August 10, 2009

News summaries

Arctic Ocean may be polluted soup by 2070
Within 60 years the Arctic Ocean could be a stagnant, polluted soup.
Without drastic cuts in greenhouse-gas emissions, the Transpolar Drift,
one of the Arctic's most powerful currents and a key disperser of
pollutants, is likely to disappear because of global warming. New Scientist

Vast expanses of Arctic melt in summer heat
The Arctic Ocean has given up tens of thousands more square miles
(square kilometers) of ice in a relentless summer of melt, with
scientists watching through satellite eyes for a possible record low
polar ice cap. AP

Climate change threat to US security
The changing global climate will pose profound strategic challenges to
the united states in coming decades, raising the prospect of military
intervention to deal with the effects of violent storms, drought, mass
migration and pandemics, military and intelligence analysts say.
The New York Times

Chile: Anti-coal plant activists get death threats
Five social activists and community leaders opposed to the construction
of coal-fired thermoelectric plants near fishing villages in northern
Chile filed a complaint with the prosecution service denouncing that
they had received anonymous death threats warning them to stop their
struggle. IPS

Wind power makes electricity cheaper in Texas
Yes, says Bernstein Research in a recent report, “Will Wind Power Blow
Texas Generators Away?,” a follow-up to their own prior effort. The
idea is that wind power is steadily replacing more expensive forms of
power generation, essentially natural gas. The more wind power there
is—and Texas is the sixth-biggest wind power country in the world–the
less need there is to turn to gas-fired turbines to cover the last bit
of demand. Bernstein figures this trend will only accelerate in the
next few years. Environmental Capital

New era may end need for fossil fuel
Newly approved conservation and clean-energy mandates have raised
nearly insurmountable barriers to building more fossil-fueled power
plants to supply utilities in Delaware or even importing a bigger share
of fossil power, putting the state on the brink of a new energy era.
Wilmington News Journal

Controlling ranching boom in the Amazon
Clearing land for cattle is responsible for 80 percent of rainforest
loss in the Brazilian Amazon. But with Amazon ranching now a
multi-billion dollar business, corporate buyers of beef and leather,
including Wal-Mart, are starting to demand that the destruction of the
forest be halted. E360

Mainstream greens applaud Sotomayor confirmation
Enviros are cheering for brand-new Supreme Court Justice Sonia
Sotomayor, who was confirmed by the Senate on Thursday on a 68-31
vote. Well, make that many enviros, not all. Grist

Sutainability degrees growing in popularity
The world is about to welcome a whole new generation of sustainability
experts, bigger than ever before – and it couldn’t have come at a
better time. College students are flocking to sustainability programs
in droves, graduating with the knowledge. EarthFirst

Amid drought, increased water use
As California entered a severe drought, many of the city of Sacramento's
biggest water users increased their watering dramatically. Sacramento Bee

Geoengineering schemes under scrutiny
Researchers divided over the wisdom of climate manipulation.
Geoengineering — the deliberate manipulation of climate to counteract
global warming — might not be taking off just yet, but the push to fund
more research into it is increasing. Nature

Lawmakers' global-warming trip hit tourist hot spots
When 10 members of Congress wanted to study climate change, they did
more than just dip their toes into the subject: They went diving and
snorkeling at the Great Barrier Reef. They also rode a cable car
through the Australian rain forest, visited a penguin rookery and flew
to the South Pole. The Wall Street Journal

All wet on sea level rise
Sea level rise will be one of the most important and destructive
effects of climate change, so naturally, Deniers have something grossly
in error to say about it. We'll look, as always, at the source documents. DeSmogBlog

Clunkers program drives economic, enviro gains
By encouraging Americans to upgrade older, less fuel efficient cars,
the CARS (Cash for Clunkers) program is generating much-needed sales
for troubled automobile manufacturers and related industries while
decreasing gasoline consumption and improving environmental outcomes. EPI News