited the area to maintain and expand on Thoreau’s record. Their collective efforts have formed a detailed, long-term study on how the timing of biological events for a given area has changed over the past century and a half.
The changes are striking. Writing in the journal of the Proceedings of the National Academy of Science about their own five-year survey of Walden, Boston University scientists have observed that species are now flowering an average of seven days earlier than in Thoreau’s time. Some are flowering three weeks earlier. But many aren’t adjusting at all.
When species that depend on each other are unable to shift simultaneously, the whole system gets thrown out of whack. Insects arrive earlier, but starve because the plants they depend on for food have not bloomed yet. Migratory birds arrive to find that the insects that they depend on have starved. And those plants whose flowering time is unaffected by temperature – in Walden they are asters, buttercups, dogwoods, lilies, orchids, roses, saxifrages, and violets, to name a few – do not get pollinated by the insects and birds.
“Climate change is throwing off the synchronicity of nature,” one of the authors told the Boston Globe. Since Thoreau’s day, Walden’s average annual temperature has increased by 4.3 degrees, partly because of the growth of heat-absorbing roads, parking lots, and buildings in the area, but also because of global warming.
The authors found that flowers that can adapt to the temperature by blooming early are flourishing, while those that adhere to a more rigid schedule are dying out.
“For the first time, it shows that climate change is not impacting these plants in a uniform or random way,” evolutionary biologist Charles Davis, one of the study’s authors, told Discovery Magazine. “It is major branches in the tree of life that are being lost. It happens to be the most charismatic plants – groups that we all know and love: the dogwoods, the orchids, members of the lily family, members of the rose family.”
Few areas have been studied more closely over such a long time than Walden, particularly in North America. Wired’s Alexis Madrigal notes that, in Europe, weather services monitor things like first blooms and other seasonal changes of living things, but that American weather services do not. But some biologists are hoping to improve Americans’ phenological knowledge. Project BudBurst has enlisted thousands of backyard Thoreaus to record when plants in their gardens bloom and add it to an ever growing database. Madrigal writes:
Their data could not only benefit scientists of the present and future, but could aid in providing Americans with direct evidence of climate change, helping to create the political will necessary to address the nation’s greenhouse gas emissions.
I’m skeptical that adding flowering times to the already existing mountains of evidence will convince the roughly half of the US population that does not accept the scientific basis of global warming to change their beliefs. As Thoreau himself wrote in “A Week on the Concord and Merrimack Rivers”:
You can hardly convince a man of an error in a lifetime, but must content yourself with the reflection that the progress of science is slow. If he is not convinced, his grandchildren may be.
But let’s hope that, for once, the gentle Concord poet was wrong. Waiting for two generations hence to solve the climate crisis will doom more than just Walden’s flowers.
Prince Charles, Aso agree to cooperate in fighting climate change
TOKYO (AFP) — Britain's Prince Charles and Japanese Prime Minister Taro Aso agreed here Wednesday that their countries should cooperate in fighting climate change, Japanese officials said.
Charles stressed the importance of forest conservation in stopping global warming during a 40-minute meeting with the prime minister at a hotel here, the officials said.
"We wish to join Britain in exercising leadership in the field of climate change," Aso was quoted as telling the heir to the British throne, who has long championed environmental causes.
The meeting was also attended by Charles' wife Camilla and Aso's wife Chikako.
The prince is in Japan to celebrate the 150th anniversary of a treaty of amity and commerce between the two countries.
Earlier in the day, the royal couple were greeted by hundreds of people waving Japanese and British flags when they visited the ancient capital city of Nara in the west.
They offered incense before the Great Buddha, a giant bronze statue, at the eighth century Todai-ji temple, and signed their names on traditional ceramic plates at a local craft centre.
The prince last visited Japan in 1990 with his late wife Princess Diana for the enthronement of Emperor Akihito. Camilla, the duchess of Cornwall, is on her first official trip to Japan.
They are scheduled to visit Nagano, the host city of the 1998 Winter Olympics, on Thursday.
Hosted by Copyright © 2008 AFP. All rights reserved. More »
Global warming link to jellyfish blooms
KUANTAN: The presence of a large number of jellyfish along the coastal areas here could be an indication of global warming.
Universiti Malaya scientist Dr Mohammed Rizman Idid said environmental changes caused by global warming had compounded the problem and made it more difficult to handle jellyfish blooms.
Many jellyfish species were capable of congregating in huge swarms, which consisted of hundreds or even thousands of individuals, said Rizman.
"It is a complex process and is dependent on various factors, including the concentration of nutrients, water temperature and oxygen content."
In a more serious scenario, he said, jellyfish would mass breed during blooms and could cause serious ecological problems.
It was impossible to determine the exact time when jellyfish outbreaks, or blooms, occurred but they often seemed to occur during the dry season when the sea water was warmer, said Rizman.
Dozens of people have been stung by jellyfish at popular beaches here over the past few days.
A local fisherman Jamaludin Abdul, 38, said he had spotted large swarms of jellyfish in the waters around here over the past two months.
He said some of the jellyfish had moved closer to the beaches.
Rizman said another concern was the possible spread of invasive foreign species which could be more dangerous than local jellyfish species.
"In Europe, they have found many invasive species and similar cases could also happen here."
Globalisation, he said, had made it easier for foreign species to breed in Malaysian waters.
He said ballast water in the hulls of seagoing ships was the best medium for such species to be transported unintentionally to foreign regions.
"Just imagine what will happen if a deadlier jellyfish from Australia invades our waters.
"It will definitely affect our tourism and fishery industries."
Rizman said information on the matter was scarce and he would begin a comprehensive study on jellyfish distribution soon.
"We need to know the number of species that are around and their distribution to enable us to manage the population and anticipate the next round of blooms."
Since many jellyfish species look similar to each other, Rizman said he would be using techniques of molecular genetics to tell them apart.
Despite their venomous reputation, jellyfish are an important source of income for fishermen and the main source of food for turtles.
Every year, 14 per cent of the jellyfish consumed in Japan is exported from Malaysia.
"We need to have a holistic approach to tackle this problem.
"It will take years of research before we can understand the real cause for the jellyfish blooms."
Rizman said the problem of jellyfish blooms would be discussed at the South China Sea International Conference, organised by the Universiti Malaya Institute of Ocean and Earth Science, next month.
"It's a serious problem that affects the whole region. Therefore, we must cooperate to tackle it."
Rizman also shared a simple first-aid technique to deal with jellyfish stings, which was to pour vinegar on the affected area.
However, victims should still seek treatment at the nearest clinic as it was crucial that they were given antivenin injections.
Rizman was awarded a government grant to carry out research on jellyfish.
The two-year project began this year.
Universiti Malaya scientist Dr Mohammed Rizman Idid said environmental changes caused by global warming had compounded the problem and made it more difficult to handle jellyfish blooms.
Many jellyfish species were capable of congregating in huge swarms, which consisted of hundreds or even thousands of individuals, said Rizman.
"It is a complex process and is dependent on various factors, including the concentration of nutrients, water temperature and oxygen content."
In a more serious scenario, he said, jellyfish would mass breed during blooms and could cause serious ecological problems.
It was impossible to determine the exact time when jellyfish outbreaks, or blooms, occurred but they often seemed to occur during the dry season when the sea water was warmer, said Rizman.
Dozens of people have been stung by jellyfish at popular beaches here over the past few days.
A local fisherman Jamaludin Abdul, 38, said he had spotted large swarms of jellyfish in the waters around here over the past two months.
He said some of the jellyfish had moved closer to the beaches.
Rizman said another concern was the possible spread of invasive foreign species which could be more dangerous than local jellyfish species.
"In Europe, they have found many invasive species and similar cases could also happen here."
Globalisation, he said, had made it easier for foreign species to breed in Malaysian waters.
He said ballast water in the hulls of seagoing ships was the best medium for such species to be transported unintentionally to foreign regions.
"Just imagine what will happen if a deadlier jellyfish from Australia invades our waters.
"It will definitely affect our tourism and fishery industries."
Rizman said information on the matter was scarce and he would begin a comprehensive study on jellyfish distribution soon.
"We need to know the number of species that are around and their distribution to enable us to manage the population and anticipate the next round of blooms."
Since many jellyfish species look similar to each other, Rizman said he would be using techniques of molecular genetics to tell them apart.
Despite their venomous reputation, jellyfish are an important source of income for fishermen and the main source of food for turtles.
Every year, 14 per cent of the jellyfish consumed in Japan is exported from Malaysia.
"We need to have a holistic approach to tackle this problem.
"It will take years of research before we can understand the real cause for the jellyfish blooms."
Rizman said the problem of jellyfish blooms would be discussed at the South China Sea International Conference, organised by the Universiti Malaya Institute of Ocean and Earth Science, next month.
"It's a serious problem that affects the whole region. Therefore, we must cooperate to tackle it."
Rizman also shared a simple first-aid technique to deal with jellyfish stings, which was to pour vinegar on the affected area.
However, victims should still seek treatment at the nearest clinic as it was crucial that they were given antivenin injections.
Rizman was awarded a government grant to carry out research on jellyfish.
The two-year project began this year.
Solving Global Warming Gets Debaters Going
Just when I thought we would not get much on renewable energy in tonight’s presidential debate from Belmont University in Nashville, a question from the crowd has started the conversation in earnest. A lady asked if the candidates would take the same quick call-to-action approach to solve the looming global warming crisis as we saw in the recent financial crisis.
Republican Sen. John McCain says he supports the development of cleaner-burning vehicles, such as hydrogen-powered cars as part of the solution to solve the climate crisis.
Democrat Sen. Barack Obama says this country has the potential to create five million green jobs in the near future, if we development the alternative energy sources available. He compares what renewable energy could do for the economy with what the computer did for it. Obama reiterates his commitment to solar, wind, geothermal and nuclear power as well.
Obama has taken a direct shot at McCain’s renewable energy record by pointing out that McCain has voted against alternative fuels 23 times. McCain countered that some of those included votes against big tax breaks for Big Oil.
Both men have touched on the issue of a resurgent Russia, fueled by petro dollars… which comes back to the issue of how they are going to make that a non-issue by freeing us from foreign oil.
That’s it for the night. We’ll get together again in about a week when the third and final presidential debate comes on.
Monday
Salmon industry prepares for climate change
Tasmania's salmon industry says it is already preparing for climate change.
It's responded to a report by the CSIRO detailing the devastating effects it believes climate change will bring to Australia's commercial fishing and aquaculture industries.
Scientists predict the Tasmanian salmon, rock lobster and abalone industries will be among the hardest hit by the warming of waters in southern Australia.
In Queensland and the Northern Territory barramundi, prawn and mudcrab fisheries will be affected by changing rainfall patterns.
The Federal Climate Change Minister Penny Wong says Australia's fisheries industries need to get ready.
"We have to avoid as much climate change as we are able, by avoiding emissions," she said.
"The second thing we have to do is to adapt to the climate change we can't avoid and this report is a contribution to these industries to enable some of the thinking about that adaptation to occur."
Senator Wong says the report points out some effects which are already evident.
"I hope that industry will look at this and start to consider what sorts of plans, what sorts of expertise they may need to put in place in the coming years," she said.
Tasmania's salmon industry is worth $270million a year and employs around 1,000 people.
Pheroze Jungalwalla from the Tasmanian Salmonid Growers says steps are being taken to safeguard against rising sea temperatures.
"In some parts of warm years it gets too warm for the fish which means they become uncomfortable, which means that they eat less, they can in fact succumb to more diseases, they can become more stressed," Mr Jungalwalla said.
"There are several avenues we are exploring, for instance we've got a very selective breeding program. One of the aims of this program is indeed to breed fish, salmon, which are more resistant to high temperatures."
The report also points out that despite the negative effects of climate change, there are potential gains for smart businesses.
It's responded to a report by the CSIRO detailing the devastating effects it believes climate change will bring to Australia's commercial fishing and aquaculture industries.
Scientists predict the Tasmanian salmon, rock lobster and abalone industries will be among the hardest hit by the warming of waters in southern Australia.
In Queensland and the Northern Territory barramundi, prawn and mudcrab fisheries will be affected by changing rainfall patterns.
The Federal Climate Change Minister Penny Wong says Australia's fisheries industries need to get ready.
"We have to avoid as much climate change as we are able, by avoiding emissions," she said.
"The second thing we have to do is to adapt to the climate change we can't avoid and this report is a contribution to these industries to enable some of the thinking about that adaptation to occur."
Senator Wong says the report points out some effects which are already evident.
"I hope that industry will look at this and start to consider what sorts of plans, what sorts of expertise they may need to put in place in the coming years," she said.
Tasmania's salmon industry is worth $270million a year and employs around 1,000 people.
Pheroze Jungalwalla from the Tasmanian Salmonid Growers says steps are being taken to safeguard against rising sea temperatures.
"In some parts of warm years it gets too warm for the fish which means they become uncomfortable, which means that they eat less, they can in fact succumb to more diseases, they can become more stressed," Mr Jungalwalla said.
"There are several avenues we are exploring, for instance we've got a very selective breeding program. One of the aims of this program is indeed to breed fish, salmon, which are more resistant to high temperatures."
The report also points out that despite the negative effects of climate change, there are potential gains for smart businesses.
Aussies 'losing interest' in climate
Australians are getting bored with climate change, and many still doubt whether it is actually happening, says a new survey.
Only 46 per cent of Australians said they would take action on climate change if they were in charge of making decisions for Australia, a dip from 55 per cent last year, according to the Ipsos-Eureka Social Research Institute's third annual climate change survey.
And almost one in 10 Australians (nine per cent) strongly agreed with the statement "I have serious doubts about whether climate change is occurring". A further 23 per cent agreed to some extent.
Ipsos-Eureka director of Sustainable Communities and Environment Unit Jasmine Hoye believes Australians are becoming more concerned with other environmental issues that they can have more direct control over.
"We believe the public is currently overwhelmed by other, more pressing environmental issues - namely water and river health - and sees climate change as something that is largely out of their control," she said.
"However, there is a desire among many Australians to know how they can personally make a difference regarding climate change."
Aside from river and water health, other environmental issues of most concern to Australians included illegal waste dumping, renewable energy, litter, smoky vehicles and packaging.
But there were no real standout actions being taken by Australians to personally reduce their greenhouse emissions, said Ms Hoye.
"Ipsos research has shown that recycling is a fairly generic activity that people tend to say they are doing to help the environment, and it is also something that many Australians were already doing before climate change came along," she said.
"Thus, one could be justified in thinking this is a fairly glib response.
"What really strikes me is that we still have so few Australians taking specific actions like substantially reducing their household energy use, driving and flying less, switching to green power, or even buying carbon offsets, especially given all of the media coverage on this critical issue," she added.
Only 46 per cent of Australians said they would take action on climate change if they were in charge of making decisions for Australia, a dip from 55 per cent last year, according to the Ipsos-Eureka Social Research Institute's third annual climate change survey.
And almost one in 10 Australians (nine per cent) strongly agreed with the statement "I have serious doubts about whether climate change is occurring". A further 23 per cent agreed to some extent.
Ipsos-Eureka director of Sustainable Communities and Environment Unit Jasmine Hoye believes Australians are becoming more concerned with other environmental issues that they can have more direct control over.
"We believe the public is currently overwhelmed by other, more pressing environmental issues - namely water and river health - and sees climate change as something that is largely out of their control," she said.
"However, there is a desire among many Australians to know how they can personally make a difference regarding climate change."
Aside from river and water health, other environmental issues of most concern to Australians included illegal waste dumping, renewable energy, litter, smoky vehicles and packaging.
But there were no real standout actions being taken by Australians to personally reduce their greenhouse emissions, said Ms Hoye.
"Ipsos research has shown that recycling is a fairly generic activity that people tend to say they are doing to help the environment, and it is also something that many Australians were already doing before climate change came along," she said.
"Thus, one could be justified in thinking this is a fairly glib response.
"What really strikes me is that we still have so few Australians taking specific actions like substantially reducing their household energy use, driving and flying less, switching to green power, or even buying carbon offsets, especially given all of the media coverage on this critical issue," she added.
Climate change and energy policies lack cohesion, says Oxfam report
Ed Miliband will be greeted today on his first full day of work as the new secretary of state for energy and climate change with a 100-page Oxfam report showing how disjointed the government has become in tackling these two most pressing environmental problems.
The Oxfam Forecast report highlights how the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBRR) and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have been contradictory in their policies.
It likens the different interests of companies, government departments and public attitudes as a "gathering storm", which must be resolved if UK climate policy is to secure a low-carbon future.
"Too often it has been a case of the left hand having no idea what the right hand is up to, and this [new department] must now bring a much-needed cohesiveness to government policies. With global climate and energy security at stake, the government must now demonstrate powerful leadership," said Barbara Stocking, head of Oxfam.
The report also urges companies like E.ON and Shell to reconsider their plans in light of climate change. "Strong decisions in boardrooms and Whitehall must be made over the next few months to ensure that we meet the challenges of climate change and begin to give the people we work with the chance for a better flood and famine free future."
"If E.ON is allowed to build the UK's first coal plant in 34 years, annual CO2 emissions from the Kingsnorth plant will be 7m tonnes — more than the combined output of 30 developing countries. A decision … to build Kingsnorth will open the way for a new coal era and jeopardise future UK emissions targets," it says.
The UK's independent climate change committee is expected to recommend this week that the government sets a binding target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050 .
Shell plans to treble its investment by 2015 in unconventional oil sources such as those from Canada's oil sands, which are three times more polluting to produce.
"Going ahead with these plans would send a strong message to other countries that new dirty fossil fuels are acceptable, which would derail attempts to combat global warming at an international level — the consequences of which would be felt most by the poorest people on the planet," the report says.
The Oxfam Forecast report highlights how the Department for Business, Enterprise and Regulatory Reform (DBRR) and the Department for the Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) have been contradictory in their policies.
It likens the different interests of companies, government departments and public attitudes as a "gathering storm", which must be resolved if UK climate policy is to secure a low-carbon future.
"Too often it has been a case of the left hand having no idea what the right hand is up to, and this [new department] must now bring a much-needed cohesiveness to government policies. With global climate and energy security at stake, the government must now demonstrate powerful leadership," said Barbara Stocking, head of Oxfam.
The report also urges companies like E.ON and Shell to reconsider their plans in light of climate change. "Strong decisions in boardrooms and Whitehall must be made over the next few months to ensure that we meet the challenges of climate change and begin to give the people we work with the chance for a better flood and famine free future."
"If E.ON is allowed to build the UK's first coal plant in 34 years, annual CO2 emissions from the Kingsnorth plant will be 7m tonnes — more than the combined output of 30 developing countries. A decision … to build Kingsnorth will open the way for a new coal era and jeopardise future UK emissions targets," it says.
The UK's independent climate change committee is expected to recommend this week that the government sets a binding target to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by at least 80% by 2050 .
Shell plans to treble its investment by 2015 in unconventional oil sources such as those from Canada's oil sands, which are three times more polluting to produce.
"Going ahead with these plans would send a strong message to other countries that new dirty fossil fuels are acceptable, which would derail attempts to combat global warming at an international level — the consequences of which would be felt most by the poorest people on the planet," the report says.
Sunday
Australians warned climate change could impact food choices
Australia's peak scientific research body, the CSIRO, has warned Australians climate change could soon influence their menu choices.
The scientific body says Australia's fisheries and aquaculture industries could suffer huge reductions in catch, because of rising sea temperatures and changes in ocean habitats.
They predict the Tasmanian salmon, rock lobster and abalone industries will be among the hardest hit by the warming of waters in southern Australia.
In Queensland and the Northern Territory barramundi, prawn and mudcrab fisheries will be impacted by changing rainfall patterns.
The industries are worth more than $US1.5 billion annually to the country's economy.
Climate Change Minister, Penny Wong, says the industries need to plan for change.
"This report is a contribution to these industries to enable some of the thinking about that adaptation to occur," she said.
The report points out that despite the negative impacts of climate change, there are potential gains for smart businesses.
The scientific body says Australia's fisheries and aquaculture industries could suffer huge reductions in catch, because of rising sea temperatures and changes in ocean habitats.
They predict the Tasmanian salmon, rock lobster and abalone industries will be among the hardest hit by the warming of waters in southern Australia.
In Queensland and the Northern Territory barramundi, prawn and mudcrab fisheries will be impacted by changing rainfall patterns.
The industries are worth more than $US1.5 billion annually to the country's economy.
Climate Change Minister, Penny Wong, says the industries need to plan for change.
"This report is a contribution to these industries to enable some of the thinking about that adaptation to occur," she said.
The report points out that despite the negative impacts of climate change, there are potential gains for smart businesses.
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