Climate Change Odds Much Worse Than Thought

Climate Change Odds Much Worse Than Thought

The Hindu : Opinion / News Analysis : Refugees join list of climate-change issues

The Hindu : Opinion / News Analysis : Refugees join list of climate-change issues

Global carbon emissions to increase 40 percent by 2030

Global carbon emissions to increase 40 percent by 2030

The Hindu : Sci Tech : Climate change biggest threat to health

The Hindu : Sci Tech : Climate change biggest threat to health

Global temperatures to rise 9 degrees by 2100

Global Temperatures to Rise 9 Degrees by 2100, New Study Says May 26, 2009 · Print This Article As if the warnings about global warming weren’t already sobering enough, a new report indicates that it will actually be twice as severe as previously thought. The research, conducted by MIT and published in the Journal of Climate, predicts a 90% probability that that worldwide surface temperatures will rise 9 degrees by the year 2100, compared to the previous MIT study that predicted a rise of just over 4 degrees. From USA Today: The projections in the MIT study were done using 400 applications of a computer model, which MIT says is the most comprehensive and sophisticated climate model to date. The model looks at the effects of economic activity as well as the effects of atmospheric, oceanic and biological systems. The improved economic modeling and newer economic data (which gives a lower chance of reduced emissions) are among the major changes from the 2003 model application. Unless greenhouse gas emissions are reduced, “there is significantly more risk than we previously estimated,” says study co-author Ronald Prinn of MIT. “There’s no way the world can or should take these risks.” “The results appear to be credible and quantify a certain unease many scientists have on the real magnitude of the climate problem ahead of us, one that is not adequately appreciated by most politicians,” writes Kevin Trenberth, a senior scientist at the National Center for Atmospheric Research and an IPCC lead author, in an e-mail. Holy crap. A nine degree rise in global temperatures within less than one century would have a cataclysmic impact on the world. Life as we know it would certainly be over. Interesting how the more complex the methods of assessing climate change risk, the scarier the news, isn’t it? Link [USA Today] Photo credit: azrainman

Do bio fuels really reduce greenhouse gas emissions?

Do Biofuels Really Reduce Greenhouse Gas Emissions?

Biofuels & Greenhouse Gas Emissions

Biofuel is any fuel that is derived from biomass - recently living organisms or their metabolic byproducts, such as manure from cows. It is a renewable energy source, unlike other natural resources such as petroleum, coal, and nuclear fuels. Agricultural products specifically grown for use as biofuels include corn and soybeans, primarily in the United States; as well as flaxseed and rapeseed, primarily in Europe; sugar cane in Brazil and palm oil in South-East Asia. Biodegradable outputs from industry, agriculture, forestry, and households can also be used to produce bioenergy; examples include straw, timber, manure, rice husks, sewage, biodegradable waste, and food leftovers. These feedstocks are converted into biogas through anaerobic digestion. Biomass used as fuel often consists of underutilized types, like chaff and animal waste. The idea of using biofuels from renewable sources is attractive as biofuels could help reduce greenhouse gas emissions and our dependency on fossil fuels. However, a new study, which looked at the full life cycle of biofuels, shows that, depending on the type and source of biofuel, the benefits and environmental impacts can vary considerably. The results highlight differences that could help inform policymakers considering tax-breaks for renewable fuels. Biofuels are currently the most important form of renewable energy in road transportation, but the debate over their environmental impact is ongoing. Some argue that when cultivation, including deforestation and soil acidification, is taken into account, biofuels consume more energy than they produce. Today, biofuels provide about 1% of global transport fuel. Already, they are causing serious harm to the climate, to communities, food sovereignty and food security and to biodiversity. Most biofuels are agrofuels – made from crops and trees grown specifically for that purpose, such as sugar cane, palm oil, soya, jatropha or maize. Agrofuel expansion means more intensive agriculture and thus more agro-chemicals (including synthetic fertilizers). It also means more destruction of natural ecosystems, which play a vital role in regulating the climate, and the displacement of millions of small farmers, pastoralists and indigenous peoples. This report takes a look at whether biofuels are causing global warming or not. The report analyzes the greenhouse gas emissions from biofuels, and what the impact of this will be on the global energy market.

Visit www.energybusinessreports.com for more details.

Power Plants: Artificial Trees That Harvest Sun and Wind to Generate Electricity: Scientific American

Power Plants: Artificial Trees That Harvest Sun and Wind to Generate Electricity: Scientific American

Land in Juneau Rising as Alaska Glaciers Melt | EarthFirst.com

Land in Juneau Rising as Alaska Glaciers Melt | EarthFirst.com

Climate Change Could Displace Millions In Asia's Coral Triangle

Climate Change Could Displace Millions In Asia's Coral Triangle

Climate Change Impacts Revealed: Disease in Peru: Scientific American

Climate Change Impacts Revealed: Disease in Peru: Scientific American

Global recession could worsen global warming : In.com : Read - USA TODAY

Global recession could worsen global warming : In.com : Read - USA TODAY