Remember the ozone hole? Have we learned anything? 7th May 2010
 

The scientist responsible for leading the team which discovered the ozone hole over Antarctica in 1985 has spoken out about the lack of co-ordinated effort to tackle global warming.

When Dr Farman's team at the British Antarctic Survey reported the ozone hole in 1985, it highlighted the earth's fragility and catalysed the environmental movement into action.

In an interview with the BBC on the 25th anniversary of the reporting of the ozone hole, Dr Joe Farman said the environment was still being damaged in many ways.

Dr Farman was particularly critical of politicians who he claimed had failed to show leadership on combating climate change, saying it was "damned stupid" to keep increasing carbon emissions when we know it is a warming gas.

But, in a nod to climate sceptics, he also blamed the scientific establishment for failing to take specific criticisms of detailed climate science seriously enough.

As with the relationship between carbon emissions and warming, it was found that the ozone layer was being stripped away by chemicals known as chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs), which were mostly used in aerosols and refrigerators. Although resisted at the time by some manufacturers, the making of ozone-depleting chemicals was controlled within two years under the Montreal Protocol.

Dr Farman says that governments have failed to learn the lesson that they need to move swiftly and act decisively on global threats to the environment. "You ought to be able to convince people it's a damned stupid thing to increase CO2 - clearly that must trap more energy," he says.

Is carbon offsetting a con? 26th April 2010
Every time we turn on the central heating, cook a meal, take a trip by car or aeroplane then carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases are emitted into the atmosphere.

Carbon offsetting involves paying someone else to reduce these emissions by the same amount; thereby counterbalancing the two.

This process has become the subject of much debate. Some have argued that it is dangerous because it suggests that we can somehow buy our way out of climate change. It has also been argued that it doesn’t encourage people to change their behaviour. Others claim that carbon offset schemes are dubious and unaccountable.

Clearly, it is an area that has caused controversy and cynicism. Our view is that true carbon reduction efforts should always come first, but that when emissions are unavoidable then they should be offset through clear, unambiguous programmes that genuinely help the environment.

One good example of a genuine scheme we came across is from Climatesure, who offer carbon offsetting with their insurance policies. One of their projects is restoring rainforests in Uganda, funding part of a forest restoration programme in the Kibale National Park in Uganda. The project aims to re-create a rainforest canopy by planting and managing 30 species of local trees. The area is an important wildlife habitat – with one of the highest number of primate species in the world - and the project provides employment for local communities. Each hectare of rainforest that is restored there is expected to absorb 400 tonnes of CO2.

Always be cautious when evaluating the claims of some companies to be carbon neutral and ensure that they are firstly reducing their own emissions and secondly investing in genuine programmes to help the environment.

Carbon footprint? What about water footprint? 23rd April 2010 

We have long argued that population growth is a much overlooked contributor to environmental damage and climate change. You can have all the carbon reduction measures in the world but they simply won’t be effective so long as the global population goes on increasing.

Rising populations are also making the world a thirsty planet. Conversations about carbon footprints are now turning towards water footprints. The reason? Growing populations require more food, and this can only be created from more water. The inevitable consequence is greater water scarcity.

Today, one-third of the world's population has to contend with water scarcity, and there are worrying signs that this proportion is set to increase rapidly. Some projections suggests that up to twice as much water will be required to provide enough food to eliminate hunger and feed the additional 2.5 billion people that are expected to join the current population.

Worse still, wealthier, urbanised populations tend to consumer a diet higher in meat, which is very water intensive. Given the escalating water demands, it seems unlikely that we will be able to provide water for producers to grow enough food and sustain a healthy environment.

The only solution is to learn how to live with less water by making much better use of what we have.

Disputed island 'vanishes' 31st March 2010

A tiny island claimed for years by India and Bangladesh in the Bay of Bengal has disappeared beneath the rising seas, scientists in India say. The uninhabited territory south of the Hariabhanga river was known as New Moore Island to the Indians and South Talpatti Island to the Bangladeshis. The irony is that the island was the subject of territorial dispute, involving the deployment of naval vessels at times.

"What these two countries could not achieve from years of talking, has been resolved by global warming," said Professor Sugata Hazra of the School of Oceanographic Studies at Jadavpur University in Calcutta.

Is it any wonder that people don’t trust politicians? 31st March 2010

It seems many politicians these days believe that they can act with total impunity. Its all the more galling when directories such as ours are trying to encourage more people to buy from sustainable and fair trade sources, yet at the same time being undermined by a combination of immorality and arrogance.

We recently wrote about some supermarkets refusing to label products they sell that contain palm oil, which is fuelling deforestation, methane release and wiping out large populations of orang-utans. Then we hear about Stephen Byers, the ex-Labour minister, telling an undercover reporter that for a large fee he can influence government policy on behalf of supermarkets, such as delaying and amending proposed food labelling regulation.

NASA study concludes that no cooling evident in past decade 31st March 2010

A comprehensive analysis of global air and sea temperatures by NASA climatologists shows that the planet has not experienced a cooling trend in the past decade and is continuing to warm at a rate of about .3 degrees F per decade. The NASA scientists, affiliated with the Goddard Institute for Space Studies, said the warming trend has continued despite the sun's irradiative power being at one of its lowest points in a century.

Heathrow third runway opponents win court challenge 31st March 2010

Meaning that the government will have to re-run the consultation on a third runway. This has given campaigners hope that Labour will now drop the policy. The Conservatives and Liberal Democrats have opposed a third runway but campaigners remain worried that if they form the new government they could change their minds under lobbying from interest groups.

Labour MP John McDonnell, who has led the campaign against the expansion of Heathrow for the last 30 years, said: "In essence this judgment means that the game is up for a third runway at Heathrow and I am calling upon the government to accept the inevitable and lift this threat to my community. What we need now is a sensible approach to developing a sustainable transport policy based upon high-speed rail."

Tar sands are among the world’s dirtiest fuels 31st March 2010

Their extraction produces on average three times the greenhouse gases of conventional oil. The associated pollution, deforestation and disturbance of wildlife also threaten the traditional livelihoods and well-being of indigenous communities.

If you are a pension holder it is highly likely that your pension provider has substantial shareholdings held on your behalf, either in Shell or other companies involved in tar sands developments. Friends of the Earth Europe and FairPensions have created an online action that will target Shell and BP shareholders directly. You can express your concerns to your pension provider or if you don't have a pension you can email one of Shell and BP's largest shareholders. Find out more and take action - www.foei.org/en/get-involved/take-action/take-action-on-tar-sands
 

China is the world’s worst polluter, right? 31st March 2010

Er, not quite. China overtook the US during 2009 to become the biggest investor in renewable energy technologies, according to a new analysis. Researchers with the Pew Charitable Trusts calculate that China invested $34.6bn (£23.2bn) in clean energy over the year, almost double the US figure. The UK emerges in third place among G20 nations, followed by Spain and Brazil. The most spectacular growth has come in South Korea, which saw installed capacity rise by 250% in five years.

"Even in the midst of a global recession, the clean energy market has experienced impressive growth," said Phyllis Cuttino, director of Pew's campaign on climate change. "They know that investing in clean energy can renew manufacturing bases, and create export opportunities, jobs and businesses."

Plastic accounted for 63% of litter found on UK beaches 31st March 2010

UK beaches are being ruined by an ever-accumulating tide of plastic litter, the Marine Conservation Society says. It said the amount of rubbish was 77% higher than in 1994 - its first annual survey - and the proportion of plastic volunteers found had never been higher.  A spokeswoman said the figures showed plastic makes up an increasing proportion of beach litter - now nearly two-thirds of the total.

"Plastic does not biodegrade but breaks down into small pieces that will last for hundreds if not thousands of years. In parts of our oceans there are now six times more plastic particles in the water than plankton," she added.