August 2014 Global Warming News
August
28 - Southwestern USA Facing Increased Megadrought Risk
The risk of the southwestern United States experiencing a decade long drought is at least 50 percent, and the chances of a
"megadrought"; one lasting more than 3 decades, ranges from 20 to 50 percent over the next century.
August
27 - The CO2 Legacy Of Power Plants
Cccording to UC Irvine and Princeton University scientists, existing power
stations globally will spew more than 300 billion tons of carbon dioxide over their expected
lifetimes.
August
26 - Hundreds Of New Methane Vents Found
The discovery of hundreds of methane vents off the eastern coast of the United States has raised concerns that potential sources of greenhouse gases, including methane, may have been underestimated.
August
24 - Alarming Greenland And Antarctica Ice Sheet Loss
Using data from CryoSat-2; scientists have determined Greenland and Antarctica ice sheets are now being depleted at a rate of 120 cubic miles annually, with the rate having doubled since 2009.
While East Antarctica has been gaining volume, it doesn't make up for
the losses on elsewhere on the continent.
August
22 - Vacuum Cleaners And Climate Change
New European rules designed to help tackle climate change will ban the manufacture or importation of vacuum cleaners above 1600 watts in the European Union. The rule is forcing manufacturers to develop more efficient units or miss out on a large market.
August
21 - South Asian GDP Threatened By Climate Change
Assuming our love affair with fossil fuels continue, climate change will slash up to nine percent off the South Asian economy every year by the end of this century
according to the Asian Development Bank.
August
20 - Ocean Temperatures Reach Record High
The National Climatic Data Center of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reports the Earth’s ocean surface temperatures were 1.06 degrees F above the 20th-century average in July - equaling a record set
for the month in 2009.
August
18 - Climate Talks Will Ultimately End In Failure
Based on the likely outcome of UN climate treaty negotiations , carbon
dioxide concentrations will exceed 530 or 580 parts per million by the end of the century
says MIT; a disastrous outcome.
August
17 - Europe's Forests Feeling Climate Change's Effects.
Disturbances in Europe's forests have intensified in the last 4 decades, reaching 56 million cubic meters of timber annually from 2002 to 2010.
This is expected to increase by around 7,000 football fields’ worth of timber each year.
August
16 - Solomon Islands Town To Relocate
Choiseul, a township of around 1,000 people, will be relocating to a new site due to the threat posed by rising seas, triggered by climate change. Essential infrastructure including a hospital and school will likely be built in the next five years.
August
15 - Antarctic Melt Could Push Up Sea Levels Sooner
Melting Antarctic ice could increase sea levels by up to 37 centimetres
during the the course of this century according to the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research.
Their study found Antarctica could become the dominant cause of sea level rise much
sooner than previously though.
August
14 - Kellogg's To Cut Emissions
Food giant Kellogg's is bowing to consumer pressure and has committed to
reduce its carbon emissions - and that will include the company's
suppliers, who will need to publicly disclose their emissions and reduction
targets.
August
13 - Great Barrier Reef In Danger
The Great Barrier Reef Outlook Report 2014 states climate change is already impacting the region and remains the reef’s biggest threat.
August
12 - The Ancients' Battle With Climate Change
By looking to the past, we can better understand the future. While the
causes may be different, our generation won't be the first to have
battled with the effects of climate change.
August
9 - Tornado Clusters More Frequent
Tornadoes in the USA are increasingly occurring in clusters - and climate change may be playing a role.
August
7 - Hawaii In Hurricanes' Path
Two hurricanes are bearing down on Hawaii. It's been 22 years since the
island state was hit by a hurricane and the occurrence is so rare,
meteorologists aren't sure what will happen.
August
7 - Britain's Ability To Feed Itself Threatened.
Britain food self-sufficiency has fallen from 78% to 60% in the last 30 years and complacency over the increasingly extreme weather driven by climate change could cause it major problems.
August
7 - Early Bushfire Season In Australia
While Australia is still in the depths of winter, early bushfires have
signalled what could be a horror season ahead.
August
3 - Getting Energy Prices Right
Energy prices should more accurately reflect the environmental damage
created by the fuel used says the International Monetary Fund (IMF).
August
3 - Bjorn Lomborg To Lose Funding
Probably the best known climate change skeptic, Bjorn Lomborg is apparently losing the £1m a year in funding he reportedly receives from the Danish Government. The tap turned on by the previous right-leaning government is being turned off by the new government
August
2 - No-Till Farming And Climate Change
While no-till agriculture helps build soils more resilient to climate and weather
variability; the practice's carbon benefits may have been overstated.
August
1 - Pacific Peoples In Peril
The greatest threat to the peoples of the Pacific is climate change says Pacific Islands Forum Secretary General Tuiloma Slade.
August
1 - Geoengineering Warning
Tinkering with climate could have unknown and very unpleasant long
lasting consequences says Professor Stephen Gardiner from Washington University,
Seattle.
August
1 - Drought In California Worsens
More than half of California is in the grips of an exceptional drought and reservoir storage in the state is currently around 60 percent of its normal level
|