A round-up of the top climate and energy news.
Britain is burning more now than at any time since 2006, despite official promises to move to greener fuels. [The Sun]
Imports are up 20 per cent to 18 million tons this year — with coal responsible for generating 42 per cent of all UK electricity, the Department of Energy says.
Gina Rinehart, the multi-billionaire iron ore magnate, is on the verge of becoming its newest media mogul. Ms Rinehart appears to want “to make the papers into a propaganda platform for mining companies and climate change deniers”, said David Marr, one of the Herald’s most respected writers. [The Independent]
An historic heat wave that has helped create tinderbox conditions in Colorado and other Western states is moving east, with record-breaking temperatures expected in at least 13 states Thursday, from Oklahoma to Ohio. [Climate Central]
A Colorado-based solar panel maker that received a $400 million loan guarantee from the Obama administration said Thursday it will file for bankruptcy, the latest setback for an industry battered by the recession and stiff competition from companies in China. [Associated Press]
If the climate were neither warming nor cooling, one would expect that on average, low-temperature records would be broken as often as high-temperature ones. In the last decade, high-temperature records have outnumbered low-temperature records by a ratio of 2 to 1. [New York Times]
The government needs to multiply investment in clean energy four-fold to avoid breaking laws on renewables and climate change, official advisers say. [BBC]
European cities are planning to adapt to climate change as the risks become more severe, a report by UK-based emissions measurement organization the Carbon Disclosure Project (CDP) and consultancy Accenture showed on Thursday. [Reuters]
Previous in TP Climate Progress
Language Intelligence: Lessons on persuasion from Jesus, Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Lady Gaga
David Cameron: this is the greenest government ever
Prime minister tells leaders at a world energy summit that the UK government has achieved its aim http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/apr/26/david-cameron-greenest-government-ever
Impressive achivements!
“British politicians often portray themselves as leaders in reversing climate change. Under Kyoto standards, the country was supposed to reduce its footprint by 12.5 percent, but London claims to have surpassed that target, cutting 14 percent in total. But looking at consumption-based emissions reveals Britain’s carbon footprint was actually 20 percent higher in 2010 than in 1990.”
Cameron heads the most extreme Rightwing regime, so far, in UK history. He specialises in taking money from disabled children, making the unemployed work for nothing and cutting taxes on the wealthy. Sounds familiar? He is an ex-PR hack, ie is trained in various manifestations of the Big Lie technique, so beloved of the Right. Still, he is marked for removal, the still poisonous Murdoch apparat being bent on vengeance for Cameron not stone-walling over MSM criminality, as expected of loyal servants. The even more grotesque Michael Gove is penciled in to replace Cameron, soon, as Murdoch’s boy, the primus inter stooges, and Levenson will be swiftly consigned to the ‘memory-hole’.
Other energy and climate headlines for June 29 are posted at http://www.marcaccicomms.com/news/energy-and-environment-news-roundup-6-29-12/
First Murdoch, now Rinehart. I don’t know how
either can stand to look in the mirror, even if they weren’t so ugly.
Vampires can’t see their reflection in a mirror.
The Rinehart story is terrifying.
It is a long way from over but is shaping up to be one hellava stoush. In the meantime, the govt has quietly proceeded with the implementation of the carbon legislation which comes into force tomorrow – no wonder the little nasties are screaming, ME
A very wide mirror.
Yesterday in parts of the UK, including my vicinity, we had the heaviest rain I can remember for many a year. Some pictures below (I live near Penkridge)
http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/gallery/2012/jun/29/flash-floods-uk-in-pictures
Cost offire
http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-video/colorado-fires-costing-a-million-dollars-a-day/6638636001
Terrific article by Michael Tobis over at Planet3.0: A Thousand Bastrops discusses the collision of mighty forces producing larger and more expensive wildfires.
Would make a sweet guest post here.
The true picture of emissions… it is morally repugnant that the west is basically ignoring its responsibility to curb GHG emissions with what we know about GW.
http://www.latitudenews.com/story/america-and-the-wests-dirty-little-secret/
British politicians often portray themselves as leaders in reversing climate change. Under Kyoto standards, the country was supposed to reduce its footprint by 12.5 percent, but London claims to have surpassed that target, cutting 14 percent in total. But looking at consumption-based emissions reveals Britain’s carbon footprint was actually 20 percent higher in 2010 than in 1990.
Speaking of Britain:
In North Tyneside, residents were evacuated by boat as the region was hit by thunderstorms. Twice the average rainfall for the entire month of June fell in less than four hours, with almost four inches in three hours alone. Some 50 properties were abandoned in West Monkseaton, where authorities were concerned about the floods’ lasting impact.
“The system just couldn’t cope, I’ve never seen that amount of rainfall in my life,” said local councillor Bill Caithness. “It’s been pretty horrific for a lot of people: people have had a nightmare experience.”
Giant hailstones, terrible floods, homes evacuated. Was all of this caused by the ‘Spanish plume’
Only the beginning. When the mental barriers, the denial of disaster, break…look out!