climate change Archive

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  James Hansen on National Radio - by frog

  
  
  
  One of the best known climate scientists in the world was interviewed by Kim Hill this morning. You can listen to the interview at http://www.radionz.co.nz/audio/national/sat/2011/05/14/james_hansen_climate_science or download an mp3 or ogg file. They discussed many things over 45 minutes but the things that really stood out for me were the discussions about what the science [...] read more
  May 14, 2011 11:45 am - 92 Comments
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  Leading climate scientist touring Aotearoa this month - by frog

  
  
  
  I’m really looking forward to meeting one of the world’s leading climate scientists, James Hansen, in a few short weeks. He will be touring New Zealand giving a public lecture entitled “Climate Change: a scientific, moral and legal issue” in Auckland, Palmerston North, Wellington, Dunedin, Gore and Christchurch. I just finished his latest book – [...] read more
  May 1, 2011 9:22 pm - 25 Comments
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  Found on floor outside Rodney Hide’s office - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s amazing the things that turn up when I’m hopping around Parliament.  Look what I found a few hours ago on a rare visit to the Act Party offices: read more
  April 1, 2011 12:01 am - 12 Comments
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  What does the 2050 emission target really mean? - by frog

  
  
  
  Last week, climate market analyst Matthew Gray brought our attention to the fact that the Government’s recently announced “-50 by 50” target for reducing greenhouse gas emissions wasn’t comparing like with like. The discussion document released by Ministry for the Environment (MfE) for consultation, is vague at best. At worst, it is a slick and [...] read more
  February 13, 2011 2:14 pm - 7 Comments
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  Policy-making needs science - by frog

  
  
  
  A recent editorial in Science points out the importance of using evidence based policy. The Editor-in-Chief, Bruce Alberts writes: “It is … disturbing that so many lawmakers elected to the new U.S. Congress reject the overwhelming scientific consensus with respect to human-induced climate change. The question now facing the United States is not only how [...] read more
  January 21, 2011 10:33 am - 56 Comments
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  Climate change, hottest years, floods and coal - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  So it turns out that 2010 was the hottest year on record, equal with 2005. The year 2010 has tied 2005 as the Earth’s warmest on record, according to an assessment by U.S. government scientists. Researchers at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said that the combined global land and ocean annual surface temperature for [...] read more
  January 13, 2011 12:33 pm - 153 Comments
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  A new Green baby - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  Amidst the tragedy of the last few weeks I have been blessed by the miracle of new life. Two weeks ago, my wife Meghan gave birth at home to a gorgeous baby girl, Zoe Elizabeth. She’s my second (and last!) child and I’m stoked that she’s happy and healthy, as is mum. Like the Chinese [...] read more
  December 3, 2010 1:32 pm - 9 Comments
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  NZ Youth Delegation: Our best reps at Cancun - by frog

  
  
  
  I’ve been meaning to blog on the Cop16 UN Climate Change Conference that kicked off in Cancun yesterday, but there hasn’t been much news forthcoming other than the traffic jams that kept delegates and foreign dignitaries trapped in buses for hours yesterday. Luckily, New Zealand has some very inspiring and intelligent representatives in Cancun as [...] read more
  December 1, 2010 6:58 pm - 3 Comments
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  Horizontal becomes vertical in climate change debate - by frog

  
  
  
  This is amusing. National Party blogmeister David Farrar called out Labour MP Charles Chauvel for this Red Alert post, in which Chauvel says: “My aunts’ home in Tahiti, 6m from the high tide line, is no less likely to be washed away by rising sea levels than it was last year.” The problem for Farrar is that Chauvel was obviously talking about 6m horizontally, not vertically! read more
  December 1, 2010 6:02 pm - 3 Comments
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  August 13 2011: Nice day for a ***** ******* - by frog

  
  
  
  August 13 is apparently the only day Her Britannic Majesty has free next year. So I suppose that is the date. It’s a pity this will be such a distraction from the real issues half a world away here in Aotearoa / New Zealand, where we desperately need to address climate change, peak oil, social [...] read more
  November 18, 2010 7:37 pm - 23 Comments
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  Jeanette says we must keep the coal in the ground - by frog

  
  
  
  The Herald ran a very compelling op-ed by Jeanette Fitzsimons yesterday, suggesting that from a climate perspective our priority must be to keep most of the remaining fossil fuel in the ground. For 35 years I have been wrong about how to prevent climate change. It’s time I confessed. For 35 years I have worked [...] read more
  November 3, 2010 6:57 pm - 51 Comments
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  Questioning Nick Smith on climate change - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  Last week I attended a seminar on climate change and the prospects for the Cancun summit in December.  I know that in our post-Copenhagen catatonia we all prefer not to think of climate change, but that will not solve the problem. The seminar was comprised mainly of government officials, academics and think tank experts.  There [...] read more
  October 28, 2010 11:06 am - 8 Comments
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  GE: Will the people’s moratorium hold? - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  I recently sent in my submission on Scion’s proposal to test 4000 genetically engineered (GE) pine trees, currently being reviewed by ERMA.  It’s been a good opportunity to reflect on this historically important issue for the Greens and see if our old arguments still hold water. Personally, GE was one of the first issues I [...] read more
  October 20, 2010 3:28 pm - 2 Comments
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  10/10/10 climate change events in NZ - by frog

  
  
  
  Wow this took off under my radar a bit – the size of this global event has only just dawned on me. Over 3500 events are planned in 165 countries. As a snapshot, here are the events happening in Wellington… View Actions at 350.org … and Auckland View Actions at 350.org I really like the [...] read more
  September 24, 2010 9:56 am - 2 Comments
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  Monbiot on climate change and a new conversation starting - by frog

  
  
  
  I’m sure many of you are familiar with the writings of Monbiot – an English writer, known for his environmental and political activism. He’s just  delivered a rather dark assessment of the process of climate change mitigation politics. “The process is dead” he summarises. Climate change enlightenment was fun while it lasted. But now it’s [...] read more
  September 24, 2010 7:56 am - 18 Comments
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  2010 Arctic sea ice update - by frog

  
  
  
  As the northern hemisphere’s summer ends, the results of this seasons Arctic sea ice melt are in This video was made by http://climatecrocks.com/. Plenty more where that came from! read more
  September 23, 2010 6:05 am - 3 Comments
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  Climate and financial stability - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Moody’s report on the NZ banking system was an interesting read. Perhaps one of the surprising statements was that they thought one of the weaknesses of the NZ banking system was:  Large industry concentration in rural lending, which is susceptible to fluctuations in agricultural prices and climate conditions   So they seem to be saying [...] read more
  September 22, 2010 10:13 pm - 30 Comments
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  Pacific palms, poverty and Prime Ministers - by Gareth Hughes

  
  
  
  A month ago if you had asked me to think about the Pacific Islands, I would be mentally transported to a palm-clad, golden-sand idyllic paradise instantaneously. However, having recently visited Kiribati and the Solomon Islands I now have a different place in my mind. I was privileged to be part of the NZ delegation that [...] read more
  September 16, 2010 8:16 am - 10 Comments
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  Young people inspire others to believe change is possible - by Kevin Hague

  
  
  
  One of the events I really wanted to take part in last year was a festival called “A Day at the Beach”. It was the idea of a couple of young West Coasters, Louis Brown and Guy Ryan. Louis would walk 350km (to represent 350 ppm Carbon in the atmosphere) down the beach from Karamea [...] read more
  September 5, 2010 11:00 pm - 5 Comments
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  Yes Minister, climate change requires action - by frog

  
  
  
  John Key’s Government is going to do absolutely nothing to help New Zealanders prepare for what the scientists and actuaries know is already happening. read more
  August 20, 2010 2:58 pm - 20 Comments