climate change

Categories under climate change

COP26 (1)
ETS (119)
polycrisis (1)

NRT: Climate change – Locked out

Written By: notices and features - Date published: 9:05 am, February 23rd, 2013 - 15 comments

I/S from No Right Turn describes another brick in National’s wall of stupid. “New Zealand will be locked out of the international carbon market in retaliation for our refusal to sign up for Kyoto’s Second Commitment period.”

Think tanks & global-local networks

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:52 am, February 20th, 2013 - 25 comments

George Monbiot exposes how well-funded right wing ‘think tanks’ and individuals operate through networks including the AEI, IEA & Koch. These have links to the NZ Initiative (BRT & NZ Institute). The coming DailyBlog may help challenge such influential networks and their destructive ‘neoliberal’ politics.

Obama talks the talk on climate change

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:45 am, February 14th, 2013 - 38 comments

The first State of the Union of Obama’s second term was widely anticipated. As many hoped, Obama made a strong statement on climate change. Good start – now let’s see words become actions – please…

The green economy

Written By: James Henderson - Date published: 12:28 pm, February 11th, 2013 - 90 comments

There’s a lot of talk about the benefits of moving to a green, sustainable economy but details on what that looks like in practice in New Zealand are often frustratingly thin. Greenpeace is releasing a report – The Future is Here – that puts meat on the bones. The main thing is getting us off expensive, polluting, imported oil and on to clean, local energy.

Community Service

Written By: karol - Date published: 8:05 am, February 9th, 2013 - 70 comments

Greenpeace activists were fined and ordered to do Community Service – for serving the global community by protesting about Climate Change & the oil industry. Others get honours like knighthoods for services that are damaging for the majority in the community. Misplaced values? [update] RNZ interview with Lucy Lawless.

More Queensland floods

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 4:23 pm, January 28th, 2013 - 58 comments

Over the next few decades more and more countries are going to be facing a difficult question. At what point do repeated extreme weather events make previously settled regions untenable?

Green Party “I’m in – for the future”

Written By: karol - Date published: 8:21 am, January 27th, 2013 - 109 comments

For once lately, I agree with Matt McCarten on the Green Party being Centre Stage this week: a housing policy for renters and buyers on low incomes, including state housing. Memorable speech at Ratana by Turei. Today: Picnic for the Planet, State of the Planet speech & the launch of a new “I’m in – for the future” initiative.

Welcome to the Burdigalian

Written By: Bill - Date published: 1:27 pm, January 14th, 2013 - 200 comments

Last year, in the Arctic, atmospheric CO2 concentrations were measured at 400ppm. If you search on line for historical CO2 levels, you’ll find a lot of comments that are of the opinion that 400ppm CO2 last occurred about 800 000 years ago…or maybe just a bit longer. The implication is that since that’s well within the span of human existence it doesn’t really matter too much. It’s fine; we’ve been here before.

Climate Change & Poverty

Written By: karol - Date published: 8:04 am, January 9th, 2013 - 54 comments

The wildfires in Australia are an immediate cause for concern. Such events will be more common as average temperatures rise. Joseph Stigliz warns of an urgent need for structural change to respond to economic decline, climate change, poverty and inequality.

Climate: last year and this year

Written By: lprent - Date published: 5:06 pm, January 3rd, 2013 - 142 comments

A group of people interested in climate have put out a list of the most interesting climate events of 2012, which was a year that weather made more of the headlines than usual. It is likely that it will have been just a precursor to 2013 as the northern fridge disappears and the sun flares. The one certainty is that the IPCC AR4 report got it wrong – they were far too conservative about how fast climate change was happening.

The unreported & off the cliff

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:58 am, January 2nd, 2013 - 12 comments

Over the last year some issues have been under-reported, some ignored: the climate/environment, subversive FBI activities, bankster rorts, decline of democracy, the need for new left & green politics. Some news has been overdramatised, some masks the real needs. And the “fiscal cliff”?

Fear factors

Written By: Bill - Date published: 7:41 am, December 27th, 2012 - 74 comments

Another in an on going non-chronological series on options in the face of global warming.

2012: “celebrity” PM – collective action

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:00 am, December 23rd, 2012 - 47 comments

Individualism & “celebrity” PM, John Key were still strong in 2012. But, there was opposition from some (often local) groups working collaboratively: Occupy, Glen Innes protesters, MUNZ, Asset Sales referendum, AAAP advocacy activism, manufacturing inquiry, NZLP democratisation, TS nest of vipers. And 2013?

Apocalypse Now

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:15 am, December 21st, 2012 - 56 comments

Humans have a paranoid fascination with our own demise, as seen in doomsday movies. They portray our fears, hopes, politics and delusions. Children of Men: the demise of capitalism; Day after Tomorrow: climate collapse. Is today a Mayan prediction of the end or a new beginning?

If

Written By: Bill - Date published: 9:04 am, December 20th, 2012 - 221 comments

If you and I were told that (variously) our sons and daughters, grandchildren, nieces and nephews were going to be killed tomorrow, would I be right to suspect that we might sit up and take notice?

Well done

Written By: Bill - Date published: 5:16 pm, December 18th, 2012 - 83 comments

This is one of a series of posts I hope to write over the summer based to some extent or other on a recent presentation by Kevin Anderson: Professor of Energy and Climate Change, University of Manchester, Tyndall Centre.

Cyclone Evan

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 11:42 am, December 17th, 2012 - 7 comments

I’m sure our thoughts are all with Fiji as it braces itself for disaster.

2 storms and a rocket

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:30 am, December 14th, 2012 - 42 comments

With the GFC, changing climate and resource depletion, the struggles of the powerless get over-looked. Asia-Pacific has been described as the focal point of a new cold war. Storms in Samoa and the Philippines, a rocket launch from North Korea. How should we respond?

Doha blah blah blah

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 2:12 pm, December 10th, 2012 - 14 comments

The climate change talks still grind on every year, but nothing useful seems to happen as a result. The recently concluded Doha talks are no exception. By the time the Power Shift generation takes over they will be facing a near impossible task.

Sunday Reading

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 9:30 am, December 9th, 2012 - 3 comments

My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. Those stimulating links you wanted to share, but just didn’t fit in anywhere. This week: Tax-shaming and the real shirkers, climate change, disability month and happiness.

Ahead of the curve on climate change

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 10:35 am, December 4th, 2012 - 66 comments

Climate Change Minister Tim Groser has defended the Nats’ decision to drop out of the Kyoto treaty, describing the move as “ahead of the curve”. Quite apart from being absolutely stupid short-term thinking and a pathetic abdication of leadership, the idea that this retreat is “ahead of the curve” is a rather unfortunate turn of phrase.

A National attack on the environment

Written By: Ben Clark - Date published: 11:34 am, November 29th, 2012 - 14 comments

Anthony has already mentioned the amazing record of us winning both first and second prize in the first Fossil of the Day awards at the Doha climate talks – quite a remarkable achievement, particularly for a nation that trades on its “100% Pure” environmental credentials. Over at Pundit Claire Browning has an extensive list of […]

I’m ashamed to be a New Zealander

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 8:53 am, November 28th, 2012 - 111 comments

With its head deep in the rapidly warming sands, John Key and the National government have been rolling back climate change measures. We are not even “fast followers”, we are stand-out obstacles to progress, and subject to international ridicule. On climate change they have made me ashamed to be a New Zealander. They shame us all as a nation.

Sunday Reading

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 9:30 am, November 25th, 2012 - 14 comments

My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. Those stimulating links you wanted to share, but just didn’t fit in anywhere. This week: politicians, economies, elections, feminism and climate change.

In other news: the failings of Key’s government

Written By: karol - Date published: 10:57 am, November 21st, 2012 - 20 comments

John Key’s crony-capitalist, neoliberal government is failing NZ on the environment, affordable housing, and a living wage. Mana and the Greens are leading the way on affordable housing and anti-poverty campaigns. The Greens still lead the way on pressing environmental issues.

We have a lemming instead of a leader

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:04 am, November 13th, 2012 - 80 comments

John Key doesn’t want NZ to be a leader in the fight against climate change. Much better to be a lemming (sorry – a “fast follower”) and follow all the other lemmings off the cliff.

What will the new president do about Climate Change?

Written By: Guest post - Date published: 10:37 am, November 7th, 2012 - 107 comments

Voting starts. What will the new president do about Climate Change? For good or ill, America has a tradition of global leadership. When it comes to climate change America needs to lead more actively in the world – not from behind, but from the front. Will Obama be that president? Will Romney? Or will we have to wait another four more terrible years of rudderless inaction?

Sunday Reading

Written By: Bunji - Date published: 9:30 am, November 4th, 2012 - 1 comment

My regular Sunday piece of interesting, longer, deeper stories I found during the week. It’s also a chance for you to share what you found this week too. This week: inequality, language on social media, and feminism.

I don’t think I’ll be taking his advice

Written By: James Henderson - Date published: 7:50 am, November 2nd, 2012 - 133 comments

On the back of Duncan Garner’s scathing piece on David Shearer, David Farrar endorses Grant Robertson for leader. Yeah, because his last recommendation’s worked out so well. Call me cynical, but I just don’t think National’s pollster has the Left’s interests at heart. No, I don’t think people will be looking to the Right for advice on who should lead Labour again.

Sandy’s wake-up call

Written By: Anthony R0bins - Date published: 9:34 am, October 31st, 2012 - 33 comments

If any good can ever be said to come from a natural disaster, then let the good of Sandy be its function as a clear and present wake up call. It’s a crisis, and it’s an opportunity.