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Archive for December 7th, 2015
In Hawaii, large telescope faces extremely large setback
Posted by Mother Nature Network: Matt Hickman on December 7th, 2015
Mother Nature Network: I’ve written about a fair number of battles against new development, from cantilevered mountain cabins to the affordable housing development that “Stars Wars” built. None, however, are as huge -- literally and figuratively -- as a currently stalled construction project on the Big Island of Hawaii that’s pitted conservation-minded local activists against the stargazing scientific community.
I’m talking, of course, about the fight over the majestic Mauna Kea.
The battle over the construction...
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World’s Most Powerful Telescope Ruled Unlawful
Posted by Gizmodo: None Given on December 7th, 2015
Gizmodo: Last week, Hawaii’s Supreme Court voided a construction permit for the Thirty Meter Telescope (TMT), a $1.4 billion observatory that would peer into distant corners of our universe and back in time, exploring new cosmic landscapes with a resolution twelve times sharper than that of Hubble.
The TMT is intended to be the flagship observatory of the northern hemisphere and the most powerful optical telescope on Earth. There’s just one problem: the telescope’s construction site, near the summit of...
Fires rage in Amazon Rainforest
Posted by The Ecologist: Jos Barlow and Erika Berenguer on December 7th, 2015
The Ecologist: As world leaders meet in Paris to tackle carbon emissions, here in the Amazon we are watching forests burning unchecked, releasing carbon into the atmosphere, destroying sensitive ecosystems and making breathing difficult.
There are forests fires in the Amazon every year, but 2015 is exceptional. We've been investigating the issue in the rainforest around Santarém, a city on the south bank of the Amazon, 800km from the sea.
For the past five weeks we have woken up under a thick veil of smoke....
Opec plan to kill off US shale supply sends oil price down 7-yr low
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on December 7th, 2015
Guardian: The latest attempt by Saudi Arabia to kill off the threat from US shale oil has sent oil prices slumping to their lowest level since the depths of the global recession almost seven years ago.
A barrel of benchmark Brent crude was changing hands at below $42 a barrel after the oil cartel Opec - heavily influenced by Saudi Arabia – decided late last week to continue flooding the global market with cheap oil.
With global demand weak, traders fear that Opec’s refusal to cut production despite the...
Climate Change Is Killing Us, Literally — Here’s How
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on December 7th, 2015
National Public Radio: Climate change may be bad for people but it's good for bugs.
Germs of all kinds as well as mosquitoes and other disease carriers will live longer in warmer weather because cold kills them. They'll find more areas with the hot, humid conditions they need to thrive. Disease-carrying insects have already begun to move into new territory, climbing higher up the Andes in South America and reaching further north into Canada and the U.S. to spread what were once considered tropical diseases like West...
Indigenous activists take to Seine river to protest axing of rights from Paris climate pact
Posted by Guardian: Martin Lukacs on December 7th, 2015
Guardian: Indigenous groups from across the world staged a paddle down the Seine river in Paris on Sunday, calling on governments to ensure Indigenous rights are included in the United Nations climate pact currently being negotiated in France.
The United States, the EU, Australia and other states have pushed for Indigenous rights to be dropped from the binding parts of the agreement out of fear that it could create legal liabilities.
Indigenous representatives from North and South America, Indonesia...
Cameron to visit regions hit by Storm Desmond
Posted by Guardian: Rowena Mason on December 7th, 2015
Guardian: David Cameron is to visit flood-stricken areas in the north-west amid criticism of the defences that failed to keep water out of people’s homes and businesses.
The prime minister chaired a meeting of the emergency Cobra committee on Monday morning, which looked at how to get immediate help for those affected by Storm Desmond and longer term efforts to get areas “back on their feet”.
Speaking before his visit, Cameron confirmed councils would be fully reimbursed for the costs of dealing with...
Is climate change behind storm that flooded parts of the UK?
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on December 7th, 2015
New Scientist: The army has been deployed and tens of thousands of homes across Scotland and the north of England are without power after Storm Desmond dumped torrential rain across the area, causing major flooding.
Early figures suggest there was a record-breaking downpour of rain as 340 millimetres fell in 24 hours in the Lake District, breaking a record of 316.4mm set in 2009.
It`s too soon to know whether the storm can be attributed to climate change, but green groups point out it is just what the UK...
Storm Desmond: how has it affected you?
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on December 7th, 2015
Guardian: The army has been deployed after the effects of Storm Desmond left more than 60,000 homes in the north of England without power. Cumbria was the most affected county, with schools and hospitals closed and nearly 50 severe flood warnings remaining in place in north-west England.
If you’ve been affected by the flooding, we want to hear from you. Has your community been flooded? Are you without power or water? Are you unable to go to work, or are your children off school? Let us know your stories...
Storm Desmond: Cameron to chair emergency meeting
Posted by Washington Post: Juliet Eilperin on December 7th, 2015
Guardian: 7,408 homes still without power
Electricity North West appears to have made some progress restoring power to homes in the north-west but more than 7,400 homes remain cut off.
Steve Cox, Electricity North West’s incident manager, said: “While we still have a significant amount of work to do to fully repair the substation, our teams have worked round the clock and done enough to restore power to a large number of customers earlier than expected.
“Rather than wait any longer for the full repair...