Test - melting

Showing posts with label melting. Show all posts

Alaskan Glaciers are Melting and Adding to Sea Level Rise

July 02, 2015 Add Comment Edit

In Alaska unprecedented heat is melting glaciers and causing sea levels to rise. According to a new study the amount of water from melting glaciers could cover the entire state of Alaska in a foot of water every seven years. This is the finding of the authors of a study called "Surface melt dominates Alaska glacier mass balance," published in the peer-reviewed Geophysical Research Letters, a journal of the American Geophysical Union.

Alaskan glaciers have lost 75 billion metric tons of ice every year from 1994 through 2013. The Columbia Glacier on its own is releasing 4 billion metric tons of water into the oceans every year. Although Alaska may only have 1 percent of the Earth's glacial ice volume however the state accounted for 33 percent of global ice loss between 2005 and 2010.

Chris Larsen, a research associate professor with the Geophysical Institute at the University of Alaska Fairbanks and lead author of the study suggested that the trend of Alaskan ice melt will continue to drive sea level rise.

"There is a lot of momentum in the system, and Alaska will continue to be a major driver of global sea level change in upcoming decades," he said.

Related
Arctic Sea Ice is Disappearing
Watch the Disintegration of the Largest Glacier Ever Recorded on Film
Implications of Arctic Heat: Less Ice and More Global Warming
The Dramatic Implications of Melting Arctic Sea Ice
Dramatic Sea Level Rise Expected From Faster Melting of Arctic Ice
Melting Canadian Glaciers
Its Official Arctic Sea Ice is at its Lowest Level in Recorded History
Melting Ice Makes Antarctica Ground Zero for Climate Change
Melting Antarctic Ice and Sea Level Rise (Video)
Melting Antarctic Ice is Changing the Earth's Gravitational Field
Graphic: Western Antarctic Ice Cap Passes Irreversible Tipping Point
Antarctic Glaciers Pass the Point of No Return

Video - Arctic Emergency: Scientists on Melting Arctic Ice

September 06, 2014 Add Comment Edit

In this video climate scientists address how rising temperatures in the Arctic are contributing the melting sea ice, thawing permafrost, and destabilization of a system that has been called "Earth's Air Conditioner". They make the point that global warming is here and is impacting weather patterns, natural systems, and human life around the world - and the Arctic is central to these impacts.

Scientists featured in the film include:

- Jennifer Francis, PhD. Atmospheric Sciences Institute of Marine and Coastal Sciences, Rutgers University.

- Ron Prinn, PhD. Chemistry TEPCO Professor of Atmospheric Science, Massachusetts Institute of Technology.

- Natalia Shakhova, PhD. Marine Geology International Arctic Research Center, University of Alaska-Fairbanks.

- Kevin Schaefer, PhD. Research Scientist, National Snow and Ice Data Center.

- Stephen J. Vavrus, PhD. Atmospheric Sciences Center for Climatic Research, University of Wisconsin-Madison

- Nikita Zimov, Northeast Science Station, Russian Academy of Sciences.

- Jorien Vonk, PhD. Applied Environmental Sciences Faculty of Geosciences, Utrecht University

- Jeff Masters, PhD. Meteorology Director, Weather Underground

Related Articles
Save the Arctic from a "Death Spiral"
More Evidence that Arctic Warming is an Economic and Ecological Time Bomb
Scientists Link Loss of Arctic Sea Ice to Anomalous Weather
Video - The Global Implications of Rapid Climate Change in the Arctic
More Evidence of Historic Arctic Warming: Lake Sediment and Ice Cores
Why the Fate of the Arctic Should be of Concern to Us All
Video - O' Canada Stand Up for the Arctic and Oppose Climate Change
Its Official Arctic Sea Ice is at its Lowest Level in Recorded History
The Dramatic Implications of Melting Arctic Sea Ice
Melting Arctic Ice is Releasing Massive Amounts of Methane
Video - Methane is the Ticking Time Bomb Beneath the Ice
Video - Massive Costs Associated with Arctic Methane
Video - Unlocking Methane in the Permafrost is a Global Warming Time Bomb
Video - Warming Arctic, Changing Planet
Video - Arctic Warming: Risks for Methane Emissions
Arctic Monitoring Stations Report CO2 Levels of 400 PPM
Northern Ice is Melting at a Dramatic Rate
Environmental Tipping Points

Event - The Sustainability of Delta Cities (Debate)

June 01, 2014 Add Comment Edit

A debate on the ‘Sustainability of Delta Cities’ will take place on June 4,2014 in Rotterdam, The Netherlands. The debate will look at how we can better exploit what we know about land subsidence in urban areas. The speakers will examine the links between planning, design and construction in delta cities using Jakarta, New Orleans and the Green Heart of the Netherlands as examples.

Delta cities are facing long-term problems such as land subsidence, climate change and rapid rises in the population. Jakarta, New Orleans or Gouda: they can all look forward to major challenges.Land subsidence is a slow and lengthy process that today’s cities are not built to cope with.It is a problem that has not been adequately understood by urban planners, landscapers and architects. For these groups, Deltares will organise a debate on Wednesday 4th June, in the Kunsthal in Rotterdam.

Experts are called in only when the effects of land subsidence become apparent. By that time, the damage to buildings, infrastructure or foundations is already clear. Or flooding may have got worse, and floods be more likely. The cost of all the resulting damage can be enormous.

A debate organised by Deltares will look at how we can better exploit what we know about land subsidence in urban areas. The speakers will examine the links between planning, design and construction in delta cities using Jakarta, New Orleans and the Green Heart of the Netherlands as examples. After a broad description of the issues, the debate will focus on practical solutions. Possible approaches will be suggested for the implementation of measures from a governance perspective.

The debate is part of the IABR in Rotterdam. In the Kunsthal Rotterdam, from May 29 through August 24, IABR–2014–URBAN BY NATURE– presents IABR's projects as well as almost a hundred projects from all around the world – from the very small to the very large. Conferences, plans, movies, infographics, images and models take the visitor on a trip through the past, present and future of our urban landscapes: can we solve our environmental problems by tackling them in the city?

For more information click here. To register send an email to the following address: iabr@deltares.nl city,

Related
Report - Shining Cities: At the Forefront of America's Solar Energy Revolution
Infographic - Green Cities Comparison: New York, Vancouver and Copenhagen
Video - 10 Sustainable Solutions Changing our Cities
Sustainable Cities: Business Opportunities from Resource Efficiency in Urbanization
Sustainable Cities: Oxymoron or the Shape of the Future? (White Paper)
Components of a Sustainable City (Video)
Canada's Best and Worst Green Cities
Smarter Cities' Best Green American Municipalities
The Greening of China's Cities, Counties, Towns and Industry
Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability in Urban Environments

Balken Flooding and the Costs of Climate Change

May 20, 2014 Add Comment Edit

Much of the former Yugoslavia (Serbia, Bosnia and Croatia) is under water and hundreds of thousands of buildings are inundated across the region. Some of the worst flooding ever experienced in the area has killed almost 50 people and triggered more than three thousand landslides.

Hundreds of thousands of people have been evacuated and millions of people are affected. People all across the region are cut off with no water, food, power or communications. The floods are exposing some of the more than one hundred thousand mines and driving the biggest mass migration in the Balkans since the war in the 1990s.

Four months of rain fell in less than 40 hours in some areas causing rivers to jump their banks. The cause of this inundation started with a powerful heat dome high pressure system over a region just north of the Caspian Sea. By late Tuesday one week ago, a powerful low pressure system had formed, bringing precipitation and turning the system into a kind of inland hurricane.

In addition to destroying homes, washing out roads, bridges and railway lines, the flooding has severely damaged the coal-fired Nikola Tesla power plant which supplies electricity for half of Serbia and most of Belgrade.

"What we are facing is the biggest water catastrophe in Serbia’s history," Serbian Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said. "These are the kind of waters not seen in 1,000 years, let alone 100."

As the climate continues to warm more flooding is expected from increased precipitation and melting ice. Although it is still too early to make a causal connection between global warming and the flooding in the Balkans, a link has been drawn between recent unprecedented flooding in the UK and climate change.

The cost of the flooding in the Balkans is already hundreds of millions of dollars. However, the costs of the damage associated with flooding is only one facet of the situation, landslides are another corollary of climate change. In addition to flooding and landslides, climate change also leads to mass migrations which can trigger its own set of problems including conflict.

Flooding has proven to be very expensive and the situation is expected to get far worse. One report indicates that flooding will double in the EU by 2050. The EU is already spending billions to deal with flooding ($6.7 billion between 2000-2012) and it is expected that this number will rise to $32.1 billion by 2050.

Globally, the costs from flooding alone are estimated to be at least 2 trillion annually and the IEA says that climate change will cost $115 trillion by 2050.

Related Articles
Visualizing Sea Level Rises from Climate Change
Antarctic Glaciers Pass the Point of No Return
Infographic - How Much Would it Cost to Go Green Globally?
Infographic - People Living Less than 5m Above Sea Level
The Costs of Flood Damage will Rise Along with Sea Levels
Melting Arctic Ice and Flooding
Biblical Colorado Flooding and the Cost of Climate Change
Unprecedented Heavy Rains in Japan and Climate Change Impacts in the Summer of 2013
Flooding from Climate Change will Submerge 1700 US Cities by 2100
Global Extreme Weather 2013 Timeline (Tiki-Toki)
Tornadoes and Floods Underscore the Costs of Global Warming
Extreme Weather and the Costs of Climate Change
Video - Sea Level Rise: A Slow-Motion Disaster
Video - Forced Migration from Sea Level Rise: The Marshallese are Losing their Homeland
UCS Facts Sheet on Global Warming and Sea Level Rise
Global Warming and Sea Level Rises on the US East Coast
Infographic - Sea Level Rise and Global Warming

Antarctic Glaciers Pass the Point of No Return

May 13, 2014 Add Comment Edit

A recent report concludes that Antarctica's ice sheet has reached a tipping point from which it will not be able to recover. Scientists predict that the glaciers in the western part of Antarctica will melt and raise sea levels by four feet or 1.2 meters. These sea level rises will displace tens of millions of people from coastal areas around the world.

As explained by NASA glaciologist Eric Rignot, the glacial retreat "appears unstoppable." Rignot is the lead author of a joint NASA-University of California Irvine paper that used 40 years of satellite data and aircraft studies to come to the conclusion that Antarctic glaciers are now "past the point of no return."

The rate at which the area's ice is melting has increased 77 percent since 1973. According to researchers the melting is being precipitated by warmer ocean currents which have begun a chain reaction. Although first observed around glaciers in the Amundsen Sea-area, the effect is expected to spread to other Antarctic glaciers.

Researchers attribute the melt to global warming and a depletion of the Earth's ozone layer which has changed the winds in the area, causing more warm water to be invected toward the glaciers.

These findings are not contradicted by the news that Antarctic sea ice recently hit record levels. Sea ice forms and melts quickly, while glaciers appear to be headed for an unavoidable decline. This is a phenomenon that has not occurred for at least a half a million years.

The entire west Antarctic ice sheet has enough ice to raise the global sea level by about 16 feet. This is but the latest scientific assessment that suggests climate change is progressing faster than predicted.

Related Articles
Video - Watch the Disintegration of the Largest Glacier Ever Recorded on Film
Implications of Arctic Heat: Less Ice and More Global Warming
Video - Global Warming is Melting Ice and Raising Sea Levels
Melting Arctic Ice
The Dramatic Implications of Melting Arctic Sea Ice
Northern Ice is Melting at a Dramatic Rate
Melting Arctic Ice is Releasing Massive Amounts of Methane
Geothermal Heating Accelerating Greenland's Ice Melt
Dramatic Sea Level Rise Expected From Faster Melting of Arctic Ice
First Hand Account of Melting Arctic
Melting Canadian Glaciers
Global Warming Predictions for 2014
More Evidence that Arctic Warming
The Climate Crisis: Problems and Solutions
Its Official Arctic Sea Ice is at its Lowest Level in Recorded History
The Effects of Global Warming

Implications of Arctic Heat: Less Ice and More Global Warming

March 11, 2014 Add Comment Edit

The Arctic continues to warm and ocean sea ice continues to retreat at an alarming pace. This has dramatic implications that are both global and local. Arctic ice has been both retreating and thinning in volume for four decades.

As reported in the Ecologist, the latest study by Stroeve et al. from the University College London, was published in Geophysical Research Letters. This study shows that the ice-free period is increasing by 5 days every decade. In some regions of the Arctic, the autumn freeze is now up to 11 days later every decade.

The research examined satellite imagery of the Arctic for the last 30 years. They found that the ice is melting and the increasing exposure to sunlight means that greater quantities of energy are being absorbed by the Earth.

"The extent of sea ice in the Arctic has been declining for the last four decades", said Professor Stroeve. "And the timing of when melt begins and ends has a large impact on the amount of ice lost each summer."
The Arctic is now warmer now than it has been for 40 millennia. This has a cascade of negative impacts which are both local and global.

Globally a warmer Arctic translates to less sea ice which means less reflection of sunlight and more absorption which translates to more heat. This is known as the albedo effect which is defined as the amount of solar energy (shortwave radiation) reflected from the Earth back into space. It is a measure of the reflectivity of the earth's surface. The lower the albedo the more we can expect planetary temperatures to increase. Locally this warming threatens the animals that depend for their existence on a stable cycle of seasons.

The rate of acceleration suggests that the polar ocean could be entirely free of ice in late summer in the next four decades. When ice loss is factored from the perspective of the albedo effect, this will further accelerate global warming.

© 2014, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Alaska's Record Breaking Heat in January 2014 Offers More Evidence for a Dramatically Warmer Arctic Video - Arctic Emergency: Scientists on Melting Arctic Ice
Canada's Ruling Conservatives Suppress Arctic Ice Loss Research
Save the Arctic from a "Death Spiral"
More Evidence that Arctic Warming is an Economic and Ecological Time Bomb
Scientists Link Loss of Arctic Sea Ice to Anomalous Weather
Video - The Global Implications of Rapid Climate Change in the Arctic
More Evidence of Historic Arctic Warming: Lake Sediment and Ice Cores
Why the Fate of the Arctic Should be of Concern to Us All
Video - O' Canada Stand Up for the Arctic and Oppose Climate Change
Its Official Arctic Sea Ice is at its Lowest Level in Recorded History
The Arctic's Dangerous Combination of Environmental Toxicity and Genetic Vulnerability
The Dramatic Implications of Melting Arctic Sea Ice
Video - Warming Arctic, Changing Planet
Northern Ice is Melting at a Dramatic Rate
Environmental Tipping Points

Alaska's Record Breaking Heat in January Offers More Evidence for a Dramatically Warmer Arctic

February 19, 2014 Add Comment Edit

While the continental US was being slammed with a succession of cold spells and winter storms in January, Alaska was experiencing some of the hottest temperatures ever recorded for the month. Temperatures were as much as 40°F (22°C) above normal. The all-time warmest January temperature ever observed in Alaska was tied on January 27 when the temperature peaked at 62°F (16.7°C) in Port Alsworth.

The NASA map (above left) shows the temperature anomalies in Alaska for January 23–30, 2014. Those areas which experienced higher than average temperatures compared to the 2001–2010 average for the same week are highlighted in red. The map is based on data from Moderate Resolution Imaging Spectroradiometer (MODIS) on NASA’s Terra satellite.

The record heat and rain caused rivers to rise and avalanches which buried highways under as much as 100 feet (30 meters) of snow. The warmer temperatures were caused by a persistent ridge of high pressure off the Pacific Coast.

These findings are consistent with the general warming trend being observed in the Arctic. A recent University of Waterloo study of more than 400 lakes of the North Slope of Alaska, found less ice and a shorter ice season in 2011 compared with 1950. Over the same time-span, the winter ice season has been reduced by almost one month (24 days). Lakes in the region froze almost six days later and broke up about 18 days earlier in the winter of 2011 compared to the winter of 1950. The ice has also gotten 38 centimeters thinner over that period.

© 2014, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Video - Arctic Emergency: Scientists on Melting Arctic Ice
Canada's Ruling Conservatives Suppress Arctic Ice Loss Research
Save the Arctic from a "Death Spiral"
More Evidence that Arctic Warming is an Economic and Ecological Time Bomb
Scientists Link Loss of Arctic Sea Ice to Anomalous Weather
Video - Richard Branson on the Need to Protect the Arctic
Video - The Arctic is Under Threat from Shell and Gazprom
Video - The Global Implications of Rapid Climate Change in the Arctic
Geothermal Heating Accelerating Greenland's Ice Melt
The Race to Exploit the Arctic's Resources Ignores the Costs
White Paper - Oil Spills in Arctic Waters
More Evidence of Historic Arctic Warming: Lake Sediment and Ice Cores
Why the Fate of the Arctic Should be of Concern to Us All
Video - O' Canada Stand Up for the Arctic and Oppose Climate Change
Its Official Arctic Sea Ice is at its Lowest Level in Recorded History
The Arctic's Dangerous Combination of Environmental Toxicity and Genetic Vulnerability
The Dramatic Implications of Melting Arctic Sea Ice
Melting Arctic Ice is Releasing Massive Amounts of Methane
Video - Methane is the Ticking Time Bomb Beneath the Ice
Video - Massive Costs Associated with Arctic Methane
Video - Unlocking Methane in the Permafrost is a Global Warming Time Bomb
Video - I Love Arctic (Greenpeace)
Video - Warming Arctic, Changing Planet
Video - Arctic Warming: Risks for Methane Emissions
Video - Beautiful Arctic: Look at the Awe Inspiring Beauty We Stand to Lose
Lawsuit to Protect Arctic Sea Ice as Critical Seal Habitat
Lawsuit Protecting the Arctic from Oil and Gas Drilling
Russia Lining Up Investors for Arctic Drilling
Shell's Game with the Future of the Arctic
Global Warming Exposes Resources in the Arctic
Arctic Monitoring Stations Report CO2 Levels of 400 PPM
Clinton Working to Cut Short-Lived Climate Pollutants and Arctic Awareness
Northern Ice is Melting at a Dramatic Rate
Environmental Tipping Points

Save the Arctic from a "Death Spiral"

February 11, 2014 Add Comment Edit

In last 30 years, we’ve lost as much as three-quarters of the floating sea ice cover at the top of the world. Satellite images reveal that the volume of that summer sea ice in the Arctic has shrunk so fast that scientists say it’s now in a ‘death spiral’. Due to human activities, primarily the burning of fossil fuels, the Arctic may soon be ice free in the summer for the first time in over 800,000 years.

This will be devastating for polar bears, narwhals, walruses and other species that live there. It will also have profoundly destructive consequences for people all around the world as the Arctic helps to regulate global weather patterns and as a consequence has a powerful impact on global agriculture.

It is a tragic irony that the dirty energy companies that are causing the Arctic to warm at twice the rate of the rest of the world, are also looking to plunder oil and other resources that lie underneath the disappearing ice.

Arctic ecosystems are among the most fragile on Earth and according to recently declassified government documents, dealing with oil spills in the freezing waters is “almost impossible.” If there is one thing we have learned it is that spills are unavoidable and in the Arctic this will be far more destructive than anywhere else on the planet.

We cannot allow the Arctic to be exploited for its natural resources. We cannot allow the loss of the indiginous people's way of life by giant fishing companies. They have fished sustainably in the Arctic for thousands of years.

As part of its efforts to defend the Arctic, Greenpeace is asking people to sign a petition to create a global sanctuary around the North Pole, ban offshore drilling and other destructive industries in the Arctic. Thirty years ago they launched a similar campaign to protect the Antarctic. They were instrumental in helping to create a world park around the South Pole, now they are asking for people to come together to do the same for the Arctic Ocean.

Help Greenpeace to ban destructive industries in the Arctic and create a global sanctuary around the North Pole dedicated to peace and science. Join millions of people around the world and sign the petition to protect the Arctic.

Click here for more information.

© 2014, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Scientists Link Loss of Arctic Sea Ice to Anomalous Weather
Video - The Arctic is Under Threat from Shell and Gazprom
Video - The Global Implications of Rapid Climate Change in the Arctic
The Race to Exploit the Arctic's Resources Ignores the Costs
More Evidence that Arctic Warming is an Economic and Ecological Time Bomb
White Paper - Oil Spills in Arctic Waters
More Evidence of Historic Arctic Warming: Lake Sediment and Ice Cores
Why the Fate of the Arctic Should be of Concern to Us All
Its Official Arctic Sea Ice is at its Lowest Level in Recorded History
The Arctic's Dangerous Combination of Environmental Toxicity and Genetic Vulnerability
The Dramatic Implications of Melting Arctic Sea Ice
Melting Arctic Ice is Releasing Massive Amounts of Methane
Video - Methane is the Ticking Time Bomb Beneath the Ice
Video - Massive Costs Associated with Arctic Methane
Video - Unlocking Methane in the Permafrost is a Global Warming Time Bomb
Video - Warming Arctic, Changing Planet
Video - Arctic Warming: Risks for Methane Emissions
Russia Lining Up Investors for Arctic Drilling
Shell's Game with the Future of the Arctic
Global Warming Exposes Resources in the Arctic
Arctic Monitoring Stations Report CO2 Levels of 400 PPM
Clinton Working to Cut Short-Lived Climate Pollutants and Arctic Awareness
Northern Ice is Melting at a Dramatic Rate

Infographic - Green Cities Comparison: New York, Vancouver and Copenhagen

February 04, 2014 Add Comment Edit

Video - Watch the Disintegration of the Largest Glacier Ever Recorded on Film

January 18, 2014 Add Comment Edit

Glaciers are melting at an ever expanding rate all around the world and this video documents the disintegration of the largest glacier ever recorded on film. This glacier has ice spires that are two or three times taller than the tallest buildings in New York City. In the last ten years it has retreated more than in the previous century.

This video is excerpted from the Documentary "Chasing Ice" which was screened by delegates at COP 19. Glaciers take millennias to form and due to human hubris, they are dismantling before our very eyes. The powerful documentary aims to record them for posterity.

Given the fact that much of the world's population lives on or near the coast, rising seas have dramatic implications for all of humanity.

Related Articles
Implications of Arctic Heat: Less Ice and More Global Warming
Video - Global Warming is Melting Ice and Raising Sea Levels
Melting Arctic Ice
The Dramatic Implications of Melting Arctic Sea Ice
Northern Ice is Melting at a Dramatic Rate
Melting Arctic Ice is Releasing Massive Amounts of Methane
Geothermal Heating Accelerating Greenland's Ice Melt
Dramatic Sea Level Rise Expected From Faster Melting of Arctic Ice
First Hand Account of Melting Arctic
Melting Canadian Glaciers
Global Warming Predictions for 2014
More Evidence that Arctic Warming
The Climate Crisis: Problems and Solutions
Its Official Arctic Sea Ice is at its Lowest Level in Recorded History
The Effects of Global Warming

Infographic - People Living Less than 5m Above Sea Level

December 20, 2013 Add Comment Edit

Event - Flooding Conference 2014 with CIWEM RCG

December 15, 2013 Add Comment Edit

Flooding Conference 2014 will take place on January 30 at the Chartered Institution of Water and Environmental Management (CIWEM), 15 John Street, London. The subtitle for this event is, "Delivering Flood & Coastal Schemes & Projects Partnering, Joint Funding and Frameworks, Developing Practice and Emerging Lessons."

Aim

The ways of working and funding arrangements involved in the delivery of major flood and coastal schemes and projects are changing fast. The aim of this conference for flood and erosion risk professionals will be to showcase the developing and innovative partnership approaches to the effective delivery of schemes and projects. This will include the identification of the multiple benefits, working with partners, large consortia projects, framework agreements, shared services agreements, different contractual arrangements and risk management

Objectives

To understand the emerging approaches to partnership working, funding arrangements and client - contractor arrangements for the effective delivery of schemes and projects.

To illustrate this by highlighting schemes and projects that have used a wide variety of mechanisms and reviews that have assessed these emerging work patterns.

In particular to highlight the emerging learning from projects and schemes covering:

Achieving a clear view of shared benefits across funding stakeholders
Partnership funding
Shared service agreements
Environment Agency Frameworks
The work of large scale consortia on major projects
Contractual arrangements and ways of working that minimise risks to clients and contractors

Click here for more information or contact Bob Earll: bob.earll@coastms.co.uk

Related Articles
The Costs of Flood Damage will Rise Along with Sea Levels
Melting Arctic Ice and Flooding
Biblical Colorado Flooding and the Cost of Climate Change
Unprecedented Heavy Rains in Japan and Climate Change Impacts in the Summer of 2013
Flooding from Climate Change will Submerge 1700 US Cities by 2100
Global Extreme Weather 2013 Timeline (Tiki-Toki)
Tornadoes and Floods Underscore the Costs of Global Warming
Extreme Weather and the Costs of Climate Change
Video - Sea Level Rise: A Slow-Motion Disaster
Video - Forced Migration from Sea Level Rise: The Marshallese are Losing their Homeland
UCS Facts Sheet on Global Warming and Sea Level Rise
Global Warming and Sea Level Rises on the US East Coast
Infographic - Sea Level Rise and Global Warming

Kitchener/Waterloo's Climate Change Action Plan

December 11, 2013 Add Comment Edit

Late in November, 2013, Kitchener city council unanimously endorsed Waterloo Region's first-ever climate change action plan. The plan will reduce greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions by six percent from our 2010 levels by 2020. Waterloo and Cambridge Councils did the same earlier this month.

Kitchener has already made important investments designed to reduce environmental impacts. This includes transportation and energy conservation. They also have programs to assist residents and business to be part of the transition to a low-carbon economy. This includes car and bike sharing.

In addition to reducing Kitchener's 3.6 million tonne carbon footprint, these moves are designed to strengthen our local economy. The top 13 projects in the plan will provide $350-million to the local economy and create 5,400 jobs. The net effect of the plan will be reduced costs, increased our energy security and less smog.

The Waterloo region has experienced first hand the exorbitant costs associated with extreme weather events. Two severe storms in the Waterloo Region in July cost hundreds of thousands of dollars.

Click here to access the full plan and a summary version.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Posts
Infographic - Timeline for Cities to be Impacted by Climate Change
Video - 10 Sustainable Solutions Changing our Cities
Sustainable Cities: Business Opportunities from Resource Efficiency in Urbanization
Sustainable Cities: Oxymoron or the Shape of the Future? (White Paper)
Components of a Sustainable City (Video)
Canada's Best and Worst Green Cities
Smarter Cities' Best Green American Municipalities
The Greening of China's Cities, Counties, Towns and Industry
Sustainable Transportation Initiatives in Three Cities
Berkeley's Climate Action Plan
Pittsburgh's Green Economy on Display for the G20
Launching of the New Global Green Economy Index
Urban Air and Water in the OECD Report
Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability in Urban Environments
A New Study Indicates We Are Reaching a Tipping Point
Green Roofs and Storm Water Runoff in Urban Environments
Types of Green Roofs
Renewable Energy Can Replace Fossil Fuels
Potential of Green Roofs in Toronto

The Costs of Flood Damage will Rise Along with Sea Levels

December 09, 2013 Add Comment Edit

Flooding is a very expensive corollary of global warming. While we cannot connect individual weather events directly to global warming, the storm that hit Europe in early December is nonetheless a powerful reminder of what the future will look like as the world continues to warm. Much of the billion dollars worth of damage caused by Xaver is due to flooding caused by storm surges.

As global warming continues and ice keeps melting, sea levels will keep rising which will increase the damage caused by storm surges. A warmer planet not only increases the volume of sea water, it is also expected to increase precipitation in places that need it least. As reported by 350.org, global warming has already raised global sea level about 20 cm since 1880, and the rate of rise is accelerating. Scientists expect roughly 60 to 210 more cm of sea level rise this century, depending on whether or not we can limit greenhouse gas emissions (GHGs).

Flooding is a very costly phenomenon. A 2013 study in Nature concluded that flooding could cost the world’s cities $60 billion a year, even with major investments in flood protection. If we don’t make those investments, the cost could be up to $1 trillion a year.

These costs underscore the importance of moving away from energy sources that produce GHGs. However fossil fuel companies in Europe and elsewhere are actively resisting efforts to engage more renewable sources of energy. As many in Europe are working to strengthen that continent's 2030 carbon reduction goals, fossil fuel interests like the Magritte Group, (a coalition of the CEOs of Europe's largest energy companies), are actively campaigning to decrease climate regulations.

Related Articles
Melting Arctic Ice and Flooding
Biblical Colorado Flooding and the Cost of Climate Change
Unprecedented Heavy Rains in Japan and Climate Change Impacts in the Summer of 2013
Flooding from Climate Change will Submerge 1700 US Cities by 2100
Global Extreme Weather 2013 Timeline (Tiki-Toki)
Tornadoes and Floods Underscore the Costs of Global Warming
Extreme Weather and the Costs of Climate Change
Video - Sea Level Rise: A Slow-Motion Disaster
Video - Forced Migration from Sea Level Rise: The Marshallese are Losing their Homeland
UCS Facts Sheet on Global Warming and Sea Level Rise
Global Warming and Sea Level Rises on the US East Coast
Infographic - Sea Level Rise and Global Warming

Talk - The Race to the North Pole: Climate Change and Biodiversity in Canada

December 08, 2013 Add Comment Edit

The race to the North Pole: climate change and biodiversity in Canada will take place on Wednesday, December 11, 2013, at the University of Ottawa, Biosciences Complex – RM 140, 30 Marie Curie St., Ottawa, Ontario. The reception will take place at 6 pm and the presentation will commence at 7 pm. Parking is available in parking lot V (In front of Marion Hall). The Faculty of Science at the University of Ottawa is pleased to invite National Capital Region community members to this special evening with Department of Biology professor Jeremy Kerr (BSc ’93 – Biology).

Jeremy Kerr was recently appointed as the University Chair in Macroecology and Conservation Biology. Professor Kerr will give an exhilarating talk entitled

“The race to the North Pole: climate change and biodiversity in Canada.”

The evening will be an opportunity to learn from one of the University of Ottawa Faculty of Science’s rising stars.

For more information contact Kyle Bournes:
Phone: 613-562-5800 ext. 7946
E-mail: kbournes@uOttawa.ca

To RSVP click here.

Related Articles
Video - Richard Branson on the Need to Protect the Arctic
Video - The Arctic is Under Threat from Shell and Gazprom
Video - The Global Implications of Rapid Climate Change in the Arctic
Scientists Link Loss of Arctic Sea Ice to Anomalous Weather
Geothermal Heating Accelerating Greenland's Ice Melt
The Race to Exploit the Arctic's Resources Ignores the Costs
More Evidence that Arctic Warming is an Economic and Ecological Time Bomb
White Paper - Oil Spills in Arctic Waters
More Evidence of Historic Arctic Warming: Lake Sediment and Ice Cores
Why the Fate of the Arctic Should be of Concern to Us All
Video - O' Canada Stand Up for the Arctic and Oppose Climate Change
Its Official Arctic Sea Ice is at its Lowest Level in Recorded History
The Arctic's Dangerous Combination of Environmental Toxicity and Genetic Vulnerability
The Dramatic Implications of Melting Arctic Sea Ice
Melting Arctic Ice is Releasing Massive Amounts of Methane
Video - Methane is the Ticking Time Bomb Beneath the Ice
Video - Massive Costs Associated with Arctic Methane
Video - Unlocking Methane in the Permafrost is a Global Warming Time Bomb
Video - I Love Arctic (Greenpeace)
Video - Warming Arctic, Changing Planet
Video - Arctic Warming: Risks for Methane Emissions
Video - Beautiful Arctic: Look at the Awe Inspiring Beauty We Stand to Lose
Lawsuit to Protect Arctic Sea Ice as Critical Seal Habitat
Lawsuit Protecting the Arctic from Oil and Gas Drilling
Russia Lining Up Investors for Arctic Drilling
Shell's Game with the Future of the Arctic
Global Warming Exposes Resources in the Arctic
Arctic Monitoring Stations Report CO2 Levels of 400 PPM
Clinton Working on Short-Lived Climate Pollutants and Arctic Awareness
Northern Ice is Melting at a Dramatic Rate
Environmental Tipping Points

Event - The 2nd World Intelligent Cities Summit and Exhibition (WICS 2013)

November 17, 2013 Add Comment Edit

The 2nd World Intelligent Cities Summit and Exhibition, which will be held on the 27th – 28th November 2013 in Istanbul, Türkey. Future development of cities and regions will require the intelligent integration of communications technology, coupled with changing behaviour in how we use this technology, to make our cities and regions smarter and more energy efficient.

This event is designed to help municipalities and regions of all sizes drive innovation, boost efficiency, leverage data, upgrade service delivery and achieve economic prosperity.

With technological innovations transforming governance, and how citizens, businesses and public institutions interact with each other, it is crucial for you to understand the tools, processes and models required to cultivate “smart” communities and cities. Speakers and attendees in disciplines ranging from science and technology to planning and economic development will present cutting edge strategies to strengthen institutional efficiency, and assess broader commitments to competitiveness and sustainability.

This is the most important forum on a constantly evolving topic. Take advantage of exclusive opportunities to interact with the leaders around the world. WICS will provide key information, structured networking time, and actionable solutions to your most pressing questions. Leave with the best practices and insights for enhancing accessibility and public service delivery through technological innovations. This senior-level conference was developed with the thoughtful input of world leaders. Enjoy an exclusive setting, connect with senior government executives and exchange your successes and challenges while building referrals for your future professional endeavours.

This event will once again gather together city leaders, Government officials, academics, urban service providers and city development experts to share experiences, smart thinking and best practice for implementing the smart cities of tomorrow. WICS is an international platform for the transfer of knowledge, allowing leaders of municipalities to learn from the pioneers of smart city concepts and technologies. The event is unparalleled in the region for its peer-to-peer learning experience and excellent networking opportunities, aiding leaders and key stakeholders of municipalities to develop a secure and robust infrastructure that is fit for purpose for all citizens and achieves a more sustainable future.

Why attend?

•The key summit and exhibition for the smart cities sector
•The 2-day international summit will provide the best industry insights from eminent experts
•The combination of a high level summit and exhibition creates an ideal platform for you to meet the right people face to face

Who Should Attend

2nd Annual World Intelligent Cities Summit and Exhibition provides essential information for senior representatives from industry, academia and policy bodies working in a variety of roles including:

✓ Municipalities (Large and Small) & City administration officials and senior staff

•Mayors,
•Councillors,
•Chief Information Officers,
•VP/Directors of IT, Operations,
•Economic Development, Planning & Development,
•Communications & Engagement,
•Policy Analysts,
•CAO

✓ Technology Providers

•Presidents,
•CEOs,
•VP Business Development/Marketing,
•VP Infrastructure/Public Sector
•Project Directors,

✓ Urban Planners, Architects, Engineering & Consulting Firms

•Principal,
•VP,
•Project Directors/Managers,
•Associate,
•Business Development
•Engineering professionals

✓ Banks, Venture Capitalists, Investment Firms

•Presidents,
•CEOs,
•VP/Director of Business Development

✓ Universities, Colleges, Research Institutions and Labs, Non-Profits

•Executive Directors,
•Professors,
•Directors of Research & Development

✓ Provincial and Ministerial

•Chief Information Officers,
•Chief Technology Officers,
•Policy and Research Analysts,
•Directors of Planning & Development,
•Project Directors and Managers

✓ Technology entrepreneurs
✓ Business strategy executives
✓ IT service and solution providers
✓ Specialized advisors and consultants
✓ Societal change experts
✓ Developers
✓ Utility professionals: Metering, billing, CRM/CIS
✓ Metering Managers, Technical directors of utilities
✓ Real Estate Developers
✓ Network infrastructure vendors
✓ Automation solutions
✓ Telecom operators

To register click here.

Related Posts
Infographic - Timeline for Cities to be Impacted by Climate Change
Video - 10 Sustainable Solutions Changing our Cities
Sustainable Cities: Business Opportunities from Resource Efficiency in Urbanization
Sustainable Cities: Oxymoron or the Shape of the Future? (White Paper)
Components of a Sustainable City (Video)
Canada's Best and Worst Green Cities
Smarter Cities' Best Green American Municipalities
The Greening of China's Cities, Counties, Towns and Industry
Sustainable Transportation Initiatives in Three Cities
Berkeley's Climate Action Plan
Urban Air and Water in the OECD Report
Rio+20 Corporate Sustainability in Urban Environments
Renewable Energy Can Replace Fossil Fuels