Tiempo Climate Newswatch

The national science academies of the G8 nations and others, including China, India and Brazil, have issued a strong statement calling on their governments to take immediate action to limit global warming. The statement has been sent to world leaders in the run-up to the G8 summit in Gleneagles, Scotland, in July. It is clearly intended to put additional pressure on the United States to take part in a post-2012 global emissions control regime.

"The scientific understanding of climate change is now sufficiently clear to justify prompt action," according to the statement. "It is vital that all nations identify cost-effective steps that they can take now, to contribute to substantial and long-term reduction in net global greenhouse gas emissions."

More information

• China Daily
• BBC
• ENS

• Statement by the national academies

Former United States Vice President Al Gore has called on city leaders to fight climate change. Speaking at an international assembly of mayors, held in San Francisco, California, to mark World Environment Day, Gore warned that "we are witnessing a collision between our civilization and the earth, a transformation of the relationship between our species and the planet. Is it only terrorists that we're worried about? Is that the only threat to the future that is worth organizing to respond to?"

California announced greenhouse gas emissions targets during the World Environment Day proceedings. The targets commit the state to reducing emissions to 2000 levels by 2010 (an eleven per cent cut), to 1990 levels by 2020 (25 per cent) and by 80 per cent by 2050. According to Governor Arnold Schwarzenegger, "California will continue to be a leader in the fight against global warming and protecting our environment." "Today I am establishing clear and ambitious targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions in our state to protect our many natural resources, public health, agriculture and diverse landscape, he continued."

More information

• San Francisco Chronicle
• ENN

• Los Angeles Times
• ENS
• World Environment Day speech, Arnold Schwarzenegger

One of the world's first " capture-ready" coal-fired power stations is to be built in Saskatchewan in central Canada. "We're building a plant that will last for a number of decades, so it seems prudent to recognize that at some point during that time, carbon will have to be managed," says Rick Patrick of SaskPower. "We think a capture-ready design will give us maximum flexibility for whatever comes at us."

There are mixed opinions on the value of capture-ready technology. Cost is an issue and alternative technologies for new plants, such as integrated gasification combined cycle (IGCC), are at a more advanced stage of development. "Building new coal-fired plants and betting on vague claims and future promises of technology at least a decade behind IGCC is a bad bet," says David Hawkins of the Natural Resources Defense Council. Nevertheless, even Hawkins reckons that capture-ready technology is "a reasonable backup."

More information

• Christian Science Monitor