The significant role of forests in regulating global climate
By David A Gabel, ENN A new study published in the journal, Science, has quantified the forests’ role in regulating carbon dioxide (CO2) levels in the atmosphere. Because plants absorb CO2 as part of their metabolism, the greater the forest, the more CO2 is removed, and the impact of global climate change is decreased. The […]
New study rings louder death knell for tuna
Three Simon Fraser University biologists, including two co-authors of a new study, say that the study’s findings on the fate of tuna globally intensify a conundrum in managing this dwindling species. Do regional fisheries management organizations (RFMOs) risk making multi-million dollar fisheries go bankrupt by putting a moratorium on them? Or do they continue to […]
How hot was it long ago?
By Andy Soos, ENN The question seems simple enough: What happens to the Earth’s temperature when atmospheric carbon dioxide levels increase? It has happened in the past. The answer is elusive. However, clues are hidden in the fossil record. A new study by researchers from Syracuse and Yale universities provides a much clearer picture of […]
China's consumer prices rise to a three-year high in June as food prices soar 14.4 percent
People across China continue [zh] to announce their candidacy in local district level People’s Congress elections, but how far this new surge in civic consciousness can go remains uncertain. The case of Liu Ping in Jiangxi province has drawn greater attention recently after Liu and fellow candidates Li Sihua and Wei Zhongping were prevented, […]
Power generation from renewables surpasses nuclear
By Thomas Schueneman, Global Warming is Real The latest issue of the Monthly Energy Review published by the US Energy Information Administration, electric power generation from renewable sources has surpassed production from nuclear sources, and is now “closing in on oil,” says Ken Bossong, executive director of the Sun Day Campaign. In the first quarter […]
Huge rare earth deposits found in Pacific
Reuters Vast deposits of rare earth minerals, crucial in making high-tech electronics products, have been found on the floor of the Pacific Ocean and can be readily extracted, Japanese scientists said on Monday. “The deposits have a heavy concentration of rare earths. Just one square kilometer (0.4 square mile) of deposits will be able to […]
Britain's richest man to build giant Arctic iron ore mine
By Terry Macalister, guardian.co.uk Britain’s richest man is planning a giant new opencast mine 300 miles inside the Arctic Circle in a bid to extract a potential $23bn (£14bn) worth of iron ore. The “mega-mine” – which includes a 150km railway line and two new ports – is believed to be the largest mineral extraction […]
New microchip could prevent 'standby' energy loss
By Michael Fitzpatrick, guardian.co.uk Japanese scientists have developed a new micro-processing chip which they claim could do away with the energy loss caused by appliances while on “standby”. Existing chips in electronics that eat up energy when a device is switched off but plugged in could be replaced by the new microchip by 2015, claims […]
Solar power's coming of age in the US
By Suzanne Goldenberg, guardian.co.uk Sierra SunTower, the only commercial CSP tower facility in north America – just one sign of solar power’s coming of age in the US. Photograph: Robyn Beck/AFP/Getty Images Two of America’s solar power executives are on a road show to make the case that the industry has grown up and is […]
'Renewables' now required in diesel fuel, heating oil
Diesel fuel and heating oil will now require two per cent renewable content, the federal government announced this week in Saskatoon. Canada’s Environment Minister Peter Kent said the requirement will strengthen the market for renewable fuels, meaning an increased demand for feed stocks like canola, ensuring a stronger bottom line for farmers. The regulatory amendment […]
