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Climate scientists are desperate: we’re crying, begging and getting arrested | Peter Kalmus
On Wednesday, I risked arrest by locking myself onto an entrance to the JP Morgan Chase building in downtown LA. I can’t stand by – and nor should you
“Climate activists are sometimes depicted as dangerous radicals, but the truly dangerous radicals are the countries that are increasing the production of fossil fuels.” – United Nations Secretary General Antonio Guterres
I’m a climate scientist and a desperate father. How can I plead any harder? What will it take? What can my colleagues and I do to stop this catastrophe unfolding now all around us with such excruciating clarity?
Peter Kalmus is a climate scientist and author based in Los Angeles
Continue reading...Forest-based offsets do not represent reductions, carbon analyst contends
EU industry warns of shutdown risk due to energy costs, lack of support
*Head of Project Development, Carbon Offset Projects, Volkswagen ClimatePartner GmbH – Munich
*Manager, Due Diligence, Volkswagen ClimatePartner GmbH – Munich
*Freelancer, Carbon Project Development Indonesia, Volkswagen ClimatePartner GmbH – Munich
*Freelancer, Carbon Project Development China, Volkswagen ClimatePartner GmbH – Munich
*Freelancer, Carbon Project Development Brazil, Volkswagen ClimatePartner GmbH – Munich
US and Europe behind vast majority of global ecological damage, says study
Groundbreaking report is first to assign responsibility for damage caused by 160 countries in past 50 years
The US and Europe are responsible for the majority of global ecological damage caused by the overuse of natural resources, according to a groundbreaking study.
The paper is the first to analyse and assign responsibility for the ecological damage caused by 160 countries over the last half century.
Continue reading...Tech firm pays above $34/t to scoop up entire US urban forest credit portfolio
Four high-emitting airlines receive surplus of free EU carbon allocations in 2021 -NGO
Why is the UK government backing nuclear power when onshore wind is so much better? | Alethea Warrington
Using windfarms would be an easy, quick, cheap and actually popular way to solve the energy bill crisis
After Friday’s huge jump in energy costs, millions of people across the UK face a frightening future. Urgent measures are needed but, instead of taking action, the cabinet is absorbed in a pointless argument that wrongly pits the energy bill crisis against our climate commitments. In reality, the best way of bringing down bills is to get off gas for good.
We can take immediate steps to stop using gas because the UK has clean energy sources that can get going quickly, and are cheap and popular – wind and solar in particular. But at a time when they should be powering up the UK with renewables, ministers have other ideas: suggesting deepening our reliance on fossils fuels by opening up more drilling in the UK; or labouring under the misapprehension that people would rather live near a nuclear power plant than a wind turbine.
Alethea Warrington is campaigns manager for the climate crisis charity Possible
Continue reading...Euro Markets: Midday Update
Scientists have just told us how to solve the climate crisis – will the world listen? | Simon Lewis
The new IPCC report offers not only hope, but practical solutions. Governments that have signed off on it must now act
Amid the triple crisis of the war in Ukraine, the still-raging pandemic and escalating inflation, climate scientists have just pulled off a truly impressive achievement. They have stood firm and persuaded the world’s governments to agree to a common guide to solving the climate emergency. Despite the despair of mounting global problems, the release of the latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change shows some grounds for hope.
After the recent reports on the causes and effects of climate change, this one covers solutions – with a summary signed off by the world’s governments. The summary is blunt and clear, and in many places acknowledges realities that scientists and campaigners have known for years but governments often avoided directly admitting.
Simon Lewis is professor of global change science at University College London and University of Leeds
Continue reading...UK to defy net zero targets with more oil and gas drilling
Pressured by Tory right, minister to announce gas-heavy energy strategy with little emphasis on insulation
The UK government is set to order more drilling for oil and gas in the North Sea in defiance of its own net zero targets, while neglecting alternative measures that experts say would provide much quicker relief from high energy bills and reduce greenhouse gas emissions instead of raising them.
The energy security strategy to be unveiled on Thursday will acknowledge the need to move away from fossil fuels, the Guardian understands, but still allow for licences to explore new oil and gas fields to be expedited and more production from existing North Sea fields.
A review of the scientific advice on the safety of fracking. The Guardian understands that Kwarteng thinks fracking in the UK is unrealistic and uneconomic, but under pressure from the right will keep the option open.
Doubling the target on the use of hydrogen, from 5GW to 10GW, of which half will come from “blue” hydrogen created from fossil fuels, despite evidence that it emits more carbon than coal. Ministers are expected to present blue hydrogen as a necessary bridge to future “green” hydrogen from renewable energy, but campaigners say it will lock in high emissions.
A boost to offshore wind, with the expansion of existing coastal offshore windfarms and potential new floating platforms in deeper waters, but solar energy risks being missed.
Investment in new nuclear reactors being made easier.
Few new measures on ramping up heat pumps and no comprehensive national programme to insulate housing on the scale experts say is feasible and would make a real difference to the cost of living.
Continue reading...China’s oil industry might lose race to peak CO2 by 2030 as emissions set to rise quickly -govt research
Activists occupy south-east England’s busiest oil terminal
Just Stop Oil campaigners have blockaded the Navigator oil terminal in Essex in the aim of cutting off region’s fuel supply
Activists who aim to choke off the supply of petrol to south-east England have occupied the region’s busiest oil terminal.
Supporters of the Just Stop Oil campaign used telescopic ladders to climb over the fence at Navigator oil terminal in Thurrock, Essex, at 3am on Wednesday morning after trekking along the banks of the Thames to reach the rear of the site.
Continue reading...Microplastics found deep in lungs of living people for first time
Particles discovered in tissue of 11 out of 13 patients undergoing surgery, with polypropylene and PET most common
Microplastic pollution has been discovered lodged deep in the lungs of living people for the first time. The particles were found in almost all the samples analysed.
The scientists said microplastic pollution was now ubiquitous across the planet, making human exposure unavoidable and meaning “there is an increasing concern regarding the hazards” to health.
Continue reading...Toxic rat poison killing growing number of England’s birds of prey
Rise leads to suspicion that those who wish to kill birds of prey have cottoned on to impact of brodifacoum
A highly toxic rat poison is killing increasing numbers of birds of prey, figures show, as wildlife campaigners call for its use to be banned outdoors.
Most recently, a white-tailed eagle was found poisoned by the anticoagulant brodifacoum on an estate in Dorset. Police closed the investigation into the eagle death last week with no charges issued.
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