CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO VINCULOS INTERNACIONALES El Presente

CAMBIO CLIMÁTICO VINCULOS INTERNACIONALES

El presente documento, contiene notas informativas sobre el tema de Cambio Climático, mismas que se han publicado a lo largo del mundo, durante el año 2014, por lo que se ponen a disposición de la comunidad en general.

Research casts alarming light on decline of West Antarctic glaciers

For two decades, scientists have kept a close watch on a vast, icebound corner of West Antarctica that is undergoing a historic thaw. Climate experts have predicted that, centuries from now, the region’s mile-thick ice sheet could collapse and raise sea levels as much as 11 feet. Now, new evidence is causing concern that the collapse could happen faster than anyone thought. New scientific studies this week have shed light on the speed and the mechanics of West Antarctic melting, documenting an acceleration that, if it continues, could have major effects on coastal cities worldwide. Twin papers this week show that the rate of ice loss from West Antarctica is increasing — with the acceleration particularly pronounced in the past decade — and also why this is happening: Warmer ocean waters are pushing up from below and bathing the base of the ice sheet. http://www.washingtonpost.com/national/health-science/research-casts- alarming-light-on-decline-of-west-antarctic-ice- sheets/2014/12/04/19efd3e4-7bbe-11e4-84d4-7c896b90abdc_story.html http://www.stuff.co.nz/waikato-times/news/world-news/63871503/West- Antarctic-ice-sheet-melt- acceleratinghttp://www.veooz.com/news/2HxKfbm.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/sciencetech/article-2861090/Polar-ice- melting-quicker-thought-cause-sea-levels-rise-disastrous-levels-study- claims.html http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/us/historic-thaw-in-antarctica-may- have-major-effect-on-coastal-cities/ar-BBgl755

U.N. weather agency: 2014 on track for hottest year

LIMA, Peru — With temperature data showing 2014 currently tied for the hottest year on record, the U.N. weather agency on Wednesday rejected claims that global warming has paused.The World Meteorological Organization said the global average temperature in January-October was 1.03 Fahrenheit above average, the same as in record hot year 2010. The ocean temperature set a new record in the nine-month period, while land temperatures were the fourth or fifth highest since record-keeping began in the 19th century, the WMO said in a report released at U.N. climate talks in Lima and at its headquarters in Geneva. "The provisional information for 2014 means that 14 of the 15 warmest years on record have all occurred in the 21st century," WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud said in a statement. "There is no standstill in global warming." http://www.columbian.com/news/2014/dec/04/un-weather-agency-2014- on-track-for-hottest-year/ http://www.aikenstandard.com/article/20141203/AIK0106/141209751/10 02/AIK01/un-weather-agency-2014-on-track-for-hottest-year http://p.news-journalonline.com/article/20141203/NEWS/141209819/- 1/OPINION0103 http://www.independentmail.com/news/un-weather-agency-2014-on- track-for-hottest-year http://www.pantagraph.com/news/world/u-n-weather-agency-on-track- for-hottest-year/article_202afd4c-4faf-590e-8005-57ff7cfcd0db.html http://www.norwichbulletin.com/article/20141203/NEWS/141209858/199 4/NEWS http://www.dailytimes.com.pk/entertainment/05-Dec-2014/2014-on- track-to-be-the-hottest-year-ever http://www.houmatoday.com/article/20141204/WIRE/141209798/1026/n ews01 http://www.examiner.org/newsx/ap-news/43778-un-weather-agency- 2014-on-track-for-hottest-year http://www.theaustralian.com.au/national-affairs/climate/un-warns-as- 2014-shapes-up-as-hottest-year/story-e6frg6xf-1227145279476 http://www.rep-am.com/articles/2014/12/04/news/national/847251.txt http://www.the-review.com/editors%20pick/2014/12/04/u-n-weather- agency-says-2014-on-track-to-be-hottest-year http://www.heraldandnews.com/news/ap_news/on-track-for-hottest- year/article_4bcce354-7b7b-11e4-a176-3fc9462a5cae.html http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/technology/un-weather-agency-2014- on-track-for-hottest-year-on-record/story-fnjww4q8- 1227144386046?nk=c157df5b13828579d6338e65ea43298d

2014 on track to be hottest year on record, World Meteorological Organisation says

The World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) says 2014 is on track to potentially be the hottest year on record. The WMO's provisional statement on the global climate found that record sea surface temperatures were likely to make this year one of - if not the - hottest on record. It found the global air temperature between January and October was about half a degree above the pre-1990s average. Sea surface temperatures were also at their highest ever levels, around half a degree above the 1961-to-1990 average. Oceans absorb much of the excess heat trapped in the atmosphere, and the WMO said large areas of southern and western Australia were especially warm. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-12-04/2014-on-track-to-be-hottest- year-on-record/5939566 http://www.climatecentral.org/news/wmo-warns-lima-delegates-2014- may-be-hottest-year- 18392?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=WMO+2014+Temp+Update&ut m_content=WMO+2014+Temp+Update+CID_913b05408273832ce5073006e dc01851&utm_source=CC%20Monthly%20Newsletter&utm_term=Our%20 Coverage http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/hottest-year-on- record-as-climate-talks-heat-up-20141203-11zfcc.html http://www.dailymail.co.uk/wires/pa/article-2859232/2014-set-worlds- hottest-year.html http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/2014-to-be-hottest-year-ever- measured/ http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2014/12/recent-global- warming-trends-significant-or-paused-or-what/ http://www.freenewspos.com/en/europe-news- article/b/1339243/fashion/the-year-2014-hotter-than-normal-except- north-america-world-body-says http://africagreenmedia.co.za/report-on-global-warming-says-2014- hottest-yet/ http://www.nzherald.co.nz/climate- change/news/article.cfm?c_id=26&objectid=11369064 http://www.sentinelsource.com/news/mct/likely-to-be-hottest-year-ever- un-meteorologist-warns/article_b33b55a9-ebce-5022-9816- 516e228ae8eb.html http://en.chinagate.cn/2014-12/05/content_34235640.htm http://www.iol.co.za/scitech/science/environment/2014-could-break-heat- record-1.1790522#.VIGaIDHF_5w

French

L'OMM ANNONCE 2014 RECORD DE CHAUD

L'Organisation météorologique mondiale fait du teasing avec le climat de l'année 2014. Et annonce qu'elle sera très probablement record de chaleur planétaire... de manière à bien informer les diplomates qui sont en ce moment même réunis à Lima (Pérou) pour la 20ème COP, la Conférence des Parties de la Convention Climat de l'ONU. D'où cette précipitation, puisque les températures des mois de novembre et décembre ne sont pas encore connues. Toutefois, l'OMM ne prend guère de risquesavec son annonce. Les dix premiers mois de l'année sont en effet au plus haut du podium, et rien ne laisse prévoir une chute brutale pour les deux derniers mois. L'OMM note de surcroît que ce nouveau record est très significatif car le phénomène El Niño, souvent en cause pour expliquer les années records, a tout juste pointé son nez depuis quelques mois, mais de très peu (voir le graphique ci-dessu, fondé sur la moyenne des mesures de la NOAA, de la Nasa et du Centre Hadley ). En revanche, il pourrait accentuer encore le record dans les mois qui viennent. http://sciences.blogs.liberation.fr/home/2014/12/lomm-annonce-2014- record-de-chaud.html http://www.planetaazul.com.mx/site/2014/12/04/2014-possiblement- lannee-la-plus-chaude-jamais-enregistree/ http://www.mediaterre.org/international/actu,20141204161524.html http://www.actualites-news-environnement.com/33338-annee-2014- chaude.html http://www.ouest-france.fr/climat-record-de-temperature-pluies-et- inondations-exceptionnelles-pour-2014-3026221 http://www.veooz.com/news/2HxKfbm.html http://www.medias24.com/INTERNATIONAL/150980-Climat-records-de- temperature-pluies-et-inondations-pour-2014.html http://www.saint-nazaire.maville.com/actu/actudet_-climat-record-de- temperature-pluies-et-inondations-exceptionnelles-pour-2014_54135- 2672178_actu.Htm http://www.ouest-france.fr/climat-record-de-temperature-pluies-et- inondations-exceptionnelles-pour-2014-3026221

Spanish

El 2014 podría ser el año más caluroso de la historia

El dato surge de estimaciones de la Organización Meteorológica Mundial, en su presentación en Lima, Perú. Los detalles. "En el calentamiento mundial no hay moratorias que valgan", dijo Michel Jarraud, titular de la Organización Meteorológica Mundial durante una presentación de la 20 Conferencia de Naciones Unidas sobre Cambio Climático (COP20), en la capital de Perú donde el corolario fue que el 2014 podría ser el año más caluroso de la historia."El panorama que se ha dado en 2014 corresponde plenamente a lo previsible en una situación de evolución del clima. Un calor sin precedentes sumado a lluvias torrenciales y a inundacionesprovocaron la destrucción de medios de subsistencia y de vidas", sentenció Jarraud. http://www.lmcordoba.com.ar/nota/188173_el-2014-podria-ser-el-ano- mas-caluroso-de-la-historia http://www.confluenciafm.com.ar/vernota.asp?id_noticia=18958 http://laestrella.com.pa/vida-de-hoy/asegura-2014-sido-caluroso-hasta- ahora/23825879 http://www.abc.es/sociedad/20141204/abci-pronostico-tiempo-espana- 201412041220.html http://www.diarionorte.com/article/115638/senales-claras-del-cambio- climatico http://www.mdzol.com/nota/574291-por-que-unos-anos-son-mas-calidos- y-otros-mas-frios/ http://www.masternews.com.ar/index.php?option=com_content&view=art icle&id=36953:2014-12-04-19-22-38&catid=22:nacionales&Itemid=70 http://www.yucatanall.com/frontpage/41758-2014-el-ano-mas-caluroso- en-la-historia-de-la-humanidad http://www.mgradionoticias.com/informe-de-la-onu-2014-el-ano-mas- caluroso/ http://elcomercio.pe/ciencias/planeta/cambio-climatico-2014-seria-ano- mas-caliente-registrado-noticia-1775979 http://www.lavozdelsandinismo.com/ciencia-tecnica/2014-12-04/2014- podria-ser-el-ano-mas-caluroso-desde-1880/ http://www.rlp.com.ni/noticias/alba/174639/siguen-las-negociaciones- sobre-acuerdo-climatico-en-peru http://www.lagaceta.com.ar/nota/618728/sociedad/2014-podria-ser-mas- caluroso-siglo-xxi.html http://diariohoy.net/interes-general/-el-planeta-se-calienta-cada-vez- mas-2014-batira-records-de-calor-42601

Russia

2014 год готов побить все рекорды и стать самым жарким в истории О новых «достижениях» глобального потепления вчера сообщила Всемирная метеорологическая организация. Средняя температура на земле за 11 месяцев на 0,86 градуса выше нормы - ничего подобного не бывало. Климатологи всего мира в эти дни собрались в Перу на конференцию ООН. Обсуждают, кто виноват и что делать. А в Росгидромете тем временем подговили доклад «Об изменениях климата и их последствиях на территории Российской Федерации». Главный вывод: в России теплеет в 2,5 раза быстрее, чем в целом на планете. Это неплохо - потому как страна наша самая холодная в мире. Однако новая погода несет неожиданные опасности: с юга наступает саранча, а с севера - айсберги. А одновременно с глобальным потеплением нас ждет и новый ледниковый период! http://penza.kp.ru/daily/26316/3194972/ http://hab.kp.ru/daily/26316/3194972/ http://hab.kp.ru/daily/26316/3194972/

Chinese 2014年或是史上最热年江苏已有5个月气温偏高 2014 or in the history of the hottest years for five months, high temperatures in Jiangsu 世界气象组织近日发布报告称，2014年成为有气象记录以来的最热年份之一基本已成定局，而且很可能成为史上最热的一年。现代快报记者了解到，对于江苏来说，今年1-10月份，有5个月的气温偏高或显著偏高，这也就是说，今年江苏很可能也是个 “暖年”。记者刘伟伟全球海水表面温度创新高 2014年已进入最后一个月份。有人说今年热啊，因为今年南京的春天和秋天都很暖和；也有小伙伴说今年偏凉，因为今年南京的夏天在凉爽中度过。不过，近日在秘鲁举行的联合国气候大会上，世界气象组织发布报告时说道，“2014年很可能会是史上最热的一年，至少是最热年份之一”。为什么2014年会是“最热年”？世界气象组织称，这主要是由于今年全球海水表面温度创了新高。海水变暖，加上其他因素，导致很多国家都发生了特别多、特别严重的洪灾和旱灾。 http://finance.chinanews.com/life/2014/12-05/6849165.shtml http://www.kn58.com/health/xinli/detail_2014_1205/1329578.html http://js.ifeng.com/news/province/detail_2014_12/05/3249709_0.shtml http://finance.stockstar.com/SS2014120500001912.shtml

Arabic

اﺿﻐﻂ اﻟﺤﺮارة ارﺗﻔﺎع ﻓﻲ اﻟﻘﻴﺎﺳﻲ اﻟﺮﻗﻢ 2014 ﻋﺎم ﺗﺤﻄﻴﻢ ﺗﺘﻮﻗﻊ اﻟﻤﺘﺤﺪة اﻷﻣـﻢ ،ﺟﻨﻴﻒ ﻓﻲ اﻟﺨﻤﻴﺲ أﻣﺲ ،اﻟﺠﻮﻳﺔ ﻟﻸرﺻـﺎد اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻤﻴﺔ اﻟﻤﻨﻈﻤﺔ ﻗﺎﻟﺖ :ﻣﺰﻳﺪال ﻟﻘﺮاءة ﺣﻴﺚ اﻟﺤﺮارة درﺟﺎت ﻓﻲ ارﺗﻔﺎﻋﺎ ً اﻟﺴﻨﻮات أآﺜﺮ ﻳﺼﺒﺢ أن ﻃﺮﻳﻘﻪ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻌﺎم هﺬا إن ﻣﻨﻌﻘﺪ اﻟﻤﺘﺤﺪة ﻟﻸﻣﻢ ﻣﺆﺗﻤﺮ ﻓﻲ اﻟﻤﻨﺎﺧﻴﺔ اﻟﺘﻐﻴﺮات وﺳﻴﺎﺳﻴﻮن اﻟﻄﻘﺲ ﺧﺒﺮاء ﻳﻨﺎﻗﺶ :اﻟﻤﺰﻳﺪ ﻟﻘﺮاءة اﺿﻐﻂ اﻟﻌﺎﻟﻢ اﻟﺤﺮارة درﺟﺎت ﻣﺘﻮﺳﻂ أن وﻳﺬآﺮ .ﻟﻴﻤﺎ ﻓﻲ http://www.arabnet5.com/news.asp?c=2&id=289311 http://www.daralakhbar.com/news/2014/12/04/1927099/articles/475954 8# http://www.almalnews.com/Pages/StoryDetails.aspx?ID=195582#.VIGS1jH F_5w http://www.un.org/arabic/news/story.asp?newsID=22329#.VIGYADHF_5w

España finaliza con éxito el rediseño del sistema de alertas tempranas de Colombia España ha concluido con éxito el rediseño y mejora del sistema de alertas tempranas (SAT) del Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales de Colombia, un proyecto en el que ha participado el Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente, a través de la Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET) y la Dirección General del Agua, el Centro de Estudios y Experimentación de Obras Públicas (CEDEX) y la empresa SATEC. El objetivo principal de este sistema es mitigar y prevenir los riesgos provocados por los desastres naturales, protegiendo a la población de sus impactos económicos, sociales y ambientales en Colombia. http://www.aemet.es/es/noticias/2014/11/colombiaalertas https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd-" rel="external" class="contenido_liga" >https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCd- http://elpais.com/elpais/2014/12/04/ciencia/1417684852_587483.html

TVE predice el tiempo del 2050

La meteoróloga Mónica López alerta de máximas de 50 grados en el sur del país y altas temperaturas nocturnas10 de agosto del 2050 y seguimos con temperaturas muy altas: ya van diez días en gran parte del país con valores por encima de la media». Así arranca Mónica López, directora del departamento de Meteorología de TVE y presentadora de El Tiempo, su ficticia previsión meteorológica para dentro de 36 años. Coincidiendo con el Congreso Nacional del Medio Ambiente (Conama 2014), celebrado el mes pasado, TVE se aventuró a grabar un vídeo en el que alerta que el cambio climático elevará considerablemente las temperaturas del país. http://www.lavozdegalicia.es/noticia/sociedad/2014/12/04/tve-predice- tiempo-2050/00031417685596952192381.htm http://www.larazon.es/detalle_normal/noticias/8092962/sociedad/el- tiempo-en-2050-maximas-de-50-grados#.Ttt1rB7vZyoRTHY http://www.elcorreo.com/videos/sociedad/ciencia/201412/04/como-sera- prediccion-tiempo-3923480205001-mm.html http://www.rtve.es/alacarta/videos/el-tiempo/precipitaciones-norte- galicia-cantabrico-este-cataluna-baleares/2890155/ http://www.dou.gr/article.php?a=10188450 http://www.yucatanall.com/frontpage/41746-las-catastroficas- predicciones-del-clima-para-el-ano-2050 http://www.elcorreo.com/alava/sociedad/201412/04/prevision-tiempo- para-agosto-20141204175440.html http://www.naciodigital.cat/canaldigital/noticia/16908/previsio/meteorol ogica/any/2050/segons/onu http://www.paginanoticias.com/n/Destacados/750qxbvyl/Un- v%C3%ADdeo-de-la-ONU-simula-la-previsi%C3%B3n.htm

Voici le temps qu'il fera en France le... 18 août 2050 Paris, 17 août 2050. Comme chaque soir, Evelyne Dhéliat, présentatrice bien connue des téléspectateurs de TF1, présente le bulletin météo: «Madame, Monsieur, bonsoir! Encore de fortes chaleurs en ce 17 août 2050 avec un soleil de plomb à peine voilé. La presque bonne nouvelle, c'est que cette canicule touche à sa fin», annonce-t-elle en préambule. Ce bulletin du futur est une idée de l'Organisation météorologique mondiale (OMM). Parallèlement à son annonce mercredi que l'année 2014 pourrait être la plus chaude depuis 1880, elle a invité des présentateurs météo du monde entier à imaginer un «bulletin météo de l'année 2050» à l'occasion de la Conférence sur les changements climatiques qui se déroule à Lima. http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/monde/story/13458929 http://www.replay-tv.fr/replay/tf1/5200903/quel-temps-fera-t-il-le-18- aout-2050-la-reponse-alarmante-develyne-dheliat http://www.midilibre.fr/2014/12/04/chaud-tres-chaud-la-meteo-du-17- aout-2050-par-evelyne-dheliat,1092985.php http://www.paperblog.fr/7401467/a-quoi-ressemblera-la-meteo-du-18- aout-2050/ http://www.zurbains.com/actualites-27/rss-actualites-autres- medias/videos-rechauffement-climatique-canicule-orages-inondations.html http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/monde/story/13458929 http://www.20min.ch/ro/news/monde/story/Voici-le-temps-qu-il-fera-en- France-le----18-ao-t--2050-13458929 http://www.ouest-france.fr/climat-record-de-temperature-pluies-et- inondations-exceptionnelles-pour-2014-3026221

Predicting daily space weather will help keep your GPS on target

It’s well known that severe space weather events – which are quite rare – can have a negative impact on our use of Global Positioning System (GPS) enabled devices. But our research, published in Geophysical Research Letters, shows that another form of space weather – which occurs on a daily basis – can cause problems for GPS too. Knowing how to predict – or forecast – these daily space weather events is the key to protecting those people and industries who rely on GPS. The awareness and use of the GPS has dramatically increased over the past few decades, no doubt in part due to the availability and affordability of in-car satellite navigation systems and GPS-capable smart phones. http://theconversation.com/predicting-daily-space-weather-will-help- keep-your-gps-on-target-34750

UN climate projects for poorest 'feared frozen' Hundreds of United Nations- backed projects to help the world's poorest countries cope with the most urgent impacts of climate change have not been acted upon, the BBC has learnt. Many of these were proposed years ago and may have to be abandoned. Experts and officials from the world's 48 least developed countries say lack of funding is the main reason.They warn that a new long-term global climate defence plan may kick these projects further into the long grass. http://www.thedailystar.net/world/un-climate-projects-for-poorest- feared-frozen-53482

La politique doit suivre la science

Le Secrétaire général adjoint de l’Organisation météorologique mondiale, Jeremiah Lengoasa, et la Secrétaire générale des Nations Unies, Christiana Figueres, ont présenté les récentes données sur la science du climat. http://gaiapresse.ca/nouvelles/la-politique-doit-suivre-la-science- 39771.html

La politique doit suivre la science

Christiana Figueres a insisté sur l’importance de réduire l’écart entre la science et la politique, ajoutant que la politique doit suivre la science. Elle a poursuivi en parlant de l’urgence de réduire considérablement les émissions de GES tout en reconnaissant la nature progressive du processus de décarbonisation. En effet, les pays mettront un certain temps pour décarboniser leurs activités, en particulier les pays en développement. La question sur laquelle se penchent les délégués réunis à Lima est donc de savoir comment accroître le niveau et la portée des engagements pour atteindre un pic mondial d’émissions de GES. http://gaiapresse.ca/nouvelles/la-politique-doit-suivre-la-science- 39771.html

Revealed: How the world has gotten hotter and weirder in the two decades since the first climate change summit where leaders pledged to tackle climate change First climate change summit took place in 1992 in when leaders pledged to tackle climate change But figures show that 20 years on the world has continued to get hotter with carbon dioxide emissions on the up Extreme weather events have also increased over the past 20 years along with population and sea levels Comes as a United Nations global warming conference opens in Peru as scientists are warning that we are now suffering consequences of climate changeTwenty years ago world leaders met for the first ever climate change summit but new figures show that since then the globe has become hotter and weather has become more weird. Numbers show that carbon dioxide emissions are up, the global temperature has increased, sea levels are rising along with the earth's population.The statistics come as more than 190 nations opened talks on Monday at a United Nations global warming conference in Lima, Peru. http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-2857093/Hotter-weirder-How- climate-changed-Earth.html

Scientists dispel climate change denial

In his Independent View, “Don’t help Sen. Whitehouse kill coal,” (North East Independent, Nov. 27, 2014), Tom Harris attempts to deny the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change. His International Climate Science Coalition is supported by the most powerful lobby on our planet, fossil fuel. Local scientists from the University of Rhode Island contest his denial. Harris is livid that U.S. Sen. Manchin of West Virginia and our U.S. Sen. Sheldon Whitehouse, both Democrats, visited each other to discuss how coal affects West Virginia’s economy and Rhode Island’s climate. http://www.independentri.com/independents/north_east/opinion/letters/ article_02585228-5457-51a5-b4cd-ae78de5ad274.html

Africa: Oxfam Response to the WMO Announcement That 2014 Could Be the Hottest Year On Record

In response to the news released this morning from the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) that 2014 is set to be one of the hottest, possibly the hottest, year on record, Kelly Dent, Oxfam's lead at the UN Climate Conference in Lima, said: "From Tacloban to New York City, the poorest people in the world are already bearing the crushing burden of our changing climate. The WMO's report that 2014 could be the hottest year on record should reverberate throughout the climate negotiations in Lima and shake the sleepy discussions into gear. "Extreme and unpredictable weather is already making it harder for families to get enough nutritious food to eat and clean water to drink. Here in Peru climate change threatens the food security of 5 million people. http://allafrica.com/stories/201412041228.html

Small-scale farmers deserve big share of climate funds – IFAD

LIMA, Peru-As important food producers, small-scale farmers in the developing world should get a significant share of funds raised to help poorer countries adapt to climate change impacts and curb emissions, agriculture officials said at U.N. climate negotiations in Peru. Investment in easy-to-access weather information, extensions services, improved disaster preparedness, and other cost-effective and efficient new technology could help small-scale farmers keep feeding themselves and their families, they said. http://finance.yahoo.com/news/small-scale-farmers-deserve-big-share- climate-funds-052524655.html

Gradual Carbon Squeeze to Beat Climate Deadlock, Brazil Says

An international climate agreement next year should encourage developing nations to gradually take on tighter carbon-reduction targets after 2020, helping overcome barriers to previous emission deals, according to Brazil. Allowing progressive caps could “help break the deadlock in negotiations,” Brazil’s foreign ministry said in an e-mailed statement to Bloomberg on Dec. 2. Climate talks have stalled since the 1997 Kyoto Protocol as developed and developing nations argue over the responsibility for global warming and who should bear the cost. China and the U.S. last month agreed to limit emissions to spur wider support for greenhouse-gas cuts and help keep temperature rises to 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) from pre-industrial levels. http://washpost.bloomberg.com/Story?docId=1376-NG1VIP6KLVRC01- 41BETDROH183K5MC7GEQCOL771

How science is solving today’s development problems

This year has seen a huge number of development challenges arise or worsen. The Ebola outbreak in west Africa still defies attempts at containment. A new climate agreement is still in question while global greenhouse gas emissions rise largely unchecked. Millions of people are facing a food crisis as funding dries up and extreme weather events disrupt farming. Theglobal economy is languishing, inequality is putting pressure on social and political systems, and ecosystems are under threat. http://www.theguardian.com/global-development/2014/dec/04/science- development-ebola-climate-change-food-security Natural Hazards

Philippines braces for Typhoon Hagupit

(CNN) -- The Philippines, still scarred by last year's devastating Super Typhoon Haiyan, braced itself for another potentially catastrophic storm, with millions rushing to evacuate, stock up on supplies and take cover.Typhoon Hagupit, known locally as Ruby, is expected to make landfall Saturday evening, according to PAGASA, the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration. It is approaching the Philippines from the western Pacific Ocean and is projected to make landfall on the Eastern Samar or Northern Samar province. The storm is expected to skirt north of the city of Tacloban, which was devastated by Haiyan last year. http://edition.cnn.com/2014/12/05/world/asia/philippines-typhoon- hagupit/index.html http://www.erietvnews.com/story/27554128/philippines-braces-for- typhoon-hagupit http://www.kspr.com/news/nationworld/philippines-braces-for-typhoon- hagupit/21051646_30071504 http://america.aljazeera.com/articles/2014/12/4/filipinos-brace- forsupertyphoonhagupit.html

40 people rescued from flash floods in California

LOS ANGELES (AP) — A dayslong storm took a parting shot as it moved out of the drought-stricken state Thursday, dumping more heavy rain that triggered flash floods and stranded more than three dozen people in their cars in Southern California. Five vehicles got stuck shortly after 1 a.m. as several feet of mud and water roared over a rural road near Gilman Hot Springs about 80 miles southeast of Los Angeles, Riverside County fire officials said. A woman in one car was "hanging out of the passenger side of her vehicle screaming for help," California Highway Patrol Sgt. Adrian Horta said. http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/40-people-rescued-flash-floods- california http://www.msn.com/en-us/news/other/14-people-rescued-from-flash- flood-in-california/ar-BBgjxnj

Floods kill two children, inundate Hue's low-lying areas

Two primary school students drowned in the flood waters of a river in the central Thua Thien - Hue Province's Phu Loc District yesterday. Nguyen Thi Tra My, 7, and Nguyen Van Lanh, 8, were cycling to their school when they fell into the river and drowned. Tran Van Hoa, chairman of Loc Bon commune where the accident happened, said the road is very close to the riverbank and the students fell accidentally into the river. Heavy rains and a huge volume of water released from the Huong Dien power plant reservoir caused flooding in many low-lying areas in the province's Phong Dien, Quang Dien and Huong Tra districts http://en.baomoi.com/Info/Floods-kill-two-children-inundate-Hues- lowlying-areas/3/507643.epi

Technology for emergency response: Google sets up Public Alerts for the Philippines

One year after super typhoon Haiyan struck eastern Philippines, Google launchedPublic Alerts in the country, a resource page that provides emergency messages, including typhoon warnings on Google Search, Google Maps and Google Now. “By making crisis information readily available through online tools people commonly use, we hope to help those at risk to act more promptly and mitigate disaster impact,” Meryl Stone, Head of Partnerships for Google Crisis Response. Information that can be found in the Philippine Google Public Alerts include typhoon warnings in effect issued by PAGASA, what these warnings mean, what areas will be affected, see the storm’s forecast path, when to expect landfall and what one needed to do to stay safe. Arnel Manoos, Weather Specialist, Engineering Technical Service Division, PAGASA, said the initiative is in line with the recommendations from World Meteorological Organization’s (WMO) to adapt common platform for the automated sharing of warnings and advisories using the common alerting protocol (CAP). “We are providing data like the latest satellite imageries and high resolution topographic maps for Yolanda areas,” said DOST Secretary Mario G. Montejo. “We are also providing multi-hazard maps on floods and areas that could be prone to landslides and storm surges. On top of that we have experts that can be consulted about these datasets.” http://enterpriseinnovation.net/article/technology-emergency-response- google-sets-public-alerts-philippines-1289644342

Un milliard de personnes n'ont pas accès à des toilettes: voici les conséquences

"Il est temps d'agir (...) L'eau et les sanitaires doivent être des priorités claires si nous voulons créer un futur qui permettra à chacun de bénéficier d'une vie saine, digne et prospère", a souligné lors de la présentation du rapport Michel Jarraud, responsable de l'eau à l'ONU et secrétaire général de l'Organisation météorologique mondiale. http://www.rtl.be/info/monde/international/1143023/un-milliard-de- personnes-n-ont-pas-acces-a-des-toilettes-voici-les-consequences

La ONU celebra este miércoles el Día Mundial del Retrete

Alrededor de 2.500 millones de hombres, mujeres y niños de todo el mundo carecen de acceso a servicios básicos de saneamiento, cerca de 1.000 millones de personas siguen practicando la defecación al aire libre y unos 748 millones tienen dificultades para llegar a una fuente mejorada de agua potable. Además, cientos de millones viven sin agua limpia y jabón para lavarse las manos, lo que facilita la propagación de enfermedades diarreicas, la segunda causa principal de muerte entre los niños menores de cinco años. Así lo afirmó este miércoles la Organización Mundial de la Salud (OMS), en nombre de ONU-Agua, en un informe hecho público con motivo del Día Mundial del Retrete, que se celebra este miércoles. Este informe, de carácter bianual, incluye datos de 94 países y 23 organismos y ofrece un análisis exhaustivo de las fortalezas y los desafíos relacionados con el agua, el saneamiento y la higiene. http://www.teinteresa.es/mundo/ONU-miercoles-Dia-Mundial- Retrete_0_1251475000.html

Mesmerizing NASA Video Shows How Carbon Pollution Swirls Across the Planet

The news: There is more carbon dioxide floating around in Earth's atmosphere now than at any period in the history of human civilization — and it's not going away. Here's what all that atmospheric carbon dioxide looks like swirling around the world over the course of a year, courtesy of this high-resolution model by NASA. And it's the most highly detailed visualization of how carbon dioxide actually moves throughout Earth's atmosphere on an annual basis ever completed. http://mic.com/articles/104504/mesmerizing-nasa-video-shows-how- carbon-pollution-swirls-across-the-planet

40 Years of Scratching Reveals Ocean Acidification Data

As carbon dioxide levels increase due largely to human emissions, the world’s oceans are becoming highly corrosive to a number of organisms that call it home. But the rate of acidification and related changes are anything but uniform. That’s why a new study aims to set a baseline for nearly every patch of saltwater from sea to acidifying sea so that future acidification and its impacts can be better monitored. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/ocean-acidification-new-baseline- 18351

7 Ways the U.S. Can Adapt to Climate Change

Climate change is being felt locally, through floods, heatwaves and other meteorological maladies, but there’s little sense in leaving the mammoth task of climate adaptation to local communities to figure out for themselves. That’s why the Obama Administration convened a panel of local, state and tribal leaders last year to advise the federal government on how to guide and improve climate adaptation efforts and resiliency planning. On Monday, that panel presented a 46-page report containing more than 100 of suggestions to White House officials, ranging from a need for a compendium of adaptation case studies and best practices to changes in how the insurance industry works. http://www.weather.com/news/science/environment/7-ways-us-adapt- climate-change-20141118

Obama stakes final 2 years on climate change

With limited time still in power, President Barack Obama is staking his final two years on climate change, pushing the issue to the front of his agenda as he seeks to leave an imprint on the world that will endure after he's gone. It's a strategy rooted not only in Obama's long-stated concern about global warming, but also in political reality. https://news.yahoo.com/obama-stakes-final-2-years-140839117.html

El Nino to bring a hot, dry summer

The prospects of a hot and dry summer for much of Australia are increasing with "classic signs" of an El Nino event starting to emerge in the Pacific, the Bureau of Meteorology said. The bureau on Tuesday raised its estimate of an El Nino occurring this summer to "at least 70 per cent" after temperatures in the tropical Pacific warmed further in the past fortnight. "It's very, very late in the year to be shifting towards an El Nino," Andrew Watkins, the bureau's manager of climate prediction services, said. "A classic pattern is starting to emerge." The Pacific Ocean is a major driver of the global climate. El Nino years tend to be warmer than average globally, with impacts ranging from drier conditions in the western Pacific and wetter ones in the east. For Australia, El Nino years are often associated with droughts and unusual heat, particularly across eastern and southern Australia. Bushfires risks are also elevated.

Read more:http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/el-nino-to-bring- a-hot-dry-summer-20141118-11p4a2.html#ixzz3JWEw1wx6

Tonga fears severe cyclone season The Tonga Meteorological Service warns that the kingdom could be hit by a strong cyclone this season. The service says this year's weather conditions are similar to those that preceded cyclones in the past. Director 'Ofa Fa'anunu says traditional knowledge shows when severe drought conditions are experienced, enhanced tropical cyclone activity is expected. "We have looked at sea surface temperatures and conditions of the atmosphere right now and we have compared it to seven previous seasons in the past. From those statistics we have come up with an outlook of two to three cyclones to affect Tonga and with the possibility of even one of them being severe." The Pacific region has been forecast to experience six to ten cyclones from now until April. http://www.radionz.co.nz/international/pacific-news/259747/tonga-fears- severe-cyclone-season

New York snow storm kills four as icy temperatures grip US

Motorists trapped, flights cancelled and national guard called in as temperatures plunge to freezing or below in all states At least four people have died after a huge lake-effect snow storm dumped 1.2 metres (four feet) of snow around the city of Buffalo in upstate New York. State police on snowmobiles were forced to deliver blankets to stranded motorists on the main road across New York state on a day when temperatures fell to freezing or below in all 50 states. One person was killed in an automobile accident and three others had heart attacks, including two believed to be shovelling snow at the time, Erie County officials said. In a region accustomed to highway-choking snowstorms, the latest storm is being called one of the worst in memory. Snow blown by strong winds forced the closing of a 132-mile stretch of the New York State Thruway http://www.theguardian.com/weather/2014/nov/19/new-york-snowstorm

These Photos of Lake Effect Snow Are Crazy

If you live in a broad swath of the country stretching from Portland down to El Paso, over to Atlanta and up to the Northeast, chances are you woke up this morning cursing the unseasonably cold weather. Well, just be glad you don’t live in far western New York. (Unless, of course, you do. In which case, we’re sorry.) Areas just to the east of Lake Erie have been overtaken by a truly epic lake effect snowstorm that has already socked some places under 3 to 4 feet of the white stuff: http://www.climatecentral.org/news/photos-of-lake-effect-snow-are- bonkers-18349

See also http://www.salon.com/2014/11/18/photos_new_york_state_just_got_sla mmed_by_an_epic_snowstorm/ http://www.weather.com/news/weather-winter/buffalo-lake-effect- snowband-resembles-haboob-20141118

East coast Alert! - Brace for more floods (Trinidad)

Drenching rain continued to pour down today in areas already reeling from floods, and coupled with a high tide later today, more flooding is expected in Mayaro and Manzanilla. At around 6 a.m. today, meteorologist Oscar Lovell of the Trinidad and Tobago Meteorological Office issued a bulletin warning that a flood alert continues in eastern Trinidad and that residents of Manzanilla ought to take measures to safeguard themselves and properties having regard to the recent rainfall activity over the last few days and the continuing risk posed from the resulting floods. http://www.trinidadexpress.com/news/East-coast-Alert---Brace-for-more- floods-283054721.html

Floods displace over 53,000 people in Payinjiar county

Heavy flooding in South Sudan’s Unity state has displaced some 53,945 people in Payinjiar county, according to officials. Michael Lot Gatluok, a secretary for the South Sudan Relief and Rehabilitation Commission (SSRRC), told Sudan Tribuneon Tuesday that rising floodwaters has sparked widespread panic among residents. “First and foremost, allow me to express my deep concerns about [the] lives of people who need urgent attention from aid agencies,” he said. Gatluok described the current situation as dire, urging humanitarian partners to speed up rescue efforts for flood victims, saying early intervention was necessary to stem the risk of waterborne diseases, particularly among children http://www.sudantribune.com/spip.php?article53079

São Paulo’s drought

Five major reservoirs that serve water to the São Paulo metropolitan area are critically below their normal operating levels. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/sao-paulos- drought/2014/11/17/c2de0426-6ed0-11e4-ad12- 3734c461eab6_graphic.html

How can we better build disaster resilience?

This week in Geneva, governments and their partners are finalising preparations for the post-2015 framework for disaster risk reduction which will be adopted at the World Conference on Disaster Risk Reduction in Sendai, Japan, next March. Ahead of the Nov.17-18 meeting, we interviewed Margareta Wahlström, the U.N. Special Representative for Disaster Risk Reduction, on how our understanding of disasters has evolved since the last framework was adopted in 2005, and what the new framework will look like http://www.trust.org/item/20141117095608-ctsav/

White House offers climate change help to U.S. cities

After announcing two major global initiatives on climate change last week, the Obama administration pivoted on Monday to American towns and cities to help them adapt to the impacts of global warming. The move came after a task force of U.S. governors, mayors and tribal leaders sent Vice President Joe Biden and senior White House officials recommendations on how they can help local communities deal with extreme weather. White House officials also unveiled measures, including a Web-based climate resilience toolkit, to help local leaders adopt measures to prepare municipalities for rising sea levels, droughts, diseases and other climate impacts. The recommendations come as the new Republican leadership eyes reining in executive actions in the administration's Climate Action Plan, which includes the efforts to support cities and towns. http://planetark.org/wen/72493

Cloud seeding project in city next year

In a new step towards climate modification, India by next year is all set to experiment with 'cloud seeding', a global scientific method to modify climate and minimise its negative impact. The experiment is to be conducted by the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM), situated in Pune. "There are certain rain shadow areas in India, such as Marathwada, Telangana and interior parts of Karnataka, all of which face frequent droughts. They see clouds, but these frequently do not convert into rains. Therefore, we will be conducting scientific experiments in rain enhacement," said Dr Jivanprakash Kulkarni, formerly a chief scientist, now a consultant/ advisor to IITM on this project. Dr Kulkarni has also been one of the eight expert members of the Weather Modification Committee, which advises the international scientific community working in the area of cloud seeding under the World Meteorological Organisation. http://www.punemirror.in/pune/civic/Cloud-seeding-project-in-city-next- year/articleshow/45181997.cms

El Nino Warning Raised by Australia as Tropical Pacific Sizzles

Australia raised an El Nino warning after the Pacific Ocean showed renewed signs of the pattern that can bring drought to parts of Asia and heavier-than-usual rain to South America. Climate models suggest current conditions will persist or strengthen, prompting the status to be elevated from watch to alert, the Bureau of Meteorology said on its website today. The alert indicates at least a 70 percent chance of El Nino, it said. The bureau had previously pushed back projections for the onset of El Nino as changes to the atmosphere failed to develop consistently. The odds of the event during the Northern Hemisphere winter are 58 percent, the U.S. Climate Prediction Center said on Nov. 6. El Ninos can roil agricultural markets worldwide as farmers contend with drought or too much rain. http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-11-18/el-nino-warning-raised-by- australia-as-tropical-pacific-sizzles.html

See also

At This Rate, The World Will Have To Cease All Carbon Emissions In 2040 To Stay Under 2°C

By 2040, the world will emit all the carbon it can afford while remaining within safe ranges of climate change, according to a report released last week. Scientists and policymakers have generally settled on 2°C as the amount of global temperature increase, over pre-industrial levels, the climate can take without creating truly dangerous upheavals. Because the effect of carbon in the atmosphere is cumulative, staying below that threshold requires a hard limit on the amount of carbon the world emits between now and 2100. We’ve already blown through a bit over half of that “carbon budget.” Last week’s World Energy Outlook 2014 from the International Energy Agency (IEA) projects that, on our current course, we’ll chew through the rest by 2040. http://beforeitsnews.com/environment/2014/11/at-this-rate-the-world- will-have-to-cease-all-carbon-emissions-in-2040-to-stay-under-2c- 2514032.html

Study: Polar bears disappearing from key region

A key polar bear population fell nearly by half in the past decade, a new U.S.-Canada study found, with scientists seeing a dramatic increase in young cubs starving and dying. Researchers chiefly blame shrinking sea ice from global warming. Scientists from the U.S. Geological Survey and Environment Canada captured, tagged and released polar bears in the southern Beaufort Sea from 2001 to 2010. The bear population shrank to about 900 in 2010, down from about 1,600 in 2004. That area is one of two main U.S. polar bear regions. "These estimates suggest to me that the habitat is getting less stable for polar bears," said study lead author Jeff Bromaghin, a USGS statistician. http://www.chron.com/news/science/article/Study-Polar-bears- disappearing-from-key-region-5898917.php

Melting glaciers will lead to future water shortages in Pakistan

Eighty-five year-old Dur Nayyab is not a glaciologist, but he is concerned about the rapid melting of what he calls the “Black Glaciers” in the mountains around the Gupis Yasin valley, nestled between the Hindu Kush and Himalaya ranges in northern Pakistan’s Gilgit-Baltistan province. Nayyab, a retired army soldier and native of the Ghizer district, has closely observed the melting of the centuries-old Black Glaciers over the past 50 years. Dur Nayyab is worried the disappearance of these glaciers will detract from the region’s natural beauty. However, he is unaware of the importance of the glaciers as a source of water for the country. http://www.thethirdpole.net/melting-glaciers-will-lead-to-future-water- shortages-in-pakistan/

Geoengineering: Pumping iron into oceans could backfire -

Technology’s answer to climate change in a world in which humans go on releasing carbon dioxide in the atmosphere has just had another setback. The idea of fertilising the planet’s oceans with iron filings to stimulate green growth and turn the oceans into a carbon sink isn’t so simple as hoped. Two studies – both involving experiments at sea – have confirmed that trace elements such as iron affect plankton growth, and that more iron can mean more carbon dioxide exported to the sea bed in the form of dead and buried life forms. But new research in Nature Geoscience shows that the story is more complex.

- See more at:

See also

Guru forecasts extreme, dramatic changes in Irish weather

RTÉ weather forecaster Ger Fleming has told of his dismay at the extreme climate conditions set to face his children and grandchildren. The station’s Science Squad programme last night catalogued how Ireland is to be hit with much more extreme weather in the next 50 years, with intense heatwaves, flooding, and storms expected. The popular forecaster has been reading out the same old variations of our mild, rainy climate for the past three decades, but he said last night that future generations were set to be hit with dramatic changes to our largely uneventful weather patterns “In my lifetime, in what I’ve left to me on this Earth, I will probably see some changes, but my children [really will] see changes and my grandchildren will see big changes,” he said. “I’m concerned we’re not leaving the generations following us — these are people alive now, not some people far in the future — the same sort of pleasant atmosphere and climate that we’ve enjoyed in the later part of the 20th and first part of the 21st century. http://www.irishexaminer.com/ireland/weather-guru-forecasts-extreme- dramatic-changes-298301.html

Global Warming vs. Climate Change: Why Choose New Terminology?

Scientists say there is good reason to choose your terms wisely when considering global warming vs. climate change. The two terminologies have different meanings and can cause misunderstandings. The term global warming first entered the popular lexicon in the late 1980s. That’s when NASA scientist James Hansen testified before Congress that the effects of greenhouse gases were causing a warming of the temperature near the earth’s atmosphere. It was widely reported at the time and became a term many people pointed to when making policy pitches and advocating for change. The scientific community had used this word since the mid-1970s. That’s when two pieces of research, first a paper by Wallace Broecker of Columbia University’s Lamont-Doherty Geological Observatory, and then a follow-up study that became known as the Charney Report. The Charney Report investigated Broecker’s claims that CO2 buildup caused by human activity on the planet was resulting in global warming. Read Latest Breaking News from Newsmax.com http://www.Newsmax.com/FastFeatures/global-warming-vs-climate- change/2014/11/17/id/607949/#ixzz3JPdBUVuF

The ozone hole leaves a lasting impression on southern climate

Many people think of sunburn and skin cancer when they hear about the ozone hole. But more ultraviolet (UV) radiation isn’t the only problem. The ozone hole has also led to dramatic changes in Southern Hemisphere weather patterns. These in turn are altering natural ecosystems and food production. These climate changes are likely having a similar if not greater impact than more UV radiation. We discuss some of these changes in a paper published today in Global Change Biology. This week the parties to the Montreal Protocol will meet in Paris, to consider the latest report from the United Nations Environment Programme Environmental Effects Assessment Panel. This report summarises the impact of both ozone loss and the associated increase in ultraviolet radiation on the environment and human health. http://theconversation.com/the-ozone-hole-leaves-a-lasting-impression- on-southern-climate- 34043?utm_medium=email&utm_campaign=Latest+from+The+Conversatio n+for+18+November+2014+- +2100&utm_content=Latest+from+The+Conversation+for+18+November+2 014+- +2100+CID_26e5ed2d3580b0747b938eb6706a80fe&utm_source=campaign _monitor&utm_term=The%20ozone%20hole%20leaves%20a%20lasting%2 0impression%20on%20southern%20climate

Engineers call for practical solutions to climate change

Engineers, scientists and policy makers will meet in Melbourne next week to discuss the latest findings from the recent IPCC report and the innovation needed to combat ongoing climate change. The Practical Responses to Climate Change Conference (PRCC) is part of engineering event Convention 2014, which has been organised by Engineers Australia and will run from 24-28 November. Engineers Australia CEO Stephen Durkin said with the release of the IPCC report and the G20 summit, the need to address climate change as an economic, social and environmental risk has never been greater. “Engineers Australia believes that we must act swiftly and proactively in line with global expectations to address climate change as an economic, social and environmental risk,” he said. “Our role has been, and will continue to be, in leading capacity to innovate for more sustainable, eco-efficient and less polluting outcomes in engineering practice. http://www.sustainabilitymatters.net.au/news/70948-Engineers-call-for- practical-solutions-to-climate-change

Second Texas Textbook Publisher Drops Climate-Denial Entry Amid Backlash

McGraw-Hill, the second-largest educational publisher in the world, has removed key passages from a proposed Texas textbook that cast doubt on climate science. The publisher told education watchdog group Texas Freedom Network on Monday that it cut material from a sixth-grade social-studies textbook up for review by the Texas Board of Education that sparked intense criticism from activists who said the textbook provided misleading information to students about man-made global warming. McGraw-Hill's announcement comes less than a week before the board votes to adopt a new set of social-studies textbooks in Texas. The news also comes days after Pearson Education, the largest textbook publisher in the world, moved to cut passages from its proposed textbook that had faced similar climate criticism. http://www.nationaljournal.com/energy/second-texas-textbook- publisher-drops-climate-denial-entry-amid-backlash-20141117

DF: Inmet celebra 105 anos

O Instituto Nacional de Meteorologia (Inmet), órgão do Ministério da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento, comemora seu 105º aniversário nesta terça-feira (18), com a presença do ministro da Agricultura, Pecuária e Abastecimento, Neri Geller, na abertura. Em seguida, haverá duas palestras e mensagens de reconhecimento enviadas em vídeo pelo Presidente e pelo Secretário Geral da Organização Meteorológica Mundial (OMM). O evento será realizado no Auditório Adalberto Serra, localizado na sede do Instituto, em Brasília, e contará com a presença de autoridades do Ministério da Agricultura e de representantes de várias instituições parceiras. http://www.paginarural.com.br/noticia/210320/inmet-celebra-105-anos

50 Percent of the Contiguous U.S. Now Covered in Snow After Bozeman, Astro, Lake Effect Snow

The 50 percent mark is the greatest such snow cover total in the contiguous U.S. this early in the year since NOAA's Snow Analyses started tracking countrywide snow cover in 2003. For comparison's sake, and as the animation above shows, at this time last year only 12.5 percent of the U.S. was covered in snow. On November 9, only a little more than 3 percent of the U.S. --- portions of Minnesota, Wisconsin, North Dakota and Michigan, to be exact -- was covered in snow. But now, after some serious lake effect snow in the Great Lakes, Winter Storm Astro and Winter Storm Bozeman, it's beginning to look a lot like winter, even as far south as Dallas, Texas http://www.weather.com/news/weather-winter/us-snow-cover-bozeman- astro-20141117

Floods hit the eastern Mediterranean

Torrential downpours have caused flooding across parts of Lebanon, Israel and the Palestinian territories. There has been travel chaos on the roads and railways, and thousands of people lost power across the region. The severe storms swept through Beirut on Saturday and into Sunday and left many streets under water. The vital highway to the airport was particularly badly hit leading to lengthy flight delays. In the 24 hours up to 0600GMT on Sunday the airport recorded 73mm of rain. This compares with a November average rainfall of 67mm. http://www.aljazeera.com/weather/2014/11/floods-hit-eastern- mediterranean-20141117103051111927.html

See also

UN official urges bracing for ramifications of climate change

Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Michel Jarraud on Monday said "Climate change is happening and will not wait for us to be prepared, especially the least equipped. "We have to accelerate mitigation and adaptation," he said in his inaugural speech to the meeting of the Intergovernmental Board on Climate Services, being held here on November 10-14. "As the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) stated, there are options available to help us mitigate and adapt to climate change and build resilience to extreme events like heat-waves and floods which are expected to increase in the future," he affirmed. http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2407778&language=en http://yubanet.com/world/Cross-cutting-climate-services-needed-for- climate-challenges.php#.VGIwbPTF8WU

Women's voices in climate change solutions

AIMING to develop more gender-sensitive services, a United Nations-led conference held from 5-7 November in Geneva is spearheading a drive to ensure that weather and climate services reduce women's vulnerability to disasters and climate change, and help them realise their potential as champions of community resilience. Hosted by the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), the Conference on Gender Dimensions of Weather and Climate Services, hopes to produce concrete actions to empower women to produce and use weather and climate services. http://www.thedailystar.net/womens-voices-in-climate-change-solutions- 49659 http://www.preventionweb.net/english/professional/news/v.php?id=4027 7 http://www.mediaterre.org/genre/actu,20141107162553,1.html

Tomorrow’s forecast is ... tricky: B.C. remains a difficult place to predict the weather, meteorologists admit

Forecasting is hard anywhere, but getting it right is harder here because the Pacific Ocean — the birthplace of most of our weather — is such a meteorologically secretive puddle. Michel Béland, past president of the commission of atmospheric sciences at the World Meteorological Organization, says forecast predictability improves by about one day every 10 years. In other words, if the average useful forecast predictability was four days in 2004, today it has stretched to five, Béland says. “In 10 years, we will have another day,” Béland says. Meteorologists at last summer’s World Weather Open Science Conference in Montreal predicted that major breakthroughs in weather science will continue to be made over the next three decades. But Béland, who co-chaired the conference, cautions against excessive hopes. http://www.theprovince.com/technology/Tomorrow+forecast+tricky+rem ains+difficult+place+predict+weather+meteorologists+admit/10365943/st ory.html

Here's What Caused The 'Bomb Cyclone' That's About To Freeze The Northern US

The northern United States will get a blast of unseasonably cold weather this week, thanks to what has been terrifyingly dubbed a "bomb cyclone," caused by a record- breaking "monster storm" in Alaska. In order to qualify as a "bomb," at least according to the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), a low-pressure system must experience a pressure drop of at least 24 millibars in 24 hours." Read more: http://www.businessinsider.com/what-is-a-bomb-cyclone-weather- system-2014-11#ixzz3ImDiICSx

See also http://www.euronews.com/2014/11/10/the-science-behind-the-brutal- beauty-of-mediterranean-cyclones/

Abandon Seaside! Globe is Flooding! Invest in Arks!

So might scream tabloid headlines had news of projections for rising seas, which were contained in a bumper climate report published a week ago by the United Nations, been, well, new. They weren’t. They were a synthesis of previously published research on a decades-old topic. So the latest ringing of multi-decade flood warnings was engulfed in a wash of more general global warming coverage. But the sea level figures in the report, while not new to experts (and, by many expert accounts, dangerously lowballed), were nonetheless remarkable — and worthy of urgent reflection. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/11/10/ready-for-rising- seas_n_6133598.html

Bill Clinton: IPCC climate report is “wake up call”

Former president lends support for US climate action, days after Republicans threaten to attack carbon cutting laws The UN’s most recent warning of the dangers of climate change is a “wake up call” according to former US president Bill Clinton. In a statement released on Monday, Clinton said the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s recent synthesis study proved humans and nature faced a “profound threat.” He said: “This report makes clear: our climate is changing in long-lasting ways that threaten ecosystems and growing numbers of people – yet we still have the capacity to avoid the most dire predictions, by reducing emissions and changing the way we consume and produce energy.”

- See more at: http://www.rtcc.org/2014/11/10/bill-clinton-ipcc-climate- report-is-wake-up-call/#sthash.zOBiIFzn.dpuf

Remote-control robots reveal why the Antarctic ice sheet is melting

At current rates, ice sheet loss will become the most significant contributor to global sea level rise during this century, yet there is still a lot that scientists don't know about the underlying causes. This is partly because Antarctica is such a difficult place to take measurements. But now robotic underwater gliders are giving scientists new insight into why the Antarctic ice sheet is melting. http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2014/11/remote-control-robots-reveal- why-the-antarctic-ice-sheet-is-melting/

What does it mean to be climate resilient? Ask a meeting of 50 climate change specialists what they mean by “resilience” and you’re likely to get 50 different answers. Like “sustainability”, it is a word much abused by the media, policymakers and big business. But as extreme weather events linked to climate change start to bite around the world, the importance of resilience will grow. What’s important says Dennis Bours, a Bangkok-based climate consultant, is that the term no longer simply applies to infrastructure.

- See more at: http://www.rtcc.org/2014/11/10/what-does-it-mean-to-be- climate-resilient/#sthash.hxvhB1nH.dpuf

Dengue's spread flies under the radar amid Ebola scare

One of the most familiar sounds in Malaysia's capital is the approaching drone of a fumigation fogger spewing thick white plumes of insecticide, part of so-far futile efforts to arrest a spiralling dengue fever outbreak. Malaysia is among several countries across Asia and Latin America grappling with a mosquito-borne virus that is proving tough to eradicate as it infects millions. While the Ebola threat has captured headlines, the World Health Organization (WHO) warns that dengue -- while far less lethal -- has become one of the fastest-growing global health threats, contracted by 50-100 million people each year. Endemic to warm, humid zones, dengue's range may also be spreading as infected travellers transport the virus and -- scientists believe -- as global warming expands the Aedes aegypti's range. Japan this year experienced its first domestic outbreak in seven decades, while in the United States dengue remains rare but growing. http://www.msn.com/en-sa/health/medical/dengues-spread-flies-under- the-radar-amid-ebola-scare/ar-AA7gNXX

IPCC: Cut emissions to zero by 2100 to avoid worst impact of climate change

UN scientists call for unrestricted use of coal, oil and gas to be phased out by end of century Global greenhouse gas emissions will need to fall to zero by the end of this century if the world is to avoid the most devastating impacts of climate change, according to the UN’s leading scientists. In its latest report, released today in Copenhagen, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) also calls for the unrestricted use of coal, oil and gas to be phased out by 2100. World Meteorological Organisation secretary-general Michel Jarraud called the latest report stronger and more precise than previous IPCC assessments, saying “ignorance can no longer be used as an excuse”. http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/ipcc-cut-emissions-to-zero- by-2100-to-avoid-worst-impact-of-climate-change-1.1985329

WMO Chief Calls for Science Based Decisions

The latest report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) leaves no excuses for inaction in tackling climate change on scientific grounds, according to World Meteorological Organization (WMO) Secretary General Michel Jarraud. Jarraud told a press conference in Copenhagen today (2 November 2014) that the science underpinning the case for action on climate change set out in the latest IPCC report was now more certain than it had been in 2009 following the publication of the previous report. http://www.reportingclimatescience.com/news-stories/article/wmo-chief- calls-for-science-based-climate-decisions.html

Climate change fight affordable, cut emissions to zero by 2100: U.N.

Governments can keep climate change in check at manageable costs but will have to cut greenhouse gas emissions to zero by 2100 to limit risks of irreversible damage, a U.N. report said on Sunday. The 40-page synthesis, summing up 5,000 pages of work by 800 scientists already published since September 2013, said global warming was now causing more heat extremes, downpours, acidifying the oceans and pushing up sea levels. "Science has spoken. There is no ambiguity in the message. Leaders must act, time is not on our side," U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon said in presenting the report in Copenhagen that is meant to guide global climate policy-making. http://planetark.org/wen/72411

IPPC report - Fossil fuels should be 'phased out by 2100'

The unrestricted use of fossil fuels should be phased out by 2100, if the world is to avoid dangerous climate change, a UN-backed expert panel says. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change's Synthesis Report summarises the causes, impacts of, and solutions to rising temperatures. It says most of the world's electricity can - and must - be produced from low-carbon sources by 2050 http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29869499.

Filthy lucre, dirty fuel: The latest IPCC report on climate change will have little impact due to global economic and security concerns

If scientists ruled the world, we would all be safe, at least so far as climate change is concerned. Yesterday’s report from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, a synthesis of previous surveys and containing their latest thinking, could not be clearer. Humanity still has some chance of averting the very worst consequences of our abuse of the planet; if not, the process of climate change will become irreversible. It is not, in truth, a new message, but that should not make it any the less frightening. The scientists have told us, once again, what needs to be done – scaling back our use of fossil fuels, stopping deforestation, especially of the rain forests, and conserving the most vital commodity of all, water. If the IPCC could pass globally effective laws to that effect we would all know the planet will still be habitable in a half a century or so. http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/filthy-lucre-dirty-fuel- the-latest-ipcc-report-on-climate-change-will-have-little-impact-due-to- global-economic-and-security-concerns-9834525.html

Science has spoken again on climate change: UN chief

UN Radio, 2 November 2014

See also: Radio des Nations Unies (French) (Spanish) (Portuguese) Radio ya UM, UN Radio in Chinese, UN Radio in Russian, UN Radio in Arabic,

GIEC

Le Groupe d’experts intergouvernemental sur l’évolution du climat (GIEC) a rendu public, dimanche 2 novembre à Copenhague (Danemark), la synthèse de son cinquième rapport. Sans action immédiate, « le changement climatique produira de plus en plus d’effets pervasifs, sévères et irréversibles » sur les sociétés humaines et les écosystèmes. Pour Michel Jarraud, secrétaire général de l’Organisation météorologique mondiale (OMM), grâce à ce rapport, « le message est plus précis, plus fort et le niveau de confiance est significativement plus important que ce qui était disponible en 2009. L’ignorance ne peut plus être un prétexte à l’inaction ». http://www.laposte.net/thematique/actualites/monde/article.jsp?idArticl e=20141102144728-rechauffement---le-giec-met-en-garde-contre-des- effets-severes-et-irreversibles&idAgg=actu_monde

India, Pakistan share data on Cyclone Nilofar

Early detection of a low pressure area in the Arabian Sea by the India Meteorological Department (IMD) helped activate mitigation mechanisms in India and Pakistan against Cyclone Nilofar that menaced coastal Pakistan and India’s Gujarat state late October, say meteorologists. The IMD, in its role as Regional Specialised Meteorological Centre (RSMC) under the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) and the Economic and Social Commission for Asia and the Pacific (ESCAP), provides weather advisories to Pakistan and other members of the inter-governmental panel on tropical cyclones and provides training. http://www.scidev.net/south-asia/environment/news/india-pakistan- share-data-on-cyclone-nilofar.html

Cyclone warning centre to be set up in Karachi, Gwadar

The Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) plans on setting up a Tropical Cyclone Warning Centre (TCWC) in Karachi and a Marine Meteorological office in Gwadar. They also plan on having a backup in Islamabad in order to monitor tropical cyclones by establishing a reliable network for an early warning system and to provide meteorological services to the shipping industry. At the moment, the PMD has a facility for forecasting tropical cyclones and providing routine marine meteorological services to fishermen and the shipping industry but it has been running as a project, not a permanent section of the PMD, said an official of the PMD while talking to The Express Tribune. http://tribune.com.pk/story/784226/cyclone-warning-centre-to-be-set- up-in-karachi-gwadar/

The U.S. is losing the battle to predict the next Hurricane Sandy

Hurricane Sandy, which made landfall near Brigantine, New Jersey, on Oct. 29, 2012, was a showcase of modern weather forecasting — but not necessarily one enabled by American engineering. The storm shined a spotlight on the superiority of a computer model run by a European weather center, known as the European Centre for Medium- Range Weather Forecasting (ECMWF), which, more than a week in advance, pinpointed Sandy's infamous left hook track directly into New Jersey. Now, two years after that monstrous storm, the same computing gap remains — in some cases growing even wider. In addition, the Weather Service is trying to shore up even more basic elements of its infrastructure, like satellites and computer networks. These issues raise the question of whether the agency is ready to face another Sandy. http://mashable.com/2014/10/30/hurricane-sandy-weather-forecasting/

Ozone hole remains size of North America, NASA data shows

The Antarctic ozone hole, which was expected to reduce in size swiftly when manmade chlorine emissions were outlawed 27 years ago, is stubbornly remaining the size of North America, new data from Nasa suggests. The hole in the thin layer of gas, which helps shield life on Earth from potentially harmful ultraviolet solar radiation that can cause skin cancers, grows and contracts throughout the year but reached its maximum extent on 9 September when monitors at the south pole showed it to cover 24.1m square km (9.3m sq miles). This is about 9% below the record maximum in 2000 but almost the same as in 2010, 2012 and 2013. But scientists remain unsure why the hole has not reduced more since the Montreal Protocol agreement was signed by countries in 1987. http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/11/ozone-hole-remains-size-of-north- america-nasa-data-shows/

Facing severe drought, 'war effort' needed to save the Amazon, says scientist

Severe droughts in southern Brazil may be linked to deforestation and degradation of Earth's largest rainforest, argues a new report published by a Brazilian scientist. Reviewing data from roughly 200 studies, Antonio Donato Nobre of Brazil's National Institute for Space Research (INPE) warns that reducing deforestation will not be enough to restore the ecological function of the Amazon rainforest, which acts as a giant water pump that delivers precipitation across much of South America. Brazilian cities in the southeastern parts of the are currently suffering from a severe drought that has left agricultural areas parched, cut hydroelectric power generation, and drained reservoirs.

See also

Finally, Indian weatherman draws respect

Not so long ago, the weatherman was the butt of jokes in the country. Magazines were littered with cartoons on weather predictions. Some carried an umbrella every time they stepped out, regardless of the dry forecast given for the day on TV news. But thanks to the budgetary allocations and the technological advancements made, the IMD – Indian Meteorological Department – is only drawing respect from the common man now. “Given the calm weather on Saturday evening we thought the media is making unnecessary fuss and the government making needless safety arrangements. But the weather changed in matter of hours and the storm lashed us left and right exactly according to the IMD predictions,” Subrahmanyam Vankayala (55), a businessman gushed excitedly. At least two massive storms in recent times – Phailin in 2013 and Hudhud in 2014 – have proved the accuracy gained by the Indian weatherman. And this accuracy came over the last decade or so – with the use of Numerical Weather Models, installation of Doppler Weather Radars (first one at Chennai in 2002) and the launch of a dedicated meteorological satellite– Kalpana (MetSat-1) in 2002. http://www.hindustantimes.com/india-news/finally-indian-weatherman- draws-respect/article1-1274952.aspx

American scientists unearth lost 1960s polar satellite images worth billions

A team of American scientists has recovered billions of dollars’ worth of “dark data” from the 1960s, pushing back the modern satellite record of sea ice extent by 17 years. warming: plants may absorb more carbon dioxide than previously thought

Global warming may not be damaging the Earth as quickly as feared after scientists found that plants can soak up more carbon dioxide than previously thought.

According to researchers, climate models have failed to take into account that when carbon dioxide increases in the atmosphere, plants thrive, become larger, and are able to absorb more CO2. As part of the carbon cycle, plants use light to photosynthesise carbon dioxide, turning it into carbohydrate to grow and releasing oxygen as a waste product. http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/environment/globalwarming/11159926 /Global-warming-plants-may-absorb-more-carbon-dioxide-than- previously-thought.html

Asia’s mountainous regions vary in climate sensitivity

The high mountains of Asia, including the Karakoram, Himalayas, and Tibetan Plateau, combine to form a region of perplexing hydroclimate changes. Glaciers in the Karakoram region have exhibited mass stability or even expansion, contrasting with glacial mass loss across the nearby Himalayas and Tibetan Plateau. This suggests that different regional snowfall or temperature signals might be detected in the Karakoram region. However, the remote location, complex terrain, and multi-country fabric of high-mountain Asia have made it difficult to maintain longer-term monitoring systems of the meteorological components that can influence glacial change. http://www.reportingclimatescience.com/news-stories/article/asias- mountainous-regions-vary-in-climate-sensitivity.html

See also

New Tech Helps Pilots Navigate Dangerous Volcanic Ash Plumes

New technology to detect volcanic ash that threatens airplanes could help prevent a repeat of the air traffic chaos that followed a 2010 volcanic eruption in Iceland. Private companies are developing infrared detectors to scout out ash levels in the air, ahead of flying aircraft. The plane-mounted sensors will give pilots time to divert around dangerous ash plumes. Government agencies are also working to improve their space- based monitoring systems. With satellites, scientists can detect tiny ash particles, but predicting where aircraft can safely fly is still a major hurdle. [Big Blasts: History's 10 Most Destructive Volcanoes] http://www.livescience.com/48260-monitoring-volcanic-ash-aircraft.html

See also

Summit told governments have 'dropped the ball' on water

A water summit that has started in Sydney has been told that more needs to be done by both state and federal governments on water policy. Key players are debating policy on how to ensure the most productive use of a precious resource. Jonathon McKeown, the CEO of the Australian Water Association, says that when it rained and the millennium drought broke, most people stopped worrying about water. "There is still a lot of work to reposition water as a national asset that is worthy of more attention nationally. http://www.abc.net.au/news/2014-10-15/nrn-water-issues-being-ignored- 15-10-14/5815586

What’s Behind Recent Flurry of Hurricane Activity?

The Atlantic hurricane season usually hits its peak of stormy activity in early September, with more storms typically spinning up in that month than any other month of the six-month hurricane season. But after a couple storms early in the month, the basin went quiet for the rest of this September, even though that is the time when oceans reach their warmest temperatures, providing prime hurricane fuel. In recent days, though, hurricane activity has rebounded, with Hurricane Gonzalo currently headed toward a potential Category 4 peak strength just days after another tropical storm, Fay, reached hurricane status. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/october-hurricane-mjo-18180

See also

Monster waves batter coast as Sydney mops up after destructive storm

The massive surf comes after a destructive storm swept over the east coast last night that saw strong winds, torrential rain and lightning cause havoc from the city to the mountains. Residents woke up to scenes of chaos after last night’s storm. Thousands of homes remain without power and the SES received more than 1200 calls for help as wind gusts of 160km/h, torrential rain and spectacular lightning caused widespread mayhem from the city to the Blue Mountains. http://www.dailytelegraph.com.au/news/nsw/monster-waves-batter- coast-as-sydney-mops-up-after-destructive-storm/story-fni0cx12- 1227090697709?nk=1503b3661ba1be4fa687651c0556d01f

NASA Space Shuttle Data Tapped to Combat Climate Change

The White House is looking to data from NASA's space shuttle program to help in the fight against climate change. At the United Nations Climate Summit in New York this week, U.S. President Barack Obama announced a suite of new initiatives to help people around the world prepare for drought, flooding, coastal storm surges and other severe effects of a changing environment. As part of that effort, NASA will publicly release some of its best topographic maps of the globe generated during a space shuttle mission more than a decade ago. [6 Coolest Space Shuttle Science Experiments] Previously, the high-resolution images collected by the Shuttle Radar Topography Mission, or SRTM, which flew onboard the space shuttle Endeavour in 2000, were only available for the United States. But now NASA is releasing datasets covering the rest of world over the next year. The first topographic maps released cover Africa; the next release will cover Latin America and the Caribbean, NASA officials said. http://news.yahoo.com/nasa-space-shuttle-data-tapped-combat-climate- change-165417210.html

Suomi NPP satellite data used for mitigating aviation related volcanic hazards

A joint NOAA/NASA satellite is one of several satellites providing valuable information to aviators about volcanic hazards. An aviation "orange" alert was posted on August 18, 2014, for Bárðarbunga, a stratovolcano located under the Vatnajökull glacier in Iceland, indicating the "volcano shows heightened or escalating unrest with increased potential of eruption."

See also

Climate change affects Vietnam's rice bowl

In southern Vietnam's Mekong Delta region, the sprawling rice fields are full of emerald green plants. Hai Thach stands on the monsoon-soaked footpath that runs between his paddies. Squinting out across his half-hectare plot, the rice farmer says this is where he loves to be. "I so much enjoy working this land. Everyday, I must visit the land, four or five times a day." Thach was born here in Soc Trang province. His parents were rice farmers, as were his great grandparents. He's spent his entire life with this crop, and talks about the crop like it's a family member: "When the rice gets sick, I’m sad," he says. http://www.dw.de/climate-change-affects-vietnams-rice-bowl/a-17896809

Paraguay continúa en la Presidencia Regional de la Organización Meteorológica Mundial

Se llevó a cabo este miércoles 17 la elección de la mesa directiva por el capitulo Regional de la Organización Meteorológica Mundial (OMM). El actual Director de Meteorología e Hidrología Lic. Julián Báez, ,dependiente de la Dirección Nacional de Aeronáutica Civil, fue electo en consenso por sus pares regionales para presidir la Asociación Regional 3 en su capítulo regional. Con esta elección Paraguay mantiene su presencia en el Consejo Ejecutivo de la Organización. El Consejo de la OMM con sede en Ginebra marca las normativas y lineamientos de la organización mundial http://www.lanacion.com.py/articulo/177461-paraguay-continua-en-la-presidencia- regional-de-la-organizacion-meteorologica-mundial.html http://www.ecosdelparaguay.com/2014/09/paraguay-centro-sudamericano- en.html

IDEAM elegido como Vicepresidente del Grupo de Hidrología de Sudamérica

El Instituto de Hidrología, Meteorología y Estudios Ambientales (IDEAM), fue elegido como Vicepresidente del Grupo de Hidrología de Sudamérica ante la Organización Meteorológica Mundial (OMM). La designación se produjo en el marco de la Decimosexta Reunión de la Asociación Regional III (América del Sur), que se lleva a cabo en la ciudad de Asunción en Paraguay, y que es liderada por la OMM. El IDEAM en cabeza de su Director General, Omar Franco Torres, participa de este encuentro desde el pasado 15 de septiembre y con esta designación, el Instituto como punto focal de la OMM en Suramérica, hará parte de la Junta Directiva que determinará las directrices en materia hidrológica para los países miembros. http://www.fedearroz.com.co/noticias/noticiasd2.php?id=1679

Climate change and health—action please, not words

Last year, the UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon expressed concern that the world's commitment to mitigate climate change was insufficient. Indeed, in today's Lancet, a Comment by Andy Haines and others provides a stark reminder of the likely adverse effects on human health should fossil fuel consumption and high population growth continue at their present levels. They call for the health community to take a longer term view, where actions that target climate change and health today will reduce the global burden of ill-health in the future. So urgent is the need for effective and immediate action that on Sept 23, during the UN General Assembly, Ban Ki-moon will convene a climate summit to revitalise support from government, business, finance, and civil society leaders. In addition to the hope for new funding and ideas to curb climate change, the summit will focus on health and opportunities for employment in “green” jobs. In advance of this meeting, there has been both negative and positive activity around the issues of climate change. On the negative side, the World Meteorological Organisation has reported a surge in CO2 in the atmosphere, which reached a new record high of 396 ppm in 2013. F http://www.thelancet.com/journals/lancet/article/PIIS0140-6736(14)61656- 1/fulltext

Ban Enlisting Business on Climate Change May Win UN Pact

United Nations Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon’s strategy to forge a global climate agreement by 2015 will enter a new phase next week when more than 120 world leaders meet in New York to discuss greenhouse gas cuts.

Having spent his eight years in office working toward a global consensus on the threat of climate change, Ban is turning up pressure for an international agreement to reduce emissions blamed for global warming. On Sept. 23, Ban will host more than 120 heads of state and government at what he called a “political action forum” on climate change. “Investing wisely in climate change or the environment will help all spectrum of lives and, policies of national governments,” Ban said today in an interview at UN headquarters in New York. “That will be my consistent message at this time.” http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-09-18/ban-enlisting-business-on- climate-change-may-win-un-pact http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/09/18/climate-week-march- united-nations-summit/15710775/ http://www.economist.com/news/briefing/21618680-our-guide-actions-have- done-most-slow-global-warming-deepest-cuts http://planetark.org/wen/72218 http://mashable.com/2014/09/18/u-n-secretary-general-climate-protest-sunday/

Investors call for climate change deal

Institutional investors managing £15tn of assets have called for an ambitious global climate deal to give them certainty to invest in clean technology.

More than 340 institutions including BlackRock, the world’s largest asset manager, AXA Group and Legal & General Investment Management, have called for strong policies to drive action on climate change.

The organisations want governments to put a “stable, reliable and economically meaningful” price that polluters have to pay for their carbon emissions, which will help scale up investment towards clean power and energy efficiency.

Ahead of a UN climate summit in New York next week, the investors are also calling on governments to phase out subsidies for fossil fuels, an estimated £370bn worldwide a year, five times the £60bn paid in renewables subsidies. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/18/investors-call-for- climate-change-deal

World Smashes All-Time Temperature Records Ahead of UN Climate Summit

The June through August period was the warmest such period on Earth since record- keeping began in 1880, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) announced Thursday.

In addition, the month of August was the warmest such month on record since 1880 as well, and featured the warmest ocean temperatures ever recorded for any month.

Both of these records, NOAA says, were driven in large part by unusually warm ocean temperatures around the world. In fact, global average ocean temperatures were so high in August — 1.17 degrees Fahrenheit above average, to be exact — that they broke the all-time record set just two months ago.

These temperature records, along with others, have set the world on course to have its warmest year on record, NOAA said. http://mashable.com/2014/09/18/world-smashes-all-time-temperature-records- ahead-of-un-climate-summit/

White House, Industry Quicken Pace of HFC Phase-Down

The White House is convening industry leaders to pledge reductions in and replacements for HFCs (hydrofluorocarbons), the super-potent climate-changing chemicals used in air conditioning and refrigeration, insulating foams, and aerosol products. Held a week before President Obama joins world leaders at the United Nations Climate Summit in New York, the White House event will help quicken the pace of the transition to next generation technologies that use safer chemicals and less energy.

Once a few companies break out with new chemicals and products that use them, the transformation of whole industries picks up speed. http://theenergycollective.com/nrdcswitchboard/531191/white-house-industry- quicken-pace-hfc-phase-down

International Panel says Urgent Action Needed to Mitigate Climate Change

A leading climate scientist warns failure to act on reducing threats from climate change will have disastrous global consequences. He said the science on climate change is solid and inaction is no solution.

The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) is due to release the final installment of its 5th Assessment Report in a few weeks. The previous report lays out the risks of climate change and stresses the need to reduce carbon dioxide emissions into the atmosphere through adaptation and mitigation.

IPCC chairman, Rajendra Kumar Pachauri said Thursday the upcoming report will focus on the urgency of implementation. http://www.voanews.com/content/international-panel-says-urgent-action-needed- to-mitigate-climate-change/2454120.html

Alaska's Mountain Glaciers are Changing Faster Than Scientists Thought

Fairbanks, AK - Alaska’s glaciers are shrinking faster than scientists had thought, but glaciers that terminate in the ocean may be relatively resilient to climate change in comparison to their land-locked counterparts. The data comes from a multi-year airborne survey conducted by NASA. http://fm.kuac.org/post/alaskas-mountain-glaciers-are-changing-faster-scientists- thought

See also http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/greenlands-dark-snow-may- start-global-warming-feedback-loop-9742159.html

India's farmers beating climate change with technology

It's the end of the monsoon season in India. But it's not been a good year.

During the sowing and planting season, when water was needed the most, rain was largely absent.

Now it's nearly harvest time and it has been raining heavily.

But for farmer Lovepreet Singh in the northern Indian state of Haryana, all is not lost.

He has been getting help from new technology, like the GreenSeeker - a handheld gadget that works as a crop sensor.

As Mr Singh points to a patch of crops, the sensor emits brief bursts of red and infrared light. http://www.bbc.com/news/business-29257401

Great Barrier Reef Coral Growth Rate Falls by 40% in 40 Years 'Due to Ocean Acidification'

The growth rate of coral in Australia's Great Barrier Reef is being "hammered" by ocean acidification caused by human activity, scientists have said.

Coral growth rates have fallen by 40% in the last 40 years, which researchers believe is largely due to the absorption of carbon dioxide into the ocean.

"Coral reefs are getting hammered," said Ken Caldeira, from the Carnegie Institution in Washington DC. "Ocean acidification, global warming, coastal pollution, and overfishing are all damaging coral reefs."

Published in the journal Geochimica et Cosmochimica Acta, researchers compared current measurements of growth rate in part of the Great Barrier Reef with measurements taken in the mid-1970s.

Coral reefs are extremely sensitive to changes in ocean chemistry. Since the start of the Industrial Revolution, around a third of CO2 released through human activity has been absorbed by oceans, where it damages reefs. https://uk.news.yahoo.com/great-barrier-reef-coral-growth-rate-falls-40- 095210221.html#h0BZVuB

New evacuations ordered as California wildfire doubles in size

More residents of Northern California mountain communities were told to leave their homes on Thursday after an out-of-control wildfire doubled in size overnight, scorching more than 100 square miles of drought-parched timber and brush.

Nearly 3,700 firefighters struggled to stop the forward march of the King Fire, the largest and most dangerous of 11 major wildfires raging across California, but had managed to cut containment lines around just 5 percent of the flames as of Thursday morning, officials said. The blaze raced across some 43,000 acres of forest land late on Wednesday and early on Thursday and has now burned more than 70,000 acres of state land in the El Dorado National Forest northeast of Sacramento.

Fire officials said that despite a break in the heat wave that has baked much of California for a week, they expected another tough day as wind gusts of up to 25 miles per hour fanned the flames. http://planetark.org/wen/72219

Heavy rain floods Philippine capital; markets, schools shut

A tropical storm dumped heavy rain on the Philippine capital on Friday, flooding many parts of the city, shutting schools, government offices and financial markets.

Thousands of residents in low-lying areas were moved to higher ground, officials said, as flood waters rose quickly after the equivalent of half a month's usual rain fell in six hours.

The Philippine Stock Exchange suspended trade after the government canceled work and classes in the capital. Trading at the electronic foreign exchange platform Philippine Dealing System was also suspended, with clearing and settlement canceled for the day.

Tropical storm Fung-Wong, with maximum winds of 85 kph (50 mph) and gusts of up to 100 kph (62 mph), was hovering about 210 km (130 miles) east of Casiguran town in northern Aurora province.

It is expected to hit land at around noon on Friday and move northwest at 22 kph (13 mph) toward the South China Sea. http://planetark.org/wen/72216

Watch fearsome flood that left hundreds homeless carry cars and trees down Serbian street

This is the terrifying moment a villager films a flood in torrent going past his house.

In a few frightening seconds, millions of gallons of water hurtle by, tearing away everything that gets in the path. Land, houses, trees, cars are uprooted and flung in front of the broiling mass. Within seconds they have disappeared from sight.

The powerful scenes were filmed in the village of Tekija in eastern Serbia where many have been left homeless. Hundreds of villagers from the surrounding area had already been evacuated by emergency services from risky areas before the floods arrived but this video-maker opted to stay. http://www.mirror.co.uk/news/world-news/watch-fearsome-flood-left-hundreds- 4280789#ixzz3Dm8ZHFBg

World Weatherwatch

One of the strongest hurricanes in nearly 50 years hit the Baja California, Mexico, earlier this week. Hurricane Odile strengthened to a category 4 storm over open water on Sunday, weakening to category 3 before making landfall.

The storm produced 300mm of rain and winds of over 100mph. Coastal resorts were badly damaged, flights cancelled and tourists stranded.

Hurricanes are fuelled by warm, tropical seas, and above-normal sea temperatures in the eastern Pacific at present, due to the developing Pacific El Niño, have already spawned a number of strong storms. http://www.theguardian.com/news/2014/sep/18/world-weatherwatch http://www.chron.com/news/houston-traffic/article/Heavy-rains-battering- Houston-flash-flood-watch-5764253.php

Pakistan rescues thousands more as floods hit south after killing 523 in Pakistan and Kashmir

Pakistan's disaster management agency says rescuers have evacuated thousands of people stranded in parts of the country's south after being hit by floods

National Disaster Management Agency spokesman Ahmad Kamal on Thursday says rescue crews are working round the clock to rescue people and ensure the provision of food and other supplies to flood-affected persons.

He says the floods entered the southern Sindh province Wednesday, making thousands of people homeless.

Heavy monsoon floods, which began Sept. 3 in Kashmir, have so far killed 523 people and affected 2 million in Pakistan and Indian-controlled Kashmir. Of those, 200 died in the India-controlled part of the Himalayan region, 64 in Pakistani-controlled Kashmir, while 246 people perished across Pakistan.

Kamal said no deaths have been reported in southern Pakistan. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/09/18/pakistan-rescues-thousands-more- as-floods-hit-south-after-killing-523-in/

Future Earth coming to Montreal

Montreal will soon become one of five global hubs for Future Earth, a 10-year international research program stemming from the 2012 United Nations Conference on Sustainable Development in Rio de Janeiro. The selection of Montreal – along with Paris, Tokyo, Stockholm, and Boulder, CO. – as a hub for Future Earth’s secretariat was announced last month by the International Council for Science, one of several major scientific groups involved in the ambitious initiative. http://publications.mcgill.ca/reporter/2014/08/future-earth-coming-to- montreal/

Samoa leads offset carbon call for SIDS 2014

Samoa is calling for citizens around the world to help offset carbon emissions as a result of the largest global meeting to be held the Pacific Islands. The Offset Islands 2014 campaign aims to counter carbon generated from the Third International Conference of Small Island Developing States in September. It is being led by Women in Business Development Inc and has received the backing from Samoa’s Prime Minister. http://www.islandsbusiness.com/news/unsids/6008/samoa-leads-offset- carbon-call-for-sids-2014/

Reunión anual del grupo sobre hidrología y agua

Fecha: 11 - 16 agosto 2014 Lugar: City College de Nueva York, EE.UU. Organiza: Organización Meteorológica Mundial (OMM) Esta reunión será la quinta del grupo de trabajo sobre hidrología de la OMM/OGC (Organización Meteorológica Mundial/Consorcio Abierto Geoespacial). http://www.atl.org.mx/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7 627:reunion-anual-del-grupo-sobre-hidrologia-y- agua&catid=140:congresos-seminarios-y-foros-&Itemid=565

Extreme summer heat, rain on rise as weather gets trapped: study

Summer heatwaves and downpours have become more frequent in the northern hemisphere this century, apparently because extreme weather can get trapped for weeks in the same place in a warming world, a study showed on Monday. Disruptions to the jet stream, which forms huge meandering waves as it blows at high altitude around the planet, and cold air from a thaw of Arctic ice may explain why weather systems are stalling more often, the scientists wrote. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/08/11/us-climatechange-weather- idUSKBN0GB1ZX20140811

June was hottest month ever for world’s oceans

The globe is on a hot streak, setting a heat record in June. That’s after the world broke a record in May. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration announced Monday that last month’s average global temperature was 16.2 C, which is 0.72 degree higher than the 20th century average. It beat 2010’s old record by one- twentieth of a degree. While one-twentieth of a degree doesn’t sound like much, in temperature records it’s like winning a horse race by several lengths, said NOAA climate monitoring chief Derek Arndt. http://www.the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001451286

In California, record heat adding to extreme drought

The first half of 2014 was by far the hottest in California in 120 years of record- keeping, and that heat is exacerbating one of the most devastating droughts in state history. Month after month, the red and burgundy patches on the California drought map have been spreading, with 82 percent of the state now classified as being in "extreme" or "exceptional" drought on the U.S. Drought Monitor website. http://www.usatoday.com/story/news/nation/2014/08/11/record-heat- extreme-drought-california/13904797/

Africa: The Race to Adapt

Momina Ali is a teenager in one of the toughest and hottest places on earth - Ethiopia's Afar region where average annual temperatures hover around 35 degrees Celsius. Increasingly intermittent rainfall in her village, Anderkelo, means that every three or four days Momina takes a day off school to search for water. In future the chances are that Momina's treks for water could take even longer, depending on how rising temperatures affect the rains around her village and hence its water table. In 2015 global policymakers aim to take decisions which may affect the futures of people like Momina. The outcome of the December 2015 UN Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC) meeting in Paris, new development goals, and the successor to the Hyogo framework on natural hazards will be key. http://allafrica.com/list/resource/main/main/type/web.html?aa_source= main-nav-t2

PACOM not waiting on politics to plan for climate change – Stars and Stripes. PACOM not waiting on politics to plan for climate change – Stars and Stripes.

As Congress remains gridlocked on more than 200 bills related to climate change, U.S. Pacific Command is forging strategies with partner nations in the region to mitigate the security effects of global warming. “You can’t deny the fact that there are military consequences going on as a result of storms,” said Brig. Gen. Mark McLeod, who headed PACOM’s Logistics, Engineering and Security Cooperation directorate for two years until transferring to the Pentagon this summer. http://maritimesecurity.asia/free-2/south-china-sea-2/pacom-not- waiting-on-politics-to-plan-for-climate-change-stars-and-stripes/

9 killed in heavy rains in southwest China

At least nine people were killed and 11 others went missing after heavy rains lashed southwest China for the last two days. Nine deaths were reported in Xishui County of Guizhou Province, which was battered by torrential rain on Sunday and Monday, state- run Xinhua news agency reported. So far 3,120 people had been evacuated for safety reasons. Twenty-five homes were washed away and 42 others were seriously damaged. Economic losses in Xishui County were estimated at 190 million yuan ( $ 30.88 million). http://www.thehindu.com/news/international/world/people-die-in-heavy- rains-in-southwest-china/article6306838.ece http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/heavy-rains-in-southwest-china- nine-killed_953968.html

Flood-like situation in Rajasthan: Army deployed to rescue people

Army has been deployed in rescue and relief works in Kotkhawda area near here where roads and houses inundated following heavy rainfall during the last couple of days. With the Army personnel evacuating people and pumping out water and no rains since last night, the situation is improving gradually, an official said today. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/politics-and-nation/flood-like- situation-in-rajasthan-army-deployed-to-rescue- people/articleshow/40063099.cms

Global campaign launched to improve weather & climate services for small island developing states (SIDS)

A global campaign to improve weather and climate services for all small island developing states was launched today with the support of the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), the Secretariat of the Pacific Regional Environment Programme (SPREP) and Digicel Pacific. http://www.pina.com.fj/index.php?p=pacnews&m=read&o=206237030553d ee60de3963b7bb36b

Africa’s climate change IPCC gets funding

Deputy British High Commissioner in Kenya John Murton said Thursday the money that is placed under the international climate change fund has been given to the Climate and Development knowledge Network (CDKN) to pull scientific findings most relevant to Africa to help mobilize the debate in climate change. “Climate change subject is complex area and the 3,600 chapter report has to be simplified for easier consumption by the people in the continent,” Murton said during an outreach workshop on IPCC’ s Fifth Assessment Report (AR5) in Nairobi. http://www.coastweek.com/3731-special-report-08.htm

La ONU escoge a España para uno de sus bancos de pruebas meteorológicas

La Organización Meteorológica Mundial (OMM), perteneciente a las Naciones Unidas, ha aceptado al Observatorio Atmosférico de Izaña (Tenerife), de la Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (Aemet), como sexto banco de pruebas de instrumentos de teledetección para la medidición de aerosoles y vapor de agua. http://www.cronicasocial.com/noticia.aspx?idN=384243

El presidente de AEMET, nombrado miembro del Consejo Ejecutivo de la Organización Meteorológica Mundial

El presidente de la Agencia Estatal de Meteorología (AEMET), dependiente del Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente. Y Representante Permanente de España ante al Organización Meteorológica Mundial (OMM), Miguel Ángel López, ha sido nombrado miembro del Consejo Ejecutivo de la OMM en la 66ª sesión que se está celebrando en Ginebra (Suiza), hasta el 27 de junio. http://www.presspeople.com/nota/presidente-aemet-nombrado-miembro- consejo-ejecutivo

Africa Summit To Tackle Food Stability And Climate Change

An unprecedented gathering of African leaders opened in Washington, D.C. The U.S.- Africa Leader's Summit is covering topics including food security, climate change, regional stability and expanded business opportunities between the U.S. and Africa. http://www.npr.org/2014/08/04/337842916/africa-summit-to-tackle- food-stability-and-climate-change

Hundreds evacuated after floods hit Europe

Roads have turned into rivers in Romania as flash floods hit the country. Two people have lost their lives and 300 people were evacuated from three villages in Romania as the Gilort river rose to alarming levels sweeping away bridges and dikes. http://www.liveleak.com/view?i=d4a_1406736901

Monsoon Rains Flood Farms in Northern Philippines

A strong typhoon that has worsened seasonal monsoon rains in the Philippines will linger offshore until Thursday, raising fears of more flooding. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/monsoon-rains-flood- farms-northern-philippines-24829988

California's 1st seven months of 2014 have been its warmest on record

The first seven months of this year have been the warmest on record for California, according to the National Weather Service. Forecasters averaged high and low temperatures from January to July for the entire state this year and recorded an average temperature of 60.2 degrees, said Paul Iniguez, National Weather Service Hanford's science and operation officer http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-ln-californias-warmest-year- 20140804-story.html

California Drought 2014: Monitor Map Shows Widespread ‘Exceptional’ Drought as Wildfires Rage and Emergency Declared

The California drought has been getting worse and worse, and raging wildfires that started burning over the weekend have prompted Governor Jerry Brown to declare an emergency. Over a dozen wildfires have burned thousands of acres, destroyed homes, and damaged critical infrastructure, the governor’s office said. http://www.theepochtimes.com/n3/842905-california-drought-2014- monitor-map-shows-widespread-exceptional-drought-as-wildfires-rage- and-emergency-declared/

Sri Lanka drought hits one million

Colombo: Over one million people in Sri Lanka have been severely affected by a prolonged drought in 14 districts, Health Minister Maithreepala Sirisena said Monday. http://zeenews.india.com/news/world/sri-lanka-drought-hits-one- million_952409.html

Strengthening Of Pacific Trade Winds Attributed To Warming In The Atlantic

Climate scientists have finally solved the mystery as to why the equatorial Pacific trade winds, which were expected to get weaker due to increasing greenhouse gas levels, have actually gotten stronger in recent years. For more than a decade, experts have wondered why the trade winds have behaved in contrast to climate models and become supercharged since the early 1990s. The phenomenon, according to a team of US and Australian scientists, is the result of recent rapid warming in the Atlantic Ocean likely due to global climate change. http://www.redorbit.com/news/science/1113205111/pacific-trade-winds- strengthen-due-to-atlantic-warming-080414/ http://thecelebritycafe.com/feature/2014/08/global-warming-increases- pacific-trade-winds

This is climate change: Ohio’s water crisis was a man-made disaster

Over the weekend, 400,000 people in northwest Ohio were told that their tap water was no longer safe to drink, cook with or bathe in. Water at a treatment plant had tested positive for dangerously high levels of toxins. http://www.salon.com/2014/08/04/this_is_climate_change_ohios_water_ crisis_was_a_manmade_disaster/

Days of Evenly Spread Rainfall are Past, Warn Scientists

India should brace for more calamities like landslide that devastated a village near Pune, blocking of Kosi river in Nepal and catastrophic rain and flood in Uttarakhand last year. Climate scientists say days of evenly spread rainfall are past and globally, there is a growing instance of torrential downpours separated by dry patches. http://epaperbeta.timesofindia.com/Article.aspx?eid=31816&articlexml=D ays-of-Evenly-Spread-Rainfall-are-Past-Warn-05082014012027

Indigenous Seed Savers Gather in the Andes, Agree to Fight Climate Change with Biodiversity

As climate change makes it more difficult to practice agriculture in their ancestral homelands, indigenous communities are exchanging seeds in hopes of finding the hardiest varieties. On top of a rugged Andean mountain situated high in Peru’s Cusco region, on 30,000 acres of conserved land known as Parque de la Papa (Spanish for “Potato Park”), indigenous farmers met in late April to discuss conditions they feared were threatening their ancestral lands. http://www.towardfreedom.com/32-archives/environment/3623- indigenous-seed-savers-gather-in-the-andes-agree-to-fight-climate- change-with-biodiversity http://www.democraticunderground.com/110832526

Amenaza el cambio climático la seguridad alimentaria en México

El cambio climático -que incluye el calentamiento global-, propiciado sobre todo por la quema de combustibles fósiles como el petróleo, pinta un panorama catastrófico y hasta aterrador para muchas personas en México y el mundo... Todos los datos apuntan a eso. http://www.atl.org.mx/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=7 617:amenaza-el-cambio-climatico-la-seguridad-alimentaria-en- mexico&catid=171:proyectos-imta&Itemid=863

Massive Oyster Die-Offs Prompt Harsher Climate Change Policy

Billions of baby oysters are dying in the Pacific Northwest, and with them, a $270 million dollar shellfish industry. Due to a rise in carbon levels, scientists say that the acidity of the Pacific Ocean has made the water uninhabitable for billions of oysters, reports The New York Times. http://www.thedailymeal.com/news/massive-oyster-die-offs-prompt- harsher-climate-change-policy/80414 http://www.brisbanetimes.com.au/environment/climate-change/as- oysters-die-climate-policy-takes-central-stage-in-us-state-20140805- 100g5k.html

El Nino increasingly likely not be a strong event

Australian Bureau of Meteorology Cooling of the Pacific Ocean over the last month means the El Nino forecast to hit later this year is increasingly unlikely to be a strong event, the Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) said on Tuesday. The BOM maintained its forecast for an El Nino to arrive over the next several months, but said climate models had eased their predicted strength. http://planetark.org/wen/71879

Typhoon kills 10 in Philippines, cuts power, shuts Manila, heads for China

A typhoon killed at least 10 people as it churned across the Philippines and hit the capital, prompting the evacuation of almost more than 370,000 people, shutting financial markets, offices and schools, rescue officials said on Wednesday.The eye of Typhoon Rammasun, the strongest storm to hit the country this year, passed to the south of Manila on Wednesday after cutting a path across the main island of Luzon, toppling trees and power lines and causing electrocutions and widespread blackouts. http://planetark.org/wen/71876

Heavy rainstorms hit about 720,000 people in China

BEIJING: About 720,000 people in central China's Hunan province have been affected due to heavy rainstorms, officials said Tuesday. A total of 465 homes have toppled and 149,400 residents have been relocated because of the storms, Xinhua reported. http://economictimes.indiatimes.com/news/international/world- news/heavy-rainstorms-hit-about-720000-people-in- china/articleshow/38429236.cms https://en-maktoob.news.yahoo.com/china-rains-hit-720-000-people- 120411532.html http://ibnlive.in.com/news/about-720000-people-affected-in-china- rains/486119-2.html

Drought-parched California tightens restrictions on wasting water

Water regulators in California approved stringent new conservation measures on Tuesday to limit outdoor water use, including fines of up to $500 a day for using a hose without a shut-off nozzle. The new restrictions prohibit watering gardens enough to cause visible runoff onto roads or walkways, using water on driveways or asphalt, and in non-recirculating fountains. http://planetark.org/wen/71877

Hottest March-June On Record Globally, Reports Japan Meteorological Agency

You may recall that the Japan Meteorological Agency (JMA) reported last month that March-May was the hottest in more than 120 years of record-keeping. Well, the JMA reported Monday that last month was the hottest June in more than 120 years of record-keeping. http://theenergycollective.com/josephromm/431736/hottest-march-june- record-globally-reports-japan-meteorological-agenc http://www.democraticunderground.com/112772461

Arctic Warming and Increased Weather Extremes: The National Research Council Speaks

Arctic warming is happening at twice the average level of global warming in a process called arctic amplification, where more warming occurs as ice is lost because less of the sun’s energy is reflected back into space. http://truth-out.org/news/item/24485-arctic-warming-and-increased- weather-extremes-the-national-research-council-speaks

Report: Superstorm Sandy Second-Costliest Weather Event Since 1970

According to a new report published by the World Meteorological Organization, the $50 billion in economic damage inflicted by Superstorm Sandy ranks second only to Hurricane Katrina’s nearly $147 billion among the costliest weather events since 1970. Storms in the U.S. took five of the top 10 slots (above), while the events with the most fatalities tended to occur in less-developed countries. http://www.phillymag.com/news/2014/07/15/report-superstorm-sandy- second-costliest-weather-event-since-1970/ http://www.smartbrief.com/07/15/14/report-katrina-sandy-are-costliest- modern-weather-related-disasters#.U8Y4e_mSyPY http://www.nj.com/news/index.ssf/2014/07/sandy_second_costliest_disa ster.html

EUMETSAT—Setting Up SADCA (SATCOM)

New EUMETCast data receiving stations have been installed in Uzbekistan and Tajikistan, all under the Satellite Data access for Central Asia (SADCA) project.The new stations follow on from successful installations in Turkmenistan, Kazakhstan, and Kyrgyzstan. Experts from the Turkish State Meteorological Service (TSMS) installed the stations, while forecasters from each national service were trained by EUMETSAT and TSMS. http://www.satnews.com/story.php?number=1569133767

Shun Chi Ming was reappointed as President of CAeM

On July 15, the 15th session of the Commission for Aeronautical Meteorological (CAeM-15) of Word Meteorological Organization (WMO) kicked off in Montreal, Canada. Deputy Administrator of China Meteorological Administration (CMA) Shen Xiaonong led the delegation organized by CMA and Civil Aviation Administration of China to attend the session. http://www.cma.gov.cn/en/NewsReleases/News/201407/t20140716_2525 32.html

Indigenous mountain farmers unite on climate change

KATHMANDU] Farmers from 25 indigenous mountain communities in ten countries have come together to share traditional knowledge that could help them to mitigate climate change and to lobby governments for greater recognition of their unique knowledge.The International Network of Mountain Indigenous Peoples was formed at a workshop in Bhutan last month (26 May-1 June). It includes communities from Bhutan, China, India, Kyrgyzstan, Papua New Guinea, Peru, the Philippines, Taiwan, Tajikistan and Thailand. http://www.scidev.net/global/indigenous/news/indigenous-mountain- farmers-unite-on-climate-change.html

Rainfall decline in south-west Australia linked to climate change

Declines in rainfall over south-west Australia over the last 40 years are linked to greenhouse gases and ozone depletion, new climate models show. And the trend is likely to continue according to research, published today in Nature Geoscience, that predicts a 40 per cent reduction in autumn and winter rains by the end of this century. http://www.abc.net.au/science/articles/2014/07/14/4044314.htm?topic=e nviro

Ugandan Children Provide Fresh Perspective on Climate Change

KAMPALA — Last weekend Uganda hosted the first Children's Climate Change Conference, where hundreds of young delegates shared their ideas on how to tackle a growing global problem. http://www.voanews.com/content/ugandan-children-provide-a-fresh- perspective-on-climate-change/1957488.html

Local weather guru steps up

After 30 years in the industry, local weather guru John Tibbetts has been appointed the new director general of the Cayman Islands National Weather Service. Mr. Tibbetts was promoted from his 14-year role as the service’s operational supervisor and more recently as chief meteorologist. He succeeds director general Fred Sambula, who retired in May after 22 years of service. http://www.compasscayman.com/caycompass/2014/07/16/Local- weather-guru-steps-up/

ELA research continues as new board is appointed

Research continues during the summer months with newly-hired scientists continuing the long-term monitoring of Lake 227. It's the lake that discovered the effect of phosphorus on eutrophication in freshwater and led to strict policy change around the world. As the world braces itself for the potential impacts of climate change, researchers are also simulating its effects on Lake 626, mimicking reductions of water inflows to learn how this may impact humans' water supplies. Other experiments include studying nanosilvers, antibacterial particles found in many electronic appliances and other consumer and commercial products, to discover the effect that their presence in freshwater may have on fish and human health. http://www.kenoraonline.com/index.php?option=com_content&task=view &id=9630&Itemid=160

Glacier through drone's eye

Drones are normally associated with war and surveillance, thanks to the extensive use of the technology by the US in its fight against terrorism. But a team of scientists in Kathmandu has for the first time used the technology to study an inaccessible Himalayan glacier. The team from a Nepal-based research institute, International Centre for Integrated Mountain Development (ICIMOD), used a small drone to successfully study the 3.5 km-long Lirung glacier in Kathmandu. http://www.downtoearth.org.in/content/glacier-through-drones-eye

Weather tracking system to help utility company respond to outages

COVENTRY, R.I. (WPRI) — First responders and emergency management officials have a new state-of-the-art tool to help them respond to extreme weather events. National Grid has installed WeatherBug stations in Coventry and Exeter, with more planned in other communities. The technology, supplied by weather information provider Earth Networks, allows users to monitor real-time, local weather patterns. http://wpri.com/2014/07/15/weather-tracking-system-to-help-utility- company-respond-to-outages/

国外将如何应对有记录以来全球历史同期最热 5月

这个夏天，北半球又经历着一场高温“大烤”。今年5月为有记录以来全球历史同期最热，进入6、7月份，热度不减。与中国同步，韩国、朝鲜、日本和印度也迎来了酷热难耐的盛夏；加拿大西部气温创下历史新高；美国近25％的地区高温加干旱，旅游胜地黄石公园的沥青公路都被“烤”化了… 世界气象组织曾警告说，厄尔尼诺现象或将在数月内形成，而历史上发生厄尔尼诺的年份往往也是“大烤”之年。人们将如何迎“大烤”度盛夏 http://www.zgqxb.com.cn/kjzg/kejidt/201407/t20140716_43869.htm http://www.edu.cn/ji_gou_1156/20140716/t20140716_1150907.shtml

Typhoon kills at least 38 in the Philippines, heads for China

The Philippines set to work clearing debris, reconnecting power and rebuilding flattened houses on Thursday after a typhoon swept across the country killing 38 people, with at least eight missing, rescue officials said. Typhoon Rammasun, the strongest storm to hit the Philippines this year, was heading towards China after cutting a path across the main island of Luzon, shutting down the capital and knocking down trees and power lines, causing widespread blackouts. http://planetark.org/wen/71881

WMO presidency extended

Hong Kong Observatory Director Shun Chi-ming has been re-elected President of the World Meteorological Organisation’s Commission for Aeronautical Meteorology. http://www.news.gov.hk/en/categories/environment/html/2014/07/2014 0716_155702.shtml

Cambio climático causa ya afecta a Tamaulipas

El cambio climático ya ha hecho más calurosos los veranos y menos fríos los inviernos en Tamaulipas, que ahora está más expuesto a ser atacado por fenómenos meteorológicos extremos, señala el experto en el tema, Rogelio Ortega Izaguirre. http://tamaulipasenlinea.mx/tamaulipas/cambio-climatico-causa-ya- afecta-a-tamaulipas/

Rising tide: long-term ramifications of global warming on the country’s coastline

In the wake of recent reports pointing to a likely depletion of sea ice in Antarctica, we examine the long-term ramifications of global warming on the country's coastline. http://www.japantimes.co.jp/life/2014/07/12/environment/rising-tide- long-term-ramifications-global-warming-countrys- coastline/#.U8fPdPmSyPZ

Changing Antarctic winds create new sea level threat

New research published in Geophysical Research Letters shows projected changes in the winds circling the Antarctic may accelerate global sea level rise significantly more than previously estimated. http://www.ecosmagazine.com/?paper=EC14153

Southern Africa warned of extreme climate related events

Botswana Minister of Agriculture Christiaan De Graaff has reiterated a warning by the report on Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) published in April 2014 thas the world should expect frequent extreme climate related events.Speaking at the Monitoring for Environment and Security in Africa (MESA) kick-off workshop on Wednesday, De Graaff said such climate related events included heat waves, drought, floods, cyclones and wildfires. http://en.starafrica.com/news/southern-africa-warned-of-extreme- climate-related-events.html

Weather disasters have cost the globe $2.4 trillion

Climate Central Weather- and climate-related disasters have caused $2.4 trillion in economic losses and nearly 2 million deaths globally since 1971 according to a new report. http://reneweconomy.com.au/2014/weather-disasters-cost-globe-2-4- trillion-95866

Obama: Climate change a direct threat to US cities

Harsher storms, worsening flooding and rising seas threaten the public's safety and health across the country, President Barack Obama warned Wednesday as he urged local communities to prepare for the effects of climate change. http://news.yahoo.com/obama-climate-change-direct-threat-us-cities- 190243052--politics.html

Fiji vulnerable to climate change: ambassador to UN

Fiji is working towards integrating disaster risk management into climate change adaptation so that both issues can become the responsibility of one agency, according to the country's ambassador to the United Nations. http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/xinhua-news- agency/140716/fiji-vulnerable-climate-change-ambassador-un

El Nino Likely to Trigger Extreme Climate Events

The World Meteorological Organization says an El Nino is likely in the third quarter of 2014. El Nino is a weather phenomenon characterized by unusually warm ocean surface temperatures in the central and eastern tropical Pacific. The phenomenon, which recurs at two- to seven-year intervals, has a major impact on the climate around the world. It can also lead to extremes including droughts and heavy rainfall across the globe. World Meteorological Organization Climate Prediction and Adaptation Branch Director Maxx Dilley said sometimes these conditions can be quite extreme. “You have parts of the world, which experience dryer than normal conditions as a tendency during El Nino years,” Dilley said. “You have other parts of the world, which tend to get wetter. You have parts of the world that tend to get hotter and parts that tend to get colder. So, the effects can vary depending on which region you pick.” http://www.voanews.com/content/article/1945639.html

U.N. Warns El Nino Could Return In 2014

Research from the United Nations warns there's a strong chance the warm winds of El Nino will swell in 2014. "The U.N. weather agency says there is a strong chance an El Nino weather event will reappear before the end of the year. The odds of El Nino are at 60 percent between June and August and rise to 75-80 percent between October and December." (Via KABC) The World Meteorological Organization published the report Thursday. The agency believes current temperatures in the Pacific Ocean are already higher than normal and expects the warming trend to continue through 2014. "Advance warning has given governments around the world time to make contingency plans for the impact of this year's expected El Niño on the agriculture, water management, health and other climate-sensitive sectors." (Via World Meteorological Organization) El Nino is a flow of warm surface waters from the Pacific Ocean. When westbound trade winds weaken, warm water and thunderstorms from the east are pushed across the Pacific Ocean. The system draws up hotter water from the Pacific Ocean and sends tropical storms east toward the Gulf of Mexico. This leaves places like Australia and Asia unseasonably dry. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/06/26/el-nino-odds- un_n_5532993.html?utm_hp_ref=green http://www.ctvnews.ca/sci-tech/strong-odds-el-nino-weather-event-to- return-by-end-of-year-un-1.1887001 http://www.theglobeandmail.com/technology/science/el-nino-like-event- likely-to-disrupt-climate-in-2014-un-warns/article19346560/ http://www.deccanchronicle.com/140626/world-europe/article/united- nations-warns-el-nino-likely-end-year http://www.newsy.com/videos/u-n-warns-el-nino-could-return-in-2014/ http://yubanet.com/scitech/WMO-Prepare-for-El-Ni-o.php#.U7GANSgudrU http://www.smh.com.au/environment/weather/el-nino-likely-by-end-of- year-world-meteorological-organisation-says-20140627-zsnkm.html http://www.financialexpress.com/news/monsoon-woes-el-nino-has-60- chance-of-starting-by-august-says-un/1264542

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UN: Strong odds of El Nino's return by end of year

There's a strong chance an El Nino weather event will reappear before the end of the year and shake up climate patterns worldwide, the U.N. weather agency said Thursday. The El Nino, a flow of unusually warm surface waters from the Pacific Ocean toward and along the western coast of South America, changes rain and temperature patterns around the world and usually raises global temperatures. An update Thursday from the Geneva-based World Meteorological Organization puts the odds of El Nino at 60 percent between June and August, rising to 75-80 percent between October and December. It said the expected warming would come on top of the effects of man- made global warming. "El Nino leads to extreme events and has a pronounced warming effect," said WMO Secretary-General Michel Jarraud. "It is too early to assess the precise impact on global temperatures in 2014, but we expect the long-term warming trend to continue as a result of rising greenhouse gas concentrations." Rupa Kumar Kolli, chief of a WMO division that deals with climate prediction and adaptation, said the El Nino would likely have moderate strength, but there remains a wide range of possibilities. "We are expecting about the same levels" as the last El Nino from 2009 to 2010, which was the hottest year on record, he said. http://www.globalpost.com/dispatch/news/xinhua-news- agency/140626/wmo-reports-high-likelihood-el-nino-formation http://www.thestar.com/news/world/2014/06/26/el_nio_weather_event_ likely_by_end_of_year_un.html http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/world/2014-06/26/c_133440854.htm http://www.skynews.com.au/news/eco/2014/06/26/un-claims-strong- odds-of-el-nino-s-return.html http://news92fm.com/450467/un-strong-odds-of-el-ninos-return-by-end- of-year/ http://www.rtcc.org/2014/06/26/wmo-80-chance-of-el-nino-by-december- 2014/ http://www.fananews.com/en/?p=216877 http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-26/el-nino-has-60-chance-of- starting-by-end-of-august-un.html http://santamariatimes.com/news/world/un-strong-odds-of-el-nino-s- return-by-end/article_865846b6-3574-5354-8d2b- 1d418efdf1e8.html?comment_form=true

Un phénomène climatique El Niño se précise d'ici la fin de l'année

L'Organisation météorologique mondiale a averti jeudi à Genève que la probabilité qu'un phénomène climatique El Niño se produise d'ici la fin de l'année 2014 était très élevée. La probabilité augmente d'un épisode El Niño d'ici la fin de l'année, de 60% en juin jusqu'à 80% d'ici décembre, a averti jeudi à Genève l'Organisation météorologique mondiale (OMM). Ce phénomène climatique se produit tous les 2 à 7 ans et a une incidence majeure sur le climat mondial. Le dernier épisode remonte à 2009-2010. El Niño se caractérise notamment par des températures de surface de la mer anormalement élevées dans la partie centre-est du Pacifique tropical. Au cours d'un épisode El Niño, le déplacement vers l'est de l'activité orageuse, de l'Indonésie vers le Pacifique central, crée aussi des conditions anormalement sèches dans le nord de l'Australie, en Indonésie, aux Philippines et dans le sud-est de l'Afrique, alors que de fortes moussons touchent la côte ouest de l'Amérique du Sud jusqu'au golfe du Mexique. http://www.rts.ch/info/sciences-tech/5962100-un-phenomene-climatique- el-nino-se-precise-d-ici-la-fin-de-l-annee.html?rts_source=rss_t http://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2014/06/26/l-onu-s-inquiete-d- un-retour-d-el-nino_4445984_3244.html https://fr.news.yahoo.com/el-niño-annonce-anomalies-climatiques- majeures-135948230--spt.html http://www.lorientlejour.com/article/873653/-le-monde-doit-se-preparer- a-un-nouvel-episode-el-nino-.html http://www.medias24.com/A-suivre/12686-L-OMM-le-monde-doit-se- preparer-a-un-nouvel-episode-El-Nino.html

Alta predicción de El Niño entre octubre y diciembre

Los científicos han establecido que la probabilidad de que se produzca un fenómeno de El Niño entre octubre y diciembre próximos está entre un 75 y un 80 por ciento. Y la probabilidad de que se produzca antes, en el tercer trimestre de este año, es menor y está en torno del 60 por ciento, comunicó la Organización Meteorológica Mundial (OMM). “Se prevé que la temperatura del océano Pacífico tropical seguirá aumentando en los próximos meses y que alcanzará su máxima en el último trimestre de 2014. Si bien su intensidad potencial es aún incierta, es más probable que se produzca un fenómeno de intensidad moderada”, indicó la agencia científica de las Naciones Unidas. El Niño está asociado a sequías e inundaciones a escala regional en distintas partes del mundo y produce un aumento de la temperatura media en la superficie del océano, particularmente en la zona central y oriental del Pacífico tropical. Se trata de un evento natural que ocurre entre cada dos y siete años y tiene una fuerte influencia en el clima mundial y en el desempeño de la agricultura. http://www.rtve.es/noticias/20140626/onu-ve-alta-probabilidad- fenomeno-nino-caliente-planeta-este-ano/961900.shtml http://www.lavoz.com.ar/la-voz-del-campo/alta-prediccion-de-el-nino- entre-octubre-y-diciembre http://www.vanguardia.com/actualidad/mundo/266583-el-fenomeno-del- nino-podria-llegar-a-finales-de-ano http://noticieros.televisa.com/mundo/1406/75-80-probabilidad-fenomeno- nino-fin-ano/ http://noticias.latam.msn.com/xl/internacional/articulo_efe.aspx?cp- documentid=264138339 http://voces.org.sv/2014/06/26/pronostican-alta-probabilidad-de-evento- climatico-el-nino/ http://www.jornalnoticias.co.mz/index.php/ciencia-e-ambiente/18317-el- nino-podera-fustigar-paises http://elnacional.com.do/cientificos-fijan-entre-75-80-probabilidad-de- fenomeno-el-nino-a-fin-de-ano/ http://www.ultimahora.com/damnificados-no-podran-regresar-sus-casas- el-2015-n807030.html https://mx.finanzas.yahoo.com/noticias/omm-espera-fenómeno-el-niño- moderado-este-año-124604406.html

Lluvias y previsión de El Niño agravan situación de desplazados en Paraguay

Asunción, 26 jun (EFE).- La situación de los más de 200.000 desplazados por las inundaciones en Paraguay se agravó hoy con nuevas lluvias, mientras que el anuncio de un probable fenómeno de El Niño significa que muchos de ellos no podrán volver a sus casas hasta el año que viene, según los expertos. http://noticias.latam.msn.com/xl/internacional/articulo_efe.aspx?cp- documentid=264143738

Climate change deal likely to succeed

Chances are high that countries are likely to reach an agreement on climate change by the end of 2015, UN Secretary General Ban Ki-Moon said in Nairobi on Saturday. "As climate change causes temperatures to rise and precipitation patterns to change, more weather extremes will potentially reduce global food production at a time when the population will continue growing in developing countries," Ban said. The Secretary General who ended his visit to Kenya during which he closed the inaugural UN Environmental Assembly said climate change is a major problem in Africa, adding that other continents where almost over 80 percent of smallholder farmers own less than two hectares of land and this land will not be able to feed them amicably. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/africa/2014-06/29/c_133445577.htm

Climate change under spotlight at AU Summit

Agriculture is Africa's main economic driver and everything should be done to ensure its development. This emerged out of the two-day African Union Summit in Equatorial Guinea. The summit also endorsed its participation in the forthcoming Climate Summit to be held in New York. President Jacob Zuma attended the summit which discussed several issues that the continent is facing including climate change. Chairperson of the African Union Commission, Nkosazana Dlamini-Zuma, says they have agreed that even though Africa is the least contributor to global warming and pollution, it should attend the summit and present a united position. http://www.sabc.co.za/news/a/6dccc300448adb6eb516fd3bfe17c0b1/Clim ate-change-under-spotlight-at-AU-Summit

Australia’s water stocks on the slide

AUSTRALIA’S water resources stand at just over 60 per cent, a marked reduction from the same time last year. The information was revealed during yesterday’s release of the Bureau of Meteorology’s 2013 National Water Account Summary, a comprehensive record of water resources for the 2012/13 year. It reveals drier conditions in 2012/13 contributed to reduced flows into stor- ages and higher water use across much of Australia. “The National Water Account Sum- mary shows total water use increased by 35 per cent in 2012/13 compared to the previous year,” the bureau’s Dr Grace Mitchell said. “This increase was largely in agriculture and was due to a relative abundance of water and lower rainfall compared to the previous year 2011/12, which was wetter than average.” http://readnow.isentia.com/Temp/83932/277940962.pdf

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Awakening the ‘Dutch Gene’ of Water Survival

Along a rugged, wide North Sea beach here on a recent day, children formed teams of eight to 10, taking their places beside mounds of sand carefully cordoned by candy- cane striped tape. They had one hour for their sand castle competition. Some built fishlike structures, complete with scales. Others spent their time on elaborate ditch and dike labyrinths. Each castle was adorned on top with a white flag. Then they watched the sea invade and devour their work, seeing whose castle could withstand the tide longest. The last standing flag won. Theirs was no ordinary day at the beach, but a newly minted, state-sanctioned competition for schoolchildren to raise awareness of the dangers of rising sea levels in a country of precarious geography that has provided lessons for the world about water management, but that fears that its next generation will grow complacent. http://www.nytimes.com/2014/06/30/world/europe/netherlands-water- management-system-global-climate-change-sea-level-rise-dutch- gene.html?_r=0

California drought blankets entire state; El Niño forecast dims

Not too long ago in this season of California’s massive and extended drought, climate experts saw a small glimmer of hope on the horizon: Predictions for a wet El Niño season coming in the winter that would bring badly needed rain and relief to a parched state. Now that glimmer is fading fast, and the drought has gotten even worse. One hundred percent of California is in a severe drought, 77 percent is in an extreme drought and 33 percent is in an exceptional drought, according to a report released last week by the National Drought Mitigation Center in Lincoln, Neb. http://www.whittierdailynews.com/general-news/20140627/california- drought-blankets-entire-state-el-nixf1o-forecast-dims

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Monsoon floods kill 11 in India, maroon thousands

Indian authorities rushed food and drinking water Saturday to thousands of people marooned by monsoon rains and mudslides that left at least 11 dead in the remote northeast. Residents waded through waist- and knee-deep water in several parts of the Assam state capital, Gauhati, which was hit by nearly 60 millimeters (2.3 inches) of pounding rain on Thursday night. The average four-month monsoon rainfall is 89 centimeters (35 inches). http://www.seattlepi.com/news/world/article/Monsoon-flooding-kills-11- in-India-maroons-many-5586191.php

Massive Floods In Brazil Force 50,000 People To Evacuate Their Homes

The gaze of the world is fixated on Brazil as they host this year’s World Cup. But outside the stadiums a severe week of weather has wreaked havoc on tens of thousands. On Sunday officials in Brazil revised earlier estimates, now saying that 50,000 people have been forced from their homes because of torrential downpours leading to massive floods. Reports before today had estimated that number to be much smaller. Channel News Asia reports that officials say floods have hit 37 towns in Santa Catarina and 59 in Rio Grande do Sul. Luckily, the rains seem to finally be losing steam. The good news for soccer fans is that these floods shouldn’t get in the way of the World Cup. On Monday, the knockout match between Germany and Algeria is happening in Porto Alegre – the capital of Rio Grande do Sul – but according to Channel News Asia they have not been hit by the floods. http://www.businessinsider.com.au/50000-people-forced-from-their- homes-in-brazil-2014-6

ESA Combats Ground Interference to Earth Observation Satellites

The European Space Agency has modified the frequencies used by some of its radar Earth observation satellites to reduce the signal interference from ground-based wireless communications systems that are often operating illegally, ESA Earth Observation Director Volker Liebig said June 13. Liebig said the interference is one reason the 20-nation ESA and other space agencies are joining operators of telecommunications satellites in fighting attempts by wireless broadband network operators to be granted use of spectrum now reserved for satellites. Addressing a briefing at London’s Royal Society to discuss results from ESA satellites studying climate change, Liebig said many users of wireless communications are violating the regulatory terms of use for their devices — for example, operating them outside when only indoor use has been given regulatory approval. Especially through its Cryosat satellite, ESA has made monitoring of polar ice sheets one of its specialties among the 50 essential climate variables that have been identified by the Global Climate Observing System, part of the World Meteorological Organization, as important indicators. http://www.spacenews.com/article/civil-space/40895esa-combats- ground-interference-to-earth-observation-satellites

Climate change will ‘cost world far more than estimated’

Lord Stern, the world’s most authoritative climate economist, has issued a stark warning that the financial damage caused by global warming will be considerably greater than current models predict. This makes it more important than ever to take urgent and drastic action to curb climate change by reducing carbon emissions, he argues. Lord Stern, who wrote a hugely influential review on the financial implications of climate change in 2006, says the economic models that have been used to calculate the fiscal fallout from climate change are woefully inadequate and severely underestimate the scale of the threat. As a result, even the recent and hugely authoritative series of reports from the UN Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) are significantly flawed, he said. http://www.eco-business.com/news/climate-change-will-cost-world-far- more-estimated/

UN climate talks close on upbeat note

Two weeks of climate talks in Germany's UN city Bonn ended with widespread agreement that, in spite of obstacles ahead, the climate process could be on track towards a new world climate agreement in Paris in 2015. Although the interim working meeting made little visible progress on details and an additional session has been planned for October, participants and observers told DW they sensed a new will among the key players to commit to binding targets and promote the shift to renewable energies to reduce emissions and halt global temperature rise. http://www.dw.de/un-climate-talks-close-on-upbeat-note/a-17708301

Apparent pause in global warming blamed on 'lousy' data

A widely reported "pause" in global warming may be an artefact of scientists looking at the wrong data, says a climate scientist at the European Space Agency. Global average sea surface temperatures rose rapidly from the 1970s but have been relatively flat for the past 15 years. This has prompted speculation from some quarters that global warming has stalled. Now, Stephen Briggs from the European Space Agency's Directorate of Earth Observation says that sea surface temperature data is the worst indicator of global climate that can be used, describing it as "lousy". "It is like looking at the last hair on the tail of a dog and trying to decide what breed it is," he said on Friday at the Royal Society in London. Climate scientists have been arguing for some time that the lack of warming of the sea surface is due to most of the extra heat being taken up by the deep ocean. A better measure, he said, was to look at the average rise in sea levels. The oceans store the vast majority of the climate's heat energy. Increases in this stored energy translate into sea level rises. http://www.theguardian.com/science/2014/jun/13/pause-global- warming-data-sea-level-rises

NASA to Launch First Satellite to Chart Levels of Carbon Dioxide in Atmosphere

The National Aeronautics and Space Administration plans to launch July 1 its first satellite dedicated to measuring carbon dioxide levels in Earth's atmosphere. The $465 million Orbiting Carbon Observatory-2 (OCO-2) mission seeks to provide a more complete picture of human and natural sources of carbon dioxide globally, as well as sinks where carbon dioxide is absorbed. On average, the Earth's plants and oceans absorb about half of the nearly 40 billion tons of carbon dioxide added to the atmosphere each year from the burning of fossil fuels and other human activities. But while carbon dioxide emissions increase at a steady rate, the amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by surface sinks varies from year to year, Mike Gunson, one of the project's scientists, said. Gunson said understanding what drives these changes in the fate of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere will help scientists reduce uncertainties in global climate change projections. One of the biggest uncertainties is how much carbon dioxide is being put into the atmosphere, he said. “What we do in the future, how much oil we consume, how much coal we use, that's a socioeconomic question,” he told Bloomberg BNA after a media briefing June 12. The question NASA hopes to help answer is how Earth reacts to rising carbon dioxide emissions. http://mobile.bloomberg.com/news/2014-06-13/nasa-to-launch-first- satellite-to-chart-levels-of-carbon-dioxide-in-atmosphere.html

Bahrain gets hotter as global climate changes

Global warming is behind soaring temperatures in Bahrain and is to blame for the country sweltering through record-breaking heat, according to the country's top weather expert. It is also responsible for declining rainfall and increasingly dusty conditions, Transportation Ministry meteorology director Adel Daham told the Gulf Daily News (GDN), our sister publication in an exclusive interview. Twenty-one hot weather records have been broken in Bahrain since the start of the 21st century - including hottest month, hottest year and hottest temperature on record. Bahrain's weather data goes back to 1902, but in just the past two decades the country has set records for the highest average maximum temperatures for January, April, May, June, July, August, September, October, November and December. Last month was Bahrain's second hottest May since records began with average temperatures of 32.4C, second only to May 2012 when the average temperature stood at 32.8C. Daham said the World Meteorological Organisation (WMO), for which he is Bahrain's permanent representative, has warned against any rise in temperatures of over 2C "to avoid the worst consequences". http://www.tradearabia.com/news/HEAL_260127.html

6 Ways the Planet Is Different Than the One Your Dad Was Born Into

This Father’s Day, we can probably all think of some variation on a classic dad’s tease we heard growing up: “When I was your age, I had to walk 10 miles in the snow just to get to school!” Well, dads, you may have to put that old saw to rest. Unfortunately, because of rapid climate change in the last century, the adage may be working in reverse. Younger generations are actually seeing more extreme weather, pollution and hotter summers—not to mention the slow loss of vital natural resources like glaciers. All that change has taken its toll on both people and animals. Climate change may be making us sicker in more ways than one. And our warming planet is certainly a big part of the heartbreaking loss of numerous animal species due to extinction. So next time Dad tries to tell you he had it worse, remind him of these six sobering ways the world is different now than when he was a boy: http://www.weather.com/news/science/environment/ways-planet- different-one-your-dad-was-born-20140613

El Niño est potentiellement dévastateur pour le blé australien

Si rien n'est joué la vigilance s'impose », estime l'organisme statistique « car le phénomène risque de s'amplifier de septembre à décembre, une période cruciale pour les blés de l'hémisphère sud », indique l'organisme public dans un note de conjoncture publiée jeudi. La moitié Est de l'Australie est particulièrement menacée, l'autre moitié de l'île étant a priori épargnée, même si les effets sont difficiles à prévoir, poursuit-il. « Les inquiétudes sont fortes depuis que, dans un rapport rendu public le 15 avril, l'Organisation météorologique mondiale (OMM) a déclaré comme probable le déclenchement d'un épisode El Niño d'ici la fin du deuxième trimestre 2014 », à la veille des récoltes, explique-t-il. http://www.terre-net.fr/marche-agricole/actualite-marche- agricole/article/el-ni-o-potentiellement-devastateur-pour-le-ble- australien-1395-101409.html

How plants are responding to extreme rainfall trends and climate change

Australian scientists are studying how plants worldwide will respond to more extreme rainfall in a future affected by climate change. They report that impacts will vary greatly across regions, meaning potentially dramatic disruptions to plant growth. This changed timing of rainfall may impact grasses and crops, with different rooting depths to trees, in different ways.

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El Niño is going to make your 2014 miserable

Unusual weather across the U.S. and other parts of the world just became more likely for this summer and autumn. That’s because the chances have gone up that El Niño— an atmospheric pattern driven by water temperature changes in the Pacific Ocean— will develop during that time, according to the nation’s leading climate experts. When El Niño settles in, it has major effects on weather conditions nationally and globally. Scientists speaking at a press conference yesterday afternoon said the odds that El Niño will develop during the summer have risen from 65 to 70 percent. The prediction comes in a new monthly report from the U.S. National Weather Service and the International Research Institute for Climate and Society at Columbia University. The experts also said there is up to an 80% chance that El Niño will develop during the fall and winter. http://www.salon.com/2014/06/14/el_nino_is_going_to_make_your_201 4_miserable_partner/

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Monsoon makes slow march

The monsoon is making slow progress across the country, even as millions of farmers eagerly wait for the first showers. The progress of rains is expected to be slow over the next few days and it is expected to spread over central and eastern India only after Tuesday. By Saturday, monsoon rain had covered much of Kerala, Tamil Nadu and parts of Karnataka in the south and till Assam in the northeast. Had the progress been normal, the rain by this time would have reached central India and covered Maharashtra, parts of Gujarat, Madhya Pradesh, eastern Uttar Pradesh, Bihar, Jharkhand and West Bengal. "The southwest monsoon, as expected, arrived late in the country and thereafter its progress has been rather sluggish. With no strong push seen in the next week to 10 days, rain is expected to make a slow march towards the north," Ajit Tyagi, former director-general of India Meteorological Department (IMD) told Business Standard. He said the progress over central and northern India could be delayed due to late onset. http://www.business-standard.com/article/economy-policy/monsoon- makes-slow-march-114061600021_1.html http://zeenews.india.com/news/nation/rain-tracking-goes-hi-tech- satellites-to-monitor-signs-of-drought-in-india_939650.html http://ibnlive.in.com/news/with-less-rainfall-predicted-centre-gears-up-to- take-adequate-measures/478814-37-64.html

Weatherwatch: The birth of the Met Office and the weather forecast

In June 1854, the Board of Trade requested funds for a new Meteorological Department to collect the weather measurements made by Royal Navy and merchant ships. Storms at sea were great natural disasters with many lives lost annually, and the experimental department would look at storm prediction using new scientific means. The department's work would also extend to the land. During the debate on funding, MP John Ball even proposed to the House of Commons that: "In a few years, notwithstanding the variable climate of this country, we might know in this metropolis the condition of the weather twenty-four hours beforehand."Hansard records that this suggestion was met with laughter. The new Meteorological Department of the Board of Trade was originally envisaged as having a staff of just two. It was headed by Robert FitzRoy, a former Royal Navy captain, noted scientist and member of the Royal Society. http://www.theguardian.com/news/2014/jun/13/weatherwatch- meteorological-office

Deep underground, water, water everywhere but not a drop to drink

Scientists on Friday said massive amounts of water appear to exist deep beneath the planet's surface, trapped in a rocky layer of the mantle at depths between 250 miles and 410 miles (410 km to 660 km). But do not expect to quench your thirst down there. The water is not liquid - or any other familiar form like ice or vapor. It is locked inside the molecular structure of minerals called ringwoodite and wadsleyite in mantle rock that possesses the remarkable ability to absorb water like a sponge. "It may equal or perhaps be larger than the amount of water in the oceans," Northwestern University geophysicist Steve Jacobsen said in a telephone interview. "It alters our thoughts about the composition of the Earth." http://planetark.org/wen/71715

Deadly flooding hits Brazil as world cup begins

As the World Cup kicks off, a state of emergency has been declared in 130 Brazilian cities, including host city Curitiba. Over the course of several days, torrential rainfall in the southern state of Paraná has claimed more than a dozen lives and affected nearly half a million people. Across Paraná more than 33,000 people have been forced to evacuate their homes. Meanwhile, in neighboring Argentina and Paraguay evacuations have topped 100,000 people. Two main rivers in the region have swelled to historic levels thanks to heavy rainfall, forcing local authorities to open the floodgates on two hydroelectric dams above Iguazu Falls. The world-renowned tourist attraction is closed to visitors after reaching an astounding flow of 46,300 cubic meters per second—33 times the usual rate. http://tcktcktck.org/2014/06/deadly-flooding-hit-brazil-world-cup- begins/62542#sthash.LRH85n4k.dpuf

Thousands flee as cyclone strikes villages in Pakistan

Thousands of residents have fled hundreds of villages in south and southwestern Pakistan after tropical cyclone Naunak struck the region. About 2,000 residents fled the worst-affected district of Thatta where seawater driven by tall waves swept through 130 coastal villages on Sunday. Mohammad Ali Shah, the chairman of the Pakistan Fishermen Folk Forum, a non-governmental organization supporting fishermen's rights in Pakistan, said: "About 300 fishermen are missing." “These fishermen went fishing last week, but we lost contact with them over the last couple of days.” Crops were destroyed in the towns of Kharochan and Ghora Bari as the intensifying storm pushed seawater over swathes of agricultural land. http://www.worldbulletin.net/news/139018/thousands-flee-as-cyclone- strikes-villages-in-pakistan

Ladykillers: Hurricanes with female names

It's never a good idea to underestimate a powerful woman. It's even less smart when she's packing 120 km/h winds. Researchers examining six decades' worth of hurricane data in the U.S. have discovered that hurricanes with female names have caused significantly more deaths than hurricanes with male names. When they conducted a series of followup experiments, they discovered that participants presented with a hypothetical hurricane judged the storm to be less intense and risky if it carried a female name. They were also less likely to report they would evacuate. Studies have already shown that resumes, artwork and scientific papers carrying a woman's name are implicitly judged to be less important and credible than those carrying a man's. "I feel that their analysis has basically shown that individuals respond to gender. I am not sure it has applicability to hurricane response. I certainly would not base policy decisions on this study alone!" said Jeff Lazo with the National Center for Atmospheric Research, who studies the integration of weather and social science. Clare Nullis, a spokesperson for the World Meteorological Organization, said that "WMO has no plans to re-examine hurricane naming conventions because they are internationally agreed and function well on the whole." The names are always short, easy to remember, non- political and culturally appropriate, Nullis added. http://www.therecord.com/news-story/4554276-hurricane-headed-your- way-don-t-let-the-name-fool-you/

Gender Bias May Make Female Hurricanes Deadlier

In both the Bible and magical folklore, power over a man comes from knowing his true name: Speak it and strike him dead. Names carry savage clout in everyday life too, as anyone with parents cruel enough to name them Adolph or Bertha can attest. Now, a controversial new study suggests gender bias can shape how people respond to hurricane names. A severe hurricane (category 3 and higher) with a feminine name is more deadly than a storm with a masculine name, behavioral science researchers from the University of Illinois report today (June 2) in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Their statistical model suggests that hurricanes with female names cause nearly three times more deaths than hurricanes with masculine names http://www.livescience.com/46044-hurricane-names-gender-bias- deaths.html http://planetark.org/wen/71642 http://www.dnj.com/usatoday/article/9868413?odyssey=tab%7Ctopnews %7Ctext%7C http://www.nationaljournal.com/energy/hurricanes-with-female-names- are-deadlier-than-storms-with-male-names-20140602 http://theweek.com/article/index/262526/the-deadly-sexism-of- hurricane-naming#axzz33Zjl4I8J http://www.livescience.com/46044-hurricane-names-gender-bias- deaths.html

TMA moves to compile national weather database

Tanzania is working to upgrade and consolidate all data collected from its weather stations in order to effectively join the global observation network it was stated in Arusha. …. Dr Kijazi was speaking at the ongoing WMO sub-regional workshop on the implentation of the WMO Integrated Global Observing System (WIGOS) http://dailynews.co.tz/index.php/local-news/32161-tma-moves-to- compile-national-weather-database

NiMet to sign MoU with UK meteorology office on marine meteorological services

The Director-General, Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NiMet), Dr Anthony Anuforom, said the agency would sign a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with the UK Meteorological Office to provide complementary marine meteorological services. Anuforom, who was speaking when the Senate Committee on Aviation visited the agency as part of its oversight functions on Monday in Abuja, said the MoU would be signed in July. He said that the essence of the MoU was to enhance the agency’s commercial capabilities in the country. Anuforom said that the agency had made significant progress in infrastructure development in the last three years. According to him, in 2012, the agency had no Doppler Weather Radar, but that now it has installed two in Abuja and Port Harcourt. He said that installation work was ongoing in Yola and Maiduguri. He also said that the agency had, in 2012, only one low level wind shear alert system at the Abuja Airport, but now had nine in different airports across the country. The agency had only six locations in the country with thunderstorm detector systems as of 2012; now the agency has in 20 different locations. http://dailyindependentnig.com/2014/06/nimet-sign-mou-uk- meteorology-office-marine-meteorological-services/

U.S. unveils sweeping plan to slash power plant pollution

The U.S. power sector must cut carbon dioxide emissions 30 percent by 2030 from 2005 levels under federal regulations unveiled on Monday that form the centerpiece of the Obama administration's climate change strategy. The Environmental Protection Agency's proposal is one of the most significant environmental rules proposed by the United States, and could transform the power sector, which relies on coal for nearly 38 percent of electricity. It also set off a political backlash likely to run well into next year. Gina McCarthy, EPA administrator, said on Monday that between 2020 and 2030, the amount of carbon dioxide the proposal would reduce would be more than double the carbon pollution from the entire U.S. power sector in 2012. States will have flexible means to achieve ambitious but attainable targets, regardless of their current energy mixes. States which rely heavily on coal-fired power plants are thought to have the toughest tasks ahead. "The flexibility of our Clean Power Plan affords states the choices that lead them to a healthier future. Choices that level the playing field, and keep options on the table, not off," McCarthy said in remarks at EPA headquarters on Monday. http://planetark.org/wen/71646 http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-27663286 http://www.csmonitor.com/USA/2014/0602/EPA-proposes-big-emissions- cuts-Would-the-climate-even-notice

Drought-related costs will climb after heavy groundwater pumping

A study last month estimated farm-related drought losses at $1.7 billion this year in California -- a dark prediction but researchers added a little extra downer. "There will be substantial long-term costs of groundwater overdraft that are not reflected in this study," said the study from the University of California at Davis. In other words, this could get much worse down the line. Think about wells drying up, water quality suffering, pumping costs climbing and the landscape sinking. The U.S. Geological Survey describes the impacts of overdrafting the underground.

See also

Alert level raised at Pavlof volcano:

The Alaska Volcano Observatory on Monday said that an eruption at Pavlof Volcano had prompted a heightened alert level, after the volcano spat out an ash cloud that reached 22,000 feet and stretched for an estimated 80 kilometers to the east of the peak. Volcanologists raised the alert level at the volcano to "warning" and the aviation color code to "red," indicating "eruption is underway or suspected with significant emission of volcanic ash into the atmosphere," according to the AVO. Pavlof Volcano sits on the Alaska Peninsula, 36 miles northeast of the community of Cold Bay, which boasts one of the state's longest runways. The alert level at Pavlof was initially raised on Saturday, when the volcano demonstrated elevated surface temperatures and a pilot in the area reported an ash and gas plume at around 7,000 feet of elevation. http://www.alaskadispatch.com/article/20140602/ak-beat-alert-level- raised-alaska-volcano-eruption-escalates

Japan heatwave kills two, hundreds taken to hospital

Two people have been killed and hundreds treated in hospital after a weekend heatwave swept over Japan, officials and reports said on Sunday. A 74-year-old woman collapsed while working in a greenhouse in the eastern prefecture of Chiba on Saturday and was later pronounced dead. In Ibaraki, also in the east of the country, a 61-year- old was found collapsed in her garden and died. On Sunday, a 76-year-old man was taken to hospital unconscious in Sera, in the western prefecture of Hiroshima, after collapsing near a river bank.

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The Greater Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum

The Greater Horn of Africa Climate Outlook Forum has issued its seasonal outlook for the forthcoming June to August rainy season, factoring in the likely development of an El Niño event which may have significant climatic impacts over parts of Eastern Africa. June to August constitutes an important rainfall season over the northern sector and the western parts of the equatorial sector of the Greater Horn of Africa (GHA) region. The regional consensus climate outlook indicates increased likelihood of near normal to below normal rainfall over most parts of the northern and equatorial sectors except for parts of north western Ethiopia; south-eastern Uganda and much of South Sudan which have increased likelihood of receiving near normal to above normal rainfall. The rest of the region is expected to remain dry as usual at this time of year. http://africanewswire.za.com/greater-horn-of-africa-climate-outlook- forum/ http://www.modernghana.com/news/544616/1/greater-horn-of-africa- climate-outlook-foru.html

Is Zim investing enough in climate services?

The African Ministerial Conference on Meteorology (Amcomet) ended its meeting at the weekend at a critical moment when the global agenda is focused on climate change and its impact on society, economy and the environment. It is essential to continue the momentum generated at various climate change fora. The crucial indaba in Harare zeroed in on an integrated African strategy for meteorology to meet challenges such as climate change and extreme weather hazards that was adopted by a ministerial- level conference. Environment and climate ministers from across Africa also focused on how to improve weather and climate services for sustainable development, particularly for priority sectors such as agriculture, water, health, disaster risk reduction and transport. Regrettably, most African countries’ climate services are generally poorly developed and in a number of countries basic climate services are only available from external sources. African countries should develop their own meteorological products, strengthen their human capacities and use their own financial resources. Once that is done, it will improve Africa’s ability to monitor extreme weather and climate events. https://www.newsday.co.zw/2014/06/02/zim-investing-enough-climate- services/ http://allafrica.com/stories/201405310029.html http://fr.starafrica.com/actualites/appel-a-la-mobilisation-des-ressources- pour-aider-lafrique-a-faire-face-au-changement-climatique.html http://www.zbc.co.zw/index.php?option=com_content&view=article&id=44 010%3Azim-hailed-for-meteorology-initiatives&catid=41%3Atop- stories&Itemid=86

Understanding science can help reduce disaster risks

Lack of appreciation and understanding of science causes more devastation and losses during disasters, warns a weather expert from the Philippines, which was severely battered by Super Typhoon Haiyan last November. “What we need is to bring down science to a broader level of understanding and let ordinary people and local chief executives appreciate what ‘disaster imagination’ is at their own level,” Renato Solidum, director of the Philippine Institute of Volcanology and Seismology (PHIVOLCS), told a workshop last week (22-23 May) on climate change and disaster preparedness dubbed “science for safer communities”. Esperanza Cayanan, an assistant chief at the Philippine Atmospheric, Geophysical and Astronomical Services Administration (PAGASA), the country’s weather bureau, tells SciDev.Net that since Super Typhoon Haiyan, they have been getting a lot of outside help such as from the World Meteorological Organization. “They made donations to replace our damaged meteorological instruments and provided capacity-building projects to enhance PAGASA’s forecasting capability,” Cayanan says. http://www.scidev.net/asia-pacific/disasters/news/understanding-science- can-help-reduce-disaster-risks.html

La AEMET formará en meteorología aeronáutica a los países de habla hispana en un campus on-line

Así, esta formación on-line a distancia para los países de habla hispana dispondrán del material de formación en meteorología aeronáutica de que dispone la AEMET y que ha servido para la acreditación de las competencias meteorológicas de profesionales españoles, de acuerdo con los criterios de la Organización Meteorológica Mundial (OMM) y de la Organización de Aviación Civil (OACI). Con esto, la AEMET comparte su experiencia a la hora de acreditar a más de 400 profesionales de la meteorología destinados en oficinas meteorológicas de aeropuertos españoles y ofrece recursos de formación que permitirán la acreditación y cualificación de estos profesionales en otros países. El campus virtual ya está en funcionamiento y sus contenidos están divididos en cursos destinados al mantenimiento de las habilidades y competencias recomendadas por la OMM y la OACI para los profesionales de la observación meteorológica aeronáutica. Del mismo modo, se ha considerado capital la puesta en marcha de un curso de inglés aeronáutico que facilite la presentación de la información meteorológica a las tripulaciones de las aeronaves. http://noticias.es.msn.com/ultima-hora/la-aemet-formará-en- meteorolog%C3%ADa-aeronáutica-a-los-pa%C3%ADses-de-habla-hispana- en-un-campus-on-line

In disaster-prone southern Mozambique, farmers take command of water

XAI-XAI, Mozambique (Thomson Reuters Foundation) – In this vast agricultural region of southern Mozambique, dark water flows slowly down canals cut into the farm fields. In an area prone to droughts and floods, the canals help deal with both problems, carrying irrigation water to valuable squash and tomato fields in dry times and carrying away floodwater in the wet ones. The canals and the small-scale irrigation system they belong to are part of a broader 70,000-hectare water management system that is being rehabbed and expanded with investment from the multilateral Climate Investment Funds to boost food security and incomes and lower disaster risk in the region. Experts hope that the system of irrigation schemes, dykes and levies, coupled with better education and agricultural support for cash crops and processing facilities will help the disaster-prone region build greater resilience to worsening extreme weather and other climate impacts. http://www.trust.org/item/20140521135500-35grh/

Global warming may quintuple summer downpours in UK

By 2100 southern England will be drenched by five times as many sudden summer deluges as it is today, probably causing more flash floods, according to an advanced climate model. Other parts of the world are likely to experience similar increases in downpours, and global warming will be to blame. Sudden heavy downpours cause many floods, such as the flooding of Boscastle in Cornwall in 2004 (see picture, above right). The new finding comes just months after some of the worst recorded floods in the UK. The new research uses a climate model that has been run at a far higher resolution than previously attempted. Whereas previous models divided the world into squares 12 kilometres to a side, the new analysis goes down to 1.5-kilometre squares. "That increases precision by 64 times," says Lizzie Kendon of the UK Met Office's Hadley Centre in Exeter. "It's the first time anywhere in the world at this scale and resolution." http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25657-global-warming-may- quintuple-summer-downpours-in-uk.html#.U4xJhCgudrU

Climate Council report says past 24 months have delivered nation’s hottest average temperature ever

A remarkable warm spell occurred from May 8-26, with daytime temperatures 4C-6C above normal over much of the nation, including Queensland, the Northern Territory and stretching into Victoria and Tasmania. A Climate Council report to be ¬released today reveals the past 24 months up to the end of April have delivered the nation’s hottest average temperature on record. That record is expected to be beaten when figures are collated for May, with scientists saying it is further evidence of how climate change is influencing our weather. http://www.couriermail.com.au/news/queensland/climate-council-report- says-past-24nbspmonths-have-delivered-nations-hottest-average- temperature-ever/story-fnihsrf2-1226939106752

El Nino may spark water crisis

THE National Water Services Commission (SPAN) has urged water operators and stakeholders to be prepared for a water crisis in the event of a dry spell caused by the El Nino phenomenon. Its chief executive officer, Datuk Teo Yen Hua, said the commission had met the Malaysian Meteorological Department (MMD) on May 8 to brief water operators on the weather forecast. "The severity of the extreme dry weather conditions will reduce availability of raw water resources, which is under purview of the state governments. Nevertheless, measures have been taken to mitigate possible impact."

Read more: El Nino may spark water crisis - General - New Straits Times

Studies: Wildfires Worse Due to Global Warming

The devastating wildfires scorching Southern California offer a glimpse of a warmer and more fiery future, according to scientists and federal and international reports. In the past three months, at least three different studies and reports have warned that wildfires are getting bigger, that man-made climate change is to blame, and it's only going to get worse with more fires starting earlier in the year. While scientists are reluctant to blame global warming for any specific fire, they have been warning for years about how it will lead to more fires and earlier fire seasons. "The fires in California and here in Arizona are a clear example of what happens as the Earth warms, particularly as the West warms, and the warming caused by humans is making fire season longer and longer with each decade," said University of Arizona geoscientist Jonathan Overpeck. "It's certainly an example of what we'll see more of in the future." http://news.valleyindiatimes.com/2014/06/a11.html

Beijing Roasts in Record-high Temperature

Temperatures in Beijing on Thursday hit a record high of around 40 degrees Celsius, the highest since 1951, said the capital's meteorological authorities. Beijing Municipal Warning Center upgraded its temperature warning to red at 1:00 p.m. Thursday. The red warning calls for power suppliers and fire departments to be on the alert, outdoor work and activities to be ceased and classes to be suspended at all schools. The temperature on Thursday exceeded the high of 38.3 degrees Celsius on the same date in May 1951, said a notice released by Beijing Meteorological Bureau on Thursday noon, forecasting that temperatures of over 42 degrees Celsius are expected in some parts of the city on Thursday afternoon. http://english.cri.cn/6909/2014/05/29/3441s829108.htm

Natural Hazards

Volcanic Ash Causes Aircraft To Stay Grounded

Volcanic ash from the recently erupted Sangeang Api volcano off the north-east coast of Sumbawa in Indonesia caused a major problem for flights in and out of Darwin over the weekend, and finally those flights have resumed. Unfortunately, flights in and out of Bali are now being kept on the ground because of the volcanic ash, according to ABC News. The huge ash cloud is now drifting toward Denpasar in the west, but the volcanic ash is still causing issues. Jetstar made the decision to cancel its flights in and out of Bali, and Federal Infrastructure Minister Warren Truss said that the ash could cause problems for flights as far away as Brisbane. http://www.inquisitr.com/1277979/volcanic-ash-grounds-aircraft/ http://www.bbc.com/news/world-asia-27648167

Finance Minister declares drought year

Finance Minister Yair Lapid officially declared the 2013-2014 winter season a drought year on Sunday, signing the recommendations of a joint committee on the subject administered by the Finance Ministry, the Tax Authority and the Agriculture Ministry. The declaration applies to all of the Negev, as well as some isolated areas in the country's North and South, according to the Tax Authority. The decision was made after evaluating most impacted agricultural regions of the country, by measuring the quantity and quality of crops as well as estimated losses incurred by farmers, the Tax Authority said. Farmers particularly affected include those who grow wheat, barley, clover, peas, vetch (ful), chickpeas, safflower (canola) and oats. http://www.jpost.com/Breaking-News/Finance-Minister-declares-drought- year-355037

Rains, floods wreak havoc in Sri Lanka

Torrential rains continued to lash most parts of Sri Lanka Monday causing floods and submerging roads in low-lying areas. The Disaster Management Centre said that several low lying areas in the country are inundated due to the heavy rainfall and Kalutara district is the most affected with flash floods due to overflow of Uyanwattha Weva. Low-lying areas in the Agalawatta, Welipanna, Matugama, Paalinda Nuwara and Omatta Divisions of Kalutara district are affected by floods. Local media reports said 9 people have been killed and another two are missing due to earth slips in the areas of Matugama, Kithulgoda and Thalangama. http://www.colombopage.com/archive_14A/Jun02_1401688236CH.php

Six dead, thousands left homeless by Siberia floods

Six people have died in southern Siberia and thousands more have been evacuated after torrential rain led to major floods. A state of emergency has been declared in the areas worst hit, the government said in a statement Saturday. "Nearly 4,000 homes have been flooded by rivers swollen by heavy rains, and around 7,600 people have been displaced," said the statement, from Russia's emergencies ministry. A separate statement from the ministry said six people had died in the floods, according to the Interfax news agency. http://www.spacedaily.com/reports/Six_dead_thousands_left_homeless_ by_Siberia_floods_999.html

China glaciers shrink 15 percent in warming: Xinhua

China's glaciers have shrunk by thousands of square kilometres over the past 30 years as a result of climate change, state-run media reported Wednesday. The Qinghai-Tibet plateau in western China has seen its glaciers shrink by 15 percent, or 8,000 square kilometres (3,089 square miles), the official Xinhua news agency cited the Chinese Academy of Sciences (CAS) as saying. Glacier melt in the region, which includes the Chinese portion of the Himalayas, has accelerated since the 1990s, the report cited researchers as saying, the latest sign of the impact of climate change in the region. https://sg.news.yahoo.com/china-glaciers-shrink-15-percent-warming- xinhua-111722138.html

Earth Will Cross The Climate Danger Threshold By 2036

"Temperatures have been flat for 15 years—nobody can properly explain it," the Wall Street Journal says. "Global warming 'pause' may last for 20 more years, and Arctic sea ice has already started to recover," the Daily Mail says. Such reassuring claims about climate abound in the popular media, but they are misleading at best. Global warming continues unabated, and it remains an urgent problem.

See also

Caribbean Forced to Choose Between Climate Change Impact and MDGs

Climate change is forcing the nine-member Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States (OECS) to choose between expending scarce resources to deal with its impact or other pressing development goals. “There is a very thin line between consumption and conservation…progress and protection,” Grenada’s Environment Minister Roland Bhola told IPS. He explained that countries still have to fulfil the United Nations Millennium Development Goals (MDGs), which include reducing poverty and hunger, while dealing with the impacts of climate change. http://www.ipsnews.net/2014/05/caribbean-forced-choose-climate- change-impact-mdgs/

Climate change in Pakistan: innovation in the absence of government support

There is nothing left here. We don't have electricity, we don't have gas, we have an acute shortage of water, so what is left for us?" This is how a woman in Lahore, Pakistan, expressed her frustration to researchers for Climate Asia, the largest study in Asia on people's perceptions of changes in climate. Pakistan stood out from the other countries included in the study – India, Nepal, Bangladesh, Indonesia, Vietnam and China – because of this strong sense of despair. It was the only country of all seven in which more people thought life had become worse in the past five years, both in rural areas and big cities. http://www.theguardian.com/global-development-professionals- network/2014/may/21/pakistan-climate-change-asia

Britain faces malaria risk as climate change sees mosquitoes thriving in garden water buttsBritain faces an increased threat from “tropical” diseases like malaria and West Nile virus – because of the increasing popularity of garden water butts.

http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/britain-faces- malaria-risk-as-climate-change-sees-mosquitoes-thriving-in-garden-water- butts-9413402.html

Rare sight: Colorado River reaches Gulf of California

For the first time in 16 years, freshwater from the Colorado River has flowed into the salty waters of the Gulf of California. On Thursday, May 15, a high tide surged past a stubborn sandbar and connected the river with the Sea of Cortez, said Francisco Zamora, director of the Colorado River Delta Legacy Program for the Sonoran Institute. Because of water use upstream, little flow from the 1,450-mile Colorado River [2,330 kilometers] has reached the sea in 50 years. http://www.mnn.com/earth-matters/wilderness-resources/stories/rare- sight-colorado-river-reaches-gulf-of-california

Recovery From Balkan Floods Will Cost Billions

Although there's no official total for flood damages, the Raiffeisen Investment Group said in a note to investors that preliminary estimates are nearly 1.3 billion euros ($1.8 billion) for Bosnia alone. Bosnian President Bakir Izetbegovic said the damage bill would reach the billions. In neighboring Serbia, Prime Minister Aleksandar Vucic said damages could reach 1.5 billion euros ($2 billion). Both countries already have opened negotiations with the European Union to support reconstruction efforts. Separately, Bosnia's Serb region has opened talks with its ally Russia. The flooding affected 40 percent of Bosnia, Foreign Minister Zlatko Lagumdzija said. It wrecked the main agriculture industry in the northern flatlands, wiping out infrastructure, farms, buildings and homes. One quarter of the country's 4 million people have been affected by the six days of floods and 2,100 landslides. http://abcnews.go.com/International/wireStory/recovery-balkans-floods- billions-23807187 http://www.news24.com/World/News/Balkans-floods-will-cost-billions- 20140521 http://inserbia.info/today/2014/05/floods-in-serbia-recovery-plan-incoming-days-weeks/

Rain! Storm Heads for Southern Plains, Won’t End Drought

Drought-weary residents of the Southern Plains, do meteorologists ever have a welcome forecast for you: Rain. And potentially lots of it. A large, low-pressure system cut off from the jet stream has formed over the Southwest and looks to bring several inches of rain to the Southern Plains. It will slowly trundle across the region over the next few days, pulling up juicy, moisture-laden air from over the Gulf of Mexico. Included in the areas that could see rain are the Texas Panhandle and western Oklahoma, two areas that have been in a drought for several years and are currently in extreme and exceptional drought, the highest ratings issued by the U.S. Drought Monitor. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/storm-rains-southern-plains-drought

3 African Regions At High Risk From Climate Change

We know that the effects of climate change are going to be felt unequally around the world. How useful it would be to know where the greatest risks will occur. Now, for what they say is the first time, scientists in Germany have identified three African regions which they think should prepare for multiple problems in about 20 years’ time. They are in north-east Africa, central Africa and the south-east of the continent. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/climate-hotspots-imperil-parts-of- africa-17417

Climate risk management capacity vital - TMA

The Director General of Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) Dr. Agnes Kijazi has said that the prevalence of malaria was caused by weather shifts tied to climatic changes. Talking to a national stakeholders consultative conference on Wednesday in Dar es Salaam, she said that the malaria threat will be eradicated if development programmes are well designed with national and local actors playing a key role in the planning and implementation of climate risk management. The TMA was making a presentation on the conference theme, for a global framework of a climate services adaptation programme in Africa. http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=67742

Insurers must adapt to climate change

A Lloyd's report is calling for the industry to consider new catastrophe modelling after the harsh lessons of Hurricane Katrina and Superstorm Sandy There is no doubt the climate is changing. Each of the past three decades has been warmer than the previous one, and the vast majority of scientific evidence points to this being caused by mankind's reliance on carbon-based fossil fuels. While understanding weather patterns and the risks associated with major weather events has always been critical to the insurance industry, climate change has recently brought the need for better modelling of future weather into sharp focus. According to the World Bank, weather-related losses and damage have risen from an annual average of about $50bn in the 1980s to close to $200bn. Lloyd's knows this all too well, the damage wrought on the US by the hurricanes Katrina, Rita and Wilma in 2005 and Superstorm Sandy in 2012 to name but a few all brought significant claims to the insurance market. http://www.theguardian.com/commentisfree/2014/may/11/insurers- climate-change-lloyds-catastrophe-modelling-hurricane-katrina- superstorm-sandy

Myanmar storm warnings get better

Six years after Cyclone Nargis devastated large parts of southern Myanmar, experts say the country is making progress in improving its storm early warning system. “Learning from the bitter experience of Cyclone Nargis, the government and the communities have become [better] prepared for a disaster, especially a cyclone for which extreme weather forecasts or early warning can be provided,” Toily Kurbanov, country director of UN Development Programme (UNDP), told IRIN. According to the government, more than 2 million people were affected by the category-4 storm (category 5 is the worst), which swept across Myanmar’s low-lying Ayeyarwady Delta and parts of Yangon Division on 2 and 3 May 2008, killing close to 140,000 and destroying or damaging more than 700,000 homes. Myanmar’s meteorology department started to send out warnings six days before the storm struck, based on information from the World Meteorological Organization. However, many residents were taken completely by surprise as authorities lacked radar to predict the high tidal waves that resulted in most of the fatalities. -

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El Nino-drought link still unclear, says water expert

Weather experts have said there is a “strong possibility” of the emergence of ‘El Nino,’ impacting this year’s monsoon in India. ‘El Nino’ is a phenomenon in which the warmer ocean currents along the Pacific coast of South America, above normal, divert the flow of moist winds from the Indian Ocean, reducing rainfall in the Indian sub-continent. However, the precise correlation between ‘El Nino’ and droughts is still unclear, says water resources expert P.M. Natarajan, Member of the Working Group of the Tamil Nadu Planning Commission, and Senate Member of Bharathidasan University. http://www.thehindu.com/news/national/tamil-nadu/el-ninodrought-link- still-unclear-says-water-expert/article6000659.ece

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Scientists find link between Southern Ocean winds and drying Australia

Researchers have established a new explanation for why southern Australia has dried out over the past few decades - and it is all to do with Antarctica. A painstaking reconstruction of the past 1,000 years of Southern Ocean winds has found they are strengthening and moving closer to Antarctica. The report in the journal Nature Climate Change has found the winds keep Antarctica cool and effectively pull storm clouds away from Australia. https://au.news.yahoo.com/a/23435194/scientists-find-link-between- southern-ocean-winds-and-drying-australia/?source=wan

Scientists create global inventory of glaciers. Yes, all 198,000 of them

Glaciers are often regarded as the immediate indicators of climate change. With the recent completion of an extensive inventory of the world's glaciers, scientists may now be able to uncover with precision the impacts of climate change on sea level rise. In fact, it could even provide glaciologists accurate information on each and every glacier on the list, with its comprehensive digital vector outlines offering a glacier's total extent and volume measured up to the last inch. Thanks to a group of geologists from the University of Colorado Boulder and Trent University, plus the 74 scientists from 18 countries and a community of glaciologists, the Randolph Glacier Inventory (RGI) now holds a total record of approximately 727,000 square kilometers glaciers, which is estimated to be the same size of Switzerland, Germany and Poland combined. http://www.techtimes.com/articles/6768/20140511/scientists-create- global-inventory-of-glaciers-yes-all-198000-of-them.htm

Natural Hazards

Floods disrupt travel across China

At least two people have died after torrential downpours hit southern China. Over 54,000 residents had to be evacuated from their homes after the floods caused widespread flooding according to China's official Xinhua News Agency. The heavy rains started to batter Hunan last Thursday. According to officials, there was major disruption to traffic, power, telecommunications as water levels rose in major rivers and reservoirs. One villager in Jinwutang Township was killed in a landslide. Another person died in the neighbouring Guangxi Zhuang Autonomous Region where 128,600 have also been affected. http://www.aljazeera.com/weather/2014/05/floods-disrupt-travel-across- china-20145129624656425.html http://english.cri.cn/6909/2014/05/12/195s825965.htm

Severe weather whips the central United States

Tornado-spawning storms that tore through parts of Missouri, Kansas and Nebraska over the weekend will move across the central United States on Monday. The National Weather Service said severe weather and flooding will be possible from the central Plains to the Great Lakes region. Colder air will continue to bring heavy snow across portions of the Rockies. On Monday, there's a 50-60% chance of thunderstorms in Omaha, Nebraska, and Kansas City, Missouri, the weather service said. Clear weather is forecast for Tuesday. http://edition.cnn.com/2014/05/12/us/severe-weather/ http://www.nbcnews.com/storyline/deadly-tornado-outbreak/tornadoes- threaten-5-states-snowplows-deployed-denver-n102811

Weather Service: Damage may top $100 million

Hundreds of homes and businesses in southwestern Indiana were still without power Sunday following a powerful storm that caused more than $100 million in damage according to a National Weather Service estimate. Vectren Energy Delivery estimated nearly 1,700 of its electric customers had no power Sunday afternoon, two days after the storm — deemed a macroburst — brought wind speeds of up to 120 mph. Friday's storm damaged 100 structures, with dozens destroyed, and snapped or blew over hundreds of power poles, the weather service said. Damage to one farm was estimated at more than $2 million.

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The Year Climate Change Closed Everest

The deadly avalanche on Everest earlier this month wasn't technically an avalanche. It was an "ice release"—a collapse of a glacial mass known as a serac. Rather than getting swept up by a rush of powdery snow across a slope, the victims fell under the blunt force of house-sized ice blocks tumbling through the Khumbu Icefall, an unavoidable obstacle on the most popular route up Everest. The worst accident in the mountain's history has effectively ended the 2014 climbing season. And some see global warming as the key culprit. http://www.theatlantic.com/international/archive/2014/04/the-year- climate-change-closed-everest/361114/

U.N. Climate change report flooded by interference from governments, reveals expert

One of the top American authorities on climate change has revealed that the latest UN climate change report was marred by interference from various governments before it was released. The climate expert dropped the bombshell involving clandestine night- time meetings and forced revisions. Robert Stavins, a professor from Harvard and one of the country's leading experts on climate change has come forward with claims that representatives from the top countries and regions around the world took a more heavy handed approach to the lately published Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPPC) report. Stavins said that the representatives forced his team to make revisions to the report during a late-night meeting half a month ago. Stavins and the other Co-Coordinating Lead Authors (CLA) of the report were present during the meeting in Berlin. http://www.techtimes.com/articles/6195/20140428/u-n-climate-change- report-flooded-by-interference-from-governments-reveals-expert.htm

Hopeful signs ahead of 2015’s big climate change meeting

What must not happen when world leaders meet in Paris, at the 2015 UN Conference on Climate Change, is a repeat of what has gone before. In 2001, the US, then the world’s largest polluter, failed to ratify the legally binding emissions targets laid out years earlier in the Kyoto Protocol – all but invalidating the agreement. Move to 2009 and the Copenhagen climate summit collapsed in disarray, while in Warsaw last year, China and a bloc of 132 countries simply walked out. In all cases, failure was in large part determined by a lack of co-operation between richer and poorer countries. So it is a cause for celebration that America and China are engaging in ambitious talks aimed at smoothing over differences before the Paris conference begins http://www.independent.co.uk/voices/editorials/hopeful-signs-ahead-of- 2015s-big-climate-change-meeting-9297566.html

Extremes in wet, dry spells increasing for South Asian monsoons, scholars say

Stanford scientists have identified significant changes in the patterns of extreme wet and dry events that are increasing the risk of drought and flood in central India, one of the most densely populated regions on Earth. The discoveries, detailed in the April 28 issue of the journal Nature Climate Change, are the result of a new collaboration between climate scientists and statisticians that focused on utilizing statistical methods for analyzing rare geophysical events. These new approaches reveal that the intensity of extremely wet spells and the number of extremely dry spells during the South Asian monsoon season have both been increasing in recent decades. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/04/140428121210.htm

China, S.Korea and Japan's environment ministers discuss jointly response to air pollution

Environment ministers from China, South Korea and Japan on Tuesday discussed jointly response to common environmental challenges in Northeast Asia, stressing further strengthening of joint efforts to prevent and control air pollution. The 16th Tripartite Environment Ministers Meeting among China, South Korea and Japan (TEMM16) has been held in Daegu, a city southeast of South Korea from April 28 to 29. The meeting was attended by Chinese vice environment minister Li Ganjie, South Korean environment minister Yoon Seong-kyu and Japanese environment minister Ishihara Nobuteru. The three ministers adopted and signed on the Joint Communique at the meeting, reaffirming their willingness to enhance the tripartite collaboration regarding a wide range of environmental challenges including water pollution, marine litter, dust and sandstorms, chemicals risks, climate change, and biodiversity loss. http://english.peopledaily.com.cn/90777/8613075.html

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Weather bosses flooded with calls

They say that the British discuss the weather as a pastime. If things go according to plans, very soon you will be able to do that as well. And that, too, with the weather bosses of the city. After attending to hundreds of phone calls and trying to clarify doubts about last week's heat wave, the Kolkata office of the India Meteorological Department (IMD) has decided that a new link should be created on its website that would act as an interface with the public. You will not only get weather updates there, but also be able to clarify your doubts about any vagaries that you may have noticed. Comparisons with previous years on a particular weather statement will also be possible. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/kolkata/Weather-bosses-flooded- with-calls/articleshow/34343490.cms

Drought fears prompt Colombia to reduce gas exports to Venezuela

Colombia will reduce gas exports to Venezuela to ensure it has enough fuel to run its power plants, the energy minister said on Monday, with the threat that dry weather from an imminent El Nino weather anomaly could cut hydroelectric generation. Colombia currently exports around 150 million cubic feet of gas, just over a tenth of average national output, from its Ballenas field, operated by U.S. oil producer Chevron Corp and Ecopetrol, to the western side of neighboring Venezuela. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/04/28/colombia-gas-venezuela- idINL2N0NK1S020140428

JPSS Satellites Will Gather Climate Measurements After All

Climate measurements stripped out of the budget for the Joint Polar Satellite System (JPSS) program in 2014 will be gathered by JPSS satellites after all, according to the plan put together by NASA, the new bill-payer for climate research formerly funded by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. JPSS-1 is set to launch in 2017. It will carry five instruments, including two that will make the sort of climate measurements that Congress, at the White House’s request, gave NASA responsibility for as part of the $1.1 trillion Consolidated Appropriations Act for 2014 (H.R. 3547), signed in January to fund federal spending through September. NOAA operates U.S. civilian weather satellites, but pays NASA to oversee spacecraft design and development. http://www.spacenews.com/article/civil-space/40365jpss-satellites-will- gather-climate-measurements-after-all

75 million Americans under threat of severe weather

The scope is staggering. Some 75 million Americans are under threat of severe weather on Tuesday. People from the Great Lakes to the Gulf Coast, and from the Midwest to the East Coast, are advised to keep their eyes to the sky and their ears to the radio. That's a third of the country. The greatest risk will again be in the Deep South, with Mississippi and Alabama in the bull's eye for the worst of the storms. http://edition.cnn.com/2014/04/29/us/severe-weather/ http://www.accuweather.com/en/weather-blogs/meteomadness/three- days-of-severe-weather-including-more-tornadoes/26242170

Will Global Warming Produce More Tornadoes?

After a remarkably quiet start, the U.S. tornado season exploded into action over the weekend, as a battery of tornadoes in Arkansas, Iowa, and Oklahoma killed 16 people. The Arkansas towns of Mayflower and Vilona were particularly devastated. Based on preliminary assessments, some of the twisters may have reached EF-3 or stronger on the Enhanced Fujita scale, meaning that they had wind gusts of more than 136 miles per hour. It all amounts to quite the burst of weather whiplash. Just days ago, after all, USA Today could be found calling 2014 the "safest start to tornado season in a century." April 2014 was certainly looking nothing like April 2011, which featured a staggering 753 tornadoes in the United States, a new all-time record. So what's up with this sharp variation in the behavior of tornadoes, these extraordinarily powerful storms that afflict the U.S. more than any other part of the world? And could global warming have something to do with the matter? http://www.theatlanticcities.com/technology/2014/04/will-global- warming-produce-more-tornadoes/8988/

See also http://www.natureworldnews.com/articles/6794/20140428/nasa- releases-satellite-data-of-killer-storm-system-video.htm

Tens of thousands of Afghans displaced after deadly floods

Flash floods in northern Afghanistan have killed more than 120 people and forced tens of thousands from their homes, aid agencies and the United Nations said on Monday. Triggered by several days of heavy rainfall, the floods have washed away houses and roads and destroyed crops in parts of six provinces - Jawzjan, Faryab, Sar-e-Pul, Balkh, Samangan and Takhar. http://in.reuters.com/article/2014/04/28/afghanistan-flood- idINKBN0DE18Z20140428

Climate change report: reactions to the final instalment of the IPCC analysis

The final instalment in the trilogy of climate change reports from the IPCC is released today. And there's some good news: the world can afford to transition to clean energy and climate change can be averted without sacrificing our living standards. Here are the key points from the report: • The cheapest and best way to avoid catastrophic climate change is to abandon fossil fuels over the next 10 years. Clean energy would have to treble in output by 2050. • Fracking could be an important intermediary measure as the energy mix moves to become cleaner, but only if coal is abandoned. • Fears that cutting carbon would destroy the economy were dismissed. The report calculated that moving from fossil fuels to renewables would reduce expected annual economic growth rates by 0.06%. We've collected reactions from thought leaders and experts here. http://www.theguardian.com/sustainable- business/blog/2014/apr/14/climate-change-report-reactions-to-the-final- instalment-of-the-ipcc-analysis

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City growth by almost 2 Manhattans a day said key to climate-UN

The world's urban areas are set to grow by almost twice the size of Manhattan a day until 2030 and the design of future cities in Asia and Africa will be crucial to slow global warming, a U.N. study showed on Monday. The breakneck expansion means billion- dollar opportunities for companies, ranging from greener construction of homes and offices to improved rail and bus networks, according to a report by the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). "There is a window of opportunity" to enlist urban design to slow global warming, said Karen Seto, a professor at Yale University who co-led a chapter about city planning in a 2,000-page IPCC report about slowing climate change. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/14/idUSL6N0N623X20140414

FAO warns agriculture greenhouse emissions have doubled in 50 years

From farming to forestry and fisheries, agriculture greenhouse emissions have nearly doubled over the past 50 years and may increase by another 30% by 2050, according to new estimates from the UN Food and Agricultural Organization (FAO). http://en.mercopress.com/2014/04/14/fao-warns-agriculture- greenhouse-emissions-have-doubled-in-50-years

Fires could turn Amazon rainforest into a desert as human activity and climate change threaten ‘lungs of the world', says study

The Amazon rainforest is becoming increasingly vulnerable to catastrophic forest fires due to a combination of droughts, climate change and human activities such as deforestation, farming and habitat fragmentation, a major study has concluded. http://www.allvoices.com/news/16883215-fires-could-turn-amazon- rainforest-into-a-desert-as-human-activity-and-climate-change-threaten- lungs-of-the-world-says-study

March Was 4th Warmest on Record Globally

March 2014 was the fourth-warmest March on record globally, according to recently released NASA data, making it the 349th month — more than 29 years — in which global temperatures were above the historic average. The amounts that temperatures around the world differed from the historic average. The planet’s average March temperature was 57.9°F — 0.7°C (or 1.2°F) above the average temperature from 1951-1980 — behind only the March of 2002, 2010 and 1990, in that order. Data is still coming in that could change the temperature deviation from this March, but likely only a few hundredths of a degree in either direction, said climate scientist Gavin Schmidt, director of NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies, which compiles the temperature data. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/march-was-fourth-warmest-on- record-globally-17304

La Réunion perd le record des précipitations en 48h

Ironie de l’histoire alors que le sud-est de notre île connaît des pluies diluviennes (lire en page 4), Un groupe d’experts de l’Organisation météorologique mondiale (OMM) a conclu que Cherrapunji en Inde dans l’État du Meghalaya, un plateau qui fait face aux plaines du Bangladesh, détenait à présent le record mondial de pluie sur 48 h, soit une hauteur de 2 493 mm enregistrée les 15 et 16 juin 1995. Le record mondial précédent sur 48 h était détenu jusqu’à présent par la Réunion. Entre le 8 et 10 avril 1958, il était tombé 2 467 mm à Aurère au cœur du cirque de Mafate. Notre île continue de détenir plusieurs records de pluviométrie : 1144 mm en 12h à Foc-Foc dans le massif du Piton de la Fournaise entre le 7 et le 8 janvier 1966 et 1 825 mm en 24 h lors du passage du cyclone Denise. Hyacinthe en janvier 1980 et Gamede en 2007 ont fait exploser les compteurs au Commerson toujours dans le massif du volcan. Notre île a inscrit à son palmarès les records entre 72h (3 929 mm) et 15 jours (6 083 mm). http://www.clicanoo.re/415641-la-reunion-perd-le-record-des- precipitations-en-48h.html

International climate research office to be established in Qingdao

A research office for Climate Variability and Predictability (CLIVAR), a core project of the World Climate Research Programme (WCRP), will be set up in the east China coastal city of Qingdao. The office will be established at the State Oceanic Administration (SOA), which signed the agreement with the WCRP on Friday, said Ma Deyi, director of the SOA's First Institute of Oceanography, on Monday. The office will support the project's Scientific Steering Group and cooperate with the WCRP to implement the project objectives and facilitate the development of scientific, educational and outreach activities through climate community engagement, Ma said. The office will also help Chinese scientists take part in international ocean and climate change research and promote scientific research and technologies for climatological observation and prediction in China. http://english.cqnews.net/html/2014-04/15/content_30475662.htm

Beijing Enterprises Water : Seawater to supply Beijing in 2019

Desalinated seawater will supply a third of Beijingers' domestic tap water starting 2019, a city water company announced on Monday.A million tons of water should fulfill one-third of the daily needs of Beijing residents, said Wang Xiaoshui, desalination department director at Beijing Enterprises Water Group. http://www.4-traders.com/BEIJING-ENTERPRISES-WATER- 6165844/news/Beijing-Enterprises-Water--Seawater-to-supply-Beijing-in- 2019-18270783/

Asian air pollution strengthens Pacific storms

Air pollution in China and other Asian countries is having far-reaching impacts on weather patterns across the Northern Hemisphere, a study suggests. Researchers have found that pollutants are strengthening storms above the Pacific Ocean, which feeds into weather systems in other parts of the world. The effect was most pronounced during the winter. The study is published in the Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences (PNAS). Lead author Yuan Wang, from the Jet Propulsion Laboratory at the California Institute of Technology, said: "The effects are quite dramatic. The pollution results in thicker and taller clouds and heavier precipitation." http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-27027876

Climate Change: African Government Representatives Gather To Focus On Adaptation

African government representatives from at least 30 least developed African countries are to meet in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia to consider National Adaptation Plan (NAP) requirements, which aim to address the long–term climate change challenges for Africa. A meeting of 15 English-speaking African LDCs will be held from this week and will be followed closely by a meeting of 19 French-speaking African LDCs from next week at the United Nations Conference Centre (UNCC) in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. “Climate change is likely to increase development challenges among least developed countries (LDCs) particularly in Africa and undercut the gains already made in these countries. The economic and social costs are likely to be substantial in many critical areas – such as food security, livelihoods, health, access to safe water and infrastructure,” said Ato Kare Chawicha, State Minister of Environment Sector, Ministry of Environment and Forests, Government of Ethiopia. http://www.africasciencenews.org/en/index.php?option=com_content&vie w=article&id=1163:climate-change-african-government-representatives- gather-to-focus-on-adaptation&catid=52:environment&Itemid=115

Economic cost of weather catastrophes under-appreciated: TD report

A report from a major Canadian bank says the way we measure economic growth masks the cost of severe weather events and the need for major new infrastructure spending. TD Economics says natural catastrophes could cost Canadians $5 billion per year by 2020 as more frequent severe weather combines with an increasingly urban population. The federal government has been working on a national mitigation strategy for natural disasters for more than five years, but funding has been slow to materialize. Craig Alexander, TD Bank Group's chief economist, says there is an existing infrastructure deficit in Canada that is being made worse by severe weather, population growth and socio-economic changes. report-1.1775466#ixzz2yxvgM5We" rel="external" class="contenido_liga" >Read more:

Viral diseases to surge in coming years due to climate change, report says

US scientists have warned India of increased incidence of infectious and vector-borne diseases in coming years due to climate change. According to a report on climate change and infectious diseases in India authored by top scientists from Environment Safety and Health Compliance Office of Centers for Disease Control and Prevention and Climate and Health Program, National Centre for Environmental Health, cases of diseases like dengue and chikungunya are all set to go up. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/india/Viral-diseases-to-surge-incoming-years-due-to-climate-change-report- says/articleshow/33756143.cms

Northwest expecting strong water supplies, while South looking at low supplies, USDA says

Several Northwestern states are expected to have near normal of above normal water supplies, while far less than normal streamflow is expected in some southern portions of the nation, according to report released April 14 by the Agriculture Department. USDA's National Water and Climate Center (NWCC) found in its April water supply forecast that March storms increased snowpack in the northern half of the West but did not provide much relief for the dry southern half. http://www.agri-pulse.com/Northwest-expecting-strong-water-supplies- while-South-looking-at-low-supplies-USDA-says-04142014.asp

Casanare drought raises Colombia climate fears

The rotting corpses of dead cows and wild capybaras line the road that leads from Paz de Ariporo to Hato Las Taparas in the Colombian province of Casanare. At least 20,000 animals, including wild pigs, deer, small crocodiles and tortoises have died of thirst during a catastrophic dry season in this central region. And many fear this year's drought is only heralding a future of increasingly harsh summers and even more severe water shortages in Colombia's plains. Dry as bone "Here we have two very distinct seasons: a dry season and a rainy season," explains Angely Rodriguez who overseas agricultural and environmental affairs in Paz de Ariporo. "In a couple of months, it will be raining so much, all this will be like a mirror, completely flooded." But that will be of little consolation to farmers whose livestock has been decimated. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-27020209

At least 15 dead, 500 injured in Chile port city fires

Helicopters and airplanes dumped water on wildfires and the smoldering wreckage of hilltop neighborhoods around Valparaiso for a third straight day Monday as sailors in riot gear stood ready to evacuate 700 more families whose homes could be lost if the winds shifted. Already 11,000 people were homeless as wildfires sent burning embers flying from hilltop to hilltop. A 15th body was found, and the toll of destroyed homes rose to more than 2,500. As smoke rose from smoldering ruins all over the picturesque coastal city, many compared the scene to Dante's inferno. http://www.foxnews.com/world/2014/04/15/at-least-15-dead-500- injured-in-chile-port-city-fires/

Step up action to curb global warming, or risks rise - UN

A United Nations report said on Sunday that governments must act faster to keep global warming in check and delays until 2030 could force them to use little-tested technologies to extract greenhouse gases from the air. The study, drawing on work by more than 1,000 experts, said a radical shift from fossil fuels to low-carbon energy such as wind, solar or nuclear power would shave only about 0.06 of a percentage point a year off world economic growth. "It does not cost the world to save the planet," Ottmar Edenhofer, a German scientist who is co-chair of a meeting of the U.N.'s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), told a news conference in Berlin. http://www.reuters.com/article/2014/04/13/climatechange-un- idUSL2N0N507Y20140413

See also: http://www.nytimes.com/2014/04/14/science/earth/un-climate-panel- warns-speedier-action-is-needed-to-avert-disaster.html?_r=1 http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/13/averting- climate-change-catastrophe-is-affordable-says-ipcc-report-un http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/un-calls-for- drastic-action-to-stop-climate-change-20140413-36lbc.html http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/12/ipcc-report- world-must-switch-clean-sources-energy

Half of the world's population now lives in cities - a proportion that's set to rise to two-thirds by 2050. Yet cities are vulnerable to the worst impacts of climate change precisely because their locations are fixed. As the UN's climate panel meets in Berlin, how are urban centres coping with the test? The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) re- emphasises the vital role cities can play in cutting greenhouse gas emissions. This should come as no surprise, since urban centres are responsible for three quarters of global energy consumption and for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions. "In a sense, they are the carbon criminals of this world, but they also provide us with really good opportunities," says Prof Tim Dixon from the University of Reading, UK.

Half of the world's population now lives in cities - a proportion that's set to rise to two- thirds by 2050. Yet cities are vulnerable to the worst impacts of climate change precisely because their locations are fixed. As the UN's climate panel meets in Berlin, how are urban centres coping with the test? The latest report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) re-emphasises the vital role cities can play in cutting greenhouse gas emissions. This should come as no surprise, since urban centres are responsible for three quarters of global energy consumption and for 80% of greenhouse gas emissions. "In a sense, they are the carbon criminals of this world, but they also provide us with really good opportunities," says Prof Tim Dixon from the University of Reading, UK. http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-26922654 http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-26980837

Réchauffement : une révolution économique est nécessaire

Le temps est écoulé : si les Etats accordent encore quelque importance à l'objectif de limiter la hausse moyenne des températures mondiales à 2°C d'ici la fin du siècle, ils doivent agir dès maintenant en déployant des politiques d'une envergure sans commune mesure avec les initiatives prises jusqu'à présent. Tel est l'un des principaux messages du nouveau rapport sur « l'atténuation du changement climatique » du Groupe d'experts intergouvernemental sur l'évolution du climat (GIEC), dont la synthèse a été publiée, dimanche 13 avril à Berlin http://www.lemonde.fr/planete/article/2014/04/13/une-revolution- economique-est-necessaire-pour-limiter-le- rechauffement_4400450_3244.html

See also: CanalPlus TV Feature of Weather Broadcasters workshop

Ban Ki-moon appelle aux actions rapides et audacieuses concernant le changement climatique

Le secrétaire général de l'ONU, Ban Ki-moon s'est félicité dimanche d'un rapport présenté par le panel des Nations Unies sur le changement climatique et a invité tous les pays du monde à agir de façon rapide et audacieuse. "Le secrétaire général demande à tous les pays d'agir rapidement et audacieusement sur le changement climatique, de venir avec des déclarations et actions aubitieuses au Sommet sur le climat (à New York) le 23 septembre 2014 et de déployer tous les efforts nécessaires en vue de parvenir à un accord global, ambitieux et juridique sur le climat en 2015", indique un communiqué publié au siège de l'ONU par son porte-parole. http://french.beijingreview.com.cn/enen/txt/2014- 04/14/content_613469.htm

Hurricanes Ingrid and Manuel Retired From List of Hurricane Names

Two hurricane names from the 2013 season have been retired and will no longer be used in future hurricane seasons. The announcement from the hurricane committee of the World Meteorological Organization says that Ingrid has been retired from the list of names used for the Atlantic during the 2013 season. The name will be replaced by Imelda when the list is reused in 2019. In the eastern Pacific, Manuel will be replaced by Mario when that list of names is used again in 2019. http://www.weather.com/news/weather-hurricanes/hurricane-manuel- hurricane-ingrid-names-retired-20140410

Commerce Secretary Calls Risk of Weather Satellite Gap ‘Too High

The U.S. commerce secretary says current weather satellite development programs are on track but nonetheless she continues to worry about a future gap in coverage. In hearings before House and Senate panels April 9 and April 10, respectively, Commerce Secretary Penny Pritzker repeatedly said the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration’s weather satellite programs were “on schedule and on budget.” NOAA, which manages and procures U.S. civil weather satellite systems, is part of the Commerce Department. The agency operates geostationary-orbiting satellites for continental coverage and a polar-orbiting craft for global coverage. Budget difficulties and delays to the systems currently under development have led to concerns about gaps in coverage, primarily from polar orbit. http://www.spacenews.com/article/civil-space/40185commerce-secretary- calls-risk-of-weather-satellite-gap-‘

Airbus to Build Critical European Weather Satellites

The competition to build Europe's next generation of polar-orbiting weather satellites has been won by Airbus at the latest meeting of the European Space Agency's (Esa) Industrial Policy Committee (IPC). A contract valued in the hundreds of millions of euros will be signed by Esa and Airbus in due course. The existing Metop series, as it is known, has a profound impact on the quality of weather forecasting. The satellites' sensors gather profiles of atmospheric conditions, layer by layer. Studies comparing all the different types of meteorological observations (including surface weather stations, balloons and aeroplanes, etc) have found Metop data to have the biggest single contribution to the accuracy of the 24-hour look ahead, at around 25% http://di-ve.com/business-technology/airbus-build-critical-european- weather-satellites

10 people die as heavy rains hit Dar

At least 10 people, five of them children, died and many more could be trapped in floodwaters following heavy rains in Dar es Salaam. Homes have been swept away by raging waters that have also wreaked havoc in many parts of the country. http://www.thecitizen.co.tz/News/10-people-die-as-heavy-rains-hit-Dar/- /1840392/2277832/-/4yj91g/-/index.html http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=66815

Farmers count the cost of cyclone Ita

As cyclone Ita finally runs out of steam after wreaking havoc along Queensland's coast, farmers are emerging as her biggest victim. The preliminary damage bill has been estimated at $1bn since the category four storm hit the Queensland coast near Cooktown in far north Queensland on Friday. It then hugged almost 1,000km of coastline and unleashed heavy winds, dumping torrential rain as far south as Mackay. The Bureau of Meteorology on Monday afternoon downgraded Ita from a category one system to a tropical low predicted to head further out to sea. While there was no loss of life or serious injury, cyclone Ita has flattened canefields, ruined banana crops, cut the state's main highway and left a mammoth cleanup task in her wake. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/14/farmers-count-the- cost-of-cyclone-ita

California drought: El Niño could bring big storms next winter, new report says

Raising hopes that California's severe drought could end with a series of soaking storms next winter, federal scientists on Thursday announced there is now a 2-in-3 chance of an El Niño climate pattern developing in the Pacific Ocean by the end of this year. "We're seeing a pretty strong tilt toward El Niño," said Michelle L'Heureux, a meteorologist with the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's Climate Prediction Center in College Park, Md. But what could end one extreme could begin another: Researchers are particularly intrigued by an enormous mass of warm water flowing through the Pacific that has been linked to heavy winter downpours and flooding in the past. http://www.mercurynews.com/science/ci_25539219/california-drought-el- ni-241-o-could-bring

Retiran Ingrid y Manuel de lista para ciclones, anuncia CONAGUA

A solicitud del gobierno mexicano, la Organización Meteorológica Mundial retiró a "Ingrid” y “Manuel" de las listas de nombres para ciclones tropicales, A solicitud del gobierno mexicano, la Organización Meteorológica Mundial retiró a "Ingrid” y “Manuel" de las listas de nombres para ciclones tropicales, anunció el director de la Comisión Nacional del Agua (Conagua), David Korenfeld. A través de la red social Twitter, el funcionario explicó que el organismo internacional elabora un listado de nombres para las tormentas tropicales y huracanes, con el objetivo de identificar fácilmente, sobre todo en casos de emergencia. “En la 36ª reunión de Comité de Huracanes (AR IV) de la @WMOnews, se aprobó por unanimidad el retiro de los nombres #Ingrid y #Manuel”, tuiteó. De esta forma la Organización Meteorológica Mundial (OMMM o WMO, por sus siglas en inglés) ha determinado que los nombres“Imelda” y “Mario” serán usados para la temporada de huracanes 2019, en lugar de Ingrid y Manuel, escribió en su cuenta ?@David_Korenfeld. http://elcomentario.ucol.mx/Noticia.php?id=1397199822

US defence meteorological satellite launched from California

Vandenberg Air Force Base, California – A Defense Meteorological Satellite Program (DMSP) satellite built by Lockheed Martin was successfully launched April 3, 2014 at 7:46 a.m. from Vandenberg Air Force Base, Calif. atop an Atlas V rocket. Lockheed Martin confirmed signal acquisition shortly after launch. DMSP-19 is the fourth Block 5D-3 version to be launched, and Lockheed Martin has produced more than 40 satellites throughout the program’s 50-year history. Many of the satellites are performing beyond their design life, so adding on-orbit capability is important for reliable weather information.“Lockheed Martin and the Air Force have partnered on DMSP for more than 50 years, and it’s an effective team. The constellation is significantly outliving its design life,” said Sue Stretch, DMSP program director at Lockheed Martin. “This new satellite informs some of the most important decisions in the armed forces, from flight patterns to troop movements. Simply put, weather data is essential to both our military operations and civilian safety.". http://www.thecanadianpress.com/english/online/OnlineFullStory.aspx?fil ename=DOR-MNN- CP.745f6513573a41d99c924c2db808f2bf.CPKEY2008111300&newsitemid=2 7848451&languageid=1

Europe’s Just-launched Sentinel-1A Dodges Dead Space Weather Satellite

Europe’s just-launched Sentinel-1A satellite was obliged to perform a collision- avoidance maneuver some 34 hours after separation from its carrier rocket April 3 to prevent a collision with a dead U.S. satellite, according to the European Space Agency. The decision to maneuver Sentinel-1A was made following the usual procedure — the U.S. Strategic Command, which manages the U.S. Space Surveillance Network of ground- and space-based sensors, notified the European Space Agency’s European Space Operations Centre (ESOC) in Darmstadt, Germany, of the approach of NASA’s Active Cavity Radiometer Irradiance Monitor Satellite, or ACRIMSat. The environment- monitoring ACRIMSat was launched in December 1999 on a five-year mission and is now one of many satellites that are traversing low Earth orbit and are out of control. http://www.spacenews.com/article/civil-space/40164close-call- europe%E2%80%99s-just-launched-sentinel-1a-dodges-dead-space- weather

Climate change policy project launched

SEVERAL organizations and agencies, led by the World Wide Fund for Nature (WWF), yesterday announced a project to help the country make plans and policies to address climate change. WWF-Philippines -- in cooperation with the Energy department, Climate Change Commission and Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) -- yesterday announced “Building Momentum for Low Carbon Development,” to develop the country’s multi-sectoral low-carbon plans (LCPs) and build the expertise of key civil society organizations on climate change mitigation. “Achievable and affordable mitigation solutions will make it possible to support innovation and green economic growth to counter climate change, while providing benefits such as biodiversity conservation and better human living conditions,” WWF said in a statement. WWF-Philippines, together with its partner research institute, plans to develop LCPs for the Philippines up to 2050. http://www.irishtimes.com/news/environment/climate-change-deniers- lying-to-themselves-hayes-says-1.1757995

Climate change raises risk to food supplies

On a 370-acre site outside Lusaka in Zambia, farmers are shown how to clear land and prepare it for production using appropriate seeds and fertilisers to improve yields. An adjacent training centre offers classes in agronomy and demonstrations on how to handle and store grain to minimise waste. The Agco Future Farm and training centre is part of the company’s three-year $100m investment plan in Africa. Agco, the US farm equipment manufacturer, best known for its bright red Massey Ferguson tractors, will be investing in developing distribution, infrastructure and training sites in collaboration with partner companies of the World Economic Forum. The project is one of an escalating number of partnerships stemming from the WEF’s New Vision for Agriculture initiative. Multinational agriculture groups, including Syngenta, Monsanto and Cargill, in partnership with governments, international organisations and farmers’ organisations aim to develop sustainable methods and improve farming practices for Africa’s 80m smallholders. http://www.ft.com/intl/cms/s/0/fbcfbefc-a516-11e3-8988- 00144feab7de.html#axzz2yZ7fjKP5

Natural hazards

Drought in Brazil drives the price of coffee beans to a record high

The International Coffee Organisation warn consumers that the coffee crop could be affected for a number of years. Coffee bean prices have hit their highest level in more than two yearsamid fears that droughts in Brazil could lead to a global shortage of coffee. The price of arabica beans – the most popular variety – has risen by 20% this week and hit $2.07 (£1.23) per lb on Thursday, the highest since February 2012. So far this year, the price of arabica beans, originally indigenous to Ethiopia and favoured by Starbucks, Costa Coffee and Caffè Nero, has risen by 70%. The price was driven higher on Thursday by further dry weather forecasts for Brazil – the world's biggest producer, which has already experienced its worst droughts in decades. Analyst expect global demand to be around 146m bags this year, outstripping supply by more than 7m bags, and warned that prices could hit $3 per lb. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/apr/10/drought-brazil-coffee- beans-prices

Beijing dust storm expected to linger until Sunday

The dust storm that has enshrouded the Chinese capital since Wednesday night won't disperse until Sunday, the city's environmental watchdog said. Beijing was hit by another wave of floating dust and sand on Thursday, with the intensity of PM10 (particulate matter with a diameter smaller than 10 micrograms) reaching 595 micrograms per cubic meter in the southwestern part of the city, and 496 downtown. According to the Beijing Environmental Monitoring Center, the sandstorm originated in the northeastern part of the Inner Mongolia autonomous region and has lingered in Beijing due to the slow wind speed close to the ground. http://www.ecns.cn/2014/04-11/108960.shtml

IPCC climate change report key points - in 60 seconds

There is overwhelming evidence that humans are experiencing the effects of climate change, says a new report. Unless serious action is taken, this is likely to get worse, with growing risks of floods, food shortages, and threats to human health, warns the United Nation's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC), BBC News outlines the report's key points - in 60 seconds. http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-26819262

See also

Frame climate change as a food issue, experts say

As IPCC report warns of climate impact on food security, researchers are looking at whether talking about food could break political deadlock on global warming Reframing climate change as a food issue as the world's leading scientists did this week could provide an opportunity to mobilise people, experts say. Academics and campaigners were already looking at food as a way to better connect with public on climate change when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) released its finding on declining crop yields. The report warned: "All aspects of food security are potentially affected by climate change." It said negative impacts on yields would become more likely in the 2030s. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/apr/01/climate-change- food-issue-ipcc-report http://www.kansas.com/2014/04/01/3379038/climate-change-responses- to-shape.html

Time to separate weather resilience from climate change

The IPCC’s latest climate change report has made it clear that global temperature rises will be the cause of more extreme weather events around the world. Indeed, weather disasters increasingly provoke the question: “Was this event (directly) caused by anthropogenic climate change?” – as was the case with the flooding that struck the UK this winter. Although this question is scientifically interesting and important for long- term climate forecasting and measuring how humans are influencing the planet, the answers require many months of research. Answering the question of whether or not an extreme weather event is caused by climate change is also not necessarily helpful for preventing such disasters from happening again. Powerful and potentially damaging storms occurred before we evolved onto this planet, and such storms would still occur even if all emissions of greenhouse gases were stopped tomorrow. http://theconversation.com/time-to-separate-weather-resilience-from-climate- change-25058 http://theconversation.com/time-to-separate-weather-resilience-from- climate-change-25058

See also http://www.cbc.ca/news/technology/climate-change-4-countries-that-are- fighting-the-trend-1.2593219 http://www.washingtonpost.com/business/climate-change-responses-to- shape-asias-future/2014/04/01/f41db45e-b978-11e3-80de- 2ff8801f27af_story.html

1,000 sensors to monitor floods and noise in city Flood warning: Sensors will alert the council to water levels

MORE that 1,000 high-tech sensors linked to smartphone apps are set to warn council workers in the capital about pollution, flood alerts and high noise levels. Sensors made by tech giant Intel will be installed on public buildings and lampposts around Dublin in the project being run by the city council. As many as 1,200 of the devices are being rolled out in the plan focussed on "quality of life" issues that arise in the city. http://www.herald.ie/news/1000-sensors-to-monitor-floods-and-noise-in- city-flood-warning-sensors-will-alert-the-council-to-water-levels-inset- martin-curley-30145210.html

See also

Chile lifts tsunami warning after quake kills 6

Authorities lifted tsunami warnings for Chile’s long coastline early Wednesday after a magnitude-8.2 earthquake struck the South American nation’s northern coast. Six people were crushed to death or suffered fatal heart attacks, a remarkably low toll for such a powerful shift in the Earth’s crust.The extent of damage from Tuesday night’s quake couldn’t yet be fully assessed, President Michelle Bachelet said, but she wasn’t taking any chances. She declared a state of emergency in the region and sent a military plane with 100 anti-riot police to join 300 soldiers deployed to prevent looting and round up escaped prisoners. http://www.washingtonpost.com/world/the_americas/magnitude-80- quake-strikes-northern-chile/2014/04/01/6c2c9fc2-b9fc-11e3-80de- 2ff8801f27af_story.html

Weather Agency Warns Tsunami Could Reach Japan After Chile Quake

Japan's Meteorological Agency (JMA) said Wednesday that tsunami caused by strong quake off Chile could reach Japanese coasts early Thursday morning, China's Xinhua news agency reported. The JMA said the first wave is expected to arrive at the Pacific coasts of Hokkaido, northeast Japan. The agency plans to announce the latest information late Wednesday based on observation data on the pacific islands and in other places. An 8.2-magnitude quake jolted off the northern coast of Chile at around 8.46 pm local time on Tuesday, the U.S. Geological Survey reported. In February 2010, an 8.8-magnitude earthquake hit central Chile and caused a tsunami that killed more than 500 people. http://www.bernama.com.my/bernama/v7/wn/newsworld.php?id=102712 9

Saharan dust lands in England as 'very high' levels of air pollution warned this week

Very high” levels of air pollution over the next few days are prompting health concerns for vulnerable and elderly people, as the dust from the Saharan desert and winds combined to create a potentially "toxic" storm. The advise from Public Health England (PHE), Asthma UK and the Department for Environment, Food and Rural Affairs (Defra) comes as the government warned large swathes of England and Wales will see high levels of pollution on Wednesday. http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/climate-change/england- braced-for-very-high-levels-of-air-pollution-this-week-9231449.html

Climate Scientists in Japan To Study Warming Risks

International climate scientists are gathering in Japan for a week-long meeting focused on a grim climate change report that warns of floods and drought that could stoke conflicts and wreak havoc on the global economy. The scientists say that along with the risks are opportunities to build a better world and improve public health. While each region faces its own mix of challenges, research conducted by thousands of scientists around the world underscores the need for urgent measures, J. Lengoasa, deputy head of the World Meteorological Organization, said in a recorded message to Tuesday's meeting. He said countries in Africa already spend $7 billion to $15 billion a year on climate adaptation. "Time is running out. We must take action," he said. "It is our obligation and our duty to inform the world of the prospects and risks that lie ahead." http://www.sci-tech-today.com/story.xhtml?story_id=121006SBJM9U

See also: http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/ipcc-dispute- simmers-over-economic-costs-of-climate-change-20140327-35jho.html http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/25/a-bigger-nod-to- uncertainty-in-the-next-ipcc-report-on-global-warming- impacts/?_php=true&_type=blogs&_r=0

Partners Launch a New Program to Build Regional Climate Capacity in the Caribbean

The U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) is launching a new program to build regional capacity for climate change adaptation in the Eastern Caribbean, in partnership with the World Meteorological Organization (WMO) and the Caribbean Institute for Meteorology and Hydrology (CIMH). A launch ceremony will be held at CIMH in St. James, Barbados, on March 27 at 3pm. Remarks will be given by U.S. Ambassador Larry Palmer, WMO Chief Wayne Elliott and CIMH Principal David Farrell. A photo opportunity and press briefing will follow. Approximately forty attendees are expected, including members of the press and local stakeholders. The impacts of climate change pose a serious threat to the Caribbean region. These impacts include changing weather and precipitation patterns, more frequent and intense storms, greater flooding and drought, sea level rise that is accelerating coastal erosion, saltwater intrusion to coastal aquifers that threatens freshwater supplies, and increased air and sea surface temperatures that influence hurricane severity. These impacts are projected to worsen in the coming years, threatening infrastructure, economic activity, agricultural productivity, coastal ecosystems and reefs, fisheries, and community livelihoods and well-being. http://www.sknvibes.com/news/newsdetails.cfm/86410 http://www.thestkittsnevisobserver.com/2014/03/21/climate- capacity.html

Sénégal: Atelier de mise en place d'un Cadre national pour les services climatiques

Le ministre du Tourisme et des Transports aérien Oumar Guèye préside mercredi, à partir de 9 heurs 30, la cérémonie officielle d'ouverture d'un atelier de mise en place d'un Cadre national pour les services climatiques (CNSC), annonce un communiqué reçu à l'APS. Prévue pour trois jours, à l'hôtel Ngor Diarama, cette rencontre se tient sous l'égide de l'Agence nationale de l'aviation civile et de la météorologie (ANACIM), "conformément aux résolutions du congrès extraordinaire de l'Organisation météorologique mondiale (OMM) qui s'est tenu du 29 au 31 octobre 2012 à Genève". http://fr.allafrica.com/stories/201403251766.html

Protezione Civile: siglato accordo con Organizzazione meteorologica mondiale

È stato firmato un protocollo d’intesa dal capo del Dipartimento della Protezione civile, Franco Gabrielli, e Michel Jarraud, segretario generale dell’Organizzazione meteorologica mondiale (WMO-World Meteorological Organization), con lo scopo di rafforzare la collaborazione avviata da tempo tra le due istituzioni in tema di riduzione dei rischi naturali. In particolare, il Servizio nazionale della protezione civile italiana mette a disposizione l’esperienza maturata negli anni e nelle emergenze, oltre agli strumenti operativi utilizzati all’interno del sistema a supporto delle necessità rappresentate a livello internazionale. Nello specifico, il Dipartimento della Protezione civile rende disponibile Dewetra, il sistema integrato per il monitoraggio in tempo reale, la previsione e la prevenzione dei rischi naturali operativo nell’ambito del Sistema nazionale dei Centri funzionali, una piattaforma sviluppata nell’ambito della convenzione tra il Dipartimento stesso e la Fondazione CIMA - Centro internazionale in monitoraggio ambientale, per contribuire alla previsione e mitigazione del rischio meteo-idro e del rischio incendi boschivi. L’accordo, della durata di cinque anni, definisce le condizioni per il trasferimento, l’installazione e la configurazione del sistema Dewetra ai Paesi che ne faranno richiesta attraverso l’Agenzia delle Nazioni Unite. http://www.ilvelino.it/it/article/2014/03/25/protezione-civile-siglato- accordo-con-organizzazione-meteorologica-mondiale/0f6d2099-8000-42f1- a1ed-01d3137f87ac/

Gambia: 36 Meteorological and Hydrological Technicians Awarded Certificates

At least 36 meteorological and hydrological technicians of the department of fisheries and water resources were awarded certificates over the weekend at a colourful ceremony held at the Banjul International Airport. The graduates were awarded certificates after attending a nine-month intensive entry level meteorological and hydrological technicians course at the department of water resources training school. Kebba Jawo, head of the training school, in his report, said the department of water resources during the past few decades had a clear commitment for the capacity building and human resources development of its personnel to develop and strengthen the national meteorological and hydrological services as they are rapidly changing and advancing. He noted that to meet the growing needs of meteorological and hydrological services, personnel engaged in the provision of the services must therefore possess adequate knowledge and skills to deal with the increasing scientific and technological development. As a result, he continued, the department of water resources training school was established and inaugurated in 1985, adding that since its establishment the training school had offered training programmes at World Meteorological Organization (WMO) level technician Class 1V for meteorological and hydrological personnel. http://allafrica.com/stories/201403251806.html

Climate change will make UK weather too wet and too dry, says Met Office

The UK's weather will become both too wet and too dry – and also too cold and too hot – as climate change increases the frequency of extreme events, the Met Office has warned in a new report. Its scientists concluded that on average the UK will see wetter, milder winters and hotter, drier summers in the long term due to global warming. But the natural year-to-year variability of weather will also mean occasional very cold winters, like that of 2010-11, and very wet summers, like that of 2012. Recent years have seen highly variable weather in the UK, with a drought in early 2012 and the greatest deluge for at least 250 years and widespread flooding over the winter of 2013-14. http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/mar/25/climate-change- uk-weather-wet-dry-met-office

Predicting hailstorms is possible say scientists in Pune

Terming the recent widespread hailstorm in the country as unprecedented, scientists and researchers have said, that though for the first time in the history, such type of hailstorms can be predicted. Indian Meteorological Society’s Pune chapter, along with the India Meteorological Department (IMD) held a national workshop at the Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) on Wednesday, where experts from the field of Meteorology spoke about the recent hailstorm that created havoc in central parts of the country. During a presentation, JR Kulkarni, senior scientist with Indian Institute of Tropical Meteorology (IITM) said, “Such type of hailstorms are usual occur in foreign countries but it is perhaps the biggest hailstorm that we have witnessed in India. There are no records of any such widespread hailstorm with any Meteorological organisation.” http://www.dnaindia.com/pune/report-predicting-hailstorms-is-possible- say-scientists-in-pune-1972599

Death toll looks set to rise after Washington State mudslide

The death toll from a weekend landslide in Washington State looked set to rise on Wednesday but officials say some of the scores of people listed as missing may have been double-counted or slow to alert family of their whereabouts. As many as 176 people are listed as missing five days after a rain-soaked hillside collapsed, tumbling over a river, across a road and into a rural residential area where it buried dozens of homes near the town of Oso. "We can confirm that we have recovered 2 more bodies, bringing our total to 16, and believe we have located an additional 8," the Snohomish County Twitter feed said. Search and rescue operations tapered off overnight but ramped up to full strength again at first light on Wednesday, using dogs to pinpoint possible bodies, and electrical equipment including listening devices and cameras that can probe voids. Forecasts in the area were for rain on Wednesday, and the previous day crews searching in drizzling rain for survivors had found more bodies. Officials have signaled the chances were low of finding people alive in the blanket of cement-like mud. "We're not backing off. We're still going at this with all eight cylinders to get everyone out there who is unaccounted for," local fire chief Travis Hots said. The slide ranks as one of the worst in the United States and has devastated residents of the roughly square-mile area where they had their homes on the banks of a river. In 1969, 150 people were killed in landslides and floods in Nelson County, Virginia, according to the U.S. Geological Survey. http://planetark.org/wen/71308

Cold weather isn't going away, forecasters warn

As Atlantic Canada suffers through a massive spring storm, people in other parts of the country can take heart that they’re being spared the high winds, driving rain and snowfall seen throughout the region Wednesday. But they shouldn't get too comfortable: the cold weather is not behind us yet. While forecasts beyond five to seven days are difficult to make with any accuracy, Environment Canada's monthly and seasonal forecasts are suggesting that the unseasonably cold weather will continue off and on at least into the first half of April pretty much everywhere but the West Coast, says Environment Canada meteorologist Matt MacDonal http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/cold-weather-isn-t-going-away- forecasters-warn-1.2585404 http://www.torontosun.com/2014/03/26/say-it-isnt-snow-weather-bomb- set-to-dump-more-than-30-cm-in-eastern-canada

Bad weather forecast as new images spur MH370 search

Thunderstorms and gale-force winds threatened to impede a frantic international search Thursday for wreckage from Flight MH370 after satellite images of more than 100 floating objects sparked fresh hopes of a breakthrough. Malaysia said the imagery taken in recent days by a French satellite showed "122 potential objects" in the remote southern Indian Ocean, although nothing has yet been pulled from the treacherous seas despite a multinational recovery operation. Transport Minister Hishammuddin Hussein has cautioned that it was impossible to determine whether the objects were related to the Malaysia Airlines Boeing 777 which crashed on March 8 with 239 people aboard after mysteriously disappearing. But the Australian Maritime Safety Authority, which is coordinating the search some 2,500 kilometres (1,550 miles) southwest of Perth, said they were in an area authorities have pinpointed as a potential crash zone. http://www.thestar.com.my/News/Regional/2014/03/27/Bad-weather- forecast-as-new-images-spur-MH370-search/

Climate Change Impacts in Pictures: 8 Stark IPCC Images

With 30 chapters that cite more than 12,000 scientific papers and reports, there’s a lot of material -- and a lot of words -- in the newly released Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report looking at the impacts of global warming. But the report is also chock full of illustrative tables and diagrams that make the effects of global warming clear at a glance (and some not so much). After all, it’s one thing to read a description of the rise in flood risk expected to occur along the world’s coasts because of sea level rise and in urban areas because of their inability to absorb the water from more frequent and intense downpours, and another to see the dramatic uptick in people likely to experience major floods in graph. To help illustrate the stark predictions of the IPCC report, Climate Central has pulled out 8 illuminating graphics that each tell an important global warming story: http://www.climatecentral.org/news/8-ipcc-images-that-illustrate- climate-central-17242

Threat from global warming heightened in latest U.N. report

Global warming poses a growing threat to the health, economic prospects, and food and water sources of billions of people, top scientists said in a report that urges swift action to counter the effects of carbon emissions. The latest report from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says the effects of warming are being felt everywhere, fuelling potential food shortages, natural disasters and raising the risk of wars. "The world, in many cases, is ill-prepared for risks from a changing climate," the IPCC said on Monday, after the final text of the report was agreed. More warming increased the chance of harsh, widespread impacts that could be surprising or irreversible, it added. The report projects global warming may cut world economic output by between 0.2 and 2.0 percent a year should mean temperatures rise by 2 degrees Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit), estimates that many countries say are too low. "Over the coming decades, climate change will have mostly negative impacts," said Michel Jarraud, Secretary-General of the World Meteorological Organization (WMO), citing cities, ecosystems and water supply as being among the areas at risk. http://www.planetark.com/enviro-news/item/71345

(Continuing widespread coverage of IPCC report, including: http://www.ecuavisa.com/articulo/noticias/internacionales/57042-onu- advierte-mayor-riesgo-conflictos-debido-al-cambio http://www.pina.com.fj/?p=pacnews&m=read&o=6218508885339e5f2880c 6b9222c8a http://www.standardmedia.co.ke/health/article/2000108349/un- scientists-chilling-prediction-on-kenya-over-climate http://goo.gl/VqNAsP

Antarctic Glaciers Speeding Up, Nearing Collapse, Study Concludes

Six big glaciers in West Antarctica are flowing much faster than 40 years ago, a new study finds. The brisk clip may mean this part of Antarctica, which could raise global sea level by 4 feet (1.2 meters) if it completely melts, is nearing full-scale collapse. "This region is out of balance," said Jeremie Mouginot, lead study author and a glaciologist at University of California, Irvine. "We're not seeing anything that could stop the retreat of the grounding line and the acceleration of these glaciers," he told Live Science. (A grounding line is the location where the glacier leaves bedrock and meets the ocean.) http://www.weather.com/news/science/environment/antarctic-glaciers- nearing-collapse-20140331

Monitoring air quality takes next step

With air pollution linked to millions of deaths around the world, it has never been more important to monitor the air we breathe. Today marks a significant step forward as a deal is secured to build a crucial space sensor for tracking the world's air quality. The €144 million contract for the Sentinel-5 instrument of Europe's Copernicus programme was formally signed today with Airbus Defence and Space in Ottobrunn, Germany. "The Sentinel-5 instrument will be very important to continue the monitoring of our atmosphere by an operational system," noted Volker Liebig, ESA's Director of Earth Observation Programme

See also

Drought salanizes Vietnam rice basket

The salinity in the Mekong Delta has increased this drought season, depriving locals of water for daily use and cultivation. Figures at hydrometeorology stations around the delta were all higher than the average last year, and the salinization has invaded up to 75 kilometers into land, according to a Tuoi Tre newspaper report Saturday. Le Thi Phenh from the coastal province Ben Tre said sometimes she had to resort to irrigating with salinized water, and had to borrow or buy water to drink. “Once when I was out of options, I went to the market to buy a bottle of water of 20 liters for VND10,000 (US 47 cents) to drink little by little,” she said. Phenh pointed to a jar of water, which tasted a little salty and looked opaque and said she bought it for VND180,000 ($8.54) a cubic meter. http://www.thanhniennews.com/society/drought-salanizes-vietnam-rice- basket-24964.html

What Nepal Doesn’t Know About Water

Water is a critical resource in Nepal’s economic development as agriculture, industry, household use and even power generation depends on it. The good news is that the Himalayan nation has plenty of water. The bad news – water abundance is seasonal, related to the monsoon months from June to September. Nepal’s hydrologists, water experts, meteorologists and climate scientists all call for better management of water. But a vital element of water management – quality scientific data – is still missing. “If the information is lacking or if it is inaccurate, how is a poor farmer supposed to protect himself?” -- Shib Nandan Shah of the Ministry of Agricultural Development Luna Bharati, who heads the International Water Management Institute (IWMI) in Kathmandu, tells IPS, “If we don’t know how much water there is, we cannot manage it or carry out good water resources assessment.” http://www.ipsnews.net/2014/04/nepal-doesnt-know-water/

California drought: Downpours fall far short of ending crisis

Snow surveyors are expected to tromp out into the Sierra powder Tuesday under a soft, steady patter of comforting precipitation, but the spring moisture is a cruel oasis in California's desert of drought, according to leading climate and weather gurus. The pounding rain along the coast and fluffy snow in the mountains this week won't come close to solving the state's mounting water crisis, which has forced the state to turn off the spigot in many communities, a scenario that experts say is threatening farms, fish and homeowners. http://www.sfgate.com/science/article/California-drought-Downpours- fall-far-short-of-5365318.php

Alberta floods rank third in losses from 2013 world disasters

Southern Alberta’s flood has ranked third in a list of insured losses from disasters around the globe in 2013. The study from Switzerland’s Swiss Re Group pegs economic losses from natural and man-made catastrophes last year at $140-billion US. The report says losses from last June’s flood were around $4.7-billion, $1.9-billion of that covered by insurance. Europe’s flood was the costliest disaster of 2013 with economic losses estimated at $16.5-billion. The group warns action must be taken to reduce greenhouse gas emissions and mitigate against future severe extreme weather or these numbers will continue to skyrocket. http://www.news1130.com/2014/03/31/ab-floods-rank-third-in-losses- from-2013-world-disasters/

U.N. says China, US climate cooperation raises hopes for global deal

Closer cooperation between China and the United States, the top two greenhouse gas emitters, on combating global warming is boosting prospects for a U.N. deal meant to be agreed next year, the U.N.'s climate chief said on Wednesday. Christiana Figueres also said a "global transformation" of the economy was needed to fight climate change and that time was short if nations were serious about the end-2015 deadline. Little progress has been made so far in negotiations since 2012. Last month, China and the United States said that they would work together to share information and policies to plan for the 2015 deal. Together they account for about 40 percent of world greenhouse gas emissions. "I am very hopeful about the U.S.-China conversation and confident that both will be leaders in the agreement," Figueres, head of the Bonn-based U.N. Climate Change Secretariat, told a news conference in London. "But we do need 195 countries to have confidence in the benefits" of the deal, which is meant to be agreed next year and become effective from 2020. http://planetark.org/wen/71172 http://yubanet.com/world/First-round-of-UN-climate-change- negotiations-in-2014-set-to-kick-off-in-Bonn-with-Special-Focus-on- Renewables-and-Energy-Efficiency.php#.UxihayhG9rU

Accord entre l'OMM et EUMETNET

L'OMM et le Réseau des services météorologiques européens, EUMETNET, ont signé un protocole d'accord afin d'officialiser leur coopération dans des domaines tels que l'observation, les services climatologiques, la prévision et la formation, les systèmes d'alerte précoce, la réduction des risques de catastrophes, la météorologie aéronautique et la protection des fréquences radio à des fins météorologiques. L'une des priorités immédiates est une collaboration sur le service opérationnel EUMETNET- AMDAR (retransmission des données météorologiques d'aéronefs) à l'appui de mesures des variables météorologiques de haute qualité en altitude à partir d'aéronefs. La coopération sera également renforcée pour mettre en oeuvre le Système mondial intégré des systèmes d'observation de l'OMM (WIGOS). http://www.newspress.fr/Communique_FR_276764_3117.aspx

CIENTÍFICOS INTERNACIONALES DEBATEN EN URUGUAY SOBRE EL CLIMA

Los principales investigadores mundiales sobre el clima, se reunirán del 17 al 21 de marzo en Uruguay, en el marco de la Conferencia para América Latina y el Caribe, que debatirá el desarrollo, la vinculación y la aplicación de conocimientos sobre el clima. El acto inaugural se realizará este lunes a las 9 horas y contará con la presencia del Ministro de Ganadería, Agricultura y Pesca Ing. Agr. Tabaré Aguerre, el Decano de la Facultad de Ciencias Juan Cristina y del Subsecretario de Educación y Cultura, Mtro. Oscar Gómez. Esta reunión, la cual reúne a los científicos del clima y a los usuarios y tomadores de decisión, tendrá lugar del 17 al 21 de Marzo, en el salón de actos del LATU y fue declarado de interés Nacional por Presidencia de la República.

La Facultad de Ciencias tiene la responsabilidad de la organización de este importante evento de nivel regional, ya que el comité local está conformado por los Dres. Marcelo Barreiro y Madeleine Renom, responsables de la Unidad de cs. de la Atmósfera de esta casa de estudios. Programa Mundial de Investigación en Clima El Programa Mundial de Investigación en Clima, PMIC (o WCRP por sus siglas en inglés) se estableció hace más de 30 años, bajo el patrocinio conjunto del Consejo Internacional para la Ciencia ( ICSU) y la Organización Meteorológica Mundial ( OMM) , y , desde 1993, también ha sido patrocinado por la Comisión Oceanográfica Intergubernamental ( la COI de la UNESCO) http://www.montevideo.com.uy/nottecnologia_229075_1.html

Greenland Ice Sheet Loses Its Last Grip

Greenland is losing the battle against rising air and ocean temperatures, a new study finds. The last bulwark to fall is the northeast corner of the Greenland Ice Sheet, which started shrinking rapidly in 2003, according to a new study. "My guess is this is a new record for Greenland," said lead study author Shfaqat Abbas Khan, a climate scientist at the National Space Institute at the Technical University of Denmark. "This was very surprising, because we don't expect huge ice loss in northeast Greenland." http://www.livescience.com/44129-northeast-greenland-ice-sheet- melting.html http://www.climatecentral.org/news/new-greenland-ice-melt-fuels-sea- level-rise-concerns-17187

First India-China study on climate to be released Its impact is likely to come later but the prelaunch report on the first collaborative India-China study on climate change to be released in Beijing on Monday will generate interest among policy makers and climate watchers. The title “Low Carbon Development in China and India — Issues and Strategies’’ is the result of a first-time collaboration between key research institutes in China and India working on issues related to climate change. “The study examines the main factors in low carbon development – financing, low carbon technologies and on- the-ground implementation – and will encourage greater cooperation between the world’s two largest countries,” said an UNDP official who responded to HT’s questions by email. China and India are both trying to fight global warming; the low carbon study illustrates some of these efforts and at the same time illustrates some of the current challenges facing both countries, the official added. http://www.eco-business.com/news/first-india-china-study-climate-be- released/ http://news.outlookindia.com/items.aspx?artid=832955

CLIMATE CHANGE TO REDUCE CROP YIELDS SOONER THAN THOUGHT

A study led by the University of Leeds has shown that global warming of only 2°C will be detrimental to crops in temperate and tropical regions, with reduced yields from the 2030s onwards. Professor Andy Challinor, from the School of Earth and Environment at the University of Leeds and lead author of the study, said: “Our research shows that crop yields will be negatively affected by climate change much earlier than expected.” http://www.eurasiareview.com/17032014-climate-change-reduce-crop- yields-sooner-thought/

"Le changement climatique est une opportunité pour les entreprises" En savoir plus sur http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/changement-climatique-un-defi-et-une- opportunite-pour-les-entreprises_1500067.html#GIXT4DFFBQ3li3Se.99

Paul Polman, PDG d'Unilever, et Christiana Figueres, de la Convention cadre de l'ONU sur le changement climatique, exhortent les sociétés privées à faire advenir une nouvelle économie, respectueuse de la planète. En savoir plus sur http://www.lexpress.fr/actualite/changement-climatique-un-defi-et-une- opportunite-pour-les-entreprises_1500067.html#GIXT4DFFBQ3li3Se.99

N.African dust stimulates monsoons

Desert dust from North Africa and the Arabian peninsula stimulates monsoon rains over India, said a study Sunday suggesting that desertification from global warming may boost these seasonal downpours. Analysis of satellite data showed that dusty conditions in North Africa and West Asia were followed within days by stronger monsoon rains in the subcontinent, according to research published in the journal Nature Geoscience. "Dust in the air absorbs sunlight west of India, warming the air and strengthening the winds carrying moisture eastward," the US-based Pacific Northwest National Laboratory said in a press release. http://news.yahoo.com/n-african-dust-stimulates-monsoons- 181111793.html

Nigeria: 2013 Flood - NEMA Records Decrease in Affected Persons The National Emergency Management Agency has revealed that the Seasonal Rainfall Prediction (SRP) issued by the Nigerian Meteorological Agency (NIMET) has stimulated forecast - based disaster preparedness which has helped in reducing the numbers of lives, property and livelihoods lost to flood disaster in 2013. The Director General of NEMA, Muhammad Sani Sidi stated this at a workshop on the application of the seasonal rainfall prediction to climate sensitive sectors, organized by NIMET at the weekend in Abuja. Muhammad Sani Sidi, who was represented by the Acting Director of Planning, Research and Forecasting, Alhasan Nuhu noted that in 2013, there was flood in which the agency recorded a decrease in the number of persons affected to less than one million with 38 people losing their lives and 160 people displaced. In comparison to the devastation of the 2012 flood disaster, he informed that there was a significant reduction in the number of those affected. http://allafrica.com/stories/201403180160.html

Vietnam will have 10 storms and tropical depressions in 2014 According to the National Hydro-Meteorological Forecasting Centre, of the 9-10 storms, about 4-5 will have direct influence on mainland Vietnam. This is 1-2 storms less than the average of previous years. However, the center warned of stronger storms that move not under any rule or tropical depressions and storms repeatedly in a short time. In late January and early February this year, storm Kajiki formed on the east of Philippines but it weakened into a tropical depression after entering the East Sea. This was also the first tropical depression of the year. It disappeared on the West of Truong Sa Archipelago and did not affect mainland Vietnam. In terms of temperature, the Central Hydro- meteorological Forecasting Center said the temperatures in March and April are at the average of many years ago, a bit higher in the northwestern region. From May to October, the average temperature in the country will be higher than the average of the previous years. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/society/97675/vietnam-will-have-10- storms-and-tropical-depressions-in-2014.html

Director of Hong Kong Observatory highlights the Observatory's latest developments The Director of the Hong Kong Observatory, Mr Shun Chi-ming, spoke at a press briefing today (March 17) on the updated weather forecast for this year and the updated projection for Hong Kong due to climate change, as well as the Observatory's upcoming initiatives. Mr Shun, together with the Controller (TV) of Radio Television Hong Kong (RTHK), Miss Chan Man-kuen, also announced the launch of "Meteorology Series IV". Mr Shun pointed to the outbreak of abnormal weather events around the world in recent years, such as severe flooding in the United Kingdom, a record heat wave in Australiaand snowstorms in North America as clear signs that the impact of climate change was already being felt, and that we could expect more of the same. While 2013 was the sixth warmest year on instrumental records, temperatures in Hong Kong exhibited rather large fluctuations in the past few months. http://7thspace.com/headlines/454812/director_of_hong_kong_observat ory_highlights_the_observatorys_latest_developments.html http://www.freenewspos.com/news/article/d/504632/today/hongkongers -should-prepare-for-4-7-typhoons-this-year-says-observatory

Floods leave 32 dead, 3,000 displaced in S. Africa Floods caused by heavy rains which affected most parts of South Africa left 32 dead and about 3, 000 displaced, the government official said on Monday. ''Regrettably, the present disaster events have resulted in 32 fatalities. These include 25 drownings. Six fatalities were also caused by lightning and one person died due to a collapsed wall," said Andries Nel, deputy minister of Cooperative Governance and Traditional Affairs. "At this time, provincial reports indicate that 3,000 people are still displaced in the Lephalale Local Municipality (Limpopo district) due to the high water levels,'' Nel said. He said water has subsided in other parts of the country with people returning to their homes which had been covered in water. http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/africa/2014-03/18/c_133193327.htm

Scientists must stop using 'weirdo words' if they want to convince the public that climate change is real, admits the woman in charge of the next major UN summit

The battle against climate change is being undermined by the use of “weirdo words” by scientists and United Nations staff that is alienating the general public and confusing policymakers, the UN’s top climate official warned yesterday. http://www.independent.co.uk/environment/scientists-must-stop-using- weirdo-words-if-they-want-to-convince-the-public-that-climate-change-is- real-admits-the-woman-in-charge-of-the-next-major-un-summit- 9171518.html

Indian cities face 'huge' risks without climate planning

Continuing failure to plan ahead for more extreme weather in India’s cities could lead to huge economic and health costs, and hit India’s most vulnerable particularly hard, experts say. What is needed is a comprehensive strategy to develop resilience in cities, including a “paradigm shift” in how modern cities are planned and managed, argue the authors of a policy brief by The Energy and Resources Institute, (TERI), a leading Indian research organisation and think tank. http://www.trust.org/item/20140305152832-lvni2

Climate Change Will Probably Ruin These 9 Delicious Foods By 2050, So Brace Yourselves

While the next four decades aren't likely to see an agricultural apocalypse, it's pretty likely that some foods will be harder to come by -- due to increased costs and decreased supply -- as harvesting becomes more difficult due to rising temperatures and irregular weather patterns spurred by climate change. http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2014/03/05/climate-change- foods_n_4892164.html

Scientists Need Your Help to Discern Global Warming's Role in UK Floods

A team of climate scientists in the UK has launched an ambitious citizen science effort to quickly assess the role that manmade global warming may have played in that region's extraordinarily wet winter. The program, known as the Weather@Home 2014 project, is part of a longer term and international push to develop scientific techniques to gain insight into the relationship between global warming and extreme weather events, from heavy precipitation events to heat waves. The winter of 2013-14 was one of the UK's wettest on record, with many areas experiencing prolonged and damaging flooding, the total cost of which is likely to reach into the billions of dollars. The flooding resulted from a seemingly never-ending parade of North Atlantic storms that struck the area, bringing heavy rains, snow and high winds. In Oxford, for example, the period of December to February was the wettest in more than 250 years, eclipsing all previous benchmarks since they started keeping track in 1767. While the UK Met Office has already said that the excessively wet winter is consistent with global warming's effects on the climate system, the new project is the first specific study aimed at quantitatively attributing the heavy precipitation and flooding, including assessing the role that global warming may have played. http://mashable.com/2014/03/05/global-warming-uk-floods/

Environmentalists are warning that large parts of the Northern Territory could become uninhabitable, if nothing is done to address climate change.

A report from the CSIRO and the Bureau of Meteorology is projecting hotter temperatures, more rain and a higher bushfire risk in central Australia. It has also found sea levels in the north are rising at a rate faster than the global average. Jimmy Cocking from the Arid Lands Environment Centre says the changes could also amplify health risks.

Météo France Toulouse se dote d'un nouveau supercalculateur pour ses prévisions

Grâce à sa puissance, le nouveau supercaculateur de Météo France Toulouse fournira bientôt des prévisions à quatre jours, tout en gagnant en précision. Hier, était présenté ce cerveau d’un coût de 30 M€. A pas de géant ! En 1945, le premier calculateur de Météo France réalisait 300 opérations à la seconde. Depuis le «Cray» installé en 1992 sur la météopole (il avait coûté 20 millions de dollars), la puissance de calcul a été multipliée par 500 000 pour arriver aux performances actuelles du dernier-né de la famille : le français «bullxB710» ! http://www.ladepeche.fr/article/2014/03/05/1832550-meteo-france- dote-nouveau-supercalculateur-previsions.html

Fed confirms weather-related drag on U.S. economy in early 2014

Severe weather across much of the United States took a toll on shopping and consumer spending in recent weeks, leading to slower economic growth or outright contraction in some areas of the country, the Federal Reserve said on Wednesday. The Fed, in its anecdotal Beige Book report, said economic activity in January and February shrank slightly in two of its 12 districts, New York and Philadelphia, mostly due to "unusually severe weather." http://www.chicagotribune.com/news/sns-rt-us-usa-economy-fed- 20140305,0,2775519.story

See also

Iranian supreme Leader asks government to solve dust storm problem

Iranian Supreme Leader, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei has asked all parts of the government to cooperate on resolving the problem of dust storms, Iran's Fars news agency reported on March 5. Khamenei went on to say that the environmental issues are important and is asking all Iranians to protect their country's environment. In recent years, dust storms in Iran have raised concerns over the air pollution levels in some cities, raising the particulates concentration to 9 times greater than standard levels. The capital city of Tehran was affected by dust storms for 117 days during the last solar year (ended on March 21, 2013), ISNA quoted Tehran Province's Environment Department director Mohammad-Hadi Heidarzadeh as saying. The incoming dust has already forced the closure of governmental offices as well as educational and industrial centers in the capital Tehran several times. http://en.trend.az/regions/iran/2249608.html

Satellite captures stunning swirl at the bottom of the globe

The stretch of ocean separating Africa, South America and Antarctica is one of the most treacherous places on the planet, with frequent storms and monstrous waves. On a recent overflight of the area, the European satellite known as Meteosat captured a massive storm at sea that took on a classic comma shape, with a trailing tail of clouds extending for hundreds – if not thousands – of kilometres from the storm centre. The low pressure area is located at the centre of the comma-shaped swirl. The Meteosat satellite, which European agency EUMETSAT operates, is one of the many weather satellites orbiting the planet. Others are operated by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) and NASA, with a constant flow of fascinating imagery showing up at NASA's new worldview portal.

Great Lakes nearing ice cover record

Got ice?

The Great Lakes certainly do, with ice coverage at its highest percentage in 35 years, according to scientists from the Great Lakes Environmental Research Laboratory in Ann Arbor, Mich. "Persistent cold temperatures in the Midwest this winter have almost completely frozen over many of the Great Lakes," the lab noted in a release last week. Many cities around the Great Lakes are enduring one of their top-five coldest winters on record, the National Weather Service reports http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/03/03/great-lakes-ice- coverage-record/5980063/

NiMet predicts below normal rainfall for 2014

NIMET released the 2014 Seasonal Rainfall Prediction, SRP, which indicated that most parts of the country would experience below normal rainfall in the current year. Specifically, the agency predicted that the amount of the annual rainfall would range between 3000 and 300mm, with a decreasing trend from South to the northernmost part of the country compared with the 2013 predictions which ranged from between 400 to 1000mm in the North and between 1500 and 3000mm in the South. The SRP 2014 model, which is based as with previous years’ on the strong tele-connection between El Nino/Southern Oscillations, ENSO, Sea Surface Temperature, SST, anomalies and rain-bearing weather systems over Nigeria, also indicated that the length of rainy season would vary between 100 days over the extreme North and 300 days over the coastal areas, with areas such as Sokoto, Yola Saki and Abeokuta expected to experience more than normal rainfall Comparatively, Gusau, Katsina, Zaria, Jos, Minna, Oshogbo, Akure, Isehin, Ikeja, Benin, Ikom and Port Harcourt are to experience normal rainfall in a year when the onset dates for rainfall are projected to vary between first week of March (in the southernmost part of the country) and late June in the far northern parts. http://nationalmirroronline.net/new/nimet-predicts-below-normal- rainfall-for-2014/

Botswana: More Rainfall Expected

The Department of Meteorological Services wishes to advise the public that the torrential rains that have been prevailing over most parts of the country in the last couple of days are expected to continue up to the end of this week. Given that the recent rains have resulted in a lot of water on the ground there is a high possibility of increased flash flood events/incide...nts occurring in some parts of the areas affected by the current rains. The public is therefore advised to exercise utmost caution as they go about with their daily chores or businesses to lessen risks of accidents related to the flooding occurring. The Department of Meteorological Services wishes to advise the public that the torrential rains that have been prevailing over most parts of the country in the last couple of days are expected to continue up to the end of this week. Given that the recent rains have resulted in a lot of water on the ground there is a high possibility of increased flash flood events/incide...nts occurring in some parts of the areas affected by the current rains. http://allafrica.com/stories/201403051156.html

See also

TMA issue second weather warning in just two weeks

Tanzania Meteorological Agency (TMA) has issued the second weather alert in just two weeks warning the public of expected heavy rains across most all coastal areas. These include Mtwara, Lindi, Pwani, Dar es Salaam and Tanga regions together with Unguja and Pemba isles. According to the TMA report issued yesterday evening, periods of heavy precipitation exceeding 50mm in 24 hours are expected between March 05 and 07 this year. “This is due to deepening of the low pressure system over the eastern Indian Ocean associated with abrupt northward shift of the Inter-tropical convergence zone (ITCZ) hence enhancing moisture from the ocean towards the coastal belt” the report explained. TMA advises the coastal area residents and other ocean users to take necessary precautionary measures together and the Disaster Management Authorities ahs been advised to be on high alert. http://www.ippmedia.com/frontend/index.php?l=65485

Christchurch deluge a 'one-in-100-year' storm

The storm causing flooding in Christchurch "quickly escalated" this morning and was now being graded as a one-in-100-year event, says mayor Lianne Dalziel. Residents were being warned of health risks from contaminated floodwaters now pouring through homes, businesses and streets. Meanwhile, two Lyttelton streets were evacuated after a cliff collapsed, breaching a jet fuel tank and causing a spill. Police said 19 houses were cleared on fears of further slips in the area. http://www.stuff.co.nz/national/9790570/Christchurch-deluge-a-one-in- 100-year-storm

Arab meteorology meeting wraps up

The 30th round of meetings of the permanent Arab committee for Meteorology ended here on Thursday with the emphasis on upgrading training for prospective Arab meteorologists. Participants in the meetings, which stretched for four days, agreed in a final statement they issued today to hold the next committee's meeting in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia in April 2015. They agreed to speed up intra-Arab cooperation in weather forecasting with the aim of improving quality and efficiency, and doing that by applying parameters set by the International Meteorological Organization and the International Civil Aviation Organization, said the final statement. Furthermore, they concurred to boost the capacity of departments of media in Arab meteorological organizations or institutions with the ultimate goal to establish firm ties between them and the public since the latter relies wholly on these organizations to obtain their daily weather forecasts. They came in favor of installing a media liaison in these organizations to be official spokespersons for them and a bona fide conduit for accurate information put out by the meteorological organizations, said the statement. To that end, the participants agreed to hold the fourth meeting of the committee's media improvement team in Qatar next May. They also welcomed the cooperation between the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA) and the International Meteorological Organization in preparing a draft proposal for the establishment of a regional forum for weather forecasting across the Arab world. Heads of Arab National Meteorological organizations and agencies from 16 Arab countries and representatives from 10 Arab, regional and international organizations took part in this gathering. http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2366289&language=en

Forecast improves for meteorologists in Burma

The Department of Meteorology and Hydrology (DMH) says it is striving to improve its weather forecasting service in Burma. Since 2008 the DMH has been providing one- day forecasts for 14 towns in each of Burma’s administrative regions and states. This year, the DMH is stepping up its work, hoping to provide three-day forecasts for more than 100 towns across the country. The Japan International Cooperation Agency (JICA), assisted by international meteorological experts, has pledged support for the installation of a second radar system, with installations in Rangoon, Mandalay and Kyaukphyu, Arakan State. Despite the added range that the second radar system will bring, a general lack of scientific equipment and expertise remains a problem for the meteorologists, who are concerned about their ability to provide safety recommendations.

Snowfall Since '83 in Srinagar

AEMET participa en la creación de las bases para mejorar los servicios meteorológicos a escala europea

La Agencia Estatalde Meteorología, AEMET, dependiente del Ministerio de Agricultura, Alimentación y Medio Ambiente (MAGRAMA), ha participado en el asentamiento de las bases de mutua colaboración entre los servicios meteorológicos europeos para proporcionar el mejor escenario en el que abordar las necesidades emergentes de información meteorológica y climatológica a nivel europeo. Así, la Agencia ha intervenido recientemente en dos reuniones entre los máximos responsables de los servicios meteorológicos europeos con el fin de perfeccionar este marco de colaboración. AEMET refuerza así su compromiso con la cooperación internacional como medio óptimo para conseguir los avances en meteorología y climatología que no pueden ser alcanzados individualmente y su convencimiento de que Europa es el terreno de juego de la mayor parte de los proyectos e iniciativas en investigación y, ahora también, en la provisión de servicios meteorológicos operativos. En la primera reunión, celebrada en la sede del Centro Europeo de Predicción a Medio Plazo (CEPPM) en Reading (Reino Unido), los directores de los 34 servicios meteorológicos europeos han decidido que CEPPM sea la vía para canalizar la cooperación de todos los servicios nacionales y que se convierta en la fuente de provisión de los servicios de la atmósfera y cambio climático. Esta designación por la Unión Europea, frente a otras propuestas, reportará beneficios directos a los miembros en forma de fortalecimiento de capacidades y retornos industriales. El CEPPM es una organización intergubernamental independiente financiada por 34 estados europeos, entre ellos España. Se creó en 1979 para desarrollar los modelos numéricos globales de predicción con el fin de obtener pronósticos del tiempo, dada la imposibilidad de la mayoría de los países para mantener modelos globales propios. Lleva a cabo una intensa investigación científica y técnica encaminada a mejorar continuamente la calidad de esos pronósticos y asiste en la implementación de programas de la Organización Meteorológica Mundial. http://www.economiadehoy.com/noticias/politica/61793-aemet-participa- en-la-creacion-de-las-bases-para-mejorar-los-servicios-meteorologicos-a- escala-europea.html

Obama, EU to stand together on climate change draft

U.S. President Barack Obama and EU leaders meeting in Brussels this month will throw their combined weight behind tackling climate change, a document seen by Reuters says, in a show of developed world solidarity on the need for a new global deal. But the guarded, diplomatic language is likely to disappoint environmentalists calling for urgent, ambitious pledges to cut greenhouse gas emissions. "Sustainable economic growth will only be possible if we tackle climate change," a draft communique ahead of the EU-US summit on March 26 says. The text is subject to further negotiation between the European Union and the United States. Both the European Union and the United States are preparing new pledges on cutting emissions for the first quarter of 2015, ahead of a U.N. summit in Paris that is meant to agree a new worldwide deal. Its aim must be to limit any global average temperature increase to less than 2 degrees Celsius compared with pre-industrial levels "and should therefore include ambitious mitigation contributions, notably from the world's major economies and other significant emitters," the document said. http://planetark.org/wen/71221

Winter of extremes

The winter of 2013-14 was a tale of two extremes, bringing intense cold and heavy snow in the north-central USA and record-breaking warmth and drought in the West, especially California. The average temperature for the contiguous U.S. during the winter season was 31.3 degrees, one degree below the 20th-century average, marking the 34th coldest winter on record, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) reported Thursday. It was the coldest winter since 2009-10, which had an average temperature of 30.7 degrees. Overall, this winter was both colder and drier than average, according to data released Thursday by NOAA. http://www.usatoday.com/story/weather/2014/03/13/usa-winter- weather-climate-report/6367757/

Snow in Kashmir

The snowfall here in March was the heaviest the city witnessed, since the winter of 1983. However, meteorologists predict that the month’s worst is yet to come. “At least 159 mm of snowfall was recorded in Srinagar from March 10 to March 12,” Incharge, Meteorological Department of Kashmir, Farooq Ahmad Khan said. When asked whether Srinagar had experienced heavier snowfall than recorded recently, he said : “In 1983, Srinagar had experienced heavy snowfall and rains. “At least 365 mm of snowfall and rain was recorded.” The severe snowfall this winter has claimed 17 lives. “About 2000 houses have been damaged in the state,” he said. Khan said the prevailing Western Disturbance, which caused the heavy snowfall, has moved away from the state. http://www.newindianexpress.com/nation/Heaviest-Snowfall-Since-83-in- Srinagar/2014/03/14/article2107481.ece#.UyMfEChG9rU

Clean energy investment of USD 36 tn to attract private sector

US Energy Secretary Ernest Moniz today said an envisaged spending of USD 36 trillion in clean energy worldwide in the next four decades "should be very attractive for the private sector."??"...A clean energy group in the US has estimated investment in energy infrastructure over the next four decades globally to reach USD 36 trillion.??In 2012, the International Energy Agency (IEA) estimated an additional USD 36 trillion would be needed between 2010 and 2050 to transit to a low-carbon economy. This would give the world an 80 per cent chance of keeping the average global temperature rise below 2 degrees Celsius compared to pre-industrial levels, the IEA said.??"The scale (of investment in clean energy) indicates the opportunity that we (India and US) will have in this clean energy transformation," Moniz said.??The US Energy Secretary said much of the recent weather changes around the world was due to global warming. ....??The World Meteorological Organization said last month that parts of the world witnessed a series of extreme weather conditions in the first six weeks of 2014, continuing a pattern set in December 2013.??"We are seeing really unusual weather as a result of global warming. There is need for prudent actions to pursue clean energy agenda. Public, government and private sector should continue push towards clean energy," Moniz said. http://www.business-standard.com/article/pti-stories/clean-energy- investment-of-usd-36-tn-to-attract-private-sector-114031100338_1.html

See also

NASA says climate change will continue

A team of investigators from the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) in New York determined in a recent study that our planet will most likely continue to get warmer throughout this century, despite the recent slowdown recorded over the past couple of years. The group says that earlier predictions remain valid, despite the small drop in average temperatures.The reason why estimates were still deemed correct is very complex, but it has largely to do with the fact that previous measurements and predictions were based on weather data collected over the past 150 years. The new estimates include more recent data that better covers greenhouse gas emissions and other warming-promoting factors, which came into play more recently. http://news.softpedia.com/news/Global-Warming-Trend-to-Continue-This- Century-431622.shtml

See also

India’s Diesel Fumes Impacting Glacier Melt in Himalayas

Being a traffic policeman in Kolkata is a life-threatening business. Not only are you at risk of being run over on the traffic-clogged roads and streets of this chaotic city of 14 million – you’re also more than likely to suffer from serious health problems due to some of the worst air pollution not just in India, but in the world. Air pollution, particularly related to diesel-fuelled vehicles, is also linked to the city’s unusually high levels of lung cancer. According to a 2012 report by the New Delhi-based Center for Science and Environment on air quality in Kolkata, seven out of every 10 people in the city suffer from some form of respiratory ailment: not surprisingly, traffic policemen and the city’s thousands of street dwellers are among the high risk groups. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/air-pollution-in-india-fueling-glacier- melt-in-himalayas-17158

Human-Produced Aerosols Weaken Hurricanes And Cyclones

Aerosols in the atmosphere produced from human activities do indeed directly affect a hurricane or tropical cyclone, but not in a way many scientists had previously believed – in fact, they tend to weaken such storms, according to a new study that includes a team of Texas A&M University researchers. Renyi Zhang, University Distinguished Professor in Atmospheric Sciences at Texas A&M, and colleagues Yuan Wang, Keun- Hee Lee, Yun Lin and Misty Levy have had their work published in the current issue of Nature Climate Change. http://www.claimsjournal.com/news/southcentral/2014/03/11/245697.ht m

New Observations Helping To Improve Space Weather Models

Using data from NASA's Van Allen Probes, researchers have tested and improved a model to help forecast what's happening in the radiation environment of near-Earth space -- a place seething with fast-moving particles and a space weather system that varies in response to incoming energy and particles from the sun. http://www.scienceworldreport.com/articles/13407/20140311/new- observations-helping-to-improve-space-weather-models.htm

California Department Of Water Resources Releases Report Examining Tree- Ring Data to Help Better Understand Historic Periods of Drought

As part of ongoing work to improve California’s drought preparedness and better adapt to climate change, the Department of Water Resources (DWR) today released a report examining tree-ring data to help better understand historic periods of drought. The report helps develop long-term reconstructions of streamflow or precipitation for the Klamath, Sacramento, and San Joaquin river basins. The report, prepared for DWR by researchers at the University of Arizona, is available is available here. Funding for part of the Klamath Basin work was provided by the U.S. Bureau of Reclamation under its WaterSMART program. http://goldrushcam.com/sierrasuntimes/index.php/mariposa-daily-news- 2014/173-march/12367-california-department-of-water-resources- releases-report-examining-tree-ring-data-to-help-better-understand- historic-periods-of-drought

‘We are at ground zero’

Last week, the worst high tide in 30 years surged through the capital of the low-lying Marshall Islands, destroying homes, displacing a thousand people and covering the city in trash swept up from a submerged landfill. Seasonal “king tides” are nothing new in the Pacific islands. But over the last year Majuro, the capital of the Marshall Islands, has been hit by three serious tidal floods, one of which, last June, closed the airport and swept through the president’s home – even as other atolls in the country were suffering devastating drought. Why is the country experiencing so many disasters? Phillip Muller, the country’s foreign minister, has no doubt about the cause: The sea level is rising as a result of climate change, and it is rising faster in the Central-West Pacific than anywhere else. http://www.trust.org/item/20140312125313-svuqd

Pacific island states pushed aside in race for UN funds: Kiribati

Tiny Pacific island nations, among those hardest hit by climate change, are being outmuscled by larger states in the race to get U.N. funds earmarked for climate change adaptation, Kiribati's agriculture minister said on Wednesday. At a meeting in the Mongolian capital Ulan Bator where land-locked developing countries and small island states debated how to ensure future food security amid hotter weather and rising sea- levels, Elisala Pita slammed the U.N.'s funding mechanisms. http://www.trust.org/item/20140312073642-703fu

Is climate change responsible for the hail storms and unseasonal rainfall in Maharashtra?

Is climate change responsible for the hail storms and unseasonal rainfall in parts of Maharashtra? Or is it a one-off phenomenon? The South Asia Network on Dams, Rivers and People (SANDRP) on Tuesday described it as "unprecedented." Hailstorms by the end of February 2014, initially thought of as a one-off phenomenon, continued to batter places like Solapur for nearly two weeks now. Rabi crops like wheat, harbhara, cotton, jowar, summer onion are lost, horticultural crops like papaya, sweet lime, grapes are battered and orchards which took years to grow are ridden to the ground. For many farmers the tragedy is unbearable as majority of crops were about to be harvested. Turmeric was drying in the sun, grapes were waiting to be graded, wheat was harvested and lying in the fields. http://timesofindia.indiatimes.com/city/mumbai/Is-climate-change- responsible-for-the-hail-storms-and-unseasonal-rainfall-in- Maharashtra/articleshow/31854153.cms

Unicef fears a massive humanitarian crisis in Thar

A recent United Nations Children’s Fund (Unicef) report has viewed that nearly three million Pakistanis, mostly villagers, currently face possible starvation, asserting that thousands of people have already fled the Southern Thar Desert because the drought has devastated crops and livestock—- sparking fears of a massive humanitarian crisis. Quoting the estimates collected from government officials, the Unicef report has stated that the drought-ridden Thar Desert is home to one million people.This is what Unicef has written about other countries presently confronted with drought and famine: India: The government has mobilized massive relief efforts in several regions. Madhya Pradesh, along with the western states of Rajasthan and Gujarat and Andhra Pradesh in the south, is in the grip of a severe drought following the failure of last year’s monsoon rains. Nearly 130 million people living in 12 states have been seriously affected by what some officials call the worst drought in 100 years. http://www.thenews.com.pk/Todays-News-2-237839-Unicef-fears-a- massive-humanitarian-crisis-in-Thar

Toronto weather will return to snow, plunging temperatures on Wednesday as airlines warn of possible delays.

Another winter storm for Canada

After basking in sunny, double-digit temperatures on Tuesday, Torontonians will see winter return with a vengeance on Wednesday, with snow and a temperature drop of nearly 30 degrees in the space of a day a half. Environment Canada has issued a special weather statement on an intensifying low pressure system from Kansas that’s forecast to track south of the Lower Great lakes on Wednesday, bringing snow to much of southern Ontario. Toronto can expect up to 10 centimetres of snow, with visibility on the roads potentially poor due to heavy precipitation and blowing snow. http://news.nationalpost.com/2014/03/11/toronto-weather-will-return- to-snow-plunging-temperatures-on-wednesday-as-airlines-warn-of- possible-delays/ http://www.syracuse.com/news/index.ssf/2014/03/weather_central_new _york_weather_forecast_snow_coming.html

Mpuma floods claim more victims

Eleven people drowned in Mpumalanga in the past week because of heavy rains and 12 were rescued, police said on Tuesday. Persistent rain and flooding had hit large parts of the province, including in Tonga, Nelspruit, Greylingstad, Piet Retief, and Badplaas, said police spokesperson Leonard Hlathi. Three children, aged between 2 and 11 years old, were among those who had drowned from last Tuesday. "The 2-year-old boy from Piet Retief fell into a hole that was dug for erecting a pit toilet," said Hlathi. http://www.news24.com/SouthAfrica/News/Mpuma-floods-claim-more- victims-20140311

Japan marks 3rd anniversary of tsunami disaster

Prime Minister Shinzo Abe pledged to boost rebuilding efforts as the country marked the third anniversary Tuesday of a devastating earthquake and tsunami that left nearly 19,000 people dead, destroyed coastal communities and triggered a nuclear crisis. Japan has struggled to rebuild towns and villages and to clean up radiation from the meltdowns at the Fukushima Dai-ichi nuclear power plant. Reconstruction plans are finally taking shape, but shortages of skilled workers and materials are delaying the work. The triple disasters known in Japan as 3-11 killed 15,884 people and left 2,636 unaccounted for on its northeastern coast. The country has earmarked 25 trillion yen ($250 billion) for reconstruction through March 2016. Three years later, nearly 270,000 people remain displaced from their homes, including many from Fukushima prefecture who may never be able to return home due to radioactive contamination. http://www.kfvs12.com/story/24941234/japan-marks-3rd-anniversary- of-tsunami-disasters

Permanent Arab Committee for Meteorology

The hosts of the General Administration of Civil Aviation Meteorological Department on Monday, the 30th of the session of the Permanent Arab Committee for Meteorology of the League of Arab States with the participation of 18 Arab countries and 10 regional and international organizations . The Meteorological Department said in a press statement today that the work of this session to be held for the first time in the State of Kuwait is witnessing the presence of more than 60 officials of the Meteorological national participation of experts and consultants as well as the delegation of the General Secretariat of the Arab League, which is headed by Minister Plenipotentiary Dr. Jamal Jaballah director of environmental management Housing , Sustainable Development and the Director of the Technical Secretariat of the Permanent Arab Committee for Meteorology . (Translated from Arabic via google translate) http://www.kuna.net.kw/ArticleDetails.aspx?id=2365376

Floods and gales are taste of things to come, says UN climate science chief

The heaviest rainfall in 200 years, floods and gales experienced in Britain this winter are a foretaste of what is certain to occur in a warming world, the head of the UN's climate science panel has told the Guardian. "Each of the last three decades has been warmer than the last. Extreme events are on the increase. Even if what we have just had [this winter] was not caused by anthropogenic climate change, events of this nature are increasing both in intensity and frequency," said Rajendra Pachauri, chair of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change. "Two types of extreme events are going to occur more frequently – extreme precipitation and heatwaves. It is important for societies to deal with climate change if we want to avoid the impacts." http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/mar/07/floods-gales-un- climate-change-extreme-weather

NOAA: Expect More Extreme Rain And Snow In The Future

Extreme weather can apparently be directly linked to global warming, at least according to federal climate scientists. A new weather model put out by climatologists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration -- the U.S. federal science agency responsible for monitoring the planet`s oceans and atmosphere -- predicts that rain will fall in larger and larger concentrations, thanks to a warming planet. If climate models hold true and the planet continues to warm, much of the Northwest, Northeast and Midwest can expect torrential downpours to become increasingly common. "Several major watersheds are predicted to have more days of extreme rainfall by the middle of the century, including the Pacific Northwest, the Ohio River Basin, the Great Lakes, and parts of the Great River and Missouri River Basin," the NOAA said in a news release. http://weather.weatherbug.com/weather-news/weather- reports.html?zcode=z6286&story=15746

How much hotter is the planet going to get?

The climate is highly sensitive to carbon dioxide, according to several new studies, which means that our greenhouse gas emissions will lead to strong warming. The finding suggests we need to cut emissions fast if we are to avoid dangerous climate change. This may seem surprising given that the slower warming in the past decade has led some to conclude that the sensitivity of the climate is low. But the latest findings show that the cooling effect of aerosol pollution from factories and fires has been underestimated. This means warming will resume with a vengeance if countries in Asia clean up their skies. It's a complicated story. So New Scientist has broken it down. What is this climate sensitivity business about anyway??If you kicked your best friend in the teeth, how would they react? Would they shrug it off, burst into tears, or stalk off to plot your murder? Climate sensitivity is a measure of how strongly the planet will react to the kicking we are giving it. It is how much surface warming we can expect if we double the amount of carbon dioxide into the atmosphere. http://www.newscientist.com/article/dn25187-how-much-hotter-is-the- planet-going-to-get.html#.Ux3bSChG9rU

Comment: Where did the Marshall Islands go?

This week an unusually high tide, sometimes called a king tide, swept through the island nation's capital city, Majuro. Even something as modest as a swelling tide can have an outsize effect in the Marshalls, which comprises low-lying islands in the Pacific Ocean - - the highest elevation in the entire island chain is just 10 meters. "Around 1,000 people were displaced as a result of the king tide, and a number of family homes were completely wiped out by the encroaching seas," Marshall Islands Minister for Foreign Affairs Phillip Muller told FP by email. Muller said it was the worst king tide to hit the Marshalls in decades. "On Tuesday, the cabinet declared a state of emergency, and government agencies are now in high gear to help the communities in Majuro to deal with the situation. But the cleanup has only just begun, and many of the Marshallese affected will never fully recover." http://www.sbs.com.au/news/article/2014/03/10/comment-where-did- marshall-islands-go http://www.rtcc.org/2014/03/07/climate-science-debate-futile-says- marshall-islands-minister/

Scientists look to ancient knowledge for seasonal forecasting

An Australian scientist is working to collate ancient methods of weather prediction in the Pacific, saying that the study could help improve contemporary forecasting tools, record important cultural knowledge that might otherwise be lost, and help bridge the gap between ancient wisdom and modern science. Roan Plotz, who is a traditional ecological knowledge scientist at the Bureau of Meteorology in Melbourne, is working with Pacific meteorological services to collate traditional weather and climate knowledge, verifying the information and using it to make seasonal forecasts more useful to Pacific Island communities. “What we are trying to do is to be able to integrate the two systems in terms of the indigenous knowledge or traditional knowledge with an actual scientific statistical forecast. We need to understand how relevant or how true that is.” http://beforeitsnews.com/science-and-technology/2014/03/scientists- look-to-ancient-knowledge-for-seasonal-forecasting-2679636.html

Tanzania: Global Warming Compounds Malaria Prevalence Rate

TANZANIA is among many other countries where global warming will expose millions more people to malaria as parasite-bearing mosquitoes move to higher altitudes. According to a new research published in the US journal Science into the health perils from climate change, tropical highland areas in Africa, Asia and central and southern America are particularly at risk. Malaria, which killed an estimated 620,000 people in 2012, is among a host of diseases that researchers warn will spread more easily, thanks to global warming. The most recent national level data for malaria interventions in Tanzania comes from the 2011-12 Tanzania HIV/AIDS Malaria Indicator Survey (THMIS) and shows further impressive improvements in nearly all malaria indicators when compared with 2005 and 2008/09 figures. http://allafrica.com/stories/201403100076.html http://www.redorbit.com/news/health/1113089985/malaria-shifted-by- climate-change-030714/

Falling under a relentless dry spell

As crops wither and government agencies dither, there are increasing calls for a comprehensive water management policy On his monitor, orange lines are seen extending across a map of the Pacific Ocean in a climate projection for the next six months. The prognosis doesn’t look good as El Nino, a warmer climate pattern bringing... http://www.bangkokpost.com/news/investigation/398897/falling-under- a-relentless-dry-spell.

Reality of climate change dawns on Ghana

For many a Ghanaian, the experience of a heavy downpour on an Independence Day is a rare occurrence. This is because early March is not often associated with heavy rainfall. March 6, 2014 was however exceptional. The rains came down heavy in the nation’s capital, Accra and other regions of Ghana. The otherwise colourful 57th Independence Day parade was marring by the rains. Yet it was indeed “showers of blessing” for the President to tune the minds of the citizenry to the changing weather patterns. A celebration themed “Building a Better and Prosperous Ghana through Patriotism and National Unity” would certainly not have had a sentence on climate change in the President’s speech. However, President John Dramani Mahama, drenched in rain, could not have delivered his address without giving space to the sudden change in weather. Observing the reality of climate change dawning on Ghana, the President charged the Meteorological Service, to "sharpen our ability to be able to better predict the behaviour of the weather in order to be able to adapt to it." He acknowledged “we must implement climate change adaptability so that we will be able to predict the weather.” http://www.modernghana.com/news/527900/1/reality-of-climate-change- dawns-on-ghana.html

Editorial

Kerry urges American ambassadors to make climate change a priority

US Secretary of State John Kerry has called on American ambassadors around the world to make the fight against climate change a top priority ahead of new UN talks next year. In his first department-wide policy guidance statement since taking office a year ago, he told his 70,000 staff: "The environment has been one of the central causes of my life." "Protecting our environment and meeting the challenge of global climate change is a critical mission for me as our country's top diplomat," Kerry said in the letter issued on Friday to all 275 US embassies and across the State Department. "It's also a critical mission for all of you: our brave men and women on the frontlines of direct diplomacy," he added in the document seen by AFP. http://www.rawstory.com/rs/2014/03/08/kerry-urges-american- ambassadors-to-make-climate-change-a-priority/

The Navy Lays Out Its Plan for a More Accessible Arctic

The amount of sea ice that covers the Arctic Ocean at the end of melt season in September has receded by about 3% per decade since 1981, with a record low set in 2012. Less sea ice means more open water, and rapid Arctic climate change has essentially created new international waterways for shipping and resource extraction activities. The area of seasonally ice-free waters is likely to continue to widen over the coming decades, and Navy wants to keep tabs on it. That's because Arctic has the potential to become one of the more geopolitically important bodies of water on Earth, due to the shipping routes it may unlock as well as oil and gas resources it may free up. As summer sea ice continues to decline in response to global warming and natural climate variability, Alaska's 1,000 miles of Arctic coast could become important to maintaining a vigilant defense as well as search and rescue and oil spill response capabilities. The U.S. government believes the Arctic Ocean contains 30% of Earth's undiscovered natural gas, and 13% of the planet's undiscovered oil, both resources that would be of significant interest to the U.S. and other nations. http://mashable.com/2014/03/07/arctic-readiness-navy-plan/

Climate Council report: More than 150 weather records broken last summer, climate change cited as reason

Australia has endured another summer of searing temperatures, with more than 150 weather records broken, a new report shows. The Climate Council's latest Angry Summer report analyses climate data from across the country for the 2013-2014 summer. The report says Adelaide experienced 13 days above 40 degrees Celsius, including five days in a row above 42C. The South Australian capital also had its hottest ever February day, reaching 44.7C. While South Australia was described as the summer's "ground zero", it was also the driest summer on record for 38 spots in New South Wales and 45 in Queensland, while Sydney had its driest summer in 27 years. Melbourne had its hottest 24-hour period, with an average temperature of 35.5C, and Perth had its hottest-ever night and its second-hottest summer on record. The council's Lesley Hughes says the hotter, drier weather conditions are heightening the risks of bushfires. "Bushfires, if they're started, are able to carry and spread faster, and more seriously and more intensely, the hotter and drier the conditions," she said. http://au.news.yahoo.com/thewest/a/21899965/climate-council-report- more-than-150-weather-records-broken-last-summer-climate-change- cited-as-reason/

See also

Climate Change/Disaster Risk Reduction Initiative

The Planning Institute of Jamaica (PIOJ) is expressing satisfaction with the outcomes of the recently concluded Government of Jamaica/European Union/United Nations Environment Programme (GOJ/EU/UNEP) Climate Change Adaptation and Disaster Risk Reduction Project, which it co-managed in partnership with UNEP. The 38-month project, between October 2010 and December 2013, was aimed at assisting in strengthening Jamaica’s ability to adapt to the effects of climate change, and reducing the likely risks associated with drought, flooding, soil erosion, land slippage, storm surges, and other natural occurrences. This, the PIOJ believes, it was able to achieve through activities undertaken islandwide in collaboration with several government departments and agencies over the period. http://jis.gov.jm/climate-changedisaster-risk-reduction-initiative- effecting-change/

Pakistan drought: PM pledge support to Sindh

Prime Minister Nawaz Sharif has pledged full support to the Sindh government in assisting people suffering from severe shortages of food, water and medicines in large areas of the southern province’s Tharparkar district, DawnNews reported. In a statement issued on Saturday, the prime minister said all available resources should be brought to use in order to assist the large numbers of women nursing their sick children and hungry people waiting for food in villages. The federal government would extend all possible assistance to the Sindh government in this regard, the statement said, adding that the National Disaster Management Authority (NDMA) and other departments were keeping him apprised of the situation. The army was also dispatching relief goods and organising medical camps in the district’s affected areas. As many as 23 children have died in the villages of Tharparkar since the start of February, Kamran Zia, NDMA’s chief spokesman, said Saturday. http://www.dawn.com/news/1091827/tharparkar-drought-pm-pledges- support-to-sindh

Global warming

Who pressed the pause button?

BETWEEN 1998 and 2013, the Earth’s surface temperature rose at a rate of 0.04°C a decade, far slower than the 0.18°C increase in the 1990s. Meanwhile, emissions of carbon dioxide (which would be expected to push temperatures up) rose uninterruptedly. This pause in warming has raised doubts in the public mind about climate change. A few sceptics say flatly that global warming has stopped. Others argue that scientists’ understanding of the climate is so flawed that their judgments about it cannot be accepted with any confidence. A convincing explanation of the pause therefore matters both to a proper understanding of the climate and to the credibility of climate science—and papers published over the past few weeks do their best to provide one. Indeed, they do almost too good a job. If all were correct, the pause would now be explained twice over. http://www.economist.com/news/science-and-technology/21598610- slowdown-rising-temperatures-over-past-15-years-goes- being?fsrc=rss%7Csct

Aging El Nino Buoys Get Fixed as Weather Forecasts at Risk

The National Weather Service is set to start repairing 70 towering buoys used to track El Nino and La Nina patterns, whose damage has led scientists to warn the accuracy of forecasts is in danger. The Tropical Atmospheric Ocean Array, deployed after a 1982- 83 ocean warming caught governments by surprise and caused at least $8.1 billion in damage worldwide, is designed to help predict developments that can alter global weather. The system has degraded to about 40 percent effectiveness, a victim of age, vandalism and neglect, according to the National Oceanic & Atmospheric Administration. “Having this array in place may give us a few more months extra lead time that otherwise would not occur,” said Kevin Trenberth, distinguished senior scientist in the climate analysis section of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Boulder, Colorado. “It makes a difference as to what strategy many farmers have in terms of what crops they grow, what water irrigation strategies they use, what fertilizer.” http://www.businessweek.com/news/2014-03-06/aging-el-nino-buoys- getting-fixed-as-weather-forecasts-at-risk

Meteorological Agency, Red Cross to partner up

The Meteorological Agency and the Japanese Red Cross Society have agreed to cooperate on education for disaster response, ahead of the third anniversary of the March 11 earthquake and tsunami disaster.The agency will cooperate with the Junior Red Cross to develop an education program on the importance of self-protection. About 3 million students from about 13,000 elementary, middle high and high schools take part in Junior Red Cross activities. Local meteorological observatories and Red Cross branches will also work together on spreading knowledge about disaster response. Agency Director General Mitsuhiko Hatori said that region-specific disaster prevention efforts at community levels are important in Japan. http://the-japan-news.com/news/article/0001092279

The government will build another 40 automatic weather stations (AWS) in districts throughout the country by year-end to ensure better facilities for weather forecast.

The Malaysian Meteorological Department director-general Datuk Che Gayah Ismail said the additional automatic weather stations were important to ensure more accurate weather forecast reports. "Currently we have 108 automatic weather stations throughout the country. The budget allocation for the additional ones have been received and the project is being carried out. "The AWS plays an important role in development, especially the agriculture sector. When farming is done on a large scale, weather reports are vital because information and data is needed for feasibility studies. "Weather reports are also important to determine if a certain area was suitable for farming," she told Bernama after a briefing on "Climate Change in Malaysia" at Wisma Bernama, here today. http://www.nst.com.my/latest/govt-to-build-40-more-automatic- weather-stations-1.499648#ixzz2vHn3Brp9

See also

Weather, increased demand pushes global food prices to highest level in months

Global food prices in February rose to their highest level since mid-2012 as a result of unfavourable weather and increased demand, the United Nations food agency today reported. In a news release, the UN Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) said its most recent Food Price Index, which measures the monthly change in international prices of a basket of 55 food commodities, including meat, dairy, sugar, and cereals, averaged 208.1 points. That is about 5.2 points, or 2.6 per cent, higher than the slightly revised index for January. “This month's increase follows a long period of declining food prices in general. But it’s too early to say if this is a true reversal of the trend,” said Concepción Calpe, FAO Senior Economist. http://www.un.org/apps/news/story.asp?NewsID=47289&Cr=food+price& Cr1=#.UxnNyyhG9rU

'Time Running Out': Great Barrier Reef At Tipping Point Due To Global Warming, Scientists Say

With climate change set to wreck irreversible damage by 2030 unless immediate action is taken, time is running out for Australia's iconic Great Barrier Reef, marine scientists said Thursday. University of Queensland reef researcher Ove Hoegh- Guldberg said the world heritage site was at a turning point in a report prepared for this month's Earth Hour global climate change campaign, Agence France-Presse reported. "If we don't increase our commitment to solve the burgeoning stress from local and global sources, the reef will disappear," he wrote in the foreword to the report http://www.hngn.com/articles/25958/20140306/time-running-out-great- barrier-reef-tipping-point-due-global.htm

Climate change could mean more malaria in Africa, South America

Future global warming could lead to a significant increase in malaria cases in densely populated regions of Africa and South America unless disease monitoring and control efforts are increased, researchers said on Thursday. In a study of the mosquito-borne disease that infects around 220 million people a year, researchers from Britain and the United States found what they describe as the first hard evidence that malaria creeps to higher elevations during warmer years and back down to lower altitudes when temperatures cool. This in turn "suggests that with progressive global warming, malaria will creep up the mountains and spread to new high-altitude areas," said Menno Bouma, an honorary clinical lecturer at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM). http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/03/06/us-malaria-climate- idUKBREA251V620140306

Canada and the United Kingdom join forces to tackle climate change in Africa and Asia

Canada's International Development Research Centre (IDRC) and the UK's Department for International Development (DFID) have announced today the selection of four multi-partner research initiatives aimed at tackling the impacts of climate change in Africa and Asia. Funded under the Collaborative Adaptation Research Initiative in Africa and Asia (CARIAA) program, a seven-year, $70 million research initiative, this work takes a fresh approach to understanding climate change and adaptation in some of the most vulnerable regions of Africa and Asia. Organized around four multi-regional consortia, CARIAA will focus on three global "hot spots," namely semi-arid regions in Africa and South and Central Asia; deltas in Africa and South Asia; and the Himalayan River Basins, with a view to contributing to effective policies and action on the ground. The program straddles countries, regions, and sectors, using the hot spot itself as a lens for research. In Africa, CARIAA will address two hotspots: semi-arid regions in East, West, and Southern Africa and the Volta and Nile river Deltas. http://www.bizjournals.com/phoenix/prnewswire/press_releases/Arizona /2014/03/06/C9662

Melting ice, water challenges among initial observations of Uganda glacier expedition

Normal melting caused by the dry season (June-August) has worsened on Uganda’s Ruwenzori Mountains, a two-week expedition has revealed and proving further disturbing impacts linked to climate change, including rapid ice melting and the threat of reduced access to water for the area’s inhabitants. According to Luc Hardy of Green Cross France et Territoires, and founder of Pax Arctica and who led the expedition, one can see how the glacier is sandwiched between warming at the top and warming at the bottom. Scientists have predicted the glaciers located in the Rwenzori Mountains, or Mountains of the Moon, may cease to exist in two decades, possibly as early as the mid-2020s. Studies have shown that from 1906 to 2003, the area covered by glaciers has reduced from 7.5 km2 to less than 1 km2 (a decline at a rate of 0.7 km2 per decade.) Receding glaciers have seen a reduction over time of water flow in the Nyamwamba River, leading to noticeable declines in hydroelectric power and reduced agricultural production. Research efforts to discover the impact of the disappearance of these glaciers are now critical. http://www.africasciencenews.org/en/index.php?option=com_content&vie w=article&id=1121:melting-ice-water-challenges-among-initial- observations-of-uganda-glacier- expedition&catid=52:environment&Itemid=115

Climate change to take toll on Indus Delta region

The Indus Delta is the most vulnerable area to the challenges of climate change as it may face increased requirements of irrigation water due to higher vaporisation at elevated temperatures in the face of limited availability of water. The data prepared by Research and Development Division of Pakistan Meteorological Department (PMD) showed that the climate change would cause uncertainty to timely availability of irrigation water caused by changes in river flows due to glacier melting and altered precipitation pattern. Other adverse impacts of the climate change in the Indus Delta region would include reduced productivity of crops and livestock due to heat stress; erratic and uncertain rainfall patterns affecting particularly the rain-fed agriculture; increased frequency and intensity of extreme climate events such as floods, drought and cyclones resulting in heavy damages to both crops and livestock; abundance of insects, pests and pathogens in warmer and more humid environment; degradation of rangeland and further deterioration of the already degraded cultivated land areas such as those suffering from water erosion, wind erosion, water-logging and salinity; and intrusion of sea water into deltaic region affecting coastal agriculture, forestry and biodiversity. http://www.omantribune.com/index.php?page=news&id=163116&heading= Pakistan

Water and miseries

VietNamNet Bridge - HCM City is rated as one of the 10 cities worldwide that are most severely affected from climate change, and in Vietnam, it is only the Mekong Delta in terms of suffering from climate change. Many reports showed the increasing trends of flood tides in the city due to the effects of climate change, which is evident from 2006. In 2010, flood-tide in the city suddenly surged up to 1.58 m high and it swept away the Rach Dia dike in Thu Duc district so that many households could not timely run away. The city officials said it was the highest tide in 50 years. The local government had to cooperate with the Dau Tieng reservoir in Dong Nai province to monitor water discharge because if the reservoir discharged water, HCM City would have been in danger. Since then, the city began witnessing landmarks of flood tide. In 2011, the tide peaked at 1.59 m. In 2012, it peaked at 1.61m and in October 2013, it broke a record with 1.68 m. Along with speed rapid urbanization, climate change is the cause of the abnormal changes of weather. According to the Asian Development Bank (ADB), only 15%-20% of HCM City’s area is higher than the sea level by 1-2 m and 45 % -50 % of the area is 0-1 m higher than the sea level. Thus, most of the city area would be severely hurt when sea level rises. http://english.vietnamnet.vn/fms/special-reports/96676/water-and- miseries.html

Meteo Agency replies President Mahama

The Ghana Meteorological Agency (GMA) has fired back at President John Mahama’s charge that the workers of the agency need to “sharpen their skills” in forecasting the weather.??President Mahama had given the charge during the 57th Independence Day parade at the Black Star Square. The heavy rains disrupted the march pass and the president and other dignitaries reported got wet from rain water dripping through the canopies.??But the Principal Meteorological Officer at the GMA, Muller Tsatsu Siameh, told Adom News the agency has very skilful workers but they lack the necessary logistics and resources, as well as the motivation to deliver on their mandate. http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/regional/artikel.php?ID=302 571

Good news for drought-stricken California - El Nino forming in Pacific

Relief may be on the way for a weather-weary United States with the predicted warming of the central Pacific Ocean brewing this year that will likely change weather worldwide. But it won't be for the better everywhere. The warming, called an El Nino, is expected to lead to fewer Atlantic hurricanes and more rain next winter for drought- stricken California and southern states, and even a milder winter for the nation's frigid northern tier next year, meteorologists say. While it could be good news to lessen the southwestern U.S. drought and shrink heating bills next winter in the far north, "worldwide it can be quite a different story," said North Carolina State University atmospheric sciences professor Ken Kunkel. "Some areas benefit. Some don't." Globally, it can mean an even hotter year coming up and billions of dollars in losses for food crops. http://www.ktvu.com/news/news/local/good-news-drought-stricken- california-el-nino-form/nd7Dm/

A Climate Analyst Clarifies the Science Behind California’s Water Woes

There’s no question that residents of California and much of the West face a collision between high water demands driven by growth and outdated policies and a limited and highly variable water supply. But that reality hasn’t stopped heated arguments from springing up in recent days over the cause or causes of California’s continuing epic drought. Is one of the drivers the growing human influence on the climate? Or is this drought something we’ve seen before, the result of natural variability? In the wake of an unusual public debate on this issue between President Obama’s science adviser, John Holdren, and Roger Pielke, Jr., a longtime analyst of climate-related disaster losses at the University of Colorado, I received a helpful note from Martin Hoerling, who studies climate extremes for the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. http://dotearth.blogs.nytimes.com/2014/03/06/a-climate-analyst- clarifies-the-science-behind-californias-extreme- drought/?_php=true&_type=blogs&module=BlogPost- Title&version=Blog%20Main&contentCollection=Climate%20Change&action =Click&pgtype=Blogs®ion=Body&_r=0

See also

Rains Ease Calif. Drought, Make Wildfire Outlook Grimmer

The massive Pacific storms that streamed onto the California shoreline dropped a lot of rain, but they did little to ease long-term drought conditions and may end up exacerbating what is already expected to be a disastrous wildfire season. This week’s U.S. Drought Monitor, released Thursday morning, shows that the “blockbuster” storms that lasted from Feb. 26 to March 2, dropped as much as 75 percent of the moisture some California cities have received all season. Burbank received 4.78 inches of its 5.28-inch season-to-date rainfall total and downtown Los Angeles received 4.52 inches of its 5.72-inch total. The cruel irony is that the much-needed moisture may end up making a wildfire season expected to be catastrophic even worse than it would have been if the region had stayed completely dry. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/rains-ease-calif.-drought-make- wildfire-outlook-grimmer-17147

Queensland drought spreads to an unprecedented 80% of the state

Almost 80% of Queensland has now been officially declared in drought – the largest area in the state’s history. Southern parts of the state have been added to the long list of drought-declared areas, pushing up the total land area in drought from 70% to 79% on Friday. The state agriculture minister, John McVeigh, said the drought has now reached record levels. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2014/mar/07/queensland-drought- spreads-to-an-unprecedented-80-of-the-state

WMO deal for Haiti to minimise hurricane impact

The Secretary General of the World Meteorological Organisation, Michel Jarraud, has signed an accord with the Haitian President, Michel Martelly to improve weather, climate and hydrology forecasting in a country vulnerable to hurricanes, floods and landslides. Funded by the Canadian government the 5.86 million USD project will be co- ordinated and managed by the WMO. Haiti is extremely vulnerable to natural disasters. It faces the recurrent threats of tropical cyclones, hurricanes and flash floods, exacerbated by massive deforestation. Over the past ten years hurricanes have killed more than 3,800 people on the Caribbean island. The accord signed with the Haitian President aims to reduce the impact of natural disasters by improving the country's weather forecasting system. Funded by the Canadian government, the accord is managed by the World Meterological Organisation. http://www.unmultimedia.org/radio/english/2014/02/wmo-deal-for-haiti- to-minimise-hurricane-impact/#.UwdwaihG9rU http://www.haitilibre.com/en/news-10573-haiti-news-some-news-here- and-there.html http://www.radiotelevisioncaraibes.com/nouvelles/haiti/modernisation_d u_centre_national_de_meteorologie.html

$79M Met Station for Tobago

A Meteorological (Met) Station is to be built in Tobago at a cost of an estimated $79 million. The new Meteorological Services building will feature a modern, state-of-the- art, environmentally friendly facility incurring low maintenance cost, according to Tobago West MP/Minister of Tobago Development Dr Delmon Baker.??Speaking at a symbolic sod-turning ceremony on location at Crown Point, on Wednesday, Baker noted the Met Station will provide up-to-date information on weather patterns that would prove invaluable in the operations of the aviation industry, as well as in the areas of agriculture, marine activity, tourism, and disaster preparedness, among others.??“The station is as essential to Trinidad and the wider region, as it certainly will be to the island of Tobago, since it provides redundancy in the event that the facility in Trinidad is compromised,” he said.??“We cannot prevent extreme weather pattern events, but we can certainly equip our professionals in this space to better detect those events so that the population is better prepared to face the challenges of these adverse events,” Baker emphasised. A Small Water Craft Monitoring System, which was approved as a pilot project for Tobago by Cabinet last September, will also be located at the new facility, according to Baker. This system, he explained, would provide relevant weather data and timely warnings to operators of fishing vessels and pleasure craft out of Tobago. http://www.newsday.co.tt/news/0,191006.html

Canada-Mexico Climate Change Cooperation

Today, Minister Leona Aglukkaq announced $2.5 million towards the establishment of the Canada-Mexico Climate Change Cooperation Platform, a project funded through the United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) in Mexico as part of Canada's $1.2 billion Fast-Start Financing. This project was highlighted by Prime Minister Stephen Harper following the North American Leaders Summit in Toluca, Mexico on February 19, 2014. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/markets/news/article.asp?do cKey=600-201402201318CANADANWCANADAPR_C5999-1

January was 4th Warmest, 5th Driest on Record, NOAA Finds

Believe it or not, last month was the warmest January since 2007 and the fourth warmest on record, the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration said Thursday. It also marked the driest month for the contiguous United States since 2003, and the fifth driest since records started being kept in 1880. The global average temperature for both land and ocean surfaces was 54.8 degrees last month, about 1.17 degrees above the 20th-century global average. The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration collects land and ocean temperature from around the world, and says it definitively: January 2014 was the fourth-warmest January in the recorded history of the world. http://www.usnews.com/news/articles/2014/02/20/january-was-4th- warmest-5th-driest-on-record-noaa-finds http://www.climatecentral.org/news/play-it-again-january-continues- globes-warm-trend-17097

See also

Arctic Sea Ice Sits at Record Low for Mid-February

Arctic sea ice growth has slowed dramatically in recent weeks, thanks in large part to abnormally warm air and water temperatures. Sea ice now sits at record low levels for mid-February. According to the National Snow and Ice Data Center, as of February 18, sea ice covered about 14.36 million square kilometers in the Arctic. The previous low on this date was 14.37 million square kilometers in 2006. The main culprit — in addition to the overall trend of global warming — is likely the rash of warm temperatures. With the polar vortex bringing cold air down to the U.S. this winter, warmer temperatures have been the norm in the Arctic. From February 1-17, temperatures were 7.2° to 14.4°F above normal for much of the Arctic. Some areas have been even warmer. http://www.climatecentral.org/news/arctic-sea-ice-sits-at-record-low-for- mid-february-17093 http://www.climatecentral.org/news/arctic-sea-ice-hits-6th-lowest-level- on-record-16492

Arctic 'is set to reach 13°C by 2100

US scientists say that by the end of this century temperatures in the Arctic may for part of each year reach 13°C above pre-industrial levels. Global average temperatures have already risen by about 0.8°C over the level they were at in around 1750.??The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change said in its 2013 Fifth Assessment Report that it thought the probable global temperature rise by 2100 would be between 1.5 and 4°C under most scenarios. Most of the world's governments have agreed the global rise should not be allowed to exceed a "safety level" of 2°C.??But James Overland, of the US National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, and colleagues, writing in the American Geophysical Union's journal Earth's Future, say average temperature projections show an Arctic-wide end of century increase of 13°C in the late autumn and 5°C in late spring for a business-as-usual emission scenario.??By contrast, a scenario based on climate mitigation would reduce these figures to 7°C and 3°C respectively. The team say they consider their estimates "realistic", and they have used a large number of models in reaching them.??Ice fall??The Arctic is known to be warming fast, much faster than regions further south. The mean Arctic temperature is 1.5°C higher today than it was between 1971 and 2000, double the warming that occurred at lower latitudes during the same period.??The authors say Arctic sea ice volume has decreased by 75% since the 1980s. Reasons for the rapid warming include feedback processes linked to changes in albedo, which have caused a big drop in the ability of the Arctic's snow and ice to reflect sunlight back into space.??As they melt they are replaced by darker rock and water, which, instead of reflecting the warmth away from the Earth, absorb it and help to raise the temperature. There are also changes taking place in ocean and land heat storage. These all help to amplify the effect of greenhouse gases in warming the Arctic.??Professor Overland and his colleagues say it is very likely that the Arctic Ocean will become nearly free of sea ice at some seasons of the year before 2050, and possibly within a decade or two. This in turn will further increase Arctic temperatures, economic access (for oil and gas exploitation and by shipping), and ecological shifts. http://yubanet.com/enviro/Arctic-is-set-to-reach-13-C-by- 2100.php#.UwdxLyhG9rU

Big Antarctic glacier to keep raising seas, even without warming

A thawing Antarctic glacier that is the biggest contributor to rising sea levels is likely to continue shrinking for decades, even without an extra spur from global warming, a study showed on Thursday. Scientists said the Pine Island Glacier, which carries more water to the sea than the Rhine River, also thinned 8,000 years ago at rates comparable to the present, in a melt that lasted for decades, perhaps for centuries. "Our findings reveal that Pine Island Glacier has experienced rapid thinning at least once in the past, and that, once set in motion, rapid ice sheet changes in this region can persist for centuries," they wrote in the U.S. journal Science. A creeping rise in sea levels is a threat to low-lying coasts from Bangladesh to Florida, and to cities from London to Shanghai. Of the world's biggest glaciers, in Antarctica and Greenland, Pine Island is the largest contributor. The trigger of the ancient thinning, of about a metre (3 ft) a year, was probably a natural climate shift that warmed the sea and melted the floating end of the glacier, removing a buttress that let ice on land slide more quickly into the sea. http://planetark.org/wen/71116

Humans are damaging the high seas. Now the oceans are doing harm back

ABOUT 3 billion people live within 100 miles (160km) of the sea, a number that could double in the next decade as humans flock to coastal cities like gulls. The oceans produce $3 trillion of goods and services each year and untold value for the Earth’s ecology. Life could not exist without these vast water reserves—and, if anything, they are becoming even more important to humans than before. The forests are often called the lungs of the Earth, but the description better fits the oceans. They produce half the world’s supply of oxygen, mostly through photosynthesis by aquatic algae and other organisms. But according to a forthcoming report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC; the group of scientists who advise governments on global warming), concentrations of chlorophyll (which helps makes oxygen) have fallen by 9- 12% in 1998-2010 in the North Pacific, Indian and North Atlantic Oceans. Climate change may be the reason. At the moment, the oceans are moderating the impact of global warming—though that may not last (see article). Warm water rises, so an increase in sea temperatures tends to separate cold and warm water into more distinct layers, with shallower mixed layers in between. That seems to lower the quantity of nutrients available for aquatic algae, and to lead to decreased chlorophyll concentrations. Changes in the oceans, therefore, may mean less oxygen will be produced. This cannot be good news, though scientists are still debating the likely consequences. The world is not about to suffocate. But the result could be lower oxygen concentrations in the oceans and changes to the climate because the counterpart of less oxygen is more carbon—adding to the build-up of greenhouse gases. In short, the decades of damage wreaked on the oceans are now damaging the terrestrial environment. http://www.economist.com/news/international/21596990-humans-are- damaging-high-seas-now-oceans-are-doing-harm-back-deep-water

See also

Africa: Combating Climate Change in Africa

"We will witness instability in rainfall, disease spreading, sea level rise and floods. One other effect of climate change is to send Africans further and further to seek water. This brings them into conflicts with other Africans. We will face wars on African soil that are not created in Africa." These words by Tosi Mpanu-Mpanu, the former chairperson of the Africa Group at the ongoing United Nations climate change negotiations provides a striking reminder and warning that climate change is more than just about floods or droughts but rather a serious phenomenon that has the capacity to destabilize Africa. This growing nexus between climate change and instability is now already evident in some parts of the continent. For example, in the Darfur region, climate change has escalated the crisis with competition for scarce water in refugee camps, and scarce land between farmers and herders sparking serious conflicts in the arid region. http://allafrica.com/stories/201402201572.html

Beijing issues pollution alert ahead of three days of heavy smog

China's capital Beijing issued an emergency pollution alert for the first time on Thursday, warning residents to reduce outdoor activities and construction sites to control dust given a forecast of heavy smog over the next three days. Pollution is an increasing concern for China's leaders, keen to douse potential unrest as affluent city dwellers turn against a growth-at-all-costs economic model that has tainted much of the country's air, water and soil. Severe pollution in Beijing has made it "barely suitable" for living, according to an official report published earlier this month, and despite numerous measures aimed at improving air quality in recent years, Beijing still regularly suffers from choking smog. The Beijing Municipal Environmental Protection Bureau said on its website it had issued a Yellow alert - the first use of a color-coded warning system unveiled last October. http://planetark.org/wen/71118

UK floods: Damage 'could have been prevented'

Some of the damage caused by the recent floods could have been prevented if the correct water management techniques had been used, says a group of leading environmental and planning experts. In an open letter, they urged the prime minister to adopt a clear strategy for future flood prevention. The call came as shadow chancellor Ed Balls said a Labour government would make investment in defences a priority. Downing Street said it was spending more than ever before on protection. It comes a day after the Met Office confirmed the UK had seen its wettest winter in records since 1910. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26284047 http://www.huffingtonpost.co.uk/2014/02/20/wettest-winter-on- record_n_4823847.html

Tornadoes, floods hit Illinois

Severe storms including tornadoes struck Illinois late Thursday afternoon, knocking out power, damaging buildings and spawning floods, the National Weather Service reported. On Thursday night, storms and high winds swept across Tennessee on Thursday night, pelting Nashville with rain and hail and putting thousands in the dark. Large sections of the Midwest and South were under tornado watches Thursday evening as powerful and fast-moving storms pushed through the region, with flooding and building damage in Illinois. http://edition.cnn.com/2014/02/20/us/severe-weather/

Historic California Drought Getting Worse

It seems “the worst drought that California has ever seen” has become even worse. It has been a month since Gov. Jerry Brown said the state was facing perhaps “the worst drought that California has ever seen since records (began) about 100 years ago.” New numbers released Thursday are painting an even dimmer picture. Currently, the whole state of California is “abnormally dry,” according to a weekly report by the U.S. Department of Agriculture. That’s a little worse than last week, when 98% of the state had that designation, the report said. Brown has already urged Californians to cut back on water use. He’s already called for a voluntary 20% conservation effort statewide.

Forum International de la Météo et du Climat 2014 à l'Hôtel de Ville de Paris

Le Forum International de la Météo et du Climat revient pour sa 11e édition du 3 au 6 avril 2014 sur le parvis de l'Hôtel de Ville de Paris. Découvrez-y de nombreuses animations pour petits et grands pour s'informer sur les moyens de s'adapter à un climat qui change.A l'occasion de la Semaine du développement durable, Le Forum International de la Météo et du Climat 2014 s'installe sur le parvis de l'Hôtel de Ville du 3 au 6 avril 2014. L'évènement vous propose de nombreux ateliers pour enfants ainsi que des animations ludiques et informatives adaptées aux petits comme aux adultes. Durant 4 jours, venez vous sensibiliser aux enjeux du climat et de l'environnement et échanger avec des professionnels. http://www.sortiraparis.com/loisirs/articles/59475-forum-international- de-la-meteo-et-du-climat-2014-a-l-hotel-de-ville-de-paris

Órgão da ONU cita Brasil em lista de eventos climáticos extremos

Segundo WMO, partes do Brasil tiveram janeiro mais quente da história. Órgão destacou ainda onda de frio nos EUA e inundações no Reino Unido. Em relatório divulgado na sexta-feira (14), a Organização Meteorológica Mundial (WMO, na sigla em inglês) citou o Brasil na lista de eventos climáticos extremos ocorridos em algumas partes do mundo desde dezembro no ano passado e nos dois primeiros meses deste ano.O órgão destacou a onda de calor prolongada no país. No texto, a WMO diz que partes do Brasil tiveram o janeiro mais quente da história. Além do Brasil, o órgão recorda o período de calor incomum registrado na Argentina, na Austrália e na África do Sul. http://www.ciflorestas.com.br/conteudo.php?tit=orgao_da_onu_cita_brasi l_em_lista_de_eventos_climaticos_extremos&id=9643

Climate Council: heatwaves are getting hotter and more frequent

Heatwaves are one of the most important climate-related risks for Australians. Sometimes called the “silent killers”, they cause the greatest number of deaths of any natural disaster type in Australia, and have significant impacts on infrastructure, agriculture and biodiversity. As the climate continues to warm, heatwaves are becoming hotter, longer and more frequent. The extreme heat in Melbourne that frazzled the Australian Open tennis tournament and the record-breaking heat in large areas of Queensland this summer remind us of the risks that heatwaves pose. Hot on the heels of the “angry summer” of 2012/2013, this summer’s heat is part of a longer- term trend towards hotter weather. http://theconversation.com/climate-council-heatwaves-are-getting- hotter-and-more-frequent-23253

A comprehensive plan to face up to climate change

The coping strategies against climate change cannot be implemented in isolation. The works to be undertaken to this end would be overlapping in nature covering several ministries Climate change is sensed to be at the doorstep of Bangladesh although its impact in large measures are yet to be felt by this country. But experts are in consensus now that the effects could start telling on this country sooner rather than later. Thus, the best advice to Bangladesh from the climate observers is that it should take no chance and start in right earnest--immediately--the various actions needed in different spheres as coping strategies against climate change. A suggestion was made that each ministry should have a climate change expert in its budgeting and planning cells. The coping strategies cannot be implemented in isolation. The works to be undertaken to this end would be overlapping in nature covering several ministries. http://www.theindependentbd.com/index.php?option=com_content&view= article&id=205021:a-comprehensive-plan-to-face-up-to-climate- change&catid=169:op-ed&Itemid=201

Warming from Arctic Sea Ice Melting More Dramatic than Thought

Melting Arctic sea ice has contributed considerably more to warming at the top of the world than previously predicted by climate models, according to a new analysis of 30 years of satellite observations. Sea ice helps cool the Arctic by reflecting incoming solar radiation back into space. Because of its light color, sea ice has what is known as high albedo, which is the percentage of solar radiation a surface reflects back to space. Dark ocean water left behind by melting sea ice, on the other hand, has a low albedo, usually measuring less than 20 percent, whereas bare sea ice generally measures between 50 and 70 percent, according to the National Snow and Ice Data Center. http://news.yahoo.com/warming-arctic-sea-ice-melting-more-dramatic- thought-202504784.html

Meteorologist: 'We've Forgotten How to Be Cold'

American Meteorological Society, told CBS' "Face the Nation" on Sundaythat people have "forgotten how to be cold or deal with snowstorms," because there are so few big storms "and that is because of climate warming." "I'm not quite ready to say that this snowstorm we saw this week or last week is caused by global warming or climate change, but one thing I will emphasize, I think we're forgotten how to be cold or deal with snowstorms, because we're seeing so few of these big storms like we've seen, and that probably is because of climate warming," said Shepherd. http://www.cnsnews.com/news/article/melanie-hunter/meteorologist- weve-forgotten-how-be-cold

We have failed to prevent global warming, so we must adapt to it

We’ve spent 25 years trying to prevent global warming, and have barely scratched the surface. There are many interesting questions one can raise about how climate scientists and economists model both climate change and the human contribution to it. But I’m not going to discuss any of those here. I’m going to take as a given that global warming does exist and has many accepted, worrying effects and try to argue that we should not be attempting to prevent it, but instead be looking to adapt to it. http://uk.finance.yahoo.com/news/failed-prevent-global-warming-must- 185954380.html

U.S.-China Joint Statement on Climate Change

Washington, DC - In light of the overwhelming scientific consensus on climate change and its worsening impacts, and the related issue of air pollution from burning fossil fuels, the United States and China recognize the urgent need for action to meet these twin challenges. Both sides reaffirm their commitment to contribute significantly to successful 2015 global efforts to meet this challenge. Accordingly, China and the United States will work together, within the vehicle of the U.S.-China Climate Change Working Group (CCWG) launched last year, to collaborate through enhanced policy dialogue, including the sharing of information regarding their respective post-2020 plans to limit greenhouse gas emissions. http://investing.businessweek.com/research/markets/news/article.asp?do cKey=600-201402170549M2______EUPR_____cecd000000f5f434_3600-1

UK floods: David Cameron brands storms a 'tragedy' and warns of more storms to come

David Cameron has described the flooding that has hit parts of the country as a “tragedy” and warned people to brace for more bad weather this week. The Prime Minister chaired another meeting of the Government’s Cobra emergency committee last night as the huge-clean up operation got under way following some of the worst flooding in decades.Mr Cameron, who has unveiled a £10 million package of support for flood-hit businesses so they can clean up and keep trading, is expected to meet residents, volunteers and troops in flood-hit parts of Worcestershire and Gloucestershire today. http://www.standard.co.uk/news/uk/uk-floods-david-cameron-brands- storms-a-tragedy-and-warns-of-more-storms-to-come-9131718.html

Global warming: Warning against abrupt stop to geoengineering method (if started)

As a range of climate change mitigation scenarios are discussed, University of Washington researchers have found that the injection of sulfate particles into the atmosphere to reflect sunlight and curb the effects of global warming could pose a severe threat if not maintained indefinitely and supported by strict reductions in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions.The new study, published today, 18 February, in IOP Publishing's journal Environmental Research Letters, has highlighted the risks of large and spatially expansive temperature increases if solar radiation management (SRM) is abruptly stopped once it has been implemented. SRM is a proposed method of geoengineering whereby tiny sulfate-based aerosols are released into the upper atmosphere to reflect sunlight and cool the planet. The technique has been shown to be economically and technically feasible; however, its efficacy depends on its continued maintenance, without interruption from technical faults, global cooperation breakdown or funding running dry. http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2014/02/140217200823.htm

WFP Strengthens Its Programmes In Madagascar With Support From Switzerland

The United Nations World Food Programme (WFP) strengthens its programmes aimed to combat food insecurity in Madagascar, particularly through its relief and recovery operation in response to natural disasters.Switzerland has allocated a contribution of US$1.1 million (about 2.5 billion Ariary) to this operation. This funding will allow WFP and its partners to provide food assistance to some 46,000 people in the south and south-east of Madagascar. These populations face heightened food insecurity caused by climatic shocks such as floods and droughts. http://www.pressreleasepoint.com/wfp-strengthens-its-programmes- madagascar-support-switzerland

Natural hazards

UK Floods: The reality of living with flooding Video

As Britain is battered yet again by extreme weather, Panorama has been filming with the people living with the floods. The South of England has had the wettest January in 250 years and one of the worst hit areas has been Somerset. The village of Moorland has been under water for almost seven weeks. Richard Bilton met local residents Louise Barnett and Jim Winkworth. http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-26232854

Zimbabwe gov't declares a national disaster, fears worse to come

Thousands of villagers in Zimbabwe are being forced from their homes over fears that the Tokwe Mukosi dam in the country's southeast could spill over or burst. If that were to happen, as many as 60,000 people living downstream could be put in danger. President Robert Mugabe has declared the situation a national disaster, and his government is now stepping up efforts to move villagers to higher ground. It's been more than two decades since work on the dam began.The project has been held up by funding problems owing to the country's economic meltdown. Those delays could now have catastrophic repercussions. The dams water level rose to 671 metres dangerously close to spilling over. http://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20140218/101328.shtml

More than 140 Brazilian cities ration water

SAO PAULO (AP) — A survey conducted by a leading Brazilian newspaper says more than 100 cities are rationing water amid the worst drought to hit the country in decades. The Folha de S. Paulo newspaper wrote Saturday that water is being rationed to close to six million people living in 142 cities in 11 states. The newspaper quoted water supply companies saying reservoirs, rivers and streams are the driest they've been in 20 years. Some neighborhoods in the city of Itu in Sao Paulo state only receive water for 13 hours, once every three days. Water consumption normally grows by up to 20 percent during the Southern Hemisphere's summer. But this year, consumption has risen to 30 percent due to a prolonged heat wave affecting several states. http://www.khou.com/news/world/245682441.html

Kenya: More Than 60,000 People in Isiolo Risk Starvation As Drought Rages

MORE than 60,000 people in Isiolo county are facing starvation following ravaging drought in parts of the region. Isiolo Governor Godana Doyo yesterday said the situation is getting worse but the county government is reviewing its budget in order to respond to drought in the area.He said the recent survey by the National Drought Management Authority indicates that the average number of children at risk of malnutrition is 14.2 per cent in the county.Doyo said the malnutrition cases are due to shortage of milk occasioned by migration of livestock in search of pasture. http://allafrica.com/stories/201402170384.html

At Least 11 Dead as Blizzard Hits Japan

Heavy winter storms in Japan have claimed more than 11 lives and spurred officials to cancel flights over the weekend, according to the BBC. Excessive snowfall caused roofs to collapse, while drivers were stranded on clogged roads as 3 ft. of snow blanketed large swaths of the country. Nearly a foot of snow reportedly covered Tokyo on Friday and Saturday.The weekend’s storms followed an earlier blizzard that also killed 11 and injured approximately 1,000 people last week. http://world.time.com/2014/02/17/at-least-seven-dead-as-blizzard-hits- japan/?xid=rss- topstories&utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=F eed:+time/topstories+(TIME:+Top+Stories)

U.S. drought could drive up price of produce sold in Canada

The historic and ongoing drought in California could push the price of food up in Canada as soon as this fall. Sylvain Charlebois, a professor of food distribution and policy at the University of Guelph, said some reports suggest that the domestic price of California produce could go up by 20 per cent or more. "Since we actually do import well over $5 billion worth of agri-food products every year from California into Canada, we do expect prices for these products to increase as well," he told CBC News. http://ca.news.yahoo.com/u-drought-could-drive-price-produce-sold- canada-015213852.html

Severe drought increases hotspots in Jambi

A prolonged drought in Jambi province has caused water levels in the Sumatra’s longest waterway, the Batanghari River, to fall while, at the same time, increasing the number of hotspots in the province. Water levels in a number of areas along the river banks in Jambi city, especially Penyengat Rendah, has further declined and the earth has become parched. “It has been two months without rain in Jambi city; therefore, the river has ebbed,” said local resident Ahmad on Monday. http://www.thejakartapost.com/news/2014/02/18/severe-drought- increases-hotspots-jambi.html

Wild weather puts climate back on global agenda before 2015 deadline

Bitter cold in the United States might appear to contradict the notion of global warming, but with Britain's wettest winter and Australia's hottest summer, extreme weather events have pushed climate change back on the political agenda. A spluttering world economy had sapped political interest in the billion-dollar shifts from fossil fuels that scientists say are needed to cut greenhouse gas emissions, but rhetoric is changing in 2014, one year before a deadline for a new U.N. climate deal. U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry went furthest, calling climate change "perhaps the most fearsome weapon of mass destruction" and ridiculing those who doubt that climate change is man-made. http://uk.reuters.com/article/2014/02/18/climate-world- idUKL6N0LN1KJ20140218

See also

Arctic sea ice is melting twice as fast as previous climate models predict, decreasing from 52% to 48% between 1979 and the present day.

Researchers at the Scripps Institution of Oceanography, University of California, San Diego, studied 30 years' worth of satellite observations taken between 1979 and 2011. They said the decline of the Arctic sea ice has been documented by satellites over the last 30 years and observations show a darkening of the Arctic seen through passive microwave observations. According to the report, researchers found a strong relationship between Arctic sea ice and albedo – the ratio of reflected radiation upon it. Sea ice helps to cool the Arctic by reflecting solar radiation back into space; its white colour helps reflect the radiation. For example a perfectly white surface will reflect back, while a black surface will not. http://www.ibtimes.co.uk/climate-change-arctic-sea-ice-melting-twice- fast-models-predict-1436926

Too much water, or not enough: why climate change could threaten our power supplies

It's 2035, and severe flooding has hit the country once again. As the waters inundate electricity substations, hundreds of thousands of homes suddenly lose power. Desperate customers try and telephone the network companies - but no-one's picking up. The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) predicts climate change will increase the incidence of both extreme rainfall events and very hot summers in this country. Both could potentially pose threats to our power supplies - and the power companies are working with government to try and protect customers from more power cuts in the future. http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2014/02/too-much-water,-or-not- enough-why-climate-change-could-be-a-threat-to-our-power-supplies/

See also

China to spend $330 billion to fight water pollution -paper

China plans to spend 2 trillion yuan, or $330 billion, on an action plan to tackle pollution of its scarce water resources, state media said on Tuesday. China has a fifth of the world's population but just 7 percent of its water resources, and the situation is especially precarious in its parched north, where some regions have less water per capita than the Middle East. The plan is still being finalized but the budget has been set, exceeding the 1.7 trillion yuan ($277 billion) China plans to spend battling its more- publicized air pollution crisis, the China Securities Journal reported, citing the Ministry of Environmental protection. It will aim to improve the quality of China's water by 30 to 50 percent, the paper said, through investments in technologies such as waste water treatment, recycling and membrane technology. The paper did not say how the funds would be raised, when the plan would take effect, or what timeframe was visualized, however. http://planetark.org/wen/71104

How the Spreading Symptoms of Climate Change Can be Deadly

The hallmarks of a warming climate, heavier rains, more severe droughts, rising sea levels and longer growing seasons, are spreading a variety of pathogens throughout the world. Malaria is moving to the highlands. Lyme disease is spreading across the U.S. Northeast and eastern Canada. Outbreaks of cholera will increase with more unsafe water. Those are three of the diseases that are becoming part of a growth field in medical research amid concerns that tropical diseases are moving north and south and that progress made to improve health conditions in previous decades might be undone. http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/how-the-spreading-symptoms- of-climate-change-can-be-deadly/

Climate trends demand better response to drought, says CSIRO,

Australia needs a better response to drought in the face of climate trends that will transform agricultural regions and see many farms disappear, the CSIRO has warned. The government’s science agency said that observed changes in rainfall are occurring at a more rapid rate than was previously predicted. These changes could see a continuing trend of farm closures and shift farming towards wetter coastal areas. Tony Abbott has just completed a “listening tour” of drought-affected areas of Queensland and NSW, meeting farmers who haven’t had significant rainfall for nearly two years. The government is putting together an assistance package for farmers, although Abbott has dismissed any link between drought and climate change. In 2007, the CSIRO and Bureau of Meteorology made a number of predictions around annual rainfall to 2070, based on three different global warming scenarios. Even under the low emissions scenario, vast areas of Australia, including much of Victoria and Western Australia, are set to experience much less rainfall by 2070. Separate modelling by CSIRO shows WA will bear the heaviest reduction in rainfall up to 2070. … The BoM said it expects there to be a future increase in the number of droughts in southern Australia but also an increase in intense rainfall events in many areas, especially in the north. “The current drought is meteorologically significant, but well within the range of historical experience,” said BoM climatologist Blair Trewin. “In a broad sense, it can probably be characterised over most of the affected areas as a drought year of an intensity that’s typically expected once in 10 to 20 years, although some individual locations have fared more badly.” http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/feb/18/climate-trends- demand-better-response-to-drought-says-csiro

Second Japan snow storm leaves thousands stranded as toll rises to 23

Snow-choked roads cut off thousands on Tuesday as parts of Japan struggled to dig out from its second storm in a week, with the death toll rising to at least 23. Train services were suspended in some areas after the Valentine's Day storm dumped more than a meter of snow in parts of central Japan and blanketed the capital with record snow for the second weekend in a row, snarling airline traffic and slowing production at some Japanese automakers. The freak storm dumped more than 1.1 meters of snow in Yamanashi prefecture in central Japan, the most in more than a century of record- keeping, and lesser amounts across a wide swathe of the eastern and northeastern parts of the nation. Tokyo was hit by 27 cm (10.6 inches). By Tuesday, least 23 people had died, including some killed in traffic accidents or by being caught under snow that fell from roofs. Several died in cars stuck in the snow, apparently from carbon monoxide poisoning as they ran their car engines to keep warm. At the peak of the storm, thousands of households lost power and hundreds of flights were canceled. Train services were disrupted and highways closed, with some of the nation's main arteries jammed with cars, some for days. Toyota Motor Corp resumed operations at three plants in central Japan on Tuesday after suspending them a day earlier due to disruption in the supply of parts, but the outlook was unclear for another Toyota plant. Other carmakers suffered similar disruptions. In neighboring South Korea, ten people attending a party for new university students were killed on Monday in southern Gyeongju when a building at a mountain resort collapsed under the weight of snow. http://planetark.org/wen/71105