25 Cities Account For The Majority Of Global Urban Greenhouse Gas Emissions

The Hill: Study: Just 25 cities account for majority of global urban greenhouse gas emissions 

Just 25 cities comprise more than half of greenhouse gas emissions from a sample of 167 urban centers, according to research published Monday in the journal Frontiers in Sustainable Cities. 

Researchers analyzed a sample of 167 cities and metropolitan areas in 53 countries, including more cities from countries that are major emitters, such as China, the U.S. and India. They then compared the cities’ respective levels of progress in carbon reduction based on 2012 and 2016 emissions inventories, in combination with their short and long-term reduction targets. 

The researchers found that 25 cities accounted for 52 percent of the sample’s emissions. All but three of the 25 — Moscow, Istanbul and Tokyo — were located in China, including major cities such as Shanghai and Beijing.  

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WNU Editor: The study is here .... Keeping Track of Greenhouse Gas Emission Reduction Progress and Targets in 167 Cities Worldwide (Frontiers).

A Historical Analysis On Climate Change

Screenshot of MWP Mapping Project (Source: Luening http://t1p.de/mwp downloaded 27-Dec-2016)

Watts Up With That?: Documenting the Global Extent of the Medieval Warm Period

In this article I pose the following questions:

Was the Medieval Warm Period (MWP) a global event?
Where the MWP temperatures higher than recent times?
The reasons for asking these questions are that climate establishment have tried to sideline the MWP as a purely local North Atlantic event. They also frequently state that current temperatures are the highest ever.

I attempt to answer these questions below.

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CSN Editor: A good historical analysis on climate change.

The U.N. Issues Another Gobal Warming Report

Threat From Global Warming Heightened In Latest U.N. Report -- Reuters

(Reuters) - Global warming poses a growing threat to the health, economic prospects, and food and water sources of billions of people, top scientists said in a report that urges swift action to counter the effects of carbon emissions.

The latest report from the U.N. Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) says the effects of warming are being felt everywhere, fuelling potential food shortages, natural disasters and raising the risk of wars.

"The world, in many cases, is ill-prepared for risks from a changing climate," the IPCC said on Monday, after the final text of the report was agreed.

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More News On The U.N. Issuing Another Gobal Warming - Weather Report

Climate impacts 'overwhelming' - UN -- BBC
Climate impacts report: Key findings -- BBC
Costs of climate change steep but tough to tally -- Washington Post/AP
Climate change could cost more than $100 billion a year -- CNN
UN warns of climate change risks -- Al Jazeera
Massive U.N. Report Says Climate Risks Go Beyond Red Alert -- NBC
UN climate report warns permanent change has already begun -- Sydney Morning Herald
The U.N.'s Latest Disaster Forecast -- Wall Street Journal
UN Report Warns Of Severe, Irreversible Impact Of Global Warming -- RTT
IPCC report: 'No one will be untouched by climate change' -- The Telegraph
Wake up to the reality of climate change -- Bill Richardson, CNN
Little time left to turn down the world's heat, U.N. says -- Matt Smith and Brandon Miller, CNN
Viewpoints: Reactions to UN climate impacts report -- BBC

My Comment: I live in Canada but this was my reality this winter .... It was March misery in frigid northern, eastern USA -- USA Today

Global Warming Will Cause Violent Conflict, Displace Hundreds Of Millions Of People And Wipe Trillions Of Dollars Off The Global Economy

Climate Change: Leaked Draft Of UN IPCC Report Predicts Global Warming Will Cause Violent Conflict, Displace Millions Of People And Wipe Trillions Of Dollars Off The Global Economy -- The Independent

Climate change will displace hundreds of millions of people by the end of this century, increasing the risk of violent conflict and wiping trillions of dollars off the global economy, a forthcoming UN report will warn.

The second of three publications by the UN’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, due to be made public at the end of this month, is the most comprehensive investigation into the impact of climate change ever undertaken. A draft of the final version seen by The Independent says the warming climate will place the world under enormous strain, forcing mass migration, especially in Asia, and increasing the risk of violent conflict.

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My Comment: I am old enough to remember the same alarmist warnings about "global cooling" in the 1970s. The fact is that climate change has been a integral part of earth history since the beginning of time .... and while the debate has always been on mankind's contribution to these changes .... I tend to look more at the sun as the principle reason for this change ... both now and throughout history. And if mankind does have an influence on climate .... I will say that this impact is more on a micro level (not macro level). I need only to look at the pollution levels in Beijing to see the impact that it is having on that environment .... an impact that is "not at all pretty".

Update: I live in Montreal, Canada .... it is -15C right now .... far far far colder than usual.

The Role Of Soot In Climate Change

The burning of wood is a major source of black carbon the world over. 

Climate Change: Soot's Role Underestimated, Says Study -- BBC 

Black carbon, or soot, is making a much larger contribution to global warming than previously recognised, according to research.

Scientists say that particles from diesel engines and wood burning could be having twice as much warming effect as assessed in past estimates.

They say it ranks second only to carbon dioxide as the most important climate-warming agent. The research is in the Journal of Geophysical Research-Atmospheres.

Black carbon aerosols have been known to warm the atmosphere for many years by absorbing sunlight. They also speed the melting of ice and snow.

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My Comment: Outlawing and/or limiting fireplaces is not going to make much headway .... especially for those who live in cold climates.

What Global Warming?

Colder: Since 1977, the mean annual temperature has been steadily rising but starting in the early 2000s that has been falling

What Global Warming? Alaska Is Headed For An Ice Age As Scientists Report State's Steady Temperature Decline -- Daily Mail 

* Since 2000, temperatures in Alaska have dropped by 2.4 degrees Fahrenheit
 * Scientists reviewed weather reports from 20 climate stations operated by the National Weather Service located across Alaska
 * 19 of the 20 weather stations reported falling temperatures
* An ocean phenomenon has disrupted a storm regulating system thus allowing cold winter storms to linger longer and bring a deep chill
* Local residents have noticed the colder temps but say its no big deal since they are already bundled up for 20-below zero temperatures

New research from the Alaska Climate Research Center shows that since the beginning of the 21st century, temperatures in the snow covered land of Alaska are actually getting colder - bucking the overall global warming trend.

In the Last Frontier, where temperatures can get as cold as 50 degrees below zero, local residents have experienced the increasing chill and scientists now confirm that the Northwest state is indeed seeing a temperature drop.

A new report from the research center at the University of Alaska Fairbanks reveals that the 49th state of the union has cooled by 2.4 degrees Fahrenheit since 2000.

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My Comment: Dittos in Montreal (where I live) and for what my relatives (who live in Russia) are telling me this winter.

Tree-Rings Prove Climate Was WARMER In Roman And Medieval Times Than It Is Now

Global cooling: It is the first time that researchers have been able to accurately measure trends in global temperature over the last two millennia

Tree-Rings Prove Climate Was WARMER In Roman And Medieval Times Than It Is Now - And World Has Been Cooling For 2,000 Years -- Daily Mail

* Study of semi-fossilised trees gives accurate climate reading back to 138BC
* World was warmer in Roman and Medieval times than it is now

How did the Romans grow grapes in northern England? Perhaps because it was warmer than we thought.

A study suggests the Britain of 2,000 years ago experienced a lengthy period of hotter summers than today.

German researchers used data from tree rings – a key indicator of past climate – to claim the world has been on a ‘long-term cooling trend’ for two millennia until the global warming of the twentieth century.

This cooling was punctuated by a couple of warm spells.

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My Comment: More fuel to the climate warming debate.

Is A New Dust Bowl Forming In The U.S.?

Rising Temperatures and Drought Create Fears Of A New Dust Bowl -- Bryan Walsh, Time

Triple-digit days. Weeks with little to no rain. Soil crumbling away. Stunted corn stalks. Right now the fertile fields of the U.S. Midwest are experiencing corn-killing weather, with parts of five corn-growing states in the region experiencing severe or extreme drought. In at least nine states, one-fifth to one-half of cornfields are currently in poor or very poor conditions. And all of this comes after earlier expectations that corn farmers were going to produce a bumper crop this season, with 40 million hectares planted — the largest corn area in 75 years. Instead, we could see that crops wilt, as Darrel L. Good — a professor emeritus of agricultural and consumer economics at the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign — told the New York Times:

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Earth's Glaciers Are 'Out Of Wack'

The retreat of McCall Glacier in North Alaska. The left panel is 1958; the right panel is 2003

World's Glaciers 'Out Of Balance' -- BBC

Earth's glaciers are seriously out of balance with the global climate and are already on their way to losing almost 40% of their volume.

That is the assessment of scientists after studying a representative group of 144 small and large glaciers around the world.

Their figure assumes no further warming of the climate.

However, if temperatures continue to rise as models predict, the wastage will be even higher, the team says.

Read more ....

What Plants Will Survive Climate Change

Wilted tree leaves in a Hawaiian forest during the extreme drought of 2010-11, which was the worst in at least 11 years and was federally designated a natural disaster. The tree is an alahee (Psydrax odorata). (Credit: Faith Inman-Narahari)

Which Plants Will Survive Droughts, Climate Change? -- Science Daily

ScienceDaily (Apr. 6, 2012) — New research by UCLA life scientists could lead to predictions of which plant species will escape extinction from climate change.

Droughts are worsening around the world, posing a great challenge to plants in all ecosystems, said Lawren Sack, a UCLA professor of ecology and evolutionary biology and senior author of the research. Scientists have debated for more than a century how to predict which species are most vulnerable.

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My Comment: I would also like to see a study on what plants will prosper with climate change .... that severe droughts in one area may result in heavy rainfalls and/or warmer climates in another that in the past was more accustom to colder/dryer periods.

Arctic Sea Ice Decline May Be Driving Snowy Winters Seen in Recent Years in N. Hemisphere

Unusual Weather: Arctic Sea Ice Decline May Be Driving Snowy Winters Seen in Recent Years in N. Hemisphere -- Science Daily

ScienceDaily (Feb. 27, 2012) — A new study led by the Georgia Institute of Technology provides further evidence of a relationship between melting ice in the Arctic regions and widespread cold outbreaks in the Northern Hemisphere. The study's findings could be used to improve seasonal forecasting of snow and temperature anomalies across northern continents.

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Snowfall In Baghdad 1,000 Years Ago, And Again In 2008

Ice one: Snow fell on Baghdad in 2008 for the first time in memory

The Ancient Arabic Writings That Reveal Desert City Of Baghdad Was FROZEN Over 1,000 Years Ago In New Clue Over Climate Change -- Daily Mail

* It snowed three times between 908 and 1007 - but not again until 2008

Temperatures in Baghdad range from around 2C in winter to 45C in the summer – but ancient Arabic writings have revealed that the city experienced a dramatic frozen period around 1,000 years ago.

Spanish researchers from the University of Extremadura found 9th and 10th century (3rd and 4th in the Islamic calendar) sources that refer to snowfalls in the Iraqi capital in 908, 944 and 1007 and even rivers being frozen.

These are extreme events for Baghdad - for example, the only snowfall in the modern era took place in 2008 - and help meteorologists better understand today's climate.

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De-Classified UK Submarine Data Will Be Used To Assist Climate Science

Environmental data is routinely collected by submarines and other Navy vessels

UK Submarine Data De-Classified To Aid Climate Science -- BBC

The UK Ministry of Defence is to de-classify submarine data to help shed light on climate change in the Arctic.

Environmental data are routinely monitored by Navy vessels, but the measurements are highly sensitive because they could give away positions.

A dataset from one submarine mission will be released to give a snapshot of conditions under the ice.

It is hoped that further data could be released in future, yielding clues to how the Arctic is changing.

Read more ....

Are Ocean Plankton Impacting Earth's Climate?

Maria Maldonado of the University of British Columbia argues that understanding the chemistry of phytoplankton is key to controlling Earth's climate

Are Ocean Plankton The Key Ingredient That Decides The Future Of Earth's Climate? -- Daily Mail

* Phytoplankton provide half planet's oxygen
* Can soak up 45 billion tons of carbon dioxide per year
* CO2 'buried' in deep ocean for centuries
Tiny ocean 'phytoplankton' have a huge impact on Earth's climate - and understanding them could be key to the planet's future health.

Canadian scientist Maria Maldonado is researching why the phytoplankton thrive in some areas, and how they survive in areas with hostile conditions.

The tiny single-celled algae soak up 45 billion tons of carbon dioxide every year - transferring 16 billion tons to the deep ocean. They provide half the planet's oxygen supply.

Understanding them is vital to understanding - and regulating - our planet's health, Maldonado says.

Read more ....

The Climate Skeptics 'May' Be Right

From Climategate Central: The Skeptics Were Right -- Don Surber

The world is cooling. Finally, this admission comes from the British weather service (the Met Office) and the University of East Anglia’s Climatic Research Unit — the center of the Climategate Conspiracy in which some climatologists conspired to manipulate data in a mad effort to “prove” their daft theory that using carbon-based fuels would turn the planet into Hell On Earth.

They now must admit the truth that Global Warming is in error.

And so they do.

From the London Daily Mail:

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My Comment: The skeptics have a point .... this is the weather in Europe today.

Emails Question The Impact Of Climate Change

Uh Oh, Global Warming Loons: Here Comes Climategate II! -- The Telegraph

Breaking news: two years after the Climategate, a further batch of emails has been leaked onto the internet by a person – or persons – unknown. And as before, they show the "scientists" at the heart of the Man-Made Global Warming industry in a most unflattering light. Michael Mann, Phil Jones, Ben Santer, Tom Wigley, Kevin Trenberth, Keith Briffa – all your favourite Climategate characters are here, once again caught red-handed in a series of emails exaggerating the extent of Anthropogenic Global Warming, while privately admitting to one another that the evidence is nowhere near as a strong as they'd like it to be.

Read more ....

Update: 'New release' of climate emails -- BBC

My Comment: The BBC reporter in his post is clearly not amused with this additional release of emails .... not a surprise considering the embarrassing nature of its content and the BBC's agenda of promoting the science behind climate change.

Arctic Sea Ice Falls To A Record Low

Ice thickness is just as important or more so in helping understand what is happening in the far north Photo: AP/John McConnico

Arctic Sea Ice Falls To Record Low -- The Telegraph

The minimum summertime volume of Arctic sea ice fell to a record low last year, researchers said in a study to be published shortly, suggesting that thinning of the ice had outweighed a recovery in area.

The study estimated that last year broke the previous, 2007 record for the minimum volume of ice, which is calculated from a combination of sea ice area and thickness.

The research adds to a picture of rapid climate change at the top of the world that could see the Arctic Ocean ice-free within decades, spurring new oil exploration opportunities but possibly also disrupted weather patterns far afield and a faster rise in sea levels.

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Earth's Gravity Is Being Altered By Melting Glaciers

In this image, the location of the successive calving fronts of Greenland's Jakobshavn Isbrae glacier between 1851 and 2009 are overlain on a Landsat image from July 29, 2009. The retreat of the glacier shows the substantial melt that has occurred over the time period. CREDIT: NASA/Goddard Space Flight Center Scientific Visualization Studio

Melting Glaciers Alter Earth's Gravity -- Live Science

Melting glaciers can alter Earth's gravity field, scientists have found, a discovery that is shedding light on when Greenland and Antarctica began heavily melting.

Knowing the timing of this melting could help climate scientists make better estimates of the potential sea level rise resulting from melting ice pouring off these two massive ice sheets.

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My comment: There is no details on how much of a shift in gravity has occurred. My suggestion .... compile the data between summer and winter, and look at the difference.

Expect More Monster Winter Storms With Climate Change

This visible satellite image shows the low-pressure area stretching from the Colorado Rockies and Texas east to New England. The image shows the storm on Feb. 1 at 1401 UTC (9:01 a.m. EST). Credit: NOAA/NASA GOES Project.

With Climate Change, Expect More Monster Winter Storms -- Live Science

No single weather event can be directly attributed to climate change. But as the globe warms up, Americans can expect more storms like the one bearing down on much of the United States, scientists say.

That's not because the Feb. 1 storm can be linked to rising atmospheric carbon dioxide levels or increasing global temperature – again, such a connection is impossible to make – but, according to climatologists, an increased propensity for winter storms is exactly what you'd expect in a warming world.

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My Comment: I have trouble understanding this logic .... because of global warming our temperatures will fall and we will have more snow .... hmmm.

Greenland's Ice Sheet Is Not Melting

Greenland Ice Sheet Is Safer Than Scientists Previously Thought -- The Guardian

New study overturns fears that increased melting could lubricate the ice sheet, causing it to sink ever faster into the sea.

The threat of the Greenland ice sheet slipping ever faster into the sea because of warmer summers has been ruled out by a scientific study.

Until now, it was thought that increased melting could lubricate the ice sheet, causing it to sink ever faster into the sea. The issue was a key unknown in the landmark 2007 report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which pinned the blame for climate change firmly on greenhouse gas emissions from human activities.

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My Comment: OK .... I guess global warming is not an issue there.