Monday, February 09, 2009

Australian wildfire toll continues to rise

Officials expect more than 200 are dead as a result of wildfires burning across Australia.

More than 750 homes have been destroyed with 5,000 people homeless.

Australians have a 'stay and fight' policy that often works well for normal bushfires. However the record record 115 degree heat and years of drought have caused conditions unlike any seen in recent memory.

There have already been questions asked as to the role of climate change's contribution to the severity of fires since Australia has been previously identified as a region vulnerable to global warming. Climate change experts have warned that Australia is likely to experience an increase in both frequency and severity of wildfires.

"[The fires] are a sobering reminder of the need for this nation and the whole world to act and put at a priority the need to tackle climate change," Australian Green Party leader Bob Brown told the Sky News.



USA Today
More than 200 feared dead in Australia wildfires
Los Angeles Times, CA - 6 hours ago
Senior Wildlife Officer Geoff McClure inspects the destruction in Marysville, Australia, about 62 miles northeast of Melbourne, after wildfires almost ...
Video: Massive devastation in Australian bushfires - 9 Feb 09 AlJazeeraEnglish



Australia declares bushfire disaster a crime scene Reuters

Death Toll Climbs in Australia Fires New York Times

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Wednesday, January 28, 2009

Gore urges U.S. to tackle climate change

Al Gore called on Washington lawmakers to take action on climate change, and said that President Barack Obama's economic stimulus plan would help fight global warming.

Obama's plan includes significant investment in renewable energy and cleaner, more fuel-efficient vehicles.

"For years our efforts to address the growing climate crisis have been undermined by the idea that we must choose between our planet and our way of life," Gore told the Senate Foreign Relations Committee on Wednesday.

"In fact, the solutions to the climate crisis are the very same solutions that will address our economic and national security crises as well."



New York Times
Gore Pushes for Climate Change Commitment
ABC News - 1 hour ago
By Z. BYRON WOLF and TERI FINNEMAN With the Washington, DC encased in ice from a winter storm, climate change crusader Al Gore argued for President Obama's economic stimulus plan, saying it will help fight global warming.
Video: Gore Urges Action on Economy, Global Warming AssociatedPress


Gore urges passing stimulus deal to aid climate Reuters

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Wednesday, December 10, 2008

UN climate change talks hit snags

UN climate talks in Poznan, Poland were lumbering along with many nations hesitant to commit to specific targets.

Interestingly, China, which was non-committal at the earlier Kyoto talks, has taken something of the lead even suggesting a bold proposal. China has suffered severely from pollution caused by dirty coal-burning plants that have fueled its meteoric rise.

Beijing will agree to a plan that places carbon limits based on per capita emission levels for every person on the planet. For example, China argues that a 2.33 tonnes of carbon cap for each individual in the world would force rich nations to buy allowances from poorer nations, which emit less.

One reason China may be enthusiastic about the plan is that according to some estimates it will not be until 2050 that Beijing would reach the proposed limits. The United States, on the other hand, already produces a whopping 20 tonnes of carbon per capita.

There will be some exceptions to the limit, for example, Russia because of its position in the colder northern hemisphere will be allowed a higher cap for heating needs.

The proposal though sounds fair as it appears to balance out the load between rich and poor nations who have not contributed equally to the present problem of climate change.



ABC News
All eyes on EU as UN climate talks stumble on
AFP - 1 hour ago
POZNAN, Poland (AFP) - UN talks on crafting a new climate change treaty lurched forward here on Wednesday, with delegates hoping the EU might lead the way by signing its own pact at a crunch summit this week.
Rich nations plan "great escape" on climate: China Reuters
Poznan climate talks: what's the forecast? CNN International

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Monday, August 11, 2008

North Pole could be ice-free by 2013

Leading scientists warn that the North Pole could be free of summer ice by the year 2013 based on observations of a major melt just last week.

The year 2008 looks like it may be a second record-breaker coming after a record-breaking season just last year.

"This startling loss of Arctic sea ice has major meteorological, environmental and ecological implications. The region acts like a giant refrigerator that has a strong effect on the northern hemisphere's meteorology. Without its cooling influence, weather patterns will be badly disrupted, including storms set to sweep over Britain."

The loss of the Arctic sea ice could also disrupt the Gulf Stream possibly changing weather patterns, a theme examined in a sensational manner in the movie "The Day after Tomorrow."



Canada.com

Meltdown in the Arctic is speeding up
guardian.co.uk, UK - Aug 9, 2008
Ice at the North Pole melted at an unprecedented rate last week, with leading scientists warning that the Arctic could be ice-free in summer by 2013. ...
North Pole 'could be ice-free by 2013' Hindu

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