China attaches great importance to tackling climate change. In 2007, it established the National Leading Group on Climate Change (NLGCC), headed by Premier Wen Jiabao. That same year, China issued its National Climate Change Program , the first ever by a developing country. In its National Climate Change Program , China set an objective to lower its energy consumption per unit of GDP by 20% or so of 2005 level by 2010 and in its Mid- and Long-Term Plan for the Development of Renewable Energy , China also sets an objective of increasing the proportion of renewable energy in the primary energy mix to 10% by 2010, and to 15% by 2020. To achieve such objectives, China has adopted a series of effective policies and measures, achieving remarkable progress. Firstly, China succeeded in lowering its energy consumption per unit of GDP by 1.79%, 4.04% and 4.59% respectively for 2006, 2007, and 2008, which strongly suggests the prospect of meeting the 20% objective by 2010. Secondly, between 2006 and 2008, China shut down small thermal power-generation units with a total installed capacity of 34.21 GW, phased out 60.59 million tons of backward steel-making capacity, 43.47 million tons of iron-smelting capacity and 140 million tons of cement-production capacity. All of these steps reduced pollution markedly. Thirdly, between 2000 and 2008, China increased its wind power generating capacity from 340 MW to 10 GW, hydropower from 79.35 GW to 163 GW, and nuclear power from 2.1 GW to 9.1 GW. It has also made great efforts to reduce agricultural and rural greenhouse gas emissions. Indeed, by the end of 2007, more than 26.5 million rural households were using household biogas digesters, thereby avoiding CO 2 emissions by 44 million tons. Fourthly, China has increased its carbon sinks by promoting reforestation. China's forest coverage rate increased from 12% in the early 1980's to 18.21% today. For this year, China will complete formulating provincial climate change programs throughout the country, promoting effective implementation of the National Climate Change Program . Furthermore, in China's economy stimulus package, 210 billion yuan is allocated for energy conservation, pollutants reduction, and ecosystem protection projects, 370 billion yuan for economic structural adjustment and technology renovation, and 400 billion yuan for new energy-efficient housing that will use environmentally friendly materials. Besides, 370 billion yuan will be used to improve rural living standards in an environmentally sound manner and sustainable way. China is making huge efforts to combat climate change despite the fact that it remains a low-income developing country with a per-capita GDP of just about $3,000. Indeed, by United Nations standards, China still has 150 million people living in poverty. China has no other choice but to pursue sustainable development in order to meet the basic needs of its people and to eradicate poverty. In this process, the world is assured that China will make every effort to address climate change. The international community has great expectations for reaching a positive outcome in Copenhagen. In China's view, the key to the success in Copenhagen lies in the realization of the full, effective and sustained implementation of the Convention and its Kyoto Protocol (KP). Developed country Parties to the KP, collectively, must reduce their greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25-40% below their 1990 level by 2020. For Non-KP developed countries, they should undertake comparable commitments with quantified emission reduction targets. Developed countries should also fulfill their obligations under the Convention to provide financial support and technology transfer to enable developing countries to effectively tackle climate change. In addition, appropriate mechanisms and institutional arrangements should be established for adaptation, financial support and technology transfer. Developing countries will, in the context of sustainable development and with measurable, reportable, and verifiable support in terms of financing, technology, and capacity-building, take nationally appropriate mitigation actions. The global financial crisis has undoubtedly exacerbated the challenge of climate change. But since climate change is a more far-reaching and serious challenge, the world must not waver in its determination and commitment to addressing it. Indeed, the international financial crisis, if handled properly, may also be turned into an opportunity to reach a win-win solution for both climate protection and economic development. With a deep sense of responsibility for its own people and the entire human race, China will continue to implement proactive policies and measures to address climate change and make unremitting efforts to the protection of earth system. Electric cars in Denmark 27-08-2009 Electric cars can significantly contribute to reducing the use of fossil fuels. That is why the Danish government supports the market penetration of electric cars in Denmark. More electric cars will bring about particularly three important gains: 1. We reduce the use of fossil fuels in a sector which is not governed by the European emissions trading systems. 2. Electric cars are far more energy efficient than cars powered by gasoline or diesel. These cars drive more than 3 times as many miles "pr gallon". 3. Electric cars can benefit from the production of renewable energy - not least wind power production - which is one of the key competencies in Denmark. This supports the governments vision that transport can be sustainable. Initiatives of the Danish government The CO2-emissions from transport has expanded markedly in the past years. This is why it is crucial that the transport sector becomes an active player in bringing about new solutions for reducing CO2-emissions. The high level of CO2-emissions from transport is one of the reasons why the Danish government on January 29th this year consolidated an agreement on denmarks green transport policy, which will ensure a reduction in the CO2-emissions from the transport sector. The settlement includes several concrete initiatives, but the central one as regards the market penetration of electric cars is a green reorganisation og the taxation on cars, so it is still economically sensible to acquire an electric car. In February 2008 the Danish government reached an Energy Agreement, which also featured a test scheme for electric vehicles. The test scheme is to generate new specific and practical experience with electric cars and the required infrastructure. The test scheme may also help shed light on the opportunities for integrating electric cars as a flexible storage facility into the Danish electricity system, and this may both help optimize energy exploitation and help adapt the system to the fluctuating wind power. DKK 35 mio. has been set aside for the test scheme for electric vehicles in the period 2008-12. Read more about the test scheme for electric vehicles. The U.S. Environmental Protection Agency, as expected, on Monday declared greenhouse gases a danger to public health, a decision that could soon lead to new emissions regulations for businesses across the economy. The "endangerment finding" announced by EPA Administrator Lisa Jackson is necessary to move ahead on new emissions standards for cars due out in March 2010. Made under the Clean Air Act, it also opens up large emitters such as power plants, oil refineries, chemical plants and metal smelters to regulations that limit their output of carbon dioxide and other gases. "These long overdue findings cement 2009's place in history as the year when the U.S. government began addressing the challenge of greenhouse-gas pollution and seizing the opportunity of clean-energy reform," Ms. Jackson said. The controversial decision, proposed by the administration earlier this year, comes as a global climate summit opens in Copenhagen. It gives the administration leverage in its negotiations and puts pressure on Congress to pass a bill that cuts greenhouse gases in a more economically efficient way. Though the House has passed such a bill, the Senate has faced a number of political hurdles. Without any cost analyses of new greenhouse-gas regulations, it is difficult to estimate what the actual impact could be on the economy. Dan Riedinger, a spokesman for the utility industry group Edison Electric Institute, pointed to cost predictions for federal legislation as a guide to the cost. Estimates for legislation vary between $100 a year to $1,000 a year extra for families, and such legislation is specially designed to moderate costs. The only certainty is that EPA regulation would be far more expensive than congressional-designed legislation," Mr. Riedinger contends. Although industry officials say no economic study of the impacts of greenhouse-gas regulations under the Clean Air Act has been published, the EPA strongly challenges dire economic assertions. Ms. Jackson indicated the agency would soon finalize a new "tailoring rule" that will set a greenhouse-gas-emissions threshold for regulators at 25,000 tons a year. This is designed to target the largest emitters in the country. The EPA says that would mean around 13,600 coal-burning power stations, crude refineries, metal smelters and other industrial facilities would come under existing regulations. Specifically, for any new construction or modification that would affect greenhouse-gas emissions, companies would be required to apply for permits that include the "best available technology." The EPA is seen finalizing what is considered the best available technology in 2011. Asked when the agency would draft new regulations for existing large emitting facilities, Ms. Jackson declined to give a timeline. Industry lawyers say if the EPA finalizes its auto-emissions rule by March 31, as expected, regulation of greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide would automatically start 60 days later. Jeff Holmstead, a former EPA air administrator under the George W. Bush administration and now head of the Bracewell &Giuliani Environmental Strategies Group, said this is the first time the agency has ever made a standalone endangerment finding. He thinks it was a political decision. "It's clearly designed to set the stage for the Copenhagen conference," Mr. Holmstead said. Previously, the EPA had synchronized endangerment determinations with its rule-makings. But provisions in the EPA's tailoring rule may mean the 25,000-tons-a-year threshold won't apply in many states. Bigger threat to children around the world: war or carbon emissions? So as I watch and read all this propaganda-gone-wild in Copenhagen about how the biggest threat to our planet was apparently a potential 0.6 degrees Celsius increase in temperature over the last hundred years that might or might not have been caused by carbon emissions, I keep wondering if all these well-intentioned politicians, bureaucrats, oligarchs, executives, celebrities, agencies, corporations, NGOs, charities and world citizens just might have their priorities a little bit wrong. To be clear, I'm concerned about the environment and am avidly against pollution, including excessive CO2 release. But. In the last 100 years, some 200MM people were killed last century by war and violence. 80MM or so of those were in genocidal situations. Tens of millions of children around the world will be killed, tortured, maimed, raped or otherwise physically hurt in the next ten years. Hundreds of millions of children are at risk of being victims of political violence or war right now, today. So I wonder about these people's and organizations' and governments' priorities as I watch this video that has been a big hit in Copenhagen. The video features children pleading that the developed world's governments save children in Africa and Asia and South/Central America by creating policies like "Cap n Trade". And then the UN and other political agencies will have trillions of dollars to dole out to companies, charities and governments as they see fit to help stave off carbon emissions from killing children in Africa? Really? Really. In reality, I ask you — if we really wanna help children in Darfur and Kenya, should we help them feel safe from political violence or from global warming? Before I took this job as a TV anchor, on Christmas Eve for several years, I used to go with the Rotary Club of Ruidoso to play Santa at an orphanage in Juarez, Mexico. I'm actually going to get home for Christmas Eve this year, but I'm not sure we can get to the orphanage because of all the violence tearing apart Mexico. What's a bigger threat to those kids at the orphanages in Juarez, for the orphans that Faces of Kibera helps in Kenya, and for the children in rural villages in genocidal Darfur in the Sudan — potential climate change over the next hundred years or personal safety tonight? Go Green Girl! Never underestimate a vegetarian hippie chick with a racecar. Meet Leilani Munter. After earning a degree in Biology from UC San Diego, Leilani got the racing bug after doubling for Catherine Zeta Jones in a driving stunt. Capable of success behind the wheel of any type of racecar (she has raced NASCAR and Indy-type cars), Leilani uses the platform of racing to reach thousands of racefans with her environmental awareness message. Her website, www.carbonfreegirl.com, is a story of her journey to be carbon neutral and "a diary of her lifetime project of sorting through the facts &fiction about alternative fuels, organic food, clean energy, green buildings, solar power, wind farms, composters, recycling, politics &more all while she makes a living driving a race car at 200 mph." Additionally, Leilani hopes her efforts will encourage racing sanctioning bodies to increase their environmental initiatives with expanded recycling programs and the use of alternative fuels. Leilani is competing to be a Green Girl in the Project Green Search campaign, aimed at inspiring people to align their careers with their environmental, social and humanitarian ethics. We at GoingGreen.com, endorse Leilani Munter to be the next Project Green Girl. Voting is only through Friday, October 16. To vote for Leilani or to pick your own favorite green girl, go to ProjectGreenSearch.com. Who Consumes All Those End-Of-Life-Vehicles Have you ever wondered who consumes all the ELV's in this province? If you have you are not alone. About 1 million new automobiles are produced in the World each week, and in Ontario approximately 500,000 of them are put to rest each year. An End-Of-Life Vehicle is one which has reached the end of the road by way of its age or collision write-off. The ELV is a vehicle that is going to be recycled. The recycling of the vehicle for its scrap value (75% by weight of the vehicle) is almost always the outcome, the processes used for the outcome often differs. And while some processes give our dear old beater a respectable burial (utilizing proper equipment and care for its fluid removal) other processes do not. The issue of ELV's is obviously an important one and Governments around the World are taking pro-active measures as they address the key issue of the environment. Much of the focus has been directed at the automakers to make their vehicles more recyclable. The ELV directive adopted last year requires all European Auto Makers to recycle or reuse 85% by weight of the metals and materials in each vehicle by 2006 and 95% by 2015. Significant progress is being made with the automakers but regardless of their efforts it does not solve the problem of what to do with the millions of vehicles that will eventually reach the end of the road. At the Recycling Council of Ontario Roles and Responsibilities Forum, April 28, 1999 five distinct groups of business were identified that deal in the management of ELV and irreparable vehicles. These included: 1. Auto Dismantlers/Recyclers: whose primary business is the sale of used auto parts. Material recovery is secondary. Fluid recovery is an integral part of processing each vehicle. 2. Salvage Yards: whose primary business is metals recovery. The sale of used auto parts is secondary. Fluids are recovered if parts are to be removed. 3. Scrap Metal Dealers/ Junk Yards: whose only business is metals recovery. Fluids generally are not recovered. 4. Car Dealers, Body Shops, Tow-Trucks 5. Individuals: this category includes backyard mechanics, and also auto thieves and organized international and domestic auto theft rings. Of the five distinct groups of businesses involved in the management of ELV's only the Auto Dismantler/Recycler ensures fluid recovery as an integral part of the processing of each vehicle. There has been some very interesting "shifts," that have taken place with the ELV. In years past it was safe to say that most vehicles were purchased by Auto Dismantlers/Recyclers for processing and then the to the scrap processors to carry on the recycling process. Today, this is not necessarily the case. Salvage yards and Scrap Metal Dealers do not incorporate the same processes as Auto Dismantlers to ensure that proper fluid evacuation and disposal of these fluids takes place. The underground economy, which acquires vehicles from the public or at salvage auctions (where anyone with any business license can attend) also has a detrimental effect on the community in that parts are bought and sold for cash. The Government realizes no revenue from these transactions. This fact, coupled with the realization that many salvage vehicles are being exported out of the country accounts for the reduction of available used parts for the public and economic loss to professional collision repairers. Climate Change Alert in Bahrain RISING sea levels due to global climate change may prove a disaster for island states like Bahrain, a United Nations official warned yesterday. Experts predict that a one-metre sea level rise could flood 10 per cent of Bahrain's coastal areas, said UN resident co-ordinator and UN Development Programme resident representative Sayed Aqa. "This represents land reclamation efforts of the last 30 years," he told the UN Day celebration at the UN House yesterday. Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Dr Nazar Al Baharna was the keynote speaker at the meeting, which was attended by ambassadors and heads of various UN agencies. The Bahrain UN team has chosen climate change as the theme for this year's UN Day celebration, said Mr Aqa. "Although climate change scenarios are based on predictions, it is inevitable that small state islands like Bahrain, will be among the most affected areas of the world," he added. "A serious threat for small islands is sea-level rise. Current estimates of future global sea-level rise of 5mm per year (with a range of two to 9mm/year) represent a rate that is two to four times higher than what has been experienced globally over the past 100 years. "Although the level of vulnerability will vary from island to island, it is expected that practically all small island states will be adversely affected by sea-level rise. "Negative affects will range from household level impacts on livelihoods, to wider effects on national economies." Dr Al Baharna, who reiterated Bahrain's commitment to the principles of the United Nations, said Bahrain has drawn up a strategy to combat the direct and indirect danger of the climate change. "Climate change is one of the most important and complex challenges facing humanity in the 21st Century," he noted. "The former UN General Assembly president, Bahrain's Shaikha Haya bint Rashid Al Khalifa, confirmed in her farewell speech in the 61st UN session on September 17 this year, that the climate change issue has become a reality. "She talked about the danger of climate change in the world environment and its effects on water, air and soil." Dr Al Baharna praised new UN secretary-general Ban Ki-moon's initiative to hold a high-level meeting on climate change challenges. UNDP assistant administrator and regional director for Arab states Amat Al Alim Alsoswa also spoke. Both Mr Aqa and Ms Alsoswa congratulated Bahrain's leadership and people for the numerous achievements in the national reform agenda. They also hailed the kingdom's development at the international level, with the historic presidency of the UN General Assembly and the positive contributions made by Shaikha Haya during her term and with the awarding the UN Habitat Award to Prime Minister Shaikh Khalifa bin Salman Al Khalifa. How best to save the Dead Sea? Jordan's plan to save the shrinking Dead Sea by channelling more water to it from the Red Sea could have a detrimental environmental impact, environmentalists have warned. However, not doing anything could lead to an environmental, economic and human catastrophe, say experts. Two water-related projects are currently being proposed in Jordan: the Red Sea-Dead Sea canal project aims to save the Dead Sea by siphoning off at least 2.5 billion cubic metres (cu. m) of water from the Red Sea and pumping it to the Dead Sea. The Jordan National Red Sea Water Development Project (JRSP) aims to address the country's chronic potable water shortage by pumping water from the Red Sea through pipelines to a yet-to-be-built nuclear-run desalination plant that will produce some 700 million cu. m of drinking water a year when fully operational. There is some overlap between the two projects as both require water to be pumped out of the Red Sea. Experts say JRSP and the Red Sea-Dead Sea canal project can be carried out simultaneously. However, environmentalists are concerned that they could produce more problems than they alleviate. "You need to study the effect of taking out 2.5 billion cubic metres of water from the Red Sea annually [for the Red Sea-Dead Sea project] - which means 60 cu. m per second. Pumping this quantity of water will definitely affect the current of the Gulf of Aqaba and its coral reefs," Munqeth Mehyar, chairman and co-director of Friends of the Earth Middle East (FoEME), said. He warned of the negative impacts that could result from mixing marine water from the Red Sea with the Dead Sea water, known to be rich in minerals. Dead Sea water levels declining The Dead Sea is considered the lowest point on earth - about 400 metres below sea level. Its water is 10 times more saline than ocean water, and its distinctive chemical composition and fresh/salt water interface have created a unique ecology of international importance. But the Dead Sea and its environment are changing as a result of a sharp decrease in water inflow from the River Jordan, which has been increasingly diverted for agricultural and industrial use. Recent figures from the Ministry of Water and Irrigation show that inflows to the Dead Sea are just 10 percent of what they were in the 1960s. The Dead Sea has lost more than one third of its water surface in the past few decades due to evaporation and industrial use, according to the World Bank. Its water level is dropping by nearly a metre a year, a rate at which scientists say it could dry up within the next 50 years if action is not taken. The declining water level has far-reaching environmental, social and economic consequences for the Dead Sea region and beyond. The response has been the Red Sea-Dead Sea project proposal which consists of a 250km canal or pipe extended from the port city of Aqaba in Jordan through the Wadi Araba area to the southern Dead Sea, costing US$12 billion. A World Bank-funded environmental impact assessment of the Red Sea-Dead Sea project is currently under way. Desalination project proposed The Jordanian government has said it will go ahead with the project to save the Dead Sea, whatever the cost. However, because of delayed international aid to kick-start it, the government wants to begin with the JRSP project to pump water from the Red Sea through pipelines, for desalination. Warming Turns Fish into Daredevils A temperature increase of a few degrees can make fish more aggressive and bold. Damselfish Climate Change This damselfish may appear docile, but a small temperature increase could affect its personality. Getty Images As the world grows warmer, some fish may stop acting like themselves. With a small rise in temperature, a new study found, some fish become more daring and more aggressive than they would otherwise be. The finding suggests that climate change could put fish in peril in unexpected ways. "The fact that big effects on behavior were happening over the course of just a couple degrees surprised me," said Peter Biro, a fish ecologist and evolutionary biologist at the University of New South Wales in Sydney, Australia. "I would have never expected that from the things I had read in the literature." Biro stumbled on the discovery by accident. He was working with damselfish in an indoor lab that naturally got warmer over the course of a day. His original goal was to study personality traits in the fish. But as the lab heated up every day, he noticed some fish becoming more active, aggressive and bold. To figure out what was behind their personality transformations, Biro and colleagues put 30 young damselfish in individual aquaria. All fish were the same size and the same age, and the researchers gave them as much food as they wanted so that hunger wouldn't affect their behavior. Then came the personality tests. To measure boldness, Biro used what he calls "the scary test." First, he shoved a wooden stick into each fish's tank, sending it into hiding. When he removed the stick, he timed how long it took for the fish to emerge from their shelters. In a test of aggressiveness, each fish was placed near a jar that contained another fish. Scientists then watched to see how frequently the fish tried to attack or scare their intruders. One round of tests happened at a temperature of just over 26 degrees Celsius (79 degrees Fahrenheit). In a second round, the water was warmed by just under 3 degrees Celsius to 29 Celsius (84 degrees Fahrenheit). Testing lasted for two weeks. In warmer water, fish became an average of six times more active (with some fish becoming as much as 23 times more active), four times more aggressive and four times bolder, the researchers reported in the journal Proceedings of the Royal Society B. Fish that had cowered in their shelters for up to 10 minutes during scary tests in cool waters emerged immediately after the stick was gone from more tepid conditions. A shift in metabolism probably explains why timid fish can become more daring in milder times, Biro suspects. Fish are cold-blooded, so their bodies grow warmer and more active with a warmer environment. To sustain that higher rate of energy burn, they need to eat more. And in order to get more food, they need to be bolder more aggressive. The new findings suggest that even small changes in temperature -- from hour to hour or season to season -- can alter fish personalities, said Steven Cooke, an environmental biologist at Carleton Despite momentum, no smooth path to climate deal PORT OF SPAIN (Reuters) - Commonwealth states representing a third of the world's people said on Sunday momentum was growing toward a global climate deal, but nagging doubts remained over funding levels and degrees of commitment. Seeking to successfully tip the outcome of U.N. climate talks on December 7-18 in Copenhagen, the group of more than 50 nations from across the world made the climate change issue the centerpiece of a three-day summit in Trinidad and Tobago. They declared firm support for an "operationally binding" deal to be achieved in Copenhagen that would cover tougher greenhouse gas emissions targets, climate adaptation financing for poorer nations and transfer of clean-energy technology. The Commonwealth group, which welcomed Rwanda as its 54th member, called for a full legally binding climate treaty to be adopted "no later than 2010" and insisted fast funding be made available to poor states to counter the global warming threat. Commonwealth leaders hailed the consensus achieved in their Port of Spain Climate Change Declaration as improving the odds for a comprehensive agreement in Copenhagen and as proof that their geographically diverse group was a viable institution. "There is heavy traffic on the road to Copenhagen. The good news is that it is converging and hopefully moving purposefully into a single lane," Commonwealth Secretary-General Kamalesh Sharma said in comments closing the Port of Spain summit. U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon and the presidents of Denmark and France, had participated in the Commonwealth summit, adding weight to the group's climate deliberations. "I have no doubt it will make an impact on Copenhagen," South African President Jacob Zuma told reporters. But even as the Commonwealth leaders were congratulating themselves on their climate consensus, European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso was declaring in China that pledges made so far by governments to cut greenhouse gases were not sufficient for an effective pact to fight global warming. "If you sum up all the commitments made so far, according to our estimates, we are not yet where we should be if we want Copenhagen to succeed," said Barroso, who will attend a European Union-China summit in Nanjing on Monday. "There is still much work to be done," acknowledged Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd in Port of Spain. COSTS OF CLIMATE DEAL Although prospects for a broad political framework pact on climate change were brightened last week by public promises of greenhouse gas curbs by leading emitters China and the United States, Barroso's blunt comments delivered a reality check on the contentious path to next month's Copenhagen talks. The world's industrialized powers are under pressure to make substantial cuts in their greenhouse gas emissions. At the same time, developing countries, including tiny island states which risk disappearing if ocean levels continue to rise through global warming, are clamoring for tens of billions of dollars of aid to help them fight climate change. Tackling climate change ScienceDaily (Nov. 26, 2009) — Tackling climate change by reducing carbon dioxide and other greenhouse emissions will have major direct health benefits in addition to reducing the risk of climate change, especially in low-income countries, according to a series of six papers appearing on, Nov. 25 in the British journal The Lancet. The studies, three of them coauthored by Kirk R. Smith, professor of global environmental health and one coauthored by Michael Jerrett, associate professor of environmental health sciences, both at University of California, Berkeley, use case studies to demonstrate the co-benefits of tackling climate change in four sectors: electricity generation, household energy use, transportation, and food and agriculture. "Policymakers need to know that if they exert their efforts in certain directions, they can obtain important public health benefits as well as climate benefits," said Smith, who was the principal investigator in the United States for the overall research effort. "Climate change threatens us all, but its impact will likely be greatest on the poorest communities in every country. Thus, it has been called the most regressive tax in human history. Carefully choosing how we reduce greenhouse gas emissions will have the added benefit of reducing global health inequities." Each study in the series examines the health implications in both high- and low-income countries of actions designed to reduce the release of carbon dioxide (CO2) and other greenhouse gases. Climate change due to emission of greenhouse gases from fossil fuel energy sources causes air pollution by increasing ground-level ozone and concentrations of fine particulate matter. The studies were commissioned by the NIEHS, part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH), in part to help inform discussions next month at the U.N. Framework Convention on Climate Change in Copenhagen. The NIEHS is one of the key sponsors of the international event. "These papers demonstrate there are clear and substantive improvements for health if we choose the right mitigation strategies for reducing greenhouse gas emissions," said Birnbaum. "We now have real life examples of how we can save the environment, reduce air pollution and decrease related health effects;it's really a win-win situation for everyone." A case study led by Smith on the health and climate benefits from a potential 150-million-stove program in India from 2010-2020 gives the largest co-benefit of any examined in the six papers. Smith has shown that providing low-emission stove technologies in poor countries that currently rely on solid fuel household stoves to cook and heat their homes is a very cost-effective climate change linkage. The 10-year program could prevent 2 million premature deaths in India, he said, in addition to reducing greenhouse pollution by hundreds of millions of tons. The paper coauthored by Jerrett contains analysis of 18 years of data on the long-term health effects of black carbon -- the first study of its kind ever conducted. The study followed 352,000 people in 66 U.S. cities and was conducted by a team of U.S. and Canadian researchers led by Jerrett and Smith. Black carbon is a short-lived greenhouse pollutant which, along with ozone, is responsible for a significant proportion of global warming. Unlike CO2, these short-lived greenhouse pollutants exert significant direct impacts on health. Also, because they are short-lived, emission controls are almost immediately reflected in changes in warming. East Antarctic ice began to melt faster in 2006 A view of the Jutulsessen mountain range in east Antarctica, a sector claimed by Norway about 250 km (155 miles) from the sea, January 19, 2008. REUTERS/Alister Doyle LONDON (Reuters) - East Antarctica's ice started to melt faster from 2006, which could cause sea levels to rise sooner than anticipated, according to a study by scientists at the University of Texas. In the study published in Nature's Geoscience journal, scientists estimated that East Antarctica has been losing ice mass at an average rate of 5 to 109 gigatonnes per year from April 2002 to January 2009, but the rate speeded up from 2006. The melt rate after 2006 could be even higher, the scientists said. "The key result is that appear to start seeing a large amount of ice loss in East Antarctica, mostly in the long coastal regions (in Wilkes Land and Victoria Land), since 2006," Jianli Chen at the university's center for space research and one of the study's authors, told Reuters. "This, if confirmed, could indicate a state change of East Antarctica, which could pose a large impact on global sea levels in the future," Chen said. Previous estimates for East Antarctica projected anywhere between a 4 gigatonne per year loss and a 22 gigatonne per year gain, according to the report. The full study is available at www.nature.com/ngeo. Climate change is turning Antarctica's ice into the one of the biggest risks for coming centuries. Even slight melting could drive up sea levels and could affect world's cities. Rising temperatures are thought to be the main cause of melting ice, and world leaders are under pressure to agree on a new climate treaty at an upcoming U.N. summit in Copenhagen to curb global warming. MELTDOWN The scientists used satellite observations of gravity change over the period April 2002 to January 2009 to calculate the rate of the ice loss in East Antarctica's coastal regions. The ice sheet's mass has long been difficult to estimate. "At various times, estimates have disagreed on the sign of the mass balance, as well as its magnitude," the report said. The whole Antarctic region could be losing ice at a rate of 113-267 gigatonnes a year, with 106-158 gigatonnes coming from West Antarctica, the scientists estimate. A separate study on Thursday found that melting ice from Greenland and Antarctica will lead to a much sharper rise in sea levels than previously thought. Climate change will cause a rise of at least 1 meter in sea levels by the end of this century, according to a review of scientific data by environmental group Clean Air-Cool Planet. The projection is in sharp contrast to a 2007 study by the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which said world sea levels could increase 18-59 centimeters by 2100. Agriculture can adapt to climate change Better crop management, including smarter application of pesticides, can help poor farmers cope with climate change Innovative agricultural technologies can produce crops that meet climate change challenges, says ICRISAT head William Dar. Sustainable land and water management combined with innovative agricultural technologies could mitigate climate change and help poor farmers adapt to its impacts. New knowledge, technology and policy for agriculture have never been more critical, and adaptation and mitigation strategies must urgently be applied to national and regional development programmes. Without these measures developing countries will suffer increased food insecurity. For the 1.5 billion people engaged in agriculture in the developing world, even a small loss in agricultural productivity could mushroom into a large loss of income. And new strategies must be built around 'green' agricultural technologies, such as adaptive plant breeding, pest forecasting, rainwater harvesting and fertiliser microdosing, where small amounts of fertiliser are given to each seed. Water and land use Water is critical for agriculture across the semi-arid tropics. Although rainfall predictions remain uncertain, scientists agree that climate change will reduce water availability and storage, and warmer temperatures will increase the amount of water needed by crops. Improving crop production in these regions largely depends on better capture and storage of rainwater. But rainwater harvesting and storage technologies remain underdeveloped. And we know little about the economic viability of such systems — implementing them may well require financial investment beyond the capacity of most rural communities. As almost 95 per cent of water in developing countries is used to irrigate farmlands, policies to improve irrigation efficiency are also critical. Research is needed on water flows and water quality, and infrastructure needs to be improved. Better land and crop management are equally important. There are already some promising and economically viable technologies to reduce risk of crop failure, improve soil fertility and increase productivity under variable climatic conditions. These include methods to reduce agricultural inputs, such as fertiliser microdosing and smarter application of pesticides, as well as technologies for minimising soil disturbance such as reduced tillage, conservation agriculture and crop rotation. Revising planting dates, plant densities and crop sequences can help cope with delayed rainy seasons, longer dry spells and earlier plant maturity that are already being observed across parts of Africa including Malawi, Mozambique, Zambia and Zimbabwe. Climate-proof crops Changes in growing seasons in the tropics can also, to a large degree, be mitigated by redeploying existing improved crop varieties that can cope with a wide range of climatic conditions. For example my organisation, the International Crops Research Institute for the Semi-Arid Tropics (ICRISAT), has developed pearl millet hybrids that can cope with temperatures of 40 degrees Celsius and deliver normal yields with limited water. Our short duration varieties of chickpea and pigeon pea mature in 65–75 days and so can escape terminal drought — lack of water at later stages of growth. ISLAM'S GREEN INITIATIVE The UK-based the Alliance of Religions and Conservation (ARC), in working with the U.N., recently hosted 200 representatives from nine major world religions spanning over 60 different religious organizations. Baha'i, Buddhists, Christians, Hindus, Jews, Muslims, Shintoists, Taoists and Sikhs all gathered at London's Windsor Castle with a united environmental agenda. In an era of increasing religious divide, a once little thought of topic known as "the environment" was able to bring together ancient faith groups to discuss a modern solution. And with Islam at the forefront of today's news, Muslim leaders proved Islam's ability to adapt and meet new needs. Under the newfound coalition toward eco-commitment and a Muslim Seven Year Plan, Medina, Islam's second most important city after Mecca, is to serve as a model green city. This move is critical since Saudi Arabia is essentially, for better or worse, presently the pillar of the Arab nations. Medina, "The City of the Prophet", is a strategic start pointing that has the capacity to really launch a green campaign in neighboring territories. The Seven Year Plan was presented by the Sheikh Ali Goma'a, Egypt's Grand Mufti, who has already introduced the plan into his own city of Dar Al Iftaa. Some key initiatives of the Seven Year Plan include: * Develop and implement a "Green Hajj". With 2-3 million people visiting Mecca during Hajj alone, transforming the experience into an environmentally-friendly pilgrimage will reap immediate benefits. * Construct a "green mosque" and introduce this model for other Islamic buildings worldwide. * In the first phase, develop 2-3 green model cities;in the second phase, adapt ten other Muslim cities to implement the model. * Integrate eco-awareness into Islamic education. * Publish "green Qurans", printed on paper procured from sustainable wood. * Create a specialized TV channel focused on Islam and the environment. * Create award and prize systems for excellence in this field. The ultimate goal here, as with other faith groups, is to radically redefine faith-based relationships with the environment. While the "greenie" movement is still seen as a secular front by a number of conservative groups, the world's oldest religions with a following in the billions will be able to bring much needed attention and authority to an issue that has predated our recognition of it. Faith groups also realize the inherent relationship they have with the environment. Islam's Sufi Muslims have long been known to have a deep reverence for nature. However, despite regional shifts toward eco-awareness, ARC Secretary General Martin Palmer accurately points out the difficultly in Islamic groups face in changing what are essentially government policies. As Palmer states, essentially Muslims groups will be "saying to Islamic governments that this is how you should act Islamically." Palmer also astutely notes that implementing green changes are possible if they can be proven to be Islamic in nature. In anticipation of this obstacle, plans are in effect to functionally launce the Muslim Association for Climate Change Action (MACCA). OAA - U.S. Posts Third Coolest-Highest Precipitation for October on Record November 10, 2009 The October 2009 average temperature for the contiguous United States was the third coolest on record for that month according to NOAA's State of the Climate report issued today. Based on data going back to 1895, the monthly National Climatic Data Center analysis is part of the suite of climate services provided by NOAA. The average October temperature of 50.8 degrees F was 4.0 degrees F below the 20th Century average. Preliminary data also reveals this was the wettest October on record with average precipitation across the contiguous United States reaching 4.15 inches, 2.04 inches above the 1901-2000 average. U.S. Temperature Highlights October 2009 statewide temperature ranks. High resolution (Credit NOAA) * October 2009 was marked by an active weather pattern that reinforced unseasonably cold air behind a series of cold fronts. * Temperatures were below normal in all regions with the exception of the Southeast which had near normal temperatures for the month. * Oklahoma recorded its coldest October on record while the month ranked in the top five for Arkansas, Colorado, Iowa, Kansas, Minnesota, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, South Dakota, and Wyoming. * Florida was the only state to record an above normal temperature average in October. It was the sixth consecutive month that Florida's temperature was above normal. U.S. Precipitation Highlights October 2009 statewide precipitation ranks. High resolution (Credit NOAA) * The nationwide average precipitation of 4.15 inches nearly doubled the long-term average. This was the first month since December 2007 that no region in the United States recorded below normal precipitation. * Iowa, Arkansas, and Louisiana recorded their wettest October while only Florida, Utah, and Arizona had below normal precipitation. * Moderate-to-exceptional drought covered 12 percent of the contiguous United States, the second-smallest drought footprint of the decade, based on the U.S. Drought Monitor. Major drought episodes in California and South Texas improved significantly. Drought conditions, however, emerged across much of Arizona. * About 45 percent of the contiguous United States had moderately-to-extremely wet conditions at the end of October, according to the Palmer Index. This is the largest such footprint since February 2005 A WORLD Imperiled FORCES BEHIND FOREST LOSS As the first seven sections of this site have described, tropical rainforests are incredibly rich ecosystems that play a fundamental role in the basic functioning of the planet. Rainforests are home to probably 50 percent of the world's species, making them an extensive library of biological and genetic resources. In addition, rainforests help maintain the climate by regulating atmospheric gases and stabilizing rainfall, protect against desertification, and provide numerous other ecological functions. However, these precious systems are among the most threatened on the planet. Although the precise area is debated, each day at least 80,000 acres (32,300 ha) of forest disappear from Earth. At least another 80,000 acres (32,300 ha) of forest are degraded. Along with them, the planet loses as many as several hundred species to extinction, the vast majority of which have never been documented by science. As these forests fall, more carbon is added to the atmosphere, climactic conditions are further altered, and more topsoil is lost to erosion. Despite increased awareness of the importance of these forests, deforestation rates have not slowed. Analysis of figures from the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations (FAO) shows that tropical deforestation rates increased 8.5 percent from 2000-2005 when compared with the 1990s, while loss of primary forests may have expanded by 25 percent over the same period. Nigeria and Vietnam's rate of primary forest loss has doubled since the 1990s, while Peru's rate has tripled. Overall, FAO estimates that 10.4 million hectares of tropical forest were permanently destroyed each year in the period from 2000 to 2005, an increase since the 1990-2000 period, when around 10.16 million hectares of forest were lost. Among primary forests, annual deforestation rose to 6.26 million hectares from 5.41 million hectares in the same period. On a broader scale, FAO data shows that primary forests are being replaced by less biodiverse plantations and secondary forests. Due to a significant increase in plantation forests, forest cover has generally been expanding in North America, Europe, and China while diminishing in the tropics. Industrial logging, conversion for agriculture (commercial and subsistence), and forest fires—often purposely set by people—are responsible for the bulk of global deforestation today. Deforestation figures and charts * Tropical Deforestation Rates [sortable] * Primary Forest Deforestation Rates [sortable] * Deforestation Charts * Latest Deforestation News * Country by Country Deforestation Rates * Deforestation Pictures But enough about the extent and some of the effects of deforestation. What is responsible for this loss? This is the question this section addresses. Deforestation and Degradation Before expanding further on forest loss it is critical to first explain what is considered "forest" and what is meant by deforestation and forest degradation. Reycling Recycling is the process of re-using materials that would otherwise be discarded in landfill sites. Most local councils offer door-to-door collections of certain recyclable materials such as paper and glass. They also provide banks of containers in the community where you can deposit your recycling waste. This might include clothes, plastics and cardboard. Recycling can reduce greenhouse gas emissions by reducing the amount of mining/growing of raw materials, transportation of these materials and the energy that goes into these processes for the manufacture of new products. It also reduces the impact on the environment of refuse disposal in landfill sites. Reusing is even better than recycling, as no extra emissions are created. Recycling is an excellent example of a sustainable industry. Many of the mainstream products available today are made from recycled materials. Fleece jackets and other synthetic products are usually made from recycled plastic bottles and containers. Glass bottles can be made from recycled glass (usually from recycled glass bottles!). Parts for aeroplanes and cars can be made from recycled drink cans. Paper and cardboard can be made from recycled paper. Food waste can be turned into compost and waste from your toilet can be recycled as fertiliser and water to irrigate crops. It's all common sense really, but why waste perfectly good materials? The world could save a lot of money and greenhouse gas production in the future by adopting a stricter policy of recycling. It does not make sense to bury it underground, only to quarry and mine new materials elsewhere to make the same products. Used grease and cooking oils can be collected and turned into Biodiesel, a fuel for vehicles with diesel engines. Shoe soles can be made from recycled aeroplane tyres. But, the best type of recycling is Re-Using! If you can re-use a bottle or envelope yourself, the recycling process does not have to take place and even less greenhouse gas is produced. The Climate Conundrum Over Nuclear Energy by Richard Harris December 11, 2009 Listen to the Story Nuclear power poses a major conundrum. Nobody's thrilled about nuclear waste, people fear potential accidents, and proliferation of nuclear weapons is downright scary. On the other hand, nuclear plants generate lots of power and no carbon dioxide. And when people crunch the numbers to see how to phase out carbon dioxide emissions, they often come up with nuclear energy playing a major role. "Nuclear technology is something that's there, we know how to do it, there's no technical challenge in being able to apply it, unlike many of the other technologies," says Richard Meserve, president of the Carnegie Institution for Science. He used to chair the Nuclear Regulatory Commission, and he served on a recent National Academy of Sciences committee looking at the future of energy in America. For example, there's no proven technology to capture and store carbon dioxide from coal plants. So Meserve says the challenge in nuclear isn't technology, it's money. "These plants are very expensive at the front end. Wall Street lost a lot of money when we built our existing nuclear plants because of the long time to construct the plants in a period of very high interest rates." So even though there are now 26 applications pending for new reactors, most everyone seems to be too timid to take the financial plunge. The federal government is talking about loan guarantees and other incentives to help plants get over that hump. Some see that as a giveaway to the industry. Others see that as necessary to keep nuclear in the mix. Tom Terbush of the Electric Power Research Institute says his utility-funded group is agnostic about where power should come from. But when he looks at the deep carbon cuts being promised for the next decade or two, he too comes up with nuclear as part of the solution. "These are big, basic plants," Terbush says, and "yes, they take a few years to build. But we know how to build them. And once you build them, a typical generating unit can produce enough power for nearly a million homes, so it's a big chunk." Terbush says every option has its challenges. You would have to put up a thousand wind turbines, for example, to match the power output of a single nuclear plant. So his organization figures that nuclear needs to play a substantial role, along with every other technology that produces clean power. "If you're putting all your eggs in one or two or three baskets, even if you just put all your eggs in the nuclear basket, say, that probably wouldn't get you to where you need." Organic Farming May Help Meet Climate Goals Freshly picked, organically grown potatoes sit in a basket on an allotment in the village of Lane End, Buckinghamshire, southern England, June 23, 2007. LONDON - The conversion of all UK farmland to organic farming would achieve the equivalent carbon savings to taking nearly one million cars off the road, the Soil Association said on Thursday. Britain's largest organic certification body, issuing results of a research project, said on average organic farming produces 28 percent higher levels of soil carbon compared with non-organic farming in northern Europe. "The widespread adoption of organic farming practices in the UK would offset 23 percent of UK agricultural emissions through soil carbon sequestration alone, more than doubling the UK government's pathetically low target of a 6-11 percent reduction by 2020," the Soil Association said. "A worldwide switch to organic farming could offset 11 percent of all global greenhouse gas emissions," the organic group added. Professor of Soils and Global Change at Aberdeen University Pete Smith said organic farming had many practices which increased soil carbon. He said the main challenge, however, was whether a switch to organic farming would maintain the productivity of the land, adding it would be fairer to compare farming methods on a "per unit of product" basis. "If you accept there could be lower production, you may need to spread agriculture to other areas of land," he said. "Any benefit on carbon you get could be more than wiped out by plowing up land elsewhere. The difference between organic and conventional is not so striking when you look at it on a per unit of product basis," he said. USA Long-term policies needed With its enormous tracts of land and rich wind resources, the United States has outstanding potential to generate substantial amounts of megawatts from wind. According to a report recently published by the Department of Energy, the United States could realistically generate 20% of its electricity from wind by 2030—and some analysts believe that a higher penetration is possible. This scenario will only be realized, however, if the U.S. enacts long-term policies to promote renewable energy at both the federal and state level. Status at federal level The Production Tax Credit is of vital importance to the wind industry. In recent years, Congress has extended the PTC only one or two years at a time. In the past, when Congress failed to pass the PTC before it expired, a boom-and-bust cycle resulted. The PTC next expires in December 2008, and to avoid a momentum-killing bust, the industry needs an immediate extension. A long-term extension will provide the industry with the stability it needs to continue recent growth. A national renewable portfolio standard which requires utilities to meet a certain percentage of their electricity sales from renewables would also help drive the market. The long-term predictability of a national RPS will enable the industry to attract investment capital and achieve manufacturing economies of scale that will lower costs. Investment follows policy: the states that have already adopted an RPS are experiencing growing investment from the wind industry. Vestas applauds this commitment to renewable energy. Initiatives at state level Twenty-six states have already adopted an RPS in order to stimulate the market for renewable energy. Texas and California, which have both adopted Renewable Portfolio Standards, have the most wind power installed, with 3,352 MW and 2,376 MW respectively. A number of states across the U.S. are also implementing programmes focusing specifically on the climate issue. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative, for example, is an effort by Northeastern and Mid-Atlantic states to reduce CO2 emissions by implementing a multi-state cap and trade programme, i.e. a market-based emission trading system between these states. U.S. transmission system in urgent need of modernization In addition to adopting long-term incentives for renewables, the U.S. transmission system is in urgent need of modernization and expansion. Authorities at federal and state levels must make long-term improvements to the power grid, reforming the way the nation plans and pays for new transmission assets, and the way those assets are managed. "If we are to increase the pace at which wind power is expanding," says Vestas' CEO Ditlev Engel, "politicians must back their visions with action to improve the grid—and do so quickly." Challenges ahead, but grounds for optimism Despite the challenges that lie ahead, there are grounds for optimism. With energy security and climate change placed high on the U.S. political agenda, there is more focus on providing a stable regulatory framework for the renewable industry than ever before. The American people are calling for actions on critical energy issues. Wind energy is poised to be a big part of the solution. Environment Keeping ecosystems healthy makes economic sense and is vital to control climate change, says Commissioner Dimas EU Environment Commissioner Stavros Dimas will today underline the importance of valuing the benefits we derive from nature in order to protect them more effectively. Nature provides numerous services for free, like water regulation flood protection and carbon storage. Growing pressure on ecosystems around the world means that the provision of many of these services is now at risk. While technological solutions can replace some of them, this usually comes at a significant cost. Protecting and restoring biodiversity is therefore an essential step in the transition to a more sustainable economy, particularly because biodiversity will also play a vital role if we are to succeed in combating climate change. Commissioner Dimas will launch the findings in a key report by The Economics of Ecosystems and Biodiversity (TEEB) project, a major independent global study co-funded by the European Commission. Study leader Pavan Sukhdev will also present the TEEB for Policy Makers Report. Commissioner Dimas said: "The findings of this TEEB report are clear: the failure to protect nature is often a consequence of our failure to understand its value. We must learn to value nature to protect it more effectively. Too often, nature is considered as having little if any economic relevance, but the truth is it sustains and underpins our economies and societies, and can offer effective protection against climate change. We will not succeed in mitigating or adapting to climate change if we do not protect valuable ecosystems, and we will not manage to halt biodiversity loss if we fail to prevent dangerous levels of climate change." TEEB Study leader Pavan Sukhdev said: "The economic invisibility of ecosystems and biodiversity is a major reason for their alarming loss, despite their tremendous economic value to society. Our stock of natural assets, or natural capital, is as important as man-made assets or physical capital. Recognising and rewarding the value of benefits flowing to society from natural capital must become a policy priority." Nature – a cost-effective investment The report shows that investing in protecting ecosystems can be very cost-effective. Nature supports a wide range of economic sectors and expands our options for long-term economic growth. Nature's capacity to provide vital services such as fresh water and climate regulation is often cheaper than having to invest in technological solutions. Protected areas – the cornerstone of our conservation policies – are not only good for nature;they can also generate significant benefits. In Scotland, the public benefits of protecting the Natura 2000 network (the European network of protected areas) are estimated to be three times greater than its costs. Nature is also the most cost-effective way of mitigating and adapting to climate change. Despite mitigation efforts, risks of natural hazards are predicted to increase with climate change. Investments in healthy ecosystems will be important for protection against events such as floods and storms. They are even more attractive when the full range of services they provide is taken into account. The findings further underline the need for agreement in Copenhagen on financing action to reduce carbon dioxide (CO 2) emissions from deforestation and degradation in tropical countries (through a scheme known as REDD). Deforestation and forest degradation are responsible for around 20% of global CO 2 emissions – more than all forms of transport combined. The EU wants the Copenhagen agreement to set the goal of at least halving tropical deforestation from current levels by 2020 and halting global forest cover loss completely by 2030. The European Commission's proposal to scale up financing to developing countries to help fight climate change includes provisions to halt deforestation (see IP/09/1297 ). Challenges ahead The report highlights two main challenges for policy-makers. The first is to understand the values of our ecosystems, biodiversity and natural resources and integrate them into decision-making across all policy areas at all levels – local, national and global. The second is to respond efficiently and to tailor policy solutions to the needs of different economies and societies. Better understanding and measuring of biodiversity and eco-system values to support integrated policy assessments are a core part of the long-term solution. Background TEEB was launched by Germany and the European Commission in response to a proposal by the G8+5 Environment Ministers, meeting in Potsdam, Germany in 2007, for an independent global study on the economics of biodiversity loss. It is led by the United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) with financial support from the European Commission, Germany and the UK, joined more recently by Norway, the Netherlands and Sweden.