In October 22 2004, Russian deputies drafted a law endorsing the Kyoto protocol. President Vladimir Poutine ratified it on November 5. The next step is to send the protocol to the UN in New York for official deposition, which will make it an international treaty as soon as February 2005. Finally, Kyoto is moving on.
• in detail XlnkS6BF
Monthly Archives: November 2004
More
New indicators of progress are needed to monitor the economy wherein the natural world and human well-being, not just economic production, are awarded full measure. We have reduced the idea of progress to the single word more. But more what? More stuff? To what end? Everything all the time, while we secretly suspect we are useless and left empty? This is not only stupid and self-defeating but quite literally sustainable. By Bob Gelgof.
weblink: Why Africa? Article in the Georgia Straight 10 Nov 2004 • from: The Straight • in detail XlnkS6BE XlnkC1928
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Some people kill themselves at work, some die jobless. Why not share?– Anonymous
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78 Million Americans don’t believe in the theory of evolution. — Stats
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Being favored by your master, are you less a slave?– Blaise Pascal
Launch of LEED Canada and Governement Summit
The attached PDF file contains information on the official launch of LEED Canada and Governement Summit event, which takes place on December 1 2004 at Construct Canada in Toronto.
• from: Canada Green Building Council • document: LEEDLaunch • in detail XlnkS6BD XlnkC18C9
Green Steel Resources
Since 1990, Canadian Steel producers have reduced CO2 emission by 20% and reduced the amount of energy used to make a tonne of steel by 25%.
weblink: Canadian Steel • from: CSPA – Canadian Steel Producers Association • in detail XlnkS6BC XlnkC1925
One-Tonne Challenge
The Canadian One-Tonne Challenge asks every Canadian to reduce their personal annual greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by one tonne. How? Use less energy. Conserve water and resources. Reduce waste.
weblink: One Tonn Challenge • from: Environment Canada Pacific & Yukon Regio • in detail • see also: Climate Change XlnkS6BB XlnkC1795
A few selected findings on Climate Change
In Alaska, Western Canada, and Eastern Russia average winter temperatures have increased as much as 4 to 7°F (3-4°C) in the past 50 years, and are projected to rise 7 to 13°F (4-7°C) over the next 100 years. Arctic summer sea ice is projected to decline by at least 50 percent by the end of this century with some models showing near-complete disappearance of summer sea ice. This is very likely to have devastating consequences for some arctic animal species such as ice-living seals and for local people for whom these animals are a primary food source. At the same time, reduced sea ice extent is likely to increase marine access to some of the region’s resources. Warming over Greenland is projected to lead to substantial melting of the Greenland Ice Sheet, contributing to global sea-level rise at increasing rates. Over the long term, Greenland contains enough melt water to eventually raise sea level by about 7 meters (about 23 feet). Should the Arctic Ocean become ice-free in summer, it is likely that polar bears and some seal species would be driven toward extinction. Arctic climate change presents serious challenges to the health and food security of some Indigenous Peoples, challenging the survival of some cultures. Many coastal towns and facilities around the Arctic face increasing risks from erosion and flooding due to rising sea levels, decreased sea ice, and thawing coastal permafrost. Over the next 100 years, climate change is expected to accelerate, contributing to major physical, ecological, social, and economic changes, and the Assessment has documented that many of these changes have already begun.
• source: Artic is warming at nearly twice the rate as the rest of the Globe. • Cross-Ref: Climate Change • See also XlnkS6BA
Artic is warming at nearly twice the rate as the rest of the Globe.
The Arctic is warming much more rapidly than previously known, at nearly twice the rate as the rest of the globe, and increasing greenhouse gases from human activities are projected to make it warmer still, according to an unprecedented four-year scientific study of the region conducted by an international team of 300 scientists. At least half the summer sea ice in the Arctic is projected to melt by the end of this century, along with a significant portion of the Greenland Ice Sheet, as the region is projected to warm an additional 7 to 13°F (4-7°C) by 2100. These changes will have major global impacts, such as contributing to global sea-level rise and intensifying global warming, according to the final report of the Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA). The assessment, partially funded by Canada, was commissioned by the Arctic Council (a ministerial intergovernmental forum comprised of the eight Arctic countries and six Indigenous Peoples organizations) and the International Arctic Science Committee (an international scientific organization appointed by 18 national academies of science). “The impacts of global warming are affecting people now in the Arctic,†says Robert Corell, chair of the ACIA. “The Arctic is experiencing some of the most rapid and severe climate change on earth. The impacts of climate change on the region and the globe are projected to increase substantially in the years to come.†“The assessment sends a message to all nations – climate change is real, it is happening now and it is a truly global challenge. No nation and no region is immune to its impacts, said Minister Dion. “The Arctic is bearing witness now to the kind of changes other regions will soon see. This is a wake- up call for all of us, not only of the need to reduce emissions, but to realize the importance of adapting to the increasingly changing climate.” More than 40 Canadian scientists contributed to the Assessment, several of whom were among its lead authors. Canada’s participation also included some 30 individuals from Arctic Aboriginal communities whose expertise in traditional knowledge made an important contribution to the assessment of climate impacts.
weblink: Arctic Climate Impact Assessment (ACIA) • in detail • see also: Climate Change XlnkS6BA