Green Options

We know a bit about the current situation on climate change. We know which countries are emitting the most global warming emissions. We know that the EU is actively implementing policies to get their emissions down and are serious about keeping climate change at the top of the priority list, even in one of the biggest economic struggles in history. We know that little nations like Tuvalu are working to address climate change. We know that ambitious and engaged countries are running into unseen problems and are unsure where to go in the future. We know that the US is looking to pass a climate bill for the first time and could change history in the process, and the USDA supports it but climate change groups, consumer advocate groups, and social equity groups are quite concerned about some of the changes made by the House of Representatives at the last minute. We know that China, India, and Brazil’s growth in greenhouse gas emissions have skyrocketed (several times faster than developed countries’ still growing emissions) in the past two decades.

Ever wonder who leads the world in global warming emissions? And by how much? A report released this month by the New Zealand government gives us this information.

Leaders of the wealthiest industrialized countries on our planet are gathering in L’Aquila, Italy for G8 this week to commit to keeping the global average temperature rise well below 2 degrees Celsius in order to prevent climate change from threatening the future of our planet.

The Irish government has announced radical plans to introduce more than 250,000 electric cars onto the nation’s roads by 2020, a staggering ten percent of the total vehicles in the country.

If the scheme is successful, Sustainable Energy Ireland (SEI), the state energy agency, estimates an annual cut in CO2 emissions of around 350,000 tonnes. Transport currently accounts for more than a third of Ireland’s carbon emissions, higher than any other sector.

In a bit of TV Mis-Guided, the ABC Network is refusing adverts by Al Gore’s We Campaign all the while running ads on oil for Chevron.

The campaign is working to get the ad aired on the next 20/20. The ad details how massive ad dollars spent by oil and coal companies is the key reason America hasn’t switched to cleaner renewable energy sources. Help the We Campaign get this advertisement aired!

Video source:

[...]

Gordon Brown has recently announced plans that made even Greenpeace perform a ripple of applause.

£100bn investment (200bn USD) in renewable energy has been proposed meaning that thousands of wind turbines will be built.

The prime minister has described these plans as his “green revolution” and suggested it is to be the country’s largest energy initiative since nuclear power.

The military games must stop. The ambiguities come to an end. Explanations need to be provided.

I reported in the Guardian last month that the Ministry of Defence (MoD) were objecting to wind farms in the UK because they felt the turbines interfered with military radar. The turbines were, in their words “in the line of sight.”

(Of course, were we not a bellicose little island nation, always eager to attack and interfere with foreign disputes, we wouldn’t need to concern ourselves with defense quite so much.)

I demanded answers. Demanded, if their objections were true, that there be immediate improvements in radar technology so that the UK could proceed with meeting renewable energy targets.

75 miles was the round figure given. Were a turbine any closer than that, then interference would be unacceptable, the UK’s defense at risk.

Yet, last week there was a U-turn by the MoD. A complete turnaround that must have caused wind farm planners along the east coast of England millions of pounds: financial waste caused by military indecision.

ABC News is dedicating a whole day to saving the world.

On Friday, April 20 ABC will feature news anchors and correspondents reporting from all seven continents throughout the day culminating with a 20/20 special hosted by Diane Sawyer called Planet Earth 2007: Seven Ways to Help Save the World.

Their coverage will look at environmental issues from all corners of the globe and will more than likely end on a cheery

[...]