97 Global Warming News Articles
from 2nd Quarter of 2015
Click on the links below to get the full story from its source

6-29-15 US Supreme Court blocks new toxic pollution changes
US Supreme Court blocks new toxic pollution changes
The US Supreme Court has blocked a key government attempt to limit pollution from the country's power plants. In a 5-4 split, the court ruled that the Environmental Protection Agency failed to factor in the full financial cost to industry of the changes. The government introduced new rules to restrict emissions of toxins, including mercury, three years ago. The government has made several attempts to strengthen the Clean Air Act, but the court said this latest move must include costs as well as health risks. (Webmaster's comment: So breath deeply America! Your health doesn't matter. Just the cost of cleaning up the air for the greedy conservatives and rich executives, who created the problem in the first place by irresponsibly dumping the toxic stuff in everyone's air because it was cheaper to do than cleaning it up in the first place.)

6-30-15 China climate change plan unveiled
China climate change plan unveiled
China - the world's largest emitter of greenhouse gases - has announced details of its climate action plan. The office of Prime Minister Li Kegiang said that emissions "will peak by around 2030" and China would work hard to achieve the target even earlier. China aims to reduce its carbon dioxide emissions per unit of GDP by 60-65% by 2030, from 2005 levels. The carbon intensity target builds on a previous plan to cut carbon intensity by 40-45% by 2020. China also aimed to increase the share of non-fossil fuels in its primary energy consumption to about 20% by 2030, the statement added. Beijing previously set a goal of getting around 15% of its energy from clean sources by 2020. (Webmaster's comment: And the U.S. plan? Don't worrry, the greedy conservatives and rich executives have no intention of allowing any plan that will cut into their corporate profits or personal wealth. They are rich after all so they can just say screw the rest of America!)

6-30-15 China ready to set out climate pledges, says Li
China ready to set out climate pledges, says Li
China is set to reveal how much it intends to cut its carbon emissions by beyond 2020, Chinese Premier Li Keqiang has said. Last November, China - the world's top greenhouse gas emitter - committed for the first time to limit its output. Chinese President Xi Jinping said the country would target 2030 for its emissions to peak.

6-29-15 China's carbon crunch
China's carbon crunch
There are growing expectations that China will soon give details of its pledge to cut carbon emissions ahead of key UN climate talks at the end of the year in Paris. As the world's biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, China's contribution is of global significance. China announced last November, in a joint declaration with the US, that it would peak its carbon emissions by 2030. This target forms the blueprint for China's offer.

6-26-15 Heat-tolerant genes could help corals adapt to climate change
Heat-tolerant genes could help corals adapt to climate change
Evidence from the Great Barrier Reef suggests corals that are tolerant of high temperatures can pass the trait to the next generation through their genes. Coral reefs still have some fight left in them. In the face of climate change, recent discoveries are giving us hope that some corals can hang on longer than researchers imagined by resisting both rising temperatures and ocean acidification. This growing evidence on the surprising resilience of reefs has gained more support today, with news of lab experiments that demonstrate some corals able to withstand rising temperatures can pass the trait on to their offspring through their genes.

6-25-15 Illegal not to act: Could courts save world from climate change?
Illegal not to act: Could courts save world from climate change?
A landmark legal ruling ordering the Dutch government to cut emissions could be the first of many – and they might do what global treaties have so far failed to. All governments have a legal duty to protect their citizens from harm. They must therefore do their part to prevent dangerous global warming. And if they fail to act, their citizens can take them to court to compel them. This legal argument has been tested for the first time in the Netherlands. A court ruled yesterday that the government must do much more than it is currently doing. The Netherlands was aiming to cut its greenhouse emissions by 17 per cent by 2020, but the court has ordered that they must be cut by 25 per cent in the same time frame.

6-24-15 Climate change: Is the Dutch court ruling 'a game changer'?
Climate change: Is the Dutch court ruling 'a game changer'?
It reads like the script of a movie. Climate change campaigners go to court to force their government to take tougher action on greenhouse gas emissions. But it became reality in a Dutch court on Wednesday, when a judge ruled that The Netherlands must do more to combat the threat of climate change." The Dutch court's ruling should encourage courts around the world to tackle climate change now," said James Thornton. The case is thought to be the first in Europe in which citizens try to hold a state responsible for lack of action on climate change.

6-24-15 Dutch government loses world's first climate liability lawsuit
Dutch government loses world's first climate liability lawsuit
In a landmark ruling, a court in the Hague has ordered the Dutch government to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25 per cent by 2020. The environmental group Urgenda brought a class action suit over climate change on behalf of some 900 citizens, including children. The suit claimed that the government's action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is insufficient, and is therefore "knowingly exposing its own citizens to dangerous situations".

6-24-15 Netherlands ordered to cut greenhouse gas emissions
Netherlands ordered to cut greenhouse gas emissions
A Dutch court has ordered the government to cut greenhouse gas emissions by at least 25% by 2020, in a case environmentalists hope will set a precedent for other countries. Campaigners brought the case on behalf of almost 900 Dutch citizens. They argued the government had a legal obligation to protect its citizens from the dangers of climate change.

6-24-15 EU climate chief criticises UK wind farm policy
EU climate chief criticises UK wind farm policy
The UK's decision to stop subsidising new onshore wind farms will make it harder to meet renewable energy targets, the EU's climate chief says. Miguel Arias Canete said the EU had already calculated that the UK was not on track to meet legally binding goals. They said onshore wind was by far the cheapest way to hit the target of 15% of all energy from renewables from 2020.

6-23-15 Fighting climate change is opportunity to improve public health
Fighting climate change is opportunity to improve public health
Making changes to slow down climate change would also improve the health of millions worldwide, and could cut healthcare costs. The Climate Health Commission report, published on 23 June, cites huge health advantages as a reason for switching from fossil fuels to renewable energy sources such as solar and wind power. Doubling the proportion of renewable energy from its 2010 level of 18 per cent to 36 per cent could save US$230 billion in healthcare costs worldwide annually by 2030, according to the report – a saving of about 3 per cent. This is because a large amount of ill health is directly or indirectly caused by burning coal, oil and gas. According to the World Health Organization, air pollution kills an estimated 7 million people every year, while 88 per cent of the world's population breathes air that falls short of its quality guidelines.

6-23-15 IUCN list shows no new extinctions – but they loom large
IUCN list shows no new extinctions – but they loom large
The latest IUCN Red List update shows 14 more species have become critically endangered, as other research says the sixth mass extinction is starting. Evidence is growing that the world is entering another period of mass extinction. The IUCN now has information on nearly 80,000 animal and plant species, of which almost 23,000 are threatened with extinction.

6-20-15 Earth 'entering new extinction phase' - US study
Earth 'entering new extinction phase' - US study
The Earth has entered a new period of extinction, a study by three US universities has concluded, and humans could be among the first casualties. The report, led by the universities of Stanford, Princeton and Berkeley, said vertebrates were disappearing at a rate 114 times faster than normal. Climate change and deforestation are among the reasons we may be facing an extinction event.

6-18-15 'Once in generation' chance to reform climate insurance
'Once in generation' chance to reform climate insurance
Policymakers have a "once in a generation" chance to reform insurance to help those most at risk from climate change impacts, say researchers. A Cambridge University team is calling for insurance reforms to be explicitly mentioned in the UN's forthcoming Sustainable Development Goals. They outlined their proposals at an insurance summit at the UN, New York.

6-18-15 Pope Francis encyclical calls for end to fossil fuels
Pope Francis encyclical calls for end to fossil fuels
The Pope has issued an encyclical, calling for fossil fuels to be "progressively replaced without delay". Pope Francis urges the richer world to make changes in lifestyle and energy consumption to avert the unprecedented destruction of the ecosystem. Environmentalists hope the message will spur on nations ahead of the UN climate conference in Paris in December. But parts of the document, leaked earlier this week, have already been criticised by some US conservatives. It has been dismissed by two Republican presidential candidates. (Webmaster's comment: The greedy executives in the US are circling the wagons.)

6-17-15 CO2 emissions stall thanks to China's passion for renewables
CO2 emissions stall thanks to China's passion for renewables
China leads way in breaking link between economic growth and rising carbon emissions, as investments in green energy beat fossil fuel spending for fifth year. New energy policies in China are being heralded as the source of a potentially historic break in the link between global economic growth and rising carbon dioxide emissions. China is the world's biggest installer of hydroelectric, wind, and solar power plants, has 23 nuclear power plants under construction, and last year for the first time it reduced coal burning.

6-17-15 Bioenergy can deliver cleaner future, says global report
Bioenergy can deliver cleaner future, says global report
A global bioenergy assessment has said biofuels could meet up to a third of the world's transportation fuel needs by the middle of the century. Bioenergy crops, like willow, could play a key role in delivering a low carbon future, the report says. The report - involving experts from 24 nations - said bioenergy had the potential to be a key driver in delivering a low-carbon future. It added that concerns that growth in the sector would increase food insecurities were misplaced.

6-16-15 Pope's moral mission on global warming to shift US climate wars
Pope's moral mission on global warming to shift US climate wars
An emotive call for action on environmental issues by Pope Francis will shake up climate politics in the world's most powerful nation. A leaked draft of the encyclical – a special type of edict used to define key priorities for the Catholic church and its 1.3 billion adherents – emphasises moral responsibilities to reduce reliance on fossil fuels and calls for changes in lifestyle and energy use to avoid the "unprecedented destruction of the ecosystem". It highlights human release of greenhouse gases and warns that failure to act would have "grave consequences". It also calls for a new global political authority to reduce pollution and help poor countries and regions develop. The message could have particular impact in the US, home to 78 million Catholics and vital to international climate talks, but where moves to reduce carbon emissions remain highly divisive. Coming months will see coordinated sermons, homilies, and media outreach by US bishops as part of a Vatican-led campaign setting the stage for the pope's September visit.

6-16-15 Pope urges action on global warming in leaked document
Pope urges action on global warming in leaked document
An Italian magazine has published a leaked draft of the Pope's encyclical on climate change, which is due for release on Thursday. In it, Pope Francis puts much of the blame for global warming on human activity and calls on all humans, not just Roman Catholics, to prevent the destruction of the ecosystem before the end of the century.

6-16-15 Pope to urge swift action on global warming
Pope to urge swift action on global warming
Pope Francis will call for swift action to protect the Earth and fight global warming, according to a leaked draft of the pontiff's encyclical. The document - published by Italy's L'Espresso magazine - says global warming is directly linked to human activities and the intensive use of fossil fuels.

6-15-15 China ‘deserves more credit’ for renewable energy effort
China ‘deserves more credit’ for renewable energy effort
China should be given more credit for its investment in clean electricity, the head of the International Energy Agency says. Maria van der Hoeven says most people think that China is frantically building coal-fired power stations. The reality, she says, is that China is spending as much as the US and Europe put together on clean power. She says its coal-fired power stations are state of the art - and should be copied in other developing countries. "They are now the largest wind power market in the world. They have increased their power generation from renewables from really nothing 10 years ago - and now it's 25%." China spent more than $80bn in new renewables generating capacity; higher than the EU ($46bn); Japan ($37bn) and the USA ($34bn). China's commitment to renewables has benefited the rest of the world by creating a mass market that prompted a 70% reduction in the cost of solar panels in recent years. The country is also building 50 new nuclear power stations and creating economies of scale in nuclear too, the IEA says, at a time when the industry is moribund in Europe and in the USA.

6-15-15 Green awareness in US states linked to success in emissions cuts
Green awareness in US states linked to success in emissions cuts
A nationwide study finds a clear association between each state's emissions track record and the environmental voting record of its senators and representatives. In the US, states with higher support for the environmental movement have lower carbon emissions, and the strength of these movements over time in each state affects their emissions.

6-13-15 California drought: Farmers ordered to cut water usage
California drought: Farmers ordered to cut water usage
Californian lawmakers have ordered farmers to reduce their water consumption, representing the largest cuts in the US state's history. State officials have told more than 100 irrigation districts they must stop pumping supplies from drought-starved rivers. The conservation move has been prompted by the worsening four-year drought in the state.

6-12-15 California orders historic water cuts for farmers
California orders historic water cuts for farmers
California lawmakers have ordered farmers to reduce their water consumption - the largest cuts in the US state's history. State officials announced on Friday they would be telling nearly 100 water rights holders to stop pumping from three separate waterways.

6-12-15 Wind turbines with owl wings could silently make extra energy
Wind turbines with owl wings could silently make extra energy
Some wind farms are speed-limited to prevent annoying noise, but owl stealth technology might help them run faster.

6-12-15 Can the divestment movement tame climate change?
Can the divestment movement tame climate change?
An increasingly popular tool in the fight against climate change is emerging - "divestment". The term refers to the shedding of stocks, bonds or other investments, in this case that are held in companies that produce or burn fossil fuels. As the world's leaders prepare for a make-or-break climate summit in November, will divestment change our relationship with fossil fuels - and what might the dangers be?

6-12-15 Climate change causing a headache for Assam tea growers in India
Climate change causing a headache for Assam tea growers in India
Farmers in the world's largest tea-growing area are struggling to adapt to climate change, but are testing fresh production methods for the future.

6-12-15 The pain of producing a global climate change deal
The pain of producing a global climate change deal
Environment correspondent Helen Briggs assesses the progress being made towards a meaningful deal on climate change. After almost two weeks of negotiations in the German city, progress towards a new international climate deal, set for inking in Paris, appears to be moving slowly. And although failure is not a palatable option, the complexity of the task ahead presents enormous challenges. (Webmaster's comment: The biggest challenge for the representatives is creating an illusion. They must create language that sounds like governments are intending to do something, but in fact not meaning anything substantive and preserving profits and no new regulations on all the fossil fuel industries involved.)

6-11-15 Alarm sounded over progress towards key climate summit
Alarm sounded over progress towards key climate summit
International talks towards a new global climate deal are due to end on Thursday, amid concern that progress has been slow. Negotiators have been accused by charities and NGOs of not moving fast enough at interim talks in Germany. Countries are working towards options to limit greenhouse gas emissions from 2020 ahead of a crunch December summit.

6-11-15 Climate change progress 'too slow'
Climate change progress 'too slow'
International talks in Bonn have made progress towards a new global deal on climate change, says the UN, amid calls from NGOs for a faster pace. Countries are working towards options to limit greenhouse gas emissions from 2020 in time for a crunch Paris summit. The UN said progress had been made towards streamlining the text of a new agreement at talks in Bonn. Environmental groups said ''difficult issues'' such as finance and emissions cuts had yet to be addressed.

6-10-15 Latest numbers show at least 5 metres sea-level rise locked in
Latest numbers show at least 5 metres sea-level rise locked in
It's too late to stop the seas rising at least 5 metres and only fast, drastic action will avert a 20-metre rise, New Scientist calculates based on recent studies. WHATEVER we do now, the seas will rise at least 5 metres. Most of Florida and many other low-lying areas and cities around the world are doomed to go under. If that weren't bad enough, without drastic cuts in global greenhouse gas emissions – more drastic than any being discussed ahead of the critical climate meeting in Paris later this year – a rise of over 20 metres will soon be unavoidable. (Webmaster's comment: You reap what you sow. That's how nature works. We put all that carbon dioxide up there over the last 150 years, and there's no way to get it back down much faster than we put it up. And we still haven't even slowed down the rate at which we are still putting it up there. much less stopped its increase. Greed is going to win this one. And we all have to pay the price for it.)

6-10-15 UN climate conference: Silence over emissions targets
UN climate conference: Silence over emissions targets
Politicians at a UN climate conference in Bonn, Germany are refusing to discuss whether their polices will actually protect the climate. Nations have jointly promised to keep the global temperature rise below the 2C danger threshold. They are informing the UN how they will each cut their domestic emissions of greenhouse gases. But key countries are refusing to discuss whether the sum of these cuts will do the job. The EU, supported by African nations, wants to make countries face up to the fact that their collective cuts won't keep the climate within the 2C threshold.

6-10-15 Norway's coal disinvestment is still just a drop in the ocean
Norway's coal disinvestment is still just a drop in the ocean
Norway's sovereign wealth fund is to sell off its $5 billion of coal holdings, but has no immediate plans to get rid of its larger oil and gas assets. The campaign to persuade big investors to sell off fossil fuel holdings has had its greatest triumph yet. Norway's sovereign wealth fund must sell off its $5 billion of coal holdings, the country's parliament voted last week. The fund is the largest stockholder in Europe, worth an astounding $900 billion. But coal stocks account for just 5 per cent of fossil fuel stocks worldwide, which are worth an estimated $5 trillion.

6-9-15 G7: End of fossil fuel era?
G7: End of fossil fuel era?
The G7 has called for a transformation of electricity generation towards clean sources by 2050. They said fossil fuel emissions should not be allowed in any sector of the economy by the end of the century. Their targets are not binding - but they send a clear message to investors that in the long term economies will have to be powered by non-polluting energy. (Webmaster's comment: The CO2 levels in the atmosphere continue to rise every year and at an ever increasing rate without even an hint of slowing down. So far all the talk is just talk, there has been little or no action, so it has made little or no difference. When the CO2 levels actually stop rising, or even just begin to slow down, then we can say we may be at the end of the fossil fuel era, but not until then.)

6-8-15 China greenhouse gases: Progress is made, report says
China greenhouse gases: Progress is made, report says
China's greenhouse gas emissions could start to decline within 10 years, according to a report from the London School of Economics. This would be five years earlier than expected and would offer a boost towards efforts to protect the climate. The shift has been partly caused by a massive commitment to renewables. China is the world's top investor in wind and solar power. It has also been replacing old coal plants with cleaner new stations.

6-8-15 G7 summit: Climate and extremism lead day two talks
G7 summit: Climate and extremism lead day two talks
Climate change and terrorism are top of the agenda on the second day of the G7 summit of economic powers in Germany. Chancellor Angela Merkel wants the group to reach an agreement on limiting global temperature rises. She is also calling on the G7 members to contribute to a fund for poor countries suffering the worst consequences of climate change.

6-8-15 Researchers find sweet source for aviation biofuel
Researchers find sweet source for aviation biofuel
Researchers have identified a new way to produce aviation fuel from sugarcane biomass that could deliver substantial cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. The source crops could be grown on marginal land, avoiding displacing food production, the team observed. They added the development of renewable liquid fuels was critical to reduce global reliance on petroleum and help mitigate climate change.

6-5-15 Africa debate: Can Africa lead the way on renewable energy?
Africa debate: Can Africa lead the way on renewable energy?
There are a lot of sources of renewable energy like strong winds in many parts of Africa. In a report published on World Environment Day, the Africa Progress Panel makes the case for Africa to emerge as a "global renewable energy superpower". So could this be the solution to Africa's power trouble?

6-5-15 New offshore wind farm: Will the price go up or down?
New offshore wind farm: Will the price go up or down?
ScottishPower are building a wind farm around 40km off the coast of East Anglia - at a cost of £2bn - to power around half a million homes. But wind power isn't cheap - so will we end up paying more or less?

6-4-15 US scientists: Global warming pause 'no longer valid'
US scientists: Global warming pause 'no longer valid'
US researchers say new evidence casts doubt on the idea that global warming has "slowed" in recent years. A US government laboratory says the much talked about "pause" is an illusion caused by inaccurate data. Updated observations show temperatures did not plateau, say National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (Noaa) scientists. The warming rate over the past 15 years is "virtually identical" to the last century, they report in Science.

6-2-15 New Apollo programme wants moonshot budget to boost renewables
New Apollo programme wants moonshot budget to boost renewables
An international effort is being launched in London to get governments to fund storage technology that will finally make green energy as cheap as coal. If renewable energy were cheaper than coal, it would be a major help in achieving the crucial target of keeping global warming below 2 °C. This week a worldwide initiative is being launched in London to achieve just such a transformation in energy costs within 10 years.

6-2-15 'Moon shot' call on clean energy
'Moon shot' call on clean energy
A group of scientists and economists is calling for the equivalent of the Apollo space programme to produce cheap, clean energy. The academics say a similar effort is needed to make renewables cheaper than coal within a decade in what they call the biggest scientific challenge of the century. They say they have generated interest from major nations in their plan for an investment of 0.02% of their GDP into research, development and demonstration (RD&D) of clean electricity. (Webmaster's comment: 0.02% of GDP is nothing. The military spends more than that researching ways to kill more people.)

6-2-15 Small atoll islands may grow, not sink, as sea levels rise
Small atoll islands may grow, not sink, as sea levels rise
Climate change may spare the inhabitants of some tiny islands as storms can help atolls to swell, although other islands remain at risk. Some of the world's most threatened islands have grown despite experiencing dramatic sea level rise. Over the past 60 years the sea has risen by around 30 centimetres locally but 18 out of 29 islands have actually grown. As a whole, the group grew by more than 18 hectares, while many islands changed shape or shifted sideways.

5-27-15 Climate Change By The Numbers
Climate Change By The Numbers
Since scientists began keeping records of CO2 emissions, the story of climate change has been told with numbers. With the dangers of a warming atmosphere already clear and present, we thought it would be a good time to round up some of the most important climate stats. From the hottest year on record and the $1 trillion cost of climate change, to the encouraging boost in wind and solar power, this infographic shows us why we need to change, and how we'll find a way forward. Only 24 of 13,950 peer-reviewed climate articles reject climate change.

5-27-15 Wild weather across US and Mexico a sure sign of El Niño's return
Wild weather across US and Mexico a sign of El Niño's return
Wild weather in Mexico, Texas, Oklahoma and Alaska could be the first signs of the havoc that El Niño is likely to wreak this year. A five-year drought in parts of Texas and Oklahoma has dramatically broken – with floods that have busted dams, washed away houses and taken at least 14 lives. In Texas the rains came suddenly over the weekend. This is the biggest flood this area of Texas has ever seen. In Alaska temperatures pushed above 30°C in places, causing snowmelt and flooding.

5-26-15 How Arctic ozone hole was avoided by Montreal Protocol
How Arctic ozone hole was avoided by Montreal Protocol
The Antarctic ozone hole would have been 40% bigger by now if ozone-depleting chemicals had not been banned in the 1980s, according to research. The Montreal Protocol is regarded as one of the most important global treaties in history. (Webmaster's comment: To bad we can't do the same for putting CO2 up in the atmosphere. We could, but then the executives would have to take a 50% pay cut. Instead of making a million a year they would only get half a million. And how would they ever be able to get by on that!)

5-26-15 El Nino to 'disrupt global food market'
El Nino to 'disrupt global food market'
Global food markets could be disrupted by the El Nino event predicted for later this year. A strong El Nino is likely to increase prices of staple foods such as rice, coffee, sugar and cocoa, say scientists. El Nino happens "roughly every 2 to 7 years".

5-24-15 Californian drought: Challenges for farmers and city dwellers
Californian drought: Challenges for farmers and city dwellers
California is now well into a fourth year of severe drought. This year's record low mountain snowpack, which the state relies on to get through its dry summers, means that already reduced reservoir levels will not see many gains from the melting of late spring and early summer. The state is in a process of learning to live with drought.

5-23-15 California drought: Farmers agree 25% water usage cut
California drought: Farmers agree 25% water usage cut
Officials estimate that 94% of California is now in severe drought or worse. California regulators have accepted an offer from farmers to reduce their water usage by 25% in an effort to combat the record four-year drought. A group of several hundred farmers made the concession after state officials threatened to cut their water rights. California has already demanded a 25% reduction in cities and towns. (Webmaster's comment: A band aid that stops 25% of the bleeding. What a difference that's going to make!)

5-21-15 Antarctic Peninsula in 'dramatic' ice loss
Antarctic Peninsula in 'dramatic' ice loss
Satellites have seen a sudden dramatic change in the behaviour of glaciers on the Antarctica Peninsula, according to a Bristol University-led study. The ice streams were broadly stable up until 2009, since when they have been losing on the order of 56 billion tonnes of ice a year to the ocean.

5-21-15 El Nino could 'disrupt food markets'
El Nino could 'disrupt food markets'
Global food markets could be disrupted by the El Nino event predicted for later this year. A strong El Nino is likely to increase prices of staple foods such as rice, coffee, sugar and cocoa, say scientists. Forecasters agree that the El Nino effect, which can drive droughts and flooding, is under way in the tropical Pacific. But they say it is too early to say how severe it will be.

5-20-15 These sparkly sea organisms are an eerie omen of climate change
These sparkly sea organisms are an eerie omen of climate change
A bloom of bioluminescent plankton has wowed crowds along a river in Southern Tasmania this week, but it could be a warning sign of climate change.

5-19-15 2 ºC warming goal shaky as governments throw cash at fossil fuel
2 ºC warming goal shaky as governments throw cash at fossil fuel
Shell is said to be preparing for a 4 ºC warmer world future, while governments keep subsidising fossil fuels with $5.3 trillion a year globally. The oil giant Shell is betting on a world that will be 4 °C warmer by 2100, according to this week's media reports . Their justification? "We do not see governments taking steps now that are consistent with a 2 °C scenario."

5-18-15 Americans face six-fold hike in exposure to extreme heat by 2070
Americans face six-fold hike in exposure to extreme heat by 2070
Growing populations combined with global warming will dramatically raise exposure to baking temperatures in the US. Thirty years till the big heat kicks in. If you live in Texas or Florida, rising temperatures will combine with population growth to create a sixfold rise in numbers of people exposed to extreme and potentially fatal heat events from 2041 onwards. "The convergence of population and climate hotspots leads to an increase in exposure larger than that produced by either alone."

5-18-15 Unilever boss urges world leaders to reduce carbon output
Unilever boss urges world leaders to reduce carbon output
The head of Unilever has called on world leaders to raise their game in the battle against climate change. Chief executive Paul Polman said governments must set clear CO2 targets to force low-carbon innovation. Speaking ahead of a business climate summit in Paris this week, he urged fellow chief executives to help create a “political licence” for politicians to promote clean energy. (Webmaster's comment: A lone voice in the wilderness of executive greed.)

5-16-15 Why India's government is targeting Greenpeace
Why India's government is targeting Greenpeace
Coal is the main source of power in India and is central to the BJP government's plans to boost industrial production. It is also the most polluting of all fossil fuels and a key driver of climate change. China's coal use has been falling steeply, helping stall world growth in CO2 emissions. Meanwhile India's CO2 emissions are forecast to rise rapidly.Almost half of the 1,200 new coal-fired power stations proposed around the world are in India according to the World Resources Institute. That's why campaigning against the coal industry in India has been a priority for Greenpeace. (Webmaster's comment: And that's why India's government has been targeting Greenpeace.)

5-14-15 Recharge pools could help quench future California droughts
Recharge pools could help quench future California droughts
California could solve its water problems, and cope with climate change, by actively refilling its overdrawn aquifers. THE worst recorded drought in California's history has forced state regulators to restrict people's water use by a quarter. In the long-run, though, climate change and limited supply mean the state must radically change the way it manages water, particularly below ground. One method is to push water underground using recharge ponds or injection wells.

5-12-15 Extreme El Niño expected to wreak havoc on weather this year
Extreme El Niño expected to wreak havoc on weather this year
Global weather could be in turmoil this year if the Pacific Ocean sees a "super" El Niño, one that may be even more devastating than the 1997/98 event. El Niño crashes on to the scene once every four years or so as hot water emerges in the Pacific and moves towards the Americas. This can bring drought to Australia and parts of Asia, while parts of the Americas experience heavy rain, flooding and outbreaks of waterborne diseases. Pacific Islands all the way from Tonga to Hawaii experience more frequent storms. And valuable fish stocks move all around the globe, following water of their preferred temperature. Many experts are warning of a "super El Niño" this time round. "We have this enormous heat in the subsurface that is propagating eastward and it's just about to come to the surface."

5-12-15 Worst drought in 1200 years drains America's biggest reservoir
Worst drought in 1200 years drains America's biggest reservoir
Lake Mead, behind the Hoover dam, feeds water to California, Nevada and Arizona but is only 38 per cent full – its lowest level ever.

5-12-15 'Substantial' El Nino event predicted
'Substantial' El Nino event predicted
The El Nino weather pattern, which can drive droughts and flooding, is under way in the tropical Pacific for the first time in five years, say scientists. Australia's Bureau of Meteorology predicted that it could be a "substantial" event.The phenomenon arises from variations in ocean temperatures. The El Nino is still in its early stages, but has the potential to cause extreme weather around the world.

5-12-15 Apparent slowing of sea level rise is artefact of satellite data
Apparent slowing of sea level rise is artefact of satellite data
A puzzling slowdown in sea level rise over the past decade that has baffled scientists is explained away as an error – sea levels are, in fact, rising faster.

5-12-15 UK's Conservatives to fight climate change but shun wind power
UK's Conservatives to fight climate change but shun wind power
The newly elected UK government claims to be the greenest ever. It reaffirmed its promise to tackle climate change, but vowed to cut subsidies for wind energy.

5-11-15 Sentinel to measure ocean height
Sentinel to measure ocean height
The sixth Sentinel in Europe's ambitious new multi-billion-euro Earth-observation project has been contracted from industry. Sentinel-6a will measure changes in the height of the oceans - a key indicator for understanding weather and climate.

5-8-15 Australia PM's adviser says climate change a UN hoax
Australia PM's adviser says climate change a UN hoax
A top Australian government business adviser has said climate change is a hoax by the United Nations. Most climate models were wrong and there was little evidence of climate change, said Maurice Newman. He said the UN had used climate change as a "hook" to establish and control a new world order. (Webmaster's comment: It's the conservative's denial of science that's out to create a new world order. A world in which science and reason are trumpted by fear and religion.)

5-7-15 CO2 levels reach monthly record
CO2 levels reach monthly record
Global carbon dioxide (CO2) concentrations have reached a new monthly record of 400 parts per million, according to scientists. They said it was the first month that the entire globe broke 400ppm, reaching levels that haven't been seen for about two million years. CO2 has risen more than 120 parts per million since pre-industrial times. Half of that rise has occurred since 1980. (Webmaster's comment: Don't worry, global warming is opposed by the conservatives therefore it doesn't exist.)

5-5-15 Ice cores show 200-year climate lag
Ice cores show 200-year climate lag
Scientists have found a 200-year lag time between past climate events at the poles. The most detailed Antarctic ice core provides the first clear comparison with Greenland records, revealing a link between northern and southern hemisphere climate change. Scientists found that abrupt and large temperature changes first occurred in Greenland, with the effect delayed about 200 years in the Antarctic.

5-4-15 Severe heat costs the Australian economy US$6.2 billion a year
Severe heat costs the Australian economy US$6.2 billion a year
Australians take an average of 4 days off a year due to heat stress – that plus lower productivity on hot days dents economic output by nearly 0.5 per cent.

5-4-15 Climate drives 'new era' in Arctic Ocean
Climate drives 'new era' in Arctic Ocean
Changes in the Arctic Ocean are so profound that the region is entering what amounts to "a new era", according to Norwegian scientists. A switch from a permanent cover of thick ice to a new state where thinner ice vanishes in the summer will have far-reaching implications, they say.

5-3-15 Arctic mission monitors ice shift
Arctic mission monitors ice shift
A highly unusual expedition is under way in the Arctic Ocean where a research vessel has been parked in the ice all winter. Run by the Norwegian Polar Institute, the mission is exploring the big questions of how the region is changing and what this means for the ice and the wildlife. This matters because the Arctic is on course to switch at some point this century from having permanent ice-cover to existing in a state where the ice comes and goes with the seasons. That could open up everything from new shipping lanes to untapped oil and gas fields, and could also alter weather patterns far to the south as well.

5-1-15 Heatwaves 'more likely' in England
Heatwaves 'more likely' in England
England is set for more record-breaking warm years like 2014, say scientists. The chances of England experiencing an exceptionally warm year is 13 times more likely due to human influences on climate, a study suggests. 2014 was the UK's warmest since records began in 1910.

Spring 2015 - China: Crisis and opportunity (Environmental Defense Fund article)
China: Crisis and opportunity
After years of "growth at any cost," a rising middle class in China is demanding a shift to clean, sustainable development. EDF is helping Beijing deliver.

• China's share of global greenhouse gas emissions is 26% vs. 16% for the U.S., but China has 4 times the U.S. population.
• Air pollution contributes to 1.2 million premature deaths in China.
• China has 154 million cars now, up from 16 million in the year 2000.
• 67% of the energy produced in China comes from coal, vs. 20% for the U.S.
• China invested $90 billion in clean energy in 2014, nearly twice as much as the U.S.
• China produced 45% of the world's new wind energy in 2013.
• The Koch brothers network is projected to spend $889 million to influence legislation and political campaigns in 2016.
• 67% of Americans support carbon rules, even if this means higher utility bills.
• Denmark's carbon emissions have gone down 31% since 1990. (WHY CAN'T THE U.S.? Ask the Koch brothers.)
• ABC Evening News devoted 13 minutes to climate change in all of 2014.
• The planet will be 7^oFhotter over pre-industrial levels in 2100 if we do nothing.

4-30-15 Climate change risk to 'one in six species'
Climate change risk to 'one in six species'
One in six species on the planet could face extinction if nothing is done to tackle climate change, analysis suggests. If carbon emissions continue on their current path - and temperatures rise by 4 degrees - 16% of animals and plants will be lost, according to a review of evidence.

4-29-15 California sets tough new targets to cut emissions
California sets tough new targets to cut emissions
California has stepped up its attempts to reduce greenhouse gas emissions by setting tough new targets for 2030. Governor Jerry Brown issued an executive order to bring down emissions to 40% below 1990 levels, in the next 15 years. The US state was already one of the most ambitious in its previous targets and has forced companies to pay for their carbon pollution. There were few details about how he intends to meet this target, but the governor has previously talked about increasing renewable electricity sources, reducing petrol use in vehicles and improving the energy efficiency of existing buildings. Mr Brown mentioned by name some sectors that will have to reduce emissions - industry, agriculture and energy, plus state and local governments.

4-28-15 Vatican urges action on climate change
Vatican urges action on climate change
The Vatican Science Academy will urge Christians to take action on climate change because it threatens the world's poor. It may be controversial among Catholic conservatives in the US, many of whom say climate change is entirely natural. (Webmaster's comment: Most world religions accept the findings of science. Only in America do reglious conservatives refuse to leave the dark ages in spite of what is accepted by the rest of the world.)

4-28-15 Three in every four extremely hot days linked to climate change
Three in every four extremely hot days linked to climate change
Global warming seems to be causing 75 per cent of extreme high-temperature events and 18 per cent of extreme rainfall. A fresh study suggests that humans are responsible for a hefty number of today's extreme hot days and rainstorms.

4-28-15 Amazon: 1% of tree species store 50% of region's carbon
Amazon: 1% of tree species store 50% of region's carbon
About 1% of all the tree species in the Amazon account for half of the carbon locked in the vast South American rainforest, a study has estimated. Although the region is home to an estimated 16,000 tree species, researchers found that just 182 species dominated the carbon storage process. Amazonia is vital to the Earth's carbon cycle, storing more of the element than any other terrestrial ecosystem.

4-27-15 Microbes play villainous role in Arctic climate change
Microbes play villainous role in Arctic climate change
Not all living creatures are victims of climate change – some are actively helping to raise temperatures and melt ice. By releasing methane from newly thawed soil or by absorbing the sun's heat and warming the ocean around them, tiny microbes and marine phytoplankton leave a significant mark on the Arctic environment – with a potentially global impact.

4-22-15 Australia has chance to go 100 per cent renewable by 2050
Australia has chance to go 100 per cent renewable by 2050
But its government has been cutting back on climate-change measures, even arguing for a reduction in renewable-energy targets. The country could get 100 per cent of its electricity using renewable energy by 2050 with very little impact on the economy. It could also produce zero net emissions by 2050 at a cost of as little as 0.1 or 0.2 per cent of GDP, especially by making significant changes in its supply chain and use of energy. (Webmaster's comment: Why? It's the conservatives again, who else.)

4-22-15 Climate change: Paris 'last chance' for action
Climate change: Paris 'last chance' for action
Scientists are calling on world leaders to sign up to an eight-point plan of action at landmark talks in Paris. The key element is the goal to limit global warming to below 2C by moving to zero carbon emissions by 2050.

The statement involves eight calls for action:

• Limiting global warming to below 2 degrees Celsius
• Keeping future CO2 emissions below 1,000 gigatonnes (billion tonnes)
• Creating a zero-carbon society by 2050
• Equity of approach - with richer countries helping poorer ones
• Technological research and innovation
• A global strategy to address loss and damage from climate change
• Safeguarding ecosystems such as forests and oceans that absorb CO2
• Providing climate finance for developing countries

(Webmaster's comment: Don't worry! The beliefs of the anti-science Republicans from the dark ages in congress will block any chance of fixing this problem.)

4-22-15 Conservative Republicans Alone on Global Warming's Timing
Conservative Republicans Alone on Global Warming's Timing
While notable majorities of all other political party/ideology groups say the effects of global warming will happen within their lifetime, fewer than four in 10 conservative Republicans (37%) agree, a sign of that political identity's strident skepticism on this issue.

4-22-15 Sydney storm erodes sandy beaches, giving a taste of the future
Sydney storm erodes sandy beaches, giving a taste of the future
Shifting sands seen at Bondi and other beaches in Australia this week may worsen as sea levels rise, eroding sandy beaches there.

4-20-15 Carbon dioxide could be turned into a huge underground battery
Carbon dioxide could be turned into a huge underground battery
Storing excess energy with carbon dioxide compressed underground could help even out our energy flow and clean up the atmosphere. What if we transformed carbon dioxide from being a waste product into being a huge battery to help even out our energy supply? We could make carbon storage pay off, while solving problems of intermittent energy supply from renewables.

4-17-15 '3D Cryosat' tracks Arctic winter sea ice
'3D Cryosat' tracks Arctic winter sea ice
Although Arctic sea ice set a record this year for its lowest ever winter extent - that was not the case for its volume, new data reveals. Europe's Cryosat spacecraft routinely monitors the thickness of floes in the far north. The thinnest winter ice it has ever seen was in 2013. This February, in contrast, the Arctic floes were about 25cm (17%) thicker on average. The long-term trend is, however, still downwards, the Cryosat team cautions.

4-17-15 Climate change may be triggering rain of rocks in French Alps
Climate change may be triggering rain of rocks in French Alps
Rockfalls in France's "corridor of death" seem to follow warmer weather – and may become much more frequent as the climate warms. A study of 533 rockfalls reported by climbers since 2003, or seen on satellite images of the Mont Blanc massif – an area of some 350 square kilometres – has now strengthened suspicions about the effects of warmer conditions. Ludovic Ranavel of the University of Savoie at Le Bourget-du-Lac in the French Alps has identified a strong correlation between the number of rockfalls each year and air and rock temperatures high up the mountain.

4-16-15 Warning over aerosol climate fix
Warning over aerosol climate fix
Any attempts to engineer the climate are likely to result in "different" climate change, rather than its elimination, new results suggest. Prof Ken Caldeira, of Stanford University, presented research at a major conference on the climate risks and impacts of geoengineering. Researchers are familiar with the global cooling effects of volcanic eruptions, seen both historically and even back into the deep past of the rock record. With this in mind, some here at the European Geosciences Union General Assembly have been discussing the possible worldwide consequences of pumping sulphate aerosols into the stratosphere to attempt to reflect sunlight back into space and cool the planet. (Webmaster's comment: Great Idea! Instead of doing the logical thing and cutting back on the amount of Carbon Dioxide we're putting up in the atmosphere let's pump another gas (Sulphur Dioxide) up there and contaminate our oceans, lakes, rivers and water supplies with acid rain. Great Idea! The people that depend on fish as their food supply, or depend on fish to make a living, are sure to thank us if there are any fish left by the time we realize how stupid an idea that was.)

4-16-15 Mystery blob in the Pacific messes up US weather and ecosystems
Mystery blob in the Pacific messes up US weather and ecosystems
Tropical fish in Alaska, stranded sea lions and more thunderstorms across the US Pacific coast have all been linked to an unusual blob of warm water. An unusual threat is looming off the Pacific coast of North America from Juneau in Alaska to Baja California. Now roughly 2000 kilometres wide and 100 metres deep, a mass of warm water that scientists are calling "the blob" has lingered off the coast for a year and a half and has set temperature records, with waters between 1 °C and 4 °C warmer than normal.

4-14-15 Dutch government taken to court over climate change
Dutch government taken to court over climate change
The government's action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is insufficient, and is exposing its own citizens to dangerous situations, plaintiffs claim. Urgenda is suing the Dutch government on behalf of some 900 citizens, including children. The suit claims that the government's action to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is insufficient, and is therefore "knowingly exposing its own citizens to dangerous situations".

4-14-15 Dutch government taken to court on climate change
Dutch government taken to court on climate change
Campaigners in the Netherlands are taking the government to court for allegedly failing to protect its citizens from climate change. The class action lawsuit, involving almost 900 citizens, aims to force the government to cut emissions faster. The EU has pledged to cut CO2 emissions by 40% by 2030. (Webmaster's comment: Contrast that to the US which has only committed to cut CO2 emissions by 27% by 2025. And the Republicans in congress are sure to reject even that. Got to protect the millions and billions of the already super rich.)

4-13-15 Gallop Poll: Americans Choose the Environment Over Energy Development
Americans Choose the Environment Over Energy Development
About half of Americans (49%) say that protection of environment should be given priority, even at the risk of limiting the amount of energy supplies, virtually unchanged from their sentiment last year. Fewer than four in 10 (39%) prioritize the development of U.S. energy supplies even if the environment suffers to some extent.

4-7-15 Emissions pledges trickle in for UN climate deal
Emissions pledges trickle in for UN climate deal
Several big carbon emitters, including the EU and US, have filed plans for cutting emissions ahead of a UN deadline in the run-up to the Paris climate summit. Top of the range is a 40 per cent cut from the European Union, relative to 1990 levels. The US has reiterated president Barack Obama's commitment to a 26 to 28 per cent emissions cut by 2025, relative to 2005 figures.

4-6-15 Western Canada's glaciers may all but vanish by 2100
Western Canada's glaciers may all but vanish by 2100
The meltdown is accelerating. The glaciers of western Canada are melting faster than expected, and will probably be largely gone by the end of the century. That is one finding of a study that, worryingly, suggests we are underestimating the future pace of mountain glacier melting around the world.

4-4-15 Scientists confirm amassing carbon dioxide heats Earth's surface
Scientists confirm amassing carbon dioxide heats Earth's surface
For the first time, scientists have witnessed a direct connection between rising levels of atmospheric carbon dioxide and an increase in the amount of thermal radiation striking the Earth's surface.

4-2-15 Drought prompts 25 per cent water cut in California
Drought prompts 25 per cent water cut in California
They have been measuring the snowpack at Phillips in the Sierra Nevada mountains in California on the first day of April every year since 1941. It is the day the winter build-up of snow should have peaked. Typically, the researchers' dipstick finds 1.5 metres of snow. This year, for the first time, there was none – only dry earth.

4-2-15 California's worst drought in 1,200 years in pictures
California's worst drought in 1,200 years in pictures
The governor of California has recently imposed the state's first mandatory water restrictions, as nearly 40 million people enter the fourth year of severe drought. Farmers, business owners, and residents will be forced to cut their usage by 25% as scientists warn of the worst drought in 1,200 years.

4-2-15 California governor orders first ever water restrictions
California governor orders first ever water restrictions
The governor of California has implemented the first mandatory water restrictions in the state's history. The order implements a 25% reduction in water usage for cities and towns across the parched state. "We are standing on dried grass, and we should be standing in five feet of snow."

4-1-15 Are we tired of talking about climate change?
Are we tired of talking about climate change?
Since there is a consensus amongst the majority of the world's scientists that temperatures are rising - most likely driven by human behaviour - why does climate change coverage seem to be drying up? Have the media lost interest? Is it a question of chronic political fatigue? Are our brains simply not wired to think long-term? (Webmaster's comment: In a world where ten's of millions are one medical bill, one car repair, one paycheck away from having enough money for home or food, it's hard to worry about anything except the present.)

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Global Warming News Articles from 1st Quarter of 2015