UPDATE: Arctic Ice Melt Tied To Heat Waves And Downpours In U.S., Europe And Elsewhere, Study Suggests. (Reuters) - A thaw of Arctic ice and snow is linked to worsening summer heatwaves and downpours thousands of miles south in Europe, the United States and other areas, underlying the scale of the threat posed by global warming, scientists said on Sunday. Their report, which was dismissed as inconclusive by some other experts, warned of increasingly extreme weather across "much of North America and Eurasia where billions of people will be affected". The study is part of a drive to work out how climate change affects the frequency of extreme weather, from droughts to floods. Governments want to know the trends to plan everything from water supplies to what crops to plant. But the science of a warming Arctic is far from settled. Writing in the journal Nature Climate Change, experts in China and the United States said they could not conclusively say the Arctic thaw caused more extreme weather, or vice versa. But they said they had found evidence of a relationship between the two. Rising temperatures over thawing snow on land and sea ice in the Arctic were changing atmospheric pressure and winds, the report said. The changes slowed the eastward movement of vast meandering weather systems and meant more time for extreme weather to develop - such as a heatwave in Russia in 2010, droughts in the United States and China in 2011 and 2012, or heavy summer rains that caused floods in Britain in 2012, the paper added. "The study contributes to a growing body of evidence that ... the melting Arctic has wide-ranging implications for people living in the middle latitudes," lead author Qiuhong Tang of the Chinese Academy of Sciences told Reuters.

Arctic Ice Melt Tied To Heat Waves And Downpours In U.S., Europe And Elsewhere, Study Suggests: "VANISHING ICE

Sea ice in the Arctic shrank to a record low in 2012 and the U.N.'s panel of climate scientists says it could almost vanish in summers by 2050 with rising greenhouse gas emissions. But some scientists said other factors, including the usual vagaries of weather or changing sea temperatures, may explain some recent extremes rather than changes in the Arctic."

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UPDATE: Ancient farming seen curbing extinctions of animals, plants | (Reuters) - Ancient farming practices, such as raising fish in rice paddies in China or Aboriginal Australian fire controls, will get a new lease of life under plans to slow extinctions of animals and plants, experts said on Monday. Turning to traditional farming is seen as a way of limiting what U.N. studies say is the worst spate of extinctions since the dinosaurs vanished 65 million years ago, driven by a rising human population that is wrecking natural habitats. A 115-nation group seeking to protect the diversity of wildlife, which underpins everything from food supplies to medicines, will look at ways to revive and promote indigenous peoples' practices at talks in Turkey from December 9-14. "Indigenous and local knowledge ... has played a key role in arresting biodiversity loss and conserving biodiversity," Zakri Abdul Hamid, founding chair of the Intergovernmental Platform on Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services (IPBES), told Reuters.

Ancient farming seen curbing extinctions of animals, plants | Reuters: "The idea is partly to compare traditional farming around the world and see if the practices can be used in other nations. Among ideas, raising fish in the waters of rice paddies, a practice used in south China for 1,200 years and in some other Asian nations, can reduce pests. Most modern rice paddies are not used to raise fish. Farming the two together "reduces by 68 percent the need for pesticides and by 24 percent the need for chemical fertilizer compared with monocultures", an IPBES report said. Pesticides often kill many more species than those targeted."

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RENEWABLE ENERGY UPDATE: Greenbriar Capital begins formal construction at 80 MW Blue Mountain Utah. A fully contracted 80 MW wind energy project holding a 20-year energy sales agreement with PacifiCorp, a subsidiary of Mid-American Energy Holdings Company, itself 89% owned by Berkshire Hathaway. Construction has been awarded to RMT, Inc. of Madison, Wisconsin, a subsidiary of IEA Infrastructure and Energy Alternatives, LLC of Chicago. RMT is a world leader in renewable power engineering, procurement and construction services having built over 5,000 MW of renewable energy facilities including 2 world-class projects owned by Greenbriar Capital management's previous company, Western Wind Energy Corp. This included the industry leading 120-MW Windstar Wind Project in Tehachapi, CA and the 10.5-MW Kingman combined wind-solar project, the first purpose built fully integrated wind-solar generating facility in the World. Construction at Blue Mountain began December 9th and will qualify the 80-MW Blue Mountain Wind P

Greenbriar Capital b"Greenbriar Capital Corp. is a leading developer of renewable energy and sustainable real estate projects. With long-term, high impact, contracted sales agreements in key project locations and led by a successful industry recognized operating and development team, Greenbriar targets deep value assets directed at adding significant accretive shareholder value.
ON BEHALF OF THE BOARD OF DIRECTORS
"SIGNED"
Jeffrey J. Ciachurski
President, Chief Executive Officer and Director
Neither the TSX Venture Exchange nor its Regulation Services Provider (as that term is defined in the policies of the TSX Venture Exchange) accepts responsibility for the adequacy or accuracy of this release."

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Japan uses offsets to meet Kyoto emission goal - media | Reuters.Japan met its Kyoto Protocol obligations to lower greenhouse gas emissions by planting trees and buying carbon credits as actual emissions rose, media reported on Sunday, days after the country watered down targets for cutting them further by 2020.

Japan uses offsets to meet Kyoto emission goal - media | Reuters: "Japan, the world's fifth-biggest greenhouse gas emitter, was obliged under Kyoto to cut emissions by 6 percent from 1990/91 levels to 1.186 billion tonnes of carbon dioxide (CO2) equivalent a year on average over the five years to March 2013.

The Nikkei business daily said actual emissions rose by 1.4 percent to 1.279 billion tonnes, but Japan met its target with offsets for planting trees and through the government and companies purchasing carbon credits from abroad."

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"Football for Hope. Energy for Hope": Yingli Green Energy Supplies Solar Solutions for the 16th Football for Hope Centre in South Africa - WSJ.com. The sixteenth centre of FIFA's Football for Hope Program has been officially inaugurated in Alexandra, South Africa. In order to honor this occasion, Deputy Minister of Sport and Recreation, Mr. Gert Oosthuizen, FIFA's General Secretary, Mr. Jerome Valcke, representatives of the non-profit organization Grassroot Soccer (GRS), the South African Football Association (SAFA) and Yingli Green Energy jointly addressed the media. (Photo: http://photos.prnewswire.com/prnh/20131113/CN16206 ) (Logo: http://www.prnasia.com/sa/2012/04/01/20120401160439160364.jpg ) The FIFA "20 Centres for 2010" campaign, which was called into life as part of the 2010 FIFA World Cup(TM) official corporate social responsibility program "Football for Hope," is nearing completion. Alongside FIFA, Yingli Green Energy, an Official Sponsor of the FIFA World Cup(TM) and the world's largest PV module manufacturer, utilized its expertise in renewable energy to provide solutions for this campaign to assist FIFA in improving the social environment for children in Africa with solar power. For the centre in Alexandra, Yingli Green Energy provided PV modules for the solar street lighting system.

"Football for Hope. Energy for Hope": Yingli Green Energy Supplies Solar Solutions for the 16th Football for Hope Centre in South Africa - WSJ.com: "Yingli Green Energy has equipped all centres with a total of 258 pieces of PV modules with a supply capacity of 23 kilowatt peak. Each centre was able to choose between a variety of photovoltaic systems such as a solar-powered lighting system for the playing field, a water pump including water reservoir or a photovoltaic power supply system. Since the launch of the campaign, 16 centres have been built across the African continent and four remaining centres pending by the end of the year or in 2014. FIFA has closely and constantly collaborated with the communities where the centres had been built, in order to ensure that the new infrastructure would meet the local needs. Each Football for Hope centre consists of a playing field for football and a building where educational projects take place and football is viewed as an instrument for promoting motivation and dialog within the community."

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BBC News - Aid agencies say typhoon shows need for action on climate change. The committee, comprising 14 aid agencies, said Typhoon Haiyan was a glimpse of the future for millions who will be at risk from extreme weather. It said the meeting in Warsaw should agree to rapidly cut carbon emissions. But negotiators say such action is unlikely as a global deal is not expected until 2015. The British agencies argue that extreme weather events such as Typhoon Haiyan follow a growing pattern of threat that points strongly towards climate change. Continue reading the main story “ Start Quote We need to see a response from the delegates in Warsaw to match that of the overwhelming response of the public to this devastating tragedy” Neil Thorns Cafod In 2012, the Philippines was the country that suffered the most fatalities from extreme weather events and was ranked the second most affected from climatic disasters.

BBC News - Aid agencies say typhoon shows need for action on climate change: "Now Haiyan has struck and affected around 12 million people.

"This should be a wake-up call for negotiators who have been sleepwalking through a process fraught with delay and indecision," said Oxfam's Max Lawson.

"The images we have seen from the Philippines are a reminder that climate change is not about numbers and process, but a growing reality for poor people who desperately need support to protect themselves and build safer futures."

Prime Minister David Cameron, speaking at the Commonwealth Heads of Government meeting in Sri Lanka, seemed to support this view, saying the "evidence appeared to be growing."

However, scientists point out that unequivocally linking a specific weather event such as Haiyan to climate change is impossible."

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Workout only a part of wellness at work. Companies that focus on wellness programs without changing their business culture to care about their employees’ overall well-being won’t have engaged workers. And that hinders productivity, causes higher turnover and puts people at higher health risks, said Rosie Ward, a health management services manager with Marsh & McLennan Agency in Minneapolis. She addressed dozens of business people Wednesday at a conference held as part of the city’s Live Well Sioux Falls initiative, now in its second year. | The Argus Leader | argusleader.com

Workout only a part of wellness at work | The Argus Leader | argusleader.com: "“We’re looking more at the emotional, the occupational, the spiritual, the financial, the environmental,” said Kandy Jamison, account executive for health and wellness at Howalt McDowell. “We’re trying to look at that total well-being.” As a result of the change from mostly an activity-based wellness program, more of the 90-plus employees are participating, she said. They’re realizing wellness doesn’t always mean losing 50 pounds and going to the gym daily.Howalt McDowell isn’t measuring the financial savings by having healthier employees just yet. But healthier, happier people are typically more productive, Jamison said.“I think if it’s the culture and the right thing to do and you do care about your employees … and if a value can be documented, then you’re a winner.”" CLICK LINK TO READ FULL ARTICLE

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Australia's Carbon Tax Under Fire As New Government Takes Control. Australia's new government prepared to take control of the nation Sunday, with Prime Minister-elect Tony Abbott vowing to immediately scrap a hated tax on carbon polluters and implement a controversial plan to stop asylum seekers from reaching the nation's shores. Abbott met with bureaucrats to go over his border security plans and said his first priority would be to repeal the deeply unpopular carbon tax on Australia's biggest industrial polluters.

Australia's Carbon Tax Under Fire As New Government Takes Control: "Abbott's conservative Liberal Party-led coalition won a crushing victory in elections Saturday against the center-left Labor Party, which had ruled for six years, including during the turbulent global financial crisis. Labor was ultimately doomed by years of party instability and bickering, and by its decision to renege on an election promise by implementing the carbon tax, which many Australians blame for steep increases in their power bills.

The Australian Electoral Commission's latest count Sunday had the coalition likely to win a clear majority of 86 seats in the 150-seat House of Representatives. Labor appeared likely to secure 57."

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Philippines Urged to Take Leadership Role on Climate Change. The Philippines has an outsize stake in uniting the world on climate-change commitments, the European Union Commissioner for Climate Action says. Connie Hedegaard told a news briefing on Friday in Manila that the Philippines should take a leadership role in prodding larger, wealthier nations to agree to a plan to reduce greenhouse gas emissions. The country has a lot at stake, as the third-most vulnerable country on the planet to extreme weather and rising sea levels. Speaking between meetings with local officials, Ms. Hadegaard said the EU and the Philippines share some views on how to “inject some ambition” into the 2015 talks on a new deal to replace the Kyoto Protocol. Both are parties to the Kyoto Protocol, the international treaty binding industrialized countries to reduce greenhouse gas emissions to forestall, if not reverse, global warming. The U.S. signed the Kyoto Protocol but didn’t ratify it, while Canada withdrew from it two years ago. Commissioner Hedegaard said frequent floods in Manila in recent years, including the flooding caused by the typhoon-intensified monsoon last month, puts the country in a “very interesting role” to help convince large producers of greenhouse gases on the need to act decisively on climate change agreements. “I’m extremely impatient…with a world that says it wants to address these issues but at a phase that is modest, too modest. That is why we want to inject some sense of urgency in the 2015 conference,” Ms. Hedegaard told The Wall Street Journal. “The challenge is to move a bit faster because that is what we need to do.” The WorldRiskReport 2012 of the United Nations University Institute of Environment and Human Security identified only Vanuatu and Tonga as more vulnerable thatn the Philippines to extreme weather events and increases in sea levels. An archipelago of more than 7,000 islands, the Philippines is situated between the Pacific Ocean and the South China Sea and is battered every year by around 20 typhoons. Since the Philippines passed the Climate Change Act in 2009, the country’s climate change policy agenda has shifted from mitigation to adaptation and disaster-risk reduction. - Southeast Asia Real Time - WSJ

Philippines Urged to Take Leadership Role on Climate Change - Southeast Asia Real Time - WSJ: "Ms. Hedegaard said the E.U. is committed to reducing greenhouse gases by at least 20% by 2020, adding that one-fifth of the bloc’s budget for the next seven years will be spent for projects to address climate change.

She said that Europe believes that “intelligent way forward would be to solve our economic issues, our growth problems…the job and social aspects and the environment and climate change at once. In the end, it is about how we are creating the growth in the future,” she added.

The E.U. has been helping the Philippines by extending assistance to protect its forests, while European companies have invested in renewable energy projects in the Southeast Asian country."

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The World's Largest Solar-Powered Boat | Crew members of the Turanor PlanetSolar, the world's largest solar-powered boat, arrive in the port of Monaco after completing the first around-the-world trip using solar energy

The World's Largest Solar-Powered Boat | The World's Largest Solar-Powered Boat - Yahoo! News Philippines: "Crew members of the Turanor PlanetSolar, the world's largest solar-powered boat, arrive in the port of Monaco after completing the first around-the-world trip using solar energy, May 4, 2012. (REUTERS/Eric Gaillard)"

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Update: Patients with inflammatory bowel disease are at greater risk of relapse during heat waves, finds a study that could have significant implications in an era of climate change. Risk of hospitalisation for an IBD flare went up by nearly five percent for every day that a heat wave lasted, retrospective data from over 2,000 patients showed. By around the same margin, patients with infectious gastroenteritis (IG) were also more likely to have a flare during a heat wave compared with a control group of patients admitted with non-infectious intestinal inflammation. In IG patients the heat wave effect was strongest after a seven-day lag whereas for IBD flares the effect was immediate, the authors from the University Hospital of Zurich found. Reporting in the American...

Climate change bad news for IBD patients | Gastroenterology Update:

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International Taipei forum puts focus on climate change. The one-day event largely focused on the participation of observer organizations, particularly non-governmental organizations (NGO) in the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), according to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, one of the forum's organizers. The ministry arranged the forum along with the Environmental Protection Administration "to encourage more exchanges between our NGOs and UNFCCC NGO representatives," Deputy Foreign Minister Simon Ko said. "Taiwan's voice, both governmental and non-governmental, needs to be heard through different channels," he said.. (update) | Society | FOCUS TAIWAN - CNA ENGLISH NEWS

International Taipei forum puts focus on climate change (update) | Society | FOCUS TAIWAN - CNA ENGLISH NEWS: "Although Taiwan is not a UNFCCC member, reaching out through local NGOs seems like the country's "best bet for participation today" in the UNFCCC, according to Marilyn Averill, chair of the convention's Steering Committee for Research and Independent Non-governmental Organizations. Following her presentation on civil society engagement with the UN organization and the importance of NGO perspectives, Averill told CNA that she is impressed with the way that Taiwan's government and NGOs work together. Similar statements were made earlier in the day by Frederic Laplanche, head of the European Economic and Trade Office in Taipei." CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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Sustainable BIOFUELS that is NOT in direct competition with FOOD crops: Turning sugar cane into ethanol offers a number of environmental benefits over other biofuel production processes. As it grows, sugar cane generally absorbs CO2 at a greater rate than other biofuel crops such as soy. Ethanol made from Brazilian sugar cane produces around 70% less CO2 than petrol, when the cultivation and production processes are taken into account. Since 2003 the use of ethanol in Brazil has avoided over 103 million tonnes of the CO2 that the petrol it has replaced would have produced, according to Unica. Raízen is further reducing its overall CO2 emissions by using waste material to power its own plants and delivering surplus electricity to the national grid. By-products from turning sugar cane into ethanol are recycled as organic fertiliser. To further improve productivity, Raízen uses its own advanced geographical information system to monitor its land. This allows its scientists to make accurate predictions about crop yields and adjust fertiliser or pest control, for example, to help boost production. Sustainability Today’s biofuels present some sustainability challenges:for example, labour rights and, if land is not carefully managed, concerns can arise over direct competition with food crops. The Raízen joint venture agreement includes a set of sustainability principles designed to help overcome these challenges and improve sustainable production. The principles require Raízen to carry out a robust assessment of the potential direct and indirect impacts of cultivating new land for biofuel crops –and to avoid land with a high conservation value. Raízen works with its suppliers, contractors and landowners to make sure that they follow sound land, water management and labour practices. Raízen is a member of Bonsucro, an organisation that drives the development of sustainable biofuels. It has developed an EU-approved certificate for sustainable sugar-cane production. This covers areas such as human rights and the impact of activities on biodiversity. Bonsucro separately certifies mills and the ethanol produced. By the end of 2012, seven of Raízen’s mills had been certified.

Fuelling a lower-carbon future with biofuels - Shell Global: "Accelerating advanced biofuels
Raízen has the potential to help accelerate the commercial production of biofuels from crop waste and inedible plants. Over the coming years some plant waste from the sugar-cane ethanol process could potentially go into making advanced biofuels. In one process enzymes can break down the cellulose in plant fibres to produce ethanol." CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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Special Report: Experimental climate fixes stir hopes, fears, lawyers | (Reuters) - Last year the Haida, an indigenous group in Canada, set out to increase their salmon stocks and save the planet. Helped by American businessman Russ George, a group of villagers dumped 100 metric tons (110.23 tons) of iron dust from a boat into the Pacific Ocean. They wanted to see if the iron would cause a bloom of algae that could promote fish numbers and absorb the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide from the atmosphere. Instead, in March, they were raided by Canadian officials for illegal dumping at sea. "I think they (the officials) kind of expected to see Dr. Evil and his group planning to destroy the Earth with geoengineers," said James Straith, lawyer for Haida Salmon Restoration Corp. (HSRC), as the project called itself. "What they got was a bunch of nice kids doing a lot of things on plankton scanning, scientific models and analyzing data... Did the officials really need bullet-proof vests?" The Haida case highlights a growing legal, environmental and even geo-political conundrum. The Canadian group is part of a debate about geoengineering - deliberate and sometimes sci-fi-like interventions designed to slow climate change. A U.N. panel of climate scientists says carbon dioxide and other gases are causing global temperatures to rise and change our climate and will lead to more heat waves, droughts, floods and rising seas. Geoengineers have proposed everything from brightening clouds to reflect more sunlight and heat back into space to - as in the case of the Haida - encouraging the oceans to soak up more carbon dioxide. The idea behind the ‘ocean fertilization' experiment was simple: iron will promote the growth of algae which will provide food for fish and absorb carbon dioxide from the air as they grow. When the algae die their remains fall to the seabed, removing them from the atmosphere. Environment Canada, the nation's environment ministry, said the experiment was illegal under Canadian law and violated the U.N. Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the London Convention, which governs dumping at sea. World leaders at a U.N. Earth Summit in Rio de Janeiro last year urged "utmost caution" in ocean fertilization due to worries that it could disrupt marine life. Many scientists remain skeptical about whether any form of geoengineering will solve climate change. Allowing research, they argue, may detract from efforts to reduce emissions from cars, power plants and factories.Reuters

Special Report: Experimental climate fixes stir hopes, fears, lawyers | Reuters: "But despite the uncertainty about efficacy and safety, groups and individuals around the world are beginning to experiment, arguing that humanity needs a ‘Plan B' in case countries don't cut greenhouse gas emissions.

A draft of a report by the U.N. panel, due for publication in late September and seen by Reuters, warns that the side-effects of sun-dimming geoengineering, for instance, "make it a high-risk strategy" but also concludes that some methods might help avoid some of the worst effects of warming." CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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NORTHERN IRELAND: 80% Reduction in Plastic Bags. Plastic bag use in Northern Ireland may have fallen by more than 80% since the introduction of a levy earlier this year. Provisional government figures indicate that 17.5 million single-use carrier bags were dispensed by retailers between 8 April and 30 June. It is estimated that 300 million carrier bags were used in NI in 2012. Environment Minister Mark H Durkan said: "This is great news for the environment." Figures from several major supermarkets suggest a possible annual reduction of more than 80% in those stores. Due to factors such as seasonal variation, the Department of the Environment (DoE) is reluctant to use the data for a single quarter as a basis on which to predict the likely annual reduction for the entire retail sector.

BBC News - Big fall in plastic bag use in Northern Ireland:

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Nissan Expands Its Green Manufacturing Footprint. In Mexico, Nissan has expanded a green energy program so that 50 percent of the energy used by the Aguascalientes Vehicle Assembly Plant comes from renewable sources including wind power and landfill gas. For more than a year, the plant has used a wind farm in southern Mexico and methane from garbage at the city dump, which combined have cut the plant's utility costs by more than 10 percent. Nissan's program leverages Mexico's largest wind farm, which consists of 35 large wind turbines about 600 miles away. The wind replaces about 5.3 million gallons of fuel oil. Nissan also currently gets about 5 percent of its power from generators that run on methane from a local landfill with aims to almost double that. The biogas that is produced from the breakdown of organic matter is used as fuel. One of the limiting factors is the availability of trash. "If we had access to more, we'd use it," said Marco Antonio Rivera, senior manager for energy and environment at Nissan Mexico.

Nissan Expands Its Green Manufacturing Footprint -- IRVINE, Calif., Aug. 23, 2013 /PRNewswire/ --: "The plant is looking at other renewable sources as well to balance the mix of sources required to offset variables with renewable energy that can't be controlled such as the wind. Additionally, nearly 100 percent of recyclable materials at the plant are recycled. The green energy program will be extended to the Cuernavaca Vehicle Assembly Plant and to the new Aguascalientes 2 assembly plant scheduled to open later this year."

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Renewable Energy Group Celebrates Minnesota Biorefinery Expansion. Renewable Energy Group(R) REGI -1.64% celebrated completion of upgrades to its 30-million gallon biodiesel refinery in southern Minnesota with a ribbon cutting and visit by U.S. Senator Al Franken, along with state and local leaders. REG began the $21 million project last October to upgrade the Albert Lea biorefinery, which enables the plant to utilize multiple raw materials such as waste animal fats and greases and inedible corn oil, in addition to the refined vegetable oils the facility was originally built to process. The project was completed in June. "We completed the upgrades at REG Albert Lea on time and on budget," said Daniel J. Oh, Renewable Energy Group, Inc. President and Chief Executive Officer. "That is a testament to the hard work of our team and contractors." Within days of start-up, all biodiesel produced at Albert Lea met the company's REG-9000(R) quality specifications, which exceed the industry's ASTM B100 standard. Multi-feedstock biodiesel has been available at Albert Lea since June 19. The upgrade project supported between 70 and 80 construction jobs.- MarketWatch

Renewable Energy Group Celebrates Minnesota Biorefinery Expansion - MarketWatch:

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CARBON CREDIT: FRANCE: Former president Nicolas Sarkozy's attempt at a carbon tax was blocked by the country's constitutional court in 2009. He had planned to set the levy at 17 euros per metric ton of carbon dioxide emissions and increase it over time, which would have translated into a rise in the price of fuel for cars, domestic heating and factories. Socialist President Francois Hollande is keen to reassure the Green party's members of his government of his green credentials after he sacked his environment minister earlier this year, but is also wary of raising new taxes.

France to introduce new type of green tax- minister | Reuters: "(Reuters) - France will introduce a new type of green tax, Energy Minister Philippe Martin announced on Thursday, but gave no details about what form it would take or when details would become available.Government sources said earlier this year that any such tax was likely to be limited and have little to no impact on French consumers and industries in the first year in 2014.
Martin said on Thursday a "decision was taken" by Prime Minister Jean-Marc Ayrault to create what he called "a climate energy contribution.""

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Watch the video - News Philippines: "Birth of a new star".
CLICK LINK TO WATCH THE VIDEO

Birth of a new star

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Birth of a new star

Astronomers in Chile vividly capture the violent birth of a new star in the constellation Vela. Rough Cut (no reporter narration).

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IJBURG, AMSTERDAM - Small docks and communal walkways link the floating houses built on a lake in east Amsterdam. Secured by sliding collars to steel pilings, the houses can rise and fall during floods and storms. (Photograph by George Steinmetz/National Geographic)

Nat Geo's 'Rising Seas': The impact of carbon emissions on our environment | Nat Geo Mag's 'Rising Seas': The impact of carbon emissions on our environment - Yahoo! News Philippines: "IJBURG, AMSTERDAM - Small docks and communal walkways link the floating houses built on a lake in east Amsterdam. Secured by sliding collars to steel pilings, the houses can rise and fall during floods and storms. (Photograph by George Steinmetz/National Geographic)"

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ST. PETERBURG, RUSSIA - Two curved steel gates, each more than 350 feet long, can swing shut to protect St. Petersburg, Russia, from Baltic Sea storms, which have flooded it repeatedly over the past three centuries. Completed in 2011, the gates are part of a 16-mile-long flood barrier that also carries a new highway. (Photograph by George Steinmetz/National Geographic)

Nat Geo's 'Rising Seas': The impact of carbon emissions on our environment | Nat Geo Mag's 'Rising Seas': The impact of carbon emissions on our environment - Yahoo! News Philippines: "ST. PETERBURG, RUSSIA - Two curved steel gates, each more than 350 feet long, can swing shut to protect St. Petersburg, Russia, from Baltic Sea storms, which have flooded it repeatedly over the past three centuries. Completed in 2011, the gates are part of a 16-mile-long flood barrier that also carries a new highway. (Photograph by George Steinmetz/National Geographic)"

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FLEVOLAND - Flanked by windmills, this dike protects farmland that is almost entirely below sea level. Dikes and continuous pumping keep more than a quarter of the country from reverting to swamp or open water. ( Photograph by George Steinmetz/National Geographic)

Nat Geo's 'Rising Seas': The impact of carbon emissions on our environment | Nat Geo Mag's 'Rising Seas': The impact of carbon emissions on our environment - Yahoo! News Philippines: "FLEVOLAND - Flanked by windmills, this dike protects farmland that is almost entirely below sea level. Dikes and continuous pumping keep more than a quarter of the country from reverting to swamp or open water. ( Photograph by George Steinmetz/National Geographic)"

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Superstorm Sandy narrowed New Jersey's beaches by more than 30 feet on average. At Seaside Heights it swept away the pier under the roller coaster. (Photograph by Stephen Wilkes/National Geographic)

Nat Geo's 'Rising Seas': The impact of carbon emissions on our environment | Nat Geo Mag's 'Rising Seas': The impact of carbon emissions on our environment - Yahoo! News Philippines: "SEASIDE HEIGHTS, NEW JERSEY - Superstorm Sandy narrowed New Jersey's beaches by more than 30 feet on average. At Seaside Heights it swept away the pier under the roller coaster. (Photograph by Stephen Wilkes/National Geographic)"

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Nat Geo's 'Rising Seas': The impact of carbon emissions on our environment | Nat Geo Mag's 'Rising Seas': The impact of carbon emissions on our environment - Yahoo! News Philippines

Nat Geo's 'Rising Seas': The impact of carbon emissions on our environment | Nat Geo Mag's 'Rising Seas': The impact of carbon emissions on our environment - Yahoo! News Philippines: "The cover of the September 2013 issue of National Geographic Magazine. © National Geographic"

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FYI: If you know of an individual, initiative or organisation that deserves an award, then click here for the nomination form for the 2013 Muslim News Awards for Excellence. Go to: http://www.muslimnews.co.uk/awards/

Awards | The Muslim NewsThe Muslim News: "The Muslim News Awards for Excellence 2014 Nomination Form. If you know of an individual, initiative or organisation that deserves an award, then click here for the nomination form for the 2013 Muslim News Awards for Excellence." CLICK LINK: Awards | The Muslim NewsThe Muslim News:

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Climate 'catastrophe' looms in Pacific: The Marshall Islands has warned of a Pacific "climate catastrophe" that will wipe it off the map without decisive action on global warming, saying the next 12 months are critical. Tony de Brum, minister in assistance to the Marshall Islands' president, is in Australia making the case for a major climate declaration at the 16-member Pacific Islands Forum it will host in September which he has insisted US Secretary of State John Kerry must attend. De Brum hopes the so-called Majuro Declaration can be presented to the United Nations General Assembly to help renew global efforts on emissions reduction as the Pacific region confronts rising seas and growing numbers of so-called climate refugees. "Our hosting of the forum comes at the cusp of the most important geopolitical period for the region since World War II," de Brum told reporters at a briefing in Sydney Thursday, adding the next 12 months "are critical to addressing climate change". "Business as usual will lead to a climate catastrophe and time is running out. "We feel very strongly that if (Kerry) does not attend it would be a slap in the face and like the United States would be reversing its so-called pivot to the Pacific," he added. De Brum said the tiny Pacific atoll of 55,000 people, which stands at an average of just two metres above sea level, was already feeling the impacts of global warming with an unprecedented seven-month drought in the north and a devastating king tide earlier this year triggering disaster declarations. "During my lifetime I have seen an island in the lagoon of Majuro atoll, the capital centre of the Marshall Islands, disappear from the surface of the Earth," he said. "We do not have scientists measuring this that and the other, we have experienced first-hand the effects of climate change... It is not something that is down the road or at the turn of the century." - Yahoo! She Philippines

Climate 'catastrophe' looms in Pacific: Marshall Islands - Yahoo! She Philippines: "De Brum said the Marshalls government was already ferrying food and drinking water to 13 outer island communities due to drought-linked shortages that were threatening the export of copra, the dried-out flesh of coconuts from which oil is extracted, which underpinned its economy. There had also been a "marked increase" in what he described as climate refugees from neighbouring Kiribati and Tuvalu and he said the government expected similar movements out of the Marshalls itself in coming years, with a two-metre sea level rise predicted by the World Bank before the end of the century. "This would fundamentally alter the world as we see it and be the end of my country, the end of Kiribati, the end of Tuvalu and many other countries like it.""

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Apples losing their crunch to global warming: Analysing data gathered from 1970 to 2010 at two orchards in Japan, a research team said there was clear evidence that climate change was having an effect on apple taste and texture. "All such changes may have resulted from earlier blooming and higher temperatures" during the growth season, they wrote in the journal Nature Scientific Reports. About 60 million tonnes of apples are produced every year, making it the world's third most popular fruit. Previous studies had shown that global warming was causing apple trees to flower earlier, and that harvests were also affected by changes in rainfall and air temperature. The orchards used in the study produce the Fuji and Tsugaru apples, the two most popular kinds in the world. - Yahoo! She Philippines

Apples losing their crunch to global warming: study - Yahoo! She Philippines: "The farms are located in Japan's Nagano and Aomori prefectures, which had seen a mean air temperature rise of 0.31 and 0.34 degrees Celsius (0.5 and 0.6 degrees Fahrenheit), respectively, per decade. The orchards were chosen because there had been no changes in cultivars or management practices for extended periods, thus ruling out non-climate factors like technological improvements in the apple change. The data collected over the years included measures of acid and sugar concentration, fruit firmness and watercore -- a disease that causes water-soaked areas in the flesh of an apple.The analysis showed a decrease in acidity, firmness and watercore, but a rise in sugar concentration over time." CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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RENEWABLE ENERGY: Solar power co-operatives fast emerging with an innovative way for local communities to gain access to renewable energy generation. Over the last few years, several such initiatives have been successfully launched in the UK — with new schemes opening in a number of cities including London and Bristol. So, how do such schemes work? And what benefits can they provide to local people? Bristol Energy Cooperative The Bristol Energy Cooperative (BEC), a member of the Bristol Energy Network, was established following a meeting by several Bristol-based environmental activists. As Peter Thompson, Chair of the BEC explains, one of the key motivations was frustration at the limited options available to unincorporated informal community groups — coupled with the "desire to engage in action at a city-wide scale, beyond the remit of any of the community groups established up to that point."

Sharing Renewable Energy: Solar Power Co-operatives in the UK: "In total, the BEC has completed three installations, one at Hamilton House, a community centre in the Stoke's Croft area of the city, with two others at the Knowle West Media Centre, and at Easton Community Centre.

The Hamilton House project runs to some 20 kW, providing an estimated annual energy output of 14,145 kWh.  It was financed and installed by Ethical Solar, which gave BEC the option of buying the panels, and the resultant generation feed-in tariff income, at an early stage.  The system consists of 85 x 230-Watt Innotech panels and two 3-phase SMA inverters." CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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Carbon Credit: Japan signed an agreement with Laos to launch a scheme that will allow Japanese companies to earn cheap carbon credits by helping the Southeast Asian nation cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions

Japan, Laos ink carbon deal - News - Point Carbon: "Japan, Laos ink carbon deal
07 Aug 2013 14:26
TOKYO, Aug 7 (Reuters Point Carbon) - Japan signed an agreement with Laos on Wednesday to launch a scheme that will allow Japanese companies to earn cheap carbon credits by helping the Southeast Asian nation cut carbon dioxide (CO2) emissions, the Japanese government announced."Read more here: http://www.miamiherald.com/2013/08/13/3559463/soccer-loving-pope-meets-world.html#storylink=cpy

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CIVIC CLUB UPDATE: Rotary Club of Strongsville Give Back to the Community. From the Chili Open Golf Classic to the newly created Duck Race, the Rotary Club of Strongsville continues to be a major fundraising force in the city. The club, which is 159 members strong, celebrated its 35th anniversary on April 28. Last summer, the club cleared $100,000 in donations to community and charitable organizations over a 12-month period.

Rotary Club of Strongsville continues to give back to the community | cleveland.com: "“Our goal and objective is to give back to the community,” said Brian Kiplinger, who became president of the club July 1. “We want to give back through all the hard effort we put into these fundraisers. We take it pretty seriously who we select (for donations).”

Kiplinger, a CPA with Kiplinger & Co. CPAs, LLC in Strongsville, has been a club member since 1997. He previously served as president of the Rotary Club of Brunswick.

“We’re a service organization. We’re not a networking organization. There are other organizations that accomplish that,” said Kiplinger. “We want to give back to the community, both young and old.”" CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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Cutting energy bills for your business - Energy is one of the biggest overheads for businesses, so it’s important to get the cheapest rate possible for gas and electricity. The thought of being locked into contracts puts many businesses off the idea of switching supplier, but it’s thought that around a third of businesses are in a position to switch at any time. There is a large commercial energy market, but it’s easy to fall into the trap of going with one of the ‘Big Six’: EG Opus, Haven, Gazprom, Total, Corona and Dual Energy. Switching commercial suppliers is a bit more complicated than at home, but still, it can be done. The contract will need to be terminated in writing before it comes to an end as suppliers tend to auto-renew without so much as a letter to inform businesses. Check the terms and conditions to find out the noticed period – it could be as much as 90 days. - Mirror Online

Cutting energy bills for your business - Mirror Online: "Some providers specialise in the provision of green and renewable energy systems, which can reduce energy bills and protect the environment. It’s important that businesses work with a supplier that can accurately assess the business needs before choosing the most effective system. Solar PV, solar thermal, biomass, wind power, air or ground source heat pumps are just a few of the examples available to UK businesses. Investing in renewable energy does involve an initial outlay, but with government incentives, such as the Feed-In Tariff (FIT) and Renewable Heat Incentive (RHI), it’s possible to earn additional income as well as cutting bills." CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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RENEWABLE ENERGY: 5th Annual Renewable Energy Technology Conference & Exhibition (RETECH) - RETECH has become the meeting place for the renewable energy industry. More than 1,500 government, utility, technology and finance professionals from 35 countries will gather to discuss ways they’re driving the growth of renewable energy in the US and around the world.

Industry Leaders Unveil the Future of Renewable Energy at the 5th Annual Renewable Energy Technology Conference & Exhibition (RETECH) - SFGate: "RETECH 2013 is the premier event to connect with influential leaders and decision makers as they share insights on renewable energy and what the next year holds for the industry. Request a media pass by emailing Kristen Cullen, kcullen(at)rasky(dot)com with your complete contact information. Who: Notable speakers and attendees from both private and public sectors that include senior executives and industry experts from Siemens Smart Grid, GE Digital Energy, ExxonMobil, Walmart, as well as US Departments of Commerce, Energy and State. For a full list of confirmed speakers, visit http://www.retech2013.com." CLICK LINK TO READ FULL ARTICLE

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RENEWABLE ENERGY: Wal-Mart, Google and General Electric made investments! Notably Warren Buffett’s Berkshire Hathaway firm has been increasing its clean energy investments, with a recent purchase of $5.6 billion for a renewable energy company in Nevada and a $2.4 billion investment in a wind farm in California. As clean energy markets expand, these American companies and investors will be well-positioned to lead.

Shifting global investments to clean energy | The Great Debate: "The reality is that emerging economies do not need to go down a path of relying on fossil fuels. Just as many developing countries skipped land lines and went straight to cellular telephones, these countries can leapfrog right to affordable clean energy.

Investing in clean energy is not only good for the economic growth, it is good for people. The unfortunate reality is that those in the poorest countries are often the most vulnerable to climate change — whether from rising seas that threaten homes and water supplies or droughts that drive up food prices. This is the human cost of fossil fuels that often goes unmentioned in balance sheets and gross domestic product statistics." CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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Carbon Credit: EU approves German carbon support scheme for heavy industry meant to prevent energy-intensive industries such as steel and cement makers from relocating outside Europe to avoid the costs associated with the EU's carbon trading scheme, known as "carbon leakage." | Reuters

EU approves German carbon support scheme for heavy industry | Reuters: ""The Commission's investigation found that the scheme... would effectively prevent carbon leakage while keeping competition distortions to a minimum," the European Commission said in a statement." CLICK LINK TO READ ARTICLE

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Update: Climate Model Shows How Global Warming Affects Future of Storms. Like Virtual Reality Computer Programs, you can input today's conditions (wind speed, temperatures, pressures, etc.) and predict what will happen in the future. Today's weather forecasts use similar prediction tools. In some respects, "climate" computer programs and "weather" computer programs are different, but there are some clear similarities. "Weather" prediction programs try to give short-term prognostications of local weather a few days into the future. "Climate" predictions attempt to describe long-term trends in large-scale climate patterns years and decades into the future. So, how can computer programs help us answer the hurricane/cyclone question? With the help of the program, a scientist can play "what if" scenarios and see how future storms will change. What if greenhouse gases increase? What if ocean temperatures increase? What if wind speeds change? How will these things affect the number and strength of hurricanes? - John Abraham | Environment | theguardian.com

Global warming and the future of storms | John Abraham | Environment | theguardian.com: "Very recently, a publication appeared by perhaps the world's best-known hurricane scientist, Dr. Kerry Emanuel of MIT. Dr. Emanuel combined global computer simulations with more regional simulations to look into the future at the evolution of storms. What he found was surprising. Because the storms will become stronger and more numerous, within the next century, the power dissipated by future storms will increase by about 50 percent. What was particularly interesting was that his findings show increases in both strong and weaker cyclones."
CLICK LINK TO READ FULL ARTICLE
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UN International Day of Peace 2013 (playlist)

How to Achieve Peace via Meditative Prayer? Ambassador Zara Jane Juan We...

America and China agreed to work together to develop cleaner trucks, expanding joint efforts against climate change by the two greatest emitters and raising prospects for a global climate deal. The US secretary of state, John Kerry, speaking before the announcement, said such co-operation would resonate far beyond the two countries, boosting prospects for a global climate agreement....US and China to extend co-operation in effort to curb climate change | Environment | guardian.co.uk

US and China to extend co-operation in effort to curb climate change | Environment | guardian.co.uk: "America and China between them account for more than 40% of greenhouse gas emissions, but signs of co-operation between the two big emitters could help unlock a global deal to cut emissions, Kerry suggested earlier on Wednesday. "I want to underscore that when we make a decision … it ripples beyond our borders," Kerry said. "How will we curb climate change? How will we pioneer new energy technology that is in fact the solution to climate change?" Kerry said in his opening remarks at the fifth annual US-China Strategic and Economic Dialogue. A State Department fact sheet on the new initiatives underlined Kerry's point, noting that the two countries pledged to work together to advance the United Nations' efforts to reach an international climate accord. "Recognising the importance of working through the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), the United States and China are committed to enhancing our policy dialogue on all aspects of the future agreement," the fact sheet said." CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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RENEWABLE ENERGY: Will support more than 1,000 jobs! New Biofuels Plant will be UK's biggest buyer of wheat and the biggest supplier of animal feed. Vivergo's plant at Saltend in the Humber estuary, opened with £350m investment, will take in 1.1m tonnes annually of wheat that would otherwise be used for animal feed and produce an estimated 420m litres a year of ethanol, to be mixed with petrol and used in vehicles. A byproduct of the process is high-protein feed for livestock, with about 500,000 tonnes expected a year. Vivergo said the construction and implementation of the plant had already created or helped support more than 1,000 jobs in the area, and there will be 80 full-time employees at the site.....Biofuels plant opens to become UK's biggest buyer of wheat | Environment | guardian.co.uk

Biofuels plant opens to become UK's biggest buyer of wheat | Environment | guardian.co.uk: "The National Farmers' Union said the plant would not only provide wheat farmers with more certainty in terms of a local market for their products, but would allow livestock farmers to buy locally produced high-protein feed, cutting the imports of soy from the US. Brett Askew, an NFU board member, said: "It's a boost to farmers to hear that Vivergo will be maximising their potential capacity in the run-up to harvest. The industry's troubles have been well documented over the past year and the latest noises emerging from Brussels on Common Agricultural Policy reform have done little to lighten the mood."" CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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Carbon tax moves from words to deeds - "The Independent member for New England, Tony Windsor has played a crucial role in securing the passage of the Federal Government's carbon tax. This morning we spoke to him about his role, his views on how the polls appear to remain opposed to its introduction and whether it's all been worth it. We also spoke to the Nationals MP for Parkes, Mark Coulton who told us he remains opposed to the package of clean energy bills and believes the Coalition will repeal them if it wins the next election. You can listen to both of the interviews here:" ABC New England North West NSW - Australian Broadcasting Corporation

Carbon tax moves from words to deeds - ABC New England North West NSW - Australian Broadcasting Corporation: click link to hear interview http://www.abc.net.au/local/stories/2011/10/12/3338125.htm

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RENEWABLE ENERGY: Solar-powered aircraft completed the final leg of a history-making cross-country flight Saturday night, gliding to a smooth stop at New York's John F Kennedy International Airport. The Solar Impulse touched down at JFK at 11.09pm ET, completing the final leg of the cross-continental journey that started in California in early May. For Saturday's final leg, the aircraft left Dulles International Airport outside Washington, DC, a little before 5am. The flight plan for the revolutionary plane, powered by some 11,000 solar cells on its oversized wings, had called for it to pass the Statue of Liberty before landing early Sunday at New York. But an unexpected tear discovered on the left wing of the aircraft Saturday afternoon forced officials to scuttle the fly-by and proceed directly to JFK for a landing three hours earlier than scheduled. Pilot Andre Borschberg trumpeted the milestone of a plane capable of flying during the day and night, powered by solar energy, crossing the U.S. without the use of fuel.

Solar-powered plane lands in New York to complete cross-country trip | World news | guardian.co.uk: ""It was a huge success for renewable energy," Borschberg said while standing in front of Solar Impulse on the runway at JFK. "The only thing that failed was a piece of fabric."

Bertrand Piccard, the other pilot who took turns flying the Solar Impulse across the United States, said the flight across the country tested the entire project team." CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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UPDATE: With Climate Change, Wildfires: Bigger, Fiercer Blazes Expected In West..A draft federal report released earlier this year said climate change is stressing Western forests, making them more vulnerable to fires. What's happening now "is not new to us," said climate scientist Don Wuebbles of the University of Illinois, one of the main authors of the federal report. "We've been saying this for some time." Communities nestled next to wilderness are used to girding for fire season, which typically occurs in the summer. Compared with decades past, however, the traditional fire season now lasts two months longer and first responders sometimes find themselves beating back flames in the winter...

Climate Change And Wildfires: Bigger, Fiercer Blazes Expected In West: "More than two dozen wildland fires are burning from Alaska to New Mexico, fueled by triple-digit temperatures and arid conditions. In the Arizona mountain town of Yarnell, a blaze apparently sparked by lightning killed 19 members of an elite firefighting squad who had deployed their emergency shelters Sunday when erratic monsoon winds sent flames racing in their direction.

While no single wildfire can be pinned solely on climate change, researchers say there are signs that fires are becoming bigger and more common in an increasingly hot and bone-dry West." CLICK LINK ABOVE TO READ MORE

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EUROPE UPDATE: Improved monitoring of child health is needed, with common indicators. Gender differences in ageing require further analysis. Implementing the health-in-all-policies approach requires sufficient people, an engaged civil society and consistent, coordinated policy-making. Comprehensive legislation is a breakthrough in tobacco control, but vigilance is needed to monitor industry’s response. Complex public health problems, such as obesity, require complex solutions, such as active transport, which provides multiple and measurable health benefits. Policy-making on pricing, marketing and availability are the best ways to address alcohol misuse, but this requires international cooperation. In the workplace, multitasking is a health risk; time for action, idling, resting and recovering is important. Being healthy at work means having a longer working life. Salt consumption is very high in the European Union. Effective strategies to reduce it exist, and should focus on effective monitoring, reformulation of foods? and population awareness. Trends in mortality from cardiovascular diseases (CVD) reflect the impact of economic growth, recession and austerity policies. Cross-sectoral policies that address CVD, such as salt reduction, can affect mortality rates fast.

WHO/Europe | Health determinants - Progress in bringing health into all policies: "On the final day of the 8th Global Conference on Health Promotion, 14 June 2013, participants recognized the need for the health-in-all-policies approach to be central to the development agenda of countries, regions and cities. For the WHO European Region, this approach is an integral part of developing Health 2020 plans in countries." CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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ASIA UPDATE: PHILIPPINES: "No-cook, highly nutritious “compressed food bar” recommended to be served at evacuation centers in times of disasters. Food scientists and technologists from the DOST’s Food and Nutrition Research Institute (FNRI) noted the lack of electricity and kitchen utensils to cook food during calamities. The scientists have also come up with a technology for the mass production of the food concoction. The cereal-legume is said to be highly nutritious because of the mixture of milk, vegetable fat, and sugar "

Instant meals for disasters developed | Headlines, News, The Philippine Star | philstar.com: "The DOST-FNRI has already pilot-tested the preparation of the compressed food concoction with help from the DOST’s Metals Industry Research and Development Center (MIRDC) which created a machine for the food’s mass production." CLICK LINK TO READ MORE

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Oceania Update: The aim of the worldwide network of FIFA Medical Centres of Excellence is to improve the healthcare of football players and other athletes at every single level of the game through knowledge. “However the most important objective of the FIFA Medical network including the FIFA Medical Centres of Excellence is to promote the philosophy of prevention and use the power of football to contribute to the improvement of public health to tackle the "Unhealthy trias - fast food, soft drinks and physical inactivita" leading to overweight, diabetes and other NCD's in young adolescents.

First FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence Down Under - FIFA.com: "The Olympic Park Sports Medicine Centre (OPSMC) was officially inaugurated as a FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence by FIFA Chief Medical Officer, Prof Jiri Dvorak, at an official ceremony held in Melbourne today.

OPSMC is the first Australian Sports Medicine Centre to receive such an honour and joins a prestigious list of 32 medical centres and clinics worldwide who have also been accredited.

Speaking at the official inauguration ceremony, Prof Dvorak was complimentary of the work that the OPSMC is doing and the reputation that Australian has amongst the international sports medicine community.

“I am very happy to be in Melbourne for the first accredited FIFA Medical Centre of Excellence in Australia. This is a very well established and respected medical institution”, said Prof Dvorak."

read more at: http://www.fifa.com/aboutfifa/footballdevelopment/medical/news/newsid=2022439/?intcmp=fifacom_hp_module_news

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Europe Update: 'The Academy of Medical Royal Colleges has published a report containing 10 recommendations designed to tackle the UK’s obesity epidemic – a story covered by most of the UK media. The latest health survey data suggests the UK is the ‘fat man of Europe’, with a quarter of men and women, and one in five 10-11 year olds being obese. In a compelling analogy, the report likens the current situation of obesity to that of smoking during the 1970s. During the 1970s, most people working in the medical profession knew that smoking presented a significant risk to public health, but little was being done about it. The report argues that a similar situation now exists regarding the health risks associated with obesity – which is estimated to cost the NHS £5.1 billion a year. The views of thousands of practicing doctors in the UK were sought by the report's authors on how best to tackle the obesity crisis. The report presents 10 key recommendations on new ways to address the growing public health problem of obesity, including: banning junk food advertising before the 9pm watershed reducing the proximity of fast food outlets to schools, colleges and other places were young people gather a one-year trial of a 20% tax on sugary drinks, to see what effect this could have As the chair of the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges says, ‘This report does not pretend to have all the answers. But it does say we need together to do more, starting right now, before the problem becomes worse and the NHS can no longer cope.’

'Fizzy drink tax' to stop UK being 'fat man of Europe' - Health News - NHS Choices: "The report, ‘Measuring Up: The medical profession’s prescription for the nation’s obesity crisis’, was written by the Academy of Medical Royal Colleges and published this month.
It reveals how data from the 2009-11 Health Survey for England suggests that the UK is the ‘fat man of Europe’.
The survey showed that one quarter of men and women in England are obese (defined as a body mass index [BMI] over 30) and that two thirds of adults are obese or overweight (BMI over 25).
Another worrying trend highlighted by the report is that the 2011-12 National Child Measurement Programme reported that one in five children aged 10-11 is obese and one in three is overweight or obese.
Over the last 20 years, the number of morbidly obese adults (BMI over 40) is said to have more than doubled and now stands at over 1 million UK citizens.
The report is said to represent the views of the vast majority of the UK’s 220,000 practicing doctors, who are ‘united in seeing the epidemic of obesity as the greatest public health crisis facing the UK’."
read more at: http://www.nhs.uk/news/2013/February/Pages/UK-fat-man-of-Europe-warning.aspx
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Africa Update: With the National Health Insurance (NHI) pilot programmes already being rolled out in some of South Africa's major cities, the government says the country's health infrastructure remains a priority. The country's health sector received R133.6-billion from the 2013 National Budget tabled by Finance Minister Pravin Gordhan in Parliament in Cape Town on Wednesday. Gordhan said some of the money would go towards ensuring the completion of some 1 967 health facilities and 49 nursing colleges which he said were in various stages of planning, construction and refurbishment.

allAfrica.com: South Africa: More for Health As NHI Pilots Roll Out: "More than R800-million was to have been allocated for the scale-up of the provision of antiretroviral treatment. However, the Treasury says an additional budget allocation of R100-million in 2014/15 and R384-million in 2015 will be necessary to partly address the announced decrease in funding over the medium term from the US President's Emergency Plan for Aids Relief (Pepfar).

This programme has contributed roughly R4-billion a year towards the South African national HIV/Aids and tuberculosis response, but the amount is likely to decrease by 50 percent over the next five years.

However, Gordhan said there had been progress in the reducing mortality and improving the countryÂ’s HIV and TB programmes, with medical and nurse training capacity proving a success."

read more at:  http://allafrica.com/stories/201302280206.html

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Update: About a third of the climate change-causing greenhouse gas emissions in the county come from vehicle emissions, so it makes a difference where people live and how they get to where they need to go. And one of the ways to meet state-mandated targets to reduce greenhouse gas emissions is to reduce vehicle miles traveled. High-density housing linked to jobs and shopping areas by public transportation or walking and biking trails tends to lead to fewer vehicle miles traveled than spread-out housing connected only by roadways. The impact of the state legislation is evident in other plans developed by local governments.

Update factors in new laws for climate change | Recordnet.com: "For San Joaquin County, the California Air Resources Board target is a 5 percent reduction from 2005 levels by 2020 and a 10 percent reduction by 2035, according to the San Joaquin Council of Governments.

The 2014 Regional Transportation Plan being developed would set forth a forecast development pattern that will be able to meet those reduction targets, said Aaron Hoyt, an associate regional planner with COG, the county transportation planning authority.

"It also identifies the transportation network that will be needed to serve the needs of the future by all modes (of transportation)," he said."
read more at: http://www.recordnet.com/apps/pbcs.dll/article?AID=/20130225/A_NEWS/302250314

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UN International Day of Peace, Culture of Peace, Ambassador Zara Jane Juan, Sailing for Peace - YouTube

UN International Day of Peace, Culture of Peace, Ambassador Zara Jane Juan, Sailing for Peace - YouTube

Glacier update: Andean glaciers melting faster due to climate change

new study blames climate change for the retreat of glaciers in the Andes. Glaciers in the region are losing ice faster than at any time in the last 300 years. Some smaller glaciers are at risk of disappearing altogether, the research concludes. So are glaciers reaching a critical situation? We look at the new research in context. The Andes in South America are home to 99 per cent of the world's tropical glaciers - those located high up in mountain ranges around the equator. The new study, published today in journal The Cryosphere, monitored about half of all Andean glaciers across Colombia, Bolivia, Peru and Ecuador to see how the volume of ice they contain has changed since the 1970s. The scientists used field measurments and satellite data to survey an area of almost a thousand square kilometres, making the new study the most comprehensive review of Andean glaciers so far. Read more: http://www.carbonbrief.org/blog/2013/01/andean-glaciers-melting-faster