In a perfect world, we would have free press that report objective and fair news. We are also told that western developed countries are responsible in their dealing with global issues, especially one as important as climate change. However, if you think there is no invisible hand behind what is selected to be reported by press, privately or government held, think again. Contrast the following headlines and one can clearly tell how politics affect what is being reported and omitted: Read more…
Climate change is real, and as Laura Tam, the lead author of the just published San Francisco Planning and Urban Research Association (SPUR) Report, “Climate change hits home” (PDF), says, it is too late to prevent it entirely, but local communities can still do their part. Her report recommends 30 strategies to mitigate.
“Although we must do everything in our power to slow down climate change, it is too late to prevent it entirely. All levels of government, and especially local governments, must begin preparing for and building resilience to the effects of climate change, an area of planning known as climate change adaptation.
Read more…
Many in the West have tried to coax China to act more “responsibly.” But is it possible for China to ever act “responsibly”? I don’t think so – not because China is inherently not “responsible,” but because an “irresponsible” China is born out of the imagination of an insecure West. In this atmosphere, the only way for the West to deem China to be “responsible” is for China to stop being an independent polity and tow the Western line. Here is a case in point.
Today James Fallows wrote an interesting article on whether China is merely Self-Interested (as any power is) or “Actively Maligned” against the International Order. I won’t repeat what he wrote, suffice for me to quote his reasonable conclusion that: Read more…
The United Nations Environment Programme and the Renewable Energy Policy Network for the 21st Century (REN21) recently reported “Global Trends in Green Energy 2009: New Power Capacity from Renewable Sources Tops Fossil Fuels,” and one of the highlights it gave was:
Growth of wind power in China a key feature of 2009
There are a number of interesting facts about China and the U.S. in the report:
China surpassed the US in 2009 as the country with the greatest investment in clean energy.
New private and public sector investments in core clean energy leapt 53 per cent in China in 2009.
China added 37 gigawatts (GW) of renewable power capacity, more than any other country.
Read more…
Apparently, after much drama, intrigue, and sleepless nights, we have some sort of agreement at Copenhagen. We’ll probably get the text of the Copenhagen Agreement soon. But I think the gist of it is as follows: Read more…
Too often when we discuss Tibet, we reflexively focus our attention on the political spat between the CCP and the Dalai Lama. However, Tibet is much more than the current political spat.
For one thing: there is the people; the indigenous culture; the land – and of course the important environmental role the Tibetan Plateau plays in regional as well as global environment.
The following is a video from Asia Society on the Peril the Tibetan Plateau is under – as well its implication for all of us in light of global climate change. Read more…
Recent Comments