Michele Kearney's Environmental Blog - Environmental degradation and waning natural resources including energy resources threaten U.S. security. And the loss of renewable natural resources, including forests, fresh water, fish and fertile soils, can drive political instability and conflict in the developing world, and around the globe. In short, natural resoures, energy and the environment are national security issues.
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Saturday, April 28, 2012
The Latest Publication from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development: 'The Energy Mix'
The Latest Publication from the World Business Council for Sustainable Development: 'The Energy Mix'
The
World Business Council for Sustainable Development (WBCSD) held its
annual company delegate conference in Switzerland this week. For the
WBCSD Energy and Climate team the event marked the launch of the latest
WBCSD publication “The Energy Mix”. This is a document that started life
back in the middle of last year, originally as a response to the
reaction from a number of governments to the events in Fukushima. The
initial aim was to inform policy makers on the implication of sudden
changes in energy policy, such as the decision by the German government
to rapidly phase out the use of nuclear power. But as the work got
going, the document took on a number of additional dimensions.
New MIT Study Suggests EU Emissions Targets are Failing
New MIT Study Suggests EU Emissions Targets are Failing
London
and its partners in the European Union count their so-called 20-20-20
scheme as among the global models for a low-carbon future. Much of the
region aims to cut emissions, use more renewable energy resources and
cut overall consumption. But there seems to be a bit of a dichotomy in
Europe, with some countries recoiling from shale natural gas and others
increasing their oil and natural gas exploration. Now comes some
evidence to suggest that more Britons are dying from pollution than
traffic accidents. While green ambitions are no easy task,…Read more...
U.S. Files Criminal Charges Against BP Engineer over Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
U.S. Files Criminal Charges Against BP Engineer over Gulf of Mexico Oil Spill
Two
years after oil from a BP well began gushing into the Gulf of Mexico,
the U.S. Department of Justice has filed criminal charges alleging that a
former BP employee destroyed critical evidence in the early days of the
unfolding disaster.The charges are the first to be filed in what the
Obama administration has called the worst environmental disaster in
American history, and they are significant because they target an
individual employee for his actions.According to an affidavit and
complaint filed today in a Louisiana court, Kurt Mix, a former…Read more...
Carbon Isotopes Prove Humans Have Caused Global Warming
Carbon Isotopes Prove Humans Have Caused Global Warming
The
earth is warming. But can we be sure that humans are the cause? Yes.
The same way cycling officials were sure that biker Floyd Landis doped
with synthetic testosterone while winning the 2006 Tour de France.With
Lance Armstrong retired and most of the other top riders expelled for
illegal drug use, Landis had become one of the favourites. He was
leading when in stage 16 he fell to eleventh place. Then, just as his
chances of winning seemed dashed, Landis won the next stage going away
and went on to ride the Champs-Élysées in the…Read more...
New Company will Start Plans to Mine Asteroids in Two Years
New Company will Start Plans to Mine Asteroids in Two Years
Last
week a team of high profile investors including; Eric Schmidt and Larry
Page from Google, filmmaker James Cameron, Ross Perot Jr. (son of the
former presidential candidate), space tourism pioneer Eric Anderson, and
X-Prize founder Peter Diamandis, announced that they were creating a
company that would “overlay two critical sectors—space exploration and
natural resources—to add trillions of dollars to the global GDP.”Today
at 1.30pm it is expected that they will announce their plans for mining
asteroids. The idea is…Read more...
Independent Test Results Show Fracking Flowback Emissions Are Dangerous Toxic Chemicals
Independent Test Results Show Fracking Flowback Emissions Are Dangerous Toxic Chemicals
A
Texas town is ignoring its own test results to allow fracking to
continue in violation of city ordinances and to the endangerment of
local residents.
Friday, April 27, 2012
Study finds warming speeding up rainfall cycle
Study finds warming speeding up rainfall cycle
Sydney (AFP) April 27, 2012
An Australian study of ocean salinity over the past 50 years has
revealed a "fingerprint" showing that climate change has accelerated the
rainfall cycle, a researcher said Friday.
The study published in the journal Science and conducted by Australian
and US scientists looked at ocean data from 1950 to 2000 and found that
salinity levels had changed in oceans around the world over that time.
An Australian study of ocean salinity over the past 50 years has
revealed a "fingerprint" showing that climate change has accelerated the
rainfall cycle, a researcher said Friday.
The study published in the journal Science and conducted by Australian
and US scientists looked at ocean data from 1950 to 2000 and found that
salinity levels had changed in oceans around the world over that time.ALEC and ExxonMobil Push Loopholes in Fracking Chemical Disclosure Rules
ALEC and ExxonMobil Push Loopholes in Fracking Chemical Disclosure Rules
In
many states, the chemical make-up of fluid pumped into the ground while
fracking is shielded from the public, thanks to laws promoted by ALEC
and Exxon Mobil.
Gulf Coast Waters Closed to Shrimping
Gulf Coast Waters Closed to Shrimping
State
officials in Alabama have taken action, and other states need to take
action to keep dangerous seafood from the Gulf off the dinner tables of
Americans.
Mississippi joins critics of Deepwater Horizon settlement
Mississippi joins critics of Deepwater Horizon settlement
The
state of Mississippi is asking that a portion of the proposed $7.8
billion settlement with BP in the Deepwater Horizon litigation be
declared null and void, because it excludes more than 200,000 people and
businesses that illegally settled claims under an administrative
process that forced them to waive all future economic damages.
Thursday, April 26, 2012
Canada Wants All Tar Sands Haters To Look At These Charts
Canada Wants All Tar Sands Haters To Look At These Charts
While our reporter Robert Johnson travels to the Canadian Tar Sands, we've been doing some background reading on the controversial energy source.
The following charts come straight from the rather biased Canadian Association of Petroleum Producers, which downplays environmental concerns and emphasizes how great the tar sands are for both Canada and the U.S.
Making Sense of Misleading Talk about Cap-and-Trade in Europe and the USA
Posted: 26 Apr 2012 06:04 AM PDT
Some
press accounts and various advocates have labeled the Regional
Greenhouse Gas Initiative (RGGI) as near “the brink of failure” because
of the recent trend of very low auction prices. Likewise, commentators
have recently characterized the European Union Emission Trading Scheme
(EU ETS) as possibly “sinking into oblivion” because of low allowance
prices.
UK Government: Natural Gas Fracking Causes Earthquakes, but It's ...
UK Government: Natural Gas Fracking Causes Earthquakes, but It's ...
UK Government: Natural Gas Fracking Causes Earthquakes, but It's Worth the Risk :: The Market Oracle :: Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting Free Website.
The Market Oracle
UK Government: Natural Gas Fracking Causes Earthquakes, but It's Worth the Risk :: The Market Oracle :: Financial Markets Analysis & Forecasting Free Website.
The Market Oracle
Chernobyl Anniversary FAS Update
FAS In-Depth: April 26, 2012 ![]()
This weekly FAS Member newsletter analyzes a current security threat and FAS work on this issue. If you have any ideas for upcoming content, please contact Katie Colten, Membership Coordinator, at kcolten@fas.org.
Today marks the 26th anniversary of the nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukraine. Widely considered to be the worst nuclear power plant accident in history, massive amounts of radiation were released resulting in widespread radioactive contamination, long-term radiation-induced cancers and leukemia, more than 1,000 near to intermediate term cases of thyroid cancer, and 30 near-term fatalities. The accident at Chernobyl raised concerns about the safety of nuclear power plants and nuclear power in general.
In March 2011, the world was reminded of Chernobyl, with the meltdown of three reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant following the devastating 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that struck the northeast coast of Japan. Post-Fukushima, many of the same questions and concerns raised in 1986 are pertinent today.
For more information on the Chernobyl disaster, check out these FAS resources and much more on our website.
FAS Blogs and Projects:
Strategic Security Blog
ScienceWonk Blog
Space Policy Project
Nuclear Power:
The Future of Nuclear Power in the United States (FAS Report)
Evaluating and Managing Risk in the Nuclear Power Sector
The Future of Nuclear Energy: Opportunities, Challenges and Potential Solutions
Other Resources:
The Plutonium Challenge: Environmental Issues (Department of Energy) Nuclear Safety: Uncertainties About Implementation and Costs of the Nuclear Safety Convention (United States General Accounting Office)
Plutonium and Health: How Great is the Risk? (Department of Energy)
Chernobyl Nuclear Plant Unit 4 Shelter Plan
This weekly FAS Member newsletter analyzes a current security threat and FAS work on this issue. If you have any ideas for upcoming content, please contact Katie Colten, Membership Coordinator, at kcolten@fas.org.
Today marks the 26th anniversary of the nuclear disaster at the Chernobyl Nuclear Power Plant in the Ukraine. Widely considered to be the worst nuclear power plant accident in history, massive amounts of radiation were released resulting in widespread radioactive contamination, long-term radiation-induced cancers and leukemia, more than 1,000 near to intermediate term cases of thyroid cancer, and 30 near-term fatalities. The accident at Chernobyl raised concerns about the safety of nuclear power plants and nuclear power in general.
In March 2011, the world was reminded of Chernobyl, with the meltdown of three reactors at the Fukushima-Daiichi nuclear power plant following the devastating 9.0 magnitude earthquake and tsunami that struck the northeast coast of Japan. Post-Fukushima, many of the same questions and concerns raised in 1986 are pertinent today.
For more information on the Chernobyl disaster, check out these FAS resources and much more on our website.
FAS Blogs and Projects:
Strategic Security Blog
ScienceWonk Blog
Space Policy Project
Nuclear Power:
The Future of Nuclear Power in the United States (FAS Report)
Evaluating and Managing Risk in the Nuclear Power Sector
The Future of Nuclear Energy: Opportunities, Challenges and Potential Solutions
Other Resources:
The Plutonium Challenge: Environmental Issues (Department of Energy) Nuclear Safety: Uncertainties About Implementation and Costs of the Nuclear Safety Convention (United States General Accounting Office)
Plutonium and Health: How Great is the Risk? (Department of Energy)
Chernobyl Nuclear Plant Unit 4 Shelter Plan
The Future of Brave New Climate by Barry Brook
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|
The future of Brave New Climateby Barry Brook |
Life is a series of natural and spontaneous changes. Don't resist them; that only creates sorrow. Let reality be reality. Let things flow naturally forward in whatever way they like. ― Lao Tzu
The Brave New Climate (BNC)
blog has seen many changes in its almost 4 years of existence. I'd like
to think of this as an evolutionary process -- underpinned by a natural
selection of ideas and advocacy based on what I think is important and
workable, framed in the context of identifying viable options for global
climate change mitigation. As the quote above emphasizes, this flows
naturally from a progress of thought and effort.
A few years ago I announced a shift in focus on the website, in the post 'A necessary interlude'. Now things on BNC are changing again.
In
summary, the motivation for the new changes are: (i) time limitations,
(ii) audience outreach and (iii) freedom and flexibility. I'll first
explain what is going to happen, and then elaborate a little on the
justification.
1. A BNC Discussion Forum has been established. This will, hereafter, be the main place for comments.
2. A new website -- KnowMoreFearLess.com [KMFL]
-- will be launched (currently locked and under development). This will
be focused on public education on nuclear power for greenhouse gas
mitigation.
3. The Front Page of the bravenewclimate.com website will become a semi-static PORTAL page.
This will include fixed links to the BNC Discussion Forum (see 1), the
BNC archives (after some further indexing and re-organisation of this page), KMFL, and also provide a summary (with links) to the latest BNC blog post.
4.
The flow of BNC blog postings will be less frequent and more
opportunistic -- rather than regular and scheduled (the historic rate
was a post every 3-5 days).
The BNC twitter feed
(microblogging) will not change in character or frequency -- mostly
consisting of up-to-date links to articles on climate change and
low-carbon energy.
Okay, now some explanation on these changes.
"Fracking Chemical Disclosure Hides Behind 'Trade Secrets'"
"Fracking Chemical Disclosure Hides Behind 'Trade Secrets'" -- Requirements to disclose the chemical makeup of fluids used in fracking are often limited by a "trade secrets" provision under which companies can claim that a proprietary chemical doesn't have to be disclosed to regulators or the public.
http://www.truthdig.com/
Tuesday, April 24, 2012
Physicist Speaks on HAARP
Physicist Speaks on HAARP
http://www.darkgovernment.com/
Brazilian physicist Fran De Aquino of Maranhao State University (Physics
Department, S.Luis/MA, Brazil) reports that the High Frequency Active Auroral
Research Program (HAARP) technology can be used to cause earthquake, cyclones
and create gravity shields to aid in moving heavy objects in conjunction with
gravity cloaks in his 2011 paper “ High-power ELF radiation generated by
Monday, April 23, 2012
Are We Smart Enough to Survive … Or Will Humanity Win a Darwin Award?
Are We Smart Enough to Survive … Or Will Humanity Win a Darwin Award?
Are We Smart Enough to Survive As a Species?
Russian scientists alarmed by number of strong quakes striking the planet
Russian scientists alarmed by number of strong quakes striking the planet
April 23, 2012 – MOSCOW - Russian scientists announced last week alarming observations about the strong earthquakes that shook the Earth. In the first decade of the 21st century there were almost as many earthquakes measuring above 6.0 on the Richter scale as there were during the entire 20th century. 14 such cases were registered in the 2001-2011 period compared to 17 strong tremors during the 20th century. –Focus
Energy and Climate Change in the American Southwest
Energy and Climate Change in the American Southwest
Editor's
Note: Please consider supporting Ari on this worthwhile cause!The U.S.
Southwest is under water duress. More water is used in the region each
year than the amount of rain and snowfall – a shortfall accounted for by
diminishing groundwater reserves.
UK Seismic Fracking Report Certain to Sharpen Debate
UK Govt. Seismic Fracking Report Certain to Sharpen Debate
The process of hydraulic fracturing is a mining technique which uses injected fluid to propagate fractures in a rock layer to release hydrocarbon deposits that would otherwise be uncommercial. Developed in the U.S. and first used in 1947 for stimulating of oil and natural gas wells, the use of “fracking” soared in the past decade as thousands of wells have been drilled into the Marcellus Formation, also referred to as the Marcellus Shale, a deposit of marine sedimentary rock found in eastern North America. While initial environmental…Never Say Die - Keystone Pipeline to Enter US Presidential Election
Never Say Die - Keystone XL Pipeline to Enter U.S. Presidential Election
Like
Lazarus arising from the grave, or a vampire pulling a stake out of his
chest, the controversial Keystone LX pipeline, designed to transport
Alberta’s crude oil sands output to American Gulf of Mexico, is
apparently to become a component in the November U.S. presidential
elections.Increasingly evident Republican nominee Mitt Romney declared
on 20 April during a speech to the Republican National Committee’s State
Chairmen’s National Meeting in Arizona, “I will build that pipeline if I
have to myself.” Slyly portraying…Read more...
Never Mind Earth Day, Carbon Emissions are still too High
Never Mind Earth Day, Carbon Emissions are still too High
The
first observance of Earth Day was March 21, 1970. I was 17, and along
with other students at Broad Run High School, went out with garbage bags
to clean up the side of the road leading to the school. Even then, of
course, the world faced much more serious pollution issues than roadside
litter. But that problem was one we students could do something
about.Given the magnitude of the challenges the earth now faces,
provoked by man-made global climate change as a result of our spewing
massive amounts of carbon dioxide and soot into the atmosphere,…Read more...
Climate Change and the Potential for Future Instability in North Africa
Climate Change and the Potential for Future Instability in North Africa
Northwest
Africa is crisscrossed with climate, migration, and security
challenges. From Nigeria to Niger, Algeria, and Morocco, this region has
long been marked by labour migration, bringing workers from sub-Saharan
Africa north to the Mediterranean coastline and Europe. To make that
land journey, migrants often cross through the Sahel and Sahel-Saharan
region, an area facing increasing environmental threats from the effects
of climate change. The rising coastal sea level, desertification,
drought, and the numerous other potential effects of climate…Read more...
Nine die in China coal mine blast
Nine die in China coal mine blast
Beijing (AFP) April 24, 2012
Nine coal miners were killed and 16 injured in a blast at a colliery in
northern China on Monday, state media said, the latest accident to hit
the notoriously dangerous industry in the country.
Four people were killed on the spot when the explosion rocked the mine
in Bayannur city, in Inner Mongolia, and five more bodies were found
hours later by rescuers, the Xinhua news agency said.
Oil spilled in Russian Arctic
Oil spilled in Russian Arctic
Moscow (AFP) April 23, 2012
An oil spill in the Russian Arctic affected an area of up to 8,000
square meters after workers tried to open an old well, causing oil to
gush uncontrollably for 37 hours, officials said Monday.
The spill at the Trebs field started on Friday and continued through the
weekend, spurting out up to 500 tonnes of oil per day, the Nenets
autonomous district administration said on its website Monday
An oil spill in the Russian Arctic affected an area of up to 8,000
square meters after workers tried to open an old well, causing oil to
gush uncontrollably for 37 hours, officials said Monday.
The spill at the Trebs field started on Friday and continued through the
weekend, spurting out up to 500 tonnes of oil per day, the Nenets
autonomous district administration said on its website MondayLight bulb with 20-year life unveiled in US on Earth Day
Light bulb with 20-year life unveiled in US on Earth Day
Washington (AFP) April 22, 2012
A prize-winning, super-energy-saving LED bulb from Dutch electronics
giant Philips said to last over 20 years went on sale Sunday to coincide
with Earth Day.
The bulb that won the US Department of Energy's "Bright Tomorrow
Lighting Prize" was available from retailers for $50, down from an
initial $60 price tag.
EU pushes back oil sands decision
EU pushes back oil sands decision
Brussels (UPI) Apr 22, 2012
The European Union has delayed a decision on whether to classify oil
sands as a "dirty" form of crude oil, bringing praise from Canadian
officials.
Canada has long-opposed the EU's consideration of crude derived from
oil sands as a dirty oil, which, if adopted, would impose higher carbon
offsets on European importers of the product.
Risk communication with a tin ear
Risk communication with a tin ear
Quite serendipitously, around the time of my prior post looking at how the public perceives risk when it comes to nuclear energy, two interesting pieces appeared around the same time which serve to reinforce some of the points I had made. (I've been somewhat remiss in getting them only until now, mostly due to both a recent conference and now travel.)The first, "Risk, Fear, and Nuclear Power" by David Ropeik discusses the role emotions have played in shaping public opinion in a (now-defunct, due to lack of signatures) effort to use California's initiative process to close down its two nuclear generating stations. Specifically, Ropeik brings into play some of the same "fear factors" which I discussed prior, including voluntariness - which is why, he points out, the public accepts radiation from medical sources with little complaint while the same cannot be said for nuclear power. Much of his essay delves into the same issues of how cultural and emotional factors influence and amplify public perception of risks, based risk characteristics (i.e., the factors like unfamiliarity, invisibility, "dread" factors like cancer, trust in institutions, etc.).
The second, "Fear of Nuclear Power out of proportion to actual risks" by Dr. Melanie Windridge serves as a useful companion piece, namely by framing the issue of the impact of public perception of risk - namely, in that how the public reacts to the health risks associated with nuclear is entirely out of proportion with other health risks, including both those from natural and medical uses of radiation as well as health risks associated with other energy sources like coal.
Greenhouse Gases. The roads from Rio : lessons learned from twenty years of multilateral environmental negotiations / edited by Pamela S. Chasek and Lynn M. Wagner
Ash cloud from Mexico's popocatepetl volcano (w/ video)
Ash cloud from Mexico's Popocatepetl volcano (w/ video)
(Phys.org) -- NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-13, captures visible and infrared images of weather over the eastern U.S. every 15 minutes, and spotted an ash and gas cloud streaming from Mexico's Popocatepetl Volcano over several hours during the morning of April 18, 2012. The short, four second black and white video covers several hours and shows the volcano's ash blowing to the east, and over the town of Puebla.
(Phys.org) -- NOAA's Geostationary Operational Environmental Satellite, GOES-13, captures visible and infrared images of weather over the eastern U.S. every 15 minutes, and spotted an ash and gas cloud streaming from Mexico's Popocatepetl Volcano over several hours during the morning of April 18, 2012. The short, four second black and white video covers several hours and shows the volcano's ash blowing to the east, and over the town of Puebla.
Scientists call for Arctic fishing moratorium, rules
Scientists call for Arctic fishing moratorium, rules
Scientists on Monday urged Arctic rim nations to set fishing regulations for the Arctic Ocean, and order a moratorium on fishing until stocks are assessed, before trawlers soon start dropping nets in the pristine waters.
Scientists on Monday urged Arctic rim nations to set fishing regulations for the Arctic Ocean, and order a moratorium on fishing until stocks are assessed, before trawlers soon start dropping nets in the pristine waters.
Deepwater Horizon exposed serious gaps in deepwater oil spill research
Deepwater Horizon exposed serious gaps in deepwater oil spill research
(Phys.org) -- On the second anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a national team of scientists, including two researchers from the University of California, Davis, warns that inadequate knowledge about the effects of deepwater oil well blowouts threatens scientists’ ability to help manage comparable future events.
(Phys.org) -- On the second anniversary of the Deepwater Horizon oil spill in the Gulf of Mexico, a national team of scientists, including two researchers from the University of California, Davis, warns that inadequate knowledge about the effects of deepwater oil well blowouts threatens scientists’ ability to help manage comparable future events.
2 years after spill, troubling signs for life on seafloor
2 years after spill, troubling signs for life on seafloor
Two years after the April 20 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform, the process of quantifying the damage is still under way.
Full Article
Two years after the April 20 explosion on the Deepwater Horizon drilling platform, the process of quantifying the damage is still under way.
Full Article
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