Bank urges climate ‘action now’ Tuesday, 15 September 2009 By Richard Black, Environment correspondent, BBC News website Climate change will be a serious barrier to growth in poorer nations and must be curbed, says the World Bank. The bank’s World Development Report (WDR) urges a rapid scaling-up of spending on clean energy research and protection for poorer countries. Even a warming of 2C (3.6F) – the G8’s target – could. . . CONTINUE
Thursday, 3 September 2009, By Richard Black, Environment correspondent, BBC News website Arctic temperatures are now warmer than at any time in the last 2,000 years, research reveals. Changes to the Earth’s orbit drove centuries of cooling, but temperatures rose fast in the last 100 years as human greenhouse gas emissions rose. The result is a “hockey stick”-like sudden 90 degree turn, in which the last decade – 1998-2008 –. . . CONTINUE
By Phil Mercer, BBC News, Sydney; Thursday, 3 September 2009 Australia has experienced its warmest August on record amid soaring winter temperatures. Australia’s Bureau of Meteorology says that August was a “most extraordinary month” with mean temperatures 2.47C above the long-term average. Blair Trewin, from the National Climate Centre, says the past month has brought unprecedented conditions. “Early last week we saw a number of locations in northern New South. . . CONTINUE
Wednesday, 2 September 2009 By Richard Black, Environment correspondent, BBC News Coral reefs do more than look pretty – they are nurseries for many fish [Carnegie Institution’s Department of Global Ecology says that by 2050, 98 percent of today’s coral reefs will be in waters too acidic to support their growth.] Current climate targets are not enough to save the world’s coral reefs – and policymakers urgently need to consider. . . CONTINUE
Aug 12, 2009 FRANKFURT (Reuters) – Germany’s first offshore wind power park, Alpha Venture in the North Sea, has begun the gradual commissioning of the first three of its total 12 turbines, a spokesman for the venture said on Wednesday. “I had information last night that the three have started running and full test production levels will be reached within days,” said the spokesman for DOTI — a joint venture. . . CONTINUE
Jay Yarow; Aug. 8, 2009, 7:35 PM; New York Times The military analysts the Times spoke to say that climate issues could destabilize regions, increase terrorism, and destroy governments. With extreme weather comes displacement. As people have to leave their homes, the government steps in with aid. Further, as new groups of people are forced to live together there’s a risk of warfare. CONTINUE
Opec monopoly is still on course to meet oil market challenge: cut production and drive up prices — keeping the world’s economies from recovering. Publish Date: Saturday,18 July, 2009, at 09:46 PM Doha Time Reuters/London A $10-a-barrel price slide, an unseasonable rise in motor fuel stocks and a slackening of output discipline have complicated, but not yet sabotaged, Opec’s quest to push oil prices higher. Since September last year, Opec. . . CONTINUE
TRACY DAUB, Southern California Interdisciplinary Law Journal Scientists are unsure how the toxic components of BFRs sprayed onto consumer products enter into the environment and into animal and human systems. What is certain, however, is that these chemicals are building up in humans, especially in breast milk, at a rate that concerns toxicologists. In response to increasing concerns about the safety of these compounds, many countries have begun to regulate. . . CONTINUE
WWF’s Dr. Neil Hamilton on Global Warming in the Arctic the Director of the International Arctic Program ice thickness has decreased dramatically since 2003: It’s now about half as thick. In its report “Smoke, Mirrors & Hot Air,” the Union of Concerned Scientists slammed ExxonMobil for lying: “underwriting the most sophisticated disinformation campaign since the tobacco industry,” as well as for “funneling about $16 million between 1998 and 2005. . . CONTINUE
updated 2014-02-20 October 2013 “The Lightning GT is at Magtec in Sheffield being upgraded to the full specification drive-train. This will enable advanced testing of the GT’s stated performance intent of 0-60mph in under 4.5 seconds and an unrestricted top speed in excess of 175 mph. We will keep you informed as the engineering and testing reveal results which enable it to wear the ‘supercar’ tag with pride.” “The Lightning. . . CONTINUE
Think Tank Led By Former U.N. Secretary General Also Says World Loses $125B Annually From Global Warming May 29, 2009 (CBS/AP) A think-tank led by former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan says that around 300,000 people die each year from disasters related to climate change. The Global Humanitarian Forum also estimates that global warming seriously affects 325 million people and causes $125 billion in economic losses each year. Annan says. . . CONTINUE
Fleeing the scene of the crime, Halliburton has announced it is moving its headquarters from Texas to the United Arab Emirates. This move comes as U.S. authorities are investigating the company for bribery, bid rigging, defrauding the military and illegally profiting in Iran. Dan Briody, in his book “The Halliburton Agenda”, described Halliburton’s relationship with Vice President Cheney as “the embodiment of the Iron Triangle, the nexus of the government,. . . CONTINUE
ACLU challenges secrecy provisions of US whistleblower law, says gag orders hide Iraq fraud By MATTHEW BARAKAT Associated Press Writer, January 15, 2009 ALEXANDRIA, Va. (AP) – The American Civil Liberties Union filed a lawsuit Thursday challenging the constitutionality of a law that requires whistleblowers with allegations of war profiteering or other contract fraud to file their lawsuits in secret. The secrecy requirements of the federal False Claims Act violate. . . CONTINUE
