Archive for Climate change

Nov
27

Climate change keeps on accelerating

Posted by: Edouard on November 27, 2008 in Tags: ,

Just after I published an article on how many islands around the world are due to disappear because of climate change, the WWF brings us more data on this very topic.

To their latest studies, it seems that global warming is accelerating as time goes and thus the threat of rising sea levels increases dramatically.

This report is published just days before the discussions in Poznan (Poland) that will prepare the future of the Kyoto Protocol. Time is running out… Continue reading »

Nov
26

Soon to be lost paradises

Posted by: Edouard on November 26, 2008 in Tags: , ,

In the past few weeks - and further to my articles on rising sea levels - I have been wondering how the beautiful islands in Oceania and elsewhere will be affected by this phenomenon.

It seems many people will have to flee their homes. Indeed, many islands like Tuvalu and the Maldives (pictured) may disappear from the surface of our planet by mid-century.

Today I propose you some of the latest articles on that topic. Climate change is happening right now, those islanders witness it as you read this. Continue reading »

Nov
25

Limiting the methane emissions of cows

Posted by: Edouard on November 25, 2008 in Tags: , ,

You perhaps remember the article on backpacks for cows’ farts I published this summer. It seems there is another way to limit methane emissions produced by bovines.

Collecting their manure - and thus the methane - could decrease global warming and provide energy as this greenhouse gas is quite similar to natural gas.

This seems to be a very good solution even if it would concern firstly large dairy farms where the amount of gas is enough to pay the installation. Continue reading »

Nov
24

Reforming the EU energy sector is necessary

Posted by: Edouard on November 24, 2008 in Tags: , ,

According to the European Environment Agency the generation of electricity and heat in the 27 country members account for 80 percent of of European Union’s greenhouse gases emissions.

This occurs as the sector progressively steps back from both coal and oil to embrace natural gas and renewable energy sources. It also increased its efficiency.

But a trend continuation of these changes won’t be enough to avoid massive climate change. Faster and bigger changes have to take place. Continue reading »

Nov
20

The targets of the Kyoto Protocol

Posted by: Edouard on November 20, 2008 in Tags: ,

According to several sources, out of the 39 countries under the Kyoto Protocol, only 16 are meeting their targets while 20 aren’t due to do so as only three years remain.

The United Nations issued an interesting presentation with a table (left) that sums up very well the situation at hand. Now everyone can see in a glance how partaking countries are scoring.

This occurs as in two weeks the discussions for the successor of the Kyoto Protocol will begin in Poland. I guess there will be heated debates… Continue reading »

Nov
18

Time for Europe to lead on climate change

Posted by: Edouard on November 18, 2008 in Tags: ,

On December 11th, the leaders of the European Union will meet to decide its climate change policy for the next twelve years. This is a most important occasion to call for leadership.

Since they plan to cut our greenhouse gases emissions by only 20 percent when at least 30 percent is needed, we the people have to urge them to act stronger and faster.

This is the meaning of the communication campaign lauched by several environmental NGOs like the WWF. Please urge your country’s leaders to act NOW ! (it takes only two minutes)

Nov
12

IEA’s World Energy Outlook 2008

Posted by: Edouard on November 12, 2008 in Tags: , , ,

The International Energy Agency published today its famous World Energy Outlook. This edition stresses even more than last year’s version the importance of energy conservation and efficiency.

With the booming energy demand from developing countries, energy saving mechanisms have to become more important if we want to avoid massive energy scarcity and climate change.

As oil production fails to answer the rising demand, alternatives - from coal to nuclear and renewables - will play a more important role in the global energy market. Continue reading »

Nov
10

Al Gore’s brilliant plan to repower America

Posted by: Edouard on November 10, 2008 in Tags: , , ,

Al Gore, the former US Vice President and co-recipient of the Nobel Peace Prize with the IPCC, wants to take the opportunity of having a President that promotes change to repower America.

To do so, he launched a new website and wrote a most interesting article in the New York Times which perfectly sums up the situation at hand, thus making this a must read.

Still willing to produce the totality of the US electricity by cleaner energy sources, Al Gore shows that with his plan yes we can solve our climate/ energy problems. Continue reading »

Coal is by far the most polluting and most greenhouse gases energy source. We have seen that China has became the world’s most CO2 emitting country because of this.

But did you know that much nearer to us, Eastern European countries like Poland are plagued by the massive use of coal, which is the origin of acid rains (cf. map on the left).

The Financial Times (not exactly a newspaper on environmentalism) reported on how coal might be a huge problem for these countries. Continue reading »

Nov
05

A new hope for a planet in peril

Posted by: Edouard on November 5, 2008 in Tags: , ,

The election of Barack Obama as the 44th President of the United States of America represents to many people around the world a new hope on several topics including energy and climate change.

He stated that we are living in “a Planet in peril”. This couldn’t be more true. Yet, with him at the White House I am confident things will get better in dramatic ways.

Many bloggers and institutions wrote on the various challenges that lies ahead of President Obama (I love writing those two words together… ). Here is a selection. Continue reading »

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