Tiempo Climate Newswatch
Week ending August 7th 2005
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Featured sites
The Blue Carbon Portal brings together the latest knowledge and resources on the role of oceans as carbon sinks.
WalkIt provides walking routes between user-defined points in selected British cities, with an estimate of the carbon savings.
Joto Afrika is a series of printed briefings and online resources about adapting to climate change in sub-Saharan Africa.
And finally,
The CoolClimate Art Contest presents iconic images that address the impact of climate change.
About the Cyberlibrary
The Tiempo Climate Cyberlibrary was developed by Mick Kelly and Sarah Granich on behalf of the Stockholm Environment Institute and the International Institute for Environment and Development, with sponsorship from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency.
While every effort is made to ensure that information on this site, and on other sites that are referenced here, is accurate, no liability for loss or damage resulting from use of this information can be accepted.
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Australia, China, India, Japan, the Republic of Korea and the United States have agreed a partnership intended to tackle climate change, energy security and sir pollution. The Asia-Pacific Partnership on Clean Development and Climate will "explore ways to reduce the greenhouse intensity of our economies; build human and institutional capacity to strengthen cooperative efforts; and seek ways to engage the private sector." The announcement took place at the Association of Southeast Asian Nations' annual ministerial meetings in Vientiane, Lao PDR. |
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The partnership is "a complement not an alternative" to the Kyoto Protocol, according to United States Deputy Secretary of State Robert Zoellick. Regardless, the initiative has angered many commentators. "Skulking around making secretive, selective deals" was Greenpeace campaigner Catherine Fitzpatrick's description of the Australian government's role. |
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More than 800 people have died during torrential monsoon rains in the city of Mumbai, India, and the surrounding region. The "highest-ever recorded" rainfall in a single day in India's history, 65cm, fell on the city on Tuesday, according to R V Sharma, director of the meteorological service in Mumbai. 150,000 people have been stranded as the transportation infrastructure collapsed. |
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The death toll was aggravated by rumours of dam bursts and tsunami-like sea flooding, which led to stampedes. "People died due to false rumours," reported R R Patil, deputy chief minister of Maharashtra state. Police vans with loudspeakers are now countering false information. The seriousness of the flooding was due to a combination of the heavy rainfall and tidal high water. |
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The United States House of Representatives and Senate have agreed a comprehensive energy bill. Amongst other measures, the bill creates tax breaks and subsidies, amounting to US$14.5 billion over the next 10 years, for solar, wind, geothermal and nuclear power. It requires improvements in energy efficiency in commercial appliances and will nearly double ethanol production. |
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John Engler of the National Association of Manufacturers welcomed the bill, calling it a "key victory for manufacturers and the US economy." Philip Clapp of the National Environment Trust disagrees. "Both Republicans and Democrats are completely paralyzed in addressing the nation's three big energy challenges - reducing our dependence on Middle East oil, reducing gasoline prices for consumers, and beginning to shift our economy to renewable energy technologies. On all three issues, the bill is a big fat zero." |
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Bright Ideas
General Electric plans to cut solar installation costs by half
Project 90 by 2030 supports South African school children and managers reduce their carbon footprint through its Club programme
Bath & North East Somerset Council in the United Kingdom has installed smart LED carriageway lighting that automatically adjusts to light and traffic levels
The United States National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration and the American Public Gardens Association are mounting an educational exhibit at Longwood Gardens showing the link between temperature and planting zones
The energy-efficient Crowne Plaza Copenhagen Towers hotel is powered by renewable and sustainable sources, including integrated solar photovoltaics and guest-powered bicycles
El Hierro, one of the Canary Islands, plans to generate 80 per cent of its energy from renewable sources
The green roof on the Remarkables Primary School in New Zealand reduces stormwater runoff, provides insulation and doubles as an outdoor classroom
The Weather Info for All project aims to roll out up to five thousand automatic weather observation stations throughout Africa
SolSource turns its own waste heat into electricity or stores it in thermal fabrics, harnessing the sun's energy for cooking and electricity for low-income families
The Wave House uses vegetation for its architectural and environmental qualities, and especially in terms of thermal insulation
The Mbale compost-processing plant in Uganda produces cheaper fertilizer and reduces greenhouse gas emissions
At Casa Grande, Frito-Lay has reduced energy consumption by nearly a fifth since 2006 by, amongst other things, installing a heat recovery system to preheat cooking oil
Tiempo Climate Newswatch
Updated: April 12th 2013