Climate change compounds rising threats to koala
Australia's iconic marsupial is at risk from shrinking habitats.
Koalas are susceptible to heat stress and recent temperatures have been beyond their 'climatic threshold'.
Koalas are susceptible to heat stress and recent temperatures have been beyond their 'climatic threshold'.
Painless public service cuts await in energy use
Inefficient heat and lighting in schools and hospitals waste €120m every year. Ruairi Quinn did launch a website last November to show schools how to make major energy savings, but it got almost no publicity and there are no obligations. Individual schools have saved 20 per cent, even 50 per cent, of their energy costs by simple measures such as turning off heating at weekends, monitoring boilers, closing doors and powering whiteboards only when they’re in use.
Rabbitte argues fracking has been a ‘game changer’ in US
Minister for Energy Pat Rabbitte has said the economic impact of the shale revolution in the US should not be underestimated when considering the controversial extraction methods of hydraulic fracturing or fracking.
Copenhagen's ambitious push to be carbon-neutral by 2025
The Danish capital is moving rapidly toward a zero-carbon future, as it erects windfarms, transforms its citywide heating systems, promotes energy efficiency, and lures more people out of their cars and onto public transportation and bikes
NO MORE WINE
A study has found sharp declines in wine production from Bordeaux, Rhone and Tuscany, as well as California’s Napa Valley and Chile by 2050, as a warming climate makes it harder to raise grapes in traditional wine country.
FAT FOR FUEL
Cooking waste from thousands of London restaurants and food companies is to help run what is claimed to be the world's biggest fat-fuelled power station.
The energy generated from the grease, oil and fat that clogs the capital's sewers will also be channelled to help run a major sewage works and a desalination plant, as well as supplying the National Grid, under plans announced by Thames Water and utility company 2OC.
The energy generated from the grease, oil and fat that clogs the capital's sewers will also be channelled to help run a major sewage works and a desalination plant, as well as supplying the National Grid, under plans announced by Thames Water and utility company 2OC.
massive earthquake rocks Iran
At least five people were killed and hundreds of houses destroyed in southwestern Pakistan today when the region was struck by tremors from an earthquake that was centred in neighbouring Iran.
Demand for lion bones
Fears of a rise in poaching as Asian traders look for alternatives to tigers as a source of ingredients for traditional medicine
catch the wind
Wind may not be the most reliable source of energy, given its intermittent nature, but Ireland has lots of it and the Government is confident that we will be able to meet European Union targets on renewables by 202
Edinburgh zoo pandas 'ready to mate'
Edinburgh zoo's two pandas are close to beginning their second tryst, after the zoo announced that their short-lived breeding season could start within hours.
Snow wipes out thousands of animals in Northern Ireland
The Department of Agriculture estimates that, as of yesterday, more than 18,000 sheep died after being caught in the substantial snow falls of March 22nd and 23rd. Some 537 cattle were also lost, more than 200 of them calves under six months.
Clare holds climate change gathering
A group of international experts will discussed ways of addressing climate change at a a three-day retreat in Co Clare.
More than 60 participants from over 10 countries convened in Ballyvaughan for the Climate Gathering. They took part in a series of discussions and activities in an attempt to devise new methods of tackling climate change.
More than 60 participants from over 10 countries convened in Ballyvaughan for the Climate Gathering. They took part in a series of discussions and activities in an attempt to devise new methods of tackling climate change.
Go Ecohouse
'According to Ecobuild exhibitors, the construction and housing industries now realise that the extra costs of incorporating green technologies into new homes are minimal.'
SUMMER FLU
Is climate change linked to the spread of flu? In 2003 state-wide flu emergencies in the US may have been caused by the previous year's unusually warm winter.
Australia's angry summer
The hottest summer on record. The hottest January on record. The hottest day on record for Australia as a whole. Bush fires in every state and territory. Daily rainfall records and major flooding. Over a period of 90 days, these were some of the 123 extreme weather records broken during Australia's "angry summer".
Change the curriculum
Previous generations' ignorance led to global warming. To change the curriculum now is an outrageous backward step. Member of the Youth Climate Coalition at COP18 in Doha on 9 December 2012. Education is vital if we want young people to be informed in taking on the challenge of climate change.
save the sea birds
Hundreds of dead and distressed birds have been found washed up along the south coast. The birds – mostly guillemots but also a smaller number of razorbills and puffins – have been found covered in a sticky, oily substance on beaches across Cornwall, Devon and Dorset.
Nuclear Warning!
Ministers have chosen to ignore warnings that residential and commercial property should not be built too close to the UK's nuclear plants.
Feed The World 2050
Irish President, Michael D. Higgins, has described the challenge of feeding the world in 2050 as “the greatest moral problem facing us all.” This new IIEA infographic explores some headline statistics which reveal the sheer scale of the future challenge and the depth of current global inequalities. In particular, the infographic illustrates the interconnections between water, energy and food.
Antarctic Ice Melting
Study has shown that summer ice is melting at a faster rate in the Antarctic peninsula than at any time in the last 1,000 years!
Lambs die in the UK due to extreme weather
Due to the extreme and unforeseen weather we experienced in March this year, hundreds of sheep lost their lambs in England, Scotland and Wales. If more incidents like this occur, lambs may become extinct in the UK in hundred of years!
Coldest March in 60 years!
According to MET Eireann, March 2013 has been the coldest March in 60 years. We had unusual weather like snow and temperatures were below zero!
Spreading the word!
Teachers should be given free rein to teach climate change in schools.
Climate change has been omitted from the new geography curriculum for under 15s. This should not be cause for panic.
Climate change has been omitted from the new geography curriculum for under 15s. This should not be cause for panic.
Elephant massacre
Poachers in south-west Chad have killed at least 86 elephants including 33 pregnant females in less than a week, in a potentially devastating blow to one of central Africa's last remaining elephant populations!
polar bears raised by the humans!!
Polar bears may have to be fed by humans in order for them to survive.
Yale Environment 360:Drastic measures are required to save the beleaguered animal from extinction, say scientists
Yale Environment 360:Drastic measures are required to save the beleaguered animal from extinction, say scientists
Deforestation Break Through in Asia
In February Asia Pulp & Paper (APP) had stopped all deforestation and committed to protect all remaining areas of rainforest in its global supply chain.
However, there is another pulp and paper company in Indonesia that is now the leading driver of deforestation in the sector: APRIL.
However, there is another pulp and paper company in Indonesia that is now the leading driver of deforestation in the sector: APRIL.
Water Pollution in Shanghai
More than 2,800 pig carcasses have been discovered floating in a river that runs through Shanghai. While the cause of the incident is still under investigation, water quality tests along the river have identified traces of porcine circovirus, a virus that can affect pigs but not humans.
Killer Power Plants
Indian coal power plants kill 120,000 people a year. Report on pollution in the country warns emissions may cause 20m new asthma cases a year!
Wind & Solar Energy - Ikea
Ikea plans a €1.5bn investment in wind and solar energy to be energy and resource independent by 2020!
Asda Goes Bananas!
Supermarket, Asda is to be the first to sell bananas from the Canary Islands, in an attempt to reduce the fruit's considerable carbon footprint. Time of transport will be more than 80% shorter than for bananas coming from central America. A total journey of four days as opposed to 24 days for bananas from the Caribbean and America.
Did you Know?
Wasted heat from large cities affects temperatures in distant regions
Scientists have estimated that the heat released into the atmosphere from buildings, cars and factories could play a significant role in the warming – and the cooling – of locations in other countries. The waste heat generated by large cities can affect temperatures in areas hundreds of miles away by changing wind patterns in the upper atmosphere, a study has found. the study published in the journal Nature Climate Change says that waste heat from 86 urban centres in the northern hemisphere could raise temperatures of parts of North America and northern Asia by as much as 1C. This was done by using computer models of how heat is transported around the globe.
Marine Current Turbine installed in the Irish Sea
A marine current turbine has been installed at the Narrows in Strangford Lough off the coast of County Down. Tidal turbines are where the blades are driven by consistent, fast-moving currents. The submerged rotors harness (collect) the power of the tidal streams to drive generators, which in turn produce electricity. This is a massive step in Irish society to combat Climate Change!
Memorandum Of Understanding (MOU) with the United Kingdom
The Irish and British governments are set to pave the way for the development of renewable energy trading between the two countries. Pat Rabbitte, Minister for Communications, Energy and Natural Resources, signed a memorandum of understanding (MoU) with the UK’s energy and climate change secretary Edward Davey. The aim of the MoU will be to help both countries commit to working closely to secure economic benefits by trading renewable energy. Another goal of the inter-governmental agreement is to allow exports of wind-generated electricity from the Republic of Ireland to Britain.
ISO50001 Ireland – Aviva Stadium, 24th April 2013
Environment & Energy Management and Certification Europe Limited have come together to bring the Irish business community a unique event, which will highlight the challenges and benefits to Irish companies transitioning to the ISO50001 International energy standard.
EPA
Minister for Natural Resources, Fergus O'Dowd launched a public consultation by the EPA for more detailed research into the impacts of unconventional gas exploration and extraction on the environment. Minister O'Dowd said that he is particularly pleased that all interested parties, including individual members of the public, will have an opportunity to comment on this issue and objectives of this further research.
WestWave Project Ireland.
- The European Commission has today awarded €19.8m in funding to the WestWave wave energy project off the west coast of Ireland. The project, which is being led by ESB, will involve the installation of six wave energy converters, with the aim of generating up to 5MW of clean electricity by 2015.
- The WestWave project plans to demonstrate the potential of scaling up wave energy. Six wave energy capture devices will be placed at a depth of 15 metres each. A prototype has already been tested at the European Marine Energy Centre on the Orkney Islands in Scotland.
Consequences of climate change
Higher Temperature, More Risk — In all regions of the world,
the faster temperatures rise, the greater the risk of damage. The climate does
not respond immediately to emissions, which can last for years or decades in
the atmosphere. And because of the delaying effect of the oceans — which absorb
and eventually release heat more slowly than the atmosphere — surface
temperatures do not immediately respond to greenhouse gas emissions. As a
result, climate change will continue for hundreds of years after atmospheric
concentrations have stabilized.
the faster temperatures rise, the greater the risk of damage. The climate does
not respond immediately to emissions, which can last for years or decades in
the atmosphere. And because of the delaying effect of the oceans — which absorb
and eventually release heat more slowly than the atmosphere — surface
temperatures do not immediately respond to greenhouse gas emissions. As a
result, climate change will continue for hundreds of years after atmospheric
concentrations have stabilized.
.
Rising Sea Levels - The best estimate for how much further the
sea level will rise due to ocean expansion and glacier melt by the end of the
21st century (compared to 1989-1999 levels) is 28-58 cm. This will worsen
coastal flooding and erosion. Larger sea-level increases of up to 1m by 2100
cannot be ruled out if ice sheets continue to melt as temperature rises. There
is now evidence that the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets are indeed slowly
losing mass and contributing to sea level rise. About 125,000 years ago, when
the polar regions were significantly warmer for an extended period than at
present, melting polar ice caused the sea level to rise by 4 to 6 metres.
sea level will rise due to ocean expansion and glacier melt by the end of the
21st century (compared to 1989-1999 levels) is 28-58 cm. This will worsen
coastal flooding and erosion. Larger sea-level increases of up to 1m by 2100
cannot be ruled out if ice sheets continue to melt as temperature rises. There
is now evidence that the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets are indeed slowly
losing mass and contributing to sea level rise. About 125,000 years ago, when
the polar regions were significantly warmer for an extended period than at
present, melting polar ice caused the sea level to rise by 4 to 6 metres.
.
Changes to ocean eco-systems — The oceans will also
experience higher temperatures, which have implications for sea life. Over the
past four decades, for example, North Atlantic plankton have migrated pole-ward
by 10 degrees of latitude. Similarly, the acidification of the oceans as they
absorb more carbon dioxide will impair the ability of corals, marine snails and
other species to form their shells or skeletons.
experience higher temperatures, which have implications for sea life. Over the
past four decades, for example, North Atlantic plankton have migrated pole-ward
by 10 degrees of latitude. Similarly, the acidification of the oceans as they
absorb more carbon dioxide will impair the ability of corals, marine snails and
other species to form their shells or skeletons.
These headlines have been taken from ''The Guardian.'' http://www.guardian.co.uk/