Climate Change News
Below are news items on climate change – many with relevance to aviation
Arctic ice shows winter thinning
Arctic ice reached a larger maximum area this winter than in the last few years, scientists say, but the long-term trend still shows it declining. The 30-year trend shows the maximum annual sea-ice cover, usually seen in March, is shrinking by 2.7% per decade. Only 10% of the cover consists of relatively durable ice that has formed over more than 2 years, a record low. The thin ice is prone to summer melting. (BBC)
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Climate warning as Antarctic ice bridge shatters
An ice bridge which held a vast Antarctic ice shelf in place has shattered and could herald a wider collapse linked to global warming, a leading scientist has warned. A satellite picture from the European Space Agency showed that a 25 mile-long strip of ice believed to pin the Wilkins Ice Shelf in place had splintered at its narrowest point, about 500 metres wide. The Wilkins is one of 10 Antarctic shelves to have shrunk or collapsed in recent years. (Indy)
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Air Industry Chiefs Call For Global Emissions Deal
Aviation leaders at an "Aviation and Environment" conference have called for a global carbon emissions scheme for their industry, arguing an emerging patchwork of regional and national systems could bring more, not less, environmental damage. The call, from the industry, was twinned with a pledge to push ahead rapidly to achieve widespread use of biofuels on commercial flights. They want ICAO to shape a global sectoral approach. (Planet Ark)
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Climate change: Acid oceans transform marine life, says study
CO2 emissions from human activities are acidifying the oceans and threaten a mass extinction of sea life, a top ocean scientist warns. Dr Carol Turley says it is impossible to know how marine life will cope, but fears many species will not survive. Since the Industrial Revolution, CO2 emissions have already turned the sea about 30% more acidic. It is more acidic now than it has been for at least 500,000 years. The problem is set to worsen as emissions rise. (BBC)
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Carbon cuts ‘only give 50/50 chance of saving planet’
The world's best efforts at combating climate change are likely to offer no more than a 50-50 chance of keeping temperature rises below the threshold of disaster, according to research from the UK Met Office. The key aim of holding the expected increase to 2C, beyond which damage to the natural world and to human society is likely to be catastrophic, is far from assured, the research suggests, even with radical and enormous programme of cuts. (Independent)
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Climate is rights issue, says Maldives minister
The foreign minister of the Maldives is calling on the world to make global warming a human rights issue and prevent his homeland from disappearing beneath the waves by the end of the century. "There’s a tendency to think in economic terms and we need to shift the focus to the moral case for tackling global warming," Mr Shaheed said. (FT)
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Squabbling derails greenhouse gas efforts, says ex-minister
UK efforts to cut CO2 have been hampered by government infighting and a reluctance to stand up to industry. Elliot Morley, former climate change minister and now head of the energy and climate change select committee, said tensions between different government departments had undermined moves to cut CO2 emissions. These were dismissed inside Whitehall as "idealistic and not giving enough attention to the pragmatic needs of industry", he said.(Guardian)
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Britain looks set to benefit most as EU parcels out airlines for carbon trading
Britain, home to Europe's busiest airport, looks set to reap the most reward from EU plans to require airlines to buy permits to cover their carbon emissions, according to a list released Wednesday that matches each of the world's airlines to the one EU country that will be responsible for collecting payments. Countries with the busiest airports are likely to prosper the most. Britain would oversee about 780 carriers and operators. (IHT)
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Stop misleading climate claims
Dr Vicky Pope, Met Office Head of Climate Change, calls on scientists and the media to ‘rein in’ some of their climate change assertions. News headlines vie for attention, but it is important that the latest extreme weather event is not linked to climate change. Otherwise, the public perception of climate change can be distorted. Extreme events arise due to natural weather variations, but the important story is long-term climate change. (Met Office)
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Airlines prepare to enter Europe’s ETS as aviation directive comes into force
The directive incorporating aviation into the EU’s ETS entered into force last week, obliging EU Member States to pass appropriate legislation and make administrative provisions before 2 February 2010. Aircraft operators flying within or to and from Europe are required to enter into the first phase of the EC’s MRV process. During 2009, operators have to submit monitoring plans to their relevant ‘competent authority’ or Member State. (GreenAir online)