Incentives slow rainforest destruction, researcher says

Phys.Org: Tropical rainforests are the biggest defense against global warming, absorbing 50 percent more carbon than other kinds of forests. Yet they are disappearing at a rate of about 11 million hectares a year. Yeon-Su Kim, a Northern Arizona University ecological economic professor, is researching how economic incentives may slow the destruction of these important carbon-storing ecosystems and decrease the amount of greenhouse gases released into the atmosphere. "We have a way of helping rainforest...

URL: http://phys.org/news/2012-08-incentives-rainforest-destruction.html

Cambodia’s Hydro Plans Carry Steep Costs

Inter Press Service: The Cambodian government has committed to the construction of five dams along the Mekong River in order to meet a huge demand for electricity, but environmental groups warn that severe repercussions loom for this strategy. "While each project proposed in Cambodia comes with a different set of impacts, large dams are likely to widen the gap between the rich and the poor, increase malnourishment levels and lead to an environmentally unsustainable future," Ame Trandem, South East Asia programme...

URL: http://www.ipsnews.net/2012/08/cambodias-hydro-plans-carry-steep-costs/
Enclosure: http://ipsnews-net.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/Library/2012/08/Mekong_Fisherman_640-629x418.jpg

Arctic Drilling by Shell Expected to Begin This Year

New York Times: Despite embarrassing delays and trouble with its equipment, Shell remains confident that it will get final approval from regulators and be able to begin drilling for oil in Arctic waters off the Alaskan coast this summer, the oil company's top Alaska executive said on Friday. "We absolutely expect to drill this year," Peter E. Slaiby, Shell's vice president in charge of Alaskan operations, said in a telephone interview. "Our confidence continues to grow, and we are feeling good." Mr. Slaiby said...

URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/18/business/energy-environment/arctic-drilling-by-shell-expected-to-begin-this-year.html

Hold Your Rejoicing About Those Falling CO2 Emissions

Climate Central: Remember global warming? You know, that worldwide disaster we were all so worried about way back in 2011? It wasn't an unreasonable fear, of course: the world has been pumping greenhouse gases (especially carbon dioxide, or CO2) into the atmosphere like there was no tomorrow. Greenhouse gases trap heat. Ergo, said both the theory and the evidence, global temperatures are heading upward, forcing ice to melt, sea level to rise, and extreme weather to come along more often. But all of that is so...

URL: http://www.climatecentral.org/blogs/good-news-about-global-warming-until-you-read-the-fine-print-14832?utm-source=feedburner&utm-medium=feed&utm-campaign=Feed%3A+climatecentral%2FdjOO+Climate+Central+-+Full+Feed
Enclosure: http://www.climatecentral.org/images/sized/images/uploads/news/Natural_gas_rig-500x431.jpg

Why species stay or go in response to climate change

Asian News International: In two new studies, researchers have provided a clearer picture of why some species move according to climate change, and where they go. UC Berkeley researchers found that the Ash-throated Flycatcher, a low-elevation species, shifted its range down slope in response to climate change. One study finds that changes in precipitation have been underappreciated as a factor in driving bird species out of their normal range. In the other study, the researchers found a sharp decrease in range for...

URL: http://zeenews.india.com/news/eco-news/why-species-stay-or-go-in-response-to-climate-change_794536.html

Climate models that predict more droughts win further scientific support

Washington Post: The United States will suffer a series of severe droughts in the next two decades, according to a new study published in the journal Nature Climate Change. Moreover, global warming will play an increasingly important role in their abundance and severity, claims Aiguo Dai, the study's author. His findings bolster conclusions from climate models used by researchers around the globe that have predicted severe and widespread droughts in coming decades over many land areas. Those models had been questioned...

URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/climate-models-that-predict-more-droughts-win-further-scientific-support/2012/04/05/gJQAvlIesX_story.html?wprss=rss_national
Enclosure: http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate1633.html

A urine based 'potion' can act as a CO2 absorbent

ScienceDaily: Absorbing the large quantities of carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases present in cities would require millions of tonnes of some naturally occurring substance. A study published in the Journal of Hazardous Materials suggests urine as a reactive. As a resource available across all human societies, it is produced in large quantities and is close to the pollution hubs of large cities. "For every molecule of urea in urine, one mole (a chemical unit used to measure the quantity of a substance)...

URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120817135410.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29

Is spraying for West Nile virus safe?

NBC News: Texas state health officials, alarmed by the worst outbreak of West Nile virus since the infection first hit the United States in 1999, started spraying insecticide from airplanes Thursday night. Years of research show the poisons being used in the spray are safe for humans -- and certainly safer than the virus, health officials said. But blogs and social media lit up with concerned comments from people afraid the insecticide might hurt them, their children or other creatures in the environment....

URL: http://vitals.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/17/13336825-is-spraying-for-west-nile-virus-safe?lite

First Chinese ship crosses Arctic Ocean amid record melt

Reuters: An icebreaker has become the first ship from China to cross the Arctic Ocean, underscoring Beijing's growing interest in a remote region where a record thaw caused by climate change may open new trade routes. The voyage highlights how China, the world's no.2 economy, is extending its reach to the Arctic which is rich in oil and gas and is a potential commercial shipping route between the north Atlantic and Pacific oceans. The icebreaker Xuelong, or Snow Dragon, arrived in Iceland this week...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/17/us-china-environment-idUSBRE87G0P820120817?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29

LED Lighting: Time for a Change

Up until now LED lighting development and commercialization has been mostly focused on creating screw-in or twist-in replacements for incandescent or fluorescent light bulbs. Making a LED to look and act act like a conventional bulb has added to the cost.

URL: http://www.green-energy-news.com/arch/nrgs2012/20120082.html

New England Aquarium will lead $5.5 million climate change effort

Boston Herald: The National Science Foundation is giving The New England Aquarium and a consortium of other institutions $5.5 million to better communicate the science of climate change in the ocean. Called the National Network for Ocean and Climate Change Interpretation, the money will be used to research strategies to better explain the complex processes of global warming and then have staff at aquariums and zoos use those techniques. More than 60 percent of the public each year visits a zoo or aquarium or...

URL: http://www.boston.com/lifestyle/green/greenblog/2012/08/new_england_aquarium_recives.html

UQM Drive System for Unofficial World EV Distance Record.

EV Engineering has set an unofficial world distance record with its all-electric Holden Commodore passenger car propelled by a UQM electric propulsion system. The car was driven a total of 1,172 miles (1,886 kilometers) in 24 hours, traveling back and forth between Port Melbourne and Geelong, Australia

URL: http://www.green-energy-news.com/nwslnks/clips812/aug12019.html

Canada: Is Toronto ready for climate change?

Toronto Star: "Imagine a 43- or 44-degree day, which we have repeatedly had this summer with the humidex, and then with a severe thunderstorm,' muses Franz Hartmann, executive director of the Toronto Environmental Alliance. "Imagine the electricity system goes down and we get severe flooding,' he continues. Imagine collapsed culverts, backed up basement drains, sewage bubbling up in toilets, high winds, hail, highway sinkholes, toppled trees, maybe a twister. Imagine people are trapped in their sweltering...

URL: http://www.thestar.com/news/insight/article/1243172--is-toronto-ready-for-climate-change
Enclosure: http://i.thestar.com/images/3e/f5/935c7f304072b0d4be4392fde371.jpg

Australia's fish react to climate change

United Press International: Australia's fish populations are moving southward because the waters around Australia are becoming warmer, a new report says. The "2012 Marine Climate Change in Australia Report Card" from Australia's national science agency, the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organization, shows that climate change is having significant effects on Australia's marine ecosystems. "Although there are some concerning findings in the 2012 report card, the information we've compiled is helping to...

URL: http://www.upi.com/Business_News/Energy-Resources/2012/08/17/Australias-fish-react-to-climate-change/UPI-43531345225788/

First Light Technologies Solar LED Bollards Light Up St. Pete Beach, Florida.

St. Pete Beach officials installed the PLB lights as part of a park improvement project at Horan Park, which included new sidewalks, sod and large solar pole lights.

URL: http://www.green-energy-news.com/nwslnks/clips812/aug12021.html

Mitsubishi i-MiEV Evolution Climbs Pikes Peak; Second in Modified EV Class!

Driven by Mitsubishi factory test driver and two-time Dakar Rally winner Hiroshi Masuoka, the Mitsubishi i-MiEV Evolution is a purpose-built racing prototype that was designed specifically for the very challenging Pikes Peak race course.

URL: http://www.green-energy-news.com/nwslnks/clips812/aug12017.html

ITN Energy Systems to Develop Advanced Redox Flow Battery with ARPA-E Grant.

This new battery technology will dramatically lower costs for grid-scale power systems, and provide affordable energy storage options for small commercial and residential customers.

URL: http://www.green-energy-news.com/nwslnks/clips812/aug12020.html

U.S. court upholds higher blend of ethanol in gasoline

Reuters: A U.S. appeals court upheld government approval for a higher blend of corn ethanol into gasoline on Friday in a ruling that may help the biofuels industry in the longer term but have little immediate impact on sales. In a 2-1 ruling, the court said foodmakers, automakers and oil refiners failed to show they were harmed by approval of a 15 percent blend of ethanol, up from the usual 10 percent. Foodmakers said the approved blend could mean higher corn prices and automakers said they might be sued...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/17/us-ethanol-court-idUSBRE87G0TY20120817?feedType=RSS&feedName=businessNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2FbusinessNews+%28Business+News%29

Rare wildfires threaten Canadian polar bear habitat

Reuters: Wildfires sparked by lightning near Canada's Hudson Bay are threatening the habitat of polar bears, encroaching on the old tree roots and frozen soil where females make their dens, a conservation expert on the big, white bears said on Thursday. Polar bears are more typically threatened by the melting of sea ice, which they use as platforms for hunting seals, their main prey. But those who live near Hudson Bay spend their summers resting up on shore when the bay thaws, living in dens dug in the...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/17/us-polarbears-wildfires-idUSBRE87F1FF20120817?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29
Enclosure: http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20120817&t=2&i=643585035&w=&fh=&fw=&ll=700&pl=300&r=CBRE87G1JIZ00

Solar Toilet Disinfects Waste, Makes Hydrogen Fuel

National Public Radio: The Reinvent the Toilet Challenge asked engineers to dream up a replacement for the antiquated flush toilet. Michael Hoffmann and his team at Caltech responded with a solar-powered toilet that disinfects waste and reuses wastewater to flush. Better yet, it pumps out hydrogen gas for use in fuel cells.

URL: http://www.npr.org/2012/08/17/159003117/solar-toilet-disinfects-waste-makes-hydrogen-fuel?ft=1&f=1025

Drought, Climate Change Ended Egypt's Pyramid-Building Era

Laboratory Equipment: Ancient pollen and charcoal preserved in deeply buried sediments in Egypt's Nile Delta document the region's ancient droughts and fires, including a huge drought 4,200 years ago associated with the demise of Egypt's Old Kingdom, the era known as the pyramid-building time. "Humans have a long history of having to deal with climate change," says Christopher Bernhardt, a researcher with the U.S. Geological Survey. "Along with other research, this study geologically reveals that the evolution of societies...

URL: http://www.laboratoryequipment.com/news/2012/08/drought-climate-change-ended-egypt%E2%80%99s-pyramid-building-era

United Kingdom: Government officials accused of 'schmooze-athon' with Shell

Guardian: Senior Whitehall officials from 10 government departments and agencies attended exclusive "training courses" laid on by Shell over two days at its London headquarters, according to documents released by the Department of Energy and Climate Change (Decc) following a freedom of information request. The documents show that in June this year and last, "30-40 mid- to senior-level civil servants" attended the two-day "Shell energy course for Whitehall", laid on at the energy giant's expense at its UK...

URL: http://www.guardian.co.uk/business/2012/aug/17/government-officials-schmooze-athon-shell
Enclosure: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/8/17/1345224834356/Environmental-campaigners-010.jpg

Cree LED Lights for Seven Newport News, Virginia Schools.

Newport News Public School District in Virginia recently installed more than 185 Cree LED exterior luminaires, becoming the first Virginia school district in the area with a significant LED lighting installation.

URL: http://www.green-energy-news.com/nwslnks/clips812/aug12018.html

Five Key Takeaways from the U.S. Solar Market Trends Report

![][1] The solar market, while relatively young, is an increasingly important part of the American economy. My latest IREC report answers important questions about the solar market. What are the trends in the market, and what forces are at work? Which sectors of the market are strongest, and why? What are the prospects for solar energy in the near future?

[1]: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com//assets/images/story/2012/8/17/body-five-key-takeaways-from-the-u-s-solar-market-trends-report.jpg

URL: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/08/five-key-takeaways-from-the-u-s-solar-market-trends-report?cmpid=rss

Report: Portrait of Clean Energy Jobs Amid Election-Year Landscape

![][1] Second quarter clean energy jobs estimates have been released, and some of the biggest gains are expected to come in swing states where energy promises to emerge as a central election year topic.

[1]: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com//assets/images/story/2012/8/17/body-report-portrait-of-clean-energy-jobs-amid-election-year-landscape.jpg

URL: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/08/report-portrait-of-clean-energy-jobs-amid-election-year-landscape?cmpid=rss

TransCanada Begins Construction of Southern Leg of Keystone Pipeline

Yale Environment 360: The Canadian company, TransCanada, has begun construction on the U.S. leg of the controversial Keystone XL pipeline, installing segments in east Texas even as the fate of the pipeline's northern leg remains in question. Company officials confirmed that work began Aug. 9 on the section of the pipeline that will run from Oklahoma to Texas, just weeks after the U.S. Army Corps of Engineers approved the final construction permit. TransCanada, which ultimately hopes to build a pipeline to carry tar sands...

URL: http://e360.yale.edu/digest/transcanada_begins_construction_of_keystone_pipeline_in_texas/3594/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+YaleEnvironment360+%28Yale+Environment+360%29

CO2 emissions in US drop to 20-year low; some experts optimistic on global warming

Associated Press: In a surprising turnaround, the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere in the U.S. has fallen dramatically to its lowest level in 20 years, and government officials say the biggest reason is that cheap and plentiful natural gas has led many power plant operators to switch from dirtier-burning coal. Many of the world's leading climate scientists didn't see the drop coming, in large part because it happened as a result of market forces rather than direct government action against...

URL: http://www.foxnews.com/us/2012/08/17/co2-emissions-in-us-drop-to-20-year-low-some-experts-optimistic-on-global/

Texas will spray for West Nile virus despite fears of insecticide risks

Guardian: Aerial spraying to combat the West Nile virus will continue tonight across north Texas despite the concerns of residents worried about potential health risks posed by the insecticide. Dallas is the center of the worst West Nile outbreak in the US this year, which prompted local officials to declare a state of emergency on Wednesday and dispatch two airplanes to spray the city and surrounding areas last night. The planes left Dallas' Executive Airport as planned at 10pm last night but were only...

URL: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/17/texas-west-nile-insecticide-risk
Enclosure: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/8/17/1345219081775/West-Nile-Virus-in-Dallas-008.jpg

EU forces marine fuel dilemma for ships, refiners

Reuters: A European crackdown on pollution from ships will require billions of dollars worth of investment by shipping firms on filter technology and by refineries on upgrades to produce cleaner fuels - burdens they can ill afford. The shipping industry is already struggling due to poor global demand and overcapacity, which have pushed freight rates to unprofitable levels for many operators. European refineries are under pressure from high crude costs, cheap refined product imports and weak demand. To...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/17/us-marine-fuel-regulation-idUSBRE87G0JG20120817?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29

Lessons from Manila floods on climate change, responses

Bay Area Indymedia: As the Philippine government dithered and made excuses for its grossly inadequate response to the catastrophic floods -- which inundated 80% of the country's capital, Manila -- Sonny Melencio was leading a grassroots relief effort that brought the first food supplies in days to some of the poorest and most badly affected communities. Together with other activists from the Party of the Labouring Masses (PLM), Melencio went to urban poor communities along the flood-breached Marikina River with supplies...

URL: http://www.indybay.org/newsitems/2012/08/16/18719698.php
Enclosure: http://www.indybay.org/uploads/2012/08/16/2012-philippines-flood.jpg

Record Heat, Drought Pose Problems for U.S. Electric Power

National Geographic: Record heat and drought conditions across the United States this summer have plagued power plants that require cool water to produce electricity. From Connecticut to California, high water temperatures and diminished access to water caused by drought have forced a number of power plants to ramp down production or acquire waivers to operate with cooling water above regulated temperatures. At least one plant has suspended operations. Many nuclear plants have struggled this summer with cooling...

URL: http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/energy/2012/08/120817-record-heat-drought-pose-problems-for-electric-power-grid/
Enclosure: http://images.nationalgeographic.com/wpf/media-live/photos/000/584/cache/news-drought-millstone-nuclear-plant_58406_600x450.jpg

Lack of Warning on Drought Reflects Forecasting Flaws

Climate Central: In May, the U.S. Agriculture Department predicted a record corn yield after farmers planted the largest area of corn and soybeans since 1937. Three months later, after a searing drought engulfed a wide swath of the continental U.S., those crops lie in ruin. Despite all of the resources at forecasters' disposal, the worst drought to strike the U.S. in nearly 50 years came on largely without warning across the fields of the Midwest and High Plains during late spring and early summer. Between May 1...

URL: http://www.climatecentral.org/news/lack-of-warning-on-2012-us-drought-reflects-flaws-in-forecasting-14823?utm-source=feedburner&utm-medium=feed&utm-campaign=Feed%3A+climatecentral%2FdjOO+Climate+Central+-+Full+Feed

Triage System for Plant Species Devised Based on Geographic Range

Yale Environment 360: With an increasing number of plant species worldwide facing growing threats, from climate change to invasive species, a team of U.S. scientists has developed a process to more rapidly evaluate those plants facing the greatest risks of extinction. Writing in the journal Biodiversity and Conservation, the scientists from the New York Botanical Garden describe a triage method to identify at-risk species based on data from plant research collections and geographic information systems (GIS) technology....

URL: http://e360.yale.edu/digest/new_york_botanical_scientists_propose_simpler_plant_species_evaluation/3595/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+YaleEnvironment360+%28Yale+Environment+360%29

Obama Fast-tracks Seven Renewable Energy Infrastructure Projects

![][1] President Barack Obama announced seven solar and wind energy projects that will be expedited, including projects in Arizona, California, Nevada and Wyoming.

[1]: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com//assets/images/story/2012/8/17/body-obama-fast-tracks-seven-renewable-energy-infrastructure-projects.jpg

URL: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/08/obama-fast-tracks-seven-renewable-energy-infrastructure-projects?cmpid=rss

The Solyndra Standard: On Loan Guarantees, Military Spending, And Clean Energy Politics

![][1] Earlier this week the Air Force announced that its X-51 Scramjet Engine Demonstrator called the WaveRider — a hypersonic jet designed to travel up to 3,600 miles per hour — crashed into the Pacific Ocean 15 seconds into a test flight.

[1]: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com//assets/images/story/2012/8/17/body-the-solyndra-standard-on-loan-guarantees-military-spending-and-clean-energy-politics.jpg

URL: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/08/the-solyndra-standard-on-loan-guarantees-military-spending-and-clean-energy-politics?cmpid=rss

China's Wind-Power Capacity Linked to Grid Up 87%, Xinhua Says

![][1] China connected 50.26 gigawatts of wind-generated capacity to the nation's largest electricity grid as of this year, the official Xinhua News Agency said, citing a statement from China State Grid Corp.

[1]: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com//assets/images/story/2012/8/17/body-chinas-wind-power-capacity-linked-to-grid-up-87-xinhua-says.jpg

URL: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/08/chinas-wind-power-capacity-linked-to-grid-up-87-xinhua-says?cmpid=rss

Renewables Rout Ends as Asian Bidders Seek Q-Cells, A123

![][1] The slump in renewable energy shares is ending as bidders from China and South Korea signaled interest in German solar manufacturer Q-Cells SE and A123 Systems Inc., a U.S. maker of batteries for electric cars.

[1]: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com//assets/images/story/2012/8/17/body-renewables-rout-ends-as-asian-bidders-seek-q-cells-a123.jpg

URL: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/08/renewables-rout-ends-as-asian-bidders-seek-q-cells-a123?cmpid=rss

Carbon emissions dropped to a 20-year low

Washington Post: U.S. emissions of carbon dioxide dropped to a 20-year low in July. "In a surprising turnaround, the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere in the U.S. has fallen dramatically to its lowest level in 20 years, and government officials say the biggest reason is that cheap and plentiful natural gas has led many power plant operators to switch from dirtier-burning coal. Many of the world's leading climate scientists didn't see the drop coming, in large part because it happened as...

URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/blogs/ezra-klein/post/wonkbook-carbon-emissions-dropped-to-a-20-year-low/2012/08/17/b09ba4c8-e861-11e1-9739-eef99c5fb285_blog.html?wprss=rss_policy

Rains come too late to revive drought-stricken U.S. crops

Reuters: Dry weather will return to the drought-stricken U.S. Midwest crop region, with corn and soybeans ending their growing season on a negative note after this week's rains proved to be too little too late, an agricultural meteorologist said Friday. "There were some decent rains in central Illinois and west central Indiana yesterday, but it's too late for corn and too late for most of the bean crop," said Don Keeney, meteorologist for MDA EarthSat Weather. The worst drought in more than 50 years...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/17/us-usa-drought-crops-idUSBRE87G0DQ20120817?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29
Enclosure: http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20120817&t=2&i=643450792&w=460&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=CBRE87G0Y3T00

Writing on the Roof: Competition for Electric Utilities

![][1] Suddenly, electricity appears too important to be managed by traditional electric utilities alone. The barriers to entry have fallen; a large number of new and old companies have entered the power generation business. How should the existing utilities respond? I believe they should enter the distributed solar-based generation business and offer new grid-integrated services.

[1]: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com//assets/images/story/2012/8/17/body-writing-on-the-roof-competition-for-electric-utilities.jpg

URL: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/08/writing-on-the-roof-competition-for-electric-utilities?cmpid=rss

Wildfires menace towns in Idaho, California

Reuters: A wildfire roaring through mountainous terrain in Idaho's Boise National Forest headed toward a resort town on Thursday, as voluntary evacuations began and firefighters scrambled to make a last stand against the advancing flames. The Idaho blaze, sparked by a utility vehicle that caught fire, has charred nearly 70,000 acres of sagebrush and woodlands east of Boise over the past six days, burning a rental cabin and six non-residential structures, authorities said. The fire is one of dozens burning...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/17/us-usa-wildfires-west-idUSBRE87F19Y20120817?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29
Enclosure: http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20120816&t=2&i=643242013&w=&fh=&fw=&ll=700&pl=300&r=CBRE87F1KXN00

In U.S. surprise, CO2 levels hit 20-year low

USA Today: Mainly because power plants have switched from coal to natural gas, climate-changing carbon dioxide emissions hit an unexpected 20-year low earlier this year, the Associated Press reports. AP cites a "little-noticed technical report" released earlier this month by the U.S. Energy Department. It stated that CO2 emissions from January through April hit 1992 levels, a "surprising turnaround," AP writes. AP says it contacted environmental experts, scientists and utility companies "and learned that...

URL: http://content.usatoday.com/communities/ondeadline/post/2012/08/in-a-surprise-co2-emissions-hit-20-year-low/1?csp=34news&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+usatoday-NewsTopStories+%28News+-+Top+Stories%29
Enclosure: http://i.usatoday.net/communitymanager/_photos/on-deadline/2012/08/16/CO2x-wide-community.jpg

Australia: Climate change is 'driving fish south'

AAP: CSIRO researchers say there is striking evidence of tropical species moving south as Australia's marine ecosystems feel the heat of climate change. Tropical fish are moving south as Australia's marine ecosystems begin to feel the heat of climate change, a study has found. CSIRO researchers say there is striking evidence of tropical species moving south as sea temperatures rise quickly. The scientists say large numbers of marine animals and plants are already dying off or migrating. The...

URL: http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/1683519/Climate-change-driving-tropical-fish-south
Enclosure: http://media.sbs.com.au/news/thm/articlemain/site_1_rand_409368093_barrier_reef_l_aap_getty.jpg

South-east braced for summer heat while rest of country fears floods

Guardian: The hottest days of the year are forecast for London and the south-east this weekend, with temperatures up to 30C on Saturday and Sunday, even higher in places like central London, while the rest of the country squelches through warnings of torrential rain and possible flooding. The hottest day so far, in what has mostly been a miserable summer, was 30.7C, recorded on 30 July at St James's Park in London. The Met Office believes that could be beaten with temperatures possibly rising to 32C as...

URL: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/2012/aug/17/south-east-summer-heat-floods
Enclosure: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/8/17/1345201457212/Hot-010.jpg

United Kingdom: Full report published on Cumbria nuclear waste burial and local involvement

Guardian: The complicated and contentious issue of burying nuclear waste in Cumbria is heading for a milestone on 11 October when the three local councils which have expressed an interest meet to debate further involvement. A useful waymarker has now been published in full, based on the views of some 2,300 people and organisations whose submissions, while often very different and sometimes in direct conflict, have led to changes and hesitations, albeit not altering the general approach of cautiously making...

URL: http://www.guardian.co.uk/uk/the-northerner/2012/aug/17/lakedistrict-nuclearpower-west-cumbria-managing-nuclear-waste-safely-partnership

U.S. Reliance on Saudi Oil Is Growing Again

New York Times: The United States is increasing its dependence on oil from Saudi Arabia, raising its imports from the kingdom by more than 20 percent this year, even as fears of military conflict in the tinderbox Persian Gulf region grow. The increase in Saudi oil exports to the United States began slowly last summer and has picked up pace this year. Until then, the United States had decreased its dependence on foreign oil and from the Gulf in particular. This reversal is driven in part by the battle over Iran's...

URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/17/business/energy-environment/us-reliance-on-saudi-oil-is-growing-again.html
Enclosure: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2012/08/17/business/Oil/Oil-articleLarge-v2.jpg

US offshore wind farm cleared for take-off as aviation authorities grant approval

BusinessGreen: America's first offshore wind farm, the proposed 130-turbine Cape Wind project in Nantucket Sound, has this week received crucial planning approval, paving the way for construction at the site to begin next year. The Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) issued a "Determination of No Hazard", confirming that it has ruled that the project presents no danger to air traffic and can proceed. The ruling, which represents the fourth time the FAA has ruled in favour of the project following numerous...

URL: http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2199529/us-offshore-wind-farm-cleared-for-takeoff-as-aviation-authorities-grant-approval?WT.rss_f=Home&WT.rss_a=US+offshore+wind+farm+cleared+for+take-off+as+aviation+authorities+grant+approval

Ethanol Quota Debated by Corn Farmers and Meat Industry

New York Times: Three big intertwined but rival agribusinesses — corn farmers, meat and poultry producers, and biofuel refineries — are in a political fight to protect their interests as a drought ravages corn producers and industrial consumers alike. At issue is whether to suspend a five-year-old federal mandate requiring more ethanol in gasoline each year, a policy that has diverted almost half of the domestic corn supply from animal feedlots to ethanol refineries, driven up corn prices and plantings and created...

URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/17/business/energy-environment/ethanol-quota-debated-by-corn-farmers-and-meat-industry.html

Drought May Be Leveling Off or Easing, Report Says

New York Times: The worst drought in the United States in decades may be leveling off or even be easing slightly in some places, federal weather forecasters said Thursday in a report of little comfort to farmers and ranchers who already have begun tallying this year's losses. While the latest forecast from the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center calls for the drought to linger in the nation's breadbasket and parts of some mountain states at least through November, it said...

URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/17/us/drought-may-be-leveling-off-or-easing-report-says.html

Belo Monte dam construction halted by Brazilian court

BusinessGreen: Opponents of the world's biggest new hydroelectric project - the Belo Monte dam in Brazil - notched up a rare victory this week, when a federal appeals court ordered construction to be suspended until indigenous groups are properly consulted about the project. The judgment on Tuesday may prove only a temporary reprieve but it is seen as a scathing verdict on the government's efforts to rush forward with the Xingu River project in the Amazon, which - despite controversy - is one of the pillars...

URL: http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2199442/belo-monte-dam-construction-halted-by-brazilian-court?WT.rss_f=Home&WT.rss_a=Belo+Monte+dam+construction+halted+by+Brazilian+court

Climate change driving Australian fish south

Agence France-Presse: Australian scientists said Friday there was now "striking evidence" of extensive southward migration of tropical fish and declines in other species due to climate change, in a major ocean report card. Compiled by more than 80 of Australia's leading marine experts for the government science body CSIRO, the snapshot of global warming's effects on the island continent's oceans warned of "significant impacts". "Climate change is already happening; widespread physical changes include rapid warming...

URL: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/article/ALeqM5gnPGPIvsE5J-rO0F71ja9zRpIUPg?docId=CNG.b448ea5b6d75e7807182aac9eeed6898.341
Enclosure: http://www.google.com/hostednews/afp/media/ALeqM5iSm_IjGreofVqMrCNt2UNVU0vapw?docId=photo_1345183327242-1-0&size=s3

Japan: Butterfly Mutations Found Near Damaged Nuclear Plant

Associated Press: Radiation that leaked from the Fukushima nuclear plant after last year's earthquake and tsunami caused mutations in some butterflies, including dented eyes and stunted wings, though humans seem relatively unaffected, researchers say. The mutations are the first evidence that the radiation has caused genetic changes in living organisms. They are likely to add to concerns about potential health risks among humans though there is no evidence of it yet. Scientists say more study is needed to link human...

URL: http://www.nytimes.com/2012/08/17/world/asia/japan-butterfly-mutations-found-near-damaged-nuclear-plant.html

US carbon emissions drop to 20-year low

News.com.au: THE amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere in the US has fallen to its lowest level in 20 years as power plant operators switch from coal to natural gas. Michael Mann, director of the Earth System Science Center at Penn State University, said on Thursday the shift away from coal was reason for "cautious optimism" about potential ways to deal with climate change. "There's a very clear lesson here. What it shows is that if you make a cleaner energy source cheaper, you will...

URL: http://www.news.com.au/breaking-news/world/us-carbon-emissions-drop-to-20-year-low/story-e6frfkui-1226452797057?from=public_rss

Coal and Corruption: The Battle for Gerze

Ecologist: After years of protest, plans by the Anadolu Group to build a coal power plant in the seaside town of Gerze are awaiting the go-ahead from the Turkish government. But protest group YEGEP are not giving up without a fight At three o'clock in the afternoon, the protesters finally got a break. The police had completely run out of pepper spray, having already thrown everything they had at the townspeople since the standoff first began at 8:30 that morning. Tears lined the faces of those who had been...

URL: http://www.theecologist.org/News/news_analysis/1542650/coal_and_corruption_the_battle_for_gerze.html

US drought could spur civil unrest around the world

New Scientist: As prices rise, tempers fray. The US drought has pushed up global food prices and is likely to continue to do so. Some say riots and unrest may follow. According to the Climate Prediction Center, part of the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, El Niño conditions are likely to develop over the Pacific in August or September, which should affect global weather before the end of the year. This may drive food prices up further if it causes floods or further drought. US farms are already...

URL: http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn22191-us-drought-could-spur-civil-unrest-around-the-world.html?DCMP=OTC-rss&nsref=climate-change

Just Two Minisplits Heat and Cool the Whole House

Subtitle:

Carter Scott has built 18 homes in Massachusetts without any heat in the bedrooms

Images:

[![][1]][2]

[![][3]][2]

[![][4]][2]

[![][5]][2]

[![][6]][2]

[![][7]][2]

Carter Scott was one of the first builders bold enough to build a cold-climate home heated by only two ductless minisplit units (one in the downstairs living room, and one in the upstairs hallway). Skeptics predicted that the unheated bedrooms would be cold and uncomfortable. Yet Scott was confident that the home's excellent thermal envelope — with high-R walls, triple-glazed windows, and low levels of air leakage — would keep the homeowners comfortable even when the bedroom doors were closed.

[1]: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/blog-river/Carter Scott - Needham 2.jpg (Photo of the zero-energy house built in Townsend in 2008)
[2]: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/just-two-minisplits-heat-and-cool-whole-house
[3]: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/blog-river/Carter Scott - The Farmhouse.jpg (Photo of the Farmhouse model zero-energy home)
[4]: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/blog-river/7-22-2012 Gabe and Devens 008.JPG (Photo of a net-zero-energy house in Devens)
[5]: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/blog-river/Carter Scott - double stud wall.jpg (Photo of double-stud wall framing)
[6]: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/blog-river/Carter Scott - ductless minisplit.jpg (Photo of a ductless minisplit indoor unit)
[7]: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/blog-river/Mistubishi mini-split exterior units.jpg (Photo of two ductless minisplit outdoor units)

URL: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/musings/just-two-minisplits-heat-and-cool-whole-house

Texas plans insecticide canvass as West Nile Virus deaths reach 16

Guardian: Aerial spraying of insecticide is set to begin over Dallas on Thursday night as the city battles the worst outbreak of the West Nile virus in the US this year. Mayor Mike Rawlings has declared a state of emergency and announced the first aerial spraying in the city and its suburbs since 1966 in response to the growing number of victims of the virus, which spreads to humans via mosquito bites and is reaching epidemic proportions in north Texas. "Right now, Texas has half the West Nile cases...

URL: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/aug/16/texas-insecticide-west-nile-virus
Enclosure: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2012/8/16/1345133567664/West-Nile-Virus-mosquitoe-010.jpg

Light rains give some relief to drought-stricken U.S. corn, soy

Reuters: After weeks of relentless heat stress from the worst U.S. drought in more than half a century, deteriorating corn and soybean crops were getting some relief by light rains this week, an agricultural meteorologist said Thursday. But the shift in weather came too late to help much of the corn crop which had been planted early and bore the brunt of high heat and drought this summer. Some late-planted soybeans may benefit from the turn to cooler and damper weather. "A cool front is moving through...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/16/us-usa-drought-crops-corn-idUSBRE87F0U620120816?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29
Enclosure: http://s1.reutersmedia.net/resources/r/?m=02&d=20120816&t=2&i=643147993&w=460&fh=&fw=&ll=&pl=&r=CBRE87F16GJ00

Food Activists See Portents of New and Deeper Hunger Crisis

Inter Press Service: Food rights activists from around the world will descend on the coastal U.S. state of Florida next week to protest homelessness and hunger facing millions of people in the United States and across the globe. The Aug. 20-26 protests in Tampa were organised to draw attention to the Republican Party's aggressive stance on tax cuts for the rich and reductions in the social safety net for poor and working families. The Republicans hold their national convention in Tampa on Aug. 17 to formally anoint...

URL: http://www.ipsnews.net/2012/08/food-activists-see-portents-of-new-and-deeper-hunger-crisis/
Enclosure: http://ipsnews-net.wpengine.netdna-cdn.com/Library/2012/08/mexico_drought_640-629x419.jpg

National Science Foundation gives $5.8M for Maryland, Delaware climate change education

Associated Press: Teachers in Maryland and Delaware are getting help in teaching about climate change The National Science Foundation announced Thursday that it's giving $5.8 million to a partnership on climate change education led by the University of Maryland and the University of Delaware. The project is one of six such programs being funded by the foundation. Dr. Donald Boesch, president of the University of Maryland Center for Environmental Science and director of the new partnership, says the program will...

URL: http://www.washingtonpost.com/local/national-science-foundation-gives-58m-for-maryland-delaware-climate-change-education/2012/08/16/b101b11c-e7b9-11e1-9739-eef99c5fb285_story.html

CO2 emissions in US drop to 20-year low

Associated Press: In a surprising turnaround, the amount of carbon dioxide being released into the atmosphere in the U.S. has fallen dramatically to its lowest level in 20 years, and government officials say the biggest reason is that cheap and plentiful natural gas has led many power plant operators to switch from dirtier-burning coal. Many of the world's leading climate scientists didn't see the drop coming, in large part because it happened as a result of market forces rather than direct government action against...

URL: http://hosted.ap.org/dynamic/stories/U/US_GAS_DRILLING_CO2_DROP?SITE=TXDAM&SECTION=HOME&TEMPLATE=DEFAULT

A Bright Spot for Renewable Energy? Clean Energy Patents at Quarterly High

![][1] The Clean Energy Patent Growth Index (CEPGI), published quarterly by the Cleantech Group at Heslin Rothenberg Farley & Mesiti P.C. provides an indication of the trend of innovative activity in the Clean Energy sector from 2002 to the present.  Results from the Q1 2012 reveal the CEPGI to have a value of 694 granted U.S. patents, the highest quarter

[1]: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com//assets/images/story/2012/8/16/body-clean-energy-patents-at-quarterly-high-1st-quarter-clean-energy-patent-growth-index.jpg

URL: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/blog/post/2012/08/clean-energy-patents-at-quarterly-high-1st-quarter-clean-energy-patent-growth-index?cmpid=rss

When This Oil Spills, It's 'A Whole New Monster'

National Public Radio: Sometime in the next few months, David Daniel probably will have to stand by and watch as bulldozers knock down his thick forest and dig up the streams he loves. His East Texas property is one of more than 1,000 in the path of a new pipeline, the southern stretch of what is known as the Keystone XL system. For years, Daniel has tried to avoid this fate - or at least figure out what risks will come with it. But it has been difficult for him to get straight answers about the tar sands oil the...

URL: http://www.npr.org/2012/08/03/158025375/when-this-oil-spills-its-a-whole-new-monster?ft=1&f=1025

Drought May Ease in Coming Weeks; Too Late for Crops

Climate Central: The epic drought that has gripped large parts of the U.S. for much of the summer, and which now ranks as the nation's fifth worst on record, should ease some in parts of the country in the coming weeks, according to an outlook on Thursday from the Climate Prediction Center (CPC) of the National Weather Service. The dryness has been so intense in the nation's heartland, however, that for a broad swath of the country -- covering all or part from Missouri west to California and from Texas north to Montana...

URL: http://www.climatecentral.org/news/2012-us-drought-may-ease-in-coming-weeks-but-too-late-for-crops-14820?utm-source=feedburner&utm-medium=feed&utm-campaign=Feed%3A+climatecentral%2FdjOO+Climate+Central+-+Full+Feed
Enclosure: http://www.climatecentral.org/images/sized/images/uploads/news/CC_epic_drought-500x334.jpg

Experts warn of long-term climate change impacts on food

The Hill: Experts working on a food security report for the United Nations warn climate change will cause disruptions to global food supplies beyond the U.S. drought this year, according to Reuters. The researchers note in a forthcoming chapter for the U.N.'s 2014 report on global warming that heat waves and massive downpours will become more common if nations fail to address climate change. That will make food supplies more unpredictable, which could cause volatile prices. "It has not been properly...

URL: http://thehill.com/blogs/e2-wire/e2-wire/244001-experts-warn-of-long-term-climate-change-impacts-on-food-

Palm oil need not come at expense of the environment

Mongabay: Palm oil production need not come at the expense of the environment, says Greenpeace in a new campaign that highlights a smallholder approach used by a community in Riau Province on the island of Sumatra. The campaign - noted in July on Mongabay-Indonesia - looks at the village of Dosan, which manages an oil palm plantation and has committed to not expanding into forest areas. According to Greenpeace, the Dosan community is "moving to improved environmental management practices that include zero...

URL: http://news.mongabay.com/2012/0816-greenpeace-dosan-palm-oil.html
Enclosure: http://youtu.be/Fvc4w8xh1Ks

Top executives say no thanks to U.S. cleantech jobs

Reuters: U.S. solar and biofuel companies are struggling to find new top executives after a string of departures over the past year, demonstrating a lack of faith among executives that the sector can recover from a supply glut that has hammered share prices. Almost all the top U.S.-listed solar companies, including First Solar Inc, SunPower Corp, Canadian Solar Inc and JA Solar Holdings Co, have seen either their CEO or CFO leave over the past year. The turnover has coincided with a rapid decline in...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/16/us-cleantech-executives-idUSBRE87F12620120816?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29

Germany delays windfarm over threat to porpoises

Guardian: Germany's plan to wean itself off nuclear power has suffered a submarine setback. Utility companies have had to delay construction of a 25,000 megawatt windfarm off the coast because of fears the noise may kill thousands of porpoises. E.ON and RWE are spending millions on developing technology to reduce the noise caused by driving turbines into the seabed after environmental groups warned of the threat to porpoises' hearing. "A porpoise is doomed to die if its hearing is shattered," Kim Detloff,...

URL: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/aug/16/germany-delays-windfarm-porpoises
Enclosure: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Admin/BkFill/Default_image_group/2012/8/16/1345137579233/Windfarms-010.jpg

Drought slashes EU maize crop, adds to global squeeze: analyst

Reuters: Hot, dry weather in eastern and southern European Union countries has severely hit prospects for this year's EU maize harvest, adding pressure to a world market already reeling from huge drought damage in the United States, a grain analyst said. French-based Strategie Grains also said that even an improved outlook for the EU's wheat harvest would provide little relief to grain supply as this would be swallowed up by export demand and a shift in livestock feed away from scarce maize. Grain markets...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/16/us-grains-europe-analyst-idUSBRE87F0QR20120816?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29

Landslide deaths much higher than thought: study

Reuters: Landslides killed more than 32,000 people across the world from 2004 to 2010 - up to 10 times more than previously thought, the first detailed study of the disasters showed on Thursday. The new data on the scale of the problem should force governments to rethink how they dealt with the slides which have left a trail of destruction from China to Central and South America, researchers said. "Landslides are a global hazard requiring a major change in perception and policy," said David Petley,...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/16/us-landslide-deaths-idUSBRE87E1AA20120816?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29

Some like it hot: Tropical species 'not as vulnerable' to climate change extinction

Phys.Org: In the face of a changing climate many species must adapt or perish. Ecologists studying evolutionary responses to climate change forecast that cold-blooded tropical species are not as vulnerable to extinction as previously thought. The study, published in the British Ecological Society's Functional Ecology, considers how fast species can evolve and adapt to compensate for a rise in temperature. The research, carried out at the University of Zurich, was led by Dr Richard Walters, now at Reading...

URL: http://phys.org/news/2012-08-hot-tropical-species-vulnerable-climate.html

U.S. Wind Energy Capacity Equal to 11 Nuclear Plants, Group Says

Yale Environment 360: Electricity produced by wind energy in the U.S. now equals the output of 11 nuclear power plants, according to a new report from the American Wind Energy Association, a trade organization. As congressional leaders consider the extension of a tax credit for the emerging wind energy sector, the AWEA says that a surge in wind projects since 2008 has pushed the sector past 50,000 megawatts, enough electricity for 13 million homes -- or all the residences in Nevada, Colorado, Wisconsin, Virginia, Alabama,...

URL: http://e360.yale.edu/digest/us_wind_energy_capacity_equal_to_11_nuclear_plants_group_says/3585/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+YaleEnvironment360+%28Yale+Environment+360%29

Singapore issues national climate change strategy

National Geographic: "Our vision for Singapore is a climate resilient global city that is well positioned for green growth...We need a whole-of-nation effort – involving the people, the private and the public sectors to realize our vision." - Deputy Prime Minister Teo Chee Hean Singapore, the newest addition to the global C40 network, has recently published its national climate change strategy, "Climate Change & Singapore: Challenges. Opportunities. Partnerships." The comprehensive document reflects the key elements...

URL: http://newswatch.nationalgeographic.com/2012/08/16/singapore-issues-national-climate-change-strategy/
Enclosure: http://app.nccs.gov.sg/data/resources/docs/Documents/NCCS-2012.pdf

Climate change poses risks to food, beyond US drought

Reuters: Downpours and heatwaves caused by climate change could disrupt food supplies from the fields to the supermarkets, raising the risk of more price spikes such as this year's leap triggered by drought in the United States. Food security experts working on a chapter in a U.N. overview of global warming due in 2014 said governments should take more account of how extremes of heat, droughts or floods could affect food supplies from seeds to consumers' plates. "It has not been properly recognised...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/16/climate-drought-idUSL6E8JFAI220120816

Australia's opposition backs Kyoto 2

Reuters: Australia's opposition Liberal party climate spokesman Greg Hunt on Thursday gave his "in principle" backing to signing up for a second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol, making it easier for the under-fire government to sign the U.N. climate treaty. Hunt told The Age newspaper that the opposition coalition's intention is to join a new Kyoto period, although a final decision would depend on the exact terms. "What the world really needs is to bring China and India and Indonesia on board,...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/16/us-australia-kyoto-idUSBRE87F0A520120816?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29

Birds struggling after poor British summer

Press Association: The cold, wet start to the summer appears to have hit chicks of birds species such as blackbirds, song thrushes and robins, according to the results of a national bird survey. The RSPB said the cold, wet weather in the early part of the breeding season could be to blame, as it made it harder for adult birds to find enough food for their chicks. With the adults spending longer away from the nest searching for food, the chicks may also have been more exposed to the chilly, wet conditions, in...

URL: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/aug/16/garden-birds-struggling-british-summer

Climate change is real, Canadians say, but they can't agree on the cause

National Post: Canadians are far from a consensus on what causes climate change, a new public opinion poll shows. Almost every Canadian surveyed in the online Insightrix Research poll said they believe climate change is happening, but a clear rift emerged on the more specific, and politically important, question of whether humans or natural factors, or some combination, is the catalyst. According to the survey of 1,550 people released Wednesday, 32% of Canadians think climate change is occurring because of...

URL: http://news.nationalpost.com/2012/08/16/climate-change-is-real-canadians-say-while-disagreeing-on-the-causes/
Enclosure: http://nationalpostnews.files.wordpress.com/2012/08/drought.jpg?w=620

Data mixed on radiation from Japan nuke leaks

Associated Press: Researchers say radiation from the leaking Fukushima nuclear plant following last year's tsunami caused mutations in some butterflies and damaged the local environment though humans seem relatively unaffected. Many Japanese, especially those who lived close to the Fukushima Dai-Ichi power plant, are concerned over the potential health risks from radiation emitted due to catastrophic meltdowns in three reactors after it was damaged by the 9.0-magnitude earthquake and tsunami on March 11, 2011....

URL: http://news.yahoo.com/data-mixed-radiation-japan-nuke-leaks-053206957.html

Rules Lacking for Geoengineering Projects for Global Warming

LiveScience: What if someone wanted to deploy a massive project to try to reverse climate change today? Perhaps some researchers wanted to spray sulfur particles into the stratosphere to reflect away some of the sun's energy, cooling the Earth in an attempt to compensate for global warming. Or perhaps a group wanted to unload some fertilizer into the ocean, so more algae will grow and absorb carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Their actions may have global consequences, but would such projects have to answer...

URL: http://news.yahoo.com/rules-lacking-geoengineering-projects-global-warming-051818967.html

Experts mull global system to monitor water resources

AlertNet: A global system to monitor management of water resources would help governments secure food and water supplies for the future, a U.N. expert due to attend the World Water Week conference later this month has told AlertNet. "There's demand for a global reporting mechanism that will help us see what is the status of water security and how water is used around the world as a resource, whether in agriculture, industrial production or any other way," said Joakim Harlin, senior water resources advisor...

URL: http://www.trust.org/alertnet/news/experts-mull-global-system-to-monitor-water-resources
Enclosure: http://www.trust.org/contentAsset/resize-image/dc6791b2-a1a3-4511-a76b-d4fb59d53dc8/photowide/?w=460&h=318&vn=201208161535

US cuts crop forecast amid severe drought

NBC News: Federal forecasters are predicting record prices for corn and soybeans, raising fears of a new world food crisis as the worst U.S. drought in half a century continues to punish key farm states. The U.S. Department of Agriculture on Friday said production of U.S. corn and soybeans is expected to be down 17 percent from its forecast last month of nearly 13 billion bushels, and 13 percent lower than last year. It was the second month in a row when the USDA has cut its production estimate. Corn...

URL: http://marketday.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/10/13216941-us-cuts-crop-forecast-as-drought-ravages-corn-belt?lite
Enclosure: http://m.static.newsvine.com/servista/imagesizer?file=alolsonF77099BA-0D39-24A6-971E-D898FB374115.jpg&width=600

Belo Monte dam construction halted by Brazilian court

Guardian: Opponents of the world's biggest new hydroelectric project - the Belo Monte dam in Brazil - notched up a rare victory this week, when a federal appeals court ordered construction to be suspended until indigenous groups are properly consulted about the project. The judgment on Tuesday may prove only a temporary reprieve but it is seen as a scathing verdict on the government's efforts to rush forward with the Xingu River project in the Amazon, which - despite controversy - is one of the pillars...

URL: http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2012/aug/16/belo-monte-dam-construction-suspended
Enclosure: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Guardian/Pix/pictures/2011/1/31/1296481447094/Belo-Monte-dam-007.jpg

In Germany, Environmental Concerns Could Impact Offshore Wind Development

![][1] Porpoises and bombs left by Adolf Hitler's forces six decades ago are adding millions of dollars to costs for wind-turbine developers in waters off Germany, delaying the nation's shift from nuclear energy.

[1]: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com//assets/images/story/2012/8/16/body-in-germany-environmental-concerns-could-impact-offshore-wind-development.jpg

URL: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/08/in-germany-environmental-concerns-could-impact-offshore-wind-development?cmpid=rss

Global warming causes more extreme shifts of the Southern Hemisphere's largest rain band, study sugges

ScienceDaily: The changes will result from the South Pacific rain band responding to greenhouse warming. The South Pacific rain band is largest and most persistent of the Southern Hemisphere spanning the Pacific from south of the Equator, south-eastward to French Polynesia. Occasionally, the rain band moves northwards towards the Equator by 1000 kilometres, inducing extreme climate events. The international study, led by CSIRO oceanographer Dr Wenju Cai, focuses on how the frequency of such movement may...

URL: http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2012/08/120816075441.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29
Enclosure: http://images.sciencedaily.com/2012/08/120816075441.jpg?1345118827

Has Fukushima radiation created mutant butterflies?

Mother Jones: Last March, the 9.0 magnitude Tohoku earthquake triggered a tsunami that sent over 45-foot waves of water crashing down on the reactors at the Fukushima Dai-ichi Nuclear Power Plant, causing the largest nuclear disaster since Chernobyl in 1986. While health officials scrambled to quickly stabilize the situation, it was unclear how much radiation had made it out of the plant--and how it could affect people, plants, and animals who came into contact with it. Preliminary studies concluded that most...

URL: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/aug/16/fukushima-radiation-butterflies
Enclosure: http://static.guim.co.uk/sys-images/Environment/Pix/pictures/2011/5/4/1304521030457/Butterfly-silhouette-on-r-007.jpg

Climate change forces South Pacific rain band movement

Examiner: CSIRO oceanographer Dr. Wenju Cai led an international group of researchers in the first definition of the impact of greenhouse gases and resultant climate change on weather patterns produced by the South Pacific rain band. The research was reported in the journal Nature and reviewed at the Eureka Alert web site on August 16, 2012. Cai and colleagues predict more extreme floods and droughts in South Pacific countries as climate change produces more frequent and more severe fluctuations in the...

URL: http://www.examiner.com/article/climate-change-forces-south-pacific-rain-band-movement
Enclosure: http://cdn2-b.examiner.com/sites/default/files/styles/image_content_width/hash/95/f5/95f5f144864ea1cdcbe0e99d241a2ba6.JPG

Should Candidates Discuss Global Warming?

New York Times: A vast majority of Americans polled say they believe that the United States should make an effort to reduce global warming. But they differ on how the potential economic costs should dictate the country`s response. Ever since comprehensive legislation to reduce greenhouse gases died in Congress two years ago, my colleague John Broder noted here recently, climate change has been the issue that national politicians seem to avoid at all costs. Supporting renewable energy? Fine. Advocating energy...

URL: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/16/should-candidates-discuss-global-warming/
Enclosure: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2012/08/16/blogs/climate/climate-blog480.jpg

Cape Wind Receives FAA Approval - Again

![][1] The Federal Aviation Administration said the proposed Cape Wind power project off the Massachusetts coast poses no risk to air navigation, clearing a hurdle for what may be the first U.S. offshore wind facility.

[1]: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com//assets/images/story/2012/8/16/body-cape-wind-received-faa-approval.jpg

URL: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/08/cape-wind-received-faa-approval?cmpid=rss

Canada: Merkel's visit to climate scientists heightens contrast with PM on environment policy

Globe and Mail: Angela Merkel will make a special visit to Halifax this week to highlight the work of climate scientists, a stop that underscores the German Chancellor's focus on science and the environment in a summer when those same issues are dogging Canada's Prime Minister. After two days in the national capital region for meetings with Stephen Harper, Ms. Merkel will visit Dalhousie University in Halifax Thursday on her way home. She'll attend the launch of a joint project between the university's Halifax...

URL: http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/merkels-visit-to-climate-scientists-heightens-contrast-with-pm-on-environment-policy/article4481708/

Challenges facing the future of Antarctica

Environmental News Network: A century ago, Antarctica was one of Earth's last frontiers, but now the continent is under threat from human activity. An international team of experts, including scientists from British Antarctic Survey (BAS), has set out the current and future conservation challenges facing the Antarctic in a Policy Forum article published this week in the journal Science. The team analysed the effectiveness of the existing Antarctic Treaty System for protecting the region from the threats of climate change...

URL: http://www.enn.com/climate/article/44808?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ClimateChangeNews-Enn+%28Climate+Change+News+-+ENN%29

India's water reservoirs at 51 percent of capacity: government

Reuters: Water levels in India's main reservoirs were at 51 percent of capacity in the week to August 16, down 12 percentage points from a year ago, reflecting this year's weak monsoon, government data showed on Thursday. The latest level was equal to the 10-year average for the week. It was 9 percentage points higher than the previous week, reflecting improvement in the monsoon since the last week of July. Reservoirs are primarily they important for hydropower, which accounts for a quarter of India's...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/16/us-india-reservoirs-idUSBRE87F0L620120816?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29

Australia: Coalition supports sequel to Kyoto protocol

Sydney Morning Herald: THE Coalition has declared its support for Australia's involvement in a second round of the Kyoto protocol climate pact - a pledge that goes even further than the Gillard government's present stance. Despite past resistance to Kyoto under John Howard, the Coalition's climate action spokesman, Greg Hunt, has given ''in principle support'' to Australia's involvement in a second round of the Kyoto deal, after the first round expires in December. His remarks came as new polling showed strong voter...

URL: http://www.smh.com.au/opinion/political-news/coalition-supports-sequel-to-kyoto-protocol-20120815-2495l.html

It's Back to the Future on the US Clean Tech Industry

![][1] President Barack Obama and Gov. Mitt Romney recently stated how each would "get tough" with China. This reminded me of a conversation with economists I had in Vice President Biden's office several years ago. We discussed how to put together the president's stimulus proposal and the possibility of using clean tech programs — solar, wind, batteries and others — as one of the lynchpins of the program.

[1]: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com//assets/images/story/2012/8/16/body-its-back-to-the-future-on-the-us-clean-tech-industry.jpg

URL: http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2012/08/its-back-to-the-future-on-the-us-clean-tech-industry?cmpid=rss

The End of Peak Oil?

Subtitle:

With new oil discoveries and more effective extraction methods, the world is probably many decades away from peak oil

Images:

[![][1]][2]

[![][3]][2]

I first wrote about "peak oil" in 1998, reporting on an in-depth article in _Scientific American_ by petroleum geologists Colin Campbell, PhD, and Jean Laherrère. Campbell and Laherrère believed that up to that time the world had consumed about 800 billion barrels of oil (BBO), and the known reserves of conventional crude oil totaled about 850 bbl in 1996 and another 200 BBO of conventional oil was yet to be discovered.

[1]: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/blog-river/Oil drilling platform - Mike Baird.jpg (Photo of an oil drilling platform near Santa Barbara off the California coast)
[2]: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/energy-solutions/end-peak-oil
[3]: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/sites/default/files/imagecache/blog-river/Hubbart_07_EnergyWatchGroup_UK.png (Hubbert Curve of world oil production)

URL: http://www.greenbuildingadvisor.com/blogs/dept/energy-solutions/end-peak-oil

Easing U.S. ethanol mandate would help prevent food crisis: UN

Reuters: Global pressure on the United States to relax its ethanol quota mounted on Thursday as the top United Nations food official said an "immediate, temporary suspension" of the mandate could help head off another world food crisis. As the surge in corn prices revives a fierce food versus fuel debate, José Graziano da Silva, the director-general of the UN's Food and Agriculture Organization, wrote in the Financial Times newspaper that competition for a U.S. corn crop that has been decimated by drought...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/10/us-ethanol-united-nations-idUSBRE8790CW20120810?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29

US biofuel production should be suspended, UN says

BBC: The United Nations (UN) food agency has called on the United States to suspend its production of biofuel ethanol. Under US law, 40% of the corn harvest must be used to make biofuel, a quota which the UN says could contribute to a food crisis around the world. A drought and heatwave across the US has destroyed much of the country's corn crop, driving up prices. The US argues that producing much of its own fuel, rather than importing it, is good for the country. The latest forecasts from...

URL: http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/business-19206199#sa-ns_mchannel=rss&ns_source=PublicRSS20-sa
Enclosure: http://www.usda.gov/oce/commodity/wasde/latest.pdf

How hot is it? Climate change settles in for the long haul

Washington Post: Excuse me, folks, but the weather is trying to tell us something. Listen carefully, and you can almost hear a parched, raspy voice whispering, "What part of 'hottest month ever' do you people not understand?" According to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, July was indeed the hottest month in the contiguous United States since record-keeping began more than a century ago. That distinction was previously held by July 1936, which came at the height of the Dust Bowl calamity that...

URL: http://seattletimes.nwsource.com/html/opinion/2018894366_robinsoncolumn12xml.html

Return of the Dust Bowl

Independent: The jam jar sitting on John Vannatta's kitchen table appears to be filled with coffee, until he shows you the label on the lid. The preserve inside is history, saved from a time when black blizzards filled the sky, turning day into night; a time when Americans starved. "Pure 1930s Blow Dirt," it reads. It might also say: don't forget, lest it happens again. Not that Mr Vannatta, 92 – or his neighbour Huston Hanes – needs reminding. Both retired farmers, they are members of a very small club indeed:...

URL: http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/nature/return-of-the-dust-bowl-8031932.html
Enclosure: http://www.independent.co.uk/incoming/article8031729.ece/ALTERNATES/w460/v228-dustbowl-gtAP.jpg

In Iowa, Obama to announce measures to soothe drought pain

Reuters: President Barack Obama will announce on Monday that the Department of Agriculture intends to buy up to $170 million of pork, lamb, chicken and catfish to help support farmers suffering from the drought, a White House official said. The food purchases will go toward "food nutrition assistance" programs, like food banks. During a visit to Iowa, a political swing state that the Democrat hopes to win in the Nov. 6 election, Obama will press Congress to pass a farm bill with short-term relief measures...

URL: http://nbcpolitics.nbcnews.com/_news/2012/08/13/13250065-in-iowa-obama-to-announce-measures-to-sooth-drought-pain?lite

Jerry Brown launches website to rebut climate change skeptics

Sacramento Bee: Gov. Jerry Brown said today that "humanity is getting dangerously close to the point of no return" on climate change, and he launched a website criticizing conservatives who dispute its significance. The website "Climate Change: Just the Facts," is hosted by Brown's Office of Planning and Research. It devotes one page to "the denialists" and another to rebutting "common denialist arguments." The Democratic governor, in Stateline, Nev., for the annual Tahoe Summit, has long been frustrated by...

URL: http://blogs.sacbee.com/capitolalertlatest/2012/08/jerry-brown-launches-website-to-rebut-climate-change-skeptics.html
Enclosure: http://www.opr.ca.gov/s_climatechangefacts.php

Tars Sands Blockade working to physically stop Keystone XL pipeline construction

Waging Nonviolence: One year after more than 1,200 people were arrested in front of the White House during two weeks of sit-ins against the Keystone XL tar sands oil pipeline, a coalition of Texas landowners and activists will attempt to physically halt its construction. Led by veteran climate justice organizers, participants ranging from environmentalists to Tea Partiers are preparing to lock arms for a sustained nonviolent civil disobedience campaign, beginning perhaps as early as this week. The impetus for such...

URL: http://wagingnonviolence.org/2012/08/dont-mess-with-texas-tar-sands-blockade/
Enclosure: http://www.nacstop.org/

Auto-Related Pollution in Los Angeles Declined 98 Percent Over 50 Years

Yale Environment 360: Levels of some automobile-related pollutants in Los Angeles have plummeted by 98 percent since the 1960s, even as gasoline consumption nearly tripled during the same period, a new study says. Levels of volatile organic compounds (VOCs), which are emitted from the tailpipes of cars and are a key ingredient in ground-level smog, have dropped steadily and fell by about half between 2002 and 2010, researchers found. "The reason is simple: Cars are getting cleaner,' said Carsten Warneke, a researcher...

URL: http://e360.yale.edu/digest/auto-related_pollution_in_la_declined_98_percent_over_50_years/3586/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+YaleEnvironment360+%28Yale+Environment+360%29
Enclosure: http://www.agu.org/pubs/crossref/pip/2012JD017899.shtml

Oregon seed, farm groups sue state over GMO canola

Reuters: A U.S. farm group, seed producers and biotech critics filed suit on Wednesday against Oregon officials in an effort to curtail planting of genetically modified canola, warning of a potential "disaster" for the state's seed and organic industries. The litigation joins a long list of efforts to limit the footprint of many genetically altered crops, which opponents fear are threatening conventional and organic farm production as well as increasing weed and pest resistance. The plaintiffs are seeking...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/15/us-usa-gmo-oregon-idUSBRE87E18C20120815?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29

Delay of US auto efficiency rule a win for consumers: GOP

Reuters: A delay in the Obama Administration's tough new automobile efficiency standards is a victory for consumers and automobile safety, a chief Republican critic of the fuel economy rule said on Wednesday. The new fuel economy proposal, announced in July 2011 after months of negotiations between the Obama administration and auto makers, would require the companies to reach an average fuel efficiency across their U.S. fleets of 54.5 miles per gallon by 2025. "Increased fuel efficiency is a goal all...

URL: http://www.reuters.com/article/2012/08/15/us-usa-autos-efficiency-idUSBRE87E17820120815?feedType=RSS&feedName=environmentNews&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+reuters%2Fenvironment+%28News+%2F+US+%2F+Environment%29

Bill Gates lifts lid on solar-powered toilet with $6.5m funding

BusinessGreen: People living in the developing world could soon be flushing solar-powered toilets capable of creating hydrogen and electricity from that most renewable of sources -- poo. Microsoft founder and philanthropist, Bill Gates, yesterday awarded a total of $240,000 (£153,000) in prize money to universities which produced the most impressive concepts for his "Reinventing the Toilet" challenge. He also handed out a further $3.4m in grants to help develop a series of other clean tech toilet projects,...

URL: http://www.businessgreen.com/bg/news/2198940/bill-gates-lifts-lid-on-solarpowered-toilet-with-usd65m-funding?WT.rss_f=Home&WT.rss_a=Bill+Gates+lifts+lid+on+solar-powered+toilet+with+%246.5m+funding

Shifting Climate Makes Frogs More Vulnerable to Disease, Study Says

Yale Environment 360: Increasingly unpredictable swings in the weather are making frogs more vulnerable to the deadly chytrid fungus, according to a new study. In a series of tests, scientists at Oakland University in Michigan exposed Cuban treefrogs living under a variety of conditions in laboratory incubators to chytridiomycosis, a highly infectious fungal disease that has decimated amphibian species globally. The scientists found that frogs that were exposed to unpredictable temperature changes were more susceptible...

URL: http://e360.yale.edu/digest/shifting_climate_makes_frogs_more_vulnerable_to_disease_study_says/3587/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+YaleEnvironment360+%28Yale+Environment+360%29

Climate change effects, potential mitigation in Northeast forests subject of Forest Service Report

Phys.org: A new report by U.S. and Canadian scientists analyzes decades of research and concludes that the climate of the Northeast has changed and is likely to change more. The report outlines the effects of climate change on multiple aspects of forests in the northeastern corner of the United States and eastern Canada and concludes with recommendations on adaptive and mitigating strategies for dealing with future effects. The report, "Changing Climate, Changing Forests: The impacts of climate change on...

URL: http://phys.org/news/2012-08-climate-effects-potential-mitigation-northeast.html
Enclosure: http://nrs.fs.fed.us/pubs/41165

Court suspends Amazon dam construction

Al Jazeera: A federal judge in Brazil has suspended construction work on a massive dam in the heart of the Amazon rainforest. In a statement released on Tuesday, Judge Souza Prudente said that work could only resume on the $11bn, 11,000MW Belo Monte Dam after the indigenous communities living in the area were consulted. The dam has been condemned by environmentalists and rights activists, who say that it would devastate wildlife and the livelihoods of 40,000 people who live in the area that would be flooded....

URL: http://www.aljazeera.com/news/americas/2012/08/2012815648943471.html

Heat Shuts Down a Coastal Reactor

New York Times: A reactor at the Millstone nuclear plant in Waterford, Conn., has shut down because of something that its 1960s designers never anticipated: the water in Long Island Sound was too warm to cool it. Under the reactor`s safety rules, the cooling water can be no higher than 75 degrees. On Sunday afternoon, the water`s temperature soared to 76.7 degrees, prompting the operator, Dominion Power, to order the shutdown of the 880-megawatt reactor. "Temperatures this summer are the warmest we've had...

URL: http://green.blogs.nytimes.com/2012/08/13/heat-shuts-down-a-coastal-reactor/
Enclosure: http://graphics8.nytimes.com/images/2012/08/13/business/millstone/millstone-blog480-v2.jpg

Brazilian Judge Halts Belo Monte Dam Project Over Lack of Consultation

Yale Environment 360: A Brazilian judge has ordered a suspension of the controversial Belo Monte dam project, saying that local indigenous people who will be affected by the massive hydroelectric project were not sufficiently consulted during the environmental assessment process. In a ruling issued Tuesday, Judge Souza Prudente of the Federal Tribunal of Brazil's Amazon region found that no consultations were held with local communities before Congress approved what would be the world's third-largest dam project. The...

URL: http://e360.yale.edu/digest/brazil_judge_halts_belo_monte_dam_project/3591/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+YaleEnvironment360+%28Yale+Environment+360%29