Missing Links: Meltdowns from the Arctic to Wall Street
From climate change to climate justice By Mike Kaulbars October 16, 2011 One of the last posts prior to the unplanned pause here at West Coast Climate Equity was “Runaway Permafrost Melt Imminent, Will Speed Dangerous Climate Change” It would be so wonderful to be able to revive this blog with the news that the [...]
Methane in Some Areas of Gulf of Mexico Now 1 Million Times Normal Level
As much as 1 million times the normal level of methane gas has been found in some regions near the Gulf of Mexico oil spill, enough to potentially deplete oxygen and create a dead zone, U.S. scientists said on Tuesday
To Treat Climate Change Ills, Carbon Removal and GHG Emissions Reduction Must Be Big and Quick
Not only must carbon removal be big enough but it and emissions reduction must together be fast enough to remove us from the danger zones for abrupt climate shifts before something big happens. A serious jolt would cause catastrophic crop failures and food riots within a year, creating global waves of climate refugees with the attendant famine, pestilence, war, and genocide.
I’d say that we must clean up CO2 by 2030. Acquiescing in a slower approach is like playing Russian roulette with the climate gun. Our climate fix must be big and quick.
At Last, EPA Rules Greenhouse Gases Dangerous
Finally, after two years and much hand-wringing, EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson issued her proposed finding that carbon dioxide, methane, nitrous oxide, hydrofluorocarbons, perfluorocarbons and sulfur hexafluoride may endanger public health or welfare.
Dangerous Climate Change In the Arctic is Dangerous for the Whole World
The danger is that if too much methane is released, the world will get hotter no matter how drastically we slash our greenhouse gas emissions. Recent studies suggest that emissions from melting permafrost could be far greater than once thought. And, although it is too early to be sure, some suspect this scenario is already starting to unfold: after remaining static for the past decade, methane levels have begun to rise again, and the source could be Arctic permafrost.
Climate Change Challenge: Is Clean Coal a Solution?
CCS is a very expensive distraction, designed to make coal look good, but in reality taking scarce taxpayers’ dollars away from solutions that can make a real difference. Governments should place an immediate ban on new non-CCS coal-fired projects, as New Zealand and British Columbia have done, and set a date by which power companies will be required to stop buying coal-fired power, as California has done.
“Climate Change Models” – A Shocking Graphic from the UK Met Hadley Centre
The UK Met Office Hadley Centre reports even with large and early cuts in emissions, projections indicate that temperatures are likely to rise to around 2 °C above pre-industrial levels by the end of the century. If action is delayed or is slow, then there is a significant risk of much larger increases in temperature.
George Monbiot: We Can’t Afford to Overshoot
Assuming that greenhouse gases can rise to 500ppmCO2e before falling back to 450(5) is a dangerous assumption. Not only does this mean that the cut comes too late, but far from falling back, the enhanced levels in the atmosphere are likely to trigger more emissions, as the biosphere starts producing more greenhouse gases than it absorbs. We cannot afford to overshoot(6).
Methane levels jump by almost 28 million tonnes in two years
”It’s not good news for future global warming. It’s a big jump and we don’t know if it will continue,” CSIRO senior climate scientist Paul Fraser said. Fears methane spike will fuel warming Canberra Times BY ROSSLYN BEEBY, SCIENCE AND ENVIRONMENT REPORTER 30/10/2008 10:13:00 AM Global methane levels have jumped by almost 28 million tonnes [...]
