[TheClimate.Vote] December 9, 2018 - Daily Global Warming News Digest
Richard Pauli
richard at theclimate.vote
Sun Dec 9 10:33:50 EST 2018
/December 9, 2018/
[BBC Video report]
*Climate change: Why are governments taking so long to take action?
<https://www.bbc.com/news/av/science-environment-46496140/climate-change-why-are-governments-taking-so-long-to-take-action>*
A UN conference is being held in Poland to discuss how the world is
going to stop climate change.
Last month a report by leading climate scientists found progress is way
off track, and the world is heading towards 3C of warming this century
rather than 1.5C.
With the impacts of climate change already being felt in severe weather
events like floods and wildfires, why is it taking so long to take action?
The BBC's Matt McGrath explains what needs to happen to speed things up.
https://www.bbc.com/news/av/science-environment-46496140/climate-change-why-are-governments-taking-so-long-to-take-action
- -
[this GREAT 2012 cartoon needs a 2018 update
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B11kASPfYxY>
*The History of Climate Change Negotiations in 83 seconds*
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=B11kASPfYxY
- - -
[BBC text - difficulty in agreement]
*Climate change: COP24 fails to adopt key scientific report
<https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46496967>*
By Matt McGrath - Environment correspondent, Katowice
Efforts to find compromise language failed and the text was dropped
Attempts to incorporate a key scientific study into global climate talks
in Poland have failed.
The IPCC report on the impacts of a temperature rise of 1.5C, had a
significant impact when it was launched last October.
Scientists and many delegates in Poland were shocked as the US, Saudi
Arabia, Russia and Kuwait objected to this meeting "welcoming" the report.
It was the 2015 climate conference that had commissioned the landmark study.
The report said that the world is now completely off track, heading more
towards 3C this century rather than 1.5C.
Keeping to the preferred target would need "rapid, far-reaching and
unprecedented changes in all aspects of society". If warming was to be
kept to 1.5C this century, then emissions of carbon dioxide would have
to be reduced by 45% by 2030.
The report, launched in Incheon in South Korea, had an immediate impact
winning praise from politicians all over the world.
But negotiators here ran into serious trouble when Saudi Arabia, the US,
Russia and Kuwait objected to the conference "welcoming" the document.
Instead they wanted to support a much more lukewarm phrase, that the
conference would "take note" of the report.
Saudi Arabia had fought until the last minute in Korea to limit the
conclusions of the document. Eventually they gave in. But it now seems
that they have brought their objections to Poland.
The dispute dragged on as huddles of negotiators met in corners of the
plenary session here, trying to agree a compromise wording.
None was forthcoming.
With no consensus, under UN rules the passage of text had to be dropped.
Many countries expressed frustration and disappointment at the outcome.
"It's not about one word or another, it is us being in a position to
welcome a report we commissioned in the first place," said Ruenna Haynes
from St Kitts and Nevis.
"If there is anything ludicrous about the discussion it's that we can't
welcome the report," she said to spontaneous applause.
Scientists and campaigners were also extremely disappointed by the outcome.
"We are really angry and find it atrocious that some countries dismiss
the messages and the consequences that we are facing, by not accepting
what is unequivocal and not acting upon it," said Yamide Dagnet from the
World Resources Institute, and a former climate negotiator for the UK.
Others noted that Saudi Arabia and the US had supported the report when
it was launched in October. It appears that the Saudis and the US
baulked at the political implications of the UN body putting the IPCC
report at its heart.
"Climate science is not a political football," said Camilla Born, from
climate think tank E3G.
"All the worlds governments - Saudi included - agreed the 1.5C report
and we deserve the truth. Saudi can't argue with physics, the climate
will keep on changing."
Many delegates are now hoping that ministers, who arrive on Monday, will
try and revive efforts to put this key report at the heart of the
conference.
"We hope that the rest of the world will rally and we get a decisive
response to the report," said Yamide Dagnet.
"I sincerely hope that all countries will fight that we don't leave
COP24 having missed a moment of history."
https://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-46496967
[The answers are here]
*How to survive climate change: six easy steps
<https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/12/08/how-survive-climate-change-six-easy-steps/5hiVT7b2FUMIqWeG2BOfvI/story.html>*
By Yvonne Abraham GLOBE COLUMNIST - DECEMBER 08, 2018
Happy holidays, we're all doomed!
Scientists keep telling us that climate change could devastate our
environment, economy, and health by the end of this century. And we're
doing less than nothing about it. Our government -- led by a
know-nothing who thinks global warming is a hoax because Thanksgiving
was cold -- has let fossil fuel foxes make henhouse policy, dismantled
already weak environmental regs, and opened up millions of acres of
pristine public land for drilling.
Even before this, it was going to take a miracle to pull us back from
the brink. Now, the worst-case scenario seems just about inevitable.
But I'm here to help, friends. Here are a few easy steps you can take to
protect yourself from climate change, since your leaders won't.
*Relocate immediately.*
If you live by the ocean, find some sucker to buy your house.
According to a report by 13 federal agencies released over
Thanksgiving, sea level rise and more extreme weather events
threaten $1 trillion in coastal property, especially on the Atlantic
and Gulf coasts -- 2.4 million homes deluged by 2100, by one
estimate, 89,000 of them in Massachusetts. And while we're at it,
you might want to get out of places that are increasingly prone to
wildfires, hurricanes, droughts, and weather-compromised water
supplies, too. Sorry, all of Hawaii, it's not looking good for you.
And if you happen to be reading this in a poor, unstable, low-lying,
or dry country where a chunk of your population depends on the land
for survival -- that's you, Chad, Bangladesh, Niger, Tuvalu, and the
Maldives, among others -- find another country to call home. Not
this one. The know-nothing says no.
*Change jobs.*
For many of you, it's time to find another line of work. The federal
report estimate annual losses of as much as two billion labor hours
-- $160 billion in lost wages -- by 2090 if we don't get a handle on
temperature extremes. Farming will be misery: More droughts,
soil-compromising storms, and longer growing seasons mean yields
could fall to 1980s levels by the middle of this century. The
fishing industry will feel pain in Hawaii and the Gulf of Mexico, as
will the tourism industry in the Southeast. And the ski industry?
Ha! So go do something else, OK?
*Be rich.*
How else are you going to get through this? Moving to New Zealand is
expensive, after all. And if you stay here, more extreme weather,
damaged infrastructure, and broken supply chains will make just
about everything, including food, more expensive. The November
report warns that climate change could knock 10 percent off the size
of the American economy, so you're going to need a nice big cushion
to ease the pain. And if you can't be rich, make sure you're not
old, a child, black, brown or an indigenous person, all of whom are
more likely to be hurt by the coming disaster. Act now!
*Reduce your need for clean water and air.*
More flooding, saltwater contamination, and shrinking snowpacks
could compromise water supplies in the Southwest, Hawaii, and Puerto
Rico. The Midwest is also at risk. So it would be best if you didn't
depend on water quite as much. And air -- do you really need so
much? The federal report says more than 100 million people in the
United States already breathe unhealthy air. It's only going to get
worse.
*Don't get attached to each other.*
In a warmer world, more of us are going to die of heat-related
causes. The report says there could be as many as 2,300 more
premature deaths a year by 2090 in the Northeast alone. Globally,
climate change is expected to cause about 250,000 extra deaths per
year between 2030 and 2050 from malnutrition, malaria, diarrhea, and
heat stress, according to the World Health Organization. Rising
temperatures also mean more exposure to insects that transmit
diseases, especially in the Southeast. Stock up on nets and
repellent along with your boats, folks.
*Avoid having children and grandchildren.*
That way, you'll never have to explain to them how you let this happen.
Globe columnist Yvonne Abraham can be reached at
yvonne.abraham at globe.com and on Twitter @GlobeAbraham
https://www.bostonglobe.com/metro/2018/12/08/how-survive-climate-change-six-easy-steps/5hiVT7b2FUMIqWeG2BOfvI/story.html
[prognostication]
*Climate Change Is Likely to Come Sooner and Be Worse Than Latest
Worst-Case Forecasts Suggest
<https://www.commondreams.org/views/2018/12/08/climate-change-likely-come-sooner-and-be-worse-latest-worst-case-forecasts-suggest>*
We have no time to act--that's why a Green New Deal is absolutely necessary
by John Atcheson
The news on climate change has been pretty grim lately, but the fact is,
it's possible--even likely--to be far worse than the already sobering
news in the latest reports.
Our carbon budgets are likely smaller than we thought, not larger, and
the time left before we exceed 1.5C much shorter than we forecast.
Now, this is going to get a bit wonky, but hang in there--the future
viability of the life support system you rely on may be at stake.
First, let's review the headlines from the recent reports, and then
examine why warming is likely to be much worse, and come much sooner
than even these grim reports suggest.
The recent IPCC report told us that even a temperature increase of 1.5C
could be devastating and that we have very little time to act to avoid
it. The Fourth National Assessment told us the U.S. is already
experiencing the adverse effects of climate change and that flooding,
droughts, fires, and disease would only get worse before it gets better,
even if we act immediately.
A recent report in Science conclusively linked the greatest extinction
event in geologic history to releases of greenhouse gases from unusually
intense volcanic activity--something humans are reproducing at a faster
rate today (I wrote about this link back in 2004 in an op-ed for the
Baltimore Sun).
Finally, the Global Carbon Project reported that carbon emissions are
expected to reach 37.1 billion tons in 2018--an all time high. So as the
world gathers to talk about how to implement the Paris agreement at COP
24, we are falling further behind in meeting even its woefully
inadequate commitments that will hold warming to 3.5C, and possibly more.
Pretty scary.
But the bad news is, buried in the IPCC report is an assumption that we
actually have a larger carbon budget than we thought, and that means we
can emit more carbon than we thought before triggering adverse impacts.
It's very likely that this is flat-out wrong. Here's why.
The explanation for this assumption and why it is dangerously wrong is
complicated, but essentially, it's based on the fact that according to
historical data, Earth System Models underestimated past emissions by
about 280 Gt of CO2, which means that warming is less responsive to
emissions than we thought, and therefore we have a larger carbon budget
and more time than we thought (see the carbon brief here for a thorough
explanation).
There are several problems with expanding the carbon budget, however.
For starters, the carbon budget numbers the IPCC uses in their forecasts
assume only a 66 percent chance that the budget will keep us below 1.5C.
In reality, 34 percent of the modeled forecasts using the supposedly
acceptable carbon budget numbers result in warming in excess of 1.5C.
This is, as I have said before, a margin of safety we wouldn't accept
for a toaster oven, let alone our planet.
But the main problem involves using data from the recent past to
forecast the future. When it comes to climate change, the past is not
prologue. In fact, in the future, the climate is likely to be more
sensitive to a given amount of emissions, not less, because carbon sinks
have been compromised. This makes a big difference. For example, the new
assumptions in the IPCC report suggest we have about ten years of
current emissions remaining before we warm by 1.5C; under the old ones,
we only had three years. But since the sinks are eroding, the expanded
carbon budget used in the IPCC's report isn't warranted.
There's ample evidence suggesting that the carbon sinks are getting
compromised. For example, there was a great deal of celebration about
the fact that human emissions of carbon had flat-lined between 2014 and
2017, but the dirty little secret is that even though emissions held
steady, atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide continued to go
up--indeed, they went up faster than in previous years. In both 2015 and
2016 the atmospheric concentrations went up by 3 parts per million (ppm)
which was double the rate of increase between 1990 and 2000.
Many scientists attributed this to the intense El Nino occurring at that
time. During El Nino periods, the sinks--natural systems which absorb
carbon--are not as effective.
But there is increasing evidence that the sinks are becoming permanently
compromised, which means that a higher proportion of the carbon we emit
will stay in the atmosphere. In fact, even before the El Nino, research
was showing that carbon sinks were becoming less effective at removing
carbon from the atmosphere.
The bottom line is that we have no time to act, if we want to have a
reasonable chance of avoiding devastating and catastrophic climate
change. That's why a Green New Deal is absolutely necessary.
This means that in the future, more of the carbon emitted by humans will
remain in the atmosphere--the exact opposite of what the adjusted
numbers in the latest IPCC report assume. It also means that even if we
do manage to cut carbon emissions in the very near term, we may not have
an equivalent cut in atmospheric concentrations, which means warming
could continue to go up despite our cuts.
Another factor that is likely to make climate change happen faster than
our forecasts suggest is the rapid increase in methane concentrations
we've been observing for the last ten years. Methane is about 28 times
as strong a greenhouse gas as carbon dioxide over the long term. Isotope
data suggests that the bulk of the increase is not due to fossil fuels,
and there has been an observed increase in releases of methane from
natural sources such as peat, melting permafrost, and clathrates which
hold enormous stores of methane.
So, 1) a higher proportion of the carbon we release is likely to stay in
the atmosphere, and 2) massive natural stores of methane and carbon are
beginning to be released into the atmosphere in addition to the human
emissions. This means our carbon budgets are likely smaller than we
thought, not larger, and the time left before we exceed 1.5C much
shorter than we forecast.
The bottom line is that we have no time to act, if we want to have a
reasonable chance of avoiding devastating and catastrophic climate
change. That's why a Green New Deal is absolutely necessary. Nothing
short of a World War II-style mobilization will enable us to escape a
devastating global meltdown.
John Atcheson is author of the novel, A Being Darkly Wise, and he has
just completed a book on the 2016 elections titled, WTF, America? How
the US Went Off the Rails and How to Get It Back On Track, available
from Amazon. Follow him on Twitter @john_atcheson
https://www.commondreams.org/views/2018/12/08/climate-change-likely-come-sooner-and-be-worse-latest-worst-case-forecasts-suggest
[Bernie rants about global warming]
*Bernie Sanders, "Where We Go From Here"
<https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Q_3qPWlX2s&feature=youtu.be&t=3839>*
https://youtu.be/7Q_3qPWlX2s?t=3839
[NYTime$]
*U.S.-China Friction Threatens to Undercut the Fight Against Climate
Change
<https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/07/climate/us-china-climate-change.html>*
Somini Sengupta - Dec. 7, 2018
They have the largest carbon footprints. Also the largest economies.
Now, as diplomats meet in Poland for high-stakes climate negotiations, a
pitched standoff between the United States and China threatens to slow
global action on climate change precisely at a time when the risks of
catastrophe are accelerating.
The tensions between Washington and Beijing range from trade to
cybersecurity to military rivalry in the Pacific. And while some of
those issues have simmered for years, cooperation in the fight against
climate change had once been a bright spot, so much so that it propelled
the creation of the landmark global agreement in Paris in 2015 to curb
greenhouse gas emissions...
- - -
"The biggest threats to the planet are the lack of U.S. climate
leadership at home and the unwillingness of the U.S. to engage with
China," said Joanna Lewis, a China specialist at Georgetown University.
"The rest of the world looks to the U.S. and China for leadership, and
it has become clear that, as the alliance has waned, global momentum to
address climate change has slowed."
Taken together, the emissions produced by the United States and China
account for more than 40 percent of the global total. In both countries,
emissions went up this year, according to an analysis issued this week
by the Global Carbon Project in which one scientist likened the
acceleration of global emissions to "a speeding freight train."...
- - -
It's hard to imagine a worse time for the world's two behemoths -- the
United States, traditionally representing the rich world in climate
negotiations, and China, representing the developing countries -- to be
locked in a cycle of intense distrust at the highest levels.
"The U.S.-China climate honeymoon is definitely over. That much is very
clear," said Li Shuo, a senior policy adviser for Greenpeace Asia, based
in Beijing. "The U.S. is asking a lot but there's nothing that the U.S.
can give. That's the fundamental challenge."...
- - -
And third, perhaps most importantly, the test for China is whether, in
the face of an American retreat, it will ramp up its ambition to cut
emissions in the coming years.
The consequences for the world's 7.6 billion people are enormous.
"It takes the pressure off of greater ambition and faster action," said
Alex Wang, a University of California Los Angeles law professor who
follows China's environmental policy, of the United States-China
tensions. "If you're coming from the perspective that we're already way
behind, then the current dynamic is bad."
https://www.nytimes.com/2018/12/07/climate/us-china-climate-change.html
[Cli-Migrant]
*Migration: A form of climate change adaptation?
<https://news.globallandscapesforum.org/30631/migration-a-form-of-climate-change-adaptation/>*
The concept of 'migration as adaptation' is gaining support as climate
change intensifies. It was reflected, for instance, in the landmark
Global Compact on Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration – the first
high-level intergovernmental agreement to address migration
comprehensively – which encourages member states to enhance the
availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration,
including in response to environmental degradation and the adverse
impacts of climate change...
- -
Social protection programs should also become portable and responsive to
changes in human mobility. Migrants can contribute more to their
surrounds if they feel secure in their rights; enjoy economic and
political freedoms; and have access to educational, health and financial
services. With the right social assistance, migration can bring broader
societal benefits.
MIGRATION AS DEVELOPMENT
If handled well, migration can potentially help the development and
resilience of climate-vulnerable communities in major ways. Migration
circulates new skills, innovations and resources, and in turn, these
assets can be invested in climate adaptation.
- -
Underpinning the Compact as a whole is the notion that these negative
perceptions need to change. People will move more and more as the
effects of climate change escalate, and both their wellbeing and the
interests of broader society will be better served if governments plan
ahead, act early and coordinate these movements.
Avoiding the challenges of displacement can serve – rather than
undermine – adaptation.
https://news.globallandscapesforum.org/30631/migration-a-form-of-climate-change-adaptation/
https://refugeesmigrants.un.org/sites/default/files/180711_final_draft_0.pdf
*GLOBAL COMPACT FOR SAFE, ORDERLY AND REGULAR MIGRATION*
FINAL DRAFT - 11 July 2018
Objectives for Safe, Orderly and Regular Migration
(1) Collect and utilize accurate and disaggregated data as a basis for
evidence-based policies
(2) Minimize the adverse drivers and structural factors that compel
people to leave their country of origin
(3) Provide accurate and timely information at all stages of migration
(4) Ensure that all migrants have proof of legal identity and adequate
documentation
(5) Enhance availability and flexibility of pathways for regular migration
(6) Facilitate fair and ethical recruitment and safeguard conditions
that ensure decent work
(7) Address and reduce vulnerabilities in migration
(8) Save lives and establish coordinated international efforts on
missing migrants
(9) Strengthen the transnational response to smuggling of migrants
(10) Prevent, combat and eradicate trafficking in persons in the context
of international migration
(11) Manage borders in an integrated, secure and coordinated manner
(12) Strengthen certainty and predictability in migration procedures for
appropriate screening, assessment and referral
(13) Use migration detention only as a measure of last resort and work
towards alternatives
(14) Enhance consular protection, assistance and cooperation throughout
the migration cycle
(15) Provide access to basic services for migrants
(16) Empower migrants and societies to realize full inclusion and social
cohesion
(17) Eliminate all forms of discrimination and promote evidence-based
public discourse to shape perceptions of migration
(18) Invest in skills development and facilitate mutual recognition of
skills, qualifications and competences
(19) Create conditions for migrants and diasporas to fully contribute to
sustainable development in all countries
(20) Promote faster, safer and cheaper transfer of remittances and
foster financial inclusion of migrants
(21) Cooperate in facilitating safe and dignified return and
readmission, as well as sustainable reintegration
(22) Establish mechanisms for the portability of social security
entitlements and earned benefits
(23) Strengthen international cooperation and global partnerships for
safe, orderly and regular migration
https://refugeesmigrants.un.org/sites/default/files/180711_final_draft_0.pdf
[danger warning]
*'Complete Wiping Away of Clean Water Act': Trump EPA Rule Would Free
Corporations to Pollute Nation's Water as Much as They Please
<https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/12/07/complete-wiping-away-clean-water-act-trump-epa-rule-would-free-corporations-pollute>*
by Jake Johnson, staff writer
"As a result of the change, an estimated 60-90 percent of U.S. waterways
could lose federal protections that currently shield them from pollution
and development."
In a move environmentalists are warning will seriously endanger drinking
water and wildlife nationwide, President Donald Trump's Environmental
Protection Agency (EPA) is reportedly gearing up to hand yet another
gift to big polluters by drastically curtailing the number of waterways
and wetlands protected under the Clean Water Act.
- -
"The rollback will take us backward," Estrin warned of the EPA's
proposed rule. "And most people don't remember just how bad that was."
https://www.commondreams.org/news/2018/12/07/complete-wiping-away-clean-water-act-trump-epa-rule-would-free-corporations-pollute
[from DeSmogBlog]*
**Kochs Fund Study to Kill Electric Vehicle Tax Credit Via Same Group
That Defended Tobacco Industry
<https://www.desmogblog.com/2018/12/06/koch-commissioned-nera-study-aims-kill-electric-vehicle-tax-credit?utm_source=dsb%20newsletter>*
By Ben Jervey
When Koch Industries needs a study to cast doubt on the benefits of
electric vehicles (EVs), where does it turn?
Unsurprisingly, to an industry-funded study mill that infamously
produced a key report defending the tobacco industry that was deployed
by Philip Morris in the 1990s, and which has since published studies
commissioned by the liquefied natural gas (LNG) industry, the coal
industry, and the U.S. Chamber of Commerce.
As Congress debates whether to extend, end, or leave alone the federal
EV tax credit, a study critical of the incentive has been making the
rounds in conservative media outlets and Koch-affiliated free market
advocacy groups. Read more at -
https://www.desmogblog.com/2018/12/06/koch-commissioned-nera-study-aims-kill-electric-vehicle-tax-credit?utm_source=dsb%20newsletter
[campaign Bernie]
*Bernie Sanders Stakes Out Forceful Climate Stance, Leapfrogging The
2020 Field*
The 2016 presidential race largely ignored climate change. The Vermont
senator is banking on that no longer being possible.
By Alexander C. Kaufman
"This is going to be the Great Society, the moon shot, the civil rights
movement of our generation," she said. "That is the scale of the
ambition that this movement is going to require."
https://www.huffingtonpost.com/entry/bernie-sanders-climate-change-2020-election_us_5c05a321e4b066b5cfa4c686
[Spiritual]
*Exploring the Dharmic Way to Think About Climate Change
<https://thewire.in/religion/exploring-the-dharmic-way-to-think-about-climate-change>*
Dharma is the fabric of a healthy, sane, sustaining and nurturing ecology.
Christopher L. Fici - 04/DEC/2018
What is the dharmic response to the emerging presence of planetary
climate change? How do Hindus, in the creative complexity of how they
value, define, express and practice dharma, approach the Age of Climate
Crisis? Within the academic, activist and other cultural realms, where
the challenges of the climate crisis are being confronted, there is
tremendous potential for Hindus worldwide, in their scholarship,
practice and culture, to provide dharmic pathways forward as we face
this unprecedented challenge. There is now a clear calling in the global
Hindu diaspora to practice and express dharma as eco-dharma, dharma for
Earth.
At the 2018 Parliament of the World's Religions, from November 1-7,
2018, in Toronto, Ontario, a roundtable of leading Hindu scholars and
practitioners launched The Hinduism and Ecology Society. The launch of
the Hinduism and Ecology Society at the Parliament focused on the theme
of "Hindu Eco-Dharma for the Age of Climate Change."
The Hinduism and Ecology Society builds upon the work of foundational
scholars in the field to provide rich, fertile soil for the study and
practice of Hinduism in an ecological vein as we enter into the climatic
challenges and opportunities of the 21st century.
Values and practices for ecological well-being are always already
inherent within Hindu communities practicing the arts of dharma. We can
understand dharma as the ecology of well-being which emerges organically
from devotional relationship with all elements and creatures of
creation. The Indian environmental scholar O.P Dwivedi writes that
dharma "can be considered an ethos, a set of duties, that holds the
social and moral fabric together…giving rise to harmony and
understanding in our relationships with all of God's creation."
Dharma is inherently eco-dharma. Dharma is the fabric of a healthy,
sane, sustaining and nurturing ecology. In the seventh chapter of the
Bhagavad-Gita, Krishna tells Arjuna that he is vasudevah sarvam, the
supreme divine energy and presence which resides in each element of
creation. Krishna is the original fragrance of Earth, the heat in fire,
the original seed of all existence, and the very life of all that lives.
All earthly creatures are vasudhaiva kutumbakam, the family of Mother
Earth. Mother Earth, as a most sacred being herself, is offered prayers,
like the Prthvi Sukta, as the embodiment of dharma.
"O Mother Earth!…Be kind to us and bestow upon us happiness. May you be
fertile, arable, and nourisher of all. May you continue supporting
people of all races and nations."
To practice eco-dharma is to understand and experience the immanence of
divine presence within Earthly creation. "We have to look for the
immanental, for the divine that is within us, the divine that is right
here and right now," Rita D. Sherma said in the Hinduism and Ecology
Society roundtable at the Parliament. Sakti traditions and Goddess
traditions within Hinduism, Indic traditions and other global religious
traditions, Sherma adds, teach that divinity "unfolds itself within
creation to become self-aware." Our lack of awareness of divine presence
and energy within earthly creation is a spiritual crisis which leads
directly to climate crisis. If we do not experience the very sacredness
of Earth in our everyday lives, then our understanding of dharma is
incomplete. The rites, rituals and teachings of dharma depend on earthly
and earthy sacredness. Devotion to Earth is an essential aspect of dharma.
The practice of eco-dharma is about the essence of bhava, of relating
with the pervasive, immanent divine presence in earthly creation. "Love
and devotion is a noun and a verb," David Haberman said. "Personal
relationship, in love and devotion, in action, can become concrete
levers of change." Haberman shared an example from his work on the
Yamuna River of a young worshipper of the Yamuna who learned to
appreciate the divinity inherent in Yamuna through his approach of
loving worship. Yamuna then "revealed herself to him. The more she
revealed herself, the more he was inspired to worship her. This is the
circle of love which comes out of concrete actions, which provide a very
solid basis for ecological concern and action, for the expansion of our
compassion." The circle of devotion at the heart of eco-dharma is where
the dance of dharma and justice takes place. Communities like the
Govardhan Eco-Village are practicing eco-dharma as environmental
justice, as their rural empowerment programmes connect economic and
ecological flourishing for their neighbouring communities in Maharashtra.
As the intense, unprecedented challenges of the climate crisis continue
to emerge, the practice of dharma as eco-dharma commits all Hindus to a
renewed sense of devotional courage, concern and active compassion for
the flourishing of all living beings, especially those who are most
vulnerable. The experience of dharma is an experience of the sacredness
of all life, of each and every creature, each and every element of
creation. It is within this earthly sacredness, where eco-dharma is
found, which can give hope even in this seemingly hopeless hour.
The Hinduism and Ecology Society will be an intentionally international
community to foster and encourage the diverse creativity of Hindu
scholarship and to encourage collegial fellowship between Indian Hindu
and non-Indian Hindu scholar/practitioners. For more information and how
to get involved, please contact Christopher L. Fici at clf2138 at utsnyc.edu.
Christopher Fici is the Director of The Hinduism and Ecology Society and
a doctoral candidate in religion and ecology at Union Theological
Seminary, New York.
https://thewire.in/religion/exploring-the-dharmic-way-to-think-about-climate-change
[Money, money]
*That green study you shared may have been funded by fossil fuels*
By Paola Rosa-Aquino - Dec 6, 2018
The Wellcome Trust, one of the world's wealthiest private
philanthropies, has funded multiple studies in the field of
environmental science. With $29.3 billion in assets, you'd think the
United Kingdom-based organization could even afford to take fossil fuel
companies to task for contributing to climate change…right? Wrong.
Though the Wellcome Trust touts itself as a philanthropy that supports
research to investigate "what makes cities healthy and environmentally
sustainable," its offshore investments tell a different story. According
to an investigation published today in Science, a significant chunk of
the Wellcome Trust's $1.2 billion handouts in recent years has come from
"companies that contribute to the same problems the philanthropy wants
to solve."
For example, the Trust funded a study on the sobering reality of air
pollution in Hong Kong that found elderly residents exposed to smog and
especially soot were more likely to die of cancer than people who
breathed cleaner air. Science found that some of the money that the
philanthropy used to fund the air pollution research was tied to Varo
Energy, a company that sells bunker fuel (an oil refining residue that
is a major source of soot pollution) to shipping firms. These
particulates billow from ship stacks and can have deadly outcomes, such
as those found by the Wellcome Trust-funded study. Researchers estimate
soot pollution contributes to the premature deaths of 250,000 people
annually.
- - -
"Given the urgency and the severity of the climate crisis, it's really
important that foundations pay attention," Lanza told Grist. "They have
a moral imperative to align their investment strategy around climate
risk and sustainability outcomes, given where we're at right now."
https://grist.org/article/that-green-study-you-shared-may-have-been-funded-by-fossil-fuels/
[Control engineers ]
*Movement toward limiting greenhouse gas emissions gaining momentum
<https://www.controlglobal.com/articles/2018/movement-toward-limiting-greenhouse-gas-emissions-gaining-momentum/>*
Pity the fool who tries to defy the laws of physics and economics.
By Paul Studebaker
Nov 20, 2018
My wife wants grandchildren, and becomes aggravated when I tell my sons
I think they might not want to have kids of their own. It comes up when
we talk about smart phones, social media, self-driving cars, politics,
global population and of course, the environment.
I expect people will figure out how to fend off the worst and survive,
as we always have, but it's easy to have doubts when so many die taking
selfies, eating detergent, driving themselves insane, shooting others,
starving, drowning, etc. The human condition has always been out there;
now it always seems to be happening right in my face.
One thing we'd rather not face is the recent U.N. report on climate
change, which points out that we're on track to warm the planet 2.7 F
over pre-industrial levels by 2040. At that temperature, we should
expect hotter and longer summer heat waves, more common and intense
droughts, and more frequent and extreme rain events like hurricanes
Harvey and Florence.
To mitigate that temperature rise, greenhouse gas emissions will have to
be decreased 45% from 2010 levels by 2030, and eliminated entirely by
2050. Not likely at the rate we're going, eh? Because nobody's willing
to make any sacrifices or pay anything at all to do it. Like they are
with the burgeoning U.S. national debt, the kids are on their own.
But not entirely on their own. Apparently, the movement toward limiting
greenhouse gas emissions has gained some momentum, according to a
consortium of research organizations that have tracked each nation's
progress since 2009. Climate Action Tracker says the U.S. continues to
reduce its carbon emissions thanks to surprising increases in renewables
and record drops in fossil-fuel use, and is on track to reduce its
emissions 11-13% below 2005 levels by 2025.
"In 2017, fossil fuel-fired electricity generation experienced its
steepest year-on-year decline since the 2008 financial crisis as wind
and solar reached record shares in the electricity mix, and 6.3 GW of
coal-fired capacity was shut down," the consortium reported.
Even where I live in the rather red state of Indiana, coal plants are
being shuttered, and not by climate-change regulation, but by economics.
My utility, NIPSCO, announced its plans to stop burning coal to provide
electricity, and to replace most of that capacity with renewable energy.
NIPSCO will close its two remaining coal-fired generating plants by
2028. The NIPSCO spokesperson, said renewable energy sources including
wind, solar and battery storage technology have become less expensive
than coal to produce electricity.
Retiring the approximate 1,800 MW of coal-fired generation will
significantly accelerate carbon reductions across the NIPSCO footprint
and will result in further reductions, both in timing and magnitude,
beyond previously announced targets, according to a NIPSCO press release.
"Technology and market changes continue to transform the energy
industry, opening more competitive options and it's the primary driver
of the changes being considered for our system," said NIPSCO president
Violet Sistovaris. "Retiring our aging coal fleet sooner will cost
substantially less compared to our original plans for extending
retirements over a longer duration."
I like to think that's partly because I pay NIPSCO a few extra dollars a
month to promise that my portion came from renewable sources. I'm not
the only person I know who does that, and I think it makes a difference.
It helps that Indiana is a great place to put windmills.
As my sons remind me whenever I hate on how smart phones are making
everyone stooped and stupid, technology transforms civilizations and
there's not much point in fighting it.
Like war, pestilence and famine, technology destroys the weak and
unfortunate, and defines the next version of humanity. Who am I to say
my grandchildren wouldn't want to be part of that?
Paul Studebaker is chief editor of Control. He earned a master's degree
in metallurgical engineering and gathered 12 years experience in
manufacturing before becoming an award-winning writer and editor for
publications including Control and Plant Services. Paul can be contacted
at pstudebaker at putman.net.
https://www.controlglobal.com/articles/2018/movement-toward-limiting-greenhouse-gas-emissions-gaining-momentum/
[no surprise]
*The Best Technology for Fighting Climate Change Isn't a Technology*
Forests are the most powerful and efficient carbon-capture system on the
planet
https://blogs.scientificamerican.com/observations/the-best-technology-for-fighting-climate-change-isnt-a-technology/
[$ubscription]
*Royal Dutch Shell tries to reckon with climate change*
The oil major is the first in its industry to tie bosses' pay to emissions
https://www.economist.com/business/2018/12/08/royal-dutch-shell-tries-to-reckon-with-climate-change
[frank conversation]
*Peter Wadhams on Our Last Ditch Hope*
Published on Nov 8, 2018
Welcome to http://ScientistsWarning.TV where Peter Wadhams and I discuss
the grave threats to human survival, from Trump's pernicious attack on
Nature, to the Paris Agreement mightily kicking the can down the road.
And Peter discusses what he considers our last ditch hope.
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=8Wsmyng2HIo
*This Day in Climate History - December 9, 2009
<http://youtu.be/R8rZ7YXHHfk> - from D.R. Tucker*
December 9, 2009:
On MSNBC's "Countdown," Chris Hayes strongly criticizes the Washington
Post for running an article by Sarah Palin peddling climate-denial
conspiracy theories.
http://youtu.be/R8rZ7YXHHfk
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