Another Week of GW News, September 20, 2009

My first novel Water was published in Canada May, 2007. The American release was in October. An Introductionto the novel is available, along with the Unpublished Forewordand the Launch Talk. An overview of my writing is available here.

-het

P.S. Recent postings can be found in the week archive and the ancient postings can be accessed here, which should open to this.

"As we go from this happy hydrocarbon bubble we have reached now to a renewable energy resource economy, which we do this century, will the 'civil' part of civilization survive? As we both know there is no way that alternative energy sources can supply the amount of per capita energy we enjoy now, much less for the 9 billion expected by 2050. And energy is what keeps this game going. We are involved in a Faustian bargain -- selling our economic souls for the luxurious life of the moment, but sooner or later the price has to be paid." -Walter Youngquist

Another Week of GW News, September 20, 2009

Sipping from the internet firehose...

Another week of Climate Disruption News

September 20, 2009

Equinox is coming up this week:

Speculation about the upcoming Copenhagen conference is building:

A series of meetings: Major Emitters Forum, the UN and G20 is being called 'Climate Week':

There were reports last week of US-EU differences over climate policy:

The issue of carbon tariffs / border taxes remains hot:

The subsidies, tax breaks and rebates afforded fossil fuels in the USA have come in for examination:

The UN Convention to Combat Desertification conference opens Monday in Buenos Aires:

And the FAO has a couple of meetings upcoming as well:

The Arctic melt continues to garner a lot of attention:

That Damoclean sword still hangs overhead:

As for the geopolitics of Arctic resources:

While in Antarctica:

And on the Bottom Line:

The World Bank promulgates contradictory policies:

More on the solar cycle:

Paywalled simultaneous editorials in the Lancet and BMJ warn of GW engendered health risks:

Rob Grumbine continues his gentle education series:

The food crisis is ongoing:

And how are we going to feed 9 billion?

In the Pacific, Choi-Wan. Marty & Koppu blew around, while Fred faded in the Atlantic:

While elsewhere in the hurricane wars:

As for GHGs:

The US, Canada and Mexico moved to deal with HFCs this week:

As for the temperature record:

Aerosols are making their presence felt:

The hazards of UV due to ozone depletion are rising:

While in the paleoclimate:

While on the ENSO front:

Glaciers are melting:

Sea levels are rising:

As for the THC:

Meanwhile in near earth orbit:

More GW impacts are being seen:

And then there are the world's forests:

Climate refugees are becoming an issue:

As for heatwaves and wild fires:

And speaking of hydrological cycle disruptions [floods & droughts]:

Elsewhere on the mitigation front:

Consider transportation & GHG production:

While in the endless quest for zero energy, sustainable buildings and practical codes:

And on the carbon sequestration front:

Large scale geo-engineering keeps popping up:

Meanwhile in the journals:

And other significant documents:

Before we get into politics, there was some science done:

Lovelock profile:

Hansen again:

Borlaug homage:

Meanwhile at the UN:

And on the carbon trading front:

The idea of a carbon tax is still bouncing around:

The debate over the optimal strategy [carbon trading, carbon offsets, auction vs. allocation, and/or a carbon tax] to use in dealing with GHGs continues:

The issue of the law and activism is playing out around the world as nations scramble to deal with climate change:

And on the American political front:

California politics is as convoluted as ever:

A Treasury memo got played up by the deny & delay crowd:

The Obama chatter is nonstop:

The actions of the Obama administration are being watched closely:

The Obama administration is ramping up fuel efficiency standards:

As for what is going on in Congress:

So was this a trial balloon, discouragement, engendering creative ambiguity or what?

A bill aimed at removing the exemptions from liability caused by hydraulic fracturing has been introduced:

Wrangling over the Senate version of Waxman-Markey continues:

What are the lobbyists pushing?

While in the UK:

And in Europe:

Meanwhile in Australia:

Brendan Nelson is happily skewering his own integrity:

And in New Zealand:

While in India:

And China:

While in Japan:

And elsewhere in Asia:

In Africa:

And South America:

In Canada, minority neocon PM Harper, continues his do-nothing policy: