Super Storms

( Tomdispatch.com ) – It may seem hard to believe, but only 15 years ago many of us were talking confidently about “peak oil” — the moment of maximum global oil output after which, with world reserves dwindling, its use would begin an irreversible decline. Then along came hydraulic fracturing, or fracking, and the very […]

Climate Crisis

Climate Emergency Hits Europe with Massive Heat Wave, 1 year after Unprecedented Flooding

Julian Wettengel

( Clean Energy Wire ) – Germany must better prepare for the impacts of climate change, environment minister Steffi Lemke said, as a heat wave is sweeping across Europe exactly one year after deadly floods killed hundreds of people in Germany and neighbouring countries. The head of the Federal Office for Civil Protection (BBK), Ralph […]

Climate Crisis

In 13 Years, Gasoline will be as Illegal in Europe as Heroin for New Car Buyers

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Les Echos reports that after a marathon 16-hour negotiating session, the 27 European Union countries agreed to issue five new laws aimed reducing carbon dioxide emissions by 55% compared to 1990 levels by 2030 and at reaching carbon neutrality by 2050. Frans Timmermans, the chief EU Climate official, noted that […]

Climate Crisis

Petition to Phase Out Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Pollution to Restore a Stable and Healthy Climate – James E. Hansen, Donn Viviani, et al.

contributors

Via Climate Restoration and Restoration Initiative BEFORE THE ENVIRONMENTAL PROTECTION AGENCY Petition to Phase Out Greenhouse Gas (GHG) Pollution to Restore a Stable and Healthy Climate TO Michael S Regan, Administrator U.S. Environmental Protection Agency 1200 Pennsylvania Avenue, N.W. Washington, D.C. 20460 Regan.Michael@epa.gov Submitted on Behalf of Petitioners Donn J. Viviani, John Birks, Richard Heede, […]

Climate Crisis

Greenwashing: how Ads get you to think Brands are greener than they are – and how to avoid falling for it

The Conversation

By Morteza Abolhasani, The Open University; Gordon Liu, The Open University; and Zahra Golrokhi, The Open University | – Ads are ubiquitous in many people’s lives, whether on billboards across our cities or on our phones as we’re tracked across the internet. That’s a huge amount of power and influence. For example, ads which appeal […]

Climate Crisis

This Week’s Climate Disasters in the US are Giving us a Glimpse of our Future if we don’t Stop CO2

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – We’re only midweek, but we have already seen serial disasters across the United States that have been exacerbated by the climate emergency, caused by human beings burning coal, methane gas and petroleum. So writes Mihai Andrei at ZME Science. I put it to you that this first paragraph at the […]

Climate Crisis

European Parliament bans New Gasoline Cars in 13 Years for 449 Million People, to fight Climate Emergency and Russia

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Margaux Otter at L’Obs reports that on Wednesday, the European Parliament voted to ban the sale of new internal combustion engine (ICE) automobiles by 2035, only thirteen years from now. It is an epochal vote that aims at completely re-configuring the automobile industry in the 27-member European Union, with its […]

Batteries

It is now Cheaper to Switch from Coal directly to Wind and Solar than to Natural Gas

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Matthew Gray at Transition Zero writes that it is now cheaper in North America and Europe to switch from coal plants directly to wind, solar, battery renewable energy sources than it is to switch to methane (“natural”) gas. TZ figures transition costs in expenditure of carbon dioxide, and finds that […]

Climate Crisis

The last Time our Atmosphere had 421 ppm of Carbon Dioxide, Florida was under Water and Giant Camels and Rhinoceri roamed Indiana

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced on Friday that in May, carbon dioxide peaked at 421 parts per million, a level not seen since the Pliocene Climatic Optimum between 4.1 and 4.5 million years ago. Human civilization developed during a long period when carbon dioxide was between 270 […]