Group: Climate Change Kills 300,000 A Year
A think-tank led by former U.N. Secretary General Kofi Annan says that around 300,000 people die each year from disasters related to climate change.
The Global Humanitarian Forum also estimates that global warming seriously affects 325 million people and causes $125 billion in economic losses each year.
Annan says people in the world's poorest countries are most affected by changes in the weather and environment.
The Forum report on climate change released Friday used existing data on weather-related disasters and population trends to draw its conclusions.
Meanwhile, Africa's environment ministers called for more money and support from rich nations ahead of a landmark climate conference, saying the continent contributes little to global warming but suffers disproportionately from its effects
The ministers, meeting in Nairobi, said they will ask for funding from rich nations at December's U.N. conference in Copenhagen of 190 countries.
They did not give a figure, but the U.N. says Africa needs at least $1 billion a year to manage the effects of climate change such as sinking islands, changing farming techniques and even relocating people from areas affected by extreme weather.
Buyelwa Sonjica, South Africa's water affairs and environment minister, said she wants "stronger leadership from the developed world ... I am not sure it is there yet."
In recent years, Africa has begun to experience the effects of a swiftly warming planet, exacerbating an already existing litany of woes on the world's poorest continent.
Malaria, which is prevalent in warm lowland areas of Africa and kills millions, has started to be recorded in what were the continent's cooler highland areas. Countries have reported more instances of extreme weather. Climate scientists are predicting that some African mountains will lose all their snow cover, and a staple crop like wheat may disappear in the 2080s.
December is the target date for concluding a new treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, a 1997 agreement that aimed to reduce carbon dioxide and other global-warming emissions by industrial nations.
The U.S. and China are the world's largest polluters, accounting for about half the world's carbon emissions. But neither country was part of the Kyoto accord, which called on 37 countries to cut carbon emissions by a total of 5 percent below 1990 levels.
The United States refused to sign Kyoto, citing the costs to the economy and lack of participation by China, India and other fast-developing countries. But some of those countries have said rich countries are not aggressive enough in cutting their own emissions. U.S. emissions now are 16 percent above what they were two decades ago.
Earlier this month, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the key to a new global climate change agreement will be a deal between the United States and China.
Blair also said climate change negotiators must find a way to integrate the United States, which has fallen far behind on controlling greenhouse gas emissions, into an agreement with Europe and other wealthy countries that have been working to reduce pollution for years.
Blair said the heart of that deal will be determining the responsibilities of both the developing countries and the industrial world. That, he said, can only happen once the United States has an understanding with China.
Global temperatures have risen 0.22 degrees since 1990, according to one U.S. government estimate. The U.N.'s chief panel on climate change estimates that the risk of increased severe weather will rise if the global average temperature increases between 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit and 3.6 degrees above 1990 levels.
Scientists attribute at least some of the past century's 1-degree rise in global temperatures to the atmospheric accumulation of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases, byproducts of power plants, automobiles and other fossil fuel-burning sources.
Experts project that within 11 years some African countries may see farm harvests drop by up to 50 percent because water will be scarce and the continent relies on rain for its agricultural production. In the same period, they say, between 75 million and 250 million Africans are expected to suffer increased water shortages because of climate change.
© 2009 CBS Interactive Inc. All Rights Reserved. This material may not be published, broadcast, rewritten, or redistributed. The Associated Press contributed to this report. The Global Humanitarian Forum also estimates that global warming seriously affects 325 million people and causes $125 billion in economic losses each year.
Annan says people in the world's poorest countries are most affected by changes in the weather and environment.
The Forum report on climate change released Friday used existing data on weather-related disasters and population trends to draw its conclusions.
Meanwhile, Africa's environment ministers called for more money and support from rich nations ahead of a landmark climate conference, saying the continent contributes little to global warming but suffers disproportionately from its effects
The ministers, meeting in Nairobi, said they will ask for funding from rich nations at December's U.N. conference in Copenhagen of 190 countries.
They did not give a figure, but the U.N. says Africa needs at least $1 billion a year to manage the effects of climate change such as sinking islands, changing farming techniques and even relocating people from areas affected by extreme weather.
Buyelwa Sonjica, South Africa's water affairs and environment minister, said she wants "stronger leadership from the developed world ... I am not sure it is there yet."
In recent years, Africa has begun to experience the effects of a swiftly warming planet, exacerbating an already existing litany of woes on the world's poorest continent.
Malaria, which is prevalent in warm lowland areas of Africa and kills millions, has started to be recorded in what were the continent's cooler highland areas. Countries have reported more instances of extreme weather. Climate scientists are predicting that some African mountains will lose all their snow cover, and a staple crop like wheat may disappear in the 2080s.
December is the target date for concluding a new treaty to replace the Kyoto Protocol, a 1997 agreement that aimed to reduce carbon dioxide and other global-warming emissions by industrial nations.
The U.S. and China are the world's largest polluters, accounting for about half the world's carbon emissions. But neither country was part of the Kyoto accord, which called on 37 countries to cut carbon emissions by a total of 5 percent below 1990 levels.
The United States refused to sign Kyoto, citing the costs to the economy and lack of participation by China, India and other fast-developing countries. But some of those countries have said rich countries are not aggressive enough in cutting their own emissions. U.S. emissions now are 16 percent above what they were two decades ago.
Earlier this month, former British Prime Minister Tony Blair said the key to a new global climate change agreement will be a deal between the United States and China.
Blair also said climate change negotiators must find a way to integrate the United States, which has fallen far behind on controlling greenhouse gas emissions, into an agreement with Europe and other wealthy countries that have been working to reduce pollution for years.
Blair said the heart of that deal will be determining the responsibilities of both the developing countries and the industrial world. That, he said, can only happen once the United States has an understanding with China.
Global temperatures have risen 0.22 degrees since 1990, according to one U.S. government estimate. The U.N.'s chief panel on climate change estimates that the risk of increased severe weather will rise if the global average temperature increases between 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit and 3.6 degrees above 1990 levels.
Scientists attribute at least some of the past century's 1-degree rise in global temperatures to the atmospheric accumulation of carbon dioxide and other heat-trapping gases, byproducts of power plants, automobiles and other fossil fuel-burning sources.
Experts project that within 11 years some African countries may see farm harvests drop by up to 50 percent because water will be scarce and the continent relies on rain for its agricultural production. In the same period, they say, between 75 million and 250 million Africans are expected to suffer increased water shortages because of climate change.
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Posted by jameslouiky
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Well, after watching and listening to sen. mitch mcconnel for years now, I'm sure that all people from KY are extremely slow, and haven't had an original thought ever! Luckily, they can can just repeat what they hear from the murdoch Kool-aid network.
History's verdict: Stupid lazy humans.
posted by ubrew12
****************
Unfortunately, that's only a part of the equation, since the Amazon rain forest produces 20% of our Earth's oxygen supply, and by destroying the rain forest for cattle grazing, we're getting more carbon dioxide and methane emissions with less oxygen production!
Posted by evilbusheviks
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The rate of destruction of the Amazon rain forest is simply amazing, mostly to provide areas for cattle grazing, to supply the world its beef supply with a huge carbon footprint.
The methane time-bomb is already ticking, and much worse as a greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide. Tons of methane are being produced from these cattle ranches, but even more is still frozen in the Arctic, and as the permafrost melts with warmer temperatures, it releases tons of methane each year to be added to the carbon dioxide in the atmosphere. We're seeing a huge acceleration in warming of the Earth over the past 12 years, and as this methane is released from the melting Arctic, we're sure to see even a faster acceleration of warming in the next few decades.
****************
Germany's renewable energy sector is among the most innovative and successful worldwide. Nordex, Repower, and Enercon are wind power companies based in Germany. SolarWorld and Conergy are solar power companies based in Germany. These companies dominate the world market. Every third solar panel and every second wind rotor is made in Germany, and German turbines and generators used in hydro energy generation are among the most popular worldwide.
Nearly 800,000 people work in the German environment technology sector; an estimated 214,000 people work with renewables in Germany, up from 157,000 in 2004, an increase of 36 percent.
Germany's main competitor is Japan, with which it dominates the solar energy sector.
Too bad "ronnie the rat" raygun decided to end Carter's renewable energy economy in 1981, and put America on a path to more finite fossil fuels for both BIG OIL and Detroit, thus increasing America's importation of OIL every year since. All that renewable energy technology was offshored to both Germany and Japan throughout the 1980's, making both of them the dominant renewable energy sector and the U.S. more dependent on finite fossil fuels. America lost 30 years of technology and research due to raygun's stupidity!
Posted by evilbusheviks
-----------------------------
So true, since I lost my job in the renewable energy field in 1981, shortly after that "B" actor, reagan, got elected.
America would be much further along in the renewable energy economy if reagan hadn't changed our direction back towards the fossil fuel industry and increased our importation of foreign oil. It appears that Germany is doing quite well today as the #1 exporter in the world, lowering their carbon footprint, and producing megawatts of power through renewable solar and wind power, despite not having as good conditions as we do right here in America. We're just playing catch-up, and the republican footdragging and denial of global warming has always held us back!
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Seems you've been reading much too much "American Stinker" and listening to way too much racist rush limpballs recently to know anything even close to the FACTS! BTW, Germany is now the NUMBER ONE exporter in the world and the U.S. has dropped to third, so it appears their "renewable energy economy" is only helping -- not hurting as the moronic republiCONS falsely keep telling us!
While the busheviks watched record numbers of manufacturing jobs disappear over the past 8 years, Germany has seen an increase in both manufacturing and exporting, while becoming the most energy-efficient country in the world and decreasing carbon dioxide emissions.
Germany Cuts Carbon-Dioxide Emissions to Below Kyoto Target
Nov. 28 (Bloomberg) -- Germany reduced carbon-dioxide emissions to below levels required under the Kyoto Protocol, an international agreement aimed at stemming climate change.
The nation?s factories, power plants and other emitters released a combined 957 million tons of CO2 last year, a decline of 2.3 percent from the previous year, the environment ministry reported today in an e-mailed statement.
Germany, home to Europe?s largest economy, encouraged homeowners and businesses to cut air pollution by using electricity generated by wind turbines, solar panels and by burning plant material. A law requires producers of renewable energy to be paid a supplement over the standard price.
Under Kyoto, which limits greenhouse gas emissions for wealthy countries, Germany pledged to curb output to an average of 974 million tons a year during the 2008-2012 measurement period, a 21 percent reduction from 1990 levels.
www.bloomberg.com/
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Puleeze......stick with the facts instead of unscientific rhetoric that the CONStipated CONServitards seem to spew on a daily basis!
Germany's renewable energy sector is among the most innovative and successful worldwide. Nordex, Repower, and Enercon are wind power companies based in Germany. SolarWorld and Conergy are solar power companies based in Germany. These companies dominate the world market. Every third solar panel and every second wind rotor is made in Germany, and German turbines and generators used in hydro energy generation are among the most popular worldwide.
Nearly 800,000 people work in the German environment technology sector; an estimated 214,000 people work with renewables in Germany, up from 157,000 in 2004, an increase of 36 percent.
Germany's main competitor is Japan, with which it dominates the solar energy sector.
Too bad "ronnie the rat" raygun decided to end Carter's renewable energy economy in 1981, and put America on a path to more finite fossil fuels for both BIG OIL and Detroit, thus increasing America's importation of OIL every year since. All that renewable energy technology was offshored to both Germany and Japan throughout the 1980's, making both of them the dominant renewable energy sector and the U.S. more dependent on finite fossil fuels. America lost 30 years of technology and research due to raygun's stupidity!
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PROOF? Just repeating beck or o'liely from FUUXX NoNooz is hardly PROOF of your absurd comments in a most non-scientific way.
Germany is the world's first major renewable-energy economy.
The share of electricity from renewable energy in Germany has increased from 6.3 percent in 2000 to over 14 percent in 2007. More than 9 billion euros (US$11.31 billion) was invested in new renewable energy installations in Germany in 2006. Some 240,000 people in Germany were employed in the renewable energy sector in 2006, especially in small and medium sized companies. Over half of these jobs are attributed to the Renewable Energy Sources Act.
Since 1997, Germany and the other states of the European Union have been working towards a target of 12% renewable energy by 2010. This target was surpassed already in 2007 when the renewable energy share in Germany reached 14%. On April 26, 2007, Environment Minister Sigmar Gabriel announced that this target would rise to 27% by 2020. Electricity use is to be cut by 11%, and the number of cogeneration plants is to double.
The renewable energy sector was aided especially by the law that required businesses to buy energy generated from renewable sources first before buying energy from non-renewable sources. People who produce energy in their own homes have a guarantee by the government that they can sell their 'product' at fixed prices for a period of 20 years. This has created a surge in the production of clean energy.
The German energy policy is framed within the European Union, and the March 2007 European Council in Brussels approved a mandatory energy plan that requires a 20% reduction of carbon dioxide emissions before the year 2020 and the consumption of renewable energies to be 20% of total EU consumption (compared to 7% in 2006). The accord indirectly acknowledged the role of nuclear energy -- which is not renewable -- in the reduction of the emission of Greenhouse gas, allowing each member state to decide whether or not to use nuclear generated electricity.
posted by ubrew12
****************
Unfortunately, that's only a part of the equation, since the Amazon rain forest produces 20% of our Earth's oxygen supply, and by destroying the rain forest for cattle grazing, we're getting more carbon dioxide and methane emissions with less oxygen production!
"The United Nations is engaging in scare tactics to promote their agendas...."
**********************
Pot.....Kettle......Black.........
The republiCONS have been using FEARmongering tactics for years now to promote their rabid rightwad agenda too!
"You get a radical left-wing "think tank" to come up with some ridiculous claim..."
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Nah......I don't think that even YOU can call NASA/NOAA a "left-wing think tank" like the rightwad stink tanks like the AEI or CEI. That just goes to show how scientifically-challenged most rabid rightwads actually are.
Data @ NASA GISS: GISS Surface Temperature Analysis: 2008 Annual ...Jan 13, 2009 ... The ten warmest years all occur within the 12-year period 1997-2008. ... between 0.5 and 1?C warmer than the long-term mean during 2001-2007. ..
data.giss.nasa.gov/gistemp/2008/