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Frequency heatwaves in urban areas on rise
Posted by Blue and Green: Charlotte Malone on January 30th, 2015
Blue and Green: A new study has found that the world’s urban areas are increasingly experiencing heatwaves, potentially leading to huge issues for public health and infrastructure.
The research, which has been published in the journal Environmental Research Letters, found that prolonged periods of extreme hot days have significantly increased in over 200 urban areas across the world in the last 40 years. Researchers from institutions in the US and India conducted the study.
The findings show that there were...
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US north-east cost faces ‘historic’ blizzard
Posted by Blue and Green: Charlotte Malone on January 27th, 2015
Blue and Green: A “potentially historic blizzard” could see as much as 3ft of snow hit the US north-east coast, the National Weather Service has warned. The warning comes as a study suggests that extreme weather events could double due to climate change.
The US forecast led to travel bans, public transport being reduced and schools closing early. New York governor Andrew Cuomo said with a “potentially historic blizzard” the state was “preparing for the worst”.
The weather comes as a new study warns that climate...
United Kingdom: Government forced to U-turn on fracking plans
Posted by Blue and Green: Charlotte Malone on January 27th, 2015
Blue and Green: The government has been forced to change plans on where fracking can occur across the UK after conceding to Labour’s calls to close 13 environmental loopholes in the industry’s regulation.
Energy secretary Ed Davey accepted amendments to the infrastructure bill put forward by Labour. The amendments include an outright ban on fracking within national parks and areas of outstanding natural beauty, as well as areas close to water supplies. Fracking companies will also have to monitor the environment...
Fracking jobs claims ‘overstated’, argue environmental group
Posted by Blue and Green: Charlotte Malone on January 20th, 2015
Blue and Green: A new report from environmental group Friends of the Earth argues that the fracking industry’s claims about job creation are “overstated” and calls for investment to support renewables instead. The report, which is supported by PCS Union and North West trade councils, places doubt on claims around the amount of long-term jobs the UK fracking industry could create. Energy firm Cuadrilla has previously said fracking could create 1,700 jobs in Lancashire within the first year. However, Friends of the...
Richest 1% on track own more than all the rest 2016
Posted by Blue and Green: Charlotte Malone on January 19th, 2015
Blue and Green: Global inequality has been labelled as “simply staggering” after it was revealed that the wealthiest 1% is set to own more than the rest of the population combined by 2016.
A report published by charity Oxfam, entitled Wealth: Having it all and wanting more, found that the wealth gap is continuing to widen, despite the issue rising up the global agenda.
Between 2009 and 2014 the richest 1% have seen their share of global wealth increase from 44% to 48%, with members of this global elite now...
Human activity risking life on Earth, warn scientists
Posted by Blue and Green: Charlotte Malone on January 16th, 2015
Blue and Green: A group of scientists have warned that human activity is destabilising the Earth system that we depend on, with four of the nine planetary boundaries now being crossed, potentially leading to serious risks and dangers.
The researchers explain that the planetary boundaries concept, first published in 2009, identifies nine global priorities relating to human-induced changes to the environment. These nine processes and systems regulate the stability and resilience of the Earth system – the complex...
United Kingdom: Public opposes fracking national parks & under private land
Posted by Blue and Green: Charlotte Malone on September 5th, 2014
Blue and Green: A new poll has found the controversial possibility of fracking operations coming to UK national parks and private land is opposed by the majority of the public.
In July, the government revealed that British national parks would be open to fracking “under exceptional circumstances”. Energy companies can now apply for new licences to drill for shale oil and gas after more than half the country was opened up for potential exploitation, with national parks, World Heritage sites and areas of outstanding...
Pro-fracking ad claiming UK suffered ‘near-catastrophic’ gas shortage is banned
Posted by Blue and Green: Charlotte Malone on September 3rd, 2014
Blue and Green: An advert from US fracking company Breitling Energy, which claimed that the UK suffered from a “near-catastrophic” gas shortage last winter and talked up the benefits of shale gas, has been banned.
The Advertising Stands Authority (ASA) received a complaint about the advert, which appeared in the Telegraph earlier this year, stating that the claims made were misleading, which has been upheld.
The advert was addressed to “citizens of the United Kingdom” and suggested that shale gas estimates...
Impacts of climate change and land use on wildlife must be considered, say researchers
Posted by Blue and Green: Charlotte Malone on August 20th, 2014
Blue and Green: Policymakers need to consider the impacts of both climate change and land use when studying ecosystems, researchers have said. A study has found that when the two factors are analysed together, there are variances in the findings depending on the region.
Volker Radeloff, one of the researchers from the University of Wisconsin-Madison, said, “For conservation, as the world is changing, we want to know, how will wildlife respond. We need to take both land use and climate into account as we look...
Half of world could face extreme water scarcity by 2095
Posted by Blue and Green: Charlotte Malone on August 18th, 2014
Blue and Green: Without climate change mitigation policies, half of the world could face extreme water scarcity before the end of the century, a study has found. However, researchers from the Pacific Northwest National Laboratory (PNNL) also warned that poorly planned policies could exacerbate the crisis.
The study, which was carried out with the help of the Joint Global Change Research Institute, is comprehensive and used unique modelling technology. The model linked economic, energy, land-use and climate systems...