Today's Climate: November 24, 2009
by Stacy Feldman - Nov 24th, 2009
U.S. to Present Emissions Target Before Copenhagen (New York Times)
The U.S. will propose a mid-term target for reducing CO2 emissions before Copenhagen next month, an administration official has said. Pres. Obama will announce the target "in coming days."
EU: Climate Deal Hinges On US, China (AP)
Global warming cannot be reversed unless the U.S. and China commit to meaningful cuts in their greenhouse gas emissions, the EU said Tuesday.
States Mull 'Plan B' Carbon Market as U.S. Climate Bill Falters (Bloomberg)
Cash-strapped states in search of new revenue may establish their own cap-and-trade program for greenhouse gases covering more than half the U.S. economy if Congress doesn’t set up a federal carbon market.
Australia Revises Carbon Scheme, Aids Polluters (Reuters)
Australia's government will boost compensation to big carbon emitters and coal companies under a revised cap-and-trade scheme aimed at securing vital parliamentary support in a vote this week.
Quebec Takes Tougher Stand On Emissions (Toronto Star)
Premier Jean Charest says Quebec will cut its CO2 emissions by at least 20% from 1990 levels by 2020, the target set by the EU. He's also urging the federal government to raise its weak target of 3 percent.
Indian PM Open to Greater Climate Action (AFP)
Indian PM Manmohan Singh said Monday that his nation was ready to do more on climate change if developed countries make financial commitments.
ClimateGate: Vitter Staffer Accuses Researchers of Scientific Fraud (Wonk Room)
A top Republican Senate staffer has accused climate scientists of orchestrating a planet-wide conspiracy to convince the public that global warming is real, according to an email acquired by the Wonk Room.
Protesters Charged after Sit-In at Environment Minister's Calgary Office (Canadian Press)
Seven protesters have been charged with mischief after sitting in the federal environment minister's office for eight hours, in protest of the "shameful position" being taken by Canada on climate change.
CO2 Curve Ticks Upward as Key Climate Talks Loom (AP)
According to Hawaii's Mauna Lao observatory, CO2 concentrations this fall are hovering at around 385 parts per million, on their way to a record high above 390 in the first half of 2010.
Tiny "Carbon Neutral" Club Struggles with Costs (Reuters)
Norway, Costa Rica and the Maldives are struggling with high costs and technological hurdles to stay in the world's most exclusive club for fighting climate change -- seeking to cut global-warming emissions to zero.
UN Pushes Electricity, Fuels Lack in Climate Talks (AP)
Development officials say almost half the world's population lacks modern fuels to cook or heat or any electricity, and insist negotiators must address that "energy poverty" as part of a climate pact next month in Denmark.
Investors Push SEC on Climate-Risk Disclosure (Reuters)
Pension funds and other investors holding more than $1 trillion of assets renewed their call to U.S. regulators on Monday to require companies to disclose climate-related risks.
U.S. Government Loan Program Could Attract 783 MW in Solar PV Projects (PV Tech)
Better than expected interest in applications for a new U.S. Energy Department loan program could generate 783 MW or more in solar PV projects, according to financial analysts.
South Carolina: Money for Study of Wind Energy (AP)
Clemson University is getting nearly $100 million in federal stimulus money for a facility that will test new wind turbine technology.
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Hurry up, please. It is time for necessary change.........
If ever there was moment when meaningful communication and bold action needed to occur, that time is in Copenhagen. In less than two weeks time the pivotal Climate Change Conference will begin. Four weeks from now, what could be the most important international meeting of Century XXI will become a part of history. Now is the time for open communication and real action.
Please recall a story from the Bible regarding a gigantic tower built at the city of Babylon. Do you ever imagine that too much of our communication in the "now/here" could be similar to the foolhardy and confusing prattle supposedly heard in ancient times within the Tower of Babel? This skyscraping tower was apparently made of stone; whereas, a similar colossal construction in our time has been built from too many worthless greenbacks as a "house of cards" called the global political economy.
At least to me, it appears that some kind of terrible and unimaginable ecololgical wreckage could occur much sooner rather than later. The self-proclaimed Masters of the Universe among us are to going to keep getting more arrogant, more foolhardy, more greedy and richer. When a youngster, I was told to become a millionaire. That was the goal. Now I see children today being encouraged to be billionaires. That is the new sign of 'success'. Given the budget deficits we are running now, even as greedmongering leaders of one not-so-great generation mortgage the childrens' future and threaten their very existence, it cannot take long before the first trillionaire is minted. The mainstream media will report this news proudly, profanely. The Fortune 400 will be comprised of trillionaires soon thereafter. With the patently unsustainable levels of overproduction and overconsumption required to underwrite the conspiciously obscene per-capita lifestyles of a tiny minority of those in the human family who are perniciously concentrating a lion's share of world's wealth and power, it is no longer difficult to apprehend in the offing some sort of wholesale destruction of life as we know it on this Good Earth........willful blindness, hysterical deafness, elective mutism, global gag rules and stony silence notwithstanding.
Still, hopefully, meaningful communications and necessary changes toward sustainability remain a discernible possibility for those human beings with feet of clay.
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