The Arctic sea ice conditions are now very similar to last year. The maritime shortcuts through the Artic Sea are almost open or already open. The total extent two days before - the NSDIC reported yesterday - was 5.47 million square kilometers.
Buoys indicate surface melting is coming to an end while bottom melting of the ice will continue a few more weeks.
Between the 9th of November and the 14th of December 2007, TNS Opinion & Social, carried out wave 68.2 of the EUROBAROMETER, on request of the EUROPEAN COMMISSION, Directorate-General for Communication, “Research and Political Analysis”.
Report: 127 pages, including fieldwork details, questionaire, data tables, technical specifications
Conclusion:
96% of Europeans say that protecting the environment is important for them personally. For two-thirds of this group it is even very important.
Every month the National Climatic Data Center (NCDC) has a look at the month before and publishes a report from a historical perspective.
July 2007 brought record and near-record warmth to the western United States, while much of the eastern and southern U.S. experienced cooler-than-average temperatures, according to scientists at NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center in Asheville, N.C.
Below-average rainfall, combined with scorching temperatures, helped put 46 percent of the contiguous U.S. in some stage of drought by the end of July.
The global average temperature was the seventh warmest on record for July, and the presence of cooler-than-average waters in the central and eastern equatorial Pacific reflected the possible development of a La Niña episode.
The Climate Monitoring website acts as a good one-stop website for all kind of data (snow, tornadoes, climate extremes for Las Vegas, global surface temperature anomalies and more.
Compared to winters since 1864 this winter ist still warmest in Switzerland. Basel reports a mean temperature of 5°C over last record from 1916 - diference of 0°C. Zurich had only 2 Days with snow (12cm in total).
Despite latest 2 cold and snowy winters the trend is clear: since 1970 the row of unusually warm winters continues and matches results of global climate models.
meteoschweiz.ch: more info and graphics (german) or french: Hiver extr
Under present climate conditions, 609 out of the 666 (or 91%) Alpine ski areas in Austria, France, Germany, Italy, and Switzerland can be considered as naturally snow-reliable.
The remaining 9% are already operating under marginal conditions. The number of naturally snow-reliable areas would drop to 500 under 1
This Summary for Policymakers was formally approved at the 10th Session
of Working Group I of the IPCC, Paris, February 2007.
Summary for Policymakers (PDF)
The ‘Guidance Notes for Lead Authors of the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report on Addressing Uncertainties’ helps to convert uncertainties into probabilities
(Very likely > 90% probability, …)
more info at IPCC webpage
Policy should be based on sound science; results of science should not be diluted or . . . adjusted to justify policy.
This particular Administration has gone beyond reasonable boundaries, on this issue.
To be in denial on climate change is a crime against the Nation.
A scientist at the USDA
According to a report of Union of Concerned Scientists (UCS) and Government Accountability Project (GAP) it looks like the current administration of the US acted as a censor on scientific results. To restore scientific integrity the union demands “a right of last review on agency communications”, “the free exchange of scientific information in all venues” and “whistleblower protection”.
Press release, executive summary, full report.
Update - even more:
NYTimes: 2007-01-31, Scientists Criticize White House Stance on Climate Change Findings
Currently in Paris, France, hundreds of Scientists are approving the IPCC report from Working Group 1 “The Climate Change 2007: The Physical Science Basis” (chapters outline) in closed-door sessions. They finish 1st February 2007 and next day the release is planned.
Upcoming reports this year cover ‘Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability‘ and ‘Mitigation of Climate Change‘. The final part, a synthesis of all three parts for policy-makers, is expected in November.
The IPCC report will not outline measures to tackle global warming. Instead, it will concentrate on the latest evidence that the phenomenon is underway. The publication sets a milestone in fighting Global Warming, all included points are no longer matter of discussions and it provides the substantiated state of knowledge for decision-maker.
LAlliance pour la Planète values highly this moment and calls for action. Simply stop using energy between 19:55 and 20:00 MEZ - switch off lights!. Main purpose is not to save power rather than showing your interests. The signal is well recognizable and measurable.
LAlliance pour la Planète (groupement national dassociations environnementales) lance 5 minutes de répit pour la planète, un appel simple à lattention de tous les citoyens : le 1er février 2007 entre 19h55 et 20h00, éteignez veilles et lumières.
Participez à la plus grande mobilisation citoyenne contre le changement climatique !
This campaign is supported by dozens of french environmental groups, Friends of Earth and german BUND.
Der Standard: Hitzige Klimadebatte unter dem Eiffelturm
Gruene Jugend: FYEG supports the “Alliance pour la planète”
Joplin Independent: Group calls for five minutes of no power usage
Ottawa Sun: Area blackout protest targets climate change
The International Emissions Trading Association (IETA) analyzes, documents and promotes market-based trading systems to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.
‘ETA’s 2006 Greenhouse Gas Market Report - Moving to Action’ breaks down the flexible instruments implemented under the Kyoto protocol: the Clean Development Mechanism, Joint Implementation and emissions trading.
“…the reality of carbon markets is an increasingly potent factor as various regions try to devise their own approach and architecture to the management of carbon, off sets and emissions reduction.”
The Institute for Local Self-Reliance (ILSR) located in Minneapolis is a nonprofit research and educational organization and provides technical assistance and information to city and state governments, citizen organizations and industry.
While the Bush administration refused to ratify Kyoto Protocol, in June 2005 U.S. Conference of Mayors adopted the U.S. Mayors Climate Protection Agreement. As of January 2007, 355 mayors in communities representing over 54 million Americans in 49 states have signed the Agreement. (more…)
