Archive for November, 2007

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  What the IPCC couldn’t tell us this year - by frog

  
  
  
  By all accounts, the IPCC’s report this year was its starkest warning yet about the risks we face from climate change. What they couldn’t tell us, despite almost everyone in the room being aware of it, was that more up to date research was available showing that the climate is changing faster than all their [...] read more
  November 30, 2007 12:13 pm - 46 Comments
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  More on stability and effectiveness - by frog

  
  
  
  National – Brash pre-empted the inevitable leadership coup that had to come from ‘The Hollow Men’ only to be replaced by another of the lead characters from the book.  Oh, and there was suspended Brian Connell, Murray McCully and Maurice Williamson’s contribution to stable teamwork.  Stability mark 3/10 Act – With just the two MP’s [...] read more
  November 29, 2007 2:54 pm - 33 Comments
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  Miss Sustainability - by frog

  
  
  
  Here’s a few extracts from the Prime Minister’s speech to the German Council for Sustainable Development yesterday: …New Zealand enjoys a priceless reputation as a nation with a pristine environment, which is clean and green, nuclear free, and, as our tourism promotions proclaim, one hundred per cent pure. …These considerations, along with great concern about the [...] read more
  November 29, 2007 9:56 am - 12 Comments
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  Guyana proposes a deal - by frog

  
  
  
  Here’s an unusual truth or dare challenge: The government of Guyana has said it is willing to place its entire standing forest under the control of a British-led, international body in return for a bilateral deal with the UK that would secure development aid and the technical assistance needed to make the change to a [...] read more
  November 28, 2007 3:55 pm - 16 Comments
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  The war on obesity - by frog

  
  
  
  Yesterday the government released its response to the Health Select Committee’s inquiry into obesity and type-2 diabetes.  It adopted most, but not all of the recommendations, which led Health Minister David Cunliffe to say: “This Government has made health promotion and disease prevention a priority.” But the somewhat unimpressed Obesity Action Coalition called on the [...] read more
  November 28, 2007 2:15 pm - 32 Comments
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  Getting effective pragmatic results - by frog

  
  
  
  There is often talk from some of the other parties in Parliament about how they are effective, stable or pragmatic compared to the Greens.   So, let’s do a quick analysis of what legislative change each party has achieved in the last term.  Getting a bill through parliament is hard work when you are not [...] read more
  November 28, 2007 11:14 am - 22 Comments
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  Selling coal to Newcastle - by frog

  
  
  
  Leigh Catley from Horticulture New Zealand points out this month’s Grower Magazine that New Zealand now imports $2 billion dollars worth of food.  I calculate that to be roughly 500 cans of tinned food each.   Actually a lot of that imported food is ‘fresh food’, not tinned.  Doesn’t that seem excessive in a country that, [...] read more
  November 27, 2007 2:41 pm - 62 Comments
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  The PERFect Christmas gift - by frog

  
  
  
  So what do you get that recently retired police officer friend or family member of yours who has everything this Christmas but is missing the old life?  What does Santa bring you when you have been good but the world is getting bad?  It seems, as always, Taser.com has the perfect gift.  Perfect that is, [...] read more
  November 27, 2007 1:25 pm - 84 Comments
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  Interesting Climate Change Facts: - by frog

  
  
  
  A 1:20 year event becomes a 1:4 year event A 25% increase in 30 minute precipitation reduces the likely flooding period from 100 to 17 years A 25% increase in peak wind gusts = 650% likelihood increase in damage A 1 degree Celsius mean temperature increase increases the likelihood of wildfires by 25% Is it [...] read more
  November 23, 2007 3:05 pm - 62 Comments
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  Is it Karma? - by frog

  
  
  
  Is it karma that at the same time that oil is about to hit US$100 per barrel, Jeanette’s Climate Change (Transport Funding) Bill gets pulled from the member’s ballot? The coincidence leaves this frog scratching his head. The bill sets out to change the way the National Transport Fund is managed, over about five years, [...] read more
  November 22, 2007 2:37 pm - 45 Comments
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  Third Green bill for 2007 passes - by frog

  
  
  
  Sue Kedgley’s Flexible Working Hours Bill was passed last night, establishing a new employment right for any employee with caring responsibilities to ask for changes to their hours or place of work, and have that request considered. Meanwhile in Britain, where similar legislation has now been in place for 4 years, all the major political [...] read more
  November 22, 2007 1:53 pm - 11 Comments
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  Anderton chooses squid over sea lions - by frog

  
  
  
  In the 1970s New Zealand started to let squid trawlers fish for squid around the subantarctic Auckland Islands. However each year the timing and location of this fishing happens to coincide exactly with the pupping and lactating season for New Zealand sea lions resulting in significant numbers of sea lions being killed in the squid [...] read more
  November 22, 2007 1:37 pm - No Comments
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  Aussie! Aussie! Aussie! Vote! Vote! Vote! - by frog

  
  
  
  Gidday mates! As all you Aussies in Kiwiland will be aware, this Saturday is D-Day for the Howard Government. Please make sure you vote. The Greens ‘How to Votes’ can be found here. Find out how to vote over here at the Australian High Commission’s website (you can vote in person in Auckland and Wellington [...] read more
  November 22, 2007 12:07 pm - 12 Comments
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  Keeping down the cost of junk mail - by frog

  
  
  
  Yesterday Sue Bradford drew attention in the house to the recently released Caritas report ‘Delivering the Goods’. It is an in depth survey of the working conditions of child newspaper and junk mail delivery workers. One of the things the survey finds is that the health and safety advice that most companies give to their [...] read more
  November 22, 2007 10:54 am - No Comments
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  Protecting freedom of speech and fairer elections - by frog

  
  
  
  Here’s a few quotes from Russel and Metiria at their press conference on the Electoral Finance Bill on Monday: “…Democracy is a fundamental principle of our society. But democracy does not happen in a vacuum. It happens in a society which is increasingly characterised by inequality of wealth and that inequality of wealth can have [...] read more
  November 21, 2007 2:50 pm - 36 Comments
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  Doctors prescribe public buses trains, bikes and feet for employers - by frog

  
  
  
  A couple of years ago the New Zealand Medical Journal pointed out that driving to work can be a bit of a dangerous activity: Commuting deaths are a significant fraction of all work-related injury deaths. Traffic-related deaths make up the largest group of work-related deaths (about 30%), and of these 44% occur while commuting.” Ok, [...] read more
  November 21, 2007 2:01 pm - 11 Comments
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  Mixed Metaphors - by frog

  
  
  
  Federated Farmers thinks the Resource Management Act is a pair of smelly socks: “We are comparing the 16-year-old RMA to an old pair of socks : worn out and threadbare” And Nandor thinks the Federated Farmers’ proposed solution is a six pack of warm, stale, flat beer: “Under their ’6-pack’ Federated Farmers want farmers to [...] read more
  November 21, 2007 10:55 am - 3 Comments
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  Kiwi scientists hold their own at the IPCC - by frog

  
  
  
  Congratulations to the scientists representing New Zealand at last week’s IPCC conference for not getting all political and sticking to the science. Even on the topic of methane emissions, where NZ is most vulnerable, the Kiwis held their ground and stuck to the numbers. In several areas they helped prevent attempts by some of the [...] read more
  November 21, 2007 9:59 am - 9 Comments
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  Christchurch plans for peak oil and climate change - by frog

  
  
  
  While Michael Cullen and the central government dither on the possibility of peak oil, Environment Canterbury is taking it very seriously and making provisions for it in all future planning: “Our ever increasing dependence on energy coincides at a time when New Zealand (and Canterbury) is facing significant future uncertainty in the area of availability [...] read more
  November 20, 2007 3:39 pm - 7 Comments
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  Campaign of oppression - by frog

  
  
  
  The Green Party sometimes gets (falsely) accused of being melodramatic or of exaggerating environmental or social ills for political effect. Last week however Federated Farmers claimed that “New Zealanders are starting to wake up to the fact that the government is waging a campaign of oppression against High Country farmers“. Anyone not actually in New Zealand [...] read more
  November 20, 2007 3:38 pm - 12 Comments