Climate change headlines and global warming news for June 2010

June 29 - More doubts raised over carbon capture
Professor Gary Shaffer from the Danish Centre for Earth System Science recently studied a variety of Carbon Capture and Storage (CCS) methods to determine their effectiveness. While saying CCS has many potential advantages over climate geoengineering, he believes short and long-term problems with leakage from underground storage should not be underestimated. Read more.

June 27 - Canada phasing out old coal fired power stations
Unless operators of Canada's aging coal fired power plants make substantial investments to cut emissions from their facilities, they will be required to shut down. The measures are expected to reduce emissions by 15,000 tonnes, which is the equivalent of taking 3.2 million vehicles off the road. Read more

June 26 - Climate change also affecting space junk
Greenhouse gas emissions that are warming the planet at ground level are cooling the Earth's upper atmosphere, decreasing atmospheric density and causing space junk to remain in orbit up to 25% longer. Read more

June 26 - Carbon dioxide levels could change plant diseases
With atmospheric carbon dioxide saturation to reach levels double those of the pre-industrial era by 2050, food production for a rapidly growing population will become even more challenging as plant diseases are likely to change. Read more

June 22 - Sunday Times apologises to IPCC
The Sunday Times contributed to the anti-IPCC media frenzy a while back after publishing a piece criticizing the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC)'s reliance on information from WWF about the Amazon in relation to climate change - but now the paper has published an apology after scientists involved in Amazon research have come forward and defended the WWF study. Read more.

June 21 - Painting glaciers to reduce temperatures
A project in the Andes is seeking to reduce local temperature by using eco-friendly white paint to cover mountains once covered by glaciers but laid bare warmer conditions. The project will whitewash over 170 acres of mountainside on three Andean peaks. Read more 

June 19 - Rising temperatures creating havoc for ocean life
After reviewing a decade's worth of research about ocean changes, an Australian and US researcher have found fish are getting smaller, marine life distribution is being interrupted and more disease is occurring in marine life as a result of water pollution, over-fishing, increased ocean acidification and rising temperatures. Read more

June 18 - A great green wall for Africa
African leaders are further discussing the the idea of planting a tree belt across Africa in order to halt the advancing Sahara desert. The "great green wall", should it go ahead will be 9 miles wide and over 4,800 miles long. Read more.

June 17 - Whale poop sequesters carbon
A new study has found Southern Ocean sperm whales play a crucial role in removing the equivalent carbon emissions of 40,000 cars every year. The estimated 12,000 sperm whales in the Southern Ocean each defecate around 50 tonnes of iron into the sea; food for phytoplankton, marine plants that utilize carbon dioxide. Read more

June 15 - Singapore's "cruel heat"
According to Singapore's National Environment Agency (NEA), the country's average temperature last year was 27.9 degrees Celsius, about 1 degree Celsius higher than the average temperature over the last half-century. The NEA said it is difficult to ascertain how much of the increase was due to global warming and how much to Singapore's rapid development over the past three decades. Read more

June 14 - BP oil leak offers global warming insights
It's not just huge quantities that have been spewing into the Gulf of Mexico, 40% of the leak from consists of methane, a powerful greenhouse gas. A research team will be looking at how this methane is distributed and its effects in order to get a better understanding of global warming. Read more  

June 13 - Global warming causing plant migration
Global warming is seeing trees and companion plants move into new areas. While some have begun moving north or upward to higher elevations, others in areas that are drying are shifting southward or toward greater sources of moisture. Read more

June 12 - USA's hottest spring on record
US May temperatures tied with May 1998 as the hottest on record according to NASA data and January to May averages were the warmest on record; even in the midst of the deepest solar minimum in nearly a century. Read more

June 11 - Rich nations' carbon emission pledge loopholes
Developing countries accused rich nations of undermining the entire climate regime after new UN data showed that developed countries will be able to substantially increase emissions due to loopholes in reduction pledged. Outgoing UN executive secretary, Yvo de Boer, said the pledges are not enough to guarantee the survival of most vulnerable and poorest. Read more.

June 8 - Canada under fire for slashing emissions targets
The Canadian government has slashed its carbon emissions goals for 2010 by over 90%, drawing sharp criticism from the Canadian branch of the Sierra Club. The continuation of Alberta's tar sands projects will use up the majority of Canada's carbon budget. Read more

June 6 - Mega cities + climate change = mega disasters?
The United Nations Under-Secretary General for Humanitarian Affairs says one of the largest challenges facing the aid community were issues stemming from changing weather patterns and expressed concern about mega-cities falling victim to mega-disasters. Read more

June 5 - Arctic ocean carbon dioxide acidification study
Carbon dioxide emissions are making oceans more acidic and ocean acidity has increased by 30% since the beginning of the industrial era. Arctic and Antarctic seas are considered particularly vulnerable to acidification due to the high solubility of carbon dioxide in cold water. A group of 35 researchers has commenced a study to determine the response of Arctic marine life to the rapid change in ocean chemistry. Read more

June 4 - Obama shows renewed vigor for climate bill
Drawing the crisis facing the USA in connection with the Gulf of Mexico BP oil spill, President Obama has vowed to see the necessary Senate votes are secured this year to allow crucial climate change legislation to be passed. Read more

June 3 - Climate change concern grows in India.
While in some parts of the world concerns about climate change are waning, the people of India are growing increasingly aware of the issue. A recent survey has found over 54 per cent of the Indians polled continue to be 'very concerned' about global warming. Read more 

June 2 - Climate talks in Bonn off to a shaky start
The 185-nation Bonn climate conference commenced on June 1 and will run until June 11. It is the largest international meeting on climate change since the failed Copenhagen summit last year. Tensions were already apparent on the opening day as familiar mistrust between developed and developing nations re-emerged. Read more.

June 2 - India heatwave kills hundreds
Hundreds have perished in India in recent times due to baking temperatures and the death toll is expected to climb with temperatures of up to 50C (122F) forecast in coming weeks. Read more

June 1 - Global warming affecting Mt. Everest
According to a Nepalese sherpa, the melting of glacier ice along the slopes of Mt. Everest due to global warming is making climbing the peak more difficult and deep crevasses are being exposed, making the ascent more dangerous for climbers. Read more

June 1 - Hotter UK nights ahead
Global warming combined with the heat island effect could see the number of hot nights in the UK jump considerably. The UK's Met Office has predicted the average temperature will have risen by 3.6F (2C) within 30 years, accompanied by a higher frequency of hot spells. Read more