via 40 years ago, scientists predicted climate change. And hey, they were right
Category: Climate Change
New Jersey would have to pay almost $25 billion to build almost 2,700 miles of seawalls to protect its coastal communities from anticipated sea-level rise by 2040, according to the latest study on the state’s vulnerability to rising ocean levels.
via NJ could need 2,700 miles of sea walls to defend against rising waters – NJ Spotlight
Sydney join a variety of local and national governments around the world, in a movement that is increasingly gaining momentum. In total, some 658 local governments around the world have made the same declaration, with the UK and Canada committing their national governments to the global movement in just the past two months.
via Sydney declares a climate emergency – what does that mean in practice?
Except, despite what Taylor has claimed, investors are actually calling on governments to put in place policies that will support a transition away from fossil fuels, including the reintroduction of a carbon price, a phase-out of fossil fuel subsidies and an end to thermal coal.
A collection of 477 global investors have issued a joint statement ahead of a meeting of G20 leaders in Osaka, calling on governments to do more to tackle climate change and plan for a world without coal.
Specifically, investors have called on governments to “put a meaningful price on carbon” and to “phase out thermal coal power worldwide by set deadlines.”
The group of investors, that manage a combined $US34 trillion in investment assets, with signatories to the statement including Australian investment managers, including Australian Super, Cbus, Hesta, First State Super, IFM Investors and BT Financial Group.
During his tenure as federal energy minister, Angus Taylor has overseen a period of increasing greenhouse gas emissions in Australia and has raised fears among members of the COAG energy council that he has no plans for reducing emissions in the electricity sector and may disengage with the council altogether on the issue of emissions policy.
Angus Taylor ignores investors when he passes the buck on climate policy failures | RenewEconomy
Minister for Hot Air
Angus Taylor’s handling of the latest emissions data is a lesson in spinThe emissions report was eventually released to the general public yesterday, and Taylor appeared on RN Breakfast this morning to continue making the case that up was down and down was up when it comes to Australia’s emissions. Furthermore, what was important, he said, was that the LNG and coal industries were creating jobs and investment opportunities.
Taylor, like his Coalition colleagues, is happy to count the earnings from resource companies, but refuses to calculate the cost of rising emissions and the effects of climate change on every other sector of the economy. The minister for energy and emissions reduction has a long history of promoting fossil-fuel industries and opposing support for renewables. He also has an ongoing scepticism of emissions reduction schemes generally, which, to be blunt, is probably why he was appointed to his current role.
MURDOCHIAN SPIN
Here’s the first paragraph, published in yesterday’s paper: “Australia is not given sufficient credit internationally for the carbon dioxide savings it helps other nations achieve, Energy Minister Angus Taylor says.”
Only in the fifth paragraph did Lloyd mention that Australia’s emissions were “0.8 per cent higher than the previous quarter and 0.7 per cent higher than last year”.
Angus Taylor’s claim LNG exports reduce global emissions ‘likely wrong’ – climate expert
Bill Hare says claim by emissions reduction minister is ‘grossly exaggerated’
Back to the future dirty power and profit fucks Atmosphere, Health, biodiversity the enviroment and the long term future of the planet left for the next generations. All for the sake of a few cents the rich can’t take with them anyway. (ODT
Trump Administration Hardens Its Attack on Climate Science – The New York Times
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‘this trial was about none of the above. Rather, this trial was purely and simply about the proper construction of a clause in an Enterprise Agreement.’
JCU has been at pains to point out that Ridd “was never gagged or silenced about his scientific views,” a matter that, Cocklin said, “was admitted during the court hearing.”
Why did Andrew Bolt say he knew more on Climate than this man (ODT)
David Attenborough Gives Stark Warning in New BBC Climate Change Special – EcoWatch
Humanity survived the cold war because no one pushed the button. On climate change, the button has been pushed again and again
A major scientific report issued by 13 federal agencies on Friday presents the starkest warnings to date of the consequences of climate change for the United States, predicting that if significant steps are not taken to rein in global warming, the damage will knock as much as 10 percent off the size of the American economy by century’s end.
The report, which was mandated by Congress and made public by the White House, is notable not only for the precision of its calculations and bluntness of its conclusions, but also because its findings are directly at odds with President Trump’s agenda of environmental deregulation, which he asserts will spur economic growth?
In terms of the consequences of climate change, lets have a look at what’s on the cards:
via Our uncertain future – » The Australian Independent Media Network
Researchers said the flood run-off, which likely included nitrogen and pesticide chemicals, were flowing as far as outer-shelf reefs 60 kilometres from the Queensland coast, piling pressure on coral already stressed by an unprecedented run of recent mass bleaching events.
What deniers like Andrew Bolt and Tony Abbott call “normal” (ODT)
The Coalition has no choice but to try and fix the self-created disaster that is its climate policy
White House’s Comic No 2 the Press Secretary (ODT)
Our only hope is to stop exploiting the earth—and its people.
via To Those Who Think We Can Reform Our Way Out of the Climate Crisis | The Nation
Andrew Bolt ( swinger no longer a denier) of climate change that is, reminds us that one day doesn’t prove man made climate change isn’t a religion but one cold day does. Every summer Australia’s self professed and News Corp ordained opinionator goes into hiding until it gets cooler. (ODT)
The Kimberley region of Western Australia is the one location that could break heat records on Christmas Day, with the town of Fitzroy Crossing expecting a maximum of 47C, breaking the previous annual record of 46.5C, which was set earlier this month.
Inland areas of South Australia will have temperatures in the low-to-mid 40s and Adelaide is forecast to reach 41C on Thursday.
Parts of Victoria are forecast to reach temperatures above 40C towards the end of the week, with Mildura in the state’s north-west expecting a top of 46C on Sunday.
Problem Trump is finding less sympathy in the US among the States. Why is Australia the 52nd State of America? (ODT)
Trump administration officials at high-stakes climate talks offered an unapologetic defence of fossil fuels on Monday, arguing that a rapid retreat from coal, oil and gas was unrealistic.
While that stance brought scorn from environmentalists and countries that favour stronger action to fight global warming, there are signs that the administration is finding a receptive audience among other major fossil-fuel producers, including Russia, Saudi Arabia and Australia.
via Trump’s climate adviser sparked protests, but he found a receptive audience in Australia
– 1 degree –
Earth’s average surface temperature from January to October 2018 was one degree Celsius (1.8 degrees Fahrenheit) higher than the 1850-1900 baseline.
Long-term warming is caused by the accumulation of heat-trapping greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, especially carbon dioxide (CO2) cast off when fossil fuels are burned to produce energy.
Seventeen of the hottest years on record have occurred since the start of the 21st century, with 2018 ranking as the 4th warmest.
– 405.5 ppm –
The concentration of carbon dioxide (CO2) in the atmosphere reached 405.5 parts per million (ppm) in 2017, the highest in at least three million years and a 45 percent jump since the preindustrial era.
The last time CO2 was at that level, oceans were 10-20 metres higher.
via Earth’s Failing Climate Grade: 2x Extreme Weather Events, 100x Animal Extinctions
Tony Abbott was called the “Pivot of the Pacific” he turned his back because he thought he’d rather be the “Pillock” and was an excellent one.(ODT)
The big question of climate change is no longer why it’s happening (humans have a wild fossil-fuel-burning habit) nor when it’s going to happen (it is happening). These days, it’s how are we going to build a civilization that can survive climate change—and how can we adapt in a way that doesn’t leave out whole segments of the population.
