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Global warning: Australia and Asia predict climate cost of Trump's agenda – live | Global warning: Australia and Asia predict climate cost of Trump's agenda – live |
(35 minutes later) | |
4.50am GMT | |
04:50 | |
Elle Hunt | |
A reader, witness67, has suggested that a “generational solution” to climate change is to “stop breeding”. | |
Here's a generational solution: | |
Stop breeding. | |
But, as another commenter pointed out, that’s not necessarily the be-all and end-all. | |
That isn't as helpful as you think. The biggest polluters are in wealthier nations that have stagnant/stable birth rates. | |
Global population is forecast to climb steadily, reaching 8.5bn in 2030, 9.7bn in 2050 and 11.2bn in 2100 – but the overall rate has been falling since the 1970s, and demographics are shifting. | |
The number of births have peaked, or levelled off globally; the growth in population is due mostly to people living longer. | |
We looked beyond the top line projections in a data blog last year. | |
4.45am GMT | |
04:45 | |
Oliver Holmes | |
Here in Thailand, the south of the country has been experiencing unseasonably heavy rains, unusual for what should be the start of the dry season. | |
More than 25 people have died and close to a million people, or 360,000 households, have been affected, with homes submerged in water. At one hospital, 100 patients had to be evacuated on small boats after the building was hit by overflowing reservoirs. | |
A flash flood washed out a bridge on the country’s main north-south highway, backing up traffic for 200 km (125 miles). Footage on local television channels showed abandoned cars submerged in muddy water. | |
The railway link was also cut off and the Department Disaster Prevention and Mitigation said that the main airport in the southern province of Nakhon Si Thammarat would remain shut for the foreseeable future. | |
Thailand’s rainy season usually ends in November. This year, intense rain has fallen well into what should be the dry season. | |
There is debate among scientists on the reasons for the extreme weather we’re seeing in Thailand, with many pointing to the cyclical El Niño and La Niña patterns, in which oscillations in the temperatures between the atmosphere and the ocean create storms. | |
It’s hard to isolate the impact of global warming, but increasing temperatures will lead to longer, more intense droughts and increasingly devastating flooding. | |
Widespread floods in 2011 killed more than 900 people and caused major disruption to business, cutting economic growth that year in Thailand to just 0.1 %. | |
4.42am GMT | |
04:42 | |
Elle Hunt | |
We’ve heard quite a bit about Antarctica in the blog so far – both as a career-making site for scientists and a point of ongoing exploration. There’s good reason for that. | |
What happens in Antarctica affects us all, as this video of British Antarctic Survey’s activity at the Rothera Research Station on the western Antarctic peninsula goes to show. | |
In the future, this landscape could be almost barren; right now, it’s a living laboratory in which to study organisms being affected by climate change. | |
For a live look at Rothera station, check out BAS’ webcam. | |
4.41am GMT | |
04:41 | |
A few commenters have argued that Australia isn’t doing enough to protect the Great Barrier Reef. | |
"While the Queensland state government has said it’s doing all that it can to preserve the Great Barrier reef," | |
So that obviously includes approving and supporting the Adani coal mine? | |
So the Queensland Government assumes we are all idiots and can do such an idiotic thing then pretend 'they are doing all they can'. | |
Who needs Trump when we have Australia's politicians? | |
It’s also worth remembering that climate change is the biggest threat to the Great Barrier Reef, and yet the government’s current policies leave it with no hope of meeting its emissions reduction targets. | |
Here’s an interactive we recently made, showing the government’s own projected emissions, plotted against the reduction commitments we made as part of the Paris Agreement. | |
Click “zoom out” to see how much we are set to miss our targets by. | |
4.33am GMT | |
04:33 | |
Renowned climate scientist Michael E Mann from the University of Pennsylvania will soon be visiting Australia as a guest of the Sydney Environment Institute and speaking at the University of Sydney in February. | |
Ever since he and his colleagues did pioneering work, gathering temperatures from various records over the past 1000 years, and plotted them on a graph that became known as the “hockey stick graph”, Mann has been at the centre of a vicious fight between climate scientists and climate deniers. | |
Ahead of his visit, I asked him over email about the role of climate deniers in Australian politics and what concerned citizens can do help stop climate change. | |
Question: You’ve spent a long time battling with climate deniers. In Australia, we have a number of climate deniers both in the government and in the rest of the parliament. We also have a federal government that has no effective policies to curb carbon emissions. Do you think climate deniers are driving climate policy here in Australia. And if so, what is the best strategy to fight them? | |
Michael Mann: Sadly, climate change deniers do indeed continue to have a voice in our public and policy discourse that is out of proportion with the merit of their views, thanks in large part to a megaphone that they have been granted by conservative media. The Murdoch media empire in particular – whose role is featured in our recent book ‘The Madhouse Effect: How Climate Change Denial is Threatening Our Planet, Destroying Our Politics, and Driving Us Crazy” — has played a particularly vital role in the climate change disinformation campaign, and they dominate the news industry in Australia. | |
Keep in mind that the second largest shareholder in NewsCorps, after Rupert Murdoch, is the Saudi Royal family, who obviously have a stake in our continued addiction to fossil fuels. As a consequence, they dominate the public discourse and provide cover for climate change-denying politicians. It is hardly surprising this has led to climate policy in Australia being driven by fossil fuel interests and their advocates. | |
As for strategies to fight them, one of them is to speak out and to hold them accountable—which is something I do actively, whether it is speaking to the media, giving public lectures, writing commentaries and op-eds, and books. My ‘Madhouse Effect” lecture is really about how to move beyond climate change denial and get on to the legitimate debate about what to do about the threat of human-caused climate change. | |
Question: What’s the most important thing that individuals can do to help prevent climate change? | |
Michael Mann: We must hold our elected representatives responsible for representing our interests rather than the profits of polluting interests. Among other things, we must make sure to vote, and to be climate voters. | |
4.29am GMT | |
04:29 | |
A few people have mentioned the big role land-clearing plays in climate change. In Australia, it’s a big issue, with improvements made in previous years looking like they’re going to be undone, with new laws in Queensland and NSW making land clearing easier. | |
The folks at The Wilderness Society have just put together this graphic, explaining the issue nicely. | |
4.23am GMT | |
04:23 | |
Helen Davidson | |
In Australia’s Northern Territory climate conditions are already extreme, with high heat, floods, monsoons, cyclones, and fires, and its economy relies heavily on industries affected by climate, including agriculture, fisheries, and tourism. But it doesn’t have much of a plan to deal with the effects of climate change, says David Morris, head of the Environmental Defenders Office. | |
He tells the Guardian there have been some “positive noises” from the newly elected Labor government around renewable energy and increased funding and incentives, but notes that it’s one of the few jurisdictions without an adequate and current coastal management plan. | |
“I doubt you could find many capital cities around the world that don’t have a coastal management strategy, that don’t have a climate change adaptation plan, and the Northern Territory is a place which is going to feel the effects of climate severely. | |
“New roads, new pipelines, housing development, any kind of infrastructure you want to put in, any kind of decision you want to make under legislation where you’re spending public money, should now take into account climate change. | |
“When you look at NT government information about climate change, it’s scant, there’s basically nothing. I mean, we’ve got sea level rise and that’s it.” | |
Morris says current estimates are a sea level rise of 1.1m by 2100 would see between 250 and 400 residential buildings inundated by seawater, and would put 200km of NT roads, valued at just under AU $2 billion, at risk. | |
Ecologically and economically significant tourism areas like Kakadu national park are also under threat, with increasing risks of saltwater intrusion threatening the fragile wetlands. | |
4.13am GMT | 4.13am GMT |
04:13 | 04:13 |
#GlobalWarning: the global sea level has risen 8cm since 1993 https://t.co/3n8F5fS2EE pic.twitter.com/S4DRX380gG | #GlobalWarning: the global sea level has risen 8cm since 1993 https://t.co/3n8F5fS2EE pic.twitter.com/S4DRX380gG |
4.09am GMT | 4.09am GMT |
04:09 | 04:09 |
HOUR 21: Blue skies, thick smog | HOUR 21: Blue skies, thick smog |
Elle Hunt | Elle Hunt |
We’re in the final stretch now. Here’s what we’ve covered in the last hour: | We’re in the final stretch now. Here’s what we’ve covered in the last hour: |
The first-ever all-female expedition to Antarctica asks the question: is climate change a gender equality issue? | The first-ever all-female expedition to Antarctica asks the question: is climate change a gender equality issue? |
Blair Palese, the chief executive of 350.org Australia, on how climate change deniers take their tactics “straight out of the tobacco playbook”; 350.org’s campaign against the Carmicheal coal mine; and what you can do to help combat climate change | Blair Palese, the chief executive of 350.org Australia, on how climate change deniers take their tactics “straight out of the tobacco playbook”; 350.org’s campaign against the Carmicheal coal mine; and what you can do to help combat climate change |
China correspondent Tom Phillips takes his air pollution-monitoring “egg” for a walk around Beijing – and runs into Boris Johnson | China correspondent Tom Phillips takes his air pollution-monitoring “egg” for a walk around Beijing – and runs into Boris Johnson |
The sperm bank that could hold the secret to saving the world’s coral reefs | The sperm bank that could hold the secret to saving the world’s coral reefs |
We’d love to hear more from you below the line, or on Twitter: I’m at @mlle_elle, Mikey is @MikeySlezak, and we’re using the hashtag #GlobalWarning. | We’d love to hear more from you below the line, or on Twitter: I’m at @mlle_elle, Mikey is @MikeySlezak, and we’re using the hashtag #GlobalWarning. |
It’s also been some hours since you were last made aware of a penguin. | It’s also been some hours since you were last made aware of a penguin. |
3.50am GMT | 3.50am GMT |
03:50 | 03:50 |
And here’s the final part of our Q&A with Blair Palese, chief executive of 350.org Australia. | And here’s the final part of our Q&A with Blair Palese, chief executive of 350.org Australia. |
Question: What’s the most important thing that individuals can do to help prevent climate change? | Question: What’s the most important thing that individuals can do to help prevent climate change? |
Blair Palese: | Blair Palese: |
I think it’s important that we all take responsibility for climate change as we’ve all been part of the system that created it. We have the power to decide who governs us and what issues made the priority agenda no matter what vested interests do or say to stymie action. And as consumers we have huge power to decide where our money goes. | I think it’s important that we all take responsibility for climate change as we’ve all been part of the system that created it. We have the power to decide who governs us and what issues made the priority agenda no matter what vested interests do or say to stymie action. And as consumers we have huge power to decide where our money goes. |
Anyone concerned about climate change needs to engage in politics, call your elected officials, email them, meet them at events and tell them you want urgent action or you’ll vote them out. Talk to people about it in your community, take steps together locally to make a difference. And think hard about what you are doing with your money. If you don’t like what your bank or superfund is investing in – say fossil fuel projects – tell them that and move to one that is fossil free. | Anyone concerned about climate change needs to engage in politics, call your elected officials, email them, meet them at events and tell them you want urgent action or you’ll vote them out. Talk to people about it in your community, take steps together locally to make a difference. And think hard about what you are doing with your money. If you don’t like what your bank or superfund is investing in – say fossil fuel projects – tell them that and move to one that is fossil free. |
Finally, get involved with a group or issue you care about – help us stop the Adani coal mine, take on Chevron’s plans to drill in the Bight, switch your power company from the big three to a company investing in and campaigning for renewable energy. If you don’t have time, donate to keep the campaigning alive. Any one of these steps will make a real difference. | Finally, get involved with a group or issue you care about – help us stop the Adani coal mine, take on Chevron’s plans to drill in the Bight, switch your power company from the big three to a company investing in and campaigning for renewable energy. If you don’t have time, donate to keep the campaigning alive. Any one of these steps will make a real difference. |
3.44am GMT | 3.44am GMT |
03:44 | 03:44 |
Here’s another part of the Q&A I did with 350.org Australia’s chief executive Blaire Palese. Here she discusses the recent suceses of the climate movement, and what we’re going to see this year. | Here’s another part of the Q&A I did with 350.org Australia’s chief executive Blaire Palese. Here she discusses the recent suceses of the climate movement, and what we’re going to see this year. |
Question: Despite some big setbacks, the climate movement has claimed some victories too. It now looks like the whole movement in Australia is focussing on stopping Adani building the Carmichael Coal mine. What will that campaign look like? | Question: Despite some big setbacks, the climate movement has claimed some victories too. It now looks like the whole movement in Australia is focussing on stopping Adani building the Carmichael Coal mine. What will that campaign look like? |
Blaire Palese | Blaire Palese |
The divestment of more than A$6 trillion (US$5.2 trillion) from fossil fuels is something I and the 350.org team are particularly proud of. The campaign started off very much as a symbolic effort. But much to our amazement after three years, it was all about money – and lots of it! – being moved from coal, oil and gas. Some 688 institutions and 58,399 individuals across 76 countries have committed to divest in some way. This is a real indicator that people are frustrated with government inaction and are taking their own steps to be part of the climate change solution. | The divestment of more than A$6 trillion (US$5.2 trillion) from fossil fuels is something I and the 350.org team are particularly proud of. The campaign started off very much as a symbolic effort. But much to our amazement after three years, it was all about money – and lots of it! – being moved from coal, oil and gas. Some 688 institutions and 58,399 individuals across 76 countries have committed to divest in some way. This is a real indicator that people are frustrated with government inaction and are taking their own steps to be part of the climate change solution. |
The Victorian gas ban could not have been achieved without a strong coalition of farmers, rural communities and city progressives that became a force that could not be ignored by the Andrews Government. | The Victorian gas ban could not have been achieved without a strong coalition of farmers, rural communities and city progressives that became a force that could not be ignored by the Andrews Government. |
Getting BP to drop plans to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight was a different story, with environmental groups using delaying tactics and the threat of a global public campaign to ensure the project was too costly and unviable. | Getting BP to drop plans to drill for oil in the Great Australian Bight was a different story, with environmental groups using delaying tactics and the threat of a global public campaign to ensure the project was too costly and unviable. |
Right now, efforts to stop Adani from building the world’s largest new coal mine in Queensland is, for most of us concerned about climate change, the most critical fight in the country right now. Australia hasn’t opened up a new mineral reserve in 40 years, and if the Adani project goes ahead, the whole Galilee Basin could be developed, which would unleash enough coal to tip the carbon budget not just for us, but for the whole world. A broad coalition of environmental groups, local communities and Traditional Owners are coming together to do all we can to ensure this project doesn’t see the light of day. If you’d like to do something about climate change, join us to stop this climate-threatening coalmine! | Right now, efforts to stop Adani from building the world’s largest new coal mine in Queensland is, for most of us concerned about climate change, the most critical fight in the country right now. Australia hasn’t opened up a new mineral reserve in 40 years, and if the Adani project goes ahead, the whole Galilee Basin could be developed, which would unleash enough coal to tip the carbon budget not just for us, but for the whole world. A broad coalition of environmental groups, local communities and Traditional Owners are coming together to do all we can to ensure this project doesn’t see the light of day. If you’d like to do something about climate change, join us to stop this climate-threatening coalmine! |
Updated | Updated |
at 3.45am GMT | at 3.45am GMT |
3.38am GMT | 3.38am GMT |
03:38 | 03:38 |
Elle Hunt | Elle Hunt |
While the Queensland state government has said it’s doing all that it can to preserve the Great Barrier reef, a different kind of preservation work has been ongoing far from the reef – even the coastline – in regional New South Wales. | While the Queensland state government has said it’s doing all that it can to preserve the Great Barrier reef, a different kind of preservation work has been ongoing far from the reef – even the coastline – in regional New South Wales. |
Since 2011, scientists from Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Smithsonian Institution have been collecting and freezing coral sperm to store at Taronga’s CryoReserve in Dubbo. | Since 2011, scientists from Sydney’s Taronga Zoo, the Australian Institute of Marine Science and the Smithsonian Institution have been collecting and freezing coral sperm to store at Taronga’s CryoReserve in Dubbo. |
The project began in Australia in 2011, but has international partners that ensure the preservation of coral reefs worldwide. “It’s a bigger collaboration than just the Great Barrier Reef,” said coral scientist Bec Hobbs. | The project began in Australia in 2011, but has international partners that ensure the preservation of coral reefs worldwide. “It’s a bigger collaboration than just the Great Barrier Reef,” said coral scientist Bec Hobbs. |
By freezing the cells in liquid nitrogen to preserve them indefinitely, scientists can use similar technology as sperm-banking for human IVF to grow new coral and make entire reef systems more resilient to coming change. Researchers are also investigating the possibility of freezing coral eggs and larvae. | By freezing the cells in liquid nitrogen to preserve them indefinitely, scientists can use similar technology as sperm-banking for human IVF to grow new coral and make entire reef systems more resilient to coming change. Researchers are also investigating the possibility of freezing coral eggs and larvae. |
There are more than 600 species of coral on the Great Barrier Reef – in the last spawning event in November, scientists were able to add four more to the bank, said Hobbs. | There are more than 600 species of coral on the Great Barrier Reef – in the last spawning event in November, scientists were able to add four more to the bank, said Hobbs. |
“At the moment we have samples from about a meagre 11 species, but that is still the most species that are banked anywhere in the world.” | “At the moment we have samples from about a meagre 11 species, but that is still the most species that are banked anywhere in the world.” |
But their efforts to collect more species have been frustrated by lack of knowledge about reefs and coral reproduction. “We know quite a bit about certain species and others, relatively nothing,” said Hobbs. | But their efforts to collect more species have been frustrated by lack of knowledge about reefs and coral reproduction. “We know quite a bit about certain species and others, relatively nothing,” said Hobbs. |
The research currently being carried out by Reef Recovery Initiative partners, then, is all the more vital for preserving the future of reefs. | The research currently being carried out by Reef Recovery Initiative partners, then, is all the more vital for preserving the future of reefs. |