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-A Journal of Science, Alternative Energy and the Environment-

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Mike Johnston


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The Climate Change News
12.27.05 (7:40 pm)

By Mike Johnston


As we look back at the past year (which was the hottest on record in the northern hemisphere) we remember quite a bit of weather related chaos in various parts of the world. Are these events just random, "acts of God" kinds of things or is there more to it? A new report says that global warming may be nearing the "tipping point" beyond which it will spiral out of control. Before too long the oceans will be 7 meters higher and it will be 14.5 degrees warmer on average. How is that for some Holiday Cheer?


Image Source: HERE

Fortunately though Evangelical Christians have finally decided to believe in something that requires a lot less faith than their other beliefs and are climbing aboard the anti-warming bandwagon. This must be causing quite a bit of concern at the "What Global Warming?" oriented White House as the Oil Baron Republicans depend a great deal on Evangelicals to keep them in power.

I see this as being a very good thing. After all, when all of the Arctic ice melts and the rate at which the oceans are rising doubles and all the Polar Bears have drowned. When "Greenland is Ice free. And when crops are failing worldwide (and HERE)and the oceans are dead (and HERE).....we will need someone to lead us in prayer....


Image Source: HERE

Another interesting prospect is that Global Warming may, as one of it's side effects, shut down the thermohaline circulation in the North Atlantic. The odds are 70% for this happening. The results would be catastrophic. But hey, what are you gonna do, you gotta drive your SUV to work every day down at the factory, right? Besides George Bush pays people to say there is no such thing as Global Warming and with that kind of PR why worry?

In one final development, it has been noticed that rising ocean levels will probably
flood the New Jersey coastline. The highly industrial area around Newark for example is only a few feet above sea level and is what is sometimes refered to as "The Swamps of Jersey". That will be gone as will the coastal resorts and attractions like Atlantic City. Of course this will provide the opportunity for many Investors to get rich as they build levees and what not to keep the ocean at bay.






Other News Today




The best (and only) float in the Southeast Alaska State Fair parade was plumber Gene Kennedy's. It was called "Seeds of Climate Change" and featured paper palm trees lashed to Gene's Ford Model A truck, with Gene himself dancing on the back in a grass skirt, wig and coconut-shell bra


As I've said before (and so has Carl Pope), the key to addressing global warming is bringing the... Grist Magazine


Europe's four hottest years on record were 1998, 2002, 2003 and 2004, the agency said Tuesday. "Ten...

"Global warming stalks Yosemite
San Francisco Chronicle

Retracing the steps of a meticulous early 20th century biologist, researchers find that some of the...


Carbon dioxide is the principal "greenhouse" gas thought to be driving global warming. Humans boost...


The Age newspaper in Australia has reported that the country?s resorts are planning to follow the... Skipressworld


The warming trend already is showing effects in California's Sierra Nevada snowpack, this region's...


Emissions reached a new high in 2004, prompting renewed calls for urgent action - US officials note the country's "greenhouse gas intensity" fell


Researchers measure smog's effect on counteracting global warming.


Seven Northeast states have agreed to cap emissions - amid warnings the move will trigger higher electricity costs.


Natural disasters have wreaked havoc on the planet in the past twelve months, and some say that things will only get worse. Quirin Schiermeier assesses the world's growing vulnerability to catastrophe.


According to a model developed by atmospheric scientist Judah Cohen of Atmospheric and Environmental Research (AER), Inc., temperatures during Dec., Jan., and Feb. will be cold in the eastern United States and warm west of the Mississippi River.


A new study finds that temperate forests, by absorbing sunlight, warm the air in the process and may increase global warming.


Scientists studying the effects of carbon on climate warming are very likely underestimating, by a vast amount, how much soil carbon is available in the high Arctic to be released into the atmosphere.







2 Comments
The year-end EnergyNet Update
12.22.05 (5:08 pm)
From The Union of Concerned Scientists:

This EnergyNet update summarizes progress made on state clean
energy initiatives in 2005. This year, Delaware and Montana
established renewable electricity standards. Meanwhile, Texas
and Nevada increased their renewable electricity standards, with
Texas more than doubling its original requirement. Several other
states are considering an increase in their current standards,
including Arizona, California, New Jersey, and Wisconsin.

To date, 20 states and the District of Columbia have implemented
renewable electricity standards. The Union of Concerned
Scientists projects that these requirements will support nearly
32,000 megawatts (MW) of new renewable power by 2017, an
increase of 237 percent over total 1997 U.S. levels (excluding
hydro). This represents enough clean power to meet the
electricity needs of 20.3 million typical homes. By 2017, annual
new renewable energy production from all state renewable
electricity standards programs will reduce carbon dioxide
emissions, the heat-trapping gas primarily responsible for
global warming, by 77.1 million metric tons. This level of
reductions is equivalent to taking 11.5 million cars off the
road.

While we were unable to include a summary for every state, this
information does convey the scope and depth of clean energy work
occurring across the country. Please contact
EnergyNet@ucsusa.org if you would like to include an update on
energy campaigns in your state next year.

Contents

1. Glossary: A short list of definitions for clean energy terms
http://ucsaction.org/ct/91LArRd1yX4e/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/91LArRd1yX4e/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/91LAr...

2. Global Warming: Western Governors' Association, West Coast
Governors' Initiative, and Regional Greenhouse Gas Initiative
http://ucsaction.org/ct/kpLArRd1yX43/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/kpLArRd1yX43/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/kpLAr...

3. Arizona: Proposed expansion of renewable electricity standard
http://ucsaction.org/ct/i7LArRd1yX4N/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/i7LArRd1yX4N/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/i7LAr...

4. California: Proposed increase of renewable electricity
standard and a boost in solar program funding
http://ucsaction.org/ct/ipLArRd1yX42/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/ipLArRd1yX42/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/ipLAr...

5. Colorado: Renewable electricity standard implementation plans
expected before 2006
http://ucsaction.org/ct/k1LArRd1yX4w/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/k1LArRd1yX4w/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/k1LAr...

6. Connecticut: Changes to renewable electricity standard
undermine effectiveness
http://ucsaction.org/ct/kdLArRd1yX4s/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/kdLArRd1yX4s/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/kdLAr...

7. Delaware: Passage of renewable electricity standard
http://ucsaction.org/ct/k7LArRd1yX4x/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/k7LArRd1yX4x/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/k7LAr...

8. Illinois: Governor's Sustainable Energy Plan includes a
renewable electricity standard
http://ucsaction.org/ct/9dLArRd1yX4d/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/9dLArRd1yX4d/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/9dLAr...

9. Iowa: Executive Order 41 includes renewable energy and
efficiency provisions
http://ucsaction.org/ct/97LArRd1yX4c/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/97LArRd1yX4c/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/97LAr...

10. Maryland: PUC develops implementation rules for renewable
electricity standard
http://ucsaction.org/ct/9pLArRd1yX4B/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/9pLArRd1yX4B/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/9pLAr...

11. Massachusetts: Defeated harmful challenge to the renewable
electricity standard and
passage of an energy efficiency standard
http://ucsaction.org/ct/o1LArRd1yX4X/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/o1LArRd1yX4X/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/o1LAr...

12. Michigan: Amendment passed to improve the Michigan Next
Energy Authority Act
http://ucsaction.org/ct/odLArRd1yX44/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/odLArRd1yX44/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/odLAr...

13. Minnesota: Building momentum for renewable electricity
standard
http://ucsaction.org/ct/o7LArRd1yX4r/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/o7LArRd1yX4r/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/o7LAr...

14. Montana: Passage of a renewable electricity standard
http://ucsaction.org/ct/opLArRd1yX4f/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/opLArRd1yX4f/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/opLAr...

15. Nevada: Passage of a bill to increase the renewable
electricity standard
http://ucsaction.org/ct/l1LArRd1yX4v/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/l1LArRd1yX4v/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/l1LAr...

16. New Jersey: Proposed expansion of the renewable electricity
standard
http://ucsaction.org/ct/ldLArRd1yX45/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/ldLArRd1yX45/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/ldLAr...

17. New York: Early implementation of the renewable electricity
standard
http://ucsaction.org/ct/lpLArRd1yX4g/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/lpLArRd1yX4g/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/lpLAr...

18. New Mexico: Governor Richardson spurs passage of clean
energy bills
http://ucsaction.org/ct/l7LArRd1yX4t/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/l7LArRd1yX4t/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/l7LAr...

19. Rhode Island: Implementation rules finalized for renewable
electricity standard
http://ucsaction.org/ct/01LArRd1yX4b/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/01LArRd1yX4b/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/01LAr...

20. Texas: Passage of a bill to double renewable electricity
standard
http://ucsaction.org/ct/0dLArRd1yX46/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/0dLArRd1yX46/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/0dLAr...

21. Vermont: Passage of flawed renewable energy goal
http://ucsaction.org/ct/07LArRd1yX4O/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/07LArRd1yX4O/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/07LAr...

22. Washington: Coalition considers a renewable electricity
standard ballot initiative
http://ucsaction.org/ct/0pLArRd1yX4W/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/0pLArRd1yX4W/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/0pLAr...

23. Wisconsin: Proposed increase in renewable electricity
standard
http://ucsaction.org/ct/p1LArRd1yX4I/" title="http://ucsaction.org/ct/p1LArRd1yX4I/" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ct/p1LAr...

You can sign up for the Union of Concerned Scientists at:
http://ucsaction.org/ucsaction/join.html?r=cpLArRd1sm4xE&" title="http://ucsaction.org/ucsaction/join.html?r=cpLArRd1sm4xE&" target="_blank"http://ucsaction.org/ucsactio...

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