Fossil of the Day - Day 2 - Cancun, Mexico COP16

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Fossil of the Day - Day 2 - Cancun, Mexico COP16

The world famous fossil of the day returns for the UNFCCC COP16 Climate Talks taking place in Cancun, Mexico. Japan wins the 1st place Fossil of the Day for reasons outlined below: "When leadership is needed most, the home country of the Kyoto Protocol made a destructive statement in the AWGK plenary yesterday. It factually rejected the second commitment period of the Kyoto Protocol by saying 'Japan will not inscribe its targets under the Kyoto Protocol under any conditions or under any circumstances.' Preferring a single treaty approach is one thing, but aggressively denying the future of Kyoto in open plenary is another."

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Copping it Sweet

3 dec | By Sean Maguire (UNSW, Sydney)

Tomorrow I'm heading to Cop 16 in Cancun with the hope that something can be achieved against climate change. Although the world media has shown almost complete indifference (as opposed to Copenhagen), it isn't unreasonable to think that with lowered expectations and a meeting outside the media's glare, something might be achieved.

Let's just hope that the world of diplomacy which has been unearthed by WikiLeaks is less self-centered and duplicitous than they currently appear. . . read more

COP 16 With theme tune: A little more ACTION please

30 nov | The COP 16 Convention on Climate Change in Mexico November 29th - December 10th 2010 as opposed to Copenhagen is suffering from some seriously underwhelming expectations- Here's a little song we can sing that will be unlikely to be heard- A little More Action please.... . . read more

What a difference a year makes for Lord Monckton

6 dec | By Don Reilly

You might remember Lord Monckton, he was the climate change denier that was seemingly everywhere around the the Copenhagen climate change conference; spouting off talk about how a global agreement would destory US sovereignty and that global warming was a myth. Not surprisingly he was picked up by conservative news programs all over the world as his peerage and 'scientific' credentials gave him a weight that other deniers failed to match. . . read more

Cop16: Completely Disinterested

18 nov | By Don Reilly (The University of Indiana Bloomington)

November 29th 2010 marks an important date in the world's calendar- struggling to think why? Leafing through your diary to find some obscure anniversary you should have remembered?

Well I'll kill the suspense; November 29th marks the beginning of COP16- the follow up meeting for fighting climate change a year after the disaster that was Copenhagen.

Now, I think there will be a few reactions you could be having to this news:

- Complete disinterest as global agreement on climate change (bar CFCs in the 1990s) has been wildly ineffective- why should this be any different?

- Or complete disinterest because you don't believe in climate change and think this meeting is either a waste of time or proof of a shadowy new world order being created as we speak.

- Or finally, you might be feeling complete disinterest as you find yourself surprised that there has been absolutely no media coverage leading up to the event or really on climate change at all- yet you still find yourself shrugging.

So for the first and third reactions, I have to ask, do you really think complete disinterest will solve any problems or make the media want to write about them? . . read more

Who Cares About Climate? Australian Voters

27 aug | The results are in. A new Climate Institute national poll has found that close to two thirds (62%) of Australian voters say climate change will affect their vote at the next Federal election. That's higher than at the last election, when environmental issues were nominated by 48% of those surveyed as having an influence on which box they ticked. . . read more

Agriculture out of the ETS but who will suffer?- by Sean Maguire

18 nov | For worried farmers, Rudd's announcement that agriculture would permanently be outside the ETS must have brought some relief. The announcement was also sweetened when the possibility was raised that farmers may be able to buy carbon credits with good land management and a reduction of carbon emissions. . . read more

Digg Dialogg: Earth Day Edition with President Bill Clinton

27 apr | Digg Dialogg: Earth Day Edition with President Bill Clinton . . read more

Dry run: Learning from Australia's drought

31 aug | Does the idea of taking a shower alongside a strategically placed bucket, then running outside to water your plants, sound appealing to you? How about the ticking of a shower timer counting down your remaining seconds while you hurriedly rinse out that last bit of shampoo? Those are some of the drastic measures Australians are forced to take because of tight governmental restrictions after a decade of drought-by Shannon Land . . read more

CARMA - Carbon Monitoring for Action

16 nov | CARMA - Keeping an eye on carbon emissions . . read more

Opening press conference, UN Climate Change Conference, Bangkok

10 apr | At the opening press conference of the UN Climate Change Conference in Bangkok, UNFCCC Executive Secretary Christiana Figueres said that these negotiations present Governments with the early opportunity to push ahead to complete the concrete work they agreed in Cancun, and to chart a way forward that will ensure renewed success in Durban . . read more

THOUGHT FOR THE DAY!

"Government's view of the economy could be summed up in a few short phrases: If it moves, tax it. If it keeps moving, regulate it. And if it stops moving, subsidize it." -- Ronald Reagan (1986)

Mavi Marmara: Israeli officers face Turkish trial

A Turkish court has charged four senior Israeli military commanders over the killing of nine Turkish activists trying to reach Gaza in 2010.

Ex-military chief of staff Gabi Ashkenazi and former heads of military intelligence, the navy and air force are expected to be tried in absentia.

The nine pro-Palestinian activists were killed after Israeli troops boarded their ship, the Mavi Marmara.

They had been hoping to breach Israel's naval blockade and deliver aid to Gaza.

Ron Paul on Why Bankster Power Must be Eradicated

It is imperative that the American people be educated on the dangers of the Fed and the importance of restoring sound money. Now that nearly 50 years have elapsed since silver was removed from circulation, fewer and fewer Americans have firsthand familiarity with real money.

The laying of the groundwork must begin today, so that the American people will be prepared for the day when the mirage the Fed has created evaporates completely.

Chinese army general calls for 'decisive action' vs PH

China should launch "decisive action" against the Philippines to reinforce Beijing's claim on the disputed Scarborough Shoal, a hardline Chinese army general said Friday.

People's Liberation Army (PLA) Major General Luo Yuan, in a commentary published by state-owned website china.org.cn, said China has not abandoned the idea of "war at all costs" to protect its interests.

"'Peaceful rise and 'period of strategic opportunity' preclude war," said Luo, who has been described by Western media as "hawkish" for his ultranationalist views.

"It is incorrect to assume that China will completely rule out military action in any event during this 'period of strategic opportunity,'" he said, referring to Beijing's dispute with Manila.

Think Again From The Outsider

The great challenge facing everyone who wants to change the world we live in is how do you get traction for your ideas? Gunter Pauli the inventor of the ‘blue economy’ has a novel approach. His missionis to develop globally 100 manufacturing innovations with viable business models that could generate 100 million jobs in 10 years. All with zero emissions and no waste.

The novelty? To drive this revolution in an economic framework that will attract investors and governments in entrepreneurial partnerships that feed self-interest while revolutionising outcomes – particularly in relation to carbon.

The blue economy was initially a report to the Club of Rome recommending innovations inspired by science and biometrics. This is a truly cool equation. Science + Economics = A Better Future.

The Really Big Apple

Recently it was announced that Steve Jobs had an FBI file that detailed his personality, how he ran his company and the possibility that he would be appointed to George Bush Sr.' s government.

What is more interesting about Apple at the moment is the $100bn in cash reserves it's accrued and what it might use them for.

End world hunger?

Take over other companies?

Pay its suicidal employees more?

Whatever it chooses, we should really stop focussing on Jobs' genius and start thinking about how the wealth his genius created can be spent for good.

The Future of Trust - From The Outsider

The images of senior Australian politicians being bundled into cars to escape the threat of indigenous demonstrators confirms how weak the post-apology environment is in Australia. The whole point of the apology was not to say 'sorry' but to build a new platform for the positive evolution of indigenous Australians. The apology created a climate of trust but the ignoble inaction that has followed, apart from proposed tinkering with the Australian constitution, has destroyed the platform and the belief in the trustworthiness of political process. Can't we (non-indigenous Australians) actually do something? Something communal not bureaucratic, spiritual not gestural – something that shows that we care.