Climate Change News
Below are news items on climate change – many with relevance to aviation
Various stories on the Committee on Climate Change report on aviation
Many stories in the media on the CCC's report on the future of UK aviation. Links to the BBC, Guardian and Times stories. Passenger growth will have to be limited to 60% over the next four decades, compared with an increase of 130% since 1990, allowing the UK a maximum of around 370 million air travellers per year by 2050, from 230 million currently.
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Committee on Climate Changes sets out options to meet the UK’s aviation emissions target
A report from the CCC today says that UK aviation policy should be based on the assumption that demand growth between now and 2050 cannot exceed 60% if the UK is to meet the Government’s target that aviation emissions in 2050 must not exceed 2005 levels. However, the report says growth may need to be less than 60%, to take account of non-CO2 effects of aviation emissions, and the uncertainties about biofuels in future. Even with the anticipated carbon price, modal shift and increased use of video-conferencing in business, it is unlikely that demand growth will be constrained to 60%.
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56 newspapers across the world share one common editorial on Copenhagen
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The sceptics’ arguments and the counter arguments – good BBC briefing
The BBC has set out ten of the arguments that the climate sceptics use, to try and convince themselves and us that climate change is not man made, and there is therefore no point in doing anything significant to stop it. The ten counter arguments are then given. Useful background information, to understand how the sceptics are trying to undermine public understanding of the science.
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50,000 fill London’s streets for The Wave ahead of Copenhagen
The Wave was organised by Stop Climate Chaos, and it had hoped this climate march - to mark the start of the Copenhagen talks - would be the largest the UK had ever seen. They dreamed of 30,000 people marching through the streets of London - but there were estimated to have been 50,000 people. That is a resounding success, and demonstrates the depth of feeling there is in Britain on climate change. Anti aviation campaigners enthusiastically joined in.
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Copenhagen climate summit: 50/50 chance of stopping catastrophe, Lord Stern says
Lord Nicholas Stern says an ambitious deal to cut greenhouse gas emissions needs to be agreed at Copenhagen to give a 50/50 chance of keeping temperatures from rising more than 2C. Failure could put the world at risk of temperature rises of more than 5C which would be 'catastrophic'. If the talks fail, it will be difficult to recreate the opportunity to shift the world onto a low carbon path. He wants Europe to agree to cut CO2 by 30% on 1990 by 2020. (Telegraph)
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Cameron hit by Tory backlash on environment
David Cameron is facing a growing challenge to his authority from senior members of his own party who say they have doubts about the Conservatives' stance on global warming. These include Peter Lilley, Andrew Tyrie and Ann Widdecombe. Now David Davis says the policy of tough targets to cut carbon emissions is "destined to collapse". He criticises "the fixation of the green movement with setting ever tougher targets". (Independent)
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Climate science statement from the Met Office, NERC and the Royal Society
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Carbon offset schemes not working, says holiday firm
"Responsible Travel" has said that consumer carbon offset schemes do not lead people to change their behaviour. They were the first holiday firm to run such a scheme, and now realise that offsets are a "distraction" from climate change's real urgency. They will end their scheme. Offsetting has not changed people's behaviour enough and emissions covered by such schemes should be avoided in the first place. (BBC)
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Carbon market clouded by uncertainty
The offices of London's carbon trading companies are quieter than usual. The market could be huge, but its future is now uncertain. It depends on how governments decide to tackle climate change beyond 2012. The World Bank estimates that investment into developing country projects designed to offset their own emissions could grow to £150bn a year. However, growth is not guaranteed and depends on what happens at Copenhagen. (BBC explains it)