Climate Change Podcast, Environmental Health

24 May 2006

JPMyers@ehsic.org (Environmental Health News) — Wed, 24 May 2006 14:41:45 GMT

The Wall Street Journal reports that it’s not just socially-responsible investors putting money into companies that control greenhouse gases, and shunning those that don’t. Pure profit-and-loss players have entered the game, betting Washington is going to place limits on carbon and certain that there’s money to be made in shares of low emitters. < >< >The Toronto Star writes that just as the Canadian Federal government is backing away from the Kyoto Protocol, further scientific evidence is emerging that reinforces concerns about climate change. In an effort to diffuse criticism, the federal environment minister announced plans for mandatory levels of ethanol in gasoline, but the move only served to provoke renewed criticism because it would have only a marginal impact on greenhouse gas emissions.< >< >And the scientific journal Nature reports on climate scientists’ assessment of former Vice President Al Gore’s new movie, ‘An Inconvenient Truth.’ They say he portrays the main points correctly, ‘although they do disagree with details here and there.’ < >

23 May 2006

JPMyers@ehsic.org (Environmental Health News) — Tue, 23 May 2006 13:07:41 GMT

Today’s top climate story, covered by many media outlets including the BBC, Knight Ridder, the London Guardian and the Oakland Tribune, is about new scientific findings indicating that predictions on how warm the globe will get have been far too low. Two new studies—carried out by different laboratories using different methods--are challenging the consensus view from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that has predicted that greenhouse gases will drive up the average temperature of the globe by 1.5 to 4.5 degrees Celsius. The new research says the IPCC’s consensus underestimates the temperature rise by as much as 78%. The difference arises because these new studies add a level of complexity to their work that has been lacking from prior analysis: they take into account the fact that rising temperatures will lead to carbon releases from natural ecosystems, thus putting more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere and driving temperatures even higher.< >< >A survey of energy use in Britain finds that the most carbon intensive homes in the country are in a wealthy neighborhood in Essex called Uttlesford. According to a story in the London Independent, people who live there produce an average of 17,802 pounds of carbon dioxide per dwelling, the same as driving a car 22,500 miles a year. In general, the survey found that areas of relative affluence are the worst polluters. People with more money spend more on energy.< >< >

22 May 2006

JPMyers@ehsic.org (Environmental Health News) — Mon, 22 May 2006 14:14:46 GMT

Weekend newspapers carried many climate stories, among them:< >< >-Big coverage of Katrina’s aftermath in the New York Times and the Houston Chronicle, both looking at the obliteration of coastal Mississippi.< >-A story from Associated Press about lack of preparedness in New York for a Katrina-like event;< >-The London Independent on disappearance of icebergs from shipping routes in the North Atlantic< >-The Toronto Globe and Mail reports that Canada won’t support deeper emission-reduction targets under the Kyoto Protocol< >-A New York Times report that automakers have dropped their suit against New York State’s auto emission rules.< >-And according to the London Times, the quintessential chronicler of nature, David Attenborough, has come out of the closet on climate change, saying it’s time to take action< >< >The lead story in today’s news is from the Toronto Globe and Mail. It’s reporting on the furor that has been provoked by the Canadian Prime Minister’s backsliding on global warming. His environment minister has seen it necessary to defend the Prime Minister’s position, saying that he will commit to future targets if other nations do as well.< >< >NPR's Living on Earth continues its coverage of early impacts of climate change by visiting Mt Kilimanjaro, in Tanzania. Scientists predict that Africa’s tallest mountain will lose its ice fields completely, within the next 10 to 15 years. It’s much more than just the loss of pretty scenery. These ice fields provide water to people living below. With deforestation also impairing the water cycle, over a million people living on and around Kilimanjaro are at risk to reductions in water availability.

19 May 2006

JPMyers@ehsic.org (Environmental Health News) — Fri, 19 May 2006 16:02:08 GMT

The Sydney Morning Herald reveals leaked minutes from an Australian cabinet meeting that took place in 2004 showing that Prime Minister John Howard requested the aid of climate change foes to undermine Australia’s growing wind industry. At the time, wind energy was booming and appeared to be on course to reduce Australia’s carbon emissions. But with help from coal and uranium mining companies like Rio Tinto and BHP Billiton, according the Morning Herald, Howard set up a plan to derail wind’s growth. The newspaper reports that the Government's refusal to extend mandatory target that had been put in place to encourage growth of renewable energy sources has left hundreds of renewable energy projects unable to secure contracts.< >< >China expects climate change to raise temperatures, decrease rainfall and reduce crop production, according to a story in Reuters. The leading official of the Chinese Meteorological Administration anticipates that with a change of temperature by 2030 of 1.2 to 2.1 degrees Celsius, they will experience a 10% loss in crops. He also expects increases in the frequency of severe weather patterns. This prediction comes on a day that coastal provinces in southern China are recovering from the strongest cyclone ever to hit in May. The London Independent reports that over a million people were evacuated to avoid the storm’s wrath.

18 May 2006

JPMyers@ehsic.org (Environmental Health News) — Thu, 18 May 2006 15:28:16 GMT

One of the chief arguments against action to avoid climate change is that it will be too costly-- tens of trillions of dollars is often cited. Now, according to a news article in the scientific journal, Nature, a new collection of economic models indicates that the costs of stabilizing carbon dioxide levels could be tiny. In some cases, the right policies could even add to global wealth while protecting the climate.< >< >When Tony Blair proposed two days ago to take Britain nuclear, he created a split in his cabinet. According to the London Guardian, the main dispute is about uncertainty over costs, not safety. One of the problems cited by the Guardian is that virtually all the data used to estimate costs can be traced back to industry sources, usually to companies selling reactors. < >< >Speaking of companies, the Dallas Morning News reports that ExxonMobil is about to release a new statement on climate change—its longest yet—but that there’s nothing new. The company is under pressure from investors concerned about climate change to alter its practices. In 2005, Exxon made more profit than any non-governmental company, ever: $36.1 billion dollars.

17 May 2006

JPMyers@ehsic.org (Environmental Health News) — Wed, 17 May 2006 18:20:11 GMT

The New York Times today is running a special ‘green business’ section, with stories that range from technology’s darker side to socially-responsible investment to collaboration among companies and critics. Many of the articles touch on climate change. The overarching theme is that some companies are discovering that by paying attention to environmental signals, including about climate change, they can gain a competitive edge in their market, and make a lot of money. This is a big change from the way companies used to look at the environment, seeing it merely as an administrative cost and burden.< >< >London papers, including the Independent, the Times and the Guardian, examine Tony Blair’s decision to go nuclear. His justification: to guarantee energy supplies while also tackling climate change. The decision is not without vociferous critics, including in his own party.< >< >According to Reuters, the American International Group, or AIG, one of the world’s largest property casualty insurer, has become the first major US insurer to adopt a policy on climate change, with the goal of keeping greenhouse gases out of the atmosphere. Their approach will favor ‘market-based solutions’ that, for example, might involve investments in technologies that reduce emissions and projects that trade carbon credits.

16 May 2006

JPMyers@ehsic.org (Environmental Health News) — Tue, 16 May 2006 14:26:02 GMT

Controversy has broken out in Europe over failures of the carbon trading scheme launched there last year. Stories carried by the New York Times, London Guardian, the Financial Times, the London Times, the London Independent and Nature, all report that the first phase of the program was overgenerous to industry in the award of carbon permits. The trading program was designed to reward companies for polluting less, by allowing them to sell emission permits to others if they came in under their target. But the targets were set too low, so that overall there was a surplus of 64 million tons of permits to be sold. This meant the cost was lower and therefore the incentive for inefficient companies to reduce their emissions was lessened.< >< >In the London Guardian, an article reveals that just 5 companies in Britain produce more carbon emissions than all the motorists on UK roads combined. The analysis indicates that efforts by households to reduce their emissions will have little impact if industry doesn’t take action.< >< >The Seattle Times reports on "an orchestrated national campaign in the US to convince the Supreme Court that the federal government’s failure to regulate auto emissions is already causing harm." The effort involves the city of Seattle, Alaskan natives and top US climate scientists. They have filed a court brief arguing that a decision by a lower federal appeals court last year misinterpreted science and the law. < >

15 May 2006

JPMyers@ehsic.org (Environmental Health News) — Mon, 15 May 2006 13:11:20 GMT

Arctic ice hit a new low this winter, according to a report in the London Guardian. The area covered by Arctic winter ice fell by 300,000 square kilometers, an area about the size of the United Kingdom. Scientists are concerned about this trend, fearing that if it continues the Arctic could lose all its ice by 2030. The rate of loss appears to have picked up sharply in 2003, raising concerns that the region may have passed a tipping point. Global warming is likely to speed up with less sea ice, because the ice reflects light and energy whereas the water beneath it, once exposed, absorbs more of the sun’s radiation. < >< >A new report covered by many papers, including the London Independent, forecasts widespread loss of human life in Africa because of global warming. The report, written by the international charity, Christian Aid, predicts almost 200 million Africans will die because of the West’s failure to tackle climate change.< >< >An article in the Wall Street Journal describes concerns among investors that the highly-touted carbon market launched a year ago in Europe may be in danger of collapse. Preliminary analyses suggest that participants may have wildly overestimated the value of the market.