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Archive for May 17th, 2014
Lungless frog and ‘ninja slug’ among new species discovered under Borneo protection plan
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on May 17th, 2014
Guardian: An enormous stick insect more than half a metre long and a bizarre lungless frog are among a staggering collection of new species highlighted today to celebrate an agreement to conserve wildlife on the island of Borneo.
Conservationists say the weird and wonderful creatures were discovered thanks to a pioneering deal between three governments to protect and conserve 220,000 square kilometres of lush rainforest on the island.
Some 123 new species have been recorded in the protected region, known...
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The people of Miami know about climate change. We’re living it
Posted by Guardian: Marc Caputo on May 17th, 2014
Guardian: Clear skies above but water below, a woman on a moped navigates a flooded street corner on Miami Beach, an all-too-familiar sign for residents of this iconic peninsula where the ocean seems more likely than ever to swamp Ocean Drive one day.
If there's an image that starkly illustrates the threats of climate change, it's this photograph, which was included in the recent National Climate Assessment released by the White House. It is noteworthy because the flood is from exceptionally high spring...
Billionaire Expands Activism to Senate Races
Posted by New York Times: Nicholas Confessore on May 17th, 2014
New York Times: Tom Steyer, the billionaire climate activist, recently contributed $5 million to a “super PAC” dedicated to keeping Democrats in control of the United States Senate, cementing his alliance with the party as the 2014 campaign swings into high gear. Mr. Steyer, a retired hedge fund manager, has used some of his fortune in an effort to make climate change a more potent political issue in pivotal states like Florida, Iowa and Virginia. He is planning to raise $100 million to run campaigns on climate...
As San Diego Burns Republicans Refuse Acknowledge Climate Change
Posted by PoliticusUSA: Trevor LaFauci on May 17th, 2014
PoliticusUSA: Even in the face of overwhelming evidence, Republicans continue to live in their own, made-up world.
Case in point: The current wildfire situation in San Diego, California.
Firefighters in the region are currently battling record-high heat in an attempt to quell fires that have consumed nearly 10,000 acres since Tuesday morning. In total, nine separate fires have engulfed the area causing the displacement of thousands of San Diego County residents as well as closing schools, colleges, and attractions...
Calif. county considers fracturing ban
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on May 17th, 2014
Associated Press: A proposal by an environmental group to ban fracking in Santa Barbara County is headed to the board of supervisors on Tuesday.
For the past several months, Santa Barbara County Water Guardians have worked to collect enough signatures to propose a ban on hydraulic fracking, which injects large amounts of water, sand and chemicals into rock formations to release oil.
The group gathered 16,000 signatures, 3,000 more than needed to get the issue on the upcoming ballot, the Santa Maria Times reported....
Mainers join nationwide tar sands protest
Posted by WCSH: None Given on May 17th, 2014
WCSH: A large group in Maine joined protesters across the country in a nationwide day of action against dirty fuels.
More than 100 protests took place Saturday, focusing primarily on sending a message to President Obama not to approve the proposed Keystone XL Pipeline. The pipeline would carry crude oil from Canada's tar sands in Alberta through the midwest to refineries in the Texas Gulf Coast. It's an issue people in Maine have watched closely, because of the fear of tar sands oil flowing through...
Overwhelming Cause of California Wildfires: Humans
Posted by National Geographic: Warren Cornwall on May 17th, 2014
National Geographic: Investigators around San Diego continue searching for the causes of ten fires that burned thousands of acres of land in the area this week, after determining that one of the blazes was set by sparks from construction equipment.
Whether the other blazes were set intentionally or by accident, experts say it's highly likely that humans are to blame. Two people were arrested north of San Diego on Thursday on suspicion of arson, though it's not clear if they are thought to be connected to this week's...
US insurer class action may signal wave of climate-change suits
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on May 17th, 2014
Reuters: A major insurance company is accusing dozens of localities in Illinois of failing to prepare for severe rains and flooding in lawsuits that are the first in what could be a wave of litigation over who should be liable for the possible costs of climate change.
Farmers Insurance filed nine class actions last month against nearly 200 communities in the Chicago area. It is arguing that local governments should have known rising global temperatures would lead to heavier rains and did not do enough...
Advancing development drives up cost of battling wildfires
Posted by Statesman Journal: Raju Chebium on May 17th, 2014
Statesman Journal: Increasing development in wilderness areas, especially in the West, is one reason why the federal government is shelling out more money to battle wildfires, experts say.
Suburbia's decades-long encroachment into forests and woods is sparking fresh concern because the blazes are getting bigger, deadlier and costlier to combat due to hot and dry conditions scientists attribute to climate change.
Uncle Sam is spending more to hire additional firefighters and deploy more helicopters, fire trucks,...
Wildfires and Climate Change: It’s Enough to Make You Sick
Posted by Street: Carlton Wilkinson on May 17th, 2014
Street: This week started off ominously with two independent teams of scientists saying that the West Antarctic Ice Sheet is collapsing as a result of man-made global warming. The melt could put coastal cities under water in the not-too-distant future.
Turned out that was only the start of the week's bad news for the globe. Since then, California wildfires have begun raging again, this time near San Diego. The early start to the season of vicious, destructive infernos is evidence that climate change is...