NOAA: 2012 to rank as second costliest US year since 1980
During 2012, there were 11 extreme weather and climate events in the US that reached the billion-dollar threshold in losses, according to figures released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA).
Drought, icemelt, superstorms … a review of 2012’s environmental news
A look at the biggest moments of what was a tumultuous year for nature and green politics.
Why We Underestimate the Costs of Climate Change
The wastewater infrastructure of New York and New Jersey was badly damaged by Hurricane Sandy, the systems failed. It is just one manifestation of a larger danger. Once we start to think about how climate change can undermine the basic structures we have built and upon which we rely, it becomes clear that virtually everything is at risk…
The Land Of The Rising Coastline: Sweden
In contrast to worries from the Maldives to Manhattan of storm surges and higher ocean levels caused by climate change, the entire northern part of the Nordic region is rising and, as a result, the Baltic Sea is receding…
Climate talks: UN forum extends Kyoto Protocol to 2020
Almost 200 nations extended on Saturday a weakened U.N. plan for fighting global warming until 2020, averting a new setback to two decades of U.N. efforts that have failed to halt rising world greenhouse gas emissions.
Expanding Environmental Democracy: Moving Forward With Principle 10
A number of Latin American and Caribbean countries took a huge step forward in ensuring environmental democracy for their citizens. At a UN Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC) meeting in November, these countries agreed on a road map to ensure full implementation of Principle 10 of the Rio Declaration.
Dispatches From Doha: “The Lack Of Urgency Is Disquieting”
It’s midway through the final week of the UN COP 18 Climate Negotiations, yet there’s an eerie calm in the sprawling conference hall. What’s happening inside the conference center stands in stark contrast to what we’re witnessing outside.
Arctic Continues To break Records In 2012
The Arctic region continued to break records in 2012, among them the loss of summer sea ice, spring snow cover, and melting of the Greenland ice sheet. This was true even though air temperatures in the Arctic were unremarkable relative to the last decade, according to a new report released today.
Carbon Dioxide Emissions Rise to 2.4 million Pounds Per Second
The amount of heat-trapping pollution the world spewed rose again last year by 3 percent. So scientists say it’s now unlikely that global warming can be limited to a couple of degrees, which is an international goal.