“In 1999, Russian scientists famously dug a long-dead frozen woolly mammoth out of the Siberian permafrost. Other things lurking in the frozen earth may be more alive — and more dangerous. Scientists warn that global warming could release ancient bacteria, viruses and fungi from frozen lakes, glaciers and permafrost. If this happens, humans could become exposed to viruses and diseases they have not encountered in thousands of years.” [Mother Nature Network via The Miami Herald]
Category: Climate & Energy
London Olympics' emissions 28 percent lower than forecast
Feeling cooler yet? [Reuters]
Wind welfare seekers agree to surrender tax credit — in six years!
Denise Bode, AWEA’s CEO, stressed that, “At the same time, our number one priority right now is not putting the wind industry over its own fiscal cliff. [AWEA release]
New Intimidation Effort Launched Against Skeptics: The 'Checks and Balances Project'
Although little corporate money goes to skeptics (especially as compared to the corporate money that goes to alarmists), the green-run Checks and Balances Projects apparently aims to resurrect that myth with two goals in mind: (1) continue to intimidate corporations from funding skeptics and (2) intimidate the media from running skeptic commentary. The Checks and Balances Project is ironically named since the Constitution’s system of checks-and-balances is the system the Founding Fathers devised to limit the growth of government. The Checks and Balances Project, in contrast, intends to silence skeptics so that government power can expand through climate-energy policy. [Checks and Balances Project]
Boxer to Create Congressional Climate Caucus
So reports E&E Daily. It will no doubt be as successful as the Kerry-Boxer cap-and-trade bill of the 111th Congress.
IBD: Public Must Face True Cost Of Unreliable Renewables
“California’s Public Utilities Commission estimated in 2009 that the 33% RPS rule (finally adopted in 2011) would require an investment of about $115 billion, or some $3,000 for every Californian.” [Investor’s Business Daily]
Spike in air pollution linked to drilling
“In the Colorado mountains, a spike in air pollution has been linked to a boom in oil and gas drilling. A thousand miles away on the plains of north Texas, there’s a drilling boom, too, but some air pollution levels have declined. Opponents of drilling point to Colorado and say it’s dangerous. Companies point to Texas and say drilling is safe.” [AP]
99.9% renewable by 2030?
What happens when energy modelers drop acid. [ScienceDirect]
Conservatives can be persuaded to care more about the environment, study finds
“New research from the University of California, Berkeley, suggests that [skeptic] viewpoints can be changed after all, when the messages about the need to be better stewards of the land are couched in terms of fending off threats to the “purity” and “sanctity” of Earth and our bodies.’ [UC Berkeley] Someone has apparently taken Dr. Strangelove‘s Col. Jack Ripper a little too seriously…
Californians could face ‘double taxation’ with state, federal carbon taxes
No worries. There will be no federal carbon tax. [Daily Caller]
Why conservatives don't reform the EPA…
… like Kansas Gov. Sam Brownback, they’re too busy “applauding” or otherwise sucking up to the agency for handouts. Continue reading Why conservatives don't reform the EPA…
Date with a climate-change denier
“A first (and last) date with someone who doesn’t believe in global warming.” [High Country News]