Climate Crisis

By Michael Klare | – ( Tomdispatch.com ) – The war in Ukraine has already caused massive death and destruction, with more undoubtedly to come as the fighting intensifies in the country’s east and south. Many thousands of soldiers and civilians have already been killed or wounded, some 13 million Ukrainians have been forced from […]

Australia

Australia’s “Greenslide” Shows the Political Dangers for Conservatives of Downplaying Climate Emergency

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – The Australian Prime Minister Scott Morrison, who had headed the conservative Liberal-National Coalition since 2018, has been turned out of office, and the climate emergency played a key role in his defeat. Morrison’s rival, victorious Labor Party leader Anthony Albanese, proclaimed that Australia could become a “renewable energy superpower.” He […]

Climate Crisis

Majority of Germans favor higher top Tax Rate to finance Climate Protection – Poll

Clean Energy Wire

By Edgar Meza | – ( Clean Energy Wire) – Some 66 percent of German households are in favour of raising the top tax rate to finance climate action, according to a survey conducted by the ifo Institute in cooperation with the forsa opinion research institute. Researchers asked households about their preferences with regard to […]

Climate Crisis

California to test solar Panels over irrigation Canals to save Water, boost Electricity Output

Cronkite News Arizona PBS

By Anna Campbell and Karen Marroquin | – ( Cronkite News ) – TURLOCK, Calif. – As the most persistent drought conditions on record continue to grip the Southwest, a pilot project in California’s lush Central Valley looks to save water and increase energy efficiency. The Turlock Irrigation District, the California Department of Water Resources […]

Climate Crisis

Portugal Opens Floating Solar Array on Europe’s Largest Artificial Lake as Floatovoltaics Expand Globally

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Europe’s high methane gas prices caused in part by the Russian war on Ukraine are hurting consumers even in countries like Portugal, which don’t import gas from Russia. Shortages are putting the price up for everyone. Portugal has made enormous strides toward greening its electricity grid in recent years. Wind […]

Agriculture

5 technologies that will help make the food system carbon neutral

The Conversation

By Rene Van Acker, University of Guelph; Evan Fraser, University of Guelph; and Lenore Newman, University of The Fraser Valley | – Globally, about one-third of all greenhouse gas emissions come from agriculture and food systems. The carbon footprint of food systems includes all the emissions from its growing, processing, transportation and waste. Agriculture is […]

Belgium

Dumping Russian Gas: 4 European countries seek 65 GW Offshore Wind by 2030, as EU Pledges $314 bn. for Green Energy

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Anyone who follows the climate emergency and extreme weather events would think the serial catastrophes of the past couple years would be enough to put the governments into crisis mode in moving swiftly to green energy. It turns out that for Europe, at least, it took the Russian invasion of […]

Climate Crisis

Climate Emergency: 2022 Drought in Western US the Harbinger of a hotter, thirstier Atmosphere

The Conversation

By Imtiaz Rangwala, University of Colorado Boulder | – Much of the western U.S. has been in the grip of an unrelenting drought since early 2020. The dryness has coincided with record-breaking wildfires, intense and long-lasting heat waves, low stream flows and dwindling water supplies in reservoirs that millions of people across the region rely […]

Climate Crisis

The Iraqi Dust Bowl: The US Invaded for its Oil, but now Climate Change from burning Fossil Fuels is Smothering the Country

Juan Cole

Ann Arbor (Informed Comment) – Some Middle East countries profit off oil and gas, but the very source of their prosperity is threatening their future, since burning these fossil fuels causes global heating, and you wouldn’t want the Middle East to be hotter than it already is. But it will be. The very oil that […]