Naomi Oreskes, professor of history and science studies, University of California, San Diego: Answering Climate Change Skeptics (video). Naomi Oreskes and  Erik M. Conway also wrote Merchants of Doubt: How a handful of Scientists obscured the Truth on issues from tobacco smoke to global warming.

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US oil company donated millions to climate sceptic groups, says Greenpeace. The Guardian, March 30, 2010. Read more >>>

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Could Tiny Bubbles Cool the Planet? Harvard University physicist Russell Seitz “has come up with a new way to cool parts of the planet: pump vast swarms of tiny bubbles into the sea to increase its reflectivity and lower water temperatures.” Source: sciencemag, March 26, 2010. Read more >>>

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New climate change myth: “Gulf stream is not slowing down.”  Daily Mail, March 30, 2010. Read more >>>

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Global water crisis and cheaper technology sparks surge in desalination. The Guardian, March 30, 2010. Read more >>>

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The Guardian: “Global warming monitoring needs to find 'missing heat', say scientists. Further study on oceans needed before hidden heat 'comes back to haunt us', say researchers in Colorado.” April 15, 2010. Read more >>>

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World Water Day 2010: Three Projects That Are Changing the Future. ‘In the developing world, a billion people go without clean water. Across the developed world, storms and failing infrastructure threaten to contaminate water supplies. Is there any hope to be found?’  March 22, 2010. Read more >>>

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 Copenhagen Climate Conference 2009.

Arnold Schwarzenegger calls for ‘planetary transformation’ to save the world from climate change.

“I believe technology and economic focus will overtake the politics and regulatory efforts of national governments. We are beginning on a historic great transformation, a new economic foundation for the 21st Century and beyond.” (…) “The world’s governments alone cannot make progress ... They need cities, states, corporations, activists, scientists, and universities. They need everybody out there. Let us regain our momentum, our purpose, our hope, liberating our transformative power [at the grassroots level]. That could be the great contribution of Copenhagen.”  Source: www.grist.org December 15, 2009 Video

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Full text of the Copenhagen Accord

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Climate Change: Carbon prices reflect an uncertain year. ‘The main exchange for the carbon emissions allowances that are traded as part of the European Union's Emissions Trading System saw carbon dioxide emissions drop to a six-month low of 12.4 euros in Copenhagen's aftermath and remain around that level since. (…) "You need carbon prices at 25 to 50 dollars a tonne to start sending the right market signals," says Daphne Wysham, a fellow at the Institute for Policy Studies and co-director of their Sustainable Energy and Economy Network.’ Source: IPS, December 29, 2009

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Climate Change: Doors open for Carbon Tax. ‘With the chance for a global climate change treaty on hold, a tax on greenhouse gases could be an effective alternative for discouraging the activities that create emissions, say economists and environmentalists.’ Source: IPS, December 30, 2009

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Fight Climate Change: Live the Good Life. Low-carbon living isn’t a sacrifice. Colin Beavan says it’s the good life. Source: Yesmagazine, December 01, 2009

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Who’s polluting the Climate Conversation? ‘Money, think tanks and the scientists-for-hire behind the doubt and the denial.’ “Scientists now warn that climate change is happening faster, and is a bigger threat, than they predicted just a few years ago. Yet the number of Americans who believe climate change is occurring at all is decreasing. That’s shocking—but not surprising.” Source & full article: Yesmagazine

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James Hansen: Good Riddance, Copenhagen. Time for Better Ideas. Hansen ‘has become a leading opponent of cap-and-trade, a market approach to greenhouse gas regulation that puts a limit on how much carbon can be emitted and then allows polluters to trade permits to emit. Hansen claims the approach ultimately will not produce the kinds of emissions cuts the world needs to avoid catastrophic climate change. It will simply allow “polluters and Wall Street traders to fleece the public out of billions of dollars,” he says.’ Instead of it Hansen proposes  to place a gradually rising price on carbon emissions: “We have to have a very simple system—put a fee on fossil fuels at their origin at the mine or the port of entry. No exceptions. If the carbon price rises to $115 per ton of carbon dioxide, considering the amount of oil, gas, and coal used last year in the United States, that would generate $670 billion dollars. That’s between $7,500 and $9,000 dollars per family. That money needs to be given 100 percent to the public so that they have the resources to adjust their lifestyles—such as to buy more efficient vehicles or insulate their homes. As the carbon price rises, it's going to become less and less sensible, for instance, to import food from halfway around the world. The economics would favor a nearby farm, as opposed to agriculture at a great distance. (…)People need to understand the difference between cap-and-trade with offsets and fee-and-dividend. (…)Fee-and-dividend will be beneficial for the economy. When you put that amount of money into the public's hands, it's going to stimulate the economy. (…)There are more than 2,000 fossil fuel lobbyists in Washington, and they have written most of the words for the leading climate bills (…). But we are beginning to see discussion of alternatives. During the campaign last year, Obama advocated for a 100 percent dividend.”  Source & full article: Yesmagazine

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Plants and animals race for survival as climate change creeps across the globe. ‘Lowland tropics, mangroves and deserts at greater risk than mountainous areas as global warming spreads. Global warming creeps across the world at a speed of a quarter of a mile each year, according to a new study that highlights the problems that rising temperatures pose to plants and animals. Species that can tolerate only a narrow range of temperatures will need to move as quickly if they are to survive. Wildlife in lowland tropics, mangroves and desert areas are at greater risk than species in mountainous areas, the study suggests.’ Source: The Guardian, December 23, 2009

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James Garvey: ‘We're all eco-warriors now after world leaders failed us at Copenhagen. Our political leaders failed to do the right thing: now it's up to us to push them into action or get on with it without them.’ Source: The Guardian, December 21, 2009

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Johann Hari: After the catastrophe in Copenhagen, it's up to us. “Buried deep in our subconscious, there still lays the belief that our political leaders are collective Daddies and Mummies who will – in the last instance – guarantee our safety. Sure, they might screw us over when it comes to hospital waiting lists, or public transport, or taxing the rich, but when it comes to resisting a raw existential threat, they will keep us from harm. Last week in Copenhagen, the conviction was disproved. Every leader there had been told by their scientists – plainly, bluntly, and for years – that there is a bare minimum we must all do now if we are going to prevent a catastrophe. And they all refused to do it.” Source: The Independent, December 21, 2009

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Simon Carr: The way to lead is by example. ‘Why not pledge that in a decade all public service cars will be electric?’ Source: The Independent, December 21, 2009

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Gordon Brown calls for new group to police global environment issues. “Never again should we face the deadlock that threatened to pull down those talks. Never again should we let a global deal to move towards a greener future be held to ransom by only a handful of countries. One of the frustrations for me was the lack of a global body with the sole responsibility for environmental stewardship. I believe that in 2010 we will need to look at reforming our international institutions to meet the common challenges we face as a global community.” Source: The Times, December 21, 2009

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Muhammed Chowdhury, a lead negotiator of G77 group of 132 developing countries and the 47 least developed countries: "The hopes of millions of people from Fiji to Grenada, Bangladesh to Barbados, Sudan to Somalia have been buried. The summit failed to deliver beyond taking note of a watered-down Copenhagen accord reached by some 25 friends of the Danish chair, head of states and governments. They dictated the terms at the peril of the common masses." Source: The Guardian, December 20, 2009

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Nnimmo Bassey, chair of Friends of the Earth International: "Instead of committing to deep cuts in emissions and putting new, public money on the table to help solve the climate crisis, rich countries have bullied developing nations to accept far less. Those most responsible for putting the planet in this mess have not shown the guts required to fix it and have instead acted to protect short-term political interests." Source: The Guardian, December 20, 2009

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Obama's verdict on climate change pact: “A great step forward.” ‘Obama said the Copenhagen talks amounted to an "important breakthrough" and they had laid the foundation for international action "in the years to come". But he also accepted it was a partial victory, saying the pact was "not enough", the road ahead would be hard and there was a long way still to go.’ Source: The Guardian, December 20, 2009

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Copenhagen climate change conference: 'Fourteen days to seal history's judgment on this generation': ‘This editorial calling for action from world leaders on climate change is published today by 56 newspapers around the world in 20 languages.’ Source: The Guardian, December 7, 2009

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China blamed as anger mounts over climate deal. Beijing accused over emissions cuts. Campaigners say accord 'a disaster'. ‘An outbreak of bitter recrimination has erupted among politicians and delegates following the drawing up of the Copenhagen accord for tackling climate change.’ Source: The Guardian, December 20, 2009

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Copenhagen climate summit: confusion as 'historic deal' descends into chaos. Lumumba Stanislaus Di-Aping, the Sudanese negotiator for Africa, said the draft text asked “Africa to sign a suicide pact”. One Saudi delegate said it was without doubt “the worst plenary I have ever attended.” Source: The Guardian, December 19, 2009

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Copenhagen deadlock wrapped up as emissions deal. ‘The United Nations climate change summit ended last night without setting any emission reduction targets. (…) Despite two years of negotiations, the key sticking points — emissions cuts, monitoring of emissions and the legal nature of the deal — all re-emerged in the final hours The agreement merely repeated an aspiration to keep the global temperature increase to 2C without explaining how that would be achieved. The final text also failed to mention any deadline for turning it into a binding treaty. It was a humiliation for Gordon Brown, who has spent longer working on it than any other world leader.’

Commenting on the draft Copenhagen Accord, the Greenpeace climate campaigner Joss Garman said:

"This latest draft is so weak as to be meaningless. It’s more like a G8 communiqué than the legally binding agreement we need. "It doesn’t even include a timeline to give it legal standing or an explicit temperature target. It’s hard to imagine our leaders will try to present this document to the world and keep a straight face."

Source: The Times, December 19, 2009

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UN averts climate collapse by 'noting' new deal. "Finally we sealed a dealThe 'Copenhagen Accord' may not be everything everyone had hoped for, but this decision...is an important beginning,” UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said. Source: The Independent, December 19, 2009

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Low targets, goals dropped: Copenhagen ends in failure. ‘Deal thrashed out at talks condemned as climate change scepticism in action.’ Source: The Guardian, December 19, 2009

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Climate Deal Announced, but Falls Short of Expectations. ‘Leaders here concluded a climate change deal on Friday that the Obama administration called “meaningful” but that falls short of even the modest expectations for the summit meeting here.’ Source: The New York Times, December 18, 2009

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U.N. Climate Talks ‘Take Note’ off Accord Backed by U.S. “The resulting document, still being refined Saturday morning — and attacked by countries that claimed they were left out of the process — is far less than a new binding climate treaty, which was the expectation of many countries when this negotiating process began in 2007.” Source: The New York Times, December 19, 2009

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Prince Charles warns climate change will drive starvation and terrorism. ‘The world has only seven years before climate change causes a “point of crisis” that will drive food shortages, terrorism and poverty, the Prince of Wales has warned.’ Source: The Telegraph, December 15, 2009

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Thom Yorke:

'It's all about passing the buck (…)I want to be here saying No (…) Don’t even imagine that we’re not gonna see through anything you create.’

“Environment editor John Vidal talks to the Radiohead singer at the Copenhagen conference about passing the buck, the NGOs left out and how to find out what's really going on.” Source: The Guardian, December 18, 2009 Video

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Copenhagen climate summit: “World leaders work into small hours to forge face-saving text.”  Source: The Guardian, December 18, 2009

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Naomi Klein:” Better to have no deal at Copenhagen than one that spells catastrophe.The only offer on the table in Copenhagen would condemn the developing world to poverty and suffering in perpetuity.” Source: The Guardian, December 17, 2009

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Leaked UN report shows cuts offered at Copenhagen would lead to 3C rise. “UN secretariat initial draft shows gap of up to 4.2 gigatonnes of CO2 between present pledges and cuts required to limit rise to 2C.” Source: The Guardian, December 17, 2009

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China emissions could double by 2020, experts say. ‘Despite China's pledges to improve energy efficiency, its carbon emissions could double by 2020 as compared with 2005 levels, surpassing limits seen as key to fighting global warming.’ "With eight percent growth, emissions will increase by 74 percent," said Emmanuel Guerin, a climate analyst at France's Institute for Sustainable Development and International Relations (IDDRI). "China, having emitted 7.2 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide equivalent in 2005, will spew out 12.6 gigatonnes in 2020," he told AFP by telephone from the Danish capital. "That is one gigatonne too many, according to the scenario laid out by (leading climate change expert)Nicholas Stern, who put the range at 7.9-11.6 gigatonnes."  Source: news.yahoo.com December 10, 2009

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Cameron's £20bn plan for green homes.‘British Tory leader David Cameron has pledged that a Conservative government would from "day one" kickstart £20bn of investment to make millions of homes more energy-efficient in a groundbreaking green partnership with Tesco and Marks & Spencer.’ Source: The Guardian, December 15, 2009 / Read also: Is Cameron’s green deal the real deal?

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Johann Hari: ‘It's the protesters who offer the best hope for our planet. They've ensured the corporate lobbyists punching holes in the deal are shamed.’ Source: The Telegraph, December 16, 2009

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Meeting of world mayors in Copenhagen. ‘Environmental columnist George Monbiot challenges Boris Johnson's green policies in an extraordinary meeting of world mayors in Copenhagen.’ Source & video: The Guardian, December 16, 2009

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Hillary Clinton: “The U.S. is on board. Our world is on an unsustainable path that threatens not only our environment, but our economies and our security. It is time to launch a broad operational accord on climate change that will set us on a new course.”  Source & full article: The New York Times, December 14, 2009

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Brown offers £1.2bn in a bid to break climate deadlock. “Prime Minister unveils fresh fund to help the Third World combat global warming – as Prince Charles flies in to Copenhagen to open crucial phase of talks.”  Source: The Independent, December 15, 2009

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Sunspots do not cause climate change, say scientists. Key claim of global warming sceptics debunked. Leading scientists– all experts in climate or solar science – have told The Independent “that the scientific evidence continually cited by sceptics to promote the idea of sunspots being the cause of global warming is deeply flawed.” Source; The Independent, December 14, 2009

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U.S. Energy Secretary Steven Chu announces green-tech transfer fund. On December 14 Steven Chu “announced the creation of a program to transfer clean-energy technologies to developing countries at the international climate negotiations in Copenhagen. (…)  Called the Renewables and Efficiency Deployment Initiative (Climate REDI), the goal is to promote the use of efficient and renewable energy products to cut greenhouse gas emissions and improve the quality of life in poor countries. (…)Climate REDI will be coordinated with existing technology transfer programs and organizations. Total spending will be $350 million over five years with the U.S. funding $100 million.” Source: news.cnet.com, December 14, 2009

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Copenhagen climate summit: British Environment Secretary Hilary Benn to warn about ocean acidification. “The acidification of the oceans is a threatening marine life and the global food supply, “ Source: The Telegraph, December 14, 2009

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Al Gore shows us the way to make green from being green. ‘Al Gore has made lots of money by lecturing us all about being green. Some say he's become the world's first "carbon billionaire".’ Source: The Telegraph, December 14, 2009

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Read Also: Al Gore Warns: ‘Arctic summer ice may be gone in five years.” Source: The Times, December 14, 2009

Read also: Inconvenient truth for Al Gore as his North Pole sums don't add up. ‘The climatologist whose work Mr Gore was relying upon dropped the former Vice-President in the water with an icy blast. “It’s unclear to me how this figure was arrived at,” Dr Maslowski said. “I would never try to estimate likelihood at anything as exact as this.” Mr Gore’s office later admitted that the 75 per cent figure was one used by Dr Maslowksi as a “ballpark figure” several years ago in a conversation with Mr Gore.’ Source: The Times, December 15, 2009

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Environment Agency: British wildlife faces climate change devastation. “The UK is already feeling the effects of global warming, as rising temperatures put native species at risk of extinction.” Source: The Guardian, December 14, 2009

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Kumi Naidoo on How We'll Win at Copenhagen. ‘Forget the cynicism. The activists who made Copenhagen possible are ramping up the pressure for a strong and binding deal on climate change.’ Source: Yesmagazine

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Washington: Giant ark to protest climate talks. The group behind the ark is Avaaz.org.

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Why Britain faces a bleak future of food shortages. “Britain faces a 'perfect storm' of water shortage and lack of food, says the government's chief scientist, and climate change and crop and animal diseases will add to future woes. Science is now striving to find solutions.”  Source: The Guardian, December 13, 2009

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Coca-Cola warns green taxes could cut its profits by 50%. ‘Coca-Cola and Unilever have warned that their profits could halve over the next decade unless they reduce their emissions, as business leaders in Copenhagen called for a global fixed price on carbon dioxide.’ Source: The Telegraph, December 11, 2009

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Ben Goldacre: Climate change? Well, we'll be dead by then. ‘So as we career towards a mediocre outcome in Copenhagen, why do roughly half the people in this country not believe in man-made climate change, when the overwhelming majority of scientists do?’  Source & full article: The Guardian, December 12, 2009

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Cuba's other revolution is green, not red. ‘In Copenhagen they are debating how to end deforestation, but in Cuba's Pinar del Río they were replanting 50 years ago, creating lush, unspoilt valleys.’ Source: The Guardian, December 12, 2009

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“This is the era of ecological public health. That’s what the Copenhagen talks ought to be about.”

Sustainable Development Commissioner Professor Tim Lang. Video

Eat less meat and dairy: official recipe to help health of consumers – and the planet. Shrinking of food and drink industry likely, says a report by the British government's independent advisory body on sustainability, the Sustainable Development Commission.

Recommended diet for a warming planet

1 Cut consumption of meat and dairy products

2 Cut consumption of processed foods and drinks, especially fatty, sugary ones and stimulant drinks

3 Reduce waste

Other recommended changes:

• Eat more fruit and vegetables

• Eat only fish from sustainable stocks

• Eat more foods produced with respect for wildlife and environment

• Shop on foot or on internet and cook and store food in energy-saving ways

• Drink tap water, not bottled water

Source & full article: The Guardian, December 11, 2009

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Vegetarian diet is better for the planet, says Lord Stern. “Meat wastes water, creates greenhouse gases and could become as socially unacceptable as drink-driving.” Source & full article: The Guardian, October 26, 2009

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Copenhagen climate change: 'US should spend as much on global warming as war'. ‘Poor countries have demanded that the US spends as much on tackling climate change as it does on warfare.’ Source: The Telegraph, December 11, 2009

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Next year forecast to be hottest on record. ‘Prediction contradicts sceptics' claim that warming stopped in 1998.  The coming 12 months will be hotter than 1998, currently the hottest year in the 160-year-old instrumental record, Met Office officials said at the UN Climate Conference in Copenhagen.’ Source: The Independent, December 11, 2009

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Tobin tax could fund climate aid under proposals from UK and France. “Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy announce €2.4bn funding to help poor countries cope with climate change. A global tax on financial transactions should be used to pay for the long battle against global warming, Gordon Brown and Nicolas Sarkozy said today. The statement came alongside a European Union commitment of €2.4bn a year from January to immediately help the world's poor countries cope with climate change.” Source: The Guardian. December 11, 2009

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Johann Hari: Leaders of the rich world are enacting a giant fraud

‘Corporate lobbyists can pressure or bribe governments to rig the system in their favour. Every delegate to the Copenhagen summit is being greeted by the sight of a vast fake planet dominating the city's central square. This swirling globe is covered with corporate logos – the Coke brand is stamped over Africa, while Carlsberg appears to own Asia, and McDonald's announces "I'm loving it!" in great red letters above. "Welcome to Hopenhagen!" it cries. It is kept in the sky by endless blasts of hot air.

This plastic planet is the perfect symbol for this summit. The world is being told that this is an emergency meeting to solve the climate crisis – but here inside the Bela Centre where our leaders are gathering, you can find only a corrupt shuffling of words, designed to allow countries to wriggle out of the bare minimum necessary to prevent the unravelling of the biosphere. (…)Most of the tricks centre around a quirk in the system: a rich country can "cut" its emissions without actually releasing fewer greenhouse gases. How? It can simply pay a poor country to emit less than it otherwise would have. In theory it sounds okay: we all have the same atmosphere, so who cares where the cuts come from? But a system where emissions cuts can be sold among countries introduces extreme complexity into the system. It quickly (and deliberately) becomes so technical that nobody can follow it – no concerned citizen, no journalist, and barely even full-time environmental groups. You can see if your government is building more coal power stations, or airports, or motorways. You can't see if the cuts they have "bought" halfway round the world are happening – especially when they are based on projections of increases that would have happened, in theory, if your government hadn't stumped up the cash. A study by the University of Stanford found that most of the projects that are being funded as "cuts" either don't exist, don't work, or would have happened anyway. Yet this isn't a small side-dish to the deal: it's the main course. For example, under proposals from the US, the country with by far the highest per capita emissions in the world wouldn't need to cut its own gas by a single exhaust pipe until 2026, insisting it'll simply pay for these shadow-projects instead. It gets worse still. A highly complex system operating in the dark is a gift to corporate lobbyists, who can pressure or bribe governments into rigging the system in their favour, rather than the atmosphere's. (…)Our leaders are aren't giving us Hopenhagen – they're giving us Cokenhagen, a sugary feelgood hit filled with sickly additives and no nutrition. Their behaviour here – where the bare minimum described as safe by scientists isn't even being considered – indicates they are more scared of the corporate lobbyists that fund their campaigns, or the denialist streak in their own country, than of rising seas and falling civilisations.

But there is one reason why I am still – despite everything – defiantly hopeful. Converging on this city now are thousands of ordinary citizens who aren't going to take it any more. They aren't going to watch passively while our ecosystems are vandalised.  ’ Source & full article: www.independent.co.uk, December 11, 2009

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Copenhagen climate summit in disarray after 'Danish text' leak. “Developing countries react furiously to leaked draft agreement that would hand more power to rich nations, sideline the UN's negotiating role and abandon the Kyoto protocol. A confidential analysis of the text by developing countries also seen by the Guardian shows deep unease over details of the text. In particular, it is understood to:

• Force developing countries to agree to specific emission cuts and measures that were not part of the original UN agreement;

• Divide poor countries further by creating a new category of developing countries called "the most vulnerable";

• Weaken the UN's role in handling climate finance;

• Not allow poor countries to emit more than 1.44 tonnes of carbon per person by 2050, while allowing rich countries to emit 2.67 tonnes.

Developing countries that have seen the text are understood to be furious that it is being promoted by rich countries without their knowledge and without discussion in the negotiations.” Source: The Guardian, December 8, 2009

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Gordon Brown: climate-change sceptics are 'flat-earthers'. ‘People who doubt that human activity contributes to global warming are “flat-earthers” and “anti-science”,’ says Gordon Brown. Source: The Telegraph, December 4, 2009

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E.P.A. Sets Carbon Crackdown. The Environmental Protection Agency (EPA) on Monday December 7, 2009 “will complete its determination that greenhouse gases pose a danger to human health and the environment, paving the way for regulation of carbon dioxide emissions from vehicles, power plants, factories refineries and other major sources.” Source: New York Times, December 7, 2009

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Climate and Capitalism in Copenhagen. ‘The climate problem cannot be addressed without addressing the environmentally destabilizing dynamics of capitalism—its incessant drive, motivated by the search for profit, to transform living nature into dead commodities.’  Read article in Yesmagazine

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Why We Find it so Hard to Act Against Climate Change. Solving the “It’s Not My Problem” problem. A psychologist on what keeps us from coming to terms with the climate crisis. Read the article in Yesmagazine

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Climate Concerns Continue to Increase: Global Poll. See www.globescan.com

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According to new analysis by the World Meteorological Organization, made public on December 8, 2009, there is no slowdown of global warming.

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The New York Times, December 9, 2009: Climate Deal Likely to Bear Big Price Tag. ‘If negotiators reach an accord at climate talks in Copenhagen, the global changes required will cost trillions of dollars over the next few decades.’

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Energy stored underground could be used to heat homes. ‘Ground pumps could help UK meet renewable energy targets by 2020, Environment Agency report says.’ Source: The Guardian, December 9, 2009

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James Hansen, the world's pre-eminent climate scientist ‘who convinced the world to take notice of the looming danger of global warming says it would be better for the planet and for future generations if next week's Copenhagen climate change summit ended in collapse.’

'We don’t have a leader who is able to grasp the issue and say what is really needed. Instead we are trying to continue business as usual.'

James Hansen in an interview with the Guardian

"The whole approach is so fundamentally wrong that it is better to reassess the situation. If it is going to be the Kyoto-type thing then people will spend years trying to determine exactly what that means."

‘Hansen (…) has done more than any other scientist to educate politicians about the causes of global warming and to prod them into action to avoid its most catastrophic consequences. But he is vehemently opposed to the carbon market schemes – in which permits to pollute are bought and sold – which are seen by the EU and other governments as the most efficient way to cut emissions and move to a new clean energy economy.’

In Hansen's view, dealing with climate change allows no room for the compromises that rule the world of elected politics. "This is analagous to the issue of slavery faced by Abraham Lincoln or the issue of Nazism faced by Winston Churchill," he said. "On those kind of issues you cannot compromise. You can't say let's reduce slavery, let's find a compromise and reduce it 50% or reduce it 40%." (…)

Hansen is a big antagonist of the cap-and-trade legislation that is on the table. "This is analagous to the indulgences that the Catholic church sold in the middle ages. The bishops collected lots of money and the sinners got redemption. Both parties liked that arrangement despite its absurdity. That is exactly what's happening," he said. "We've got the developed countries who want to continue more or less business as usual and then these developing countries who want money and that is what they can get through offsets [sold through the carbon markets]."

For all Hansen's pessimism, he insists there is still hope. "It may be that we have already committed to a future sea level rise of a metre or even more but that doesn't mean that you give up. Because if you give up, you could be talking about tens of metres. So I find it screwy that people say you passed a tipping point so it's too late. In that case what are you thinking: that we are going to abandon the planet? You want to minimise the damage."

Source: read the full article in The Guardian, December 2, 2009

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Global Warming and Food Policy: Less Meat = Less Heat

Paul McCartney launches the ‘Meat free Monday’ campaign

According to the former Beatle and well-known vegetarian, the power to halt global warming lies as much with individuals as with their governments. “Meat Free Monday is an environmental campaign to raise awareness of the climate-changing impact of meat production and consumption. Many people are unaware that livestock production is responsible for 18% of global greenhouse gas emissions – that’s more than the entire transport sector.”  Source: www.supportmfm.org / Video: click here

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New research from the Soil Association reveals that “a worldwide switch to organic farming could offset 11% of all global greenhouse gas emissions. Raising soil carbon levels would also make farming worldwide more resilient to extremes of climate like droughts and floods, leading to greater food security. On average organic farming produces 28% higher levels of soil carbon compared to non-organic farming in Northern Europe, and 20% higher for all countries studied (in Europe, North America and Australasia).” Source: www.soilassociation.org

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According to the world's developing nations, “a green technology body with powers to direct a worldwide transition away from a high-carbon economy is needed to combat climate change.” Source: The Guardian, November 22, 2009

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Bacteria convert food processing waste to abundant, clean hydrogen: “Bruce Logan and colleagues at Penn State University had already shown success at using microbes to produce electricity. Now, using starter material that could theoretically be sourced from a salad bar, the researchers have coaxed those same microbes to generate hydrogen. (…) “In a microbial electrolysis cell, bacteria break up fermented plant waste to form hydrogen.” Source

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A survey, entitled Brand Emissions, studying “the carbon performance of 600 of the UK's biggest brands reveals that two-thirds are either increasing their greenhouse gas emissions, have targets that are weaker than the government's Copenhagen goal for carbon cuts, or are failing to put information about their carbon emissions in the public domain. To tackle global warming the government has set a national target for 2020 of a cut of 34% on the 1990 emission levels.”  Source: The Guardian, November 25, 2009

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According to the International Energy Agency (IEA) a total investment of 10,500 billion dollars is needed from 2010-2030 to curb carbon emissions and to avoid irreparable damage to the planet’s climate. Source: http://en.cop15.dk/news

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A whistleblower at the International Energy Agency (IEA) claims the world is much closer to running out of oil than official estimates admit. “It has been deliberately underplaying a looming shortage for fear of triggering panic buying. The senior official claims the US has played an influential role in encouraging the watchdog (i.e. IEA) to underplay the rate of decline from existing oil fields while overplaying the chances of finding new reserves.” (…) "Many inside the organization believe that maintaining oil supplies at even 90m to 95m barrels a day would be impossible but there are fears that panic could spread on the financial markets if the figures were brought down further. And the Americans fear the end of oil supremacy because it would threaten their power over access to oil resources," he added. Source: www.guardian.co.uk, November 9, 2009

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According to a study published by The Climate Group, “A truly global climate change deal — with full collaboration from the developed and developing world — would dramatically reduce the costs of dealing with global warming and moving to a clean energy economy.” Source: The Guardian, September 21, 2009

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      “Within 6 hours deserts receive more energy from the sun than humankind consumes within a year.”

Dr. Gerhard Knies, Chairman of the Supervisory Board of the DESERTEC Foundation

Global company Siemens estimates that an area of 300 square kilometres in the Sahara fitted with parabolic collectors would be enough to meet the planet's entire energy needs. Source

In June 2009 some 15 German companies and institutions have expressed interest in joining a consortium to formalize the so-called Desertec concept. This project calls for a string of solar thermal power plants in the North African desert to provide electricity for European households. This venture is ‘expected to cost 400 billion euro’s (552 billion U.S. dollars) and start providing the first electricity in 10 years.’ Greenpeace welcomes the initiative, calling it ‘one of the most sensible responses to the global environmental and economic problems of our time.’ Participant Siemens estimates that an area of 300 square kilometres in the Sahara fitted with parabolic collectors would be enough to meet the planet's entire energy needs. Source

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“To initiate rapid change from our present energy supply system to one based on renewable energies, we need ambitious examples.” 

professor Eicke R. Webe,

director of the Fraunhofer Institute for Solar Energy Systems ISE

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‘It is high time for electric cars to fully flourish after 100 years of development.’

Jacqueline Cramer, Dutch Minister of Environmental Affairs

Source: www.happynews.nl

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