Climate Change News

(KTCSG)

• What happened at the critical climate meeting at Poznan?  Here is a report from Dec 10th and here is a report from Dec 12th, after the conclusion of the meeting.  Apparently, the progress in preventing deforestation that was reported in the last Climate News comes with a catch: the money to pay poorer countries will mostly come from companies paying to keep polluting.  In addition, the rights of indigenous peoples are not protected in the proposed agreement.  One thing we do know is that Al Gore called for limiting emissions so that CO2 levels will be reduced to 350 ppm (from their current level of 384 ppm).
• Meanwhile, the EU has adopted a weakened emissions plan that reduces the percentage of permits that have to be purchased and allows the cost of free permits to be passed along to customers, creating the opportunity for huge windfall profits for power companies.  And, Australia has announced its quite modest goals for reducing GHG emissions, angering her environmentalists.
• The Bush administration has formulated new regulations for the Endangered Species Act that lets political appointees decide, without consulting scientists, whether or not projects will cause harm.  It was very much a rush job, with the rule makers allowed 32 hours to review over 200,000 public comments.  This pattern of behavior was already going on at the Interior Department according to a report from its Inspector General.
• And, the FDA, against the advice of EPA scientists, plans to assert that the benefits of eating fish with high levels of mercury outweighs the dangers.
• Have you wondered what the anti-environment fanatics have been saying lately?  Also compare these two articles, the first a fearful rant from a conspiracy minded economist and the other a report on 2008 catastrophes from the insurance giant Munich Re.
• Carol Browner is being called the "Climate Czar" and will be the coordinator of energy and climate policy, but what will her duties and powers be?  Let's hope that she can crack the whip, because we only have a year or two to begin robust reductions in GHG emissions.  Will she, this time, be able to overcome the objections of Larry Summers (Obama's Director of National Economic Council) that aggressive action will do too much harm to the already faltering economy?
• Joe Romm, author and host of climateprogress.org has published a thoroughly linked article on the recent projection by the Hadley Center that BAU this century will lead to a catastrophically damaging 5-7 degrees C rise in temperature.  This implies a sea level rise of at least 0.8 - 2.0 m by 2100 and so is a must read for those of us living near the coast.
• One scientist has suggested trying to cool the planet by increasing water vapor in the atmosphere; however, the idea is controversial. Reducing energy consumpation by weatherization of heat leaking homes and trailers seems more practical.
• And finally, here's the latest news on Arctic ice melt and methane release, two things to really pay attention to in 2009.
• Happy New Year from the KTCSG.  Remember to make a call to your Senators and Congressmen every month this year.