News: Archive for November, 2013
‘A study attributes two-thirds of industrial greenhouse gas emissions over the last 150 years to fuels extracted by firms such as Exxon Mobil, Chevron, Saudi Aramco and Pemex.’
via 90 companies worldwide produced fuels driving climate change – latimes.com.
‘The Norwegian military announced on Tuesday that it’s putting its soldiers on a new diet. In an effort aimed not at cutting waistlines, but combating climate change, the army is imposing a vegetarian diet once a week for its troops. The goal is to cut its consumption of environmentally unfriendly foods, like meat, as the UN Food and Agriculture Organization attributes 18 percent of global greenhouse gas emissions to livestock farming.’
via Norway’s military imposes vegetarian diet to help fight climate change..
‘China clashed with the U.S. and European Union over the commitments each should take in a new climate change agreement that envoys aim to reach by 2015.’
via China Clashes With U.S., EU on Roles in New Climate Deal – Bloomberg.
‘In an effort to compensate for the failure of central governments to address the dangers of climate change with comprehensive national policies, cities, states and regions have developed their own strategies to rein in emissions of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.’
‘WARSAW — Discord and rivalry between Beijing and Washington have factored in international discussions of global warming since the United Nations climate treaty was established in 1992, contributing to the foundering of the 2009 talks in Copenhagen and much rough sailing since.’
via U.S. and China Find Convergence on Climate Issue – NYTimes.com.
‘A group of 133 developing nations have walked out of a key part of the climate talks in Warsaw, Poland, amidst a conflict over how countries who have historically emitted the most greenhouse gases should be held financially responsible for some of the damage caused by extreme weather in nations with low carbon emissions. The United States, Australia, Canada and other industrialized countries are pushing for the issue — known as loss and damage — to be put off until after the 2015 climate talks in Paris.’
‘WARSAW, Nov 21 Reuters – Nitrous oxide N20 emissions could almost double by 2050 if more aggressive action is not taken, undermining global efforts to curb climate change, the United Nations’ Environment Programme UNEP said on Thursday.’
via Nitrous oxide emissions could double by 2050 -UNEP | Reuters.
Nov 7, 2013, San Francisco
Secretary of the Interior Sandy Jewell appeared at the San Francisco Commonwealth Club where she was interviewed by Greg Dalton on a wide range of topics. This video contains excerpts related to her comments on climate change and energy policy. While Secretary Jewell stressed the importance and reality of climate change, she defended the option to sell coal mining rights on public lands, saying that energy change isn’t going to happen overnight.
“He [Obama] has used the megaphone very loudly to say, we’re no longer debating climate change, it is here – we must do something about it” ~ Sandy Jewell
10:00 Greg Dalton: “Can the administration though be a real serious climate leader, and also promote more coal extraction, more oil drilling? At some point isn’t there an either or situation, can it have it both ways – more energy, more hydrocarbons, and say we’re serious about climate?”
Interior Secretary Sandy Jewell: “Well, the short answer is you can’t go immediately from one source of energy to another source of energy overnight. We have grown this country with the support of carbon pollution, whether it was coal or oil and gas that has been in large measure what has driven the industry in this country and you can’t turn it off in a heartbeat. The president through the EPA has instituted CAFE standards for cars that will make an enormous difference in terms of using using policy to reduce carbon pollution, it’s a very very important step forward. So it’s policies that drive behaviors by the automobile industry that increase the fuel economy of cars and therefore reduce the amount that we use.”
“You’re voices are important as citizens of this great democracy, and when you bring your voices to my new home of Washington D.C., they do make a difference.” ~ Sandy Jewell
Report by James George
‘WARSAW — Following a devastating typhoon that killed thousands in the Philippines, a routine international climate change conference here turned into an emotional forum, with developing countries demanding compensation from the worst polluting countries for damage they say they are already suffering.’
via Growing Clamor About Inequities of Climate Crisis – NYTimes.com.
‘WASHINGTON (AP) — Greenhouse gases are making the world’s oceans hot, sour and breathless, and the way those changes work together is creating a grimmer outlook for global waters, according to a new report Wednesday from 540 international scientists.’
via Scientists warn of hot, sour, breathless oceans – SFGate.