waynechecker.net

Date: 30-Jul-10

Country: USA

Author: Deborah Zabarenko

Melting glaciers, more humid air and eight other key indicators show that global warming is undeniable, scientists said on Wednesday, citing a new comprehensive review of the last decade of climate data.

Without addressing why this is happening, the researchers said there was no doubt that every decade on Earth since the 1980s has been hotter than the previous one, and that the planet has been warming for the last half-century.

via World Environment News – Ten Key Indicators Show Global Warming “Undeniable” – Planet Ark.

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WWF and the National Toxics Network today released a list of Australia’s most dangerous pesticides, more than 80 of which are prohibited overseas because of the risks they pose to human health and the environment.

The list includes 17 chemicals that are known, likely or probable carcinogens, and 48 chemicals flagged as having the potential to interfere with hormones.

More than 20 have been classified as either extremely or highly hazardous by the World Health Organisation yet remain available for use on Australian farms.

“Australians are at risk of being exposed to a dangerous cocktail of poisonous chemicals, many of which have been prohibited in other countries due to their risks to health and the environment,” said WWF spokesperson Nick Heath.

“Surely Australian farm workers, wildlife and ecosystems deserve the same level of protection as those in Europe or the United States.”

Jo Immig from the National Toxics Network said the list was evidence that Australia’s chemical regulatory system was failing to keep people and the environment safe from dangerous pesticides.

“European pesticides regulation is founded on a precautionary principle designed to give human health and the environment the benefit of the doubt,” Ms Immig said.

“Here in Australia we have the opposite, where chemicals that are suspected of causing cancer and other health problems remain on the market for years.”

Mr Heath said the list was a warning that Australians were not being adequately informed of the risks associated with harmful pesticides.

“The pesticides regulator must recognise that while Australia may have unique wildlife and different farming conditions, the chemistry of these dangerous pesticides is the still the same. If smoking causes cancer in the US, it will also cause cancer in Australia – it’s the carcinogens that matter not the country,” Mr Heath said.

“The list demonstrates just how far we are lagging behind the rest of the world. It’s time for us to catch up and give Australian farmers safer and better choices.”

Read the report here.

More information

Charlie Stevens, WWF Media Office, 0424 649 689;

Juliette King, WWF-Australia Conservation Policy Officer, 0438 864 997;

Jo Immig, National Toxics Network, Coordinator, 02 6687 1900, 0413 683 782

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The latest National Greenhouse Accounts show the greatest risk to Australia achieving vital cuts to carbon pollution is political hot air.

WWF-Australia points out that the Accounts reveal the amount of national carbon pollution is still growing compared to the baseline year of 1990.

“Any slow down in the rate of carbon pollution growth is more likely due to a slower economy rather than political progress,” said Paul Toni, WWF’s Development and Sustainability Manager.

“On one hand we have Senator Wong acknowledging that a price on carbon will be essential to reverse the growth in pollution, yet on the other hand the Government has chosen to delay any more progress towards an emissions trading scheme until at least 2013.

“Until we see all sides of politics making real efforts to reduce Australia’s carbon pollution, the only thing they are contributing is hot air.”

WWF-Australia continues to ask all politicians to support an emissions trading scheme which would cap the total amount of carbon pollution produced, then reduce it over time.

Without this system in place to put a price on carbon, Australia is in jeopardy of not only missing its target set out under the Kyoto Protocol, but more importantly of scuttling any chance of a meaningful global agreement to replace the Protocol when it runs out in 2012.

“As a de-facto election campaign begins in earnest, we want all of Australia’s politicians to remember this is unfinished business. Australia needs a price on carbon by 2011. Hot air won’t get us there,” said Mr Toni.

More information

Jonathon Larkin, Senior Media Officer, 0410 221 410, jlarkin@wwf.org.au

At 8.30pm on Saturday, March 27 nearly 100 iconic landmarks in 1,000 cities and towns around the world will switch off their lights for Earth Hour 2010, joining hundreds of millions of people showing their commitment to the environment.

Earth Hour will reach new heights this year, with the world’s three tallest buildings – the new Burj Khalifa in Dubai, CN Tower in Toronto and Taipei 101 in Taiwan – going dark for the global event.

Melbourne’s Luna Park, Rialto Tower, Arts Centre and Crown Casino; Brisbane’s Story Bridge; Adelaide’s Town Hall and Rundle Mall Lantern; The National Library and Australian War Memorial in Canberra and the Sydney Opera House, Sydney Tower, Harbour Bridge and Luna Park will join this growing list.

World-famous sites across the US, including the Golden Gate Bridge, Empire State Building, Mount Rushmore and even the lights of Las Vegas, will switch off in a decisive display of climate action from one of the most significant nations on the climate landscape.

Some of the world’s great metropolises will ‘flick the switch’ on their signature landmarks, marking their dedication to sustainable development and joining their citizens in adopting low-carbon practices.

Hiroshima will become the first Japanese city to show its commitment to global climate action when the lights go out on its iconic Peace Memorial. In London, lights will dim on the world-famous London Eye as the Coca-Cola sign in Piccadilly Circus switches off.

The actions shown by cities of the world and their inhabitants are crucial to leading a low-carbon resolution to climate change, says Earth Hour Co-Founder and Executive Director, Andy Ridley.

“The C40 suggests that cities are responsible for up to 75% of the world’s carbon emissions, so their role in addressing what is unequivocally the greatest threat to the planet today is absolutely vital,” Andy said.

“By turning the lights off for Earth Hour, cities are reflecting the aspirations of their citizens as a community that has resolved to take action on global warming,” he said.

As Earth Hour has grown from a one-city initiative in 2007 to a global phenomenon in 2009, renowned icons, including the Great Pyramids, Eiffel Tower, the Coliseum, Christ the Redeemer statue, Buckingham Palace, Beijing’s Olympic Stadium and many more world-famous landmarks have joined the global community in showing leadership on a resolution to climate change.

Earth Hour to show landmark action on climate change – Earth Hour Australia 2010.

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SAN FRANSISCO: The key to using trees to offset global warming is to expand tropical rainforests south of the equator, according to research announced in the U.S. on Monday.

Planting forests north of the equator appeared to either “zero-out” or be counterproductive in regard to global warming, according to the researchers.

via Forests can raise Earth’s temperature | COSMOS magazine.

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To tackle the issues raised by climate change deniers, a new report has been prepared with scientific responses to common climate change objections. Objections to climate change “have been repeatedly shown to be false, weak or irrelevant in the peer-reviewed scientific literature,” says the author, scientist Dr Parris.

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The scientist who convinced the world to take notice of the looming danger of global warming says it would be better for the planet and for future generations if next week’s Copenhagen climate change summit ended in collapse.

via Copenhagen climate change talks must fail, says top scientist | Environment | The Guardian.

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Vote Earth now at http://www.earthhour.org
Connect with use at: http://twitter.com/earthhour http://www.facebook.com/earthhour

In December this year, world leaders will gather in Copenhagen to determine how the world deals with climate change. Their choice is simple Earth or global warming.

Add your voice to this global mandate. Show your vote for Earth and tell world leaders to seal a deal in Copenhagen a deal that will protect people, and protect the planet.

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Everything about global warming is controversial – its causes, effects, even whether it actually exists. As such, many are interested in it, and many more are interested in debating it. For an issue that is so well known, its causes are not. Most people would blame oil, others would point to coal, and almost all would say that buying a hybrid car helps. But are these the primary causes of global warming? Does that awesome-looking new Prius really reduce your carbon footprint?Surprisingly, the answer is no – to both questions. The primary causes of global warming are much more interesting and much more diverse than the simple one-word answers of “coal” or “oil”.This article identifies ten global warming culprits that are shocking, unusual, and even funny.

via Silent Carbon Footprint: Top Ten Sources You’d Never Expect | Green Expander.

An old African proverb says, “If you want to go quickly, go alone; if you want to go far, go together.”

We have to go far. . . quickly.

My new book, Our Choice, is about solutions to the climate crisis that can help us do just that. During the three and a half years since the publication of An Inconvenient Truth, I organized more than thirty “Solutions Summits,” where experts from around the world shared their knowledge and experience in subjects relevant to the construction of a plan to solve the climate crisis. In addition, I engaged in a large number of one-on-one sessions with other leading experts to map out a blue print for action.

Our Choice is the result of this multi-year effort. The book is available today and can be purchased online at:

Amazon
Barnes and Noble
Borders
Indie Bound

As with “An Inconvenient Truth” 100 percent of Tipper’s and my proceeds will be contributed to the Alliance for Climate Protection.

For me, this has been an exciting and illuminating journey, because it is now abundantly clear that we have at our fingertips all of the tools we need to solve three or four climate crises – and we only need to solve one. The only missing ingredient is collective will.

We can solve the climate crisis. It will be hard, to be sure, but if we choose to solve it, I have no doubt whatsoever that we can and will succeed.

It will be hard, but we can solve it!