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Archive for March 18th, 2013
Global warming effect on Antarctica, ice cover disappears from King George Island
Posted by Times of India: Neel Kamal on March 18th, 2013
Times of India: Could anyone imagine the islands on the South Pole (Antarctica) without its proverbial ice? It seems unthinkable as the man's flirtation with nature, though for scientific research purposes, is paving way to global warming and seems to have cast its shadow on the icy lands as well.
Antarctica has gone through major geographical changes of late and one of its islands' (King George) ice cover has totally disappeared. Even the penguins are facing the threat of extinction.
This came to light after...
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The Role of Science for Conservation – book review
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 18th, 2013
Mongabay: The Role of Science for Conservation, edited by Matthias Wolff and Mark Gardner, celebrates Charles Darwin’s Bicentennial and 50 years of research by the Charles Darwin Foundation in The Galápagos, Ecuador. Using The Galápagos as a case study, The Role of Science for Conservation communicates to a wide audience about themes from a broad range of scientific disciplines. The book is divided into four parts: evolutionary context, biodiversity assessment and monitoring, modeling and restoration, and...
Ten reasons why fracking for dirty oil in California is a stupid idea
Posted by Grist: David Roberts on March 18th, 2013
Grist: The latest target of the unconventional oil craze is California, specifically the Monterey Shale in southern California (see map). Will California become the next North Dakota? Let us ponder.
Oil in California is nothing new - it`s the third highest oil-producing state in the U.S. (after Texas and North Dakota, which recently displaced Alaska for the No. 2 spot). The Monterey area has been drilled for years, profitably, though production has been steadily declining since its peak in the mid `80s....
UK should use shale gas to cut emissions, report says
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 18th, 2013
Guardian: The UK should use natural gas, including from "fracking", to help cut carbon by replacing coal for power supplies over the next few years, a report has suggested.
But it would be risky to assume gas prices will be low in the coming years or that the UK has extensive supplies of shale gas which is extracted through the controversial process of fracking, the study said.
And gas-fired power stations can only play a significant role in generating electricity beyond 2030 if they are fitted with...
Cambodia loses half its seasonal wetlands in 10 years
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 18th, 2013
Mongabay: Cambodia lost more than half of its seasonally flooded grasslands in ten years due to industrial agricultural conversion, abandonment of traditional farming, and illegal drainage, putting several endangered bird species at risk and undermining traditional livelihoods in the region, reports a new study published in the journal Conservation Biology.
The research is based on aerial photographs, land cover maps, and ground surveys. It found that the grassland area around the Tonle Sap, Southeast Asia’s...
Dash for gas a “risky” investment for UK, scientists warn
Posted by BusinessGreen: Will Nichols on March 18th, 2013
BusinessGreen: Large-scale investments in natural gas are "a risky option" given the uncertainty over future price fluctuations and the size of shale reserves, scientists will say today.
In a new report released two days ahead of a Budget that is expected to include further evidence of the Chancellor's desire to accelerate gas investment, researchers say a more sensible course of action would be a "dash for smart gas", where natural gas is only used in the areas where it can deliver the greatest economic and...
NY fracking foes: will become lobby if necessary
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on March 18th, 2013
Associated Press: Artists Against Fracking said Monday neither the group nor Yoko Ono or Sean Lennon have been told to register as lobbyists in their campaign against gas drilling in New York, but will if necessary to continue their work. A good-government advocate and two lobbying experts said the state should review whether Artists Against Fracking and its supporter-celebrities should be registered as lobbyists. The group and nearly 200 entertainers connected with it aren't currently registered lobbyists, a search...