February breaks all records
The evidence that we have significantly underestimated the speed of climate change is mounting steadily.
climate change
Jeanette Fitzsimons calls to scrap the emissions trading scheme
When National took over in 2008 they gutted the Emissions Trading Scheme, and now we’re at the point where it is used to launder essentially fraudulent carbon credits. Jeanette Fitzsimons has reached the obvious conclusion.
Cyclone Winston
Cyclone Winston is the strongest ever southern hemisphere storm. Fiji has been hit hard.
Corporate Saviours
oh, hallelujah…
NZ participating in climate fraud
An article that appeared on December 26th in the Dom Post is much too important to be left languishing in the Christmas news vacuum. “We [NZ] have been the biggest abuser of fraudulent carbon credits. Someone should be answerable as an accessory to the fraud.”
2015 hottest year. By. Far.
NZ and the emissions scams
I/S at No Right Turn did some excellent work yesterday on the scams that underly New Zealand’s claims to be meeting its emissions targets.
The ink wasn’t dry on COP21 when…
Rhetoric and reality: Nats on climate change
The Nats want to wallow in the feel-good rhetoric of COP21 action to address climate change. But it’s clear that they don’t intend to take the “ambitious action” they are heralding.
COP21 – More than we expected, less that we needed
The dust is settling on COP21. After some initial optimism based on early reports, it’s clear that we didn’t get what we needed from Paris.
COP21 making history
Big news from COP21 in Paris, with a final draft of the agreement just released. It is sounding surprisingly good, 1.5 degree target, “fair, durable, balanced and legally-binding”.
Hard Numbers to Remember.
This post is essentially a distillation of two presentations given by Kevin Anderson at the Earth 101 gathering in Iceland earlier this year. You can view them here and here I highly recommend that you do as they are packed with high quality, no nonsense information. For those who don’t know, Kevin Anderson was the director of the Tyndall Centre, the UK’s leading academic climate change research organization and is a professor of energy and climate change in the School of Mechanical, Aeronautical and Civil Engineering at the University of Manchester.
The Anthropocene
Heavy flooding in Chennai and the North of England is the latest in a long line of recent extreme weather events. Welcome to the Anthropocene.
TiSA reduces COP21 to a charade
That National Ltd™ is currently in the process of giving away New Zealand’s sovereignty in areas such as energy resources and related regulations, explains its contempt for the environment and the talking down of expectations regarding climate change.
Dunedin leads the way
On carbon emissions I don’t have any hope for NZ under National, which is still stuck in a stupid fossil fuel mentality. I do have hope for the people, organisations, and regions within NZ who are collectively taking action. And I’m proud that my home of Dunedin is leading the way.
The People’s Climate March – Saturday or Sunday
With just days to go before the 2015 Paris Climate Conference (COP21) it is time for we the people to make our voices heard. See the list of People’s Climate March events around the country this weekend – most are on Saturday, some are on Sunday.
National willfully stupidly blind on climate change
As the Parliamentary Commissioner for the Environment warns of the risks of sea level rises and recommends action, National are clear that they will take none. They are determined to leave all the risks and costs of climate change to future governments.
The Pacific as we know it is doomed
“‘Unless the world acts decisively in coming weeks, the Pacific as we know it is doomed,’ says Fijian prime minister Frank Bainimarama”. Odds of the world acting decisively in the coming weeks – effectively nil.
Portugal
This is going to end well…
Climate and Trade
The proposed TPP is a protection racket – not a trade deal.
Commentary on research cuts
It’s not just lefties such as yours truly who think it’s mad to cut agricultural (especially emissions) research.
NZ doing more harm than good on climate change
“Key told not to attend Paris and to pull NZ delegation”.
“It would be better for humanity if John Key were to stay home, and instruct Minister Groser and the delegation to do likewise.”
AgResearch cuts include greenhouse gas research – of course
Cutting research into greenhouse gases? With our emissions profile? Now? This can’t possibly be mere stupidity. This must be willful blindness.
Hot hotter hottest
Plenty of distractions in the political circus at the moment, but meanwhile…
Refugee crisis a taste of things to come
The current refugee crisis is but a taste of the climate refugee crisis to come. But it according to Key it’s fine, because it won’t be a problem in the next year or two.
Greens’ climate discussion paper
The Greens are attempting something remarkable, a plan that is economically credible, but set in the context of realistic environmental constraints. Did they succeed?
NRT: Climate change: Absolute madness
I/S at No Right Turn: “the government is spending tens of millions of dollars a year paying these companies to destroy the world. It is absolute madness”.
July 2015 the warmest month ever
July was hot hot hot. Meanwhile, let’s keep focussing on economic growth and more exports (and not making the middle classes too nervous that life is going to change radically, one way or another).
Andrew Little on climate change
The Labour Leader gave a powerful speech to the Environmental Defence Society conference today.
Zero by 50
In Copenhagen, our government committed itself, and by extension, us “To hold the increase in global temperature below two degrees Celsius and to take actions to meet this objective, consistent with the science and on the basis of equity”
And yet…
Obama’s climate initiative – too little too late
Far too late in his presidency Obama is taking important action on climate change. But it isn’t enough, not nearly enough, as new research shows that we need to achieve “negative emissions” (i.e. carbon capture).
Emissions targets an admission that we don’t care
The emissions reduction target decided by the Nat government is an admission that we as a country don’t give a stuff about the future.
An open letter to Andrew Little
A respectful open letter to Andrew Little with suggestions for how to win the next election!
Universal Basic Income Experiment
Income in a world of climate change.
Pope Francis has much to say
Pope Francis on Climate Change
No beating about the bush.