Archive for the 'environment' Category

The heading of a recent article in The Guardian:

“Climate change making extreme events worse in Australia – report

Country faces more frequent and more severe weather events if it fails to make deep and swift cuts to carbon emissions”

Full article here:

http://www.guardian.co.uk/world/2013/apr/02/climate-change-carbon-emissions-australia

A recently published scientific report in Nature Geoscience has shown that forecasts about global warming have been remarkably accurate (http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2013/mar/27/climate-change-model-global-warming?INTCMP=ILCNETTXT3487)

Interesting, in this context, that Tony Abbott, the leader of the opposition, according to the Sun Herald, has signaled that Professor Tim Flannery’s job as climate commissioner would go if the Coalition wins government. “It does sound like an unnecessary position given the gentlemen in question gives us the benefit of his views without needing taxpayer funding.” Also “Mr Abbott said if elected as prime minister on September 14 and given the opportunity to revoke the carbon tax a whole range of climate change bureaucracies would also be axed.”

See here:

http://www.heraldsun.com.au/news/victoria/victoria-to-suffer-extreme-weather-warn-climate-scientists/story-e6frf7kx-1226611210510

Of course, Tony Abbott’s views about climate change are well kown (see here: http://blog.une.edu.au/klausrohde/2010/07/26/politics-climate-change-big-business-and-the-press-in-australia/).

See also my article here: http://krohde.wordpress.com/article/on-the-way-to-fascism-climate-change-xk923bc3gp4-138/

A just published scientific article examines the mind of so-called climate change sceptics.

“
NASA Faked the Moon Landing—Therefore, (Climate) Science Is a Hoax
An Anatomy of the Motivated Rejection of Science
1. Stephan Lewandowsky1
2. Klaus Oberauer1,2
3. Gilles E. Gignac1
1. 1University of Western Australia
2. 2University of Zurich
1. Stephan Lewandowsky, School of Psychology, University of Western Australia, 35 Stirling Highway, Crawley, Western Australia 6009, Australia E-mail: stephan.lewandowsky@uwa.edu.au
Psychological Science March 26, 2013, 0956797612457686

Abstract
Although nearly all domain experts agree that carbon dioxide emissions are altering the world’s climate, segments of the public remain unconvinced by the scientific evidence. Internet blogs have become a platform for denial of climate change, and bloggers have taken a prominent role in questioning climate science. We report a survey of climate-blog visitors to identify the variables underlying acceptance and rejection of climate science. Our findings parallel those of previous work and show that endorsement of free-market economics predicted rejection of climate science. Endorsement of free markets also predicted the rejection of other established scientific findings, such as the facts that HIV causes AIDS and that smoking causes lung cancer. We additionally show that, above and beyond endorsement of free markets, endorsement of a cluster of conspiracy theories (e.g., that the Federal Bureau of Investigation killed Martin Luther King, Jr.) predicted rejection of climate science as well as other scientific findings. Our results provide empirical support for previous suggestions that conspiratorial thinking contributes to the rejection of science. Acceptance of science, by contrast, was strongly associated with the perception of a consensus among scientists.”

(Cited from http://pss.sagepub.com/content/early/2013/03/25/0956797612457686.abstract

I have drawn attention to this book in an earlier post (see here:

http://blog.une.edu.au/klausrohde/2012/08/10/new-book-the-balance-of-nature-and-human-impact/

Details of the book (contents, contributors, excerpts) can be found here: http://www.cambridge.org/gb/knowledge/isbn/item6964672/?site_locale=en_GB

The book has now been published (Cambridge University Press, February 2013) and the Vice-Chancellor and Head of the School of Environmental and Rural Sciences will launch it on March 11 from 1-2 p.m. in the C.J. Hawkins Homestead foyer – W47.

Two thirds of proven fossil energy sources must stay in the ground; put a price on carbon:

http://www.aljazeera.com/indepth/features/2012/11/20121118123349598830.html

See the previous post on this topic.

A new book, dealing with effects of climate change, habitat destruction and fragmentation, and invasive species, will be published by Cambridge University Press early next year. I am the editor and about 30 leading scientists from around the world have contributed chapters. A further 20 have contributed by reviewing chapters.

Some examples of chapters are: physics of climate, effects of climate change on Arctic vegetation, amphibian decline, the futures of coral reefs, emerging infectious diseases, effects of climate change on insect populations, alternative stable states of plant communities, the mathematics of species invasions, effects of climate change on North American and Australian birds, and a concluding chapter dealing with measures necessary to conserve biodiversity.

Details can be found here:

http://www.cambridge.org/gb/knowledge/isbn/item6964672/The%20Balance%20of%20Nature%20and%20Human%20Impact/?site_locale=en_GB

Here are some excerpts from the book:

“It is clear that nature is undergoing rapid changes as a result of human activities such as industry, agriculture, travel, fisheries and urbanisation. What effects do these activities have? Are they disturbing equilibria in ecological populations and communities, thus upsetting the balance of nature, or are they enhancing naturally occurring disequilibria, perhaps with even worse consequences? It is often argued that large-scale fluctuations in climate and sea-levels have occurred over and over again in the geological past, long before human activities could possibly have had any impact, and that human effects are very small compared to those that occur naturally. Should we conclude that human activity cannot significantly affect the environment, or are these naturally occurring fluctuations actually being dangerously enhanced by humans? This book examines these questions, first by providing evidence for equilibrium and non-equilibrium conditions in relatively undisturbed ecosystems, and second by examining human-induced effects.”

Contents:

“Preface
Introduction Klaus Rohde
Part I. Nonequilibrium and Equilibrium in Populations and Metapopulations: 1. Reef fishes: density dependence and equilibrium in populations? Graham Forrester and Mark Steele
2. Population dynamics of ectoparasites of terrestrial hosts Boris Krasnov and Annapaola Rizzoli
3. Metapopulation dynamics in marine parasites Ana Perez del Omo, Aneta Kostadinova and Serge Morand

Part II. Nonequilibrium and Equilibrium in Communities:
4. The paradox of the plankton Klaus Rohde
5. A burning issue: community stability and alternative stable states in relation to fire Peter J. Clarke and Mike J. Lawes
6. Community stability and instability in ectoparasites of marine and freshwater fish Andrea Simkova and Klaus Rohde
7. Ectoparasites of small mammals: interactive saturated and unsaturated communities Boris Krasnov
8. A macroecological approach to the equilibrial vs. nonequilibrial debate using bird populations and communities Brian McGill

Part III. Equilibrium and Nonequilibrium on Geographical Scales:
9. Island flora and fauna: equilibrium and nonequilibrium Lloyd Morrison
10. The turbulent past and future of arctic vascular plants: climate change, spatial variation, and genetic diversity Christian Brochmann, Mary E. Edwards and Inger G. Alsos

Part IV. Latitudinal Gradients:
11. Latitudinal diversity gradients: equilibrium and nonequilibrium explanations Klaus Rohde
12. Effective evolutionary time and the latitudinal diversity gradient Len Gillman and Shane Wright

Part V. Effects Due to Invading Species, Habitat Loss and Climate Change:
13. The physics of climate: equilibrium, disequilibrium and chaos Michael Box
14. Episodic processes, invasion and faunal mosaics in evolutionary and ecological time Eric Hoberg and Daniel R. Brooks
15. The emerging infectious diseases crisis and pathogen pollution Daniel R. Brooks and Eric Hoberg
16. Establishment or vanishing: fate of an invasive species based on mathematical models Yihong Du
17. Anthropogenic footprints on biodiversity Camilo Mora and Fernando Zapata
18. Worldwide decline and extinction of amphibians Harold Heatwole
19. Climatic change and reptiles Harvey B. Lillywhite
20. Equilibrium and non-equilibrium in Australian bird communities – the impact of natural and anthropogenic effects Hugh Ford
21. Population dynamics of insects: impacts of a changing climate Nigel Andrew
22. The futures of coral reefs Peter Sale

Part VI. Autecological Studies:
23. Autecology and the balance of nature-ecological laws and human induced invasions Gimme Walter
24. The intricacy of structural and ecological adaptations: micromorphology and ecology of some Aspidogastrea Klaus Rohde

Part VII. An Overall View:
25. The importance of interspecific competition in regulating communities, equilibrium vs. nonequilibrium Klaus Rohde
26. Evolutionarily stable strategies: how common are they? Klaus Rohde
27. How to conserve biodiversity in a nonequilibrium world Klaus Rohde, Hugh Ford, Nigel R. Andrew and Harold Heatwole

Index.”

In the current debate on climate change and other human induced effects on the environment it is important to reflect on the moral justification for large scale destruction of habitats and animal species by man. Do we have to consider only the well-being of fellow humans or of animals as well? Schopenhauer was, to my knowledge, the first Western philosopher who spoke out for the rights of animals.
For details see here:
http://krohde.wordpress.com/article/arthur-schopenhauer-ethics-and-theory-xk923bc3gp4-106/

Bob Brown, the leader of the Australian Greens, recently drew attention to the fact that about four fifth of Australian mining is owned by foreigners, and that consequently much of the profits are exported overseas. He used this as one justification for a mining tax, to be used in upgrading infrastructure such as roads, development of a high-speed train network, etc. A mining tax is also supported by the Labour Party, but opposed by the opposition (Tony Abbott: just another “big new tax”) and the rightwing press.

But one has to be fair, Australians also own mining interests overseras. Extracts from the Sydney Morning Herald July 2-3, 2011:

“Coral sea paradise faces ruin from mining”

“One of Australia’s richest men. Clive Palmer, is buying nickel laterite ore for his Yabulu refinery from an Indonesian company that is defying a ban and mining in Raja Ampat, the world’s most ecologically diverse marine environment”. ….  which “undercompensates landowners, has allegedly paid bribes…”…”landowners receive less than 0.3 per cent of estimated revenue…”…”After promising interviews, Queensland Nickel and Yos Hendri, the director of PT ASP and PT ASI, withdrew their offers and declined to answer detailed emailed questions”.

Notre Dame University, with campuses in Sydney, Broome and Fremantle, is an Australian Catholic University. According to its website:

“Notre Dame follows the tradition and practices of Catholic higher education which, for centuries has offered leadership in university education. It is committed to a personalised education, underpinned by pastoral care and support for all its students. Degrees and courses are offered in the following disciplines: Arts & Sciences, Business, Education (Teaching), Health Sciences, Law, Medicine, Nursing, Physiotherapy and Philosophy & Theology.”

The richest woman in Australia (although located in New York), the mining billionaire Gina Rhinehart, with huge interests in coal mining etc., who has earlier attempted to influence public opinion against a mining tax and effective measures to combat climate change, now sponsors a lecture of the “famous” climate change denier Lord Monckton at Notre Dame University of Western Australia, a man without scientific credentials, but – whenever required – at the forefront of  the misinformation  campaign about climate change. She also bought a substantial share of Fairfax, publisher of The Sydney Morning Herald and The Age, the only widely distributed Australian newspapers which so far have given more balanced information about climate change, although even these are fairly right-wing. Is the move of the previous editor of the Daily Telegraph, one of Murdoch’s misinformation sheets, to the Sydney Morning Herald the first fruit of Rhinehart’s efforts?

Is the public aware of the dangers to democracy which such developments are?

A letter protesting against inviting Lord Monckton, who had earlier in the USA referred to the distinguished Australian economist Professor Ross Garnaut as a Nazi because of his active involvement in climate change policy,  to present the lecture was signed by about 50 scientists and students, to date apparently without having achieved anything. Interestingly however, the famous Brisbane Broncos football club, according to the Sydney Morning Herald 1 July, has “withdrawn its venue from the Lord Christopher Monckton speaking tour of Australia after complaints from its members….. “..in 15 years he had never received so many complaints from members about a speaker”. It seems that the club can well do without the cash from Monckton’s sponsors.

Also according to the SMH, Australian industry is now pushing “to wipe out carbon price”. Even before details of the government’s plans are known, an alliance of some of the biggest Australian industry organisations is “prepared to spend at least Austr.$10 million” on an anti-carbon price campaign, following up on last year’s $22 million campaign against the mining tax which contributed to the downfall of the then prime minister Kevin Rudd.

(Read my earlier posts on the developments in the debate on climate change and the concentration of the press in Australia).

Tony Abbott, the leader of the opposition and ‘leader of the nation hopeful’, is now angling for the fishing vote by pronouncing that a coalition government would remove some of the national parks along the coast in which fishing is restricted. He appeals to the professional and recreational fishermen claiming that fishing is an Australian way of life. He conveniently forgets that, in the long term, fishing restrictions improve fish stocks (clearly shown by scientific studies) and it would therefore be in the best interest of fishermen to maintain and expand national parks.

Surprising? Of course not, Abbott also considers human induced global warming to be “crap”, although the overwhelming majority of scientists agree that it is a fact.

The Coalition is running a hate campaign against Labour accusing it of economic mismanagement and waste. Stigliz, the eminent Nobelprize-winning American economist, during a recent visit to Australia expressed his surprise about the fact that Australians do not seem to appreciate the effectiveness of the stimulus package (“The envy of the world for its design and effectiveness”), the justification of the proposed tax on mining companies, etc. Perhaps he is not familiar with the Australian media: the right wing Murdoch press and TV channels (The Australian, the Daily Telegraph, The Courier Mail, etc., Sky) have a virtual monopoly in large areas, and even the state run radio channels (ABC, SBS) seem to be fairly biased. It struck me that in the ABC A.M. program, a disproportionate time is given to coalition politicians (but I admit, the sample size is small). – As mentioned in one of my earlier posts, a visit to Australia by a prominent British climate-change denier was given extensive media coverage, whereas a visit by a leading American climate scientist was hardly mentioned.

Big business and a right wing press, and Tony Abbott a dangerous demagogue fishing for short term election advantages, completely disregarding the nation’s future (the same, by the way, with regard to the fast broadband option to be introduced by the government).

The most important causes of the huge bush fires in Russia, which have killed many and destroyed large areas (7600 square km), apparently are the extreme heat in those areas (measurements by NASA satellite “Terra”: more than 12 degrees higher than usually at this time of the year), never experienced in historical times, and the large scale deforestation that has occurred after privatization of the forest industry.

http://www.spiegel.de/wissenschaft/natur/0,1518,711072,00.html

One should not use single events to make sweeping statements. However, the fires in Russia, flooding in Pakistan (also apparently never experienced before), accelerating melting of Arctic/Subarctic ice sheets, etc. etc., and in particular the evaluations of scientific evidence by large groups of climate scientists, are certainly suggestive of things to come.