Chinese Research: Forests, Weather, and Eco-Restoration

This is a critical aspect of the climate-ecosystem relationship that receives very little attention. There is much more to the equation than carbon sequestration/release: forests (& vegetative ecosystems in general) have direct impacts on temperature, humidity, wind, and precipitation. Eco-restoration is vital to both surviving and mitigating anthropogenic climate change!

ASW

——————————————————–
” … could lead to an increase in precipitation by up to 20 percent …”

“The results show that, in addition to precipitation and temperature
changes, the project also will improve relative humidity, soil moisture
and reduce prevailing winds and air temperature.”
—————————————————-

Public release date: 24-Nov-2008
Journal of the American Water Resources Association

Contact: Sean Wagner
swagner@wiley.com
781-388-8550

Chinese forest project could reduce number of environmental disasters
‘Great Green Wall’ may be a model for worldwide conservation

Continue reading

Release: Restraining Order Requested-Shoshone Grandmothers Plan Resistance Day on Proposed Mine Site

For Immediate Release

Release: Restraining Order Requested-Shoshone Grandmothers Plan Resistance Day on Proposed Mine Site

Contacts:

Carrie Dann, Western Shoshone grandmother, 775-468-0230
Dan Randolph, Great Basin Resource Watch, 775-722-4056
Julie Cavanaugh-Bill, Western Shoshone Defense Project, 775-744-2565 or
wsdp@igc.org

Restraining Order Requested-Shoshone Grandmothers Plan Resistance Day on
Proposed Mine Site

November 25, 2008, Crescent Valley, Newe Sogobi (Nevada).

As the holidays approach and the world watches President-elect Obama and the
bailouts; back in Nevada, home state of Senate Majority Leader Harry Reid,
it’s business as usual. Late yesterday, attorneys for several Western
Shoshone tribes and non-profit indigenous and environmental organizations
filed a request in the federal District Court in Reno, NV seeking a
restraining order against the construction of one of the country’s largest
open pit gold mines on the flank of spiritual Mt. Tenabo. The mine company
has already begun demolition of the pinyon forest with heavy machinery on
the site ripping out trees at a reported rate of 30 acres per day. As they
await a Court hearing and feeling compelled to take immediate action,
tomorrow, a group of Shoshone grandmothers will travel to the proposed mine
site to conduct a Day of Resistance to the destruction of the area and the
approval of the mine by the United States. Mt. Tenabo is a well-known home
to local Shoshone creation stories, spirit life, medicinal, food and
ceremonial plants and rocks and continues to be used to this day by Shoshone
for spiritual ceremonies and cultural practices. Over the years, tens of
thousands of individuals and organizations from across the United States and
around the world have joined with the Shoshone and voiced their opposition
to this mine-in fact, the mine is being referred to as the “most opposed
mine in the world”.

Continue reading

Report: Little Gain From Oil Sands Carbon Capture

Published on Tuesday, November 25, 2008 by Reuters
Little Gain From Oil Sands Carbon Capture: Report

CALGARY, Alberta-Canada’s government saw only limited opportunities to cut greenhouse gas emissions from the oil sands using carbon capture and storage technology, according to briefing notes obtained by a Canadian media.

The notes, prepared by a carbon capture task force, were used by Canadian federal and provincial politicians and were obtained by the Canadian Broadcasting Corp, which said it requested them under freedom of information legislation.

Continue reading

Group Plans Suit Against Bush Administration for Ignoring Global Warming Threat to Coral Habitat

FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE
November 25, 2008  4:41 PM

CONTACT: Center for Biological Diversity
Miyoko Sakashita, Center for Biological Diversity, (415) 436-9682 x 308 or (510) 845-6703 (cell)

Group Plans Suit Against Bush Administration for Ignoring Global Warming Threat to Coral Habitat
Federal Protection of Coral Habitat in Florida and the Caribbean Falls Short

SAN FRANCISCO-November 25. The Center for Biological Diversity on Wednesday will give the Bush administration official notice of its intent file a lawsuit for illegally excluding global warming and ocean acidification threats from a new rule protecting habitat for elkhorn and staghorn corals. The federal government announced today that it will designate almost 3,000 square miles of reef area off the coasts of Florida, Puerto Rico, and the U.S. Virgin Islands as critical habitat under the Endangered Species Act for the threatened corals. The new rule, to be published in Wednesday’s Federal Register, was required by a court-approved settlement of a 2007 lawsuit brought by the Center.

Continue reading