Carbon Footprints

The Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research has just released their latest ’synthesis’ report, titled “Climate Change: Global Risks, Challenges & Decisions”.

“We have covered new findings on climate science, climate impacts on society and the environment, and effective tools and approaches to deal with these challenges,” says Hans Joachim Schellnhuber, director of the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK) and member of the writing team. “The scientific findings presented in this update create by themselves a sense of urgency that we hope will lead the Copenhagen conference to success,” says Schellnhuber, who advises the German government on global change issues. In Copenhagen a follow-up to the Kyoto protocol will be debated.

The report delivers six key messages:

1. Climatic Trends

   Recent observations show that greenhouse gas emissions and many aspects of the climate are changing near the upper boundary of the IPCC range of projections. Many key climate indicators are already moving beyond the patterns of natural variability within which contemporary society and economy have developed and thrived. These indicators include global mean surface temperature, sea-level rise, global ocean temperature, Arctic sea ice extent, ocean acidification, and extreme climatic events. With unabated emissions, many trends in climate will likely accelerate, leading to an increasing risk of abrupt or irreversible climatic shifts.

2. Social and environmental disruption

   The research community provides much information to support discussions on “dangerous climate change”. Recent observations show that societies and ecosystems are highly vulnerable to even modest levels of climate change, with poor nations and communities, ecosystem services and biodiversity particularly at risk. Temperature rises above 2°C will be difficult for contemporary societies to cope with, and are likely to cause major societal and environmental disruptions through the rest of the century and beyond.

3. Long-term strategy – Global Targets and Timetables

   Rapid, sustained, and effective mitigation based on coordinated global and regional action is required to avoid “dangerous climate change” regardless of how it is defined. Weaker targets for 2020 increase the risk of serious impacts, including the crossing of tipping points, and make the task of meeting 2050 targets more difficult and costly. Setting a credible long-term price for carbon and the adoption of policies that promote energy efficiency and low-carbon technologies are central to effective mitigation.

4. Equity Dimensions

   Climate change is having, and will have, strongly differential effects on people within and between countries and regions, on this generation and future generations, and on human societies and the natural world. An effective, well-funded adaptation safety net is required for those people least capable of coping with climate change impacts, and equitable mitigation strategies are needed to protect the poor and most vulnerable. Tackling climate change should be seen as integral to the broader goals of enhancing socioeconomic development and equity throughout the world.

5. Inaction is inexcusable

   Society already has many tools and approaches – economic, technological, behavioural, and managerial – to deal effectively with the climate change challenge. If these tools are not vigorously and widely implemented, adaptation to the unavoidable climate change and the societal transformation required to decarbonise economies will not be achieved. A wide range of benefits will flow from a concerted effort to achieve effective and rapid adaptation and mitigation. These include job growth in the sustainable energy sector; reductions in the health, social, economic and environmental costs of climate change; and the repair of ecosystems and revitalisation of ecosystem services.

6. Meeting the Challenge

   If the societal transformation required to meet the climate change challenge is to be achieved, then a number of significant constraints must be overcome and critical opportunities seized. These include reducing inertia in social and economic systems; building on a growing public desire for governments to act on climate change; reducing activities that increase greenhouse gas emissions and reduce resilience (e.g. subsidies); and enabling the shifts from ineffective governance and weak institutions to innovative leadership in government, the private sector and civil society. Linking climate change with broader sustainable consumption and production concerns, human rights issues and democratic values is crucial for shifting societies towards more sustainable development pathways.

Inaction is inexcusable, and has been for years now. Denial and a head-in-the-sand approach to risk management is foolish at best, suicidal at worst. It’s certainly not good public policy. Arguments that delay the many and varied responses to climate change miss the point that there is no silver bullet, and no-one in their right minds says so. The global economy must be reformed. Externalities must be brought in from the cold and the emission of greenhouse gasses is one of the starkest externalities of all. You can be the change. — DS

Technorati Tags: carbon, carbon dioxide, climate, Climate Change, CO2, global warming, Potsdam, Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research

The National Wildlife Federation is reporting U.S. House Passes Historic Climate Bill.

Today the U.S. House of Representatives passed one of the most critical bills in conservation history.

This legislation–known as the American Clean Energy and Security Act–is an unprecedented plan to address the single greatest threat to our nation’s wildlife and natural resources.

In addition to putting a cap on global warming pollution, the Clean Energy and Security Act will make critical investments in clean energy solutions and invests billions to help safeguard America’s wildlife and wild places for future generations.

Today’s victory is a decisive step towards the goal of ensuring that strong legislation to confront global warming will finally become law.

The bill was passed by a vote of 219 for, and 212 against with three abstaining so it was terribly close. This idea has gone from idea to law in what seems like a matter of moments. Compare this to the vacillation in the Australian Parliament over their Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme which faces further delays. It’s embarrassing really. Come on Australia, get your act together. — DS

Technorati Tags: AGW, carbon, Climate Change, CO2, emissions, GHG, global warming, Law, politics, USA

Carbon Planet is pleased to release issue 13 of Be the Change, your resource for news and information on climate change and carbon credits.

In this latest issue we include feature articles:

• Obama’s green future
• Flight calculators - we clear the air
• Climate change vs global warming - what’s the difference?
• Energy efficiency gives us triple whammy.

Plus our regular features:

• Profile of a planet saving superhero - Kim Shearman
• Profile of a sustainable business - Donato Environmental Services
• Snippets from the worldwide media on current events related to Global Warming
• Useful tips for saving the planet
• How to talk to a climate skeptic
• Operation: Coolenation - for kids.

Plus plenty more.

This latest issue of Be the Change, as well as back issues, is available for download anytime from the magazine’s main web page. Please enjoy. — DS

Technorati Tags: Be The Change, carbon, Carbon Planet, carbon trading, Climate Change, CO2, global warming, magazine

Yale University is reporting that the cost of solar power in Italy is soon to rival that of coal fired power.

Southern Italy, with it abundant sunshine and high electricity tariffs from coal-generated power plants, could by 2010 produce solar power that is economically competitive with conventional power. That’s the assessment of Winfried Hoffmann, president of the European Photovoltaic Industry Association, who also predicted that solar power could meet 12 percent of Europe’s electricity demand by 2020. Hoffman said that the cost of producing power from photovoltaic cells is steadily declining, so much so that by next year solar power in southern Italy could be produced as cheaply as the 25 euro cents ($.35) per kilowatt hour that residents there now pay for coal-generated electricity. Hoffmann asserted that 12 percent of the continent’s electricity could come from solar power by 2020 if the European Union enforces rules on renewable power quotas and continues state-subsidized programs that pay generators of renewable power a premium for channeling their electricity into centralized power grids.

Rock on Italy! If they can do this in Europe where the sunshine is, to be frank, rather weak, imagine what we could do down-under! — DS

Technorati Tags: economics, energy, Italy, power, solar

There is a special parliamentary screening of the cinematic release of the film The Burning Season at Parliament House in Sydney tonight. The film’s narrator, Hugh Jackman, will be there apparently. I’ll be there too, happy to share what I know about the technicalities of REDD projects and filmmakers Cathy Henkel and Trish Lake will be there to formally respond to questions in a session after the film.

The Burning Season is a documentary about Dorjee Sun, a young entrepreneur who believes there’s money to be made from saving rainforests in Indonesia and making a real impact on climate change. Armed with a laptop and a backpack, he sets out across the globe to find investors in his scheme. Meanwhile another burning season gets underway. A small-scale farmer wrestles with the dilemma of clearing his land. In Borneo, a wildlife carer battles overcrowding and despair as more orangutans are rescued from the fires. This is the story of a young man not afraid to single-handedly confront the biggest challenge of our time. His determination to succeed and his award-winning achievement will uplift and entertain audiences and inspire hope in our future.

Paying people for the environmental services provided by their forests is probably going to be the single biggest change to money flows around the world we’ve seen in a long time. For many years money has flowed to those people lucky enough to be born on top of oil, or gas, or gold; and tough enough to be able to take advantage of that good fortune. It’s not always flowed fairly and the needs of the people have often taken a back seat to the wants of fat-cats, middle-men and officials.

One of the huge challenges for REDD projects is making sure, with the benefit of hindsight, we design financial distribution systems that ensure the people get the money they deserve. The journey Dorjee Sun and others are on is a long, complicated and often treacherous one. There are many forces who’d love nothing more than to see REDD projects fall at the first hurdle. But if the world is to address dangerous climate change, and put its best foot forwards with respect to global poverty, saving the world’s forests, and teaching people that there are other, better, more sustainable ways to extract revenues from their forests. Deforestation represents over 17% of the world’s excess greenhouse gas emissions. Forest people are some of the poorest, and most likely to be affected early by climate change. Common sense and natural justice come together here with economic pragmatism. REDD projects will succeed, despite a vocal lobby of nay-sayers. — DS

Technorati Tags: Climate Change, Dorjee Sun, forests, Indonesia, REDD, The Burning Season

Emma Lawrence of G.R.A.S.S and The Rozelle Protocol, and our own Chris Wilson from Carbon Planet’s Sydney office were interviewed as part of Metro Screen 09 about how to “Get Real About Sustainable Screens“.

The motion picture industry has been identified as a serious polluter and, to help tackle this problem head-on, Carbon Planet, The Australian Directors’ Guild and The Rozelle Protocol got together to devise a very handy scorecard for film producers to work out just how green their production is.

Simply fill out the simple checklist and you will be assigned a score:

• 25 - 44 - 1 STAR
  Nice work, your operations are above average. See what else you can implement to up your rating.
• 45 - 64 - 2 STAR
  Well done, your operations are an example to others.
• over 65 - 3 STAR
  Congratulations, your operations are exceptional. Become an honourary member of the Rozelle Protocol.

For more information on the ratings and the scorecard click here.

Carbon Planet is very proud to be working so closely with the film industry, both in Australia and globally. — DS

Technorati Tags: carbon, cinema, Climate Change, film, film making, global warming, GRASS, movies, Rozelle Protocol

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Forty years ago the Cuyahoga River caught on fire due to heavy pollution, but Cleveland has since turned this unfortunate incident into an opportunity by striving to make itself of the nation’s greenest cities. After nearly four decades of hard work, Cleveland has grown to become a “green city on a blue lake.”

The infamous burning Cuyahoga River led to the creation of the Clean Water Act of 1972, still the most “influential water improvement measure on the books.” “The water quality of the Cuyahoga River has improved dramatically since the late 1960s,” says Tinka Hyde, U.S. EPA Regional Water Division director. “More than 40 species of fish were found in the river in 2008, including steelhead trout, northern pike, and others. This shows how powerful a tool the Clean Water Act can be when the public, government, and industry are committed to restoring an important waterway.” Today the Cuyahoga River is one of 14 American Heritage Rivers in the United States and the centerpiece of Ohio’s only national park (the Cuyahoga Valley). It runs through beautiful rural burgs like Cuyahoga Falls and Kent, provides water access for rowing clubs, boaters and commerce.

Environments can be restored, but its expensive and better for everyone if they are not ruined in the first place. But the example of Cleveland shows that even seeming devestation can be restored eventually. There is always room for optimism in this world. — DS

Technorati Tags: Cleveland, green, restoration, rivers, USA, water

The Home Project is a new film by Yann Arthus-Bertrand. It has been released in full online free of charge. See the complete movie in HD via YouTube.

We are living in exceptional times. Scientists tell us that we have 10 years to change the way we live, avert the depletion of natural resources and the catastrophic evolution of the Earth’s climate.

The stakes are high for us and our children. Everyone should take part in the effort, and HOME has been conceived to take a message of mobilization out to every human being.

I watched this the other night and it’s beautiful. It explains the history of life on Earth and puts human activity in its proper context. While at times the film is quite grim, it’s also full of wonder and hope. We really do have 10 years to turn around the fate of the world. A lot of progress is being made, but there is much more work to be done. — DS

Technorati Tags: cinema, Climate Change, film, history, Home, movie, Nature

The Australian Youth Climate Coalition is kicking goal after goal. Their latest project, PowerShift, a national conference for youth concerned about climate change, promises to be a seminal event in the Australian Youth calendar. The event is being held at the University of Western Sydney, Parramatta Campus from Saturday 11 July to Monday 13 July 2009.

What’s happening

Trainings: Conference attendees will learn the best practices of climate organising, including: campaign and event planning, recruitment, media, public speaking, lobbying, leadership development, coalition-building, campaign strategy, and community and campus organising.

Keynote Speakers & Bands: Attendees will be energised by leaders of the climate movement in Australia and worldwide. Speakers include Dr Tim Flannery, author of The Weather Makers, and Dr. Rajendra Pachauri, Chair of the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. Well-known Australian artists will help us celebrate our movement to solve climate change with a Saturday night concert.

State/Regional Break-Outs: After splitting into geographically-based groups, youth will identify upcoming state and regional opportunities to realise tangible climate progress and plan coordinated campaigns and events to make them happen. We will also facilitate the coordination of upcoming youth actions on climate change across the country.

Presentations: Diverse speakers will enlighten youth about the connections between Climate and Faith, International Security and Climate Change, How Combating Climate Change Leads to Job Creation, Climate Change from Indigenous peoples’ Perspectives, and many more presentations that will help build our movement and add new perspectives to the discussion.

Green Job Fair: Employers on the cutting edge of our energy transition will meet youth looking for the jobs of tomorrow in non-profit, clean energy, and other sustainably-focused sectors. We have invited the Deputy Prime Minister Julia Gillard to open the career fair.

2010 and Beyond: Leaders of all major parties - candidates for the Prime Minister of Australia at the next election - have been invited speak to their plan to reduce Australia’s GHG emissions to safe levels, forcing them to justify their policies to the generation that will be most affected by them.

Powershift defies the contemporary view of youth as a bunch of Gen-Y slackers looking shortcut their way to the top. The event has been planned meticulously and seeks to truly inspire informed behavioural change across the country. I know many young people who really do see their future imperilled by the policies of their elders, and who see the best hope for change being their own actions. Ticket prices are cheap and there will be competitions in the lead-up to Power Shift with the chance to win tickets. Register your interest now! — DS

Technorati Tags: activism, Australia, AYCC, Climate Change, education, Events, kids, powershift, youth

Bloomburg is reporting “Global Warming Bill With Cap-and-Trade Plan Gains Committee Nod“, saying

A House committee passed a climate-change measure that would create a cap-and-trade system to control greenhouse-gas emissions, the most comprehensive effort yet by the U.S. to tackle global warming.

The House Energy and Commerce Committee yesterday approved the bill 33-25, with one Republican joining all but four Democrats in support. It now faces review in as many as eight House committees.

This is a positive first step but there is a long road yet for the Waxman Markey Bill, aka the The American Clean Energy and Security Act.

Under the proposed scheme,

the ceiling on greenhouse-gas emissions would be divided into billions of permits, each conferring the right to emit one metric ton of carbon dioxide. In 2016, the first full year of the cap-and-trade program, the Environmental Protection Agency would distribute 5.48 billion permits.

The federal government would auction 15 percent of the permits to pay for programs that help low- and middle-income families pay their energy bills. Most of the remaining permits would be given away to industry and state governments, with the power sector receiving the largest share, at 35 percent.

By 2020, the EPA would distribute a reduced number of permits — 5.06 billion — to enforce the greenhouse-gas target for that year. Fewer permits would be issued each year until emissions are cut 83 percent below 2005 levels by 2050, according to the legislation.

This is very similar in design to the Australian Carbon Pollution Reduction Scheme. Fingers crossed this bill gets through without too much watering down. — DS

Technorati Tags: cap and trade, carbon, CO2, emissions trading, Markey, politics, USA, Waxman, Waxman Markey Bill