Isramart news:
Datorită lor nimeni sau aproape nimeni nu mai contestă încălzirea globală. Timp de 20 de ani, Grupul interguvernamental de experţi asupra climatului (Giec) modelează opinia publică. Anchetă asupra unei reţele astăzi contestate.
Nori grei se anunţă pentru GIEC. În ultimele luni, Grupul interguvernamental de experţi asupra climatului este ţinta unei dezlănţuiri de critici pe internet. Exemplu: "Încălzirea globală este doar o fantezie de stânga", "o mistificare pentru a lansa un capitalism verde", etc. Cauza acestei dezlănţuiri ? Câţiva cercetători (britanicii celebrului Centru pentru Cercetare Meteorologică Hadley şi ai Universităţii din East Anglia, şi germanii Universităţii din Kiel) au bruiat recent mesajul asupra încălzirii globale repetat de douăzeci de ani de GIEC.
GIEC afirmă că fenomenul rezultă din acumularea de gaze cu efect de seră (GES) de care este în mare măsură responsabilă activitatea umană. Dar după aceste laboratoare germane şi britanice, se pare că temperatura globală ar fi rămas aproape neschimbată între 1998 şi 2008. Şi chiar ar putea scădea timp de una sau două decenii. O notă falsă care cade în momentul cel mai nepotrivit, cu câteva zile înainte de Conferinţa ONU asupra climatului, la Copenhaga, care va aborda sistemul internaţional de luptă împotriva schimbărilor climatice.
GIEC pe toate planurile
Creat în 1988 de Organizaţia Meteorologică Mondială (OMM) şi Programul Naţiunilor Unite pentru Mediu (UNEP) la cererea G7-ului, GIEC a produs patru rapoarte care au modelat opinia publică. "Un strigăt de avertisment, aceasta este misiunea noastră", se flatează acum Jean Jouzel, co-preşedinte al unuia dintre grupurile care alcătuiesc această vastă reţea de experţi (climatologi, ecologi, biologi, geografi, sociologi si economişti). În decursul unui deceniu, GIEC a alăturat cauzei sale marii lideri politici ai lumii, pregătiţi să ne vălmăşească vieţile la mare cost, în speranţa de a reduce emisiile de CO2. Şi a convins şi presa, releu al rapoartelor sale "evenimenţiale".
Primul raport din 1990 a confirmat informaţiile ştiinţifice la baza preocupărilor legate de schimbările climatice şi a condus la crearea unei Convenţii climat a ONU la summit-ul din Rio de Janeiro (1992); al doilea, cinci ani mai târziu, oferă bazele adoptării Protocolului de la Kyoto (1997), primul tratat internaţional împotriva încălzirii globale; al treilea, în 2001, conţine pentru prima dată o sinteză destinată decizionarilor politici; iar ultimul, în 2007, incendiază dezbaterile la Conferinţa asupra climatului de la Bali. Acestuia îi datorează lumea obsesia unei reduceri ale emisiilor de CO2 ale ţărilor industrializate cu 25% la 40% până în 2020, dacă umanitatea doreşte să prevină creşterea temperaturii globale de mai mult de 2°C până la sfârşitul secolului. Umanitatea este deci bântuită de ameninţarea evenimentelor meteorologice extreme (uragane, ploi torenţiale, secetă, etc.) pe baza acestui raport.
O misiune inedită
GIEC îşi trage eficienţa extraordinară dintr-o misiune inedită. "Fiecare raport al GIEC face un inventar al celor mai reuşite cercetări mondiale asupra climatului", explică Jean Jouzel. O mega-sinteză negociată cuvânt cu cuvânt. "Suma constituită, aproximativ 3.000 de pagini, este comentată de comunitatea ştiinţifică şi de reprezentanţi ai organismelor guvernamentale", adaugă Stéphane Hallegatte, cercetător pentru Meteo France şi membru GIEC. O primă serie de rezumate este extrasă din această sumă, apoi un al doilea şi mai condensat pentru decizionarii politici. "Apoi vine faza de adoptare a raportului de către reprezentanţi ai guvernelor, orice modificări trebuind să se bazeze pe raportul complet, ceea ce asigură că rezumatul adoptat este expresia acestuia", continuă Jean Jouzel. Pentru al patrulea raport, "800 de oameni de ştiinţă au scris paginile semnând cu numele lor, şi 2 000 de recititori sau comentatori au fost mobilizaţi ", reaminteşte Stephane Hallegatte.
Martirii cauzei climatice ? Se numără în ambele tabere. De partea scepticilor, Richard Lindzen, profesor la MIT, a plecat din GIEC trântind uşa după el, estimând că obiecţiile sale asupra retro-acţiunilor climatice nu erau ascultate. Într-un articol publicat de Wall Street Journal acum trei ani, el aminteşte îndepărtările colegilor lui Henk Tennekes (Olanda), Aksel Winn-Nielsen (WMO-OMM), Alfonso Sutera şi Antonio Speranza (Italia), vinovaţi de a fi emis îndoieli cu privire la teza încălzirii globale. De partea convinşilor climatici, James Hansen, cercetător la Institutul Goddard pentru Studii ale spaţiului (NASA), a trebuit să suporte presiunea administraţiei Bush, contrariată de apelurile sale de a reduce emisiile de C02 din cauza încălzirii. La originea îndoielii, Margaret Thatcher, fostul prim-ministru britanic, a fost de la bun început acuzată de a fabrica întrebările cu privire la climat pentru a ascunde mai bine strategia sa de emancipare energetică a Orientului Mijlociu. Dar "de acolo până a susţine că lumea este manipulată de câţiva oameni de ştiinţă... ", spune Stéphane Hallegatte cu nerăbdare.
Friday, November 27, 2009
Isramart : Decizie istorica: Beijingul intentioneaza sa reduca emisiile poluante cu 40-45% pana in 2020
Isramart news:
China intentioneaza sa reduca cu 40-45% emisiile de gaze in atmosfera, pana in anul 2020, comparativ cu anul 2005, a anuntat agentia de stat Xinhua, citand Guvernul de la Beijing, potrivit Reuters. Anuntul vine cu o saptamana inaintea summit-ului ONU pe probleme climatice de la Copenhaga, din luna decembrie, unde liderii mondiali vor incerca sa obtina un acord care sa inlocuiasca asa-numitul protocol de la Kyoto.poluare in China
“Este o initiativa voluntara a guvernului chinez si o contributie majora la efortul global de a tine piept schimbarilor climatice” a aratat guvernul de la Beijing, citat de Xinhua.
Anuntul Chinei vine la doar o zi dupa ce Casa Alba a confirmat ca presedintele Obama va participa la summitul de la Copenhaga. In plus, Statele Unite au anuntat ca intentioneaza sa reduca emisiile de gaze cu efect de sera cu 17 procente sub nivelul din 2005 in urmatorii 10 ani. In plus, Washingtonul are in plan o reducere a emisiilor cu 83 de procente pana in 2050.
Premierul danez Lars Loekke Rasmussen a invitat 191 de sefi de stat si de guvern sa participe la reuniunea consacrata climei care se va desfasura intre 7 si 18 decembrie, la Copenhaga.
China intentioneaza sa reduca cu 40-45% emisiile de gaze in atmosfera, pana in anul 2020, comparativ cu anul 2005, a anuntat agentia de stat Xinhua, citand Guvernul de la Beijing, potrivit Reuters. Anuntul vine cu o saptamana inaintea summit-ului ONU pe probleme climatice de la Copenhaga, din luna decembrie, unde liderii mondiali vor incerca sa obtina un acord care sa inlocuiasca asa-numitul protocol de la Kyoto.poluare in China
“Este o initiativa voluntara a guvernului chinez si o contributie majora la efortul global de a tine piept schimbarilor climatice” a aratat guvernul de la Beijing, citat de Xinhua.
Anuntul Chinei vine la doar o zi dupa ce Casa Alba a confirmat ca presedintele Obama va participa la summitul de la Copenhaga. In plus, Statele Unite au anuntat ca intentioneaza sa reduca emisiile de gaze cu efect de sera cu 17 procente sub nivelul din 2005 in urmatorii 10 ani. In plus, Washingtonul are in plan o reducere a emisiilor cu 83 de procente pana in 2050.
Premierul danez Lars Loekke Rasmussen a invitat 191 de sefi de stat si de guvern sa participe la reuniunea consacrata climei care se va desfasura intre 7 si 18 decembrie, la Copenhaga.
Isramart : Australia’s Senate rejects carbon-trade vote delay
Isramart news:
Australia’s Senate rejected on Wednesday attempts to delay a vote on the government’s carbon-trade legislation, indicating that draft laws may pass a vote in the upper house of parliament this week.
The scheme, already rejected once by the Senate, is scheduled to start in July 2011, covering 1,000 of Australia’s biggest polluters. It would be the world’s most comprehensive carbon-reduction scheme outside of Europe.
Australia’s Senate rejected on Wednesday attempts to delay a vote on the government’s carbon-trade legislation, indicating that draft laws may pass a vote in the upper house of parliament this week.
The scheme, already rejected once by the Senate, is scheduled to start in July 2011, covering 1,000 of Australia’s biggest polluters. It would be the world’s most comprehensive carbon-reduction scheme outside of Europe.
Isramart : Premier see benefits in carbon trading plan
Isramart news:
The Tasmanian Premier expects the state to benefit from the proposed carbon trading scheme.
David Bartlett says the state generates 75 per cent of its energy from renewable sources and the Government is trying to reduce costs to Tasmanians.
He says there are opportunities in the carbon pollution reduction scheme for the state.
“Tasmania through the combination of the CPRS and the mandatory renewable energy target, through all the treasury modelling, is the only state that shows a net positive economic benefit.”
The Tasmanian Premier expects the state to benefit from the proposed carbon trading scheme.
David Bartlett says the state generates 75 per cent of its energy from renewable sources and the Government is trying to reduce costs to Tasmanians.
He says there are opportunities in the carbon pollution reduction scheme for the state.
“Tasmania through the combination of the CPRS and the mandatory renewable energy target, through all the treasury modelling, is the only state that shows a net positive economic benefit.”
Isramart : Tokyo arcade to sell CO2 quota to Seiyu
Isramart news:
A shopping district association in Tokyo plans to break new ground by selling carbon dioxide emission credits gained by replacing mercury lamps lighting an arcade with more efficient light-emitting diodes to major supermarket operator Seiyu Ltd.
Although about 75 firms and municipalities across the country are trading carbon dioxide emission quotas, the Happy Road Oyama arcade in the Oyamacho area in Itabashi Ward likely will be the first arcade to join the scheme.
“We want to do our bit to prevent global warming,” said Mitsugu Ohara, the head of the arcade’s promotion association, which plans to complete a plan this month for the deal to be submitted to the government.
The arcade in front of the Tobu Tojo Line’s Oyama Station is dotted with about 200 shops and is one of the ward’s busiest shopping streets. The association was chewing over whether to replace the 560-meter-long arcade’s lighting in September when, in a stroke of good timing, it learned about the government’s system that allows greenhouse gas emission quotas to be sold to companies.
The association estimates switching to the more efficient lights can reduce the arcade’s greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent, or about 150 tons a year. As an added bonus, the arcade’s lighting expenses are likely to fall significantly with the new lights.
Though the price of emission reduction credits has yet to be determined, the association plans to use the proceeds of the sale for installing and maintaining the LEDs.
Seiyu has been trying to go green by reducing the number of plastic shopping bags it uses, and is considering using some of the proceeds from sales of eco-friendly shopping bags to buy the association’s carbon dioxide credits.
“You could say supermarkets and shopping streets are rivals, but working together for the environment will benefit both of us,” a Seiyu spokesman said.
The eco-friendly lights will be installed this month, and the association will hold a lighting ceremony on Dec. 1.
Trading of carbon dioxide emission quotas can only begin after a business plan submitted to a government agency is approved.
Although it will take some time for the transactions between Seiyu and Happy Road Oyama to begin, Ohara, 63, is just pleased the arcade will be doing its bit for the environment.
“Prime Minister [Yukio] Hatoyama declared Japan will cut its emissions by 25 percent [from the 1990 level by 2020],” he said. “Even a small shopping street should chip in.”
A shopping district association in Tokyo plans to break new ground by selling carbon dioxide emission credits gained by replacing mercury lamps lighting an arcade with more efficient light-emitting diodes to major supermarket operator Seiyu Ltd.
Although about 75 firms and municipalities across the country are trading carbon dioxide emission quotas, the Happy Road Oyama arcade in the Oyamacho area in Itabashi Ward likely will be the first arcade to join the scheme.
“We want to do our bit to prevent global warming,” said Mitsugu Ohara, the head of the arcade’s promotion association, which plans to complete a plan this month for the deal to be submitted to the government.
The arcade in front of the Tobu Tojo Line’s Oyama Station is dotted with about 200 shops and is one of the ward’s busiest shopping streets. The association was chewing over whether to replace the 560-meter-long arcade’s lighting in September when, in a stroke of good timing, it learned about the government’s system that allows greenhouse gas emission quotas to be sold to companies.
The association estimates switching to the more efficient lights can reduce the arcade’s greenhouse gas emissions by 85 percent, or about 150 tons a year. As an added bonus, the arcade’s lighting expenses are likely to fall significantly with the new lights.
Though the price of emission reduction credits has yet to be determined, the association plans to use the proceeds of the sale for installing and maintaining the LEDs.
Seiyu has been trying to go green by reducing the number of plastic shopping bags it uses, and is considering using some of the proceeds from sales of eco-friendly shopping bags to buy the association’s carbon dioxide credits.
“You could say supermarkets and shopping streets are rivals, but working together for the environment will benefit both of us,” a Seiyu spokesman said.
The eco-friendly lights will be installed this month, and the association will hold a lighting ceremony on Dec. 1.
Trading of carbon dioxide emission quotas can only begin after a business plan submitted to a government agency is approved.
Although it will take some time for the transactions between Seiyu and Happy Road Oyama to begin, Ohara, 63, is just pleased the arcade will be doing its bit for the environment.
“Prime Minister [Yukio] Hatoyama declared Japan will cut its emissions by 25 percent [from the 1990 level by 2020],” he said. “Even a small shopping street should chip in.”
Isramart : Global CO2 emissions to drop 2.8 pct in ‘09 -report
Isramart news:
*CO2 emissions up 2 pct in ‘08, to dip 2.8 pct in ‘09-report
* Emissions from developing nations continue to soar
* Consumer demand from rich countries partly to blame (Adds details, quotes throughout)
SINGAPORE, Nov 18 (Reuters) – Global carbon dioxide emissions are set to fall an estimated 2.8 percent this year because of the financial crisis, after having risen two percent in 2008, a leading annual report on the globe’s “carbon budget” says.
*CO2 emissions up 2 pct in ‘08, to dip 2.8 pct in ‘09-report
* Emissions from developing nations continue to soar
* Consumer demand from rich countries partly to blame (Adds details, quotes throughout)
SINGAPORE, Nov 18 (Reuters) – Global carbon dioxide emissions are set to fall an estimated 2.8 percent this year because of the financial crisis, after having risen two percent in 2008, a leading annual report on the globe’s “carbon budget” says.
Isramart : Carbon Accounting – Building the case for a green work place
Isramart news:
An environmentally friendly office is not hard to achieve says ACCA (the Association for Chartered Certified Accountants) today as it offers ten practical tips for a sustainable workplace as part of its drive towards carbon accounting.
Wyn Mears, Director of ACCA UK says: “With politicians struggling to come to an agreement on climate change, and with the global Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen weeks away, it is now more important than ever that businesses large and small help to become more sustainable.
“Carbon accounting is really important but the following ten points are more practical solutions that
we should be doing already, but sometimes we all need a gentle reminder. Getting the office be that bit greener is all about changing people’s habits, so staff buy-in and involvement is the first step – and then the challenge is to keep the momentum going.”
1. Involve staff -– It’s no good a business having an environmental policy if staff don’t know what it is. Recycling efforts are often undermined by staff not knowing what goes in which bin, while attempts to cut paper usage may be scuppered by staff not using smaller fonts or not printing double-sided. Communicating with your staff about what is going on is a priority.
2. Get the business’s carbon footprint measured – www.carbonneutral.co.uk can help carry out an environmental audit to identify carbon hotspots in a business. They can work with you to reduce the carbon footprint, and can recommend ways to offset carbon emissions.
3. Trim paper usage – Cutting paper waste is vital. Each year, the amount of paper buried in the UK could fill more than 100,000 double decker buses. Always think twice before printing. And make sure the paper you do use is from a sustainable source.
4. Label your recycling bins – Recycling bins need to be labelled clearly so cross contamination doesn’t happen, with paper, metal, plastic getting mixed up. This defeats the recycling objective.
5. A collective waste bin? – A single waste bin for the whole office floor is an option, but make sure everyone knows why this is being done. It’s almost office culture to have your own waste bin, but there’s no point in surprising staff with a change of direction without explaining it first.
6. Control the air conditioning – Reducing the heating thermostat by one or two degrees can make a massive difference to the office environment and the bills; legally, temperatures in the workplace are covered by the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which place a legal obligation on employers to provide a “reasonable” temperature in the workplace. The Approved Code of Practice suggests a minimum temperature in workrooms should normally be at least 16 degrees Celsius, but some offices have the heating in the low 20s.
7. Switch off Computers – One single computer left on all day will produce 1,500 pounds of CO2 in a year. Staff must down computers every night so it becomes the company’s culture to do so.
8. Turn off the lights – Switching off unnecessary lights could reduce the average bill by up to 19%. And switching to energy efficient light bulbs will make a difference. The last one out of the building should turn out the lights. Movement sensitive lights that turn off automatically are a worthwhile consideration.
9. Consider staff transport
needs – For car users, you could introduce a car-sharing scheme, do a deal for supplying electric cars or provide shuttle buses to local transport links. Companies can promote cycling to their staff as an alternative as tax free bike loans are available through www.cyclescheme.co.uk
10. Reappraise your business travel – A report by the World Wildlife Fund www.wwf.org.uk in 2008 revealed that 85% of FTSE350 companies believe video conferencing and other technologies could reduce dependence in business travel. You can also look at carbon offsetting travel, and making sure this is a company policy.
An environmentally friendly office is not hard to achieve says ACCA (the Association for Chartered Certified Accountants) today as it offers ten practical tips for a sustainable workplace as part of its drive towards carbon accounting.
Wyn Mears, Director of ACCA UK says: “With politicians struggling to come to an agreement on climate change, and with the global Climate Change Summit in Copenhagen weeks away, it is now more important than ever that businesses large and small help to become more sustainable.
“Carbon accounting is really important but the following ten points are more practical solutions that
we should be doing already, but sometimes we all need a gentle reminder. Getting the office be that bit greener is all about changing people’s habits, so staff buy-in and involvement is the first step – and then the challenge is to keep the momentum going.”
1. Involve staff -– It’s no good a business having an environmental policy if staff don’t know what it is. Recycling efforts are often undermined by staff not knowing what goes in which bin, while attempts to cut paper usage may be scuppered by staff not using smaller fonts or not printing double-sided. Communicating with your staff about what is going on is a priority.
2. Get the business’s carbon footprint measured – www.carbonneutral.co.uk can help carry out an environmental audit to identify carbon hotspots in a business. They can work with you to reduce the carbon footprint, and can recommend ways to offset carbon emissions.
3. Trim paper usage – Cutting paper waste is vital. Each year, the amount of paper buried in the UK could fill more than 100,000 double decker buses. Always think twice before printing. And make sure the paper you do use is from a sustainable source.
4. Label your recycling bins – Recycling bins need to be labelled clearly so cross contamination doesn’t happen, with paper, metal, plastic getting mixed up. This defeats the recycling objective.
5. A collective waste bin? – A single waste bin for the whole office floor is an option, but make sure everyone knows why this is being done. It’s almost office culture to have your own waste bin, but there’s no point in surprising staff with a change of direction without explaining it first.
6. Control the air conditioning – Reducing the heating thermostat by one or two degrees can make a massive difference to the office environment and the bills; legally, temperatures in the workplace are covered by the Workplace (Health, Safety and Welfare) Regulations 1992, which place a legal obligation on employers to provide a “reasonable” temperature in the workplace. The Approved Code of Practice suggests a minimum temperature in workrooms should normally be at least 16 degrees Celsius, but some offices have the heating in the low 20s.
7. Switch off Computers – One single computer left on all day will produce 1,500 pounds of CO2 in a year. Staff must down computers every night so it becomes the company’s culture to do so.
8. Turn off the lights – Switching off unnecessary lights could reduce the average bill by up to 19%. And switching to energy efficient light bulbs will make a difference. The last one out of the building should turn out the lights. Movement sensitive lights that turn off automatically are a worthwhile consideration.
9. Consider staff transport
needs – For car users, you could introduce a car-sharing scheme, do a deal for supplying electric cars or provide shuttle buses to local transport links. Companies can promote cycling to their staff as an alternative as tax free bike loans are available through www.cyclescheme.co.uk
10. Reappraise your business travel – A report by the World Wildlife Fund www.wwf.org.uk in 2008 revealed that 85% of FTSE350 companies believe video conferencing and other technologies could reduce dependence in business travel. You can also look at carbon offsetting travel, and making sure this is a company policy.
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