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‘Biggest El Niño of our generation’ may be tempered by The Blob
‘Biggest El Niño of our generation’ may be tempered by The Blob Climatologists unsure of outcome of battle of ‘Godzilla’ El Niño vs. the Pacific Blob For many drought-weary Californians, it has become the ‘Great Wet Hope.’ Bill Patzert, a climatologist with NASA’s Jet Propulsion Laboratory in Pasadena, has given it a less enthusiastic nickname. “This […]
Islamic Leaders Join Growing Chorus Of Religious Voices Making Moral Case For Climate Action
Islamic Leaders Join Growing Chorus Of Religious Voices Making Moral Case For Climate Action A symposium of Islamic leaders from 20 different countries meeting in Istanbul today released a Climate Change Declaration that presents the moral case for the world’s 1.6 billion Muslims to “tackle habits, mindsets, and the root causes of climate change, environmental degradation and […]
U.S. allows Shell to drill for oil in Arctic Ocean off Alaska
U.S. allows Shell to drill for oil in Arctic Ocean off Alaska Company hopes to drill 2 wells in the Chukchi Sea by late September The U.S. government on Monday gave Royal Dutch Shell the final permit it needs to drill for oil in the Arctic Ocean off Alaska’s northwest coast for the first time […]
Global Extinction Rates: Why Do Estimates Vary So Wildly?
Global Extinction Rates: Why Do Estimates Vary So Wildly? Is it 150 species a day or 24 a day or far less than that? Prominent scientists cite dramatically different numbers when estimating the rate at which species are going extinct. Why is that? Most ecologists believe that we are in the midst of the sixth mass […]
Tomgram: William deBuys, Entering the Mega-Drought Era in America
Tomgram: William deBuys, Entering the Mega-Drought Era in America The other day here in New England it was chilly, rainy, and stormy and I complained. Where was the sun? The warmth? The summer? I happened to be with someone I know from California and he shook his head and said, “It’s fine with me. I […]
This Veteran Climate Scientist Advised Three Australian Prime Ministers. What Would He Say To Tony Abbott?
This Veteran Climate Scientist Advised Three Australian Prime Ministers. What Would He Say To Tony Abbott? Scientist Dr Graeme Pearman knows more than most about the responsibilities and the perils that come with communicating climate change to the highest authorities. As one of Australia’s highest ranking government scientists, he was asked into the offices of three […]
As the Gold King Spill Reminds Us, We All Live Downstream
As the Gold King Spill Reminds Us, We All Live Downstream The Animas River Between Silverton and Durango, Colorado, within 24 hours of the spill from Gold King Mine. Photo credit: Riverhugger/Creative Commons. Around this time last year, I was walking the banks of the Animas River in Durango, the southwestern Colorado town blindsided last […]
Toxic Rain Feared In Tianjin As Death Toll Rumored At 1,400
Toxic Rain Feared In Tianjin As Death Toll Rumored At 1,400 The fallout from last week’s massive explosion in the Chinese port of Tianjin continues to worsen, despite Beijing’s best efforts to play down the danger to the public. The official death toll from the apocalyptic blast – which was described by witnesses as akin […]
Austerity and degrowth – dealing with the economic crisis and the ecological crisis together
Austerity and degrowth – dealing with the economic crisis and the ecological crisis together This article arises from increasing frustration and irritation about the way that the debate about Greece, and in general about austerity, is framed. My frustration is not only with the policy thugs who are implementing austerity, but also, to a degree, […]
When the next crisis comes, which movements will seize the opportunity?
When the next crisis comes, which movements will seize the opportunity? You, too, could be caught in a situation where people are ready for an alternative, yet your group has none to offer. It’s understandable. We who work for change seem years away from convincing a critical mass of people that it is both stupid […]
California Distributed Energy Incentive Program Disproportionately Benefiting Fossil Fuels, Regulators OK With
California Distributed Energy Incentive Program Disproportionately Benefiting Fossil Fuels, Regulators OK With A California program designed to spur innovation in technologies for distributed generation of low-emission energy is disproportionately benefiting fossil fuels projects, primarily natural gas — and a new proposal to update the emissions threshold that determines which projects are eligible will not change […]
The Boundaries and Future of Solution Space – Part 1
The Boundaries and Future of Solution Space – Part 1 Intro A great deal of intelligence is invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep. Saul Bellow, 1976 More and more people (although not nearly enough) are coming to recognise that humanity cannot continue on its current trajectory, as the limits we face […]
Bad Timing: Japan Opens First Nuclear Plant Since Fukushima As Neighboring Volcano Erupts
Bad Timing: Japan Opens First Nuclear Plant Since Fukushima As Neighboring Volcano Erupts In case last week’s deadly chemical explosion in the Chinese port of Tianjin wasn’t enough to satisfy your thirst for black swan-ish disasters that could serve to accelerate the ongoing global currency wars, Japan is now warning that Sakurajima, one of the country’s most […]
