As wildfires rage in U.S. West, scientists predict worse blazes to come – ‘Consistent disruption of current fire patterns for over half the planet’

By Nathanael Massey and ClimateWire14 June 2012 When lightning struck Saturday in the foothills of the Colorado Rockies, 15 miles northwest of Fort Collins, conditions could hardly have been better for the wildfire that ensued. A dry winter and warm spring had left Roosevelt National Forest tinder dry, and strong, erratic winds whipping up from […]

Lloyd’s details ‘growing impact of climate change’ as U.N. meets

25 June 2012 (Insurance Journal) – Lloyd’s has published a roundup of the environmental issues inherent in as the world grows warmer. The recently concluded Rio +20 Conference was an attempt – 20 years after the first conference – “to try to reach agreement on sustainable growth, controlling world emissions and managing the growing impact […]

Indonesia rainforest burning covers Southeast Asia in haze

By LIZ GOOCH23 June 2012 KUALA LUMPUR, Malaysia – For much of the year, the Petronas Towers, the world’s tallest twin buildings, are gleaming landmarks visible far from the city center here. But last weekend, the 88-story structures were shrouded in a smoky haze that prompted doctors to warn people with respiratory problems to wear […]

Plunge in coal-plant asset values threatens billions in spending on pollution controls

By Julie Johnsson24 June 2012 The coal-fired power industry in the U.S. is facing the biggest plunge in asset values in a decade, risking billions of dollars in pollution-control spending by utilities such as Exelon Corp. (EXC) and American Electric Power Co. (AEP) An indication of how much new emissions rules and cheaper natural gas […]

Scientists warn U.S. east coast over accelerated sea level rise

By Damian Carrington, www.guardian.co.uk24 June 2012 Sea level rise is accelerating three to four times faster along the densely populated east coast of the US than other US coasts, scientists have discovered. The zone, dubbed a “hotspot” by the researchers, means the ocean from Boston to New York to North Carolina is set to experience […]

45,000 people protest against Ooi nuclear plant restart in front of PM official residence in Tokyo

By arevamirpal::laprimavera 22 June 2012 (UPDATE) Video of TV Asahi program reporting the protest in the latest post. ========================================= Well well. People in Japan did it the old-fashion way to attract media attention (not that they did it to attract attention, but…). Every single media in Japan ignored the protest on June 15 with 11,000 […]

Chinese data mask depth of slowdown, executives say – Millions of tons of coal piling up in ports

By KEITH BRADSHER22 June 2012 HONG KONG – As the Chinese economy continues to sputter, prominent corporate executives in China and Western economists say there is evidence that local and provincial officials are falsifying economic statistics to disguise the true depth of the troubles. Record-setting mountains of excess coal have accumulated at the country’s biggest […]

Duluth ‘mega flood’ sets new records

By Paul Huttner21 June 2012 10.10″ – Highest observed rainfall total (Reported by an NWS employee 4 mi NE of Duluth) 7.24″ – Preliminary storm total at Duluth NWS office(Likely the all time greatest 24 hour rainfall total on record for Duluth) 5.79″ – Previous all time 24 hour rainfall record in Duluth (August 22 […]

U.S. families’ wealth dives 39 percent in 3 years – Wealthiest gain 2 percent – ‘We were in free fall’

By Tim Mullaney, USA TODAY12 June 2012 The median U.S. household lost nearly 39% of its wealth from 2007 to 2010, the Federal Reserve said Monday, emphasizing anew the impact of the financial crisis and the recession on ordinary Americans. [“Changes in U.S. Family Finances from 2007 to 2010: Evidence from the Survey of Consumer […]

Graph of the Day: Natural Catastrophes Worldwide, 1980-2010

Climate change is already affecting extreme weather. The National Academy of Sciences reports that rain has become concentrated in heavier downpours and the hottest days are now hotter. And the fingerprint of global warming behind these changes has been firmly identified. In the strictest sense, all weather events are now affected by climate change because […]

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