climate change Archive

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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
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  Hospitals, morgues overflow and coffin supply running very short - by frog

  
  
  
  Moscow has worst heatwave since records began Muscovites are dying from extreme heat and smoke faster than their bodies can be stored, cremated or buried Morgues are overflowing and one crematorium in the Russian capital is working around the clock in three shifts “The cheapest coffin costs 6,700 roubles ($225) but there are only a [...] read more
  August 11, 2010 9:36 am - 13 Comments
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  Phased milestones vs ‘Nanny State’: Exchanging views with Mr Brownlee - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  I questioned Gerry Brownlee in the House about his recent draft Energy Strategy. The ideological blinkers are clearly preventing us from moving purposefully towards a low-carbon economy. read more
  August 5, 2010 10:02 am - 25 Comments
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  Google Earth – climate change edition! - by frog

  
  
  
  The UK government has made a simple Google Earth overlay which shows the effects of a 4 degrees rise in temperature. It shows which areas will increase in temperature the most, and highlights areas where particular issues will be most prevalent. read more
  July 16, 2010 5:11 am - 2 Comments
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  The death knell for ClimateGate - by frog

  
  
  
  Ask not for whom the bell tolls, it tolls (again) for ClimateGate. The Independent Climate Chage Email Review, the third such body to look into East Anglia’s Climate Research Unit (CRU), has released its report stating that their rigour and honesty as scientists are not in doubt. read more
  July 8, 2010 3:38 pm - 29 Comments
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  NZ scientists feature in next IPCC team - by frog

  
  
  
  The IPCC has announced the new team of scientists who will prepare its 5th Assessment Report (AR5), due in late 2013 or early 2014. There were 831 scientists named, including some notable New Zealand scientists. read more
  June 25, 2010 11:31 am - 3 Comments
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  Thoughts above Saudi Arabia - by Kennedy Graham

  
  
  
  It is 30 hours since I flew out of Christchurch, 24 since I was flying over Australia’s Nullabor, 2 hours since taking off from Dubai. I am en route to Kampala, Uganda.  The parties to the International Criminal Court are holding their first Review Conference, eight years after the Court’s jurisdiction came into force.  New [...] read more
  May 26, 2010 2:56 pm - 10 Comments
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  Another dollop of reality on climate change - by frog

  
  
  
  The latest ‘State of the Climate’ report from NOAA is going down like a cup of cold sick. Some ‘highlights’: The combined global land and ocean average surface temperature for April 2010 was the warmest on record at 14.5°C (58.1°F), which is 0.76°C (1.37°F) above the 20th century average of 13.7°C (56.7°F). This was also [...] read more
  May 25, 2010 11:47 am - 37 Comments
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  Welcome to “Eaarth”, please tread lightly - by frog

  
  
  
  It’s a more complicated world post Copenhagen. Bill McKibben’s Eaarth: Making a Life on a Tough New Planet. read more
  April 26, 2010 6:21 am - 2 Comments
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  Huge climate change meeting taking place right now - by frog

  
  
  
  The poor countries are gearing up for the UN meeting in Mexico later this year, with a large gathering in Bolivia which is taking place over the next few days. Nearly 130 countries are represented at the conference, which symbolically reaches its climax on Earth Day. It is attended by about by at least 15,000 [...] read more
  April 21, 2010 9:41 am - 61 Comments
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  Video: common distortions by climate change deniers – exposed - by frog

  
  
  
  ClimateTV has pulled together some of the claims made by Lord Monckton, a key climate denier, and knocked them for six. There are some excellent examples of just how duplicitous these people are. Climate Denial Crock of the Week has a transcript and references, for those who wish to dig deeper and do their own [...] read more
  April 19, 2010 7:51 am - 42 Comments
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  Podcast: Betting the Superfund against Climate Change - by Russel Norman

  
  
  
  Is it a good idea to invest $177 million of the New Zealand Superannuation fund into catastrophe bonds — bonds that pay out big if there are fewer hurricanes in Florida? And is it a good idea to invest a further $212 million of our retirement savings into Shell’s petrol stations and other retail assets when [...] read more
  April 13, 2010 11:35 am - 12 Comments
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  Upcoming film – ‘Growth Busters’ - by frog

  
  
  
  I’m looking forward to this doco I like the warning at the start: “This film contains material which may be offensive to economists, developers, the Pope, politicians, octomoms, wealthy capitalists, environmentalists, people who leave the lights on, and…well, pretty much everybody.” I’ve had my fill of doom documentaries, so the promise of a positive vision [...] read more
  April 5, 2010 9:25 pm - 2 Comments
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  ‘ClimateGate’ scientist cleared of all wrongdoing - by frog

  
  
  
  A review by the House of Commons’ Science and Technology Committee began in January in the wake of the ‘Climategate’ media frenzy. Their results are clear We believe that the focus on CRU and Professor Phil Jones, Director of CRU, in particular, has largely been misplaced. We consider that Professor Jones’s actions were in line [...] read more
  April 4, 2010 12:09 pm - 6 Comments
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  Surprise! – Oil conglomerate behind climate change denial echo chamber - by frog

  
  
  
  This won’t come as much of a surprise to many – a report from Greenpeace shows that Koch Industries have been spending tens of millions of dollars to create an echo chamber of inaccurate and misleading information on climate change. In recent years Koch has out-spent even ExxonMobil by a ratio of 3 to 1 [...] read more
  March 31, 2010 1:00 pm - 26 Comments
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  Electric cars – not as awesome as people thought? - by frog

  
  
  
  Clive Matthew-Wilson yesterday released a damning report (PDF version) on electric cars and claims that they are often less efficient and more polluting than the petrol cars they are supposed to replace. There is a very interesting section on New Zealand (page 40) as one of the few places where electric cars may make sense. Local electric [...] read more
  March 29, 2010 2:11 pm - 61 Comments
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  David’s Diary #2 – bridging the divide - by David Clendon

  
  
  
  Our second full day in Korea (and I do mean a full day!) has been illuminating in all sorts of ways, but the biggest buzz was entering North Korea (albeit briefly) without even having to produce a passport!  The opening session was a meeting over coffee with a professor of political studies from Chung-ang University, [...] read more
  March 24, 2010 12:14 pm - 1 Comment