110 Water Conservation Tips for Businesses and Homes

Water is a precious natural resource. In the US at least two-thirds of the country have recently experienced water shortages. Conserving water also saves money. The first sections offers five tips for conserving water in a business context. The next section offers five easy ways to conserve water at home and the last section offers an additional 100 water saving tips.

Five Simple Tips to Help your Business with Water Conservation Practices:

1) Make a Plan. Share your commitment to water conservation with employees. Assign an employee as water conservation manager to monitor and implement your water conservation plan.
2) Purchase Wisely. Consider water usage when purchasing icemakers and dishwashers for your office.
3) Water Efficiency in Toilets: Upgrade toilets with water-efficient models. Make sure all faucets have water saving aerators.
4) Check Toilets for Leaks. Put food coloring into the tank. If color appears in the bowl without flushing, there’s a leak. Fix the leak and save 400 gallons a month!
5) Eliminate Daytime Landscape Watering. Water at night when the temperature is lower

Five Easy Ways to Conserve Water at Home:

1. Check out all the sinks in your home and your outdoor hose; a simple turn of a wrench to fix any leaky faucets can add up to a savings of over 300 gallons a month.
2. Conduct a test on your toilets by adding a few drops of food coloring to the tank. If any of that color finds its way into the bowl itself, then you probably need to replace the flapper and you’ll probably wind up saving as much as 600 gallons of water per month.
3. Make sure all of your irrigation system’s sprinkler heads are in good repair and that they are in fact facing what you are trying to water and are not just wetting the pavement or the street.
4. Keep a close eye on your water bill every month and watch for fluctuations in consumption; it will keep you conscious of the amount you’re using and will also be an indicator of leaks.
5. Install a rain sensor on your irrigation system so you are not watering your lawn in storm.

One Hundred Additional Water Saving Tips

1. Don’t run the water while you’re brushing your teeth – you’ll save 25 gallons a month.
2. Don’t run your washing machine unless it contains a full load – you can save 1000 gallons a month.
3. Scrape or soak your dishes instead of rinsing them and then don’t run the dishwasher until it is filled to its maximum capacity.
4. Take two minutes off your shower time or at least turn off the water while you wash your hair – you can save up to 150 gallons a month.
5. You can save up to 300 gallons a month if you leave the water off while you shave and just rinse the razor in a small pool of water in the sink.
6. Don’t use multiple glasses that will have to eventually be washed; drink your water from a tumbler that you can use throughout the day.
7. Use a hose nozzle or turn off the water while you wash your car – you can save up to 100 gallons.
8. Water your garden and even your lawn in the early morning or evening to retard evaporation and get the most out of the water you’re using.
9. Fill up a couple of pitchers to keep in the frig instead of running the water to get it cold enough to drink.
10. Make good use of organic mulch to beautify and help the soil retain moisture.
11. Recycle your water – take the runoff from rinsing fruits and vegetables into a pan and feed it to your houseplants.
12. If you compost vegetable food waste instead of using the garbage disposal all the time you’ll save gallons of water.
13. Test your showerhead: if it can fill a one-gallon bucket in less than 20 seconds it should be replaced with a more efficient model.
14. If water runs off your lawn easily, split your watering time into shorter periods to allow for better absorption.
15. Check your pool periodically for leaks, especially if you have an automatic refilling device.
16. Instead of hosing down your driveway or sidewalk, sweep it clean.
17. When washing dishes by hand, don’t let the water run while rinsing.
18. Consider appliances that are designed for air-cooling instead of water-cooling.
19. Instead of high maintenance and water hungry grass, select groundcover and shrubs for hard to water areas.
20. Install covers on pools and spas and check for leaks around your pumps.
21. Don’t overwater – if your soil is still moist two inches under the surface then you needn’t add more.
22. Defrost food in the refrigerator – don’t run water over frozen items to thaw them.
23. Use drip irrigation for shrubs and trees to apply water directly to the roots where it’s needed.
24. Make sure your new appliances have setting that allow you to adjust cycles and load sizes.
25. Don’t cut your lawn very short – if the grass blades are a bit longer they will hold soil moisture more effectively.
26. Take your old fish tank water and give your plants a nutrient-rich treat.
27. Water small areas by hand for a more targeted watering approach.
28. Adjust the water temperature on your bath water after the tub already begins filling, not before.
29. Lay brick or pavers to create walkways and patio areas that require no moisture.
30. Collect water from your roof to water your garden.
31. When doing laundry, set the machine for the exact water level you really need.
32. Teach your children and remind yourself to turn off faucets tightly after each use.
33. Use a water-efficient showerhead and save as much as 750 gallons a month.
34. Don’t water your lawn on windy days when most of the water blows away or evaporates.
35. Water your plants well, but not as often; the roots will grow deeper and your plants stronger.
36. Know where your master water shut-off valve is located so you can get to it quickly in an emergency.
37. To decrease water from being wasted on sloping lawns, apply water for five minutes and then repeat two to three times.
38. Group plants with the same watering needs so the right ones get the right amounts.
39. Use a minimum amount of slow release fertilizer to promote a healthy and drought tolerant landscape.
40. Cascading fountains lose less water to evaporation than those spraying water into the air.
41. Patronize a commercial car wash facility that recycles water.
42. Avoid recreational water toys that require a constant flow of water.
43. Use a rain gauge to track rainfall on your lawn.
44. Encourage your school system and local government to develop and promote water conservation among children and adults.
45. Set a kitchen timer when watering your lawn or garden to remind you when to stop.
46. If your toilet flapper doesn’t close after flushing, replace it.
47. Make sure there are water-saving aerators on all of your faucets.
48. Next time you add or replace a flower or shrub, choose a low water use plant.
49. Install an instant water heater near your kitchen sink so you don’t have to run the water while it heats up.
50. Make a mark of the water level of your pool at the skimmer and check in a day or so to see if you have a leak.
51. If your dishwasher is new, you needn’t rinse your dishes before washing them.
52. Use a trowel, shovel, or soil probe to examine soil moisture depth.
53. If installing a lawn, select a turf mix or blend that matches your climate and site conditions.
54. When you save water, you save money on your utility bills too.
55. When the kids want to cool off, use the sprinkler in an area where your lawn needs it the most.
56. Make sure your swimming pools, fountains, and ponds are equipped with pumps.
57. Work with your landscaper to use and design plant that are water-conscious.
58. Winterize outdoor spigots.
59. Insulate hot water pipes.
60. Wash your car on the lawn, and you’ll water your lawn at the same time.
61. Direct water from rain gutters to your plants.
62. Tell your friends about the ways you save water and encourage them to follow suit.
63. Support projects that use reclaimed wastewater for irrigation and industrial uses.
64. Use a hose nozzle or turn off the water while you wash your car.
65. Set cooling systems and water softeners for a minimum number of refills.
66. Wash dark clothes in cold water.
67. Leave lower branches on trees and shrubs to keep the soil cooler.
68. Report broken pipes, open hydrants and errant sprinklers immediately.
69. Let your lawn go dormant during the summer.
70. Plant with finished compost to add water-holding matter to the soil.
71. Use sprinklers that deliver big drops of water close to the ground.
72. Listen for dripping faucets and running toilets.
73. Water only when necessary; don’t kill your plants with kindness.
74. Re-use the water left over from cooked or steamed foods as stock to make soup.
75. Adjust your watering schedule each month to coincide with natural rainfall amounts.
76. Give you pet a bath on the lawn so you’ll be watering it at the same time!
77. When shopping for a new clothes washer, compare resource savings among Energy Star models.
78. Don’t flood your lawn or garden – apply water only as fast as the soil can absorb it.
79. Aerate your lawn at least once a year so water can reach the roots rather than run off the surface.
80. When washing dishes by hand, fill the sink basin or a large container and rinse when all of the dishes have been soaped and scrubbed.
81. Catch water in an empty tuna can to measure sprinkler output.
82. Turn off the water while you shave and save up to 300 gallons a month.
83. To save water and time, consider washing your face or brushing your teeth while in the shower.
84. While staying in a hotel or even at home, reuse your towels – you do at home, you can while you’re away.
85. When back flushing your pool, consider using the water on your landscaping.
86. Throw trimmings and peelings from fruits and vegetables into your yard compost.
87. When you have ice left in your cup from a take-out restaurant, feed it to a plant.
88. Keep a bucket in the shower to catch water as it warms up or runs and use this water to flush toilets or water plants.
89. Install low-flow showerheads and faucet aerators.
90. Eat a bit less meat, especially beef; a typical hamburger can take 630 gallons to produce.
91. Don’t use your toilet as an automatic garbage can – flush only when you need to.
92. Recycle plastics, glass, metals, and paper.
93. When you give your pet fresh water, don’t throw the old water down the drain. Use it to water your trees or shrubs.
94. Wash efficiently: turn off the water while you soap your hands and rinse briefly.
95. Think before you twist that faucet and consider how you may re-purpose the water you use.Water conservation is about awareness – an awareness that will save the environment. It takes an average of 1,800 gallons a day to support the typical American, but you can make a personal choice to drive that number down and leave an effortless legacy to future generations.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Video - Water in the Anthropocene
New Water Quality Runoff Tool from the USDA
110 Water Conservation Tips for Businesses and Homes
Video - World Water Day: What Individuals Can Do
Video: World Water Day: Problems and Solutions Animated Short
Video - The Big Thirst the Business of Water
Video - World Water Day 2013: Message from UN General Secretary Ban Ki-Moon
Documentary - Water on the Table
The Carbon Trust's Water Standard
Worldwatch Institute: The Looming Threat of Water Scarcity
World Water Day 2013: International Year of Water Cooperation
Solutions to the World Water Crisis Requires International Cooperation
Solutions to Diminishing Ground Water
Reducing Water Use in the United States
Water Efficiency: Stopping the Flow from Leaky Pipes
How Much Water is there on Earth
Water as a Weapon of War
Alarming Facts About Water
Population Growth and Climate Change will Add to the World Water Crisis
Fracking: a Tragic Waste of Water
Video - The World's First Carbon for Water Program
New Tool Helps Companies with Water Risks
GE is Helping Nestle to Save Millions of Gallons of WaterSiemens Water Tool on Facebook
Banana Peels and Water Purification
Sustainable Water Purification Technology
The Business of Water Management Requires Collaboration
New Great Lakes Water Quality Agreement
State of the Climate Global Analysis Nov 2011
Air and Water in the OECD Report
OECD Environmental Outlook to 2050: The Consequences of Inaction
Protect the US Clean Water Act

Read More»

Climate Scientists' Urge Canadian Minister to Back-off Expanded Fossil Fuel Production

Twelve climate scientists and energy experts sent a letter to Natural Resources Minister Joe Oliver questioning his commitment to combating climate change. The letter also urged him to reduce the country's production of fossil fuels and increase support for cleaner sources of energy.

Dear Minister Oliver,

As climate scientists, economists and policy experts who have devoted our careers to understanding the climate and energy systems, we share your view that “climate change is a very serious issue.”

But some of your recent comments give us significant cause for concern. In short, we are not convinced that your advocacy in support of new pipelines and expanded fossil fuel production takes climate change into account in a meaningful way.

Avoiding dangerous climate change will require significantly reducing our reliance on fossil fuels and making a transition to cleaner energy.

The infrastructure we build today will shape future choices about energy. If we invest in expanding fossil fuel production, we risk locking ourselves in to a high carbon pathway that increases greenhouse gas emissions for years and decades to come.

The International Energy Agency’s (IEA) “450 scenario” looks at the implications of policy choices designed to give the world a fair chance of avoiding 2°C of global warming. In that scenario, world oil demand is projected to peak this decade and fall to 10 per cent below current levels over the coming decades. The IEA concludes that, absent significant deployment of carbon capture and storage, over two-thirds of the world’s current fossil fuel reserves cannot be commercialized.

Other experts have reached similar conclusions.

We are at a critical moment. In the words of the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, “each additional ton of greenhouse gases emitted commits us to further change and greater risks.” The longer we delay the transition to low-carbon economy, the more drastic, disruptive and costly that transition will be. The implication is clear: the responsibility for preventing dangerous climate change rests with today’s policymakers.

The IEA also warns of the consequences of our current path. If governments do little to address emissions, energy demand will continue to grow rapidly and will continue to be met mostly with fossil fuels – a scenario that the Agency estimates could likely lead to 3.6°C of global warming.

Yet it is this very dangerous pathway – not the “450 scenario” linked to avoiding 2°C of global warming – that you seem to be advocating when promoting Canadian fossil fuel development at home and abroad.

If we truly wish to have a “serious debate” about climate change and energy in this country, as you have rightly called for, we must start by acknowledging that our choices about fossil fuel infrastructure carry significant consequences for today’s and future generations.

We urge you to make the greenhouse gas impacts of new fossil fuel infrastructure a central consideration in your government’s decision-making and advocacy activities concerning Canada’s natural resources.

We would be very happy to provide you with a full briefing on recent scientific findings on climate change and energy development.

Thank you for your consideration of these important matters.

Sincerely,

J.P. Bruce, OC, FRSC; James Byrne, Professor, Geography, University of Lethbridge; Simon Donner, Assistant Professor, Geography, University of British Columbia; J.R. Drummond, FRSC Professor, Physics and Atmospheric Science, Dalhousie University; Mark Jaccard, FRSC, Professor, Resource and Environmental Management, Simon Fraser University; David Keith, Professor, Applied Physics, Public Policy, Harvard University; Damon Matthews, Associate Professor, Geography, Planning and Environment, Concordia University; Gordon McBean, CM, FRSC Professor, Centre for Environment and Sustainability, Western University; David Sauchyn, Professor, Prairie Adaptation Research Collaborative, University of Regina; John Smol, FRSC Professor, Canada Research Chair in Environmental Change, Queen’s University; John M.R. Stone, Adjunct Research Professor, Geography and Environment, Carleton University; Kirsten Zickfeld, Assistant Professor, Geography, Simon Fraser University Minister.

© 2013, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Canadian Implications of President Obama`s Climate Action Plan 
The Fate of the Keystone XL in the Wake of President Obama's Climate Action Plan
Canadian Environment Minister: "Fossil Awards are Worn with Honour"
Leading Canadian Economist to Tell Europeans about the Climate Impacts of the Tar Sands
Canada to Fight EU Proposal Labeling Tar Sands as Dirty
Canada at Odds with US and China on Climate Change
Report Urges Canada's Federal Conservatives to Regulate Oil and Gas Sector to Meet GHG Targets
Canada is an Environmental Pariah at Rio+20
Canadian Government Spending on Dirty Projects
Canada is a Dirty Energy Superpower
Canada has the Dirtiest Oil on Earth (Video)

Read More»

Scientist Warn Time is Running Out to Avert a Climate Catastrophe

It is still possible to stave off the worst effects of climate change but the window of opportunity is rapidly getting smaller. There have been a spate of reports just ahead of COP 18 in Doha that conclusively make the point that we must act now to reduce CO2 and other GHGs.

As reported in the Huffington Post, "It is still possible to avoid 2-degree warming, and arguing it is too late could very easily be a self-fulfilling prophecy," said Michael E. Mann, a climatologist and director of the Earth System Science Center at Pennsylvania State University. "That having been said, the real issue is whether or not we have the political will."

However, a moderate effort will not be sufficient. The scope of the required actions is immense. In the absence of widespread popular support we have no reason to believe that governments will muster the political will necessary to make the required changes.

Jonathan Koomey, a research fellow at the Steyer-Taylor Center for Energy Policy and Finance at Stanford University, and the co-author of the first comprehensive analysis of the 2-degree limit back in 1989, has a more optimistic take.

"We tend to underestimate the possibility for change," Koomey said "At certain times, when people perceive a crisis, things can change very, very rapidly."

No matter how difficult it may seem Koomey believes that we can meet the challenge. He cites the example of the federal order that precipitated the herculean rise of America's industrial might in World War II. Still, he added, "We have to separate the lessons that this way of thinking can teach us and the realities of politics and interest groups. Urgent action is required."

"It would take an incredible effort, but that's what we're trying to spur," said leading climate activist Bill McKibben. "Given the damage that 1 degree is doing, we're already at 'dire. We dearly don't want to see what 2 degrees looks like, much less 3."

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
UNEP Warning: We are on The Brink of a Climate Catastrophe
World Banks Warning: We Need to Act Now on Climate Change (Video)
World Resources Institute Warning About New Coal Plants
PricewaterhouseCoopers Climate Change Warning
International Renewable Energy Institute Climate Warning
Warning from the International Energy Agency: The World's Ongoing Reliance on Fossil Fuels Crushes Hopes of Averting Climate Change
World Meteorological Organization Climate Warning
World Bank Climate Change Warning
World Bank Report Warns of A 4°C World
Comprehensive Review of the Science on Anthropogenic Climate Change
10 Charts on Climate Change
September 2012 was the Warmest in Recorded History (NOAA)
Strong Body of Evidence for a Changing Climate
American Meteorological Society Corroborates Anthropogenic Climate Change
More Scientific Support for Anthropogenic Climate Change
Science and Pernicious Ignorance of Climate Change Denial
The Fifth Global Environmental Outlook Report
A New Study Indicates We Are Reaching a Tipping Points
Environmental Tipping Points
Climate Change Science
Top Four Climate Studies of 2011
State of the Climate Global Analysis Nov 2011
Interactive Map Reveals Warmer Spring 2012
2012 is but the Latest Year Marked by Heat and Drought
Heat in the US Northeast and Drought Around the World IN 2012
Temperature Data: 1880 - 2011 (Video)
New NASA Video Graphically Illustrates that the Earth is Warming
Popular Media is Distorting the Facts about Climate
State of the Climate Global Analysis Nov 2011
Debunking CO2 Myths and The Science of Climate Change
Primer on CO2 and other GHGs
Video: Why People are Confused about the Scientific Veracity of Climate Change
Bill McKibben: Global Warming's Terrifying New Math
The Effects of Global Warming

Read More»

NOAA's Annual Greenhouse Gas Index

The US National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) contributed to an alarming report from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO). NOAA provided their own set of data arrived at independently and published in their Annual Greenhouse Gas Index (AGGI).

"The AGGI is a measure of the warming influence supplied by long-lived trace gases and how that influence is changing each year. The index was designed to enhance the connection between scientists and society by providing a normalized standard that can be easily understood and followed. The warming influence supplied by long-lived greenhouse gases is well understood by scientists and has been reported by NOAA through a range of national and international assessments. Nevertheless, the language of scientists often eludes policy makers, educators, and the general public. This index is designed to help bridge that gap. The AGGI provides a way for this warming influence to be presented as a simple index."

"Increases in the abundance of atmospheric greenhouse gases since the industrial revolution are largely the result of human activity and are largely responsible for the observed increases in global temperature [IPCC 2007]. However, climate projections have model uncertainties that overwhelm the uncertainties in greenhouse gas measurements. We present here an index that is directly proportional to the direct warming influence (also know as climate forcing) supplied from these gases. Because it is based on the amounts of long-lived greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, this index contains relatively little uncertainty"

For more information click here.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
UNEP Warning: We are on The Brink of a Climate Catastrophe
World Resources Institute Warning About New Coal Plants
PricewaterhouseCoopers Climate Change Warning
Scientist Warn Time is Running Out to Avert a Climate Catastrophe
World Banks Warning: We Need to Act Now on Climate Change (Video)
International Renewable Energy Institute Climate Warning
Warning from the International Energy Agency: The World's Ongoing Reliance on Fossil Fuels Crushes Hopes of Averting Climate Change
World Meteorological Organization Climate Warning
World Bank Climate Change Warning
World Bank Report Warns of A 4°C World
Comprehensive Review of the Science on Anthropogenic Climate Change
10 Charts on Climate Change
September 2012 was the Warmest in Recorded History (NOAA)
Strong Body of Evidence for a Changing Climate
American Meteorological Society Corroborates Anthropogenic Climate Change
More Scientific Support for Anthropogenic Climate Change
Science and Pernicious Ignorance of Climate Change Denial
The Fifth Global Environmental Outlook Report
A New Study Indicates We Are Reaching a Tipping Points
Environmental Tipping Points
Climate Change Science
Top Four Climate Studies of 2011
State of the Climate Global Analysis Nov 2011
Interactive Map Reveals Warmer Spring 2012
2012 is but the Latest Year Marked by Heat and Drought
Heat in the US Northeast and Drought Around the World IN 2012
Temperature Data: 1880 - 2011 (Video)
New NASA Video Graphically Illustrates that the Earth is Warming
Popular Media is Distorting the Facts about Climate
State of the Climate Global Analysis Nov 2011
Debunking CO2 Myths and The Science of Climate Change
Primer on CO2 and other GHGs
Video: Why People are Confused about the Scientific Veracity of Climate Change
Bill McKibben: Global Warming's Terrifying New Math
The Effects of Global Warming

Read More»

World Meteorological Organization Climate Warning

In November, the World Meteorological Association's (WMO) annual Greenhouse Gas Bulletin stated that global CO2 levels are the highest they have ever been in human history, reaching 391 parts per million. Scientists warn that 350 parts per million is the upper limit for a a stable planet.

These levels of CO2 have been steadily rising at about 2 parts per million every year for the past decade. Current measurements of atmospheric carbon are 40% higher than at the start of the Industrial Revolution. The World Meteorological Organization, said that since the dawn of industrialization in 1750, humans have emitted 375 billion tonnes, of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. The WMO indicates that future emissions will make the situation far worse.

According to WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud,"These billions of tonnes of additional carbon dioxide in our atmosphere will remain there for centuries, causing our planet to warm further and impacting on all aspects of life on earth."

Oceans have already absorbed half of the atmospheric carbon, but this is causing the oceans to become more acidic and at a certain point they will not be able to absorb any more CO2.

“We have already seen that the oceans are becoming more acidic as a result of the carbon dioxide uptake, with potential repercussions for the underwater food chain and coral reefs,” said Jarraud. “These billions of tonnes of additional carbon dioxide in our atmosphere will remain there for centuries, causing our planet to warm further and impacting on all aspects of life on Earth.” he said.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Scientist Warn Time is Running Out to Avert a Climate Catastrophe
World Banks Warning: We Need to Act Now on Climate Change (Video)
UNEP Warning: We are on The Brink of a Climate Catastrophe
World Resources Institute Warning About New Coal Plants
PricewaterhouseCoopers Climate Change Warning
International Renewable Energy Institute Climate Warning
Warning from the International Energy Agency: The World's Ongoing Reliance on Fossil Fuels Crushes Hopes of Averting Climate Change
World Bank Climate Change Warning
World Bank Report Warns of A 4°C World
Comprehensive Review of the Science on Anthropogenic Climate Change
10 Charts on Climate Change
September 2012 was the Warmest in Recorded History (NOAA)
Strong Body of Evidence for a Changing Climate
American Meteorological Society Corroborates Anthropogenic Climate Change
More Scientific Support for Anthropogenic Climate Change
Science and Pernicious Ignorance of Climate Change Denial
The Fifth Global Environmental Outlook Report
A New Study Indicates We Are Reaching a Tipping Points
Environmental Tipping Points
Climate Change Science
Top Four Climate Studies of 2011
State of the Climate Global Analysis Nov 2011
Interactive Map Reveals Warmer Spring 2012
2012 is but the Latest Year Marked by Heat and Drought
Heat in the US Northeast and Drought Around the World IN 2012
Temperature Data: 1880 - 2011 (Video)
New NASA Video Graphically Illustrates that the Earth is Warming
Popular Media is Distorting the Facts about Climate
State of the Climate Global Analysis Nov 2011
Debunking CO2 Myths and The Science of Climate Change
Primer on CO2 and other GHGs
Video: Why People are Confused about the Scientific Veracity of Climate Change
Bill McKibben: Global Warming's Terrifying New Math
The Effects of Global Warming

Read More»

World Bank Climate Change Warning

The World Bank has issued a report suggesting that the climate could warm a full 4 degrees by the end of the century. What is most troubling about this study is the fact that we may not be able to avert this temperature increase even if countries fulfill their current emissions-reduction pledges. Sadly, most countries are far from fulfilling even these modest pledges.

The report is titled, Turn Down the Heat: Why a 4°C Warmer World Must be Avoided. The widely agreed upon goal is to keep temperatures from increasing no more than 2 degrees Celsius, or 3.6 degrees Fahrenheit. This upper safe limit is considered to be the best way of reducing the likelihood of sea levels, acidic oceans, freshwater scarcity, diminished agricultural yields, searing heat waves, grinding droughts and other extreme weather.

However there are some prominent scientists who have argued that even 2 degrees of warming would be disastrous. We have already seen an increase of about 0.8 degrees, and even if all pollution were arrested today, there are sufficient levels of GHGs in the atmosphere to further raise temperatures by another 0.8 degrees.

"Lack of action on climate change threatens to make the world our children inherit a completely different world than we are living in today," said World Bank Group President Jim Yong Kim in a statement accompanying the report. "Climate change is one of the single biggest challenges facing development, and we need to assume the moral responsibility to take action on behalf of future generations, especially the poorest," he said.

We need to appreciate that the climate problems we face are not subject to linear progressions. The so called non-linear outcomes will push us towards tipping points much faster. As noted by the World Bank report:

"As global warming approaches and exceeds 2-degrees Celsius, there is a risk of triggering nonlinear tipping elements. Examples include the disintegration of the West Antarctic ice sheet leading to more rapid sea-level rise, or large-scale Amazon dieback drastically affecting ecosystems, rivers, agriculture, energy production, and livelihoods. This would further add to 21st-century global warming and impact entire continents."

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Scientist Warn Time is Running Out to Avert a Climate Catastrophe
World Banks Warning: We Need to Act Now on Climate Change (Video)
World Bank Report Warns of A 4°C World
World Resources Institute Warning About New Coal Plants
PricewaterhouseCoopers Climate Change Warning
International Renewable Energy Institute Climate Warning
Warning from the International Energy Agency: The World's Ongoing Reliance on Fossil Fuels Crushes Hopes of Averting Climate Change
World Meteorological Organization Climate Warning
UNEP Warning: We are on The Brink of a Climate Catastrophe
Comprehensive Review of the Science on Anthropogenic Climate Change
10 Charts on Climate Change
September 2012 was the Warmest in Recorded History (NOAA)
Strong Body of Evidence for a Changing Climate
American Meteorological Society Corroborates Anthropogenic Climate Change
More Scientific Support for Anthropogenic Climate Change
Science and Pernicious Ignorance of Climate Change Denial
The Fifth Global Environmental Outlook Report
A New Study Indicates We Are Reaching a Tipping Points
Environmental Tipping Points
Climate Change Science
Top Four Climate Studies of 2011
State of the Climate Global Analysis Nov 2011
Interactive Map Reveals Warmer Spring 2012
2012 is but the Latest Year Marked by Heat and Drought
Heat in the US Northeast and Drought Around the World IN 2012
Temperature Data: 1880 - 2011 (Video)
New NASA Video Graphically Illustrates that the Earth is Warming
Popular Media is Distorting the Facts about Climate
State of the Climate Global Analysis Nov 2011
Debunking CO2 Myths and The Science of Climate Change
Primer on CO2 and other GHGs
Video: Why People are Confused about the Scientific Veracity of Climate Change
Bill McKibben: Global Warming's Terrifying New Math
The Effects of Global Warming

Read More»

UNEP Warning: We are on the Brink of a Climate Catastrophe

The UN Environment Program’s Emissions Gap Report 2012, released Nov. 21, indicates that there is a massive gulf between what governments have pledged in terms of GHG emissions and what they are actually doing. To stave off a temperature increase of more than 2°C, nations have pledged to reduce their emissions a total of 44 gigatonnes by 2020. However, the UNEP report indicates that if we stay on our current trajectory we are likely to see temperature increases of 3-5 °C which risks a climate catastrophe.

According to UNEP, the gap between GHG emission reduction pledges and what is actually being done is 8 gigatonnes of CO2 equivalent by 2020, which is 2 Gt higher than last year’s assessment.

“UNEP’s assessment confirms that the world is standing on the brink,” says Samantha Smith, head of WWF’s Global Climate and Energy Initiative.

“The solutions are all in our grasp—energy efficiency, clean renewable energy, smarter transport systems, action to protect our forests and a move to more sustainable agriculture. By far the biggest barrier to delivering these is the collective and individual failure of political will. Unless we act urgently, future generations will not forgive us,” Smith says.

Immediate actions to close the gap:

• Governments must agree clear processes to increase ambition further before 2020, in the context of a promised new international agreement to be struck in 2015.
• Governments must agree on robust common accounting rules for greenhouse gas emissions, and also agree to retire the large amounts of surplus “hot air” emission credits currently swilling around in the system.
• Countries, including European countries, should also move to the top end of their emission pledges for 2020, and come forward with credible plans for meeting or exceeding them.
• Governments must agree strong reforms to carbon market mechanisms to prevent double counting of offset credits and to rule out offsets that do not need to clear net emission reductions.
• UNEP clearly shows that it is still possible to act in a way that can bring temperature increases within the two degree threshold, however we will need to act fast.

As stated by Jennifer Morgan, Director, Climate and Energy Program, World Resources Institute:

“This report is another harsh reminder that the world is simply not moving aggressively enough to tackle the climate challenge. The gap is growing and carbon dioxide levels continue to rise, and yet the current pledges and commitments by countries remain sorely inadequate. We are already seeing how climate change—with more extreme weather events, rising seas and more droughts—is taking its toll on people, property and our economy. Without a rapid change in direction, the world is headed more and more firmly down a path to even more severe changes that will be felt around the globe.”

The current levels of GHG emissions are around 14 percent above where they need to be. Delays only make it harder, and more expensive to make that adequate reductions. The window to address these climate concerns is getting smaller by the day. If we wait too long we may reach tipping points beyond which we cannot recover.

© 2012, Richard Matthews. All rights reserved.

Related Articles
Scientist Warn Time is Running Out to Avert a Climate Catastrophe
World Banks Warning: We Need to Act Now on Climate Change (Video)
World Resources Institute Warning About New Coal Plants
PricewaterhouseCoopers Climate Change Warning
International Renewable Energy Institute Climate Warning
Warning from the International Energy Agency: The World's Ongoing Reliance on Fossil Fuels Crushes Hopes of Averting Climate Change
World Meteorological Organization Climate Warning
World Bank Climate Change Warning
World Bank Report Warns of A 4°C World
Comprehensive Review of the Science on Anthropogenic Climate Change
10 Charts on Climate Change
September 2012 was the Warmest in Recorded History (NOAA)
Strong Body of Evidence for a Changing Climate
American Meteorological Society Corroborates Anthropogenic Climate Change
More Scientific Support for Anthropogenic Climate Change
Science and Pernicious Ignorance of Climate Change Denial
The Fifth Global Environmental Outlook Report
A New Study Indicates We Are Reaching a Tipping Points
Environmental Tipping Points
Climate Change Science
Top Four Climate Studies of 2011
State of the Climate Global Analysis Nov 2011
Interactive Map Reveals Warmer Spring 2012
2012 is but the Latest Year Marked by Heat and Drought
Heat in the US Northeast and Drought Around the World IN 2012
Temperature Data: 1880 - 2011 (Video)
New NASA Video Graphically Illustrates that the Earth is Warming
Popular Media is Distorting the Facts about Climate
State of the Climate Global Analysis Nov 2011
Debunking CO2 Myths and The Science of Climate Change
Primer on CO2 and other GHGs
Video: Why People are Confused about the Scientific Veracity of Climate Change
Bill McKibben: Global Warming's Terrifying New Math
The Effects of Global Warming

Read More»