By Hans Nilsson / Published on Mon, 2007-11-26 08:00
Recently the IEA has issued its World Energy Outlook 2007 and IPCC its 4th Assessment report. Comparing the two shows that:
- Present and planned policies and measures are not sufficient to halt global warming (WEO)
- The technologies, policies and measures needed are known. They just need to be applied (IPCC)
- The conclusion is obvious. We need a radical break in policies. The WEO even has an interesting note on that, called “What is stopping governments from implementing new policies?” (page 98). The answer is simply that stakeholder interests are blocking them, but now it is time to release the brakes!
The EU Strategy – out of pace.
With this need in mind, the EU communication on a strategic energy technology plan sounds thrilling, but the result is disappointing.
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By Hans Nilsson / Published on Mon, 2007-07-23 07:00
It was promised that the Live Earth event would not be like so many others: a beacon that lights up for a short while before darkness falls again. Earthlab is the followup, and if you have taken "the pledge", filled in your data to determined you carbon footprint, you will get advice on what to do, check how you are doing in comparison with others and see how your footprint gradually shrinks.
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By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Mon, 2007-06-04 07:30
From involuntary climate change to active climate management?
IEEE Spectrum online has published an article by William B. Gail on the feasibility of humankind actively controlling the earth’s climate. Gail advocates developing such planetary engineering projects. This should not be too surprising given his professional positions: he is Director of Strategic Development at Microsoft Virtual Earth and also serves on the U.S. National Research Council’s Decadal Survey for Earth Science and Applications from Space. Fortunately, he has not forgotten the uncertainties and risks planetary engineering carry, and presents the subject in a balanced manner.
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By Bruno De Wachter / Published on Thu, 2007-05-31 07:30
The conclusion of the IPCC is frightening enough
One cannot help but be surprised by the degree of polemics still encountered in mass media and politics on the origin of climate change. This is due in part to the over-simplification by the media of credible scientific findings. There is a distressing tendency to leave out the nuances of scientific method and probabilities.
The article by William B. Gail in IEEE Spectrum online on ‘Climate Control’ (blog post coming soon) is one of the few exceptions. In his description of the problem of global warming, Gail sticks to the conclusion of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) without simplifying the case, or using vague and often meaningless expressions such as ‘scientifically proven’. After all, when is something ever really scientifically proven?
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By Hans De Keulenaer / Published on Wed, 2006-10-25 16:56
Eutrophication is the enrichment of nutrients in a certain place. Eutrophication can be aquatic or terrestrial. Air pollutants, waste water and fertilization in agriculture all contribute to eutrophication.
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