September 2013 global warming news

September 30 - Bondi Beach Under Threat
Australia's iconic Bondi Beach may be a shadow of its former self as rising sea levels spurred on by climate change encroach. Other areas of Sydney will also be more regularly affected by high tides. Read more. 

September 29 - Another Northwest Passage First
The 225 meter long Nordic Orion has completed a voyage through the Arctic Northwest Passage for the first time; made possible by melted ice in the region. Ironically, the freighter's cargo was coal. Read more.

September 28 - IPCC Report - We're In Deep Trouble
The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change paints a grim picture. Atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide are now at levels "unprecedented in at least the last 800,000 years". Failure to act decisively could see temperatures 4.8C hotter and sea levels up to 82cm higher by the end of the century. Read more.

September 26 - Slashing Livestock Related Emissions
7.1 gigatonnes of carbon dioxide emissions equivalent per year is associate with livestock; a figure the UN Food and Agriculture Organisation (FAO) says can be cut by 30% by adopting better techniques and without changes costing farmers a bundle. Read more.

September 25 - Toxic Algae - Coming To A Pond Near You?
Heavy rains, chemical fertilizer and record temperatures resulted in 21 states across the U.S. issuing health advisories and warnings regarding harmful algal blooms at 147 different locations on waterways this summer. Read more.

September 10 - US Midwest Baking In Record Heat
Record temperatures were tied or broken in several Midwestern cities, including Chicago and Des Moines. Aside from creating discomfort for many, the late summer heat is also threatening crops. Read more.

September 9 - Australia's Carbon Tax Backflip Begins
Australia is "under new management" and one of the first orders of business for the new government has been to begin taking steps to repeal the nation's carbon tax. Read more.

September 5 - Climate Change's Role In Syrian Conflict
Drought and sever crop failures have played a role in the current Syrian crisis states a detailed account of the genesis of the conflict. Resulting spiralling food prices and a perceived lack of government intervention in addressing the issues meant conditions for social unrest were ripe. Read more.

September 4 - A Mild Winter For New Zealand
Average temperatures over winter in New Zealand were the highest since record-keeping began over a hundred years ago. For June, July and August, temperatures were approximately 1.2C above average and 0.3C higher than the previous record set in 1984. Read more.

September 4 - Climate At "5 Minutes To Midnight"
Imitating the concept of the nuclear Doomsday Clock, the Chairman of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) has likened the climate crisis as being "5 minutes to midnight". Read more.

September 2 - Crop Pests Advance
Climate change is giving crop pests a helping hand; allowing them to continue their advance towards the poles at a rate of more than 26 kilometres a decade on average and posing a substantial global threat to food security. Read more.

September 1 - The Greening Of Greenland
A wide variety of trees and bushes will be able to grow in Greenland by 2100, thanks to melting ice and increasing temperatures. Read more.

September 1 - Marshall Islands Again Calls For Climate Action
The Marshall Island, which are on average just a couple of metres above sea level, are one of the coal mine canaries (so to speak) of climate change. The nation's president has again called for real action on the issue, the effects of which threaten to inundate the Marshalls. Read more.

September 1 - 500 Fires Burning In Sumatra
Over 500 fires, primarily in peatlands, are currently burning in Sumatra. The fires are usually set to make way for plantations. The smoke from the fires can cause severe air pollution in neighbouring countries as well as spewing significant amounts of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. Read more.

September 1 - Australians Hunger Strike Over Coal Mine
A half-dozen activists have commenced a hunger strike in protest of a proposed rail and port coal project in Queensland's Galilee Basin in the hope it will encourage others to take action. Read more.