Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

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Mudtrails from Fishing Trawlers in Gulf of Mexico

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“The pervasiveness of the influence of bottom trawlers on the Gulf of Mexico is evident in these images from NASA’s Landsat satellite. Showing two different areas of a single scene captured on October 24, 1999, the images reveal dozens of mudtrails streaking the Gulf in the wake of numerous trawlers, which appear as white dots. The amount of re-suspended sediment dredged up by the trawlers gives the water a cloudy appearance.

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Read more at: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/Newsroom/NewImages/images.php3?img_id=17668

You can subscribe to Earth Observatory’s weekly email at: http://earthobservatory.nasa.gov/

Faith, Scepticism and Climate Change

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“Faith is a belief held without evidence. The scientific method, a loose collection of procedures of great variety, is based on precisely the opposite concept, as famously declared by Thomas Henry Huxley:

The improver of natural knowledge absolutely refuses to acknowledge authority, as such. For him, scepticism is the highest of duties; blind faith the one unpardonable sin.

Huxley was one of a long tradition of British sceptical philosophers. From the Bacons, through the likes of Locke, Hume and Russell, to the magnificent climax of Popper’s statement of the principle of falsifiability, the scientific method was painfully established, only to be abandoned in a few short decades. It is one of the great ironies of modern history that the nation that was the cradle of the scientific method came to lead the process of its abandonment. The great difference, then, is that religion demands belief, while science requires disbelief. There is a great variety of faiths. Atheism is just as much a faith as theism. There is no evidence either way. There is no fundamental clash between faith and science – they do not intersect. The difficulties arise, however, when one pretends to be the other.

The Royal Society, as a major part of the flowering of the tradition, was founded on the basis of scepticism. Its motto “On the word of no one” was a stout affirmation. Now suddenly, following their successful coup, the Greens have changed this motto of centuries to one that manages to be both banal and sinister – “Respect the facts.” When people start talking about “the facts” it is time to start looking for the fictions. Real science does not talk about facts; it talks about observations, which might turn out to be inaccurate or even irrelevant.

The global warmers like to use the name of science, but they do not like its methods. They promote slogans such a “The science is settled” when real scientists know that science is never settled. They were not, however, always so wise. In 1900, for example, the great Lord Kelvin famously stated, “There is nothing new to be discovered in physics now. All that remains is more and more precise measurement.” Within a few years classical physics was shattered by Einstein and his contemporaries. Since then, in science, the debate is never closed.

The world might (or might not) have warmed by a fraction of a degree. This might (or might not) be all (or in part) due to the activities of mankind. It all depends on the quality of observations and the validity of various hypotheses. Science is at ease with this situation. It accepts various theories, such as gravitation or evolution, as the least bad available and of the most practical use, but it does not believe. Religion is different…

Read the complete article by John Brignell here: http://www.numberwatch.co.uk/religion.htm

Let People Sell Tigers: Message from Sustainable Development Network

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“The Sustainable Development Network (SDN), a coalition of people-oriented conservation groups, today called upon delegates to the CITES meeting in The Hague to reconsider the ban on sale of tiger parts, which it says is undermining effective conservation by reducing the incentives to manage tigers sustainably and increasing the number of wild tigers that are poached. The SDN argues that trade in certified farmed tiger parts could meet existing and future demand, thereby reducing pressure on wild tigers.

“The conservation community has for many years been split over whether commerce in endangered species is desirable. While the evidence has increasingly suggested that commerce must be part of the solution, opponents of commerce have dominated the debate. As a result, restrictions on commerce have become the cornerstone of conservation policies, with the consequence that tigers and several other species have been driven to the verge of extinction in the wild.

“One fundamental problem is that by making trade in these wildlife products illegal, the trade has been driven underground. As Kirsten Conrad, a tiger conservation expert, notes, “Despite legal protection over most of its range, prohibition of international trade, anti-poaching efforts, and millions spent by NGOs and governments, demand for tiger parts shows no sign of abating.”

“Recent estimates put the value of illegal trade in wildlife at over US $6 billion a year – which would make it the third most traded illicit product after drugs and arms. Indian policy analyst and developer of SDN’s Sustainable Tiger Initiative, Barun Mitra, puts it succinctly: “When trade is outlawed, only outlaws trade.”

“Some of the poorest people in the world live in close proximity to tigers and other valuable resources, yet they have little incentive to conserve and manage those resources sustainably, because they are not allowed to own or trade in them. As a result, only criminals and smugglers profit from poaching. This is bad for the people who share the tiger’s habitat and very bad for tigers.

“The contrast with crocodiles – another large carnivore – could not be more stark. Three million crocodiles are farmed each year in facilities as disparate levitra as Australia, South Africa and the United States – enabling the demand for crocodile parts to be met legally, while massively reducing the pressure on wild crocs. In 1971, all of the world’s 23 species of crocodile were classified as endangered; now, the eight farmed species are no longer threatened and populations of eight other species have recovered.

“As Mr Mitra, whose Liberty Institute was a founding member of the SDN, puts it “The only market failure in tiger conservation is the failure to let markets operate.”

“In the new proposal – the “Save the Tiger Initiative” – the SDN outlines ways of enabling people to own and sell tigers, which would provide incentives for a range of commercial activities, from eco-tourism to breeding tigers and trading in tiger parts. Under this proposal, the SDN believes that the tiger, which is such a charismatic and culturally rich species, can become economically viable and thereby survive in the wild.

“Kirsten Conrad explains why she supports the SDN Initiative: “While all this sounds cold-blooded—tigers are not tubs of margarine nor domestic livestock— conservationists do not have the luxury of ignoring the distasteful but possibly effective strategy of allowing trade in captive-bred tigers, at least not if they are truly intent on saving the tiger from extinction.”

Barun Mitra concluded, “The tiger could easily earn its keep and buy its way out of extinction – if we allow it to do so,” adding that cooperation between China and India offers the best hope for this mighty but endangered beast.

“NOTE: The 14th Conference of the Parties to the Convention on International Trade in Endangered Species of Wild Fauna and Flora is currently taking place in The Hague (3-15 June 2007). Asian big cats are on the agenda under “Species trade and conservation issues” but some countries want the topic dropped.

“The Sustainable Development Network is a coalition of individuals and non-governmental organizations who believe in a people-oriented view of sustainable development.

www.sdnetwork.net

End of Media Release.

Flooding And Big Surf

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There was flooding and big surf along the New South Wales coast yesterday.

I drove down to Forster last night and thought I would check out the surf this morning. I watched one guy brave the very large waves. He caught a couple and then came in with his surfboard in two pieces – broken.

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The storm should have started to fill up the dams north of Sydney.

What do they say about Australia? A land of drought and flooding rains. And we also have some good surf beaches!

G8 Declaration on Fighting Climate Change

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Climate change has dominated discussions at the three day summit of the Group of Eight (G8) leading industrial economies which began on Wednesday in Heiligendamm, Germany.

Those section of the G8 Summit Declaration of the 7th June 2007 which relate to flighting climate change include:

40. Humanity today faces the key interlinked challenges of avoiding dangerous climate change and ensuring secure and stable supplies of energy. Since we met in Gleneagles, science has more clearly demonstrated that climate change is a long term challenge that has the potential to seriously damage our natural environment and the global
economy. We firmly agree that resolute and concerted international action is urgently needed in order to reduce global greenhouse gas emissions and increase energy security. Tackling climate change is a shared responsibility of all, and can and must be undertaken in a way that supports growth in developing, emerging and industrialised
economies, while avoiding economic distortions.

41. We recognise the important opportunities offered by effective action addressing climate change, in particular for innovation, technological development as well as poverty reduction. Strong economies together with a wide range of policy instruments such as market-based mechanisms, including emissions-trading, tax incentives, and regulatory measures as well as technology cooperation and a shared long-term vision, are key to guide investment decisions, to generate technology commercialisation, to enhance energy security, to promote sustainable development and to slow, stabilize and then significantly cut global emissions of greenhouse gases.

42. We are committed to take strong leadership in combating climate change. We confirm our determination to work among ourselves and with the global community on global solutions that address climate change while supporting growth and economic development. We commit ourselves to implement approaches which optimally combine
effective climate protection with energy security. To this end, we are committed to the further development of the international regime to combat climate change, especially in the run-up to the UN Climate Change Conference in Indonesia at the end of this year. Addressing climate change is a long term issue that will require global participation and a diversity of approaches to take into account differing circumstances.

43. Energy is a fundamental driver of growth and development around the world, and the use of energy has been steadily expanding along with the world’s populations and economies. Our ability to provide secure access to clean, affordable and safe sources of energy to maintain global economic growth complements our desire to protect our environment. Addressing the challenge of energy security will require unprecedented
international cooperation in several areas, including market transparency, enhancing energy efficiency, diversifying energy supplies and developing and deploying new and transformational technologies.

48. We take note of and are concerned about the recent UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) reports. The most recent report concluded both, that global temperatures are rising, that this is caused largely by human activities and, in addition, that for increases in global average temperature, there are projected to be major
changes in ecosystem structure and function with predominantly negative consequences for biodiversity and ecosystems, e.g. water and food supply.

49. We are therefore committed to taking strong and early action to tackle climate change in order to stabilize greenhouse gas concentrations at a level that would prevent dangerous anthropogenic interference with the climate system. Taking into account the scientific knowledge as represented in the recent IPCC reports, global greenhouse gas emissions must stop rising, followed by substantial global emission reductions. In setting
a global goal for emissions reductions in the process we have agreed today involving all major emitters, we will consider seriously the decisions made by the European Union, Canada and Japan which include at least a halving of global emissions by 2050. We commit to achieving these goals and invite the major emerging economies to join us
in this endeavour.

50. As climate change is a global problem, the response to it needs to be international. We welcome the wide range of existing activities both in industrialised and developing countries. We share a long-term vision and agree on the need for frameworks that will accelerate action over the next decade. Complementary national, regional and global
policy frameworks that co-ordinate rather than compete with each other will strengthen the effectiveness of the measures. Such frameworks must address not only climate change but also energy security, economic growth, and sustainable development objectives in an integrated approach. They will provide important orientation for the necessary future investment decisions.

51. We stress that further action should be based on the UNFCCC principle of common but differentiated responsibilities and respective capabilities. We reaffirm, as G8 leaders, our responsibility to act. We acknowledge the continuing leadership role that developed economies have to play in any future climate change efforts to reduce global emissions, so that all countries undertake effective climate commitments tailored to their
particular situations. We recognise however, that the efforts of developed economies will not be sufficient and that new approaches for contributions by other countries are needed. Against this background, we invite notably the emerging economies to address the increase in their emissions by reducing the carbon intensity of their economic development.

52. We acknowledge that the UN climate process is the appropriate forum for negotiating future global action on climate change. We are committed to moving forward in that forum and call on all parties to actively and constructively participate in the UN Climate Change Conference in Indonesia in December 2007 with a view to achieving a comprehensive post 2012-agreement (post Kyoto-agreement) that should include all major
emitters.

53. To address the urgent challenge of climate change, it is vital that major economies that use the most energy and generate the majority of greenhouse gas emissions agree on a detailed contribution for a new global framework by the end of 2008 which would contribute to a global agreement under the UNFCCC by 2009.

We therefore reiterate the need to engage major emitting economies on how best to address the challenge of climate change. We embrace efforts to work with these countries on long term strategies. To this end, our representatives have already met with the representatives of Brazil, China, India, Mexico and South Africa in Berlin on 4 May 2007. We will continue to meet with high representatives of these and other major energy
consuming and greenhouse gas emitting countries to consider the necessary components for successfully combating climate change. We welcome the offer of the United States to host such a meeting later this year. This major emitters’ process should include, inter alia, national, regional and international policies, targets and plans, in line with national circumstances, an ambitious work program within the UNFCCC, and the development and deployment of climate-friendly technology.

The full G8 Summit declaration can be found at:
http://www.g-8.de/Content/DE/Artikel/G8Gipfel/Anlage/2007-06-07-gipfeldokument-wirtschaft-eng,property=publicationFile.pdf

A Critique of James Hansen’s Testimony to the US House Select Committee

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“A new report published today by the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change challenges NASA scientist James Hansen’s claims of a dire global warming future. In the report, physicist Sherwood Idso and agronomist Craig Idso conducted a comprehensive evaluation of Hansen’s April 26, 2007 testimony before the House Select Committee of Energy Independence and Global Warming and concluded there is “very little evidence to justify [Hansen’s] policy prescriptions for dealing with what he calls a ‘dangerous climate change.'”

“Considered by many to be perhaps the world’s foremost authority on the ‘greenhouse effect’ of anthropogenic CO2 emissions, Hansen’s statements are typically regarded as expressions of fact . “In many cases, however, they are merely his opinions ,” said Dr. Sherwood Idso, lead author of the report. “When Hansen’s testimony is compared with what has been revealed by the scientific investigations of a diverse assemblage of highly competent researchers in a wide variety of academic disciplines, we find that he paints a very different picture of the role of anthropogenic CO2 emissions in shaping the future fortunes of man and nature alike than what is suggested by that larger body of work.”

“Among the inconsistencies between Hansen’s House of Representatives’ testimony and the scientific literature is Hansen’s claim of a sea level rise this century measured in meters , due to “the likely demise of the West Antarctic ice sheet.” However, the most recent and comprehensive review of potential sea level rise due to contributions from the wastage of both the Antarctic and Greenland ice sheets suggests a century-long rise measured in milli meters. Similarly, whereas Hansen claims the rate of sea level rise is accelerating , century-scale data indicate the mean rate-of-rise of the global ocean has either not accelerated at all or has actually slowed over the latter part of the past century.

“Another Hansen claim that is at odds with reality is that atmospheric greenhouse gas concentrations are “skyrocketing,” which is not universally true. The most important contrary example is methane , which has historically provided a climate forcing equal to approximately half that provided by CO2 , but whose atmospheric concentration actually stabilized several years ago and has not risen since by any appreciable amount.

“Also contrary to what Hansen claims is the fact that the earth is not any warmer now – and is possibly a fair amount cooler – than it was many times in the past. These warmer-than-present periods include much of the Medieval Warm Period of a thousand years ago, most of the Climatic Optimum that held sway during the central portion of the current interglacial, and significant portions of all four of the prior interglacials, when (in all six cases) the air’s CO2 concentration was much lower than it is today. These facts are extremely important because they demonstrate that today’s temperatures are not in any way unusual , unnatural or unprecedented, contrary to what Hansen claims.

“Hansen also foresees a warming-induced “extermination of a large fraction of plant and animal species,” with many at high latitudes and altitudes being “pushed off the planet.” However, as demonstrated by the scientific studies cited in the Center’s critique of Hansen’s testimony, warming – especially when accompanied by an increase in the atmosphere’s CO2 concentration – typically results in an expansion of the ranges of terrestrial plants and animals, leading to increases in biodiversity almost everywhere on the planet. Likewise, where Hansen sees nothing but “destruction of coral reefs and other ocean life” in response to a predicted CO2 -induced acidification of the world’s oceans, real-world observations suggest just the opposite .

Read the entire report (pdf) at: http://www.co2science.org/scripts/CO2ScienceB2C/education/reports/hansen/HansenTestimonyCritique.pdf

To read the report in html format, go here: http://www.co2science.org/scripts/CO2ScienceB2C/education/reports/hansen/hansencritique.jsp

End of the Media Release from the Center for the Study of Carbon Dioxide and Global Change