May 2015 Climate Change News
Norway Ditching Coal Investments
Norway’s $900bn sovereign wealth fund will reduce its exposure to the global coal industry and sell interests in companies that generate more than a third of their income from the fossil fuel.
A Melting Mt. Everest
A new study published indicates that by 2100, glaciers in the Mt. Everest region could shrink by 70 percent or more as the region warms. Temperatures could increase by as much as 12°F by 2100.
Geoengineering May Save Coral Reefs
It's a pretty sad world when its come to this : Solar Radiation Management (SRM), injecting gas into the stratosphere to form microscopic particles to reflect some of the sun’s energy, may be the only save coral reefs from mass bleaching
GFC - A Climate Change Opportunity Missed
Economist and academic Lord Nicholas Stern says the global economic crisis provided an opportunity to make real progress on tackling climate change; but world leaders wasted the chance.
Insurer To Divest From Coal
AXA, France’s largest insurer, recently announced announced that it would drop $559 million in coal assets by the end of this year and boost its green investments; stating that the facts of climate change are "undeniable".
Saudis See A Fossil Fuel Free Future
Saudi Arabia sees itself as evolving into a global power in solar and wind energy and Ali al-Naimi, the kingdom's oil minister, has said the country may no longer need fossil fuels by 2040/2050
Monckton Upset Over Climate Change Tombstone
An artwork consisting of atombstone engraved with "Lest We Forget Those Who Denied" and various names hasn't been received well by one whose name is inscribed on it - Christopher Monckton. Mr. Monckton has reportedly complained to police, stating the artwork is a death threat.
Obama : Climate Change A Threat To National Security
In a speech given at the Coast Guard Academy, US President Barack Obama said that climate change constitutes a serious threat to global and national security and will impact how the US millitary defends the country.
Climate Change Threatens Electricity Supply
Droughts and high temperatures accompanying climate change could threaten electricity supply in the Western United States. vulnerable facilities - 46% of power stations in the region, could lose between 1.1 to 3 percent of their summertime capacity.
Fossil Fuel Industry : $5.3trn In Subsidies This Year
Globally, the fossil fuel industry will receive USD $5.3 trillion this year according to the International Monetary Fund - that's $10 million a minute and more than the total health spending of all governments around the world.
Land And Seas Soaking Up More Carbon
Half of all the carbon emissions from the combustion of fossil fuels have been soaked up by land and oceanic ecosystems. The planet’s capacity to soak up atmospheric carbon appears to have increased according to new research.
Canada Weakens Carbon Reduction Commitment
Canada's new commitment to reduce greenhouse gases by 30% from 2005 levels by 2030 is less than its previous goal set in 2009 and is also below US and EU targets
Increased CO2 = More Potent Pot?
When plants are stressed, they may exhibit more of their medicinal attributes, so global warming may increase the medicinal and psychoactive properties of plants including cannabis.
China And India Urge Rich Countries To Do Their Bit
China and India have issued a joint statement asking wealthy countries to increase their efforts in reducing global carbon emissions. The two countries urged developed nations to honour pre-2020 emission reduction targets commitments to provide USD $100bn per year by 2020 to developing countries.
Larsen C Thinning From Above And Below
The Larsen C Ice Shelf in Antarctica, which is more than two and a half times the size of Wales is thinning from both its surface and beneath. A collapse could occur within a hundred years, although it could be sooner rather than later - and with little warning.
The Birds
Scientists have been puzzled by an "invasion" of birds from Canada's boreal forests, such as pine siskins, which have been travelling hundreds or even thousands of miles further south than their normal winter range. It seems the phenomenon may be linked to climate shifts.
Sea Level Rise Data Revised
Sea levels over the past twenty years have risen faster than previously thought according to a new study that reassessed satellite data. The degree of difference between the original and latest measurements is approximately 10-15 per cent.
Climate Change A UN Hoax
Australia's international standing with regard to climate change, rather shaky as it is, just got shakier. Prime Minister Tony Abbott’s chief business advisor has said climate change "is not about facts or logic. It's about a new world order under the control of the UN"
Lomborg Australian Think-Tank Dumped
The University of Western Australia (UWA) has decided to hand back $4 million that was to fund controversial Danish academic Bjorn Lomborg's Australian Consensus Centre. The proposed centre was "untenable and lacked academic support" according to UWA's Vice Chancellor.
Australia Must Reduce Coal Reliance : UN
The executive secretary of the UN's Framework Convention on Climate Change, Christiana Figueres, says Australia must cut down on its use of coal. The country is the highest per capita emitter of carbon emissions among industrialised countries.
2 Degree Safe Limit "Crazy"
Professor James Hansen, one of the first scientists to warn of the dangers of climate change, has said a goal of limiting global warming to two degrees higher than pre-industrial levels is "crazy" and "a prescription for disaster".
Arctic Ocean Enters A New Era
The effects of climate change on the Arctic Ocean are already so profound, it is entering a new era according to scientists at the Norwegian Polar Institute; who say that not only is ice thinner, the biodiversity below it is now less; as is the abundance of aquatic life.
Climate Change Threatens Building Projects In China
Climate change poses a significant threat to some of China's most important infrastructure projects warns Zheng Guoguang, head of China's meteorological administration. Mr Guoguang says the country's rate of warming is higher than the global average.
Global Warming Could Make 16% Of Species Extinct.
Global warming could directly threaten 1-in-6 species by 2100 says a new report, with the worst rates of extinction occurring in tropical regions, South America, Australia and New Zealand.
Climate Change Gets Priority In QDDR
Climate change has become an important topic in a US State Department planning document for the first time. The Quadrennial Diplomacy and Development Review emphasizes four priorities - fight violent extremism, build open societies, promote shared prosperity, curb climate change.
Fossil Fuel Divestment Increasing
While a reasonably small number of institutional investors have divested from fossil fuel stocks to date, a managing director at FTSE International states around 80 per cent are considering action.
AMA Report On Health And Climate Change
The Australian Medical Association (AMA) and the Academy of Science have released a report stating the impact of climate change on human health in Australia will be significant.
Telsa Announces Tesla Energy
The US electric power sector alone produces over 2,000 million metric tons of CO2 annually. Tesla's answer - Tesla Energy; a range of energy storage products to work with solar power systems.
Japan's Carbon Reduction Promise Lacking
Japan’s commitment to reduce greenhouse gases by 26 percent by 2030 has been criticised by environmental groups; including the Climate Network which says it relegates the country's efforts to that of a laggard.
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