Up-to-date info on climate issues from scientists
RealClimate is a commentary site on climate science by working climate scientists for the interested public and journalists.Their goal: " to provide a quick response to developing stories and provide the context sometimes missing in mainstream commentary." They eschew discussion of the political and economic implications of their reports; however, their posts often engender extensive, […]
EPA admits climate change a human health problem
Well, the EPA (US Environmental Protection Agency) has acknowledged that climate change poses health and lifestyle risks. In a Reuters report filed last week, Joel Scheraga, agency representative is quoted as saying ""Climate change poses real risk to human health and the human systemsthat support our way of life in the United States." Possible risks […]
Climate change & the ocean
Dr. Richard Feely, Director of NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Lab, spoke at Northwestern University last February, part of their Global Warming: A Threat to Biodiversity program for the public.
Ocean chemistry 101 for the lay person
The Yale Forum on Climate Change & the Media just published a very good article by Marah J. Hardt and Carl Safina explaining ocean acidification. Their primary audience is journalists, but any layperson will find it a valuable resource for understanding the issue. "Changing ocean chemistry threatens the survival of marine life asmuch as warming […]
First US greenhouse gas auction
Yesterday the first carbon auction in the U.S. took place. But we don’t yet know what happened: that news will be released Monday. The auction was organized by a coalition of 10 northeastern states. The Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative was scheduled to begin online sales carbon credits, sales which would then continue on a quarterly […]
CO2 could worsen whale sonar problems
Increased absorption of CO2 by seawater changes how sound travels. Which in turn affects how whales communicate. Research published last week in Geophysical Research Letters studied the relationship between audio absorption and ocean pH. In their paper "“Unanticipated consequences of ocean acidification: A noisier ocean at lower pH,” ocean chemists Peter Brewer, Keith Hester, and […]
PMEL
NOAA’s Pacific Marine Environmental Laboratory (PMEL) Carbon Dioxide Program maintains a site that’s chock-a-block with info about the ocean carbon cycle, including acidification. Technical language, but accessible to the lay person. "The ocean plays a critical role in the global carbon cycle as avast reservoir that exchanges carbon rapidly with the atmosphere, andtakes up a […]
Obama addresses ocean acidification
Sea Action Fund joined forces with 18 other science organizations to ask the US presidential candidates 14 science questions. Democratic candidate Barack Obama specifically addressed ocean acidification in his answer to the ocean health question. The question asked: "Scientists estimate that some 75 percent of the world’s fisheries arein serious decline and habitats around the […]
The Ocean Acidification Network
This is a site we know we’ll be using a lot; it’s jam-packed with info about ocean acidification. Aimed at scientists, but not too technical for the lay person. Organizations involved in the Ocean Acidification Network: the Scientific Committee on Oceanic Research (SCOR), United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization-Intergovernmental Oceanographic Commission (UNESCO-IOC), the International […]
McCain weighs in on ocean health
John McCain has now stepped up to the plate presented by the Sciencedebate2008 folks. Hats off to them, by the way, for posing 14 questions to both U.S. presidential candidates.They’ve lined up the answers online, for maximum ease in comparing and contrasting. We of course went right to McCain’s answer on ocean health. FYI, the […]
The ocean before & after acidification
Let’s hope the outcome’s not quite so dire as this animation suggests. (Courtesy IoMidorihana.)
Hot rocks help us cool down, courtesy Google
Google.org is funding a brand-new renewable energy technology, to the tune of $10 million. It’s technology powered by hot rocks deep underground. I.e., several miles down. Here’s what Louis J. Sheehan has to say about it on a Greenpeace USA blog: "The technology, called Enhanced Geothermal Systems(EGS), differs from traditional geothermal energy that relies on […]
1 million tons an hour dissolving in the ocean
We were staggered to hear this statistic in KQED’s recent story on ocean acidification. Yup, that’s the rate at which carbon dioxide is dissolving in the ocean. Treehugger’s got the story running with a nice little slide show. The focus is research being conducted at the Monterey Bay Aquarium Research Institute (MBARI).
Cut greenhouse gases to save coral reefs
A new document called the Honolulu Declaration was just released at a U.S. conference on coral reefs in Hawaii. Reefs are considered sentinel ecosystems, key sign of environmental degradation. The document states: "The most logical and critical action to address the impacts of ocean acidification on coral reefs is to stabilize atmospheric carbon dioxide concentration." […]
Information for Action
Information for Action is an environmental website offering a couple of features: An easy-to-use automated lobbying service, allowing you to quickly send emails, letters or faxes to politicians and business leaders all over the world. An educational resourceexplaining the environmental issues, using words, images, maps, graphs,links, and offering solutions and a ‘What you can do’ […]
US carbon-reduction goals won’t save coral
The Daily Green is reporting that US carbon goals won’t protect corals, according to a study published in Geophysical Research Letters. Chemical oceanographers Long Cao and Ken Caldeira of the Carnegie Institution’s Dept. of Global Ecology have created a computer model which estimates levels of CO2 in the atmosphere threatening to the ocean environment. According […]
Just before the IUCN World Congress
First day in Barcelona. I arrive in the morning, get oriented by the friend I’m staying with.He’s had the foresight to rent an apartment in the old city, walking distance from the harbor. Around 5 pm I go down to Port Vell to meet with Valérie Burgener of the IUCN Sailing to Barcelona Initiative. She […]
Sizzle–global warming comes to a theater near you
We just found out about this and are super curious. It’s a comedy! We don’t know how it’s possible to make a funny doc about this subject, but don’t mind finding out. We’re definitely going, as soon as we can. Sizzle is directed by Randy Olson, whose first career was in marine biology. The film […]
A Sea Change at World Conservation Congress
We were delighted earlier this week by an invitation to screen the trailer for A Sea Change in Barcelona next month. The occasion is the World Conservation Congress, a four-yearly gathering sponsored by IUCN. They expect thousands of attendees from civil society, academia, and governments around the world. The structure is a four-day Forum, with […]
New species found in Australian reefs
Remember that tongue-eating fish we mentioned? And the dozens of other new species? See them in living color in this story from NTDTV. The species were discovered by an expedition mounted by the Australian Institute of Marine Science. Scientist JulianCaley says they never expected to find so many new species.It’ll take years just to name […]
Acid Test
Oceana just published a comprehensive report on oceans and climate change, Acid Test. We particularly like the graphic on their site which shows the chemical reactions between carbon dioxide, seawater, and calcium carbonate, the major building block of shells. The report details the causes and implications—ecological and economic—of ocean acidification, and lays out solutions. The […]
Liquefied coal not a solution to climate change
Burning oil looks like it’s less problematic than burning liquified coal, vis a vis climate change. For one thing, coal is more abundant than oil and gas. South African industries are already making use of liquefied coal, big time. China and the US are considering liquefaction technology. Another problem with liquefied coal: it releases 40 […]
Next US President, you’re invited to the UN climate meeting
350.org has set up a super-quick way to ask the next U.S. president to join the rest of the human race at the upcoming UN climate meetings.You can generate an email to both McCain and Obama in just about three seconds. What the heck, why not give it a try? Then for good measure, maybe […]
That pesky elephant in the room–wait, there’s more than one
Courtesy of Google alerts (yet another reason to be grateful to Google, and I’m wondering when they’re going to ask for my first-born child), I discovered the Gerry’s Elephantine Blog. Loving the name and the writing. Intelligent analysis laced with dark humor: my favorite cocktail. Gerry recently posted on climate change and ocean acidification. To […]
Global Day of Action for the Climate
Effective use of people as graphic elements to make the "Big Ask" forGlobal Day of Action for the Climate on December 06, 2008.The Big Ask unites Friends of the Earth groups across Europe in a call for governments to commit to cutting emissions. We do wonder a bit where all the people of color are; […]