Climate Change

G20 conclude “Climate Change Summit:” Obama Pressures Australia as PM presents lonely defense of Coal

By Michelle Grattan, University of Canberra, (The Conversation) G20 nations have supported “strong and effective” action on climate change – but included some equivocal wording on the timing for issuing post-2020 targets and on the Green Climate Fund to accommodate differences among them. The communique issued by the leaders today said that consistent with the […]

Afghanistan

Climate Change: Afghanistan on Front Line (& You Thought the Taliban were Bad)

contributors

By Joe Dyke (IRIN) MAZAR-I-SHARIF, November 2014 (IRIN) – In northern Afghanistan, the residents don’t often use the phrase – most don’t even know it. But as they describe how increasingly extreme weather patterns are making their lives harder every year, they map out many of the symptoms of climate change. As a new UN […]

Climate Change

Mr. 2%: Tony Blair’s Secret Oil Contract with Saudis Revealed

contributors

TheLipTV: “Tony Blair’s secret contract with a Saudi oil company has been revealed as details have emerged that the ex-Prime Minister received £41,000 a month and two percent commission on any successful deals that he helped broker. Tony Blair Associates (TBA) signed the contract with PetroSaudi to help find them new sources of investment and […]

Climate Change

A Day Late & a Dollar Short: Obama & China agree on Languid Climate Goals

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole The good news is that US President Barack Obama and Chinese President Xi Jinping have reached an agreement on limiting carbon emissions in their two countries. The US puts out 5.5 billion metric tons of carbon dioxide a year, and China does 7 – 9 billion. The US did 5 billion metric […]

Climate Change

Sea Rise not Distant: Americans on Coast could see 200 Floods a Year before Mortgage paid Off

contributors

Union of Concerned Scientists: “As sea level rises higher over the next 15 to 30 years, tidal flooding is expected to occur more often, cause more disruption, and even render some areas unusable — all within the time frame of a typical home mortgage. Learn more at http://www.ucsusa.org/encroachingtides ” Union of Concerned Scientists: “Tidal Flooding […]

Climate Change

If Germany Drops Coal, can the Industry Survive?

contributors

By Jake Richardson Germany is looking into cutting its use of coal power, at the same time that it is cutting out nuclear. If it does, there could be a ripple effect because Germany is a major player in the European energy market. A Berlin-based journalist said that Germany’s emphasis on renewables is already impacting […]

Climate Change

Can Big Oil “win ugly” in its “Endless War” on Climate Activists?

contributors

by Stephen Leahy (IPS) Greenhouse gas emissions from human activity are higher than ever, and we’re seeing more and more extreme weather and climate events….We can’t prevent a large scale disaster if we don’t heed this kind of hard science.” Question: Is that statement about the latest Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report from […]

Climate Change

The Pentagon wants to Surrender to Climate Change, not Fight It

contributors

By Eric Bonds via Foreign Policy in Focus The Pentagon recently released a new report sounding the alarm on the national security threats posed by climate change. Like previous reports on the subject, this one makes clear that Department of Defense (DoD) planners believe that global warming will seriously challenge our nation’s military forces. The […]

Climate Change

Why Can Europe have Climate Targets but not the US? Corruption

Juan Cole

By Juan Cole The European Union climate summit has agreed to cut emissions by 40% by 2030, after hard bargaining by Poland and the UK failed to derail an agreement. The 28 nations of the EU also agreed to improve energy efficiency by 27% over the next decade and a half, and to ensure a […]