clair031

Summary .   In the U. S. and across wide regions of the globe, 2011 and 2012 have recorded heat waves and droughts at or near record levels.   These have severely impacted yields, and prices, of world staple grain crops. OXFAM has issued a new report that projects impacts of global warming on staple grain crops and prices up to 2030.   As a baseline, it shows that yields and prices will rise significantly as a lon-term trend over this period.   But more importantly the effects of regional short-term extreme weather “shocks” must be added to the long-term trends.   These can produce serious crop and nutritional deficiencies, especially in regions of poverty around the world.   OXFAM urges renewed efforts to mitigate global warming, and investments by developed countries to help poorer nations adapt to the effects of long-term warming and short-term shocks on agricultural yields and nutritional status.   Introduction . Recent years have seen increa...

Summary . China announced it will invest US$372 billion in energy conservation projects by 2015, involving both terminating inefficient power plants and factories, and installing efficient new facilities.   This is part of its program to lower the energy intensity of its economic production, and its carbon intensity as well.   Even so, since China ’s overall energy use is still growing rapidly, mostly powered by fossil fuels, its rate of emitting CO 2 will continue growing sharply.   The increase in atmospheric CO 2 level worsens global warming and the number and severity of extreme weather events.   These cause major damage and suffering to humanity.   All the nations of the world should unite behind the common objective of reducing emissions, as close to zero as possible, as soon as can be agreed to.   Introduction . China ’s economy has been expanding rapidly in the past several decades.   This growth necessarily is powered by a corresponding i...