RSS Feed
Archive for July 22nd, 2015
Fracking impact on CO2 cuts ‘a myth’
Posted by BBC: Matt McGrath on July 22nd, 2015
BBC: New research suggests that the impact of shale gas on curbing US carbon emissions has been overstated.
Politicians have argued that the US was able to significantly reduce CO2 between 2007 and 2013 because of fracking.
But scientists now believe an 11% cut in emissions in that period was chiefly due to economic recession.
The study suggests that the future impacts of shale as a way of curbing carbon may be limited.
Between 2007 and 2013 US emissions of carbon dioxide, mainly from the...
Posted in 
Harmful Algal Blooms Predicted for Lake Erie, Says NOAA
Posted by EcoWatch: None Given on July 22nd, 2015
EcoWatch: Summer is here and that means it’s toxic algae season for Lake Erie. Harmful algal blooms have been making the lake green around the gills for the past several years. Last August, the cyanobacteria even contaminated Toledo’s drinking water, leaving more than 400,000 people high and dry for two days. Scientists from National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration say this summer will be another doozy. The agency’s seasonal forecast predicts that 2015 could be the second-worst year on record after...
Australia’s drought bringing the beef to McDonald’s, Carl’s Jr
Posted by Bloomberg: Phoebe Sedgman on July 22nd, 2015
Bloomberg: Australia’s dry spell and a strengthening El Nino are proving a boon for U.S. hamburger lovers.
Queensland’s most widespread drought ever is sending a near record number of cattle to feedlots as ranchers cull cows at the fastest pace in more than three decades. That’s boosting beef exports to an all-time high, including a more than 70 percent surge in shipments to the U.S., government data show, with most of that destined to become burgers.
The U.S. last year overtook Japan as Australia’s top...
Just about every big measure of climate change bad last year
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on July 22nd, 2015
Washington Post: THE CLIMATE got its annual physical last week, and the results were not good.
The comprehensive report, compiled by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, found that last year was the warmest in the 135-year record of modern temperature measurement. One very hot year doesn’t prove that the planet is on a dangerous warming path. But the long-term trends indicating poor climatic health are worrying.
“Most of the dozens of essential climate variables monitored each year in this report...
New study says even 2 degrees of warming ‘highly dangerous’
Posted by InsideClimate: None Given on July 22nd, 2015
InsideClimate: When world leaders meet in Paris this December to agree on a new international treaty on climate change, their goal will be to keep atmospheric warming to 2 degrees Celsius, the point after which catastrophic climate change will be nearly inevitable, scientists say. But a new study being published this week by a team of 17 leading international climate scientists warns that even 2 degrees of warming is "highly dangerous" and could cause sea level rise of "at least several meters" this century, leaving...
Dire climate warning raises questions, not answers
Posted by Climate Central: Brian Kahn on July 22nd, 2015
Climate Central: NASA's former climate chief has issued a stark new study that finds that the world's current climate goal could be inadequate and may not prevent catastrophic losses from rising seas, ocean temperatures and changes in global weather. But the extreme nature of his projections has some scientists questioning the methods he used and the results he reached.
Global leaders and scientists have agreed that keeping global warming to within 2°C of pre-industrial temperatures represents a safe level of...