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Archive for May 15th, 2013
Frac-Sand Mining’s Promise of Economic Prosperity Fails to Materialize
Posted by EcoWatch: None Given on May 15th, 2013
EcoWatch: The true economic impact of frac-sand mining on rural Wisconsin communities may fall short of industry claims promising sustained prosperity and economic opportunity, says a first-of-its-kind expert report, released today. By using currently available economic data, The Economic Benefits and Costs of Frac-Sand Mining in West Central Wisconsin offers a full, unbiased analysis of costs and benefits for communities affected by frac-sand mining. The report concludes by offering a list of questions to...
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Glaciers on Everest Disappearing as Temperatures Rise, Snowfall Declines
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on May 15th, 2013
Yale Environment 360: The glaciers on Mount Everest and the surrounding region have shrunk by 13 percent in the last five decades as temperatures have risen and snowfall has declined in that section of the Himalaya, according to a new study. Using satellite imagery and topographic maps, a team of scientists found that the majority of glaciers on Everest, the world’s tallest mountain, and in the surrounding Sagarmatha National Park are retreating at an accelerating rate. In the last 50 years, the snowline in the Everest...
Is Canada’s oil too dirty for Europe?
Posted by New York Times: Christopher F. Schuetze on May 15th, 2013
New York Times: As the debate over the construction of the Keystone XL pipeline continues in the United States, a Canadian trade delegation is insisting that Canadian oil extracted from tar sands - the product that would be transported by an expanded pipeline - should not be classified as being dirtier than other types of oil.
Last week Canada`s natural resource minster, Joe Oliver, threatened to take the European Union to the World Trade Organization over its plans to classify oil harvested from tar sands as...
‘Best estimate’ for impact of melting ice on sea level rise
Posted by BBC: Matt McGrath on May 15th, 2013
BBC: Researchers have published their most advanced calculation for the likely impact of melting ice on global sea levels.
The EU-funded team says the ice sheets and glaciers could add 36.8cm to the oceans by 2100.
Adding in other factors, sea levels could rise by up to 69cm, higher than previous predictions.
The researchers say there is a very small chance that the seas around Britain could rise by a metre.
The last Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report was highly detailed...
Sea levels are rising – but how quickly?
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on May 15th, 2013
BBC: A deep sea mission of genuine exploration Legacy of Britain's great flood Can UK science navigate around the Valley of Death Is graphene really a wonder-material?
Scientists are warning that the level of the sea may rise by slightly more than previously forecast - but they also say that the very worst predictions look much less likely.
Confused? If so, you're not alone.
The future of sea level rise is one of the most important questions in climate science because so many millions around...