Clinton and Sanders on Fracking

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Fracking Leadership

The fracking process for squeezing oil out of the Earth’s crust is the most destructive and polluting mining processes used to obtain oil.  Since we must stop using oil, not add to our supply, there is nothing to recommend fracking.  Yet, the U. S. government and many other governments continue to allow existing and new fracking sites to operate.  Climate scientists just declared that the Earth has entered a state of emergency. We must do something to stop our greenhouse gas emissions, and stopping fracking is an important step.  The following video makes it clear which candidate for the U. S. presidency is on the side of the Earth and the future of nature and the human species.

“Democratic presidential candidates Hillary Clinton and Bernie Sanders gave vastly different answers on fracking at the CNN Democratic debate on Sunday, illustrating a key policy contrast between the two.”—Emily Atkin.  This link will take you to a transcript of the video remarks.

The World Has Too Many Young People

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World population dominated by youth

Numerous problems arise when populations are made up of young people.  Young people are more likely than middle-aged people to protest, migrate, and have children. As world population continues to grow and global resources decline, human conflicts will inevitably grow stronger. Climate scientists just declared a global climate emergency, and many people understand that we must make drastic cuts in greenhouse gas emissions. However,unemployed youth few people are declaring population growth an emergency, but they should be.

Some scientists believe that it is too late to achieve a sustainable future by controlling population growth.  The numbers are so large, and the need for fuel, food, and fiber is so great, that our forests and soils have become too wasted to supply needs of our current population.  There is some hope.  Learn more.

Here’s an excerpt from a discussion of the age-distribution problem published by the New York Times.

By Somini Sengupta

The World Has a Problem: Too Many Young People

“AT no point in recorded history has our world been so demographically lopsided, with old people concentrated in rich countries and the young in not-so-rich countries.

“Much has been made of the challenges of aging societies. But it’s the youth bulge that stands to put greater pressure on the global economy, sow political unrest, spur mass migration and have profound consequences for everything from marriage to Internet access to the growth of cities.”–Somini Sengupta

 

Global Climate Emergency declared by Scientists at Columbia University Earth Institute

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Global Climate Emergency

Climate-change projections published by scientists at the Columbia University Earth Institute have shifted from warnings to emergency alarms.  The scientists are ringing GarryRogersthe emergency bell because of the coming loss of human health and lives.  However, the real disaster lies with natural ecosystems. Earth’s webs of life constructed of interacting plants and animals will suffer far greater and more important loses than will human civilization.  For one thing, humans can emigrate (if their neighbors let them) from landscapes becoming uninhabitable.  Plants and most animals cannot.  (If you want a refresher course on climate change, this is an excellent review:  Global Warming Basics.)

In addition to the U. S. Southwest:

The tropics and the Middle East in summer are in danger of becoming practically uninhabitable by the end of the century if business-as-usual fossil fuel emissions continue, because wet bulb temperature could approach the level at which the human body is unable to cool itself under even well-ventilated outdoor conditions.[3] —James Hansen and Makiko Sato

The ecosystems of the tropics are the most diverse and complex.  Desertification there is an incomprehensible tragedy for the Earth.

I excerpted the following from:

Regional Climate Change and National Responsibilities

“Discussion:  We conclude that continued business-as-usual fossil fuel emissions will begin to make low latitudes inhospitable.  If accompanied by multi-meter sea level rise,[11] resulting forced migration and economic disruption could be devastating.

The overall message that climate science delivers to society, policymakers, and the public alike is this: we have a global emergency. . . . We argue that country-by-country goals, the approach of the 21st Conference of the Parties[13] cannot lead to rapid phasedown of fossil fuel emissions, as long as fossil fuels are allowed to be the cheapest energy.  It will be necessary to include a carbon fee that allows the external costs of fossil fuels to be incorporated in their price.  Border duties on products from countries without a carbon fee, would lead to most nations adopting a carbon fee.”–James Hansen and Makiko Sato.

Fossil Fuel CO2 Emissions

(a) Updates of Figure 5 in Hansen and Sato (2001) “Trends of measured climate forcing agents” (also in PDF) and (b)same quantities as in (a) but in linear scale (also in PDF.) [Last modified: 2015/08/07]

Updates of Figure 16 in Hansen (2003), “Can we defuse the global warming time bomb?” [Figure also in PDF. Last modified: 2015/08/08]

[Figure also in PDF. Last modified: 2015/08/08]Data source: Boden, T.A., G. Marland, and R.J. Andres. 2015. Global, Regional, and National Fossil-Fuel CO2 Emissions. Carbon Dioxide Information Analysis Center, Oak Ridge National Laboratory, U.S. Department of Energy, Oak Ridge, Tenn., U.S.A. doi 10.3334/CDIAC/00001_V2015. Digital data are available at CDIAC web pages and used for 1751-2011. BP Statistical Review of World Energy 2015 data are used for extensions to 2014.

See More Figures.

GR:  For a broader discussion of the emergency, go to http://robertscribbler.com.

Patricia Randolph’s Madravenspeak: A prayer for wildlife: Oppose S. 405, which guts the 1964 Wilderness Act

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GarryRogersSurvival of most species on Earth depends on balanced ecosystems. The balance will be achieved only when humans learn to respect other species. Respect isn’t compatible with killing.

dvoight09's avatarWisconsin Wildlife Ethic-Vote Our Wildlife

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PHOTO COURTESY  OF BING IMAGES

Perhaps this otter is asking God to save humans from themselves

Despite its euphemistic title, the Sportsmen’s Heritage and Recreational Enhancement (SHARE) Act (H.R. 2406) represents a clear assault on wildlife both at home and abroad.” ~ Animal Welfare Institute

The Animal Welfare Institute issued an alert this past week: “Urge Your Representative to Protect Wildlife and Vote No on H.R. 2406.” This deadly bill has been passed by the House of Representatives.Its sister Senate bill, S. 405, can be stopped by an overwhelming public outcry now. It will be voted on by the entire Senate soon, although the date has not been disclosed.

Madravenspeak wrote against the “Bipartisan Sportsmen’s Act” of the same intent in 2014, and before that in 2012. Please examine these repeat efforts closely, as they defile our last peaceful refuges for intact living ecosystems and quiet hiking and reflection.

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Biodiversity: Restoring Earth’s Balance (Climate Change News)

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Global survey will measure rate at which species are dying. Mining execs charged with homicide in Brazil. Peru fights back against Amazon oil contamination.  From: www.mintpressnews.com

BS

Climate change could kill 500,000 by 2050

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PARIS • The effects of climate change on food production could cause 500,000 extra deaths by 2050 compared to a world without global warming, according to a study released yesterday.. Read more at straitstimes.com.

Sourced through Scoop.it from: www.straitstimes.com

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See on Scoop.it – GarryRogers Biosphere News

Australia’s renewable energy future – theme for March 2016

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Australia has a bright renewable energy future. Indeed a pretty bright renewable energy present, too. Australian households have taken up solar energy in a big way – per head of population, the best in the world.

Wind energy is already a success story, with South Australia leading the way. Initiatives are happening, in utility scale renewable energy, particularly in the Australian Capital Territory.  From: antinuclear.net

The Roof is On Fire — Looks like February of 2016 Was 1.5 to 1.7 C Above 1880s Averages

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Have all Republicans asked themselves if they really want global warming that destroys natural ecosystems and human civilization? Things you have to consider in this Robert Scribbler post.

robertscribbler's avatarrobertscribbler

Before we go on to explore this most recent and most extreme instance in a long string of record-shattering global temperatures, we should take a moment to credit our climate change denier ‘friends’ for what’s happening in the Earth System.

For decades now, a coalition of fossil fuel special interests, big money investors, related think tanks, and the vast majority of the republican party have fought stridently to prevent effective action to mitigate the worst effects of climate change. In their mad quest, they have attacked science, demonized leaders, gridlocked Congress, hobbled government, propped up failing fossil fuels, prevented or dismantled helpful regulation, turned the Supreme Court into a weapon against renewable energy solutions, and toppled industries that would have helped to reduce the damage.

Through these actions, they have been successful in preventing the necessary and rapid shift away from fossil fuel burning, halting a burgeoning American…

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Climate change, dams, deforestation a vicious cycle for Amazon rivers, lakes

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Dams, mining, land-cover changes, and climate change are degrading the streams, rivers, lakes, and forests of the world’s largest river basin at unprecedented rates, according to scientists.  From: phys.org

GR:  The problems were recognized by Alexander von Humboldt over 200 years ago.  What does that say about professional land management and planning agencies?