Climate Change News
Below are news items on climate change – many with relevance to aviation
UK greenhouse gas emissions fell in 2006 – but those from aviation rose
DEFRA has released figures that show emissions of climate-warming greenhouse gases edged down 0.5% in 2006. Britain has said it is a world leader in the fight against global warming and is introducing self-imposed legally binding targets to cut carbon emissions by 26-32% by 2025 and 60% by 2050 below 1990 levels. (Reuters)
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EU sets 20% target for carbon cuts
The commission confirmed the goal of cutting 20% from Europe's carbon emissions by 2020 compared with 1990 levels, and generating 20% of the EU's power from renewable sources by that time. Britain must get 15% of its energy for heat, electricity and transport from renewables such as wind, wave, tidal, solar and biomass. (Guardian)
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Climate Pollution From Aviation Increasing – says WWF
EU environment ministers have failed to seize a key opportunity to curb emissions from the aviation sector through the European Emissions Trading Scheme (ETS), WWF said at the conclusion of the EU Environment Council in Brussels. (Science Daily 2.1.2008)
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Climate deal sealed in Bali
Negotiators trying to agree a road map for a new international climate change deal finally managed to broker a compromise deal today after days of wrangling. Ministers from around 180 countries agreed the agenda for a global emissions cuts agreement to launch negotiations for a post-2012 agreement to tackle climate change. They have agreed to negotiate on a deal by the end of 2009 (Times)
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Climate talks in Bali near end amid row
World climate talks in Bali have gone into their last scheduled day amid fierce disagreement over targets for cutting greenhouse gas emissions. EU ministers have warned they will boycott a US-led climate summit next month unless the Bush administration backs firm targets for emissions cuts. Indonesia is trying to broker a compromise that would remove firm targets from the final text. (BBC)
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Gordon’s answer to climate change?
Enoughs Enough have produced a full-page newspaper advert, with a stunning image of Gordon Brown cheerily stepping out of 10 Downing Street, onto an airport runway. The ad is seriously questionning how Gordon is going to turn the UK into a low carbon economy - as he suggests - by building a 3rd runway at Heathrow? (Enoughs Enough - and Guardian)
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Flights from Heathrow’s third runway will emit same amount of CO2 as Kenya
According to figures released by the World Development Movement, to coincide with the launch of the government’s consultation process on the third runway at Heathrow, flights from the proposed runway will release as much carbon as Kenya’s total carbon emissions every year. The number of flights leaving Heathrow will nearly double as a result of the proposed expansion. (WDM press release)
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MEPs take faltering first step on aviation emissions
EU plans to tackle aviation's increasing climate change impacts through the Emissions Trading Scheme remain inadequate after MEPs failed to significantly strengthen European Commission proposals in Strasbourg earlier today (13th November. The European Parliament voted on proposed legislation to include the aviation sector in the EU’s ETS. Green NGOs feel that the legislation as approved by the vote, doesn’t go far enough towards curbing the sector’s emissions. (WWF and FoE press releases)
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Nobel prize for Al Gore recognises climate crisis
In awarding the Nobel Peace Prize to Al Gore and the IPCC, the committee has signalled its view that climate change is now one of global society's defining security issues. Past prizes have been awarded to people working on issues which threatened to affect, and in many cases did affect, the well-being of citizens inside and outside the conflict zones. Now the Nobel Foundation has added climate change to the list. (BBC)
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UK flights emit same amount of CO2 as the 15 poorest countries’ total CO2 emissions
Each year, the UK releases as much carbon dioxide (CO2) into the atmosphere through flying as the total annual CO2 emissions from the 15 poorest countries in the world, the World Development Movement revealed today. While the government claims to be a world leader on climate change, UK carbon emissions have increased since 1997. (World Development Movement)