Small increases in temperature may have reduced the industrial and agricultural production of poor countries, according to a study by US economists. [Guardian]
Higher temperatures may also have contributed to political instability in these countries — defined as those with below-median per capita income, adjusted for the purchasing power of the country’s currency — according to the study published in the American Economic Journal: Macroeconomics last month. In contrast, rich countries have so far shown no measurable economic or political consequences resulting from temperature change.
“Temperature fluctuations can have large negative impacts on poor countries,” said Benjamin Olken, an economics professor at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology, and one of the authors of the study.
According to the Climate Prediction Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, El Niño conditions are likely to develop over the Pacific in August or September, which should affect global weather before the end of the year. This may drive food prices up further if it causes floods or further drought. [New Scientist]
Senior Whitehall officials from 10 government departments and agencies attended exclusive “training courses” laid on by Shell over two days at its London headquarters, according to documents released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) following a freedom of information request. [Guardian]
Regional railroad operator RailAmerica told Port of Grays Harbor commissioners Tuesday that it is shelving current plans to build a coal storage and export facility at the port’s Terminal 3 in Hoquiam. [Seattle Times]
Rainstorms that pounded the Midwest Thursday provided relief to farmers hit hard by the worst drought in 56 years, but agriculture experts say it wasn’t enough to mitigate the lasting devastation to corn and soybean crops this summer. [Christian Science Monitor]
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Language Intelligence: Lessons on persuasion from Jesus, Shakespeare, Lincoln, and Lady Gaga
An additional roundup of energy and climate headlines is available at http://www.marcaccicomms.com/news/energy-and-environment-news-roundup-8-20-12/
In my mailbox from Brad Johnson, Forecast the Facts:
Tell Your Meteorologist Why You Want to Hear About Climate Change
(the truth by not lying by omission.)
As the weather grows more extreme, TV audiences nationwide are looking out their window, wondering what’s going on. We need weathercasters to draw the connection between climate change and extreme weather events. This week, TV meteorologists will gather in Boston for the AMS’ Conference on Broadcast Meteorology. This presents us with a great opportunity to let broadcast meteorologists know: their viewers depend on them for information about climate change.
Please contribute a comment about why you care about climate change — whether it’s because of your children’s future, a climate disaster that has affected your family, your concern for farmers hit by drought, or anything else.
http://act.engagementlab.org/sign/climate_AMS_broadmetcomments/
Good to hear of the rain in the MidWest. Now hope it isn’t like here in the Land of Oz, where we went from infernal drought to diluvian flooding, rather quickly.