Happy Thanksgiving - Unavoidable Climate Change: We've Passed the Point of No Return

Submitted by Norm Roulet on Sat, 11/27/2010 - 17:51.

Just in case you are still feeling "Thankful" this Thanksgiving weekend, now that the turkey buzz has worn off... some reality for you and those friends and loved ones you thanked the heavens for, and stuffed yourself with... evidence grows that recent global warming is unprecedented in magnitude and speed ... and a few other climate change links from Thanksgiving week. Can't wait to see what Christmas has in store...

	Essential News
	Wegman exposed: Experts find "shocking" plagiarism in 2006 climate report requested by Joe Barton (R-TX) - Meanwhile, evidence grows that recent global warming is unprecedented in magnitude and speed An influential 2006 congressional report that raised questions about the validity of global warming research was partly based on material copied from textbooks, Wikipedia and the writings of one of the scientists criticized in the report, plagiarism experts say. Review of the 91-page report by three experts contacted by USA TODAY found repeated instances of passages lifted word for word and what appear to be thinly disguised paraphrases. The evidence has become overwhelming that recent global warming is unprecedented in magnitude and speed and cause (see "Two more independent studies back the Hockey Stick and below).	23rd November 2010
	Republicans Learn the Perils of Being Politically Incorrect on Climate Change Defeat came for Republican Rep. Bob Inglis because he slid to	23rd November 2010
	Thank You for Global Warming The executives of Duke Energy are used to protesters showing up at shareholder meetings. As one of the nation's biggest greenhouse-gas emitters, the company has long been a target for enviros who demand that it stop blowing up mountains to get coal, burning the stuff, and warming the planet in the process. But the execs were befuddled last May when a man named Tom Borelli stood up at their annual shindig to demand precisely the opposite. The company, Borelli insisted, should make a detailed accounting of the resources it has wasted lobbying for climate-change regulations-Duke CEO Jim Rogers had spent too much time trying to strike "a deal with the government devil" and "chasing legislative windmills," he said.	23rd November 2010
	Climate curbs fall short, says UN Promises countries have made to control carbon emissions will see temperatures rise by up to 4C during this century, a UN report concludes	23rd November 2010
	CO2 drop 'smaller than expected' Carbon emissions fell in 2009 due to the recession - but not by as much as predicted, suggesting the fast upward trend will soon be resumed.	23rd November 2010
	Climate Science Rapid Response Team debunks Bjorn Lomborg's Washington Post op-ed - UCS takes on Lomborg's failed movie, Cool it According to Box Office Mojo, in its premiere weekend, Bjorn Lomborg's effort at disinfotainment, Cool It, scored a whopping $26,487 in ticket sales. In its 41 theaters, that's a "$655 average." In its second weekend, the movie expanded to 43 theaters, but its ticket sales fell to $10,734, about $250 per theater, a 60% drop. I'm sure the Danish statistician would appreciate Box Office Mojo quantitative detail, but you don't need to know much statistics to realize that not bloody many people are actually watching this movie. In fact, the movie is just a clever loss leader for Lomborg's bad ideas.	23rd November 2010
	Dire straits: Media blows the story of UC Berkeley study on climate messaging - Brulle: "This isn't a reliable analysis of science-based education. The conclusions drawn from a tiny study don't suppor "Gloom and doom on climate can backfire, new study says" blares the Washington Post. "An Inconvenient Mind" snarks DotEarth. And, of course, the discredited denier Anthony Watts of gleefully chimes in at WattsUpWithThat, "Finally, recognition that doom and gloom, hell and high water, and all that... really aren't effective." Ahh, if only people would actually read the entire study, including the crucial supplementary material, before explaining its supposedly deeper meaning, one that just happens to fit their preconceived notions. As we will see, this study, if it proves anything, finds that the strongest possible science-based messaging is effective.	23rd November 2010
	Unavoidable Climate Change: We've Passed the Point of No Return How bad it gets depends on how much longer we fail to act and how much longer Congress and others hide behind ignorance, political ideology and religion to deny reality.	23rd November 2010
	How the Tea Party Thinks Sustainable Development Is an International Conspiracy to Take Away Our Personal Freedoms Conservative activists believe that the UN is secretly plotting to herd humans into crowded cities so that the rest of the world can be devoted to wildlife preservation.	23rd November 2010
	Climate change scepticism is about more than just science \| Adam Corner Debate on climate change is dominated by disputes about personal values, regulation and government intervention in our lives.	23rd November 2010
	Indonesia eyeing climate aid to cut down forests Indonesia plans to class large areas of its remaining natural forests as "degraded" land in order to cut them down and receive nearly $1bn of climate aid for replanting them with palm trees and biofuel crops, according to Greenpeace International. According to internal government documents from the forestry, agriculture and energy departments in Jakarta, the areas of land earmarked for industrial plantation expansion in the next 20 years include 37m ha of existing natural forest – 50% of the country's orangutan habitat and 80% of its carbon-rich peatland. More than 60m ha – an area nearly five times the size of England – could be converted to palm oil and biofuel production in the next 20 years, say the papers.	23rd November 2010
	Study could mean greater anticipated global warming Global climate models disagree widely in the magnitude of the warming we can expect with increasing carbon dioxide. This is mainly because the models represent clouds differently. A new modeling approach successfully simulates the observed cloud fields in a key region for climate. The study finds a greater tendency for clouds to thin with global warming than in any of the current climate models. This means the expected warming may be greater than currently anticipated.	23rd November 2010
	Greenhouse-Gas Pledges by Nations Insufficient, UN Report Finds - Bloomberg National pledges to cut greenhouse gases by 2020 fall short of reductions needed to limit the rise in global temperatures, according to a report released by the United Nations Environment Program.	23rd November 2010
	Next climate warming report will be dramatically worse: UN - AFP UNITED NATIONS — United Nations leaders will demand "concrete results" from the looming Cancun climate summit as global warming is accelerating, a top UN organizer of the event said Monday. Robert Orr, UN under secretary general for planning, said the next Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report on global warming will be much worse than the last one. Representatives from 194 countries are to meet in the Mexican resort city of Cancun from November 29 to December 10 for a new attempt to strike a deal to curb greenhouse gases after 2012. Orr told reporters that negotiators heading for the Cancun conference "need to remind themselves, the longer we delay, the more we will pay both in terms of lives and in terms of money." He said UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon would make it clear to world leaders in Cancun "that we should not take any comfort in the climate deniers' siren call." "The evidence shows us quite the opposite-- that we can't rest easy at all" as scientists agree that climate change "is happening in an accelerated way." "As preparations are underway for the next IPCC report, just about everything that you will see in the next report will be more dramatic than the last report, because that is where all the data is pointing." The fourth IPCC assessment released in 2007 said that global warming is "unequivocal" and mainly caused by human activity. Its next report, involving contributions from thousands of scientists around the world, is due in 2014.	23rd November 2010
	CO2 emissions gap could be 5-9 bln T in 2020 -UNEP Source: Reuters * Weak pledges could lead to 53 bln tonnes of CO2 in 2020 * 44 bln tonnes of CO2 could limit warming to 2 degrees C LONDON, Nov 23 (Reuters) - Carbon dioxide emissions in 2020 could be 5 ...	23rd November 2010
	Greenhouse gases hit record highs The world's greenhouse gas emissions have surged back to record levels, a year after recording a slight dip during the global financial crisis, a report from the CSIRO has shown.	23rd November 2010
	Government accused of lobbying against action on climate change The Harper government is on the defensive over its climate-change policy amid charges it is conspiring with the oil industry and Alberta to lobby for weaker emissions rules in the United States and Europe. Environment Minister John Baird, who is preparing for an international climate meeting in Cancun, Mexico, next week, brushed aside a report released by environmental groups on Monday that suggested the government has launched a co-ordinated campaign with Alberta and the oil industry to persuade governments to weaken U.S. and European greenhouse-gas emission regulations that would hurt oil sands producers.	23rd November 2010
	Climate Change Math in Treaties Flawed by Suspect Pollution Calculations As the world turns to climate treaties and emissions- trading markets to tame global warming, scientists and regulators are clashing over a key question: How do we measure the pollution we’re trying to reduce? Companies use bottom-up calculations and report their emissions estimates based on inputs: how much coal a plant burns; how much oil a factory consumes; how much lime is added to cement. Countries tabulate these estimates and add nationwide figures: how many vehicles drive within their borders; how much waste people plough into landfills; even how many methane-belching sheep graze in pastures. Nisbet, Weiss and dozens of researchers say this bottom-up approach doesn’t reveal what we really need to know -- what’s happening in the air. They’re sounding an alarm that greenhouse gases measured in the atmosphere can be double what companies and nations estimate on the ground. In the case of one heat-trapping gas called sulphur hexafluoride (SF6), countries report that output has plummeted since 1995 based on their counts of military radar systems, electrical equipment and factories that use it to soundproof windows, all of which can release the gas. Scientists say measuring the air shows levels have surged since at least 2000.	23rd November 2010
	Doomsday messages about global warming can backfire, new study shows Dire or emotionally charged warnings about the consequences of global warming can backfire if presented too negatively, making people less amenable to reducing their carbon footprint, according to new research from the University of California, Berkeley.	19th November 2010
	Should we be planning for the end of cheap coal? The recent IEA report on global energy use trends contained a bit of a surprise. If oil prices remain high and governments make progress on their emissions goals, there's a possibility that the world has already hit peak oil, and that the next few years will see its use plateau for a while before dropping again. Using these same assumptions, the report also said that we could hit peak coal somewhere within the next 20 years. In today's edition of Nature, a commentary suggests that, even skipping those same assumptions, we may hit peak coal before too long, simply because the best and cheapest sources are vanishing fast.

See also:
India, China buying U.S. coal mines, shale gas fields

19th November 2010

Canadian Conservative Senators Use their Clout to Kill Climate Bill Passed by House of Commons
A snap vote in Canada's unelected, and primarily Tory Senate on Tuesday night saw the demise of the NDP's Climate Change Accountability Act by a narrow margin of 43-32. The vote caught Liberals in the Upper House off guard, and the climate change legislation was no match for Stephen Harper's conservative-stacked Senate. Without any debate in the Red Chamber, Conservative Senators called a vote on Bill C-311 introduced by Thunder Bay-Superior NDP Bruce Hyer. Canada's hope for meaningful environmental legislation ahead of the UN Cancun climate talks later this month was killed by eleven votes.

19th November 2010

Derrick Jensen: Consumer Culture Is Killing the Planet -- We Need to Build a Culture of Resistance
Derrick Jensen on why a society built on non-renewable resources cannot last.

19th November 2010

Departing Republican attacks climate-change deniers in own party
motherjones.com: Bob Inglis tells colleagues they continue to ignore global warming at their own perilFor its final hearing of this legislative session, the House Science and Technology Committee chose an appropriate topic. Dubbed "A Rational Discussion of Climate Change: the Science, the Evidence, the Response," Wednesday's hearing likely marked the last time a congressional committee convenes a "rational" dialogue on global warming for the next two years - or however long the GOP controls the House. It was the swan song for subcommittee chair Rep. Brian Baird (D-Wash.), who is retiring this year. And it was also the last hurrah for Rep.

19th November 2010

Debating new strategies for curbing global warming
by Alexis Madrigal. The Climate Next essays we've been publishing have inspired a snappy discussion around the e-campfire about the future of climate policy. Our panelists exchanged nearly 7,500 words over email this week, and reading through their debate you realize that what starts as a discussion about climate ends up a discussion about things that are much more viscerally important to us: electricity, the United States' role in the world, how technology improves, and the health of people and their families. After more than a century of carbon-intensive development, any effort to turn away from fossil fuels will require a realignment of the very backbone of modernity.

19th November 2010

How the BBC gave free rein to global warming deniers during 'climategate'
I've found quite an extraordinary broadcast from last year which examines bias on the BBC's coverage of the climategate story less than two weeks into the affair. Essentially the programme suggests there may be a pro-green or pro-climate science bias, by inviting two denialists on to the programme to ask why hasn't the BBC given more 'skeptical' coverage to the story. What is extraordinary is that this was broadcast on December 4th 2009 when no facts were known about the email leak. The broadcast reports skeptical activists conspiracy theories at one point even adding words in to the emails to make a completely bogus point.

19th November 2010

	Positive News
	DPU approves Cape Wind power agreement The developer of Cape Wind has won another key approval on the way toward building a 130-turbine wind farm on Horseshoe Shoals. The Massachusetts Department of Public Utilities has approved the 15-year Power Purchase Agreement with National Grid to buy Cape Wind's energy, capacity and renewable energy credits.	23rd November 2010
	Green: 'Take a Lesson,' Schwarznegger Says on Climate Change - New York Times (blog) “While our federal government is sitting on its hands, California is moving full speed ahead toward a clean energy future,” Mr. Schwarzenegger, who campaigned vigorously against the initiative, said in a recent address. “We are creating a consistent, long-term energy policy, something that has eluded Washington for decades.” “In fact, Washington should take a lesson from what is happening right here in California,” he added.	23rd November 2010
	Can Regions Rather than Nations Lead on Climate Change? DAVIS, Calif. -- California Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger (R) and three international regional leaders signed a memorandum of understanding today in a bid to assert regional authority on climate change policy.	19th November 2010
	U.S. car fuel economy up, C02 drops for sixth year WASHINGTON (Reuters) - A boost in U.S. auto fuel economy standards slashed carbon dioxide emissions by 14 percent per mile over the last six years and reduced gasoline use by 16 percent, the government said on Wednesday.	19th November 2010
	Cutting the cost of clean energy 2.0 For decades, progressives have worked to cut the cost of clean energy through R&D and deployment programs that pro-pollution, anti-science conservatives have bitterly fought. This year, conservatives defeated the most promising effort to generate the funds needed to make massive clean energy investments - a federal climate and clean energy jobs bill.	19th November 2010
	Arnold Schwarzenegger: my future as a green activist Film star turned California governor prepares to leave office and become a global champion in war against climate change. Schwarzenegger demands action at final climate summit. It's very nearly a wrap for Arnold Schwarzenegger, whose career as governor of California will come sputtering to an end in January with his approval rating in the 20s, the state budget shortfall at $25bn (£16bn), and unemployment at nearly 13%. But, like the action heroes he has so often played, the man they called the governator is already working on a comeback. In what is likely his last performance on a world stage as governor, Schwarzenegger this week launched the R20 climate network, an alliance of regional leaders who have pledged to work together to fight climate change.	19th November 2010
	Government to fund private sector renewable energy schemes for Africa and Asia The international development secretary, Andrew Mitchell, pledges to finance green energy projects proposed by industry that could raise £9 for every £1 of government money.	19th November 2010
	Harmony: Prince Charles Offers a New Way of Looking at the World In an NBC documentary airing this Friday, Prince Charles offers an inspiring perspective on how the world can meet the challenges of climate change.	19th November 2010
	For EPA Regulations, Cost Predictions Are Overstated When EPA promulgates regulations, industry often expresses concern that the regulations will cause extreme economic hardship. Now this argument is being made regarding EPA regulation of carbon pollution using existing legal authorities like the Clean Air Act. In fact, there is extensive literature showing that the costs of environmental regulations are more than offset by a broad range of economic, public health and jobs-related benefits. Additionally, initial cost estimates are consistently found to be exaggerated. Economists and researchers who have compared actual costs with initial projections report that regulations generally end up costing far less than the dire predictions from industry and even, as an RFF study shows below cost projections by the Environmental Protection Agency.	19th November 2010

	Canaries
	While U.S. Politicians Play Dumb About Climate Change, One Country Is Being Pushed Past the Tipping Point Many Americans hardly feel the impact of the climate crisis. To see the impact of the climate crisis on a daily basis, head south to Bolivia.	23rd November 2010
	Leaking Siberian ice raises a tricky climate issue (AP) -- The Russian scientist shuffles across the frozen lake, scuffing aside ankle-deep snow until he finds a cluster of bubbles trapped under the ice. With a cigarette lighter in one hand and a knife in the other, he lances the ice like a blister. Methane whooshes out and bursts into a thin blue flame.	23rd November 2010
	The Warming of Antarctica: A Citadel of Ice Begins to Melt The fringes of the coldest continent are starting to feel the heat, with the northern Antarctic Peninsula warming faster than virtually any place on Earth. These rapidly rising temperatures represent the first breach in the enormous frozen dome that holds 90 percent of the world's ice. BY FEN MONTAIGNE	23rd November 2010
	Coral bleaching goes from bad to worse Raised ocean temperatures result in severe damage to reefs in the Caribbean.	23rd November 2010
	Alaska's Arctic Tundra Feeling the Heat Even in the Arctic, warmer summers create conditions where fires are more likely to ignite.	23rd November 2010
	Borrowdale rainfall was Britain's heaviest over 24 hours Downpour in November last year saw 316.4mm of rain fall - a once in 1,800 years event, scientists have said.	19th November 2010
	Colder winters possible due to climate change: study Vladimir Petoukhov, lead author of the study, said a shrinking of sea ice in the eastern Arctic causes some regional warming of lower air levels and may lead to anomalies in atmospheric airstreams, triggering an overall cooling of the northern continents. "These anomalies could triple the probability of cold winter extremes in Europe and northern Asia," he said. "Recent severe winters like last year's or the one of 2005/06 do not conflict with the global warming picture but rather supplement it." Petoukhov, whose study is entitled "A link between reduced Barents-Kara sea ice and cold winter extremes over northern continents," said in a statement a warming of the air over the Barents-Kara Sea appeared to bring cold winter winds to Europe. "This is not what one would expect," Petoukhov said. "Whoever thinks that the shrinking of some far away sea ice won't bother him could be wrong."	19th November 2010
	Global Warming Coming At Accelerating Pace - OpEdNews Global Warming Coming At Accelerating PaceOpEdNews" By overwhelming consensus, the scientific community agrees that climate change is real. ...and more raquo;	19th November 2010
	As Arctic temperatures rise, tundra fires increase, researchers find CHAMPAIGN, Ill. — In September, 2007, the Anaktuvuk River Fire burned more than 1,000 square kilometers of tundra on Alaska's North Slope, doubling the area burned in that region since record keeping began in 1950. A new analysis of sediment cores from the burned area revealed that this was the most destructive tundra fire at that site for at least 5,000 years. Models built on 60 years of climate and fire data found that even moderate increases in warm-season temperatures in the region dramatically increase the likelihood of such fires.	19th November 2010
	Scientists warn of more rain heat and hurricanes Hungry polar bears gathering along the tundra twice as many record-breaking temperatures and stronger hurricanes are among the latest signs of climate change scientists say.	19th November 2010

	Food
	Dry weather forecast for U.S. winter wheat, Argentine soy SINGAPORE (Reuters) - Dry weather forecast across the U.S. Southern Plains this week with wide swings in temperature will hamper development of winter wheat crop, a forecaster said on Monday.	23rd November 2010
	Mexican Farms Need a Water Revolution Without financing, many Mexican farmers cannot improve their ageing irrigation systems, which are essential if Mexico is to withstand the effects of climate change and reduce its emissions of greenhouse-effect gases.	19th November 2010
	World farming to get $200 million in climate aid LONDON (Reuters) -- Development agencies worldwide are joining forces to spend $200 million in a 10-year programme to help the agriculture sector prepare for climate change and cut greenhouse gas emissions, farm research groups said on Wednesday.	19th November 2010
	Climate change and disease will spark new food crisis, says UN A food crisis could overtake the world in 2011, according to the Food and Agriculture Organisation, an agency of the United Nations.	19th November 2010

	Action
	Radiohead fans: Thom Yorke needs you ... to form a human sculpture of King Canute Singer seeks 2,000 people to help build a living statue of the 11th-century monarch to raise awareness of climate change	23rd November 2010
	US climate scientists fight back after year of scepticism Rapid response website to improve public understanding of global warming, while Republicans speak out against party line. Scientists have duty to engage with public on climate change

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