/ Global Warming

• Urbanization and the Climate Change Agenda

  As this year’s world-wide attention for the negotiations in Copenhagen can bear witness, what might be called a “climate change agenda” has now rapidly crept to the forefront of world politics. Prompted by an increasing international interest in green themes, mostly headed to the center stage of international relations by the more and more pro-active role of transnational advocacy groups as well as by a growth in the media and even entertainment industry attentions, this agenda now lingers in much contemporary diplomacy. The concerns and debates around environmental issues that now inform much of the priorities of the key international…

• The Impact of Climate Change on Water Supplies

  For centuries, food production — and thus social development — has depended heavily on access to the water needed to grow crops or rear livestock. Having enough water is only part of the issue, however: it must also be available when and where it is most needed. In the past few decades, the balance between water supplies and human need has come under increasing threat from growing populations, urbanisation and, most recently, climate change. One of the biggest impacts of the build-up of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere is expected to be a significant increase in rainfall variability and in…

• An Optimistic View on Tackling Climate Change

  Man-made climate change faces us with unprecedented challenges. A global warming of significantly more than 2°C might trigger irreversible tipping points in the Earth system and cause a transformation of global ecosystems with an uncertain outcome. Little scientific research has yet been conducted on the effects that such a change in the Earth system would have on a future global population of nine billion, the world economy and international security. Existing knowledge indicates, however, that in such a process of non-linear ecosystem change a considerable pressure to adjust would bear on the four foundations of any civilisation: the availability of…

• The Global Warming Scam Hit by More Scandal

  For the scientifically adept and honest people global warming is a huge embarrassment.  Not only have the main base perpetrators been caught but also the institutions that house their activities have gone deep into the coverup.  It’s just too much money to let integrity rule their actions.  The global warming scheme has tens of thousands of people employed even though that seemingly high cost is miniscule compared to the harm to billions of people the stage two schemes of corrective measures would force on the innocent.  A taxpaying family is out a few dollars each year now but the corrective…

• The Effects of Population Growth and Aging on Climate

  Changes in population growth and composition, including aging and urbanization, could significantly affect global emissions of carbon dioxide over the next 40 years. The research, appearing in Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS), was conducted by an international team of scientists from the National Center for Atmospheric Research (NCAR), the International Institute for Applied Systems Analysis (IIASA), and the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. By mid-century it is estimated that global population could rise by more than three billion people, with most of that increase occurring in urban areas. The study showed that a slowing of population growth,…

• UK Climate Minister Calls for Massive Energy Efficiency Push, Warms to Nuclear

  The UK’s forthcoming ‘Green Deal’ will create a quarter of a million jobs insulating homes, paid for by utilities in exchange for a share of the energy savings, according to the Secretary of State for Climate Change and Energy Chris Huhne. Speaking at his party’s annual conference on Monday, Liberal Democrat Huhne also softened his opposition to nuclear power – a long-held party shibboleth not shared by the Conservative party, the senior partner in Britain’s coalition government.   Huhne repeated the claim that the coalition government, which came to power in May, will be the UK’s “greenest government ever”. However, the…

• Carbon Particles Effect on Global Warming

  Black carbon particles from burning oil-based fuels and biomass, particularly in developing countries, are not only a health-hazard but may also contribute to global warming. The toxicity of carbon particles ("particulate") has been stressed in the designation of PM10 and PM2.5, which refers to particles of size of 10 and 2.5 microns (thousandths of a millimetre) or less. The smallest of these particles are breathed into the deep lung, and during conditions where the concentration of them is high, an enhanced incidence of heart attacks and breathing problems is found. It is thought that the presence of the particles triggers…

• UK Must Act Now to Adapt to Climate Change

  The UK has been urged to step up preparations for the impacts of climate change, as a report by an independent government adviser warns that little action has taken place. “The UK must start acting now to prepare for climate change. If we wait, it will be too late. It is not necessarily about spending more, but about spending smart and investing to save,” said John Krebs, chairman of the Adaptation Sub-Committee (ASC), which is part of the Climate Change Committee tasked with assessing the UK’s response to climate change. ASC today published its first national assessment of the UK’s…

• The Paradox Faced by Environmentalists

  The signs are all around. Many places in the world show degradation of the air, water, and soil. Species becoming extinct as natural habitats are being destroyed. The emissions of greenhouse gases that can alter the planet's climate are unacceptable. All the environmental issues put together amount to a very serious threat to human welfare. Yet at the same time, all accepted measures of well-being show that, on average, quality of life is improving around the globe. How does an environmentalist call society into action under such conditions? A team of researchers examine this issue of the "environmentalist's paradox" in…

• Dry Water to Join the Fight Against Global Warming

  Dry water was discovered in 1968 and got attention for its potential use in cosmetics. Scientists at the University of Hull, U.K. rediscovered it in 2006 in order to study its structure.  Ben Carter, Ph.D., researcher for study leader Professor Andrew Cooper and his group at the University of Liverpool has since expanded its range of potential applications. Powdered material called "dry water" could provide a new way to store carbon dioxide in an effort to fight global warming. Click image for the largest view.Carter explains that the substance became known as “dry water” because it consists of 95 percent…