Climate Change News - July 19, 2008

(Kitchen Table Climate Study Group)

• I've chosen to put special focus on the G8 meeting in this post because it was President Bush's last chance to achieve a positive legacy with respect to climate change.  Indeed, it may have been civilization's last, best chance to avert catastrophe.  Recall what Rajendra Pachauri, the head of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, has said: "If there's no action before 2012, that's too late. What we do in the next two to three years will determine our future. This is the defining moment."  Recall also that Pachauri was handpicked by the Bush administration to replace the "alarmist" Bob Watson.  Personally, I'm inclined to Joe Romm's perspective regarding Bush's legacy - http://www.guardian.co.uk/commentisfree/2008/jul/09/georgebush.climatechange/print
• At the G8 meeting, the world's richest nations and major developing nations agreed to "consider and adopt" the goal of reducing GHG emissions 50% by 2050.  Will this be enough to avert catastrophe? - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/09/science/earth/09climate.html?hp .  They agree that they have a "vision" of halving CO2 emissions by 2050. - http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/08/10205/print/   Well, they at least said they would "work toward" such a reduction, if all countries participated, but the developing nations did not accept the specifics of the goal - http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL0354034920080709?sp=true.  The head of the UN's Environmental Programme does not consider the meeting a success - http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20080709/sc_afp/g8summitclimatewarmingun_080709123955  while President Bush called it "significant progress" and China, India, Mexico, Brazil, and South Africa are reported to have rejected the proposal that developing economies participate equally in the 50% reduction, stating that it was essential that "developed countries take the lead in achieving ambitious and absolute greenhouse gas emissions reductions."  The NYT has an article titled "Emerging Nations Join G-8 on Climate Goal," which says "the meetings did not produce a long-term emissions goal accepted by all the countries, rich and emerging."  http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/science/earth/10climate.html?hp  Hmm, my head is spinning.  The Washington Post had a more coherent story - http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/09/AR2008070900651_pf.html and the NYT had a spot-on editorial - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/opinion/10thu1.html.  Andy Revkin weighed in with a nicely balanced piece - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/10/science/earth/10assess.html .  For a view of the proceedings from England see - http://www.independent.co.uk/news/world/politics/g8-accused-of-failing-the-world-on-carbon-cuts-862958.html?service=Print
• The White House has, again, been busy telling those pesky scientists what they can and cannot say about the effects of climate change -http://www.commondreams.org/archive/2008/07/08/10209/print/  Vice President Cheney's office denies any involvement - http://www.msnbc.msn.com/id/25584557/  Sen. Barbara Boxer seems to doubt their claim - http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSN0830109720080708?sp=true.  The Union of Concerned Scientists has compiled an interactive guide to the Administration's widespread political interference - http://www.ucsusa.org/scientific_integrity/interference/a-to-z-guide-to-political.html
• In England, voters think that addressing climate change is more important than addressing the economy - http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/jul/02/climatechange.ethicalliving
• In Canada, with the Arctic rapidly warming, concern is growing about its Arctic security and sovereignty - http://www.thestar.com/printArticle/455931  And, well that it is - http://e360.yale.edu/content/print.msp?id=2035
• Here's a link to a short article from NASA about how less CO2 is being absorbed by the southern ocean - http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=18076
• As the cost of gas rises, so does interest in offshore drilling - http://www.politico.com/news/stories/0708/11649.html  See also the USA Today article - http://www.usatoday.com/money/industries/energy/2008-07-13-offshore-drilling_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
• On Friday, July 11th, the White House announced that the EPA would take no action towards reducing CO2 emissions. - see http://www.washingtonpost.com/wp-dyn/content/article/2008/07/10/AR2008071003087_pf.html and, a federal appeals court struck down a Bush administration clean air initiative, creating considerable confusion and consternation - http://www.nytimes.com/2008/07/12/washington/12enviro.html
• And, oysters on the West coast are being adversely affected by warming ocean waters - http://www.latimes.com/news/printedition/front/la-me-oysters13-2008jul13,0,4998184.story
• Meanwhile, community gardens are blossoming all around the country.  Perhaps its time for McClellanville to start one - http://toledoblade.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20080713/ART16/439104695
• The folks at RealClimate.org post a "Weekend Roundup" from time to time and this week's has an interesting article on the surprising continuing collapse of the Wilkins Ice Shelf in Antarctica, which is probably due to warm ocean water - http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2008/07/weekend-round-up/
• And last but by no means least,the Post and Courier has come out with a strong editorial backing action on the climate change front that almost sound Gorish.  I do believe we've won them over - http://www.charleston.net/news/2008/jul/18/face_up_global_warming47922/?print