Tiempo Climate Newswatch

Satellite images of the pack ice in the Arctic Ocean have revealed extensive clearance during summer 2006. "This situation is unlike anything observed in previous record low ice seasons," commented Mark Drinkwater of the European Space Agency. "It is highly imaginable that a ship could have passed from Spitzbergen or Northern Siberia through what is normally pack ice to reach the North Pole without difficulty," he continued. "If this anomaly trend continues, the North-East Passage or 'Northern Sea Route' between Europe and Asia will be open over longer intervals of time, and it is conceivable we might see attempts at sailing around the world directly across the summer Arctic Ocean within the next 10-20 years."

A new study from the University of Colorado reveals that the Greenland ice sheet is still losing mass. Between April 2004 and April 2006, the ice sheet lost ice at about two-and-a-half times the rate over the previous two years. "The acceleration rate really took off in 2004," said Isabella Velicogna of the Cooperative Institute for Research in Environmental Sciences. "We think the changes we are seeing are probably a pretty good indicator of the changing climatic conditions in Greenland, particularly in the southern region," she continued.

More information

• Reuters
• The Age
• Press release, ESA
• ENS

• ENS
• Reuters AlertNet
• ENS

An international conference on the Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) took place in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, 19th-21st September. Noting that "CDM gives flexibility to industrialized nations to meet their greenhouse gas emission reduction targets by setting up environment-clean projects in developing countries," conference chair Mohammad al-Sabban, an adviser to the Saudi oil minister, described CDM as "a win for investor, a win for the project host country and a win for the environment." Saudi Minister Ali Al-Naimi confirmed his nation's commitment to the Kyoto Protocol, though he did warn that "solutions, such as solar, wind, nuclear or hydroelectric power may contribute to carbon dioxide emissions reductions, but they cannot meet increasing global demand for energy." Inaugurating the meeting, Riyadh Governor Prince Salman called on the business community to take advantage of opportunities provided by new investment avenues, such CDM.

Criticizing industrialized nations for not investing more in the scheme, acting secretary-general of the Organization of the Petroleum Exporting Countries Mohammed Barkindo claimed that "the mechanism is making relatively insignificant benefits to developing countries given what was initially envisaged." With the number of CDM projects rising to 300 this year, Yvo de Boer, recently appointed United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change Executive Secretary, considers that "via international carbon finance, there is a potential to generate up to 100 billion dollars per year in green investment flow to developing countries... None of the other types of financial resources available to these countries have a potential of this scale."

More information

• Yahoo
• Yahoo
• Brunei Times
• Arab Times

• Conference website
• Press release, UNFCCC

The state of California is suing six automobile manufacturers over global warming. Accusing the carmakers of creating a "public nuisance", the complaint states that climate change "injuries have caused the people to suffer billions of dollars in damages, including millions of dollars of funds expended to determine the extent, location and nature of future harm and to prepare for and mitigate those harms, and billions of dollars of current harm to the value of flood control infrastructure and natural resources." The measure builds on recent initiatives by California governor Arnold Schwarzenegger.

"While the Bush administration continues to burrow its head in the sand, California has taken out a whole arsenal to combat emissions," commented Daniel Becker of the Sierra Club. The Automobile Alliance noted that manufacturers were already working to produce more fuel-efficient cars and argued that "using nuisance suits to address global warming would involve the courts in deciding political questions beyond their jurisdiction." "This opens the door to lawsuits targeting any activity that uses fossil fuel for energy," the Alliance statement continued.

More information

• Reuters
• Bloomberg
• Guardian
• Terra Daily

• Press release, Office of the Attorney General
• Complaint, Office of the Attorney General
• Comment on use of public nuisance suits, Jonathan H Adler