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Archive for March, 2014
From Drought, To Drenching? El Nino Likely To Return With Torrential Rain
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 8th, 2014
Associated Press: Warmer ocean temperatures off the California coast--and the massive impact on local and global climate--could be coming again, with predictions indicating an El Niño is possible this year.
The expected conditions would lead to more rain this coming winter, lessening California`s drought, and the southern states` drought, plus a milder winter for the nation`s frigid northern states, and fewer Atlantic hurricanes.
Mike Halpert, acting director of NOAA`s Climate Prediction Center, says the El...
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Comments Off on From Drought, To Drenching? El Nino Likely To Return With Torrential RainCalifornia’s Brown hears fracking gripes
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 8th, 2014
Associated Press: In a year when California Democrats are worried about motivating their voters, Gov. Jerry Brown heard another unwelcome message Saturday: Some Democratic activists are bristling over his administration's policies on hydraulic fracturing, or fracking.
Appearing at a state Democratic Party convention in Los Angeles, Brown found himself forced to speak over a noisy group of sign-waving protesters in his first major campaign speech since formally declaring his candidacy last month.
"Just listen...
Middle East drought a threat to global food prices
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 8th, 2014
Reuters: The Middle East's driest winter in several decades could pose a threat to global food prices, with local crops depleted and farmers' livelihoods blighted, U.N. experts and climatologists say. Varying degrees of drought are hitting almost two thirds of the limited arable land across Syria, Lebanon, Jordan, the Palestinian territories and Iraq. "Going back to the last 100 years, I don't think you can get a five-year span that's been as dry," said Mohammad Raafi Hossain, a U.N. Food and Agriculture...
Two million comments opposing tar sands expansion delivered to the US State Department
Posted by Vancouver Observer: None Given on March 8th, 2014
Vancouver Observer: The original plan of environmentalist groups in the U.S. was to deliver one million comments opposing Keystone XL to the State Department this morning. But the response from people all over North America speaking out against the Keystone XL pipeline and the Canadian tar sands has been so enormous, a coalition of youth-driven environmental groups will now be delivering upwards of two million signatures to the doorstep of the White House this morning.
Dozens of organizations, including 350.org,...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Two million comments opposing tar sands expansion delivered to the US State DepartmentUnited Kingdom: Farmers’ fury after climate change expert claims
Posted by Western Gazette: None Given on March 8th, 2014
Western Gazette: Farmers have reacted angrily after the Government's climate change experts questioned whether it was fair to spend £100 million of taxpayers' money to save the Somerset Levels.
Climate expert Lord Krebs has sent a letter to Environment Minister Owen Paterson saying the Levels should not be made a special case and any plan should be good value for money. Earlier this week the Minister took receipt of an action plan outlining £100 million worth of measures that need to be taken to safeguard the...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on United Kingdom: Farmers’ fury after climate change expert claimsNew report warns of “cascading system failure” caused by climate change
Posted by Grist: None Given on March 8th, 2014
Grist: From roads and bridges to power plants and gas pipelines, American infrastructure is vulnerable to the effects of climate change, according to a pair of government reports released Thursday. The reports are technical documents supporting the National Climate Assessment, a major review compiled by 13 government agencies that the U.S. Global Change Research Program is expected to release in April. Scientists at the Department of Energy`s Oak Ridge National Laboratory put together the reports, which...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on New report warns of “cascading system failure” caused by climate changeOver 95 pct of Chinese cities failed to meet environmental standards: minister
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 8th, 2014
Reuters: Almost all Chinese cities monitored for pollution last year failed to meet state standards, the vice-minister of environmental protection said on Saturday as he outlined the country's plans to redress the environmental consequences of rapid industrialization.
Out of the 74 cities that Beijing monitored, 71 had various degrees of problems, Wu Xiaoqing said at a news conference on the sidelines of the annual parliament session in Beijing.
Only Haikou in the island province of Hainan, the Tibetan...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Over 95 pct of Chinese cities failed to meet environmental standards: ministerAustralia: Santos fined after coal seam gas project contaminates aquifer ‘with uranium’
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 7th, 2014
Guardian: The NSW government should tear up an agreement with Santos to fast-track a coal seam gas project after the energy producer was fined for contaminating an aquifer, reportedly with uranium, the state opposition says.
The Environment Protection Authority issued a $1,500 fine to Santos last month following the “pollution incident” at the company’s Narrabri Gas Field operations in the Pilliga in NSW’s northwest.
Fairfax Media reports that the aquifer was contaminated with uranium at levels 20 times...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Australia: Santos fined after coal seam gas project contaminates aquifer ‘with uranium’Restoring peat bogs to prevent floods
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 7th, 2014
BBC: Roger Harrabin looks how the Exmoor peat bogs are being restored to their natural state to help soak up water - preventing it running off into rivers and causing flooding further downstream. He talks to Professor Richard Brazier from Exeter University about the process.
Global warming is a misleading term because it actually sounds quite nice
Posted by Guardian: Fiona Harvey, on March 7th, 2014
Guardian: What does the phrase anthropogenic forcing mean to you? Or a carbon bubble – would you be more likely to find one in your bath or in your pension fund? Is the greenhouse effect a better way to grow tomatoes? And what is the difference between global warming and climate change?
Understanding the language of climate science can feel like sitting an exam in an unfamiliar subject. For most scientific debates, the collision between the abstruse nature of expert discourse and our ordinary lives – a...
Posted in Water Conservation Comments Off on Global warming is a misleading term because it actually sounds quite nice