Home/Posts Tagged ‘emissions’
Posts Tagged ‘emissions’
Climate Change, Jul 19th, 2012,
Though China has been the largest aggregate emitter of CO2 in the world since 2006, the argument has always been that they emit far less per person than developed countries. Well that argument has now expired with the news that China’s per capita CO2 in 2011 was more or less equal to the European average. The main difference is that China has only recently become a big emitter (both in terms of total and per capita emissions) whereas Europe and the rest of the developed world have been emitting for ages and in a big way. This is according to…
Tags: China, co2, emissions, per-capita
Climate Change, Feb 7th, 2012,
Though the economic recession caused UK greenhouse gas emissions to fall in 2009 (8.7% from 2008 levels), in 2010 they climbed back up by 3.1%, according to a new government report. This is the first rise in emissions since 2003 and can be attributed to the unusually cold winter of 2010. Power generation used more fossil fuels during the year. An article in the Guardian associates the rise in emissions with the economic recovery after the recession (has there been an ‘after the recession?’) though it also states that industries such as business, agriculture and transport, stayed ‘static’. The big…
Tags: 2010, emissions, fossil fuels, greenhouse gas, nuclear power, UK
Climate Change, Politics, Dec 12th, 2011,
A last minute deal at COP17, the UN Climate Change Conference in Durban, South Africa, managed to secure a legally binding global treaty, even amongst those most reluctant to sign on: big polluters the US, China and India. But what does the deal entail and is it really any good? First of all, the treaty is to be signed in 2015 and enforced in 2020 – too little too late according to environmentalists and most climate scientists. But what the hell do they know? The climate ‘road map’ was the brainchild and goal of the European Union, who desperately tried…
Tags: China, climate, COP17, deal, Durban, emissions, environmentalists, India, reactions, scientists, South Africa, US
Climate Change, Politics, Nov 30th, 2011,
COP 17 updates, anyone? Anyone care about the future of the climate, planet Earth or its human and non-human inhabitants? No? Well neither do your leaders, apparently. Wo what are they doing there, anyway? One aspect of the climate summit in Durban, South Africa seems to be various large polluting countries balking at committing to reduce emissions unless every other country does. This effectively means that none of them really want to. Not enough to take a stand. Make no mistake: the rule of the day is economic self-interest. Brazil, China, India are not considered industrialized nations and want exemption…
Tags: China, climate, cop 17, Durban, emissions, EU, global, japan, kyoto, REDD, Russia, treaty
Conservation, Videos & Documentaries, Wildlife & Flora, Nov 22nd, 2011,
Poaching in Kenya’s forests, fuelled by increased demand for ivory in China, is threatening the East African nation’s elephant population. Alternative sources of income, gleaned from carbon offset schemes (emissions trading) and forest preservation could be the answer to not only providing economic incentives for sustainable forestry and elephant conservation, but could also save millions of tons of CO2 in the process. Details on the project from Deutsche Welle: Project Goal: Forest protection Scale: 200,000 hectares of forest Investment: Trading in emission certificates is set to yield $7.4 million Time frame: 30 years CO2 Savings: 1.2 million tons per year See…
Tags: elephants, emissions, forests, Kenya
Climate Change, Politics, Nov 7th, 2011,
A recent BBC News article concerning the upcoming climate change summit in Durban, South Africa, which takes place at the end of the month, includes a carbon emissions chart according to countries or political/geographic areas. The article, by Richard Black, outlines the major conflicts and cleavages between various individual and groups of countries. The large rapidly industrializing BASIC group of Brazil, South Africa, India and China form one bloc with the position that they should be allowed to develop and emit, as they do not have anything near the cumulative, historic emissions of the US and Europe. The US, Japan,…
Tags: China, co2, countries, emissions, EU, US
Climate Change, Politics, Jul 5th, 2011,
In 1991 American industrialist Warren Buffet stated that in over 100 years of human flight, investors had never made any money from the airline industry. So if flying is a net loss industry, which has historically relied on government subsidies, why is it at the same times taxed so heavily? Conversely, if flying is such a money-loser as well as a huge climate change driver, why is it so heavily subsidized? I’m guessing it has something to due with lobbying by other groups within the tourism industry, including the governments of popular destinations and of course the airlines themselves. Such…
Tags: airlines, carbon, co2, emissions, EU, flying, tax, trading scheme
Climate Change, Pollution, Wildlife & Flora, Jun 21st, 2011,
“Shocking”, “unprecedented”, “catastrophic” – some of the words being used to describe the state of the Earth’s oceans and where things are headed, in light of a new study by Ipso, the International Programme on the State of the Ocean. Factors such as overfishing, massive agricultural and chemical pollution, warming temperatures and acidification due climate change are combining to cause mass extinction in the Earth’s oceans. Marine scientists believe these factors are working in tandem to create conditions seen in previous mass extinctions. From the Guardian: In recent years, human effects on the oceans have increased significantly. Overfishing has cut…
Tags: agricultural pollution, emissions, extinction, ipso, ocean acidification, oceans, overfishing, plastic, report, study
Climate Change, Politics, May 31st, 2011,
Climate change is back in the news and on the global political agenda. Sort of. It isn’t trumping nuclear power, but these two issues are related. Germany is planning to phase out its nuclear plants and ramp up its already strong renewable energy sector, though this has much more to do with the disaster in Fukushima than with climate change. Across the Atlantic, however, German support is crucial to a fund that seeks to preserve Ecuadoran rainforest land rather than exploiting the area for oil and pushing off indigenous peoples. From Deutsche Welle: Chief negotiator Yvonne Baki and a delegation…
Tags: australia, carbon tax, Climate change, Ecuador, emissions, Germany, nuclear
Climate Change, Pollution, Feb 24th, 2011,
A new UN report concentrates on the warming effects of black carbon (soot) and ground-level ozone like methane. Both are considered “short-lived climate forcers”, which have more immediate effects on temperatures than CO2. Therefore limiting their production would also have a more immediate impact on the climate. In the past this strategy has been largely ignored in favor of plans to limit CO2 emissions, which have so far proved ineffective and lack the immediacy of results that can be so problematic in terms of politics and public opinion. The Guardian reports: Soot is a particular problem because when it falls…
Tags: black carbon, co2, emissions, ground-level ozone, Health, methane, UN, warming
Climate Change, Pollution, Science & Technology, Feb 22nd, 2011,
More and more goods are being shipped from China to Europe in an unstoppable relationship based on cheap production and ever-increasing consumption. This means more energy and greenhouse gas emissions. But freight companies are also developing and implementing ways to become more energy efficient and lower their emissions. Danish shipping giant Maersk has ordered 10 new mega ships (with an option for 20 more) to be used between China and Europe. These floating blocks of skyscrapers can carry 20% more than the largest freighters currently at sea and are too big to be used at ports in the Americas. Ocean…
Tags: China, emissions, Europe, freight, Gottard, Maersk, ocean, rail, shipping, trains, trucks, tunnel
Green living, Politics, Sep 22nd, 2010,
European Mobility Week ends today and how many of us have even heard of it? I only did by the time it was more than half way over. Shame on me. The week is dedicated to promoting ‘eco-friendly ways of traveling’, according to a European Parliament press release. Members of European Parliament (MEPs) are using the opportunity to advocate walking, cycling, using public transport and electric bikes when powered by renewable sources, as well as highlighting the amount of global greenhouse gas emissions which come from transport (80%). The slogan for European Mobility Week is ‘travel smarter, live better’, a…
Tags: emissions, European, gas, greenhouse, MEP, mobility, parliament, transport, week
Climate Change, Science & Technology, Sep 16th, 2010,
Future fossil fuel infrastructure set to be built between now and 2060 will have the strongest effect on climate change, according to a report in the journal Science. The global demand for energy is quickly rising, while political agreements and regulations to curb the resultant rise in greenhouse gas emissions have so far failed. A new study from scientists in the US and Canada has calculated that most of the ‘key’ impacts of climate change could be avoided if no further CO2 power plants were built and that the real risks come from fossil fuel-based energy infrastructure which has yet…
Tags: China, Climate change, co2, coal, emissions, energy, fossil fuel, future, greenhouse gas, infrastucture, science
Climate Change, Politics, Sep 4th, 2010,
The UK’s chief environmental scientist has stated that Britain’s greenhouse gas emissions have actually increased in the last 20 years due to ‘hidden’ emissions in imported goods. Since last year, China has been labeled the number one emitter of greenhouse gases, though it is the West that fuels much of China’s emissions by importing so much from the rapidly developing Asian super power. From a report in the Guardian: Speaking in a documentary to be broadcast on BBC Radio 4 next week, Professor Bob Watson said there was a need to be more open about the rises in emissions generated…
Tags: biofuels, carbon, China, emissions, gasses, greenhouse, shipping, UK
Climate Change, Politics, Aug 4th, 2010,
You might think you can do a better job than the UK government at cutting CO2, becoming more energy efficient and deciding how Britain should move towards a low carbon economy. Well the UK’s Department of Energy and Climate Change let’s you try it out – in a computer simulation, of course. The Independent’s environment editor loves it, as he explains in a recent article: Doing it yourself gives an unusual and vivid insight into the difficulties faced by real policymakers in grappling with our energy future. The software tool that makes it possible is called the 2050 Pathways Calculator…
Tags: Britain, carbon, Climate change, cuts, DECC, Department, emissions, energy, environmental, government, Green, Guardian, Independent, McCarthy, policy, power, schemes, UK, wind
Climate Change, Green living, Aug 2nd, 2010,
As an alternative to cutting meat consumption in order to reduce greenhouse gas emissions, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) is considering the promotion of insects as a food source. The idea comes from a UN policy paper by a Belgian scientist at the University of Wageningen named Arnold Van Huis, who points out that most of the world already eats insects. In meat-rich Western diets – which are growing throughout the rest of the world and thereby causing emissions to increase – eating insects is somewhat taboo, but eating shrimp, which are very similar to insects, is considered…
Tags: beetle, citrus, emissions, farming, food, gas, greenhouse, insects, livestock, longhorn, meat, shrubs, trees, UK, UN, Van Huis
Climate Change, Politics, ,
Since the environment and appearing to be green are increasingly in vogue, yet consumerism is more rampant than ever, a curious corporate, consumer and governmental culture is emerging. It’s the culture of ‘lets not and say we did’. For example, let’s go on about cutting emissions, but then expand offshore drilling. Or let’s make our corporate logo a green flower and then have the worst environmental safety standards among all large oil companies. Let’s call ourselves the greenest government ever and then cut environmental programs. Let’s fight climate change by moving manufacturing to the developing world where emissions are less…
Tags: bonfire, BP, China, consumerism, corporate, David, emissions, environment, environmental, government, greenwashing, Hayward, iPhones, let's not and say we did, logo, Mitchell, Tony
Climate Change, Politics, Jul 28th, 2010,
Cap and trade or emissions trading schemes can be confusing. They have been touted as the chief market-based solution for limiting greenhouse gas emissions, preserving valuable natural resources like forests, while making money for rich and poor countries alike. The far right and climate change skeptics hate them for obvious – and sometimes less obvious – reasons: they hate government meddling in the free market and regulating business and industry to the point that they believe in a vast ‘socialist’ conspiracy involving all prominent climate scientists. Or is it just a simple question of which class and which industries will…
Tags: activist, cap and trade, carbon, change, China, climate, copenhagen, Decodcidio, emissions, environmentalist, European, exchange, hacked, justice, market, scheme, social, trading
Climate Change, Politics, Jul 21st, 2010,
The UK’s independent advisory body established under the Climate Change Act has stated that Britain needs to invest more in low carbon technologies in order to meet its goal of cutting 1990 emissions levels by 80% by the year 2050. The Committee on Climate Change (CCC) was established with the purpose of reporting to the UK’s parliament regarding the country’s progress in cutting greenhouse gas emissions. The fear is that Britain will be left behind if it does not fund technological development in green industries such as solar and wind. The CCC’s report comes after the UK’s new coalition government…
Tags: Britain, carbon, CCC, change, climate, committee, emissions, energy, government, Green, invest, low, Solar, tech, technologies, UK, wind
Climate Change, Science & Technology, Jul 20th, 2010,
Pipe dreams of a future of eco-friendly travel go up in smoke when you look at the projected numbers for air travel. In short, total emissions from flying are set to skyrocket. The new Boeing 787 Dreamliner is being touted as 20% more fuel efficient than its rivals, lighter and more durable due to it’s carbon fiber composite construction, with better air quality, more leg room, larger windows and a quieter, more comfortable ride. But according to a report by the Associated Press, Boeing says it will be in the air for another 50 years. That’s a long time, even…
Tags: A380, air, Airbus, airliner, Boeing, carbon, Dreamliner, emissions, flying, fuel, future, Green, greener, IATA, travel
