• Changing clocks ‘would cut carbon emissions’

    A new report has been released which suggests that altering the clocks in the UK by one hour could have a significant impact on carbon emissions.

    The research was led by Dr Elizabeth Garnsey at Cambridge University and was based on the concept of putting the clocks forward by one hour, meaning the UK would be on GMT+1 in the winter and GMT+2 in the summer.

    Such a move would save half a million tonnes of carbon emissions in the winter alone, the report published in Energy Policy suggested.

    The study was carried out on behalf of the 10:10 climate change movement, which is currently running a Lighter Later campaign.

    Dr Garnsey said: “The carbon savings associated with this clock change are significant, equivalent to the carbon footprint of the production of 1,800 plastic bags for every home in Britain every year, or taking around 200,000 cars off the road.”

    To compile the study, researchers looked at half hourly electricity usage over the winter months and assessed how this was affected by the clocks changing.

    The 10:10 campaign aims to current carbon emissions by ten percent this year, with the London Underground recently becoming the latest organisation to sign up.

    >>> Please read the full article here

    June 28, 2010

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    Copenhagen Summit – Day 10 Summary

    COP15A compromise proposal to be presented by the Danish presidency Wednesday was held up as the negotiating process, according to UN climate chief Yvo de Boer, was subject to an “unexpected stop”.

    De Boer: “Unexpected stop” in negotiations - The negotiating process at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen was subject to an “unexpected stop” on Wednesday, according to Yvo de Boer, the UN’s top climate official.

    New compromise proposal said to be on its way - Danish PM takes over the COP15 presidency, he will present a compromise on Wednesday afternoon, a Danish newspaper reports.

    Climate talks deadlocked as clashes erupt outside – Danish police fired pepper spray outside the UN climate conference on Wednesday, as disputes inside left major issues unresolved just two days before world leaders hope to sign a historic agreement to fight global warming.

    Africa shows a willingness to negotiate - African Union climate negotiator Meles Zenawi has scaled back the demands for climate finance from rich countries, signaling thaw under way in the deadlocked UN negotiations.

    Countries pledge billions to protect rainforests - The US, Australia, France, Japan, Norway and Britain will make 3.5 billion US dollars available for developing countries that produce ambitious plans to slow and eventually reverse deforestation.

    Japan: 15 billion dollars in climate aid - Japanese pledge outbids the EU’s funding for short-term climate aid in developing countries.

    Kerry: US to pass “major” climate legislation - A successful deal in Copenhagen will lead the way for climate legislation in the US Congress, says Senator John Kerry.

    India: Kyoto in intensive care if not dead - Whether the expiring Kyoto Protocol, which sets targets for greenhouse gas emissions from rich countries only, should be continued, expanded or replaced with an alternative agreement still splits the parties.

    British PM warns of failure but brings hope - According to British Prime Minister Gordon Brown, the first sign of progress in the negotiations could be seen Wednesday with new proposals for climate change from African Union climate negotiator Meles Zenawi.

    Hillary Clinton to attend COP15 - US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton will travel to Copenhagen this week, it emerged yesterday.

    >>>Full in depth article visit COP15 and Act on Copenhagen

    >>> View other MoreEco News & Views Summit Summary’s

    December 17, 2009

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    The Road to Copenhagen: Less than 40 days to go

    Major global meetings have been taking place over the last month, in and outside the formal UN climate change process. But with less than 40 days to go now, the COP15 conference in Copenhagen this December is starting to come into view.
    Last month’s climate change summit in New York showed some gain in political momentum, though a further preparatory UN meeting in Bangkok highlight the remaining presence of a gap between developed and developing countries, seemingly based above all on a mutual lack of trust. The main differences in thought are:
    • Should a new legal instrument be introduced to replace Kyoto and be the foundation for a binding and comprehensive international agreement on climate?
      This is what the EU would like, primarily to bring the US into the new arrangements, but the proposal met with some resistance at Bangkok. The rest of the developing world is suspicious of developed countries aiming to dodge ambitious new post-2012 targets. The approach was further undermined by the US freely acknowledging that they will be in no position to commit to any binding agreement.
    • Unfortunately there has been little progress on agreeing mid-term targets for developed countries and commitments from developing countries. Norway brightened the political landscape by pledging an impressive 40% cut in 2020 compared with 1990 levels, but in general the impasse remains
    • Financing discussions for climate mitigation and adaptation, essentially the wealth transfer from the developed to the developing world to finance climate actions, are still focussed on the institutions necessary to administer funds rather than concrete pledges themselves.

    ActOnCopenhagen_vis1

    What can we hope to see from Copenhagen?
    We have reason for remaining optimistic: a “successful” Copenhagen declaration can still be made if the outcome were roughly as follows:

    • A strong political declaration is made to agree a way forward on how to address the post-2012 Kyoto period, which must include targets and actions
    • A process is agreed on management of climate adaptation funds
    • An agreement is made to continue existing and new financial market mechanisms post-2012
    • A process is discussed that sees common international standards for measuring, reporting and verifying emission reductions
    • An agreement is made to tackle deforestation through a global international mechanism
    There is still time for significant and necessary breakthroughs to be made at a political level. It will require strong leadership and continued pressure from people across the world.

    October 30, 2009

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    Carbon Quilt Video

    Climate change is the greatest challenge facing humanity, but we cannot see the root cause of the problem. We put 80 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every day, but greenhouse gases are invisible.
    This excellent short film shows how the carbon quilt and our emissions are helping to heating up the planet.

    Climate change is the greatest challenge facing humanity, but we cannot see the root cause of the problem. We put 80 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere every day, but greenhouse gases are invisible.

    This excellent short film shows how the carbon quilt and our emissions are helping to heating up the planet.

    >>>>For more information visit Carbon Sense.

    September 8, 2009

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