disaster

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The third Industrial Revolution

Written By: - Date published: 7:30 am, November 19th, 2015 - 107 comments

The Paris climate change talks will force leaders to confront climate change and the threat of terrorism at the same time.  Can they show the same determination to deal with the gradual but inevitable threat of climate change as they purport to show to deal with the immediate threat of terrorism.

The Pacific as we know it is doomed

Written By: - Date published: 9:57 am, November 4th, 2015 - 211 comments

“‘Unless the world acts decisively in coming weeks, the Pacific as we know it is doomed,’ says Fijian prime minister Frank Bainimarama”. Odds of the world acting decisively in the coming weeks – effectively nil.

Indonesia is burning

Written By: - Date published: 8:40 am, November 1st, 2015 - 54 comments

There is a catastrophic event happening in one of the world’s more populous nations which is receiving very little attention from the media.  Indonesia is burning and no one is paying attention

Commentary on research cuts

Written By: - Date published: 2:50 pm, September 29th, 2015 - 11 comments

It’s not just lefties such as yours truly who think it’s mad to cut agricultural (especially emissions) research.

AgResearch cuts include greenhouse gas research – of course

Written By: - Date published: 12:28 pm, September 25th, 2015 - 29 comments

Cutting research into greenhouse gases? With our emissions profile? Now? This can’t possibly be mere stupidity. This must be willful blindness.

Tsunami warning

Written By: - Date published: 12:24 pm, September 17th, 2015 - 21 comments

Tsunami warning for the East Cape, Chatham Islands, Coromandel and Banks Peninsula after #chile quake. http://rnz.to/1UVX5BY

Christchurch – rhetoric and reality

Written By: - Date published: 11:37 am, September 4th, 2015 - 29 comments

Today is five years since the first of the Canterbury / Christchurch earthquakes. Christchurch voices are calling out for leadership.

70 refugees dead in small truck on Austrian roadside

Written By: - Date published: 9:04 pm, August 28th, 2015 - 107 comments

When European and NATO countries participate in destabilising and destroying nearby countries, the human tragedy doesn’t stay neatly confined to the other side of the border.

NRT: Climate change: Absolute madness

Written By: - Date published: 5:11 pm, August 25th, 2015 - 12 comments

I/S at No Right Turn: “the government is spending tens of millions of dollars a year paying these companies to destroy the world. It is absolute madness”.

Key priorities – puppy photo op not Pike River people

Written By: - Date published: 9:40 am, August 19th, 2015 - 27 comments

Unbelievable.

Local right wing media on climate change

Written By: - Date published: 10:23 am, July 18th, 2015 - 139 comments

Jack Tame on Newstalk ZB has recently brought refreshingly realistic commentary on climate change.  Meanwhile in the Herald climate change is thought to be a good thing because summers become warmer.

The Canterbury rebuild

Written By: - Date published: 11:58 am, July 9th, 2015 - 20 comments

The Canterbury Rebuild grinds on with news that CERA is to be replaced by a new entity dubbed Regenerate Canterbury.  But is a name change all that is required?

Emissions targets an admission that we don’t care

Written By: - Date published: 7:02 am, July 8th, 2015 - 48 comments

The emissions reduction target decided by the Nat government is an admission that we as a country don’t give a stuff about the future.

More flooding

Written By: - Date published: 10:28 am, June 21st, 2015 - 37 comments

All the best to those affected by the latest round of flooding.

Wild weather

Written By: - Date published: 6:22 am, May 15th, 2015 - 46 comments

All the best to those coping with the wild weather or its aftermath. We’ll see lots of photos of floods and damage, but no discussion of the increasing risks of extreme weather.

Donate to Nepal

Written By: - Date published: 8:43 pm, May 12th, 2015 - 1 comment

Nepal has been hammered again. Here’s how to donate.

400ppm

Written By: - Date published: 8:06 am, May 11th, 2015 - 180 comments

A significant milestone has been passed.

Nepal quake

Written By: - Date published: 9:37 am, April 26th, 2015 - 17 comments

As is all over the news this morning, Nepal and surrounding areas have been hit by a severe quake.

Donate for cyclone recovery

Written By: - Date published: 6:49 am, March 16th, 2015 - 5 comments

Vanuatu has been badly hit, with many dead, and significant damage. There is a Red Cross donations page here.

Christchurch four years on

Written By: - Date published: 12:41 pm, February 22nd, 2015 - 42 comments

It will soon be four years to the minute since the most destructive and deadly Canterbury / Christchurch earthquake. Condolences to the friends and families of the dead. Greetings to all who lived through it and remember.

The drought

Written By: - Date published: 7:43 am, February 13th, 2015 - 37 comments

Drought has been declared for a huge region of the South Island. Weather extremes are going to be the new normal – why aren’t we adapting?

Just what Christchurch needed

Written By: - Date published: 4:25 pm, February 4th, 2015 - 14 comments

Our thoughts are with Christchurch as a huge fire rages to the west of the city.

2014 hottest year – a good thing!

Written By: - Date published: 11:20 am, January 18th, 2015 - 161 comments

As widely reported, 2014 was the hottest year on record. And that’s a good thing!

A little place by the beach

Written By: - Date published: 2:26 pm, January 6th, 2015 - 120 comments

2014 has been confirmed as the hottest year on record. If you own a little place by the beach you might want to ponder the implications…

Another failure at Lima

Written By: - Date published: 7:48 am, December 14th, 2014 - 70 comments

While I have come to expect nothing from the annual climate change talks, this years’ failure is particularly galling because of the active role that NZ played in it.

NRT: Betrayal at Pike River

Written By: - Date published: 4:09 pm, November 6th, 2014 - 80 comments

I/S at No Right Turn on the Pike River decision.

Dear Greenpeace – difficult cases make bad law

Written By: - Date published: 12:06 pm, July 15th, 2014 - 55 comments

Greenpeace has been told by the Electoral Commission that its Climate Voter Website requires third party authorisation and that a cap on the amount that can be spent applies.  There is an exception in the law if the site is a “news media” site which is paradoxically the same defence Cameron Slater is running in his case against Matt Blomfield justifying his refusal to disclose who his informant is.  The sense of irony is strong here …

“Hope and Wire”: Disaster & collaboration

Written By: - Date published: 3:09 pm, July 4th, 2014 - 10 comments

Responses to TV3’s miniseries, Hope and Wire, based on the Christchurch quakes & aftermath, are mixed.  The opening episodes set up some universal themes: of wealth-seeking individualism versus community solidarity and collaboration.  Many in Christchurch are angry that their city, and it’s experiences, have been mis-represented.

A John Key. With assembly instructions.

Written By: - Date published: 9:06 am, June 29th, 2014 - 11 comments

How to make your very own New Zealand Prime Minister. Even better looking than this vessel.

Labour’s response plan for Christchurch flooding

Written By: - Date published: 6:57 pm, May 10th, 2014 - 22 comments

Labour has reached across the political divide and offered the government a host of actions to help those in Christchurch who have been victims of ongoing flooding since the quake.

There are some things that politics should be put aside for. Helping the people of Christchurch is definitely one of these things.

Drill baby drill

Written By: - Date published: 8:12 am, April 3rd, 2014 - 40 comments

Two days after the IPCC has warned us of the threat posed by climate change and Simon Bridges has announced a huge block offer of parts of New Zealand and much of its territorial water.  This will include the pristine waters off Auckland’s west coast, home of Maui’s dolphin.  In a world that has to address its consumption of petroleum you have to question if it is worth the risk.

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