The loss & damage debate, coal power pollution & the big corporate emitters
News
Guardian asks experts if rich countries shouldhave to pay for damage caused by global warming.
Climate & energy news:
Polish environment minister fired, but to continueclimate talks
Polish Environment Minister Marcin Korolec was dismissedyesterday, half way through the international climate talks inWarsaw, which Poland is hosting. The move was part of a governmentreshuffle, but the Polish government said the minister wouldcontinue to represent the country in ongoing U.N. climatetalks.
Pollution from coal power stations increasesdespite wind farm boom
Pollution emitted from coal fired power stations – includingsulphur oxides and soot particles – have “soared” over the pastyear despite growing numbers of wind farms being built to replacefossil fuels. The figures come from a Sustainable Business Reportcompiled by the Environment Agency.
Climate & energy comment:
Don’t scrap green homes code, says MPs’committee
The Code for Sustainable Homes – a house-building code thatallows local councils to demand that builders meet highenvironmental standards on energy, water, materials, waste andpollution – should not be scrapped, according to a report from theEnvironmental Audit Committee. Ministers plan to get rid of thecode and fold some standards into national building regulationsinstead.
Just 90 companies caused two-thirds of man-madeglobal warming emissions
90 companies have produced nearly two-thirds of thegreenhouse gas emissions generated since the dawning of theindustrial age, suggests news research in the journal ClimaticChange. The Guardian illustrates the data with an interactive graphic.
Cost of climate change adaptation coulddestabilise African countries, UN warns
The UN Environment Programme’s (UNEP) emissions gap report,launched this week at an African environment ministers’ meeting inWarsaw, says it will cost Africa about $350bn a year to adapt itsfarming and infrastructure to climate change if temperatures riseabout 4C as a result of climate change.
Prince Charles warns over inability to tackleclimate change
Speaking at a Royal Society event, Prince Charles has warnedin a speechthat natural disasters liketyphoon Haiyan will become more common unless action is taken totackle climate change. The Prince was speaking at the launch of anew report examining the progress of the private sector in reducingdeforestation.
Get rid of the green crap
The front page of the Sun says David Cameron has made a”huge U-turn” on environmental policies by ordering aides to “getrid of all the green crap” pushing up families’ energycosts.
Global Carbon Emissions Set To Reach New High In2013
Global emissions of carbon dioxide from burning fossil fuelsare set to rise again in 2013, reaching a record high of 36 billiontons, according to a report released on Monday by the Global CarbonProject.
New climate science:
Financial decision makers need weather and climateinformation to manage risks
American Meteorological Society PolicyProgramme
Good financial investments depends on understanding andaccounting for weather and climate risks, according to a new study.As well as the physical impacts, raw materials, workforce capacity,consumer preferences, supply chains and infrastructure can all beaffected.
Time of emergence of trends in oceanbiogeochemistry
New research says trends in ocean acidity can take just 12years, on average, to emerge above the “noise” of naturalvariability, compared to several decades for sea surfacetemperature.