News Roundup
‘(Reuters) – Global carbon dioxide emissions from industry rose about three percent in a weak global economy this year, a study released on Monday showed, adding fresh urgency to efforts to control planet-warming gases at U.N. climate talks in South Africa.’
via Global industry CO2 output rising even in weak economy: study | Reuters.
‘Environmentalists and other nations say U.S. policy changes raise questions about whether it is committed to substantially cutting emissions and aiding developing nations in their efforts to do so.’
via A global cooling to the U.S. position on climate change – latimes.com.
‘There is still significant disagreement over how to run the Green Climate Fund, intended to channel billions of pounds to help poorer countries take on climate change, with the US and Saudi Arabia said to be standing in the way.’
‘THE NEWS that delegates attending climate talks in South Africa yesterday were to discuss various artificial techniques that could reduce the amount of energy reaching the Earth from the sun is a worrying sign of the times.’
via Scientific fixes come to fore as climate talks stall – The Irish Times – Sat, Dec 03, 2011.
‘The rains have not come to the North African Sahel this season, and many Africans leaders believe the looming hunger crisis is the result of man-made climate change that developed countries have imposed on the world.’
via African countries press developed world to come to climate deal – The Globe and Mail.
‘Global warming has become perhaps the most complicated issue facing world leaders.’
‘DURBAN, South Africa (AP) — With heat-trapping carbon at record levels in the atmosphere, U.N. climate negotiations opened Monday with pressure building to salvage the only treaty limiting greenhouse gas emissions.’
‘(Reuters) – Heads of China’s solar industry on Tuesday said they strongly oppose an investigation by the U.S. into Chinese-made solar panels and asserted that competitive advantages alone explained their success on the global market.’
via China solar executives aim to avoid trade war with U.S. | Reuters.
‘“Our study shows that very high climate sensitivities are virtually impossible, suggesting that we still have enough time to deal with the problem and reduce carbon emissions, which could avoid the most severe impacts,” said Andreas Schmittner, a climate scientist at Oregon State University and the study’s lead author. ‘
via Study Finds Limited Sensitivity of Climate to CO2 – NYTimes.com.
‘Now comes a new entry in the effort to specify the value known as “climate sensitivity,” and it falls on the low side of the existing estimates. The paper, in the journal Science, calculates that a doubling of carbon dioxide will most likely lead to a warming of 4.1 degrees Fahrenheit, though the number could be as low as 3 degrees or as high as 4.7 degrees.’