Comment Global Oct-Dec 2009

December 2009


 * Failure at such a grand level means we have to act locally, Lord Hunt, visiting professor at Delft University and a former director general of the UK Meteorological Office, 19 December "Experience also shows that local actions can only be truly effective if measurements of climate and environment are widely publicised as well as information about targets, and projections of emissions. Such transparency is needed about what is happening, what is planned and how every individual can be involved..." topic, topic


 * Climate change, Climate Sceptics and Open Data, Open Knowledge Foundation Blog, December 5 topic


 * "To be validated, knowledge must also be subject to the scrutiny of an extended community of citizens who have legitimate stakes in the significance of what is being claimed", Mike Hulme of UEA and Jerome Ravetz of Oxford Univeristy, 1 December topic

November 2009


 * "Transparency. Climate data needs to be publicly available and well documented. This includes metadata that explains how the data were treated and manipulated, what assumptions were made in assembling the data sets, and what data was omitted and why. This would seem to be an obvious and simple requirement, but the need for such transparency has only been voiced recently as the policy relevance of climate data has increased." Judy Curry, climate researcher, Nov 22 topic, topic


 * We only have months, not years, to save civilisation from climate change. International agreements take too long, we need a swift mobilisation not seen since the second world war, Lester Brown, 3 November topic


 * Bolivia: water shortages due to melting glaciers. The disappearance of glaciers in the Bolivian Andes Mountains is causing a concern because the future water shortages will affect the availability of suitable drinking water for a vulnerable migrant population. November 2

October 2009


 * Transition towns or Bright Green Cities? Article looking at "The Dark Side of Transition Thinking" and "What We Need Instead: Bright Green Citizens", Alex Steffen, 27 Oct


 * Greater resources needed to ensure comprehensive and accurate reporting of greenhouse gas emissions data in developing countries, say environmental regulators, 22 October topic, topic


 * Sustainable Medicine, Cuba and Peak oil, 20 Oct 2009 topic


 * Developing the Open City, 15 October 2009 topic, topic


 * How long is your city's tail? by John Geraci, October 7 topic, topic

September 2009


 * The Three Laws of Open Government Data, 30 September 2009, David Eaves topic


 * “Vital that an agreement capping global aviation emissions is part of a Copenhagen deal." Committee on Climate Change, September 9 "Developed countries will need to take the lead in making significant reductions in cutting aviation emissions, ensuring that these are no higher – and possibly lower – than 2005 levels in the period to 2050. An interim period where rising aviation emissions are offset by emissions reductions in other sectors would be feasible. Over time, however, aviation emissions growth will have to be constrained." topic, topic

August 2009


 * Getting beyond hyperlocal, John Geraci, August 19 topic


 * Asia needs to revitalize its irrigation, to sustainably meet tomorrow’s food needs, International Water Management Institute, August 18 "The best bet for Asia lies in revitalizing its vast irrigation systems, which account for 70 percent of the world’s total irrigated land.” topic

July 2009


 * Text of 2009 TED Talk by Rob Hopkins, co-founder of Transition town Totnes and Transition Network, July 22, 2009


 * "...they haven’t taken into account the IPCC's formula that if we want to limit the increase to 2º, we have to ensure that emissions peak no later than 2015,” Rajendra Pachauri, Chairman of the Nobel-winning Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) commenting on the outcome of the G-8 talks in L’Aquila, Italy, July 20 topic

References