global warming Archive

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  2010 – 2011: Earth’s most extreme weather since 1816? - by frog

  
  
  
  That’s the title of Jeff Masters’ piece today on the Weather Underground. He’s put together an impressive list of recent extreme weather events: Every year extraordinary weather events rock the Earth. Records that have stood centuries are broken. Great floods, droughts, and storms affect millions of people, and truly exceptional weather events unprecedented in human [...] read more
  June 25, 2011 9:54 pm - 25 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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  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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  Global warming – why can’t scientists agree? - by frog

  
  
  
  Professor Grant Guilford, Dean of Science at Auckland University, has a very worthwhile article about journalism, law and science, showing how our expectations of each area muddle the debate about global warming. It is more difficult to answer why, in the face of broad scientific consensus about global warming, the public remains confused. This disconnection [...] read more
  March 4, 2010 6:19 am - 28 Comments
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  Oil companies declare that CO2 is green - by frog

  
  
  
  Some stupidity is just too good not to share. You only need half a second with this new US television advert to guess who’s behind it. The Guardian has a great article on the video, who’s behind it and why it is so ripe for a spoof. I’m tempted to do one myself! In a [...] read more
  September 30, 2009 5:06 pm - 30 Comments
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  What’s wrong with the National-Maori Party ETS? - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Basically, it’s less obligation for everyone, and more delay. Taxpayers pick up the cost. It seriously weakens the scheme we have now, and will do little to reduce emissions. read more
  September 18, 2009 6:30 am - 41 Comments
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  The ETS, power prices and income compensation - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  The Maori Party seems to be having difficulty getting the National Party to agree to raising the core benefit to compensate for higher electricity and transport fuel prices under the ETS. read more
  September 16, 2009 12:35 pm - 16 Comments
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  Climate Science Coalition spokesman endorses 65% cull of dairy herd - by frog

  
  
  
  I was shocked to learn a few moments ago that Owen McShane, the darling of the Climate Science Coalition, not only endorses low intensity grazing, he believes that the Green’s plan doesn’t go far enough. [Ok, maybe he didn't endorse it. maybe he implied it, or suggested it. Regardless, he seeks to mislead by his [...] read more
  August 24, 2009 12:09 pm - 44 Comments
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  Methane is already seeping from Arctic seabed - by frog

  
  
  
  This is now no longer a potential threat, but a proven reality. As the Arctic warms, methane hydrates long frozen beneath the surface are beginning to melt. Is this the tipping point? Probably not. But it does indicate that the possibility is not science fiction scaremongering, but science fact. The BBC reports: As temperatures rise, [...] read more
  August 22, 2009 7:26 am - 21 Comments
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  The Age of Stupid - by frog

  
  
  
  It certainly is an apt description of our current Government’s attitude towards climate change, but this is about the movie, and the joint fundraiser/event with 350.org.nz last night. The Age of Stupid is a 90-minute film about climate change, set in the future. Oscar-nominated Pete Postlethwaite stars as a man living alone in the devasted [...] read more
  August 21, 2009 2:11 pm - 68 Comments
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  Cadbury caves in on palm oil - by frog

  
  
  
  I just bumped into this over at Scoop: Palm oil is a contentious ingredient with reports blaming its plantations for huge contributions to global warming and intensive habitat destruction leading to the deaths of orang-utans in Indonesia and Malaysia. Cadbury New Zealand managing director Matthew Oldham said he was “really sorry” and that the decision [...] read more
  August 17, 2009 11:19 am - 40 Comments
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  John Key versus Graham Henry - by frog

  
  
  
  Picture this: It is one week out from the great All Black Wallaby clash. The ABs have just purchased brand new uniforms, the selectors have brought in a few new players, and the management team have just christened their shiny new office. Graham Henry fronts up to the cameras and says: Well, we actually think [...] read more
  August 11, 2009 12:32 pm - 20 Comments
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  John Key shirks responsibility - by frog

  
  
  
  Well, the news is out. A 10-20% target, with so many conditions as to be meaningless. Minister Groser even confirmed during the post-cab that the 10% was in no way unconditional. Cabinet would revisit the whole thing anyway. So there we have it. The National Government failing to take responsibility for our share of the [...] read more
  August 10, 2009 5:55 pm - 82 Comments
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  Topical Tropical Forests - by Catherine Delahunty

  
  
  
  Today we are launching an e-card to support my Member’s bill that will regulate the import of illegal and unsustainable tropical timber and wood products. Please send one now to the Prime Minister. In additional to the e-card, next week we are working with visiting Papuan activists Paula Makabory who is speaking in Auckland, Wellington [...] read more
  August 7, 2009 10:32 am - 7 Comments
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  Nick Smith doesn’t get it - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  Nick Smith’s response to “Getting There“, the Green Party’s analysis of how much of a 40% greenhouse gas reduction target we could meet in NZ at low cost, was entirely predictable. We asked him 7 questions in the House today and are none the wiser. First, he refused to give any information about any work [...] read more
  August 5, 2009 10:32 am - 148 Comments
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  Can we do 40? Yes we can. - by frog

  
  
  
  Today the Greens produced a report showing that significant emission reductions can be made by 2020 to meet the bulk of a 40% target. This involves 36.2 million tonnes of reductions that would meet a 20% domestic reduction, much of it at little or no cost and with significant employment and environmental benefits. A further [...] read more
  August 4, 2009 3:10 pm - 128 Comments
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  Last chance to have your say on emissions – online - by frog

  
  
  
  I’ll give MfE credit for one thing. If you are going to hold a Clayton’s consultation on a 2020 target, (like giving 1.4 million Aucklander’s just an hour and a half to have their say), you certainly get high marks for courage with tonight’s online webcast/consultation round. Pulling this off without a hitch would be [...] read more
  July 20, 2009 11:51 am - 23 Comments
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  Town and Country at Loggerheads - by Jeanette Fitzsimons

  
  
  
  There was a stark contrast between the Napier consultation meeting on our climate change target, and those in the major cities. We’re now reaping the consequences of several years of misinformation being fed to the farming community about climate science and it is driving the deepest town-country divide I have seen in my lifetime. Auckland [...] read more
  July 20, 2009 9:04 am - 127 Comments
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  Nick Smith’s statistical massage - by frog

  
  
  
  This is one of the slides used by the Minister for the Environment in the climate change target consultation presentation. The bar graph showing percentage emissions change for sectors between 1990 and 2007 serves to focus attention on the electricity sector, where the emissions have grown over 90% in that time. But astute readers will [...] read more
  July 16, 2009 3:08 pm - 37 Comments