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 17th
December 2002 Canada
Can
Canada has ratified the Kyoto protocol, paving the way for Russia
to also ratify and for the agreement to finally come into force.
This would give real meaning to the protocol, despite the absence
of the US and Australia.
 17th
December 2002 Scratched
Record
2002 will be one of the warmest ever recorded either globally or
in the UK, according to meterologists. It is set to be the 4th warmest
year in the UK for 350 years and the 2nd warmest globally since
records began.
 11th
December 2002 More
Melting Moments
Mark Serreze, and colleagues in Colorado, have reported record shrinkage
of ice sheets in the Arctic and Greenland during the summer of 2002.
It is feared that 20 percent of Arctic sea ice could be lost by
2050.
 6th
December 2002 Gas
Exchange
International GHG emissions trading appears to be gathering pace.
The Slovak Republic will today sell some of its GHG emission allowances
to a group in Japan. While EU wide trading looks set to take off.
 6th
December 2002 Warmer
Snow
An international team, headed by Kent Moore of the University of
Toronto, have shown significant warming in Canada during the last
150 years. A feature of the warming has been an increase in annual
snowfall.
 27th
November 2002 Waste
Not
Jian Yu, and colleagues in Honolulu, has revealed a biological reactor
which promises to allow the conversion of food scraps into usable
plastics, so helping to reduce methane production in landfill sites.
 24th
November 2002 Costa
del Solihull
UK conservationists, as well as the National Trust and the Royal
Horticultural Society, have warned of the threat posed to traditional
English gardens by global warming. Staple features like lawns may
be at risk.
 24th
November 2002 Smoke
Signals
Martin Wooster, of King's College, London, has highlighted the potential
to measure wildfire GHG emission using infrared sensors mounted
on satellites, such as the European Space Agency's ENVISAT.
 17th
November 2002 Methane
Management
Changsheng Li, with colleagues in China and US, has revealed how
reductions in rice paddy methane have been achieved by changes in
water use. More frequent draining helps to greatly reduce methanogenesis.
 10th
November 2002 Burning
Issue
Susan Page and colleagues have reported on the huge amounts of carbon
dioxide that are released by wildfires in tropical regions. Emissions
during 1997 equalled Europe's total fossil fuel related carbon emissions.
 7th
November 2002 Rising
Prices
A new report, released at the latest conference of the parties (COP)
in Delhi, has highlighted the already huge financial cost incurred
from global warming. The report calls for greater support for adaptation.
 5th
November 2002 Arrested
Development
Developing countries meeting in Delhi have rejected calls from Western
governments to commit to GHG reduction targets. They cite their
greater need for economic advancement as justification.
 3rd
November 2002 Hard
Target
The UK government's GHG emission reduction target of a 20 percent
cut by 2010 now looks unlikely to be met. Provisional figures show
that GHG emissions have actually risen by over 1 percent since 1997.
2nd
November 2002 Levy
Losses
UK business has called for the chancellor to alter the Climate Change
Levy (CCL). The CCL is designed to drive up energy efficiency and
reduce GHG emissions, but some business leaders think it is too
costly.
 31st
October 2002 Lake
Alarm
Global warming has been cited as the cause for a substantial increase
in the water level of a remote lake in central Asia. There is concern
that such lake level rise could increase the risk of flooding downstream.
 29th
October 2002 Trouble
with Trees
Riccardo Valentini and co-workers, on the Europe-wide CarboEurope
programme, have reported that the planting of trees to meet Kyoto
protocol targets may in fact cause a release of CO2
in the first 10 years.
 24th
October 2002 Water
Works
Thorstein Sigmarsson and colleagues in Iceland have developed a
device which is able to generate electricty from water using the
so-called 'thermo-electric effect'. The device could reduce energy
related GHG emissions.
24th
October 2002 RSPB
Plea
The Royal Society for the Protection of Birds (RSPB) have called
on developed countries to begin working towards very large cuts
in GHG emissions. They state that cuts of 60 percent are needed
by the year 2050.
 22nd
October 2002 Carbon
Collective
US based Sara Scherr, and co-authors, have reported that collaboration
between local people and big business may allow simultaneous global
warming mitigation and increased prosperity in developing countries.
 19th
October 2002 Cost
Effective
Dave Reay, of the University of Edinburgh (and GHGonline.org), has
described how UK citizens can save themselves £80,000 and
cut GHG emissions by around 1,000 tonnes through a GHG aware lifestyle.
18th
October 2002 Snow
Melt
The iconic snow cap of Mount Kilimanjaro will be gone within two
decades due to global warming, according to researchers at Ohio
State University in the US. Its loss may result in a large reduction
in tourism in the area.
 17th
October 2002 Hot
on the Trail
A report by Robert Noland of Imperial College, London, and his co-authors,
suggests that aircraft could increase their carbon dioxide emissions
and still reduce their global warming impact by flying at lower
altitudes.
13th
October 2002 Waste
Energy
Chris Melhuish and colleagues at the University of West England,
UK, have developed a battery which runs on organic waste. The battery
could one day allow households to generate power from their kitchen
scraps.
7th
October 2002 Rising
Price
The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) have called on businesses,
as well as governments, to act on climate change or face dire financial
consequences in years to come.
 2nd
October 2002 On
Reflection
US researchers, led by Roger Pielke, have suggested that the impact
of man-made changes in land-use on global climate has been at least
as large as that caused by our emissions of greenhouse gases.
 29th
September 2002 Sooty
Sweep
Surabi Menon and James Hansen, US researchers, have suggested that
black carbon emissions in China are a direct contributor to climate
change. Reducing emissions could also bring substantial health benefits.
 28th
September 2002 Google
Hit
GreenHouse Gas Online has recently become the top ranked web site
in the world for 'greenhouse gas news' on the popular internet search
engine Google.com. We aim to
fully justify this ranking and keep standards high.
 27th
September 2002 Wind
In Your Sails
French engineers have apparently developed a car which is able to
run on compressed air alone. The car will have almost zero GHG emissions
and be very cheap to run. It is said to have a top speed of 65 mph.
 22nd
September 2002 By
Degrees
James Hansen and colleagues in the US have predicted that global
warming will continue even if GHG emissions are cut, albeit at a
slower rate. Their model helps to demonstrate man's forcing of climate
in the last 50 years.
19th
September 2002 Cooking
Oil
Paul Day, an industrial chemist from Kent, UK, has developed a fuel
which could help cut vehicle GHG emissions. The fuel is based on
a mixture of diesel, bean oil and water and has been named Aquafuel.
 16th
September 2002 Car
Pool
Britain's Energy Saving Trust has warned that the UK faces devastating
flooding as a result of global warming. Their report calls for increased
energy efficiency and decreased car use to reduce our GHG emissions.
 11th
September 2002 Buried
at Sea
Andrew Chadwick and colleagues, from the British Geological Survey,
have found that an experiment to trap large amounts of carbon dioxide
under the North Sea over the last six years has been a success.
 10th
September 2002 Heat
Shock
Lloyd Peck and colleagues, from the British Antarctic Survey, have
reported that many Southern Ocean invertebrate species may become
extinct if warming predictions for the region are correct.
 4th
September 2002 Bear
Hug
Russia will soon ratify the Kyoto protocol according to Prime Minister
Mikhail Kasyanov. Russia's ratification should mean that the crucial
Kyoto target of 55 per cent of global greenhouse gas emissions is
reached.
2nd
September 2002 Blair
Right
Tony Blair has condemned those countries which have refused to sign
up to the Kyoto protocol, the most notable non-signatory being the
US. Mr Blair made his comments at the Johannesburg World Summit.
 30th
August 2002 Power
Plant
James Dumesic and colleagues, US researchers, have developed a process
by which hydrogen can be made from plant matter. There is hope that
the process may eventually allow efficient production of hydrogen
fuel.
 24th
August 2002 Mammoth
Problem
Belgian researchers, Andre Berger and Marie-France Loutre, have
warned that global warming could prevent future ice-age events and
effectively put an end to the past climate cycle of freeze followed
by thaw.
 21st
August 2002 African
Threat
A WWF report has highlighted the threat to millions of Africans
who face severe effects of climate change. Pressure is being put
on Tony Blair and other leaders at the Johannesburg World Summit
to cut GHG emissions.
 20th
August 2002 Rice
Paper
Research in the Phillipines has shown that methane emissions from
rice paddies can be lowered by increasing rice yields. It seems
that, where yields are low, more carbon is available for methanogenesis.
14th
August 2002 Dark
Skies
Paul Crutzen and fellow climatologists have reported research on
the huge Asian pollution cloud. The cloud, caused by wood and fossil
fuel burning, is thought to have a complex effect on both local
and world climate.
 11th
August 2002 Black
Sea Boon
Antje Boetius and colleagues from the Max Planck society in Germany
have reported the discovery of novel methanotrophs on the sea floor
of the Black Sea. It is hoped that these bacteria could help control
CH4 levels.
 8th
August 2002 Wing
Tip
US researcher David Travis, and colleagues, have reported a small
but discernible cooling effect of air craft contrails on our climate.
The group used the absence of air traffic after September 11th for
their study.
 7th
August 2002 Cosmic
truth
Fangqun Yu, a US researcher, has suggested that cosmic rays are
responsible for the apparent discrepancy between climate warming
at the Earth's surface and lack of it in the lower atmosphere.
 4th
August 2002 Carbon
alchemy
Japanese scientist, Nakamichi Yamasaki, reports that he has developed
a process which enables propane and butane production at low temperatures
and pressures. Recycling of CO2 by this process
is now a possibility.
3rd
August 2002 Cold
Comfort
A study examining the likely effects of climate change in the UK
has predicted that the number of cold-related deaths may fall by
up to 20,000 a year. Ozone related illness, though, is expected
to rise.
 30th
July 2002 In
Roads
California's governor, Gray Davis, has signed the first US treaty
specifically aimed at cutting greenhouse gas emissions from cars
in his state. The moves may well be challenged in court, but Davis
seems determined.
28th
July 2002 No
Flood Defence
David Anderson and co-workers in the US and India have warned that
torrential rainfall and flooding in the next 100 years may result
from global warming. The threat is greatest in the Southern Hemisphere.
 20th
July 2002 Baked
Alaska
Anthony Arendt and colleagues at the University of Alaska have reported
a rapid increase in the rate of glacial melt in Alaska. This melt
is now thought to account for up to 9 per cent of recent sea level
rise.
 11th
July 2002 Sinking
In
John Harrison, an Australian inventor, claims that his new eco-cement
can absorb carbon dioxide. He says that each tonne of the cement
can take up 0.4 tonnes of carbon dioxide and so could be an important
sink.
2nd
July 2002 Heart
of Africa
The United nations Environment Programme (UNEP) reports that Africa
faces irreparable environmental damage over the next 30 years if
climate change is not kept under control.
 2nd
July 2002 In
the detail
Climate modeller Armin Blunde and colleagues have reported that
climate forecast models are often poor at producing short term (monthly
and yearly) fluctuations in atmospheric temperature.
2nd
July 2002 Early
Flutter
Entomologist John Burton and Tim Sparks of NERC report that butterflies
are being seen around Britain up to a month ealier than they were
60 years ago. Climatic change and earlier Spring may explain their
findings.
 21st
June 2002 Fridge
Mountains
The implementation of EU rules, designed to prevent CFC release
during fridge disposal, has caused the build up of UK fridge mountains
which may cost the government many millions of pounds to clear.
 21st
June 2002 Warm
Fever
US researcher Drew Harvell, and colleagues, have warned that global
warming is leading to increased frequency and intensity of disease
outbreaks. Many pathogens appear very sensitive to climate change.
18th
June 2002 Alaskan
Exodus
Climate change and the melting of sea ice off Alaska may lead to
the exodus of human inhabitants. Increased rates of soil erosion
and instability are resulting from the ice melt are forcing resettlement
of some villagers.
 16th
June 2002 Beeline
for Britain
Global warming may allow bee-eaters to become resident in parts
of the UK. A pair have been seen exhibiting courtship displays in
County Durham. Bee-eaters have not successfully bred in the UK since
1955.
13th
June 2002 Long
View
Tackling global warming through reductions in greenhouse gas emissions
will be relatively inexpensive in the long term according to research
by Sweden's Christian Azar and Stephen Schneider of the US.
12th
June 2002 Ozone
up
Anne Thompson and colleagues at NASA have reported that half of
the ozone in our atmosphere is a result of natural atmospheric processes,
though human activities, like biomass burning, account for the rest.
6th
June 2002 Join
the Club
Japan is the latest country to ratify the Kyoto protocol - last
week all 15 EU states ratified the protocol. However, the absence
of the US is making it difficult to reach the magic 55 percent global
emissions target.
6th
June 2002 Out
of the frying pan
Chris Rose, strategic advisor for Greenpeace, has again highlighted
the problem of CFC substitutes, such as HFCs, acting as powerful
greenhouse gases. Though they may save ozone, they can be powerful
GHGs.
4th
June 2002 Bush
Hush
The Bush administration has admitted that global warming is a real
and substantial problem, but the admission has not come with any
plans to reduce US GHG emissions or rejoin the Kyoto protocol.
 4th
June 2002 Roo
Methane
Australian scientists are investigating the reason for inhibition
of methane formation in kangaroo guts in the hope that the microbes
responsible can then be used to reduce ruminant livestock methane
emissions.
28th
May 2002 Blooming
Predictions
Alastair Fitter, a researcher at York university, and his father
have reported the apparent impact of climate warming on the first
flowering date of British plants. Blooming in some species is now
15 days earlier.
 28th
May 2002 Crocodile
Tears
Alison Leslie, speaking to the Royal Society of research into the
Nile crocodile, warned that global temperatures rises, such as those
predicted by the IPCC, could result in a unisex crocodile population
and so extinction.
22nd
May 2002 Coral
key
Australian marine scientists have called for more research into
the link or otherwise between global warming and the increase in
coral bleaching on coral reefs around the world.
22nd
May 2002 Greenpeace
vs Esso
In protest at oil company Esso's stance of greenhouse gas emissions
and climate change Greenpeace have blockaded the companies oil refinery
near to the French city of Le Havre.
18th
May 2002 Biogas
in Business
Britain's first large scale biogas power station is in business
and hopes are that it will be the first of many. The plant, in Devon,
runs on methane produced from locally sourced slurry and food processing
waste.
17th
May 2002 Thin
Ice
Climate change may be threatening the survival of polar bears. Rising
sea temperatures can cause increased rates of sea ice melt and so
a reduction in the hunting opportunities for ringed seals, their
main food source.
 16th
May 2002 Venetian
Bright Side
Research by Tevor Davies and Isabel Trigo of the University of East
Anglia has indicated that global warming may in fact help to protect
flood threatened Venice through changes in global weather patterns.
15th
May 2002 Small
Ireland
Andrew Cooper of the University of Ulster has warned of the shrinking
of Ireland due to the increased coastline erosion, driven by global
warming. The current rate of loss is thought to be around 750 acres
each year.
 12th
May 2002 In
your Shell-like
Oil company Shell is enhancing its green credentials by funding
Canadian development of an ethanol based fuel derived from wood
and straw, which could reduce car based greenhouse gas emissions
by up to 90 percent.
12th
May 2002 Doing
your bit
A climate prediction computer program is being developed in the
hope that it can be run on thousands of home computers. The aim
is to give the best prediction yet of climate change over the next
50 years.
11th
May 2002 GHG
Light
US scientists Shawn Lin and Jim Fleming have developed traditional
light bulbs with much greater energy efficiency. Though their bulbs
still contain a tungsten filament, it now has a novel crystalline
pattern.
 10th
May 2002 Baa-Baa
Breakthrough
New Zealand scientists, Garry Waghorn and Mike Tavendale, have found
that tannins in the diet of ruminant livestock could help significantly
reduce methane emissions from this source .
3rd
May 2002 Head
in the Sand?
More pressure has been put on the US to curb its greenhouse gas
emissions. The International Energy Agency has warned that global
efforts to reduce global warming will fail without the cooperation
of the US.
2nd
May 2002 Forward
Planning
People in the UK should be readying themselves for the impact of
global warming. Parts of the Southeast may see temperatures rise
by more than 5 degrees C and droughts and floods may become more
frequent.
1st
May 2002 Gas
Bills
Households in Victoria state, Australia, will receive a report of
their individual greenhouse gas emissions on their electricity bills.
The bills will also give details of ways in which GHG emissions
could be cut.
29th
April 2002 Muck
and Money
Researchers from the University of Warwick, UK, claim to have vastly
improved the efficiency of hydrogen production from sewage. The
improvement comes from the additional breakdown of methane.
21st
April 2002 Elementary?
Robert Watson has been voted out as chair of the IPCC. In a move,
seen by many as orchestrated by Exxon-Mobil and the Bush administration,
Watson was replaced by current vice-chair Rajendra Pachauri.
 20th
April 2002 Tropical
Fish
Climate change is a key factor controlling Salmon populations and
migration, Canadian researchers report in 'Nature'. Global warming
could therefore exacerbate existing problems of overfishing and
pollution.
18th
April 2002 Flood
damage
Glacial melt, accelerated by rising global temperatures, may result
in sudden and catastrophic floods in the the Himalayas, according
to a United Nations study. 20 lakes in Nepal and 24 in Bhutan are
at bursting point.
18th
April 2002 Warmish
welcome
Gordon Brown's 2002 budget has received a warmish welcome from environmental
groups. The budget includes the exemption from the climate change
levy of electricity generated using coal mine methane .
12th
April 2002 Warm
Bleach
Global warming is an underlying factor in the huge die off of coral
zooanthellae currently occurring in Australia's great barrier reef,
according to Thomas Goreau president of the Global Coral Reef Alliance.
 11th
April 2002 Changes
afoot
Climate change will cause shifts in wildlife distribution and diversity
according to a new study. The study, based on computer model predictions
for the next 50 years, should help target species conservation efforts.
 11th
April 2002 Balancing
act
The Amazon rainforest emits as much CO2 as
it takes up, Jeffrey Richey and his team from the University of
Washington report. Much of the released CO2
seems to be emitted from Amazonia's rivers and wetlands.
10th
April 2002 Sinking
feeling
New Scientist reports a four-year study of how much CO2
trees are able to absorb which has found that the potential for
such CO2 uptake to balance future increases
in emission is much lower than hoped.
6th
April 2002 Oily
Maneuvers
The oil giant ExxonMobil has put pressure on the Bush administration
to get rid of Robert Watson, current chairman of the IPCC and outspoken
supporter of action to tackle climate change.
30th
March 2002 Keeping
Bad Company
In a move designed to reduce the number of gas guzzling company
cars on UK roads, the treasury is introducing a new car tax regime
whereby the more carbon dioxide the car produces the higher the
tax.
 27th
March 2002 Methane
extinction
The melting and release of huge plumes of methane from hydrate deposits
in the sea floor may have been responsible for the mass extinction
of life which fossils indicate took place around 250 million years
ago.
5th
March 2002 Kyoto
beckons
European Union environment ministers have again expressed their
commitment to the Kyoto protocol and have increased the pressure
on the US administration to reconsider its isolationist stance on
global warming.
 2nd
March 2002 Star
Gazing
A large monitoring satellite has been launched with the intention
of recording data on environmental change and global warming. It
has hoped that the data will allow better prediction of climate
change.
 1st
March 2002 Tuvalu
in trouble
The low lying South Pacific island nation of Tuvalu may become one
of the first clear victims of global warming. Increased storm intensity
and rising sea lvels threaten to obliterate the nine islands that
make up Tuvalu.
24th
February 2002 Early
Risers
The trend of shorter Winters and earlier Springs in the UK has continued
this year, with sightings of flowering daffodils in Scotland, frogs
spawn and budding hedgerows all having been made.
21st
February 2002 Malaria
Maker
The previously suggested link between climate change and an upsurge
in malaria in East Africa has been disputed by researchers from
Oxford University. Instead, they propose that drug resistance and
poor healthcare are more likely culprits.
 21st
February 2002 Methane
mining
A team of scientists from Cornell University in the US is attempting
to grow methanogenic bacteria from acidic wetlands, with the hope
of their future use in bioengineering or in the controlled production
methane.
 18th
February 2002 Deeper
trouble
A new study has predicted sea level rise of up to 30cm over the
next century, almost twice the IPCC estimate. On top of the existing
IPCC considerations, Mike Meier has also included glacial melt in
Alaska, Antarctica and Greenland in the new forecast.
18th
February 2002 Smoke
Signal
Smoke is significantly affecting our climate, according to studies
discussed this week in Boston, US. The researchers highlight the
need for such aerosols to be properly included in climate change
predictions.
 16th
February 2002 Bush's
Kyoto
US president, George Bush, has announced details of his alternative
to the Kyoto protocol. Bush made no overt commitment to cut greenhouse
gas emissions, but instead proposes linking emission targets with
GDP.
 15th
February 2002 Daily
doses
The climate monitoring station on Mauna Loa volcano in Hawaii seems
to be experiencing the effects of modern day work practices. CO2
concentrations at the observatory are peaking during mid-week and
falling at the weekends, apparently as a result of human activity.
 7th
February 2002 Slack
water
Water circulation in the Pacific is reported to have slowed since
the 1970's. The US researchers, writing in Nature, make the connection
between this slowing in circulation rate and reduced greenhouse
gas emissions.
30th
January 2002 Rising
tide
Tim Palmer and Jouni Räisänen report this week, in the journal Nature,
of our increasing risk of extreme rainfall events due to changing
climate. It seems the likelihood of such extreme rainfall during
winter will increase by around 5 times in the next 50-100 years.
 24th
January 2002 Tracing
Climate Change
Phillipe Collon and co-workers from the US may have struck upon
a useful new technique to study climatic change via oceanic currents.
The team have developed a new method for detecting argon at extremely
low concentrations.
 17th
January 2002 Antarctic
getting colder?
A US group have suggested that, contrary to current climate models,
the Antarctic may be getting colder rather than warmer. The group
cite 35 years of Antarctic climate data, but other climate researchers
disagree with these findings.
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