Norway to US: There Can Be Absolutely No Doubt about Climate Change

Norway’s minister of foreign affairs stood at a Petroleum Club lectern in Houston and delivered a few blunt words on climate change. Failure to set ambitious targets for cutting emissions and enact environmental regulations will erode the public’s confidence in its institutions. Meanwhile, the US Interior Department has a national strategy to help reduce climate change impacts on species, ecosystems and people and economies dependent on them, to involve state, tribal and federal agency partners.

By Ronnie Crocker, Houston Chronicle (6 January 2012):

Norway’s minister of foreign affairs stood at a Petroleum Club lectern in Houston and delivered a few blunt words on climate change, about which, he said, “there can be absolutely no doubt.”

“If you want to see evidence, go to the Arctic,” Jonas Gahr Støre said. His resource-rich country borders the polar region, where melting ice has expanded shipping lanes and cut sailing time on certain routes from Asia to Europe by 40 percent during parts of the year. Last year, Støre said, 34 ships used this “northeast passage,” up from six in 2010.

Environmental impact notwithstanding, governments risk political “revenge,” as Støre described it to an attentive World Affairs Council crowd, unless they start addressing this warming. Failure to set ambitious targets for cutting emissions and enact environmental regulations, he said, will erode the public’s confidence in its institutions.

“I think the time is comparatively short and the imperative is clear,” Støre said at the close of a question-and-answer period that drew so many written questions about his views on climate change that the moderator combined them into one final broad query.

Yet the foreign minister was hardly a flamethrower. He spoke warmly of Houston’s energy sector and encouraged more ventures in the “High North.”

He noted proudly that Norway is the world’s second-largest exporter of natural gas – providing a third of the gas used in Germany, Britain and France – and the sixth-largest exporter of oil.

He pointed out that those new thaw-induced shipping routes have the benefit of cutting fuel usage. And he did not address the contentious issue of human contribution to climate change until that final question, when he expressed “no doubt there’s a man-made dimension.”

Støre was equally clear that Norway does not intend to stop producing fossil fuels. Cutting natural gas supplies to Europe, he said, would only increase the use of more-polluting coal there.

He stressed that while it is dangerous to deny climate change, it also is dangerous to deny the world’s energy needs.

“I think denial is the worst,” he said, “and it can have a backlash that none of us should live to see.”

The crowd – mostly male, lots of suits, strongly representing the energy business – applauded Støre, and lines to greet him formed immediately once he’d finished speaking. In a cramped elevator afterward, one attendee noted to murmured agreement that the climate-change remarks appeared to have struck a nerve.

“It’s the man-made part that I think is a bunch of hogwash,” responded an elegantly dressed woman who appeared to be in her 60s. “I’m sure at the end of the last ice age there was global warming, too. The Earth warms and the Earth cools. God made it that way.”

Source: www.chron.com

UPI reports (19 January 2012):

The U.S. Interior Department has announced a strategy to help reduce climate change impacts on species, ecosystems and people and economies dependent on them.

Working with state, tribal and federal agency partners, the department has created a first draft national strategy to help policy makers and resource managers prepare for those impacts, a release from the Interior Department said.

The draft National Fish, Wildlife and Plants Climate Adaptation Strategy is available for public review and comment through March 5 at www.wildlifeadaptationstrategy.gov, the release said.

“The impacts of climate change are already here and those who manage our landscapes are already dealing with them,” Deputy Secretary of the Interior David J. Hayes said. “The reality is that rising sea levels, warmer temperatures, loss of sea ice and changing precipitation patterns — trends scientists have definitively connected to climate change — are already affecting the species we care about, the services we value, and the places we call home.”

The draft strategy includes descriptions of current and projected impacts of climate change on the eight major ecosystems of the United States, the fish, wildlife and plant species those ecosystems support and the vital ecosystem services they provide, the Interior Department said.

The strategy is being developed by a committee that includes government representatives from 16 federal agencies, five state fish and wildlife agencies and two inter-tribal commissions, it said.

Source: www.upi.com

Sanergy is First Award Winner in Katerva’s  Best Sustainability Idea

Katerva announced the winner of its first annual award for the Best Sustainable Idea, a process touted as the Nobel Prize of Sustainability by the non-profit organization. Sanergy, a company providing low-cost sanitation in developing countries, won the award for its work building waste treatment centres in Kenya – a $200 locally produced toilet, which is designed for 100 uses per day.

By Silvio Marcacci for Cleantechnica (6 January 2012):

The award for Best Sustainability Idea 2011

In a ceremony last month, Katerva announced the winner of its first annual award for Best Sustainable Idea, a process touted as the “Nobel Prize of Sustainability” by the non-profit organization.

Sanergy, a company providing low-cost sanitation in developing countries, won the award for its work building waste treatment centers in Kenya. Its technology, a $200, locally produced toilet, is designed for 100 uses per day. Toilets are emptied and the human waste taken to a Sanergy processing facility for conversion into biogas for electricity and crop fertilizer for homes and businesses.

The start-up, founded by MIT alumni, will receive $500,000 worth of in-kind consulting and assistance from a group of elite business and sustainability organizations to help bring their technology to the global market.

The Awards Process

Katerva is an international organization focused on identifying the most promising sustainability initiatives across the globe. Its rigorous year-long awards process starts with a global “spotter network” tasked with nominating hundreds of sustainability technologies in 10 categories.

Several panels of experts then evaluate the nominees on their initiative’s marketability, scalability, feasibility, originality, and potential impact. Finalists are chosen in each category, and then compete against each other for the grand prize, chosen by an “award council” of eight global sustainability thought leaders.

Other Clean Tech Finalists

Sanergy was the winner in the Materials & Resources category, but category winners were also recognized in the Behavioral Change, Economy, Energy & Power, Food Security, Human Development, Transportation, Urban Design, Protected Areas, and Gender Equality categories. Several category finalists have pioneered innovative new clean tech and environmental initiatives.

In the Energy & Power category, Barefoot Power was recognized for creating an alternative lighting technology that combines polycrystalline solar panels and LED lights to boost rural electrification and replace kerosene lamps used for lighting in developing countries. Its product has been deployed to low-income families in 15 African and Asian countries.

An invention named the Solarclave was the finalist in the Human Development category. The Solarclave, also invented by MIT students, is a solar-powered device that sterilizes surgical instruments in clinics that do not have reliable access to electricity. The low-cost device uses solar energy to generates high-pressure steam at 121 degrees Celsius in an insulated pressure vessel.

The Nissan Leaf won the Transportation category for being the first zero-emission all-electric vehicle to go into mass production at a price level affordable to a large segment of the population. Nissan was also cited for developing and supplying 240kv home-charging stations.

Finally, New York City’s Freshkills Park was recognized in the Urban Design category. Formerly one of the largest landfills in the world, Freshkills is being converted into a 2,200 acre park featuring wind and biogas energy generation, new ecosystems for wildlife, and recreational facilities.

Looking Ahead

2011 was the first year for the Katerva Awards, but during the ceremony, CEO Terry Waghorn said he has hopes for an even more impressive future, including more nominees and a cash prize for the 2012 winner.

Source: www.cleantechnica.com

Munich Re Totals Global Losses from Catastrophes in 2011

A sequence of devastating earthquakes and a large number of weather-related catastrophes made 2011 the costliest year ever in terms of natural catastrophe losses. At about US$ 380bn, global economic losses were nearly two-thirds higher than in 2005, the previous record year with losses of US$ 220bn. In Thailand, approximately 25% of the world’s supply of components for computer hard drives was directly impacted by the floods. With economic losses amounting to tens of billions of dollars, the floods were by far the costliest natural catastrophe in Thailand’s history.

Munich Re Announcement (4 January 2012):

Review of natural catastrophes in 2011: Earthquakes result in record loss year

A sequence of devastating earthquakes and a large number of weather-related catastrophes made 2011 the costliest year ever in terms of natural catastrophe losses. At about US$ 380bn, global economic losses were nearly two-thirds higher than in 2005, the previous record year with losses of US$ 220bn. The earthquakes in Japan in March and New Zealand in February alone caused almost two-thirds of these losses. Insured losses of US$ 105bn also exceeded the 2005 record (US$ 101bn).

Torsten Jeworrek, Munich Re Board member responsible for global reinsurance business: “Thankfully, a sequence of severe natural catastrophes like last year’s is a very rare occurrence. We had to contend with events with return periods of once every 1,000 years or even higher at the locations concerned. But we are prepared for such extreme situations. It is the insurance industry’s task to cover extreme losses as well, to help society cope with such events and to learn from them in order to protect mankind better from these natural perils.”

The year in figures

With some 820 loss-relevant events, the figures for 2011 were in line with the average of the last ten years. 90% of the recorded natural catastrophes were weather-related – however, nearly two-thirds of economic losses and about half the insured losses stemmed from geophysical events, principally from the large earthquakes. Normally, it is the weather-related natural catastrophes that are the dominant loss drivers. On average over the last three decades, geophysical events accounted for just under 10% of insured losses. The distribution of regional losses in 2011 was also unusual. Around 70% of economic losses in 2011 occurred in Asia.

Some 27,000 people fell victim to natural catastrophes in 2011. This figure does not include the countless people who died as a result of the famine following the worst drought in decades on the Horn of Africa, which was the greatest humanitarian catastrophe of the year. Civil war and political instability made it very difficult to bring effective aid to the victims.

The earth shakes: 11 March, the Tohoku earthquake

The most destructive loss event of the year was the earthquake of 11 March in Tohoku, Japan, when a seaquake with a magnitude of 9.0 occurred 130 km east of the port of Sendai and 370 km north of Tokyo. It was the strongest quake ever recorded in Japan. The damage from the tremors themselves was relatively moderate thanks to strict building codes. However, the quake triggered a terrible tsunami. The wave devastated the northeast coast of the main island Honshu. In some bays, the wave reached a height of up to 40 metres. Entire towns, roads and railway lines were washed away, hundreds of thousands of houses were destroyed. Some 16,000 people were killed in spite of high protective dykes and an excellent early-warning system. Without these protective installations, the death toll would have been much higher. The tsunami-exposed northeast of Japan is believed to have last been hit by a seismic sea wave of this size in the year 869.

The tsunami led to severe damage at several blocks of the Fukushima 1 nuclear power plant. Some areas within a radius of several kilometres of the plant will remain uninhabitable for a period of many years. Even without considering the consequences of the nuclear accident, the economic losses caused by the quake and the tsunami came to US$ 210bn – the costliest natural catastrophe of all time. The share of insured losses may amount to as much as US$ 40bn.

The fault line that triggered the quake was actually fairly short with a length of 450 km. However, the seabed at the fracture face shifted by 30 to 40 metres. Experts believe that an earthquake of this strength occurs there once every 500 to 1,500 years. The main shock was followed by thousands of aftershocks, the strongest of which, some 40 minutes after the main shock, had a magnitude of 7.9.

The earth shakes II: The Christchurch earthquake

Before the tsunami catastrophe in Japan, there had been an earthquake of 6.3 magnitude in Christchurch, New Zealand, on 22 February. The notable aspect of this event was that an earthquake of 7.1 magnitude had hit Christchurch just six months earlier. Unfortunately, the seismic waves were amplified due to reflection off an extinct volcano, so that far greater destruction was caused than would have normally been expected with an earthquake of this magnitude. The epicentre was located at a shallow depth and only a few kilometres from the city centre.

The losses were enormous. Numerous old buildings collapsed, and many new buildings were damaged despite the very high building standards. Some residential areas will not be rebuilt. Economic losses came to around US$ 16bn, of which approximately US$ 13bn was insured.

One day before Christmas, the earth shook again in Christchurch. Over a dozen people were injured following three strong earthquakes. However, in terms of their severity, the quakes were not as bad as the devastating event in February. Consequently, losses for the insurance industry from these aftershocks are expected to be significantly lower.

Prof. Peter Höppe, Head of Munich Re’s Geo Risks Research unit: “Even if it seems hard to believe given recent events, the probability of earthquakes has not increased. However, these severe earthquakes are timely reminders that the decisions on where to build towns need careful and serious consideration of these risks, especially where certain buildings are concerned, above all nuclear power plants. Also, building codes in regions exposed to earthquakes need to be made even stricter, so that buildings do not just remain standing to an extent sufficient to save lives but can be used again afterwards.”

Weather-related catastrophes: Floods in Thailand

The floods in Thailand stand out among the many weather-related catastrophes of 2011. They were triggered by extreme rainfall, which started in spring and peaked in the autumn. Due to its low elevation above sea level, the plain of central Thailand – where the capital Bangkok is situated – is prone to flooding throughout the rainy season from May to October. According to the authorities, this year’s floods were the worst for around 50 years. It is presumed that the La Niña natural climate phenomenon was a contributory factor, since the rainy season is often stronger during this phase.

The floods claimed the lives of some 800 people. Not only were hundreds of thousands of houses and vast expanses of farmland flooded, but also seven major industrial areas with production facilities belonging mainly to Japanese groups. A large number of electronic key component manufacturers were affected, leading to production delays and disruptions at client businesses. Approximately 25% of the world’s supply of components for computer hard drives was directly impacted by the floods. With economic losses amounting to tens of billions of dollars, the floods were by far the costliest natural catastrophe in Thailand’s history.

North America: Many storms but few hurricanes in North America

The tornado season was especially violent in the Midwest and southern states of the USA. Several series of storms with numerous tornadoes caused economic losses totalling some US$ 46bn, of which US$ 25bn was insured. Insured losses were thus twice as high as in the previous record year of 2010. The series of severe weather events can largely be explained by the La Niña climate phenomenon. As part of this natural climate oscillation, weather fronts with cool air from the northwest more frequently move over the central states of the USA and meet humid warm air in the south. Under such conditions, extreme weather events are more probable than in normal years.

Losses from North-Atlantic hurricanes were moderate. However, as in 2010, this was purely by chance. At 18, the number of recorded tropical cyclones in this season was some way above the long-term average (11) and above the average for the current warm phase with increased hurricane activity since the mid-1990s (15). The number of hurricane-strength storms (6) was in line with the long-term average. However, the number of tropical cyclones that made landfall, especially on the US coast, was very low. Only three named storms, one of them Hurricane Irene, made landfall in the USA. Irene caused economic losses in the Caribbean and USA totalling US$ 15bn, US$ 7bn of which was insured.

Another striking feature of this year was that, for the first time ever, US weather agency NOAA categorised a low-pressure system over the Mediterranean as a tropical storm. The low-pressure system Rolf formed on 3 November. It was caused by a ridge of cold air forming over the still warm sea (20°C). With peak wind speeds of 120 km/h, the storm “01M” made landfall on the French Mediterranean coast before dispersing. The storm produced extreme rainfall along the Cote d’Azur.

Munich Re stands for exceptional solution-based expertise, consistent risk management, financial stability and client proximity. Munich Re creates value for clients, shareholders and staff alike. In the financial year 2010, the Group – which pursues an integrated business model consisting of insurance and reinsurance – achieved a profit of €2.4bn on premium income of around €46bn. It operates in all lines of insurance, with around 47,000 employees throughout the world. With premium income of around €24bn from reinsurance alone, it is one of the world’s leading reinsurers. Especially when clients require solutions for complex risks, Munich Re is a much sought-after risk carrier. Our primary insurance operations are concentrated mainly in the ERGO Insurance Group. With premium income of over €20bn, ERGO is one of the largest insurance groups in Europe and Germany. It is the market leader in Europe in health and legal protection insurance. More than 40 million clients in over 30 countries place their trust in the services and security it provides. In international healthcare business, Munich Re pools its insurance and reinsurance operations, as well as related services, under the Munich Health brand. Munich Re’s global investments amounting to €193bn are managed by MEAG, which also makes its competence available to private and institutional investors outside the Group.

Source: www.munichre.com

Flood Experts Recommend Green Roofs to Reduce Water Flow Speed

Rooftop rain gardens are relatively inexpensive and can hold large amounts of water. And if the authorities accept a recommendation by an expert panel on floods to mandate that all buildings have these green roofs, they can be quick to install, too.  These rooftop gardens, traditionally installed to beautify the skyline and reduce the heat around a building, can help absorb rainwater and reduce the speed of water flow.

By Jessica Cheam,  Straits Times (13 January 2012):

Rooftop rain gardens are relatively inexpensive and can hold large amounts of water. And if the authorities accept a recommendation by an expert panel on floods to mandate that all buildings have these green roofs, they can be quick to install, too.

The 12-man panel, tasked by the Government to look into solving Singapore’s flooding woes in the long run, has recommended that building owners be required by law to build green roofs. These rooftop gardens, traditionally installed to beautify the skyline and reduce the heat around a building, can help absorb rainwater and reduce the speed of water flow.

Local contractors The Straits Times interviewed yesterday said these gardens would cost from $20,000 to $180,000, depending on their size.

Property developer City Developments, a leader in green buildings here, spends $150 to $400 per sq m for a green roof for a new building, and $105 to $150 per sq m to retrofit an existing one. For a residential project with an extensive green roof, installation generally does not exceed 1 per cent of total construction cost, it said.

Contractors say such gardens can store anything from about six to 34 litres per sq m. The size can range from 200 sq m for a commercial building, to 1,200 sq m for the entire roof of a multi-storey Housing Board carpark.

The National Parks Board (NParks) said the cost of such gardens is usually between $100 and $150 per sq m, which means a commercial green roof costs between $20,000 and $30,000 and can hold 6,800 litres. An HDB carpark roof costs $120,000 to $180,000 and can hold 40,800 litres of water.

Mr Andy Chew, director of local firm Elmich, which designs, builds and installs green roofs, said the idea of rooftop gardens to help alleviate flooding could work for Singapore as large amounts of rainwater can be stored in the garden’s water retention system.

This comprises soil-like material, membranes and storage trays. The water is then eventually absorbed by the plants as they grow. He added that the soil-like material also helps to regulate the flow of water; therefore, the speed of any excess water that flows down to ground level is reduced. The system is also light and can typically be installed in an average building.

Elmich, which has been in the business for 26 years and has installed gardens such as the one atop Orchard Central mall, offers systems that can store between six and 28 litres per sq m.

Another firm, Prince’s Landscape & Construction, offers a proprietary solution whose water reservoir feature can store up to 34 litres of water per sq m.

Its manager Eugine Spicer said its roof gardens can help alleviate flooding as ‘the sudden flow of water is minimised’. Depending on the size of the project and whether there is easy rooftop access, installing a green roof of about 400 sq m could take a month. Growing the plants takes two to three months before that, said Mr Spicer.

Prince has installed green roofs for properties such as Marina Bay Sands, and typically installs gardens 500 sq m in size at a cost of $150 per sq m.

NParks deputy director of horticulture and community gardening Ng Cheow Kheng told The Straits Times that to date, 36ha of skyrise greenery – greenery planted on rooftops or vertically on walls – have already been installed in buildings across Singapore.

NParks has a Skyrise Greenery Incentive Scheme which pays for half of installation costs, up to a maximum of $75 per sq m of green roof and $750 per sq m of green wall. Since the scheme launched in 2009, it has seen 40 buildings get fitted with 1.1ha of green roofs and 0.1ha of green walls.

Under the Building and Construction Authority’s green building rating scheme Green Mark, buildings that feature such green roofs get extra points.

HDB has also piloted green roofs in existing housing blocks in recent years to reduce heat build-up and slow down stormwater. Its first eco-friendly residential project, Treelodge@ Punggol, features a rain-harvesting system where water collected is put to uses such as washing common areas.

PUB said it is studying the recommendations of the expert panel and will respond at a later date.

Benefits of rooftop gardens

A green roof, also known as a rooftop garden or rain garden, is a roof that is partially or completely covered with plants and provided with an irrigation system.

Such greenery reduces the ‘urban heat island’ effect which makes a built-up area significantly warmer than its surroundings.

Green roofs also:

Conserve energy use in the building by keeping temperatures down so less air-conditioning is needed;

Improve air quality;

Reduce noise pollution;

Enhance a building’s aesthetics;

Store rainwater and reduce the amount and speed at which water flows to the ground.

Source:  www.greenbusinesstimes.com

Ken Hickson has the Last Word:  Buildings, Books, Bananas & the British

Somehow I have found time to do some reading in recent weeks, in between a busy round of visits to 20-plus Singapore properties to promote energy efficiency measures for the i Light Marina Bay festival in Singapore 9 March to 1 April.

One book – “How Bad are Bananas?”  – was remarkably relevant to the job at hand, in spite of its mysterious title.

Singapore is certainly getting the message about making its buildings more sustainable, energy efficient and pleasant to occupy. Research is showing conclusively that green buildings are not just about meeting higher standards, but they are so much better to live in and work in. Wellness comes to buildings as well as people.  If we can retrofit buildings better and faster, we can rid ourselves of the sick building syndrome altogether. Read More

Somehow I have found time to do some reading in recent weeks, in between a busy round of visits to 20-plus Singapore properties to encourage them to take up energy efficiency measures at the time of the i Light Marina Bay festival in Singapore 9 March to 1 April.

One book – “How Bad are Bananas?”  – was remarkably relevant to the job at hand, in spite of its mysterious title. You should know I’m a great fan of bananas and don’t want anyone to malign them!

Two writers I admire had good things to say about it: Bill Bryson said he couldn’t remember “the last time I read a book that was more fascinating and useful and enjoyable all at the same time”.

Chris Goodall, author of “How to Live a Low Carbon Life” described it thus:

“Mike Berners-Lee knows more about carbon footprints than anyone else in the UK.  Enjoyable, fun to read and scientifically robust. A triumph of popular science writing.”

Without wishing to bore you with the details, or spoil your fun reading it yourself, I must say it is an extremely readable and useful book, full of easy to understand messages, as well as tips to apply to home, business, community or country.

You can look out for it at a library or bookshop near you, or go to Amazon, as I know it’s there – in print or digital form.  Interestingly, the author says that unless you read hundreds of e-books, having a digital reading device adds significantly to your carbon footprint. Real books are better for you.

So are bananas!

Which brings me back to what I’ve been doing in addition to reading about bananas.

Energy Efficiency Gets Priority

Singapore is certainly getting the message about making its buildings more sustainable, energy efficient and pleasant to occupy. Research is showing conclusively that green buildings are not just about meeting higher green standards, but they are so much better to live in and work in.

People working in green marked buildings are more productive and less inclined to take sick leave. Wellness comes to buildings as well as people.  If we can retrofit buildings better and faster, we can rid ourselves of the sick building syndrome altogether.

I was impressed not only with the quality of the green buildings visited in Singapore over recent weeks, but also with the desire by building owners and managers to see that they are being operated in the most energy efficient way possible. Going the extra mile – or reducing kilowatt hours of electricity used – is increasingly becoming an objective for office blocks, hotels, convention halls and shopping centres.

For the purpose of the lighting festival, properties are asked to see where they can make some significant reductions in energy over a 24-day period. Many are already doing as much as they can, but they are prepared to do more. Hopefully, many will come up with meaningful measures which they can continue with, saving energy and money at the same time.

Switching off lights selectively and turning up the air conditioning can work wonders!

Leading Lights

CDL properties are already leading with green buildings and sustainable practices in Singapore. One of the best of CDL properties visited was City Square Mall where the visitor or shopper is shown and told in the nicest way possible what’s going on to provide a pleasant experience and energy efficient environment.

Asia Square was an eye-opener. A brand new office tower – with a sister block under construction – boasts a massive open meeting place space at street level , along with a spacious food court, and unique features such as 400 bicycle racks with associated shower rooms and lockers for the active commuter.  There’s also an Alpha Bio Fuels plant on site to put used cooking oil to good use.

Described as “Singapore’s most advanced green commercial building, Asia Square supports a sustainable way or life as well as work”. The building developer and manager MGPA has also produced one of the best Sustainability Guides ever to see the light of day.

In an inspection tour that ranged from tourist attractions like Singapore Flyer to the very functional Marina Barrage (for water storage and treatment), along with the Pit Stop Buildings for Singapore’s Formula One motor race, the intentions were clear. They are already doing a lot, but are prepared to do more to save energy.

Hotels like the Pan Pacific, The Fullerton and the Conrad all have energy saving measures in place, but will consider where they can do more.

A big complex like Suntec City – with a large convention/exhibition centre, five office towers and shopping mall – is taking incremental steps to reduce energy consumption during the lighting festival.

Then there’s the massive commercial properties of One Raffles Quay, the Marina Bay Financial Centre, along with its connecting Link Mall, all ready to add to their energy efficiency and green building credentials in the “Switch Off, Turn Up” campaign.

Marina Bay Sands is a stand out in more ways than one.  The prominent casino, hotel, convention centre, shopping mall  and entertainment complex is committed to support i Light Marina Bay as a major sponsor as well as see how where it can reduce its energy-impact for the duration of the March lighting festival.

There’s more work to do, more buildings to visit and more good intentions to tap, but what an insight into the greening of Singapore buildings and desire of so many to see how they can do more for sustainability and energy efficiency.

Go to www.ilightmarinabay.sg  for more good insight into the event and for an article by Jenny Marusiak, on the lighting festival as well as its connection with Liveable cities, energy efficiency and buildings go to:  http://www.eco-business.com/features/liveable-cities-series-illuminating-the-path-to-sustainable-lighting/

Climate Action & London Olympics

We’ve referred elsewhere to what the London Olympics is doing for sustainability and it was great to catch up with John Pearson at the British High Commission to hear of his work throughout South East Asia promoting climate change awareness and action. Notably, the British appear to be the only official diplomatic agents in Asia for climate change.

The British also marked the 200 days to go until the London Olympics, inviting Singapore Olympic athletes to share in a flag raising ceremony.

In the same week, British High Commissioner Antony Phillipson hosted a “sustainability seminar” at his Eden Hall home, featuring none other than Martin Blake. The genial diplomat even wondered whether he could introduce some meaningful energy efficiency measures at the historic British mansion in Nassim Road.

Expect to hear more about sustainability for events  like the London Olympics and Singapore’s i Light Marina Bay, as well as who’s doing what for energy efficiency at home and abroad.

In coming weeks and months, here are some business names to look out for too: Green Koncepts, Phoenix Solar, Power Seraya, YTL, Power Save, GreenBizCheck, Carbon Soft and Carbon Systems.

Source: www.sustain-ability-showcase.com and www.abccarbon.com

Carbon Competition for Silicon? Double Honour for Creators of Graphene

Two Nobel laureates involved in the creation of graphene, a sheet of carbon just one atom thick, have received knighthoods in the British New Year Honours. Graphene is a flat layer of carbon atoms tightly packed into a two-dimensional honeycomb arrangement. Because it is so thin, it is also practically transparent. As a conductor of electricity, it performs as well as copper; and as a conductor of heat, it outperforms all other known materials.

BBC Science and the Environment (31 December 2011):

Knighthoods for Nobel-winning graphene pioneers

Two Nobel laureates involved in the creation of graphene, a sheet of carbon just one atom thick, have received knighthoods in the British New Year Honours.

Profs Andre Geim and Konstantin Novoselov, from the University of Manchester, won the physics Nobel Prize in 2010 for their pioneering research.

Recipients from technology and science sectors make up 3% of this year’s list.

A knighthood has also been given to Prof Robert Watson, chief scientific adviser to the Department of Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra).

‘Groundbreaking experiments’

Profs Geim and Novoselov, both originally from Russia, first worked together in the Netherlands before moving to the UK.

Graphene

Graphene is a form of carbon that exists as a sheet, one atom thick

Atoms are arranged into a two-dimensional honeycomb structure

Identification of graphene announced in October 2004

About 100 times stronger than steel and conducts electricity better than copper

About 1% of graphene mixed into plastics could turn them into electrical conductors

Analogous to millions of unrolled nanotubes stuck together

How sticky tape trick led to Nobel Prize

They were based at the University of Manchester when they published their seminal research paper on graphene in October 2004.

It was their work on the world’s thinnest material that was recognised by the Nobel committee in 2010 for “for groundbreaking experiments regarding the two-dimensional material graphene”.

Graphene is a form of carbon. It is a flat layer of carbon atoms tightly packed into a two-dimensional honeycomb arrangement.

Because it is so thin, it is also practically transparent. As a conductor of electricity, it performs as well as copper; and as a conductor of heat, it outperforms all other known materials.

The unusual electronic, mechanical and chemical properties of graphene at the molecular scale promise ultra-fast transistors for electronics.

Some scientists have predicted that graphene could one day replace silicon – which is the current material of choice for transistors.

It could also yield incredibly strong, flexible and stable materials and find applications in transparent touch screens or solar cells.

Source: www.bbc.co.uk

Google This: Asia’s New Data Centre will be Cool & Green

Google’s plan for setting up an environmentally friendly data centre in Jurong includes using Singapore’s abundant rainfall to cool down its new facility. The search engine giant employed a similar solution in Finland, where sea water is used to cool its data centre in Hamina, except that rain will be less corrosive to the cooling equipment. Rather than build the data centres in Hong Kong, and Taiwan – as well as Singapore – on the same model, Google says each facility will be adapted to the specific environmental nature of its location, such as climate and humidity.

From ZDNet Asia (15 December 2011):

Google’s plan for setting up an environmentally friendly data centre in Jurong include using Singapore’s abundant rainfall to cool down its new facility, reports the Straits Times’  Digital Life (21 December 2011).

The search engine giant employed a similar solution in Finland, where sea water is used to cool its data centre in Hamina, except that rain will be less corrosive to the cooling equipment.

Google Southeast Asia, announces the start of construction of a new Google data center in Singapore.

Web titan Google has officially started construction of its Singapore data center, which will cost US$120 million. Expected to be complete by early-2013, the 2.45-hectare facility is located in Jurong West.

Staffing requirements are still being finalized but recruitment for the leadership team that will helm the data center has begun and will continue as construction progresses, Google said Thursday when it officially broke ground on the site of the facility.

Once operational, the data center will be manned by a “small team” full-time staff and a number of contractors in various roles, including computer technicians, electrical and mechanical engineers, catering and security staff. “Building this first data center in Southeast Asia is an exciting step and an important investment in better serving our users across the region,” said Julian Persaud, head of Google Southeast Asia, in a statement.

“More new users are coming online every day in Asia than anywhere else in the world. They are looking for information and entertainment, new business opportunities and better ways to connect with friends and family, near and far,” Persaud said. “We’re building to provide our users here with the fastest and most reliable possible access to all our services so they can do just that.”

In a phone interview with ZDNet Asia, Taj Meadows, Google’s Asia-Pacific manager of policy communications, said the timing to set up new data centers in the region is “pretty obvious”.

“Asia, in general, is the fastest-growing market for Internet users in the world. [Having] data centers here will ensure users have the fastest, most reliable access as possible,” Meadows said. “There’s been incredible growth in the Internet economy in Asia and we’re building to meet the demand and capacity of data-intensive services like cloud.”

Last week, Google also began construction work on its Hong Kong data center, a 2.7 hectare-site in Kowloon, in which it will invest US$300 million. Also expected to be operational by early-2013, the facility will be operated by some 25 full-time staff and a number of part- and full-time contractors.

The Internet giant first announced in September it had bought land to build its first data centers in Asia, namely, Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan. Details for the Taiwan site have yet to be disclosed. These facilities will join Google’s existing network of eight data centers in the United States and Europe.

Tapping Asia’s booming Net economy

Japan-based Meadows, who was in town for the ground-breaking ceremony, did not identify the countries that would be primarily served by the Singapore data center, but he did reveal that the site would cater to users in Southeast Asia and the broader region of Asia-Pacific.

Rather than build the data centers in Hong Kong, Singapore and Taiwan on the same model, he noted that each facility will be adapted to the specific environmental nature of its location such as climate and humidity. All three sites, however, are expected to be among the most energy-efficient in Asia, Meadows said.

These ”green” data centers will be both energy-efficient and environmentally friendly, as each element of the facility will be “custom designed and custom built” to ensure it is working at peak performance so it can run efficiently, he added.

Asked if Google was planning for more data centers in Asia, Meadows said there was “nothing to announce at this time”. However, he added that the company is constantly looking for where it may need to locate such facilities to best serve the needs of its users.

Google currently has 15 offices in the Asia-Pacific region, including one in Singapore which was officially opened in May 2007.

Source: www.zdnetasia.com

Word is Out: This is the Year to Focus on Sustainable Energy

The Year of the Dragon is on its way and so is the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All. While the UN Secretary-General, Ban Ki-Moon, declared the sustainability initiative back in September, 2010, there has been very little said in advance of this special year. It has three key objectives: ensuring universal access to modern energy services; doubling the rate of improvement in energy efficiency; and doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix.

From the Sustainable Business Forum (31 December 2011):

2012 has been officially declared by the United Nations General Assembly as the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All.  The UN Secretary-General, Mr. Ban Ki-Moon, declared the sustainability initiative back in September, 2010, and as 2011 nears an end, global sustainability efforts are moving forward in many directions. The initiative will bring people of all nations together and promote a sense of community centered on sustainable energy.

Now is the time to craft our resolutions to reflect our commitment to living a sustainable life and supporting global efforts to do the same. Available and affordable energy is critical because it promotes sustainability awareness, economic growth and global peace.  Green building, sustainable living and green supply chains are just a few of the ways people around the world are improving their living conditions.

Below are some of the more inspirational success stories that are coming out of the UN initiative:

Benin, West Africa

With the help of the non-profit company, Solar Electric Light Fund (SELF), two tiny rural villages in Benin are able to grow fruits and vegetables year round.  Through the use of solar drip irrigation, crops can now flourish during the dry season, a time when the land is typically so parched that nearly nothing can grow on its soil.  Years of arid ground led to food shortages and widespread malnutrition in the community, but now the communities’ solar-powered drip irrigation systems pump water for food crops when rainfall is scarce. Food security is now assured, and families are well fed year round.

Better nutrition during every season has improved life for everyone, making the villages of Bessassi and Dunkassa healthier and more productive.  There is more time for adults to start their own businesses, children to study for school and farmers to increase their incomes by selling their surplus crops at the market. In the near future, these villages will be implementing solar electric systems, giving much-needed power to schools, health clinics, businesses and homes.

Improving Lives in Tajikistan

One rural community in Tajikistan is improving its residents’ lives with clean and renewable energy generated by small-scale solar panels and hydro power plants.  The UN’s Development Program has provided the village of Bozorboi Burunov with these resources, bringing electric power, heat and clean water to schools, businesses and homes.  Because residents can now rely on this power, economic conditions have seriously improved:  better business opportunities are available for previously struggling farmers and merchants, children can study once the sun goes down, and people no longer need to travel long distances for healthcare. Eventually the mini hydro power plant will be connected to a main grid and will sell electricity during low consumption periods, making the plant more sustainable over a longer period.

Music for Relief with Linkin Park

The musical group, Linkin Park, isn’t standing idle knowing that 1.3 billion people in the world do not have electricity.  No electricity means that once the sun goes down, children cannot study, parents cannot work and clinics cannot provide critical health care during an emergency.  Linkin Park is telling its fans to visit the website, www.powertheworld.org and donate $10 to purchase one solar powered light bulb, to be given to a family in Haiti, provided by Music for Relief (www.musicforrelief.org).  Donors receive a custom holiday card and the satisfaction of knowing that they are helping a family live a safer, more sustainable life.

The Big Picture

As we approach the New Year, many of us are reflecting on 2011 and thinking about resolutions for 2012.  Perhaps we’ll try one more time to stick to our budget, lose twenty pounds, or spend less time on our computers.   Goals like these aren’t going anywhere, so why keep recycling them? Instead, let’s make 2012 a year to look at the bigger picture, one in which we think about how to care for the earth and help its citizens live more sustainably.

Source: www.sustainablebusinessforum.com

International Year of Sustainable Energy for All

In December 2010, the United Nations General Assembly declared 2012 the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, recognizing that “… access to modern affordable energy services in developing countries is essential for the achievement of … the Millennium Development Goals and sustainable development.”

The General Assembly’s Resolution 65/151 called on the Secretary-General, in consultation with the inter-agency group UN-Energy to organize and coordinate activities to be undertaken during the Year in order to “increase awareness of the importance of addressing energy issues, including modern energy services for all, access to affordable energy, energy efficiency and the sustainability of energy sources and use” at local, national, regional and international levels.

In response, the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon, with support from UN-Energy and the United Nations Foundation, is leading a new global initiative – Sustainable Energy for All. This initiative will engage governments, the private sector, and civil society partners globally with the goal of achieving sustainable energy for all, and to reach three major objectives by 2030:

• ensuring universal access to modern energy services
• doubling the rate of improvement in energy efficiency
• doubling the share of renewable energy in the global energy mix

Over the course of 2012, the designation of the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All will provide a vital platform for raising awareness of the challenge and for securing national commitments toward achieving the three objectives.

Key Elements of the Initiative and the International Year

High-Level Group – The Secretary-General has convened high-level representatives from the private sector, government, UN/intergovernmental organizations and civil society to develop a global strategy and concrete agenda for action to reach the three objectives . The roadmap, which will build on the work of the Secretary-General’s Advisory Group on Energy and Climate Change, will be offered for consideration at the Rio+20 conference in June 2012.

National Actions – The United Nations Development Programme will provide support to national activities on advocacy, commitments and accountability to drive action on universal energy access, energy efficiency and renewable energy goals. National activities may include designation of national coordinating mechanisms to facilitate wide stakeholder involvement by government, private-sector, civil society and development partners; advocacy and dialogue towards the formulation of national commitments; and accountability mechanisms to measure success.

Communications and Events – The UN Foundation will support the design and execution of a global multimedia advocacy and awareness campaign to raise the visibility of the energy access issue and the 30/30/307! goals. This will include engagement of prominent figures, including existing UN “Goodwill Ambassadors” as spokespeople.

Practitioner Network – The UN Foundation has formed a public-private partnership of practitioners in the energy access community to address barriers to the effective delivery of energy services, identify and disseminate best policies and practices, and promote the development of new technologies as well as innovative financial and business models. The network will also serve as an advocacy platform for the sector.

Key 2012 dates

January 16-18: Launch of the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All at the World Future Energy Summit in Abu Dhabi, UAE

February 1: Asian Regional Rollout of the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, New Delhi, India

February 19 (tent.): African Regional Rollout of the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, Nairobi, Kenya

March (tent.): Americas Regional Rollout of the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All, Barbados

June 4-6: UN Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sept. 18-21: Report to the General Assembly on International Year of Sustainable Energy for All

December: Closing ceremony for the International Year of Sustainable Energy for All

Source: www.sustainableenergyforall.org

Silly Season Stories from Sydney: Wind Farms, Whales & Free Range Eggs

Some readers might dismiss these as “silly season stories” but they all appeared in the Sydney Morning Herald and they were deadly serious: “Wind farm opponents ‘aided and abetted’ by climate sceptic groups”; “Why a nation obsessed with whales is drowning in a sea of bureaucracy”; and “Egg gas finding a rotten result for free-range hens”.

Ben Cubby & Josephine Tovey in Sydney Morning Herald (20 December 2011):

THE anti-wind farm movement that is gaining influence in the NSW Parliament is being ”aided and abetted” by climate sceptic groups and some mining figures.

The cabinet debated new wind farm guidelines yesterday, with division over whether NSW should follow Victoria and order wind turbines to be set further back from houses.

The Shooters and Fishers Party, which shares the balance of power in the upper house with the Christian Democrats, said yesterday it wanted a moratorium on new wind farms.

Industry sources said a US Tea Party-style ”astroturf” campaign, which mimics grassroots local opposition but is at least partly directed from elsewhere, was being waged against wind energy in NSW, which was expected to bring up to $10 billion in investment this decade as it accelerated to meet the national 20 per cent renewable energy target.

Wind farm opponents include a coalition of local groups under the banner ”landscape guardians”, and the Australian Environment Foundation, which sprang up seven years ago from a conference run by the right-wing think-tank the Institute of Public Affairs, but is now a separate group.

”Our role is, if you like, aiding and abetting what local communities are doing and helping them voice their disapproval over wind farms,” said the foundation’s executive director, Max Rheese.

While local groups say they believe the inaudible noise and vibration from wind farms affect human health, the foundation does not think humans have a role in causing climate change and therefore believes wind farms are an expensive extravagance.

It hosted the British climate sceptic Lord Monckton last year and says it ”questions the whole science behind anthropogenic global warming”.

Mr Rheese said the foundation had paid for anti-wind signs at public meetings and lobbied the Shooters and Fishers Party, and the National and Liberal parties in NSW.

The Shooters and Fishers MP Robert Borsak said yesterday the party would wait for the cabinet decision but would use its critical position in the upper house to oppose any pro-wind farm legislation that came to Parliament.

The party had discussed wind farms with the foundation but had come up with its own policy calling for a moratorium and public inquiry into wind turbines, Mr Borsak said.

”We do probably see eye to eye with them on this and many issues, but this is a party position that we have finalised internally.”

The Premier, Barry O’Farrell, said in August it was his opinion that no new wind farms should be built in NSW, but it is understood there are divisions in cabinet about the issue.

The Nationals MP and Roads Minister, Duncan Gay, said yesterday his anti-wind farm views were well known and he hoped yesterday’s cabinet meeting ”addresses the sins of the past”.

”I live at Crookwell; we’ve certainly come under the brunt of poor planning and lack of community consultation of wind farms in the past … It puts friends against friends, neighbours against neighbours.”

The Waubra Foundation is a national group arguing wind farms can cause illness because of the vibrations from turbines. It lodged a submission based on perceived health concerns with the government yesterday.

The chairman, Peter Mitchell, said his opposition to wind farms was based on health concerns and nothing to do with his background as a former director of oil and gas companies.

”The critics here are really playing shoot the messenger, which I find ridiculous,” he said.

The British equivalent of landscape guardians, ”country guardians”, was funded and supported by elements of the British nuclear energy industry.

Labor’s environment spokesman, Luke Foley, said ”flat earthers” were running a scare campaign against wind power.

Why a nation obsessed with whales is drowning in a sea of bureaucracy

William Pesek in Sydney Morning Herald (17 December 2011):

Want to know why Japan’s earthquake recovery efforts are moving in slow motion? Ask the whales.

Tokyoites have grown accustomed to shocking news items since the earth shook and the oceans rose. The nuclear meltdown has proven far worse than the government admitted; radioactive cesium made its way into baby food; more leaks were found in the damaged Fukushima reactor; and warnings by seismologists still go unheeded.

Yet the tale of the whales and the $US30 million is what proved most disturbing – and shed light on why Japan is either unable or unwilling to undertake reforms needed to avert credit-rating downgrades and reverse deepening deflation.

Japan spent about 2.28 billion yen ($29 million) on whaling expeditions from funds allocated for recovery from the earthquake and tsunami. It’s a drop in the proverbial bucket, given that the government plans to spend at least $US300 billion rebuilding the Tohoku region. It’s a highly telling expenditure, though, with significance far beyond the price tag.

The whaling programs carried out each year flout international conventions and dent Japan’s reputation, and for very little. Demand for whale meat is negligible: the industry survives because of huge public subsidies. Japan contends that using earthquake funds to boost security for ships will help them elude activists protecting whales. A successful hunt, it’s thought, will revitalise local coastal communities.

You know what would help more? Some fresh thinking. The devastation from March 11 required a reboot of politics, the government’s role in the economy and Japan’s change-resistant, consensus-obsessed mindset. What we’re seeing instead is an inability to adapt on a national level.

Nine months ago, the ground shifted under Japan’s feet not only literally, but figuratively. There was a fleeting glimmer of change, a hope that the disaster would end the political and economic stasis that has gripped Japan for more than two decades. Instead, tossing money at every problem without critical thought suggests that Japan is reverting to the wasteful ways that created a massive national debt and little growth to show for it.

One big question that hasn’t been tackled: whether to bother rebuilding parts of Japan’s north-east – given that they were dying a slow, steady demographic death anyway – or relocate the communities away from the sea. Rather than grapple with it, Japan is pursuing whaling. But how many young people who long ago fled to cities like Tokyo are going to rush back to their ancestral homes to become whalers?

Consider what the brains trust in Tokyo is up to. Last month, Standard & Poor’s hinted that another credit downgrade was brewing as Japan’s public debt, already the developed world’s largest, increased unchecked by distracted lawmakers. So how do they spend their time? In tit-for-tat one-upmanship.

In November a deputy to Defence Minister, Yasuo Ichikawa, was fired for comparing the relocation of a US airbase on the island of Okinawa to rape. Rather than move on and tend to the many dilemmas facing Japan, lawmakers spent last week crafting censure motions for the ousted official’s bosses.

Both story lines, supporting whalers and pointless political posturing, are microcosms of why Japan isn’t rising to this year’s challenges. What we have is a failure to adapt to a dynamic set of problems that threaten economic well-being.

Take Tokyo Electric Power Co. The company’s safety failures are responsible for the radiation still leaking into the air and water 217 kilometres from Tokyo. Yet Tepco hasn’t been nationalised or delisted. Instead of reform, there’s talk of bailouts.

Japan is a top-down society. Right now, mayors in the north-east need a figure: how much they will get to fix airports, train stations, roads, bridges, schools, hospitals, telecoms and ports. It’s hard to hire architects, assemble construction crews and procure materials when you don’t know your budget. Tokyo, instead, is obsessed with political infighting and old remedies for new quandaries.

Bureaucracy is running amok. There’s great confusion about who is handling what phase of reconstruction – the central government or local ones? Rural leaders fed up with all the foot-dragging are finding it’s not easy to forge ahead on their own. There are endless stories of towns that want to rebuild schools or hospitals on higher ground to avoid tsunamis only to find that regulations say they must be put up in the same place.

The upshot is that trust is breaking down on too many levels. Companies are reluctant to hire, communities are split between those who want to stay and those tempted to leave, citizens don’t buy the nuclear industry’s protestations of safety, and cynicism toward officialdom in Tokyo has rarely been higher.

It’s not a great environment for economic revival, never mind any semblance of confidence as Europe’s crisis foreshadows a global economic slowdown. That’s what happens in a country that gives higher priority to killing whales than to reassuring a traumatised population.

Egg gas finding a rotten result for free-range hens

Alexandra Smith in Sydney Morning Herald (17 December 2011):

“I would support the egg industry’s calls for carbon labelling and what I would say is that they should show some leadership and be the first to introduce it because I think we would see others follow” … Paul Klymenko, chief executive of Planet Ark.

EGGS from caged hens produce fewer greenhouse gas emissions than free range eggs, a new report has found, prompting calls for carbon footprint labelling to be used on all food products in Australia.

A report for the Australian Egg Corporation, which represents most egg farmers, found that free range egg production’s carbon footprint in Australia was about 20 per cent higher than caged production.

The main reason was because free range egg production uses more feed per kilogram of eggs produced than caged egg production, the report, which was half-funded by the federal government, found.

The report also found that egg production had a lower carbon footprint than several European egg studies, mainly due to more efficient grain production in Australia.

The corporation’s managing director, James Kellaway, used the findings to call for carbon footprint labelling to be included on food to help consumers make more informed choices when shopping.

“The egg industry would be very happy to consider adding the environmental footprint or greenhouse gas emission status on egg labels,” Mr Kellaway said.

”However, it would be meaningless without other food products having to do it or providing a reference point so consumers can compare food types or food categories.”

Mr Kellaway said the report also suggested that eggs had the lowest carbon footprint of all the main protein foods.

”But the research also highlighted that there is still scope for refinements to current practices in egg production to allow further reductions in emissions,” he said.

Paul Klymenko, the chief executive of Planet Ark, welcomed Mr Kellaway’s calls for carbon footprint labelling.

Planet Ark and the Carbon Trust UK launched the Carbon Reduction Label in Australia after the labelling program was introduced in Britain in 2007 with just three products – chips, shampoo and smoothie drinks.

There are now hundreds of products in Britain with the label including bread, milk, juice, cereal, sugar, potatoes, detergent, toilet and kitchen paper, light bulbs, clothing and appliances.

Mr Klymenko said there was no reason for the egg industry to delay the introduction of a carbon footprint label, especially after it had already collected much of the research in its study that would be needed.

”I would support the egg industry’s calls for carbon labelling and what I would say is that they should show some leadership and be the first to introduce it because I think we would see others follow,” he said.

Aldi’s everyday olive oil and the Mobius Marlborough sauvignon blanc, a product of the New Zealand Wine Company, were the first products in Australia to label their carbon footprint.

Source: www.smh.com.au

Are Climate Change Reporters an Endangered Species?

Why aren’t we seeing more coverage of climate change in the media? The issue is hardly going away. And now that world governments after Durban are not planning to take action ’til 2020, we need more coverage, not less, says James Thornton of ClientEarth. A recent Eurobarometer poll asked 27,000 people in 27 countries what they thought were the most important issues facing the world. The number one issue is global poverty and  number two is global warming.

James Thornton CEO, ClientEarth in the Huffington Post Green (25 December 2011):

Why aren’t we seeing more coverage of climate change in the media? The issue is hardly going away. And now that world governments after Durban are not planning to take action ’til 2020, we need more coverage, not less.

Yet environmentalists reported a drop off in climate change reporting in 2009 and 2010, and we may well see this again when we look back at 2011.

What accounts for this change? A partial answer may be the difficulties facing the market at the moment. Newspapers are not a growth industry. As media organizations downsize, an ever decreasing number of journalists are required to cover an ever increasing remit of issues. Not good for any subject.

But the reasons go deeper. A recent report called “Poles Apart: the International Reporting of Climate Scepticism” released by the Reuters Institute for the Study of Journalism at Oxford University (RISJ) gave us good reason to believe that those of us in the UK and the U.S. could be getting a different view of the climate debate than the rest of the world.

Of a sample of papers from Brazil, China, France, India, the UK and the U.S., 80 percent of skepticism reported was from the UK and U.S.. Even France, with its powerful skeptical lobby groups, barely gave these views much “air-time”. And journalists from the English speaking world were greatly outnumbered at the Copenhagen summit.

James Painter, RISJ researcher and Head of the Journalism Fellowship Programme, said:

“There are politicians in the UK and the U.S. who espouse some variation of climate scepticism. Both countries also have organisations for ‘climate change sceptics’ that provide a sceptical voice for the media, particularly in those media outlets that are more receptive to this message. This is why we see more sceptical coverage in the Anglo-Saxon countries than we do in the other countries in the study where one or more of those factors appear to be absent.”

Another potential reason ties in with the whole idea of ‘news’ itself: ‘Nothing new to say’ is a normal response in journalism to one-time events that have been overexposed. But global warming is hardly that. It is an unfolding story rich in detail, drama and impending tragedy. To say we’ve already done the story is like saying we’ve already done sex.

One might respond that we all hard-wired to be interested in sex. But people are also hard-wired to be interested in the weather. We wouldn’t have survived otherwise, and the proliferation of weather reporting and weather channels testifies there is no end to people’s interest. Climate is weather stretched out in time. Just as people are interested in how sex plays out in relationships, they will be interested in how the weather plays out in climate change.

Or am I imagining this because I happen to care?

A recent Eurobarometer poll is revealing. The pollsters interviewed 27,000 people in 27 countries. This is a mammoth sample compared to most polls. Those interviewed were asked what they thought were the most important issues facing the world. One might expect that Europeans would have said the economy. But no. The number one issue according to the respondents is global poverty. The number two issue is global warming.

More people thought global warming is a critical issue than did before the failed Copenhagen climate talks. Note how accurately people are tracking events. There was no deal in Copenhagen. In Durban there was a “diplomatic success” — an agreement to reach a deal by 2015, and start taking action by 2020 — in which the diplomacy is veering further and further from scientific reality.

It is, of course, easier to agree to agree in the future than to actually agree now. It’s reminiscent of the character Wimpy in the comic strip Popeye, whose tag line is, “I’ll gladly pay you Tuesday for a hamburger today.”

Global warming is, in fact, more critical now. Emissions have gone up: in 2010 we globally emitted almost 6 percent more than in 2009. This is history’s greatest one-year increase. Despite the recession, we are now emitting more than the worst case scenario set out by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Global warming hardly lacks story lines. A report released recently says parts of lower Manhattan could be submerged in the coming decades. In 2010 some 56,000 Russians died from forest fires, and scientists say there is an 80 percent probability the fires were caused by global warming. Hurricane Katrina was a story line of epic proportions. And yet the world’s governments have walked away from creating a binding deal anytime soon — this is a story line with music by Nero.

Most countries have long running soap operas: As the World Turns ran in the U.S. for more than 50 years; EastEnders is running strong in the UK 25 years on; in Germany GZSZ, Holland GTST and so on. They all run through the gamut of human experience with greed, anger, ignorance and violence playing leading roles. The story line of global warming will run on, and the characters onstage will display the range of behavior from honor to venality that make the best soaps.

Why cut reporting on climate change? The majority of Europeans have an ear tuned to the unfolding tale. If mainstream papers don’t cover it, they are missing the story of our time. We will need the progressive elements of the press — as well as the blogosphere, Twitter and whatever next arises — to tell the story. The story won’t go away. If the mainstream media won’t cover it, the public’s move to alternative sources of information will only be quicker.

Source: www.huffingtonpost.com