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Archive for September 27th, 2012
Report shows climate change behind the current drought and summer wild fires
Posted by Examiner: None Given on September 27th, 2012
Examiner: Tuesday the House Committee on Natural Resources and Energy Minority staff released a new report which concludes the current drought and last summer’s wildfires are in part due to climate change.
This is the second of a three-part series on that Report. The first article reported evidence that our nation is getting warmer. In this article, we examine excerpts from the Report that connect the current drought and last summers wildfires to global warming.
Drought
“As of early September, 64%...
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Despite Record Drought, Farmers Expect Banner Year
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on September 27th, 2012
National Public Radio: After one of the driest summers on record, recent rains have helped in some parts of the country. But overall, the drought has still intensified. The latest tracking classifies more than a fifth of the contiguous United States in "extreme or exceptional" drought, the worst ratings.
In some parts of the Lower Midwest, water-starved crops have collapsed, but the farmers have not. Farmers across the country are surviving, and many are even thriving. This year, despite the dismal season, farmers stand...
Major Extractives Firms No Longer Ignoring Community Consent
Posted by Inter Press Service: Carey L. Biron on September 27th, 2012
Inter Press Service: New research from Oxfam, an international aid agency, finds that some of the largest multinational oil and mining companies are increasingly incorporating principles of community consent into their day-to-day operations.
Oxfam's researchers looked at 28 of the world's largest extractives companies and combed through their publicly available commitments to addressing the issue of community rights. They used the information to come up with a ranking - the Community Consent Index - that, coupled...
Drought-hit hog producers face tough choice: struggle or fold
Posted by Reuters: P.J. Huffstutter and Theopolis Waters on September 27th, 2012
Reuters: With the worst drought in half a century driving feed prices sky high, pork producers are facing an untenable choice: drain their savings and gamble on a better future, or sell off their herd and get out of the business altogether.
A disappointing corn harvest has forced the slaughter of sows - adult female hogs that are the building blocks of a herd - at record rates, swelling pork supplies and sending prices plunging.
As a result, consumers could be treated to cheap pork this fall but would...
Another Week Brings More Pessimistic Drought News
Posted by Climate Central: Andrew Freedman on September 27th, 2012
Climate Central: As has been the case throughout the month of September, the latest weekly drought update shows that drought conditions have tightened their grip on the Plains States and Western U.S., and the overall drought footprint expanded to encompass 65.45 percent of the lower 48 states, up from 64.8 percent on Sept. 18. This represents the highest areal coverage in the 12-year history of the Drought Monitor analysis, topping last week's record.
As of Sept. 25, the worst categories of drought -- extreme...
Climate Change May Be Blamed For Millions Of Deaths By 2030
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on September 27th, 2012
redOrbit: A new report, conducted by humanitarian organization DARA, claims that over 100 million people will die and global economic growth will be cut by 3.2 percent of gross domestic product (GDP) by 2030 if the word fails to deal with climate change.
Greenhouse gas emissions are causing global average temperatures to rise, causing planetary effects such as melting ice caps, extreme weather, drought and rising sea levels. These threaten populations and livelihoods.
The report calculated that five...
Texas Tar Sands Tree-Sit Launches to Halt Keystone XL Indefinitely
Posted by Truthout: None Given on September 27th, 2012
Truthout: Shannon Bebe and Benjamin Franklin locked themselves to construction equipment working nearly 300 yards away from a tree village blocking construction of the Keystone XL pipeline. (Photo: Tar Sands Blockade)
I've known some of the sitters for years. We started off organizing small rallies and protests at the University of North Texas - the usual, a forum here, a documentary screening there. Now some of my best friends are sitting in trees to halt construction of the Keystone XL pipeline in Winnsboro,...
Drought area widens in U.S., farmers frustrated
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on September 27th, 2012
Reuters: More than 65 percent of the contiguous United States was under at least "moderate" drought as of September 25, up from 64.82 percent a week earlier, according to the Drought Monitor, a weekly compilation of data gathered by federal and academic scientists.
The portion of the United States under "exceptional" drought - the most dire classification - rose to 6.12 percent from 5.96 percent a week earlier.
Conditions were most severe in the High Plains, with severe or worse drought levels covering...
California farmers examine climate change issues
Posted by Fresno Bee: Robert Rodriguez on September 27th, 2012
Fresno Bee: New science and research has San Joaquin Valley farmers taking a harder look at the effect that climate change may have on their industry.
If researcher's predictions hold true, the Valley's multi-billion dollar agriculture industry will be hit with longer stretches of hot temperatures, fewer colder days and shrinking water supplies.
What that means for agriculture is potentially lower yields, a loss of revenue and fewer acres being farmed.
Farmers and industry leaders say that while there...
U.S. states struggle with water woes amid drought
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on September 27th, 2012
Reuters: The worst drought in more than half a century baked more than two thirds of the continental United States this summer and its harsh effects continue to plague the parched cities and towns of the Great Plains.
Ask the 94,000 people of San Angelo, Texas who are running out of water. Fast.
The city -- once known as "the oasis" of dry west Texas -- now says it only has enough water supplies to last one more year. On October 16, it will enforce its highest level of emergency measures to save its...