As climate change forces temperatures up, tourism in the Mediterranean may be deeply affected. The Mediterranean basin attracts nearly 20% of the world’s tourists every year, but with increasing temperatures, visitors may begin to avoid the region during summers.

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Did you know that the carbon emissions caused by deforestation are greater than those caused by the entire global transportation sector?

The Nature Conservancy wants to equip you with facts like this so you can start thinking about the solutions that nature holds for slowing carbon emissions and dealing with the effects of climate change.

In fact, last week, the Nature Conservancy launched a web-based campaign that aims to inspire a movement to respond—and offer solutions— to the threat of climate change.

The campaign, called “Planet Change,” educates site visitors about:

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Team Earth is a worldwide sustainability movement for businesses, non-profit organizations, and individuals looking to address five critical environmental issues like climate change, water, health, waste and food. The latest to adhere to the sustainable world vision, hotel chain Marriott has just announced that they are trying to prove their greenness by joining the Team Earth bandwagon.

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So far, it was the climatologists and environmentalist who were mainly warning the world about the hazards of climate change. Now, medical doctors have joined them.

A study by the University College London, published in the medical journal Lancet, has warned that the problems caused by climate change such as food shortages, heat waves and increased threat of tropical diseases like malaria, will kill billions of people worldwide.

This is the first authentic medical assessment of the dangers of global warming.

And, what it would mean is that climate change is now the biggest threat to humanity.

The authors of the study – which included doctors, climatologists and economists – concluded that climate change is the biggest global health threat of the 21st century.

The effects of climate change will affect most populations in the next decades and put the lives of and well-being of billions of people at increased risk.”

The study, which took a year to complete, predicted that temperatures are likely to rise in the next century by over 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit (2 degrees Celsius), resulting in “catastrophic consequences”. It also stresses that the health of people in poorer countries would be hit the hardest since they do not have the money to respond to floods, crop failures or to an increase in insect-borne diseases.

But developed countries will be hit, too. Extreme weather conditions will become more frequent across the world and rises in temperature will particularly affect the elderly and vulnerable.

The result of all these could be mass migration, health problems like starvation and the threat of disease, and even war caused by shortages of food and water. Doctors also warn that even “the fear of climate change” will have a psychosocial effect on health, with patients requiring counseling.

Meanwhile, doctors around the world themselves are being asked to become “advocates for encouraging a low-carbon lifestyle” – for example, by cycling rather than using a car.

Source – Image by pagedooley

National Center for Science Education executive director Eugenie C. Scott will guest start on the first hour of NPR’s Science Friday show for April 10, 2009.

Here’s what we know about Science Friday.

1. Science Friday aims to make science user friendly. We at GP love when folk take a scientific approach to things.
2. Science Friday has four blog writers – Bad Light Bulbs, Spring Buds, My Personal Cyber-Spy, And the Winning Vehicle is….
3. And they have a podcast
4. Science Friday has video archives.  Candy corn in space?
5. Science Friday makes science cool to know – Extinct Genes Resurrected, Spotting Stress in Statues, Dogs Bark, Birds Chirp, Fish Grunt
6. Science Friday tackles the difficult subjects – Texas Schools and Evolution, Obama, Congress, and Climate Change, Predicting Earthquakes
7. Science Friday is inviting the likes of Eugenie Scott of NCSE which defends the teaching of evolution in school.

In any event, it is never a bad thing if folk look at things rationally, scientifically, as long as the folk realize that science does not/cannot answer every question.

There are many things on President Barrack Obama’s desk right now that need urgent attending. But one of the most significant of all the bills the President wishes to see get acceptance from the Congress is the carbon-capping program. Apparently, he not only thinks the program will help the planet get cleaner, but will also generate the much needed revenue for the country.

The cap and trade system that will be put in place by the new government once it gets the Congress approval, will start an innovative new plan which will put a price on climate-warming gases emitted by companies. Each company will have to pay a price for every extra ton of carbon gas that it emits beyond its designated limit.

Apart from forcing companies to take up the green path and cut on emissions significantly, this also means that there will be significant revenue generated from the selling of carbon emission credits. The funds are estimated to touch $646 billion in the initial year. The price for one ton of carbon emission credits is being set around $15 and will progressively go up in an effort o discourage all methods that pollute the air.

Obama’s budget for 2010 projects this revenue, from 2012 through 2019, will fund $150 billion in clean energy technology investments over 10 years and a tax credit to help Americans make the transition to a less carbon-intensive economy.

There are both economic and environment viewpoints that should support such an idea to curb carbon emissions. Let’s just hope that the Cap-and-Trade bill not just makes it through in the US, but all across the globe in one form or another.

Meanwhile, let’s be good stewards to our planet.

Japan’s PM Taro Aso is ordering his ministries to draft a “Green New Deal” this week. The “Green New Deal” is expected to counter the twin towers threats of climate change and economic downturn.

Aso’s stimulus package will focus on slashing greenhouse gases.

Aso is expected to fall in step with new US President Barack Obama vow to lead the world on climate change. High on the agenda – new measures to encourage the development of fuel-efficient cars.

UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon is also asked for a “Green New Deal” at a UN climate conference in Poland in December. (more…)

There is a point beyond which you cannot trample with the mightily patient Mother earth. She has taken everything that has been thrown at her and has tried to balance the planet and keep it up and running by making tiny adjustments and giving us gentle jolts once in a while. But when the planet that you call home is heading towards a chaotic order, then she has to step in at some point to wipe out the infestation and set the record straight.

Image courtesy of Roberto Rizzato

With the way man has been destroying delicate balance of natural ecosystems and causing a steep rise in the global temperatures, global warming seems to be the cause that will one day bring about a catastrophic end to much of human race, much like nature put dinosaurs in their place millions of years ago. And when you have Nobel Laureates and the best minds in the world talking about how bad the situation is, then it is hard to dismiss it away.

This is why GP has compiled a list with what we believe to be the 15 most deadly effects of global warming. (more…)

The Japan Meteorological Agency has some new global warming statistics. According to the agency, the pace of global warming appears to be slowing.

“The average temperature in the world in 2008 registering a rise of 0.2 degree Celsius compared with the average rise between 1971 and 2000.”

Even so, it was the 10th largest margin of increase from benchmark average established in 1891.

The slow down was attributed to the La Nina phenomenon. This year’s margin of increase was the lowest since 2001. Japan’s margin was .44 C lower than last year.

JMA computes the averages of 1,200 locations throughout the world and compares it to wherever historical data are available.

My bet is that people living in the NorthEast of the US would like to get a little more out of the global warming monster these days, if they could, eh?

Source: Breitbart
Image: Grey glacier, Lago Grey in Patagonia. By Steve Deger

When the Earth fights back, it ain’t pretty. What could be worse than too much snow on Mt. Everest? How about too much water in Venice?

Venice is suffering from its worst flooding in 22 years. In the Renaissance city water stood more than 1.5 meter deep. Authorities worried that the sea lapping at the lagoon city would rise to 1.60 meters, a 30-year high mark. Residents and tourists were told to stay indoors. Nearly all the streets of Venice, including the central tourist district, were under water including the famous Piazza San Marco.

The situation was complicated by a national strike of the city’s “vaporetto” water bus service.

Experts say the high sea levels were caused by persistently high southerly winds and heavy rain and snowfall in northern Italy. Venice has been wrestling with the threat of rising sea levels. Presently, raising the buildings is the only option. The United Nations cultural organization UNESCO has already warned that Venice, one of its designated World Heritage sites, is threatened by climate change.

Maybe, it’s too late for Venice? Let’s hope not!

Images and video, courtesy of Daisuke Ido & Ethan Hein