natural sounds

Am I the only one who doesn’t mind the switch to standard time?

Yesterday … anticipation.

Today … the beginning of the beginning.

Tomorrow … everything started.

Never has a year seemed simultaneously so long and so short. Happy birthday, Gabriel Ash.

by Angela Kim

This Week’s Top Story: Lead Up To Copenhagen

NY Times: Gloomy Negotiators End Bonn Climate Talks
The Guardian: UN’s climate chief warns of real risk of failure at climate change talks
United Nations: Bonn Climate Change Talks – August 2009
Reuters: INTERVIEW-Climate change fight seen costing $300 bln a year

More than 2,000 representatives met in Bonn, Germany for “informal” meetings dealing with the UN Climate Conference last week, August 10 – 14. Two more meetings are scheduled between now and December in Bangkok and Barcelona. This meeting began with trying to pair down a document that has inflated from 50-pages to 200-pages. The document is to be the successor of the Kyoto Protocol. Currently, it has about “2,000 bracketed statements highlighting areas of disagreement” according to the New York Times.

The meeting ended with representatives worrying an agreement may not be possible unless conversations accelerate according to The Guardian. In the article, Kim Castensen, head of WWF Clobal Climate Initiative, said, “”Delegates spent too much time arguing over procedures and technicalities. This is not the way to overcome mistrust between rich and poor nations.”

Yvo de Boer, head of the U.N. Climate Change Secretariat, told Reuters, “Over time, according to my own analysis, we are going to need $200 billion a year for mitigation and probably in the order of $100 billion a year for adaptation … from 2020 onwards.”

The message of urgency is getting louder as the conference in Copenhagen is getting closer.

Other Stories:

New Scientist: US To Map Carbon Sources in the Region
White House Press Release
Last week at the conclusion of the North American Leader’s Summit in Mexico, an announcement to create a “North American Carbon Atlas” was unveiled. The atlas will help find out the large carbon emitting industries and find areas for carbon capture and storage.

Slate/The Big Money: Corporations And What They Support
Corporations are supporting curbing greenhouse gas emissions but also supporting lobby groups that oppose it. What are the stakes? Why are they doing it?

Yale360: Kolbert Interviews Holdren
Elizanbeth Kolbert interviews John Holdren for Yale 360 about what the US has planned domestically and what’s in store for US interests in Copenhagen and beyond. You can also stream the full interview on the site.

Congressional Quarterly: Opposition to Climate Plan Awaits Obama
The Guardian: Oil lobby to fund campaign against Obama’s climate change strategy
A coalition of conservative groups called the Energy Citizens are kicking off rallies this week to decry cap and trade in swing states. A memo was leaked that the oil lobby group, American Petroleum Institute, will be funding the rallies.

Focus on: Council on Foreign Relations’ Crisis Guide
Council on Foreign Relations have published articles on climate change but recently they’ve also posted this interactive video site that has maximized their multi-media platform. They publish “Crisis Guides” on various subjects ranging from the economy to war. In this installment, they breakdown the climate change debate. Watch how they mix in video, slideshow, pop-up links pertaining to the story on their site during the video, and chapter breakdowns so users can pick and choose segments of interest.

I recently hosted an episode of the wonderfully sublime Hearing Voices radio show. (But if you’re going to nitpick, it’s actually the rebroadcast of a special I did for Hearing Voices (pre-weekly show) back in the summer of 2007.)

Besides featuring my own favorite piece that I’ve ever done, there’s some great desert field recordings and what may be my favorite radio piece of all time, by Scott Carrier.

If you got a spare hour, I highly recommend it. You can download it by clicking here.

From the Hearing Voices website:

Hearing Voices from NPR®
066 Desert Air: Audio from the Arid Regions
Host: Ben Adair of American Public Media
Airs week of: 2009-08-05

“Desert Air” (52:00 mp3):

Hot & dry Summer stories and soundscapes (see Dave’s Deserts for photos from the American West):

Coyotes, owls, frogs and songbirds are part of Desert Solitudes, recorded by Bernie Krause and Ruth Happel in the Sonoran and Chihuauan deserts, part of New Mexico’s panhandle.

Host Ben Adair heads down to the ghost towns, Opera Houses, century-old abandoned mines, and billion-year old boulders along Death Valley’s “Mojave Road.”

Kraut-rockers Faust dial in “Long Distance Calls in the Desert,” from their album Rien.

The Quiet American (Aaron Ximm) sound-captures the forbidding warning signs rattling in a harsh wind and “Desert Sun” outside the nuclear Nevada Test Site north of Las Vegas.

Back in the early 1990s, SLC producer Scott Carrier found the Basin & Range, near Nevada”s “Battle Mountain,” beautiful, lonely, dreary, and full of sagebrush, solace and stories. And more Desert Solitudes.

This video from Major Lazer is freakin insane. And I’m not really sure if it’s safe for work or not.

I also highly recommend clicking here to see it in full HD.

This week’s top story: Getting Up to Speed on the Basics

Part of the problem with climate coverage is there isn’t a series of good, introductory resources to the basics of climate change, Copenhagen and Cap and Trade. Instead, the curious must assemble their own information from numerous sources around the internet.

That said, one of the best places for information is NOAA’s new site.

The site is an adaption to the web of the landmark paper published mid-last month, Global Climate Change Impacts in the United States. Called, “a game changer,” by NOAA chef Jane Lubchenko (interview below), the paper summarized what leading government scientists have been trying to say for the last eight years.

Here are two sizable excerpts from the report — the closest thing to a primer you’ll find.

The full report is available here.

Observations show that warming of the climate is unequivocal. The global warming observed over the past 50 years is due primarily to human-induced emissions of heat-trapping gases. These emissions come mainly from the burning of fossil fuels (coal, oil, and gas), with important contributions from the clearing of forests, agricultural practices, and other activities.

Warming over this century is projected to be considerably greater than over the last century. The global average temperature since 1900 has risen by about 1.5ºF. By 2100, it is projected to rise another 2 to 11.5ºF. The U.S. average temperature has risen by a comparable amount and is very likely to rise more than the global average over this century, with some variation from place to place. Several factors will determine future temperature increases. Increases at the lower end of this range are more likely if global heat-trapping gas emissions are cut substantially. If emissions continue to rise at or near current rates, temperature increases are more likely to be near the upper end of the range. Volcanic eruptions or other natural variations could temporarily counteract some of the human-induced warming, slowing the rise in global temperature, but these effects would only last a few years.

Reducing emissions of carbon dioxide would lessen warming over this century and beyond. Sizable early cuts in emissions would significantly reduce the pace and the overall amount of climate change. Earlier cuts in emissions would have a greater effect in reducing climate change than comparable reductions made later. In addition, reducing emissions of some shorter-lived heat-trapping gases, such as methane, and some types of particles, such as soot, would begin to reduce warming within weeks to decades.

Climate-related changes have already been observed globally and in the United States. These include increases in air and water temperatures, reduced frost days, increased frequency and intensity of heavy downpours, a rise in sea level, and reduced snow cover, glaciers, permafrost, and sea  ice. A longer ice-free period on lakes and rivers, lengthening of the growing season, and increased water vapor in the atmosphere have also been observed. Over the past 30 years, temperatures have risen faster in winter than in any other season, with average winter temperatures in the Midwest and northern Great Plains increasing more than 7ºF. Some of the changes have been faster than previous assessments had suggested.

These climate-related changes are expected to continue while new ones develop. Likely future changes for the United States and surrounding coastal waters include more intense hurricanes with related increases in wind, rain, and storm surges (but not necessarily an increase in the number of these storms that make landfall), as well as drier conditions in the Southwest and Caribbean. These changes will affect human health, water supply, agriculture, coastal areas, and many other aspects of society and the natural environment.

[...]

Key Findings:

1. Global warming is unequivocal and primarily human-induced.
Global temperature has increased over the past 50 years. This observed increase is due primarily to human-induced emissions of heat-trapping gases.

2. Climate changes are underway in the United States and are projected to grow.
Climate-related changes are already observed in the United States and its coastal waters. These include increases in heavy downpours, rising temperature and sea level, rapidly retreating glaciers, thawing permafrost, lengthening growing seasons, lengthening ice-free seasons in the ocean and on lakes and rivers, earlier snowmelt, and  alterations in river flows. These changes are projected to grow.

3. Widespread climate-related impacts are occurring now and are expected to increase.
Climate changes are already affecting water, energy, transportation, agriculture, ecosystems, and health. These impacts are different from region to region and will grow under projected climate change.

4. Climate change will stress water resources.
Water is an issue in every region, but the nature of the potential impacts varies. Drought, related to reduced precipitation, increased evaporation, and increased water loss from plants, is an important issue in many regions, especially in the West. Floods and water quality problems are likely to be amplified by climate change in most regions. Declines in mountain snowpack are important in the West and Alaska where snowpack provides vital natural water storage.

5. Crop and livestock production will be increasingly challenged.
Many crops show positive responses to elevated carbon dioxide and low levels of warming, but higher levels of warming often negatively affect growth and yields. Increased pests, water stress, diseases, and weather extremes will pose adaptation challenges for crop and livestock production.

6. Coastal areas are at increasing risk from sea-level rise and storm surge.
Sea-level rise and storm surge place many U.S. coastal areas at increasing risk of erosion and flooding, especially along the Atlantic and Gulf Coasts, Pacific Islands, and parts of Alaska. Energy and transportation infrastructure and other property in coastal areas are very likely to be adversely affected.

7. Risks to human health will increase.
Harmful health impacts of climate change are related to increasing heat stress, waterborne diseases, poor air quality, extreme weather events, and diseases transmitted by insects and rodents. Reduced cold stress provides some benefits. Robust public health infrastructure can reduce the potential for negative impacts.

8. Climate change will interact with many social and environmental stresses.
Climate change will combine with pollution, population growth, overuse of resources, urbanization, and other social, economic, and environmental stresses to create larger impacts than from any of these factors alone.

9. Thresholds will be crossed, leading to large changes in climate and ecosystems.
There are a variety of thresholds in the climate system and ecosystems. These thresholds determine, for example, the presence of sea ice and permafrost, and the survival of species, from fish to insect pests, with implications for society. With further climate change, the crossing of additional thresholds is expected.

10. Future climate change and its impacts depend on choices made today.
The amount and rate of future climate change depend primarily on current and future human-caused emissions of heat-trapping gases and airborne particles. Responses involve reducing emissions to limit future warming, and adapting to the changes that are unavoidable.

On a side note: Stewart Brand at TED@State
TED today posted a lecture that Stewart Brand gave at the State Department last month where he lays out his idea on the future of cities. The last eight minutes of the 16-minute talk focus on climate pressures. Brand gives a big push for more nuclear — including micro-nuclear — and makes this statement: “Mitigation is not going to work.” According to Brand, State needs now to start a diplomatic process for geo-engineering, planning for a time when anyone with US$1 billion can radically alter the climate.

Other stories of note (a little long because I missed last week, sorry!):

NYTimes: Krugman: Boiling the Frog
“At this point, the central forecast of leading climate models — not the worst-case scenario but the most likely outcome — is utter catastrophe, a rise in temperatures that will totally disrupt life as we know it, if we continue along our present path. How to head off that catastrophe should be the dominant policy issue of our time.”

Foreign Policy: The Last Straw
“Water is already undermining Pakistan’s stability. In recent years, recurring shortages have led to grain shortfalls. In 2008, flour became so scarce it turned into an election issue. As the glaciers melt and the rivers dry, Pakistan—unstable, facing dramatic drops in water supplies, caged in by India’s vastly superior conventional forces—will be forced to make one of three choices. It can let its people starve. It can cooperate with India in building dams and reservoirs, handing over control of its waters to the country it regards as the enemy. Or it can ramp up support for the insurgency, gambling that violence can bleed India’s resolve without degenerating into full-fledged war.”

Fort Worth Star-Telegram: ‘Once-in-a-century’ drought sending campers indoors and stunting crops
“North Texas has had average rainfall this year, and three “cool” days this week felt like Christmas in July. But don’t tell your friends in Central and South Texas, because they are feeling hot, parched and bothered. A “once-in-a-century” drought is baking a big swath of Texas …The drought is “zeroing out” crops and forcing ranchers to liquidate their herds. It’s also crimping summer recreation.”

The Age: Rudd gives Copenhagen talks little hope
“Right now I don’t think we are on track to get an agreement at Copenhagen,” Mr Rudd told Mr Rasmussen. “There are too many problems.” In an embarrassing gaffe, Mr Rudd’s comments were picked up by Australian TV microphones that had been allowed in briefly to film bilateral talks with Danish Prime Minister Lars Lokke Rasmussen, who is to host the Copenhagen summit in December. “

BBC: Mumbai faces acute water shortage
“Officials say that there are two ways to impose a water cut – one by reducing the number of hours of water supply and, second, to cut the supply at source. India’s capital, Delhi, is also reeling from depleted water supplies, while many towns and villages across the country still have woefully inadequate safe drinking water facilities. “

Providence Journal: Climate change may be benefiting poison ivy, studies suggest
“In two laboratory studies he conducted in 2007, poison ivy plants virtually doubled in size and their itchy oil became more potent when the test plants were grown in atmospheres of increased carbon dioxide.”

WSJ: Wind Power: China’s Massive–and Cheap–Bet on Wind Farms
“China will break ground this month on a gigantic, $17 billion wind power farm in the northwestern part of the country that will produce 5 gigawatts of power by next year and 20 gigawatts by 2020, according to the official Xinhua news service.”

Reuters: Arctic ice thinned dramatically since 2004: NASA
“In 2003, 62 percent of the Arctic’s total ice volume was stored in multi-year ice and 38 percent in first-year seasonal ice. By last year, 68 percent was first-year ice and 32 percent the tougher multi-year ice.”

NYTimes: By Degrees: Buses May Aid Climate Battle in Poor Cities
“The long, segmented, low-emission buses are part of a novel public transportation system called bus rapid transit, or B.R.T. It is more like an above-ground subway than a collection of bus routes. Versions of these systems are being planned or built in dozens of developing cities around the world — Mexico City, Cape Town, Jakarta, Indonesia, and Ahmedabad, India, to name a few — providing public transportation that improves traffic flow and reduces smog at a fraction of the cost of building a subway.”

NYTimes: Green Power Takes Root in the Chinese Desert
“While the House of Representatives approved a requirement last week that American utilities generate more of their power from renewable sources of energy, and the Senate will consider similar proposals over the summer, China imposed such a requirement almost two years ago. Although coal remains the biggest source of energy and is almost certain to stay that way, the rise of renewable energy, especially wind power, is helping to slow China’s steep growth in emissions of global warming gases.”

Reuters: Los Angeles will end use of coal-fired power
“Los Angeles will eliminate the use of electricity made from coal by 2020, replacing it with power from cleaner renewable energy sources, Mayor Antonio Villaraigosa said. Consumers of the Los Angeles Department of Water and Power, the largest city-owned utility in the United States, will see higher power bills in the fight against climate change.”

Guardian: ExxonMobil continuing to fund climate sceptic groups, records show
“The world’s largest oil company is continuing to fund lobby groups that question the reality of global warming, despite a public pledge to cut support for such climate change denial, a new analysis shows.”

NYTimes: Friedman: Just Do It
“More important, my gut tells me that if the U.S. government puts a price on carbon, even a weak one, it will usher in a new mind-set among consumers, investors, farmers, innovators and entrepreneurs that in time will make a big difference — much like the first warnings that cigarettes could cause cancer. The morning after that warning no one ever looked at smoking the same again.”

NYTimes: Editorial: Climate in the Senate
“The House’s approval last week of a bill capping greenhouse gases was a remarkable achievement, almost unthinkable six months ago. Yet all of the hard work — the hearings, the negotiating, the arm-twisting — will add up to zero if the Senate cannot be persuaded to do the same, and preferably better. The country would be left with an outdated energy policy and the planet would be stuck with steadily rising emissions.”

Guardian: Lovelock: Climate war could kill nearly all of us, leaving survivors in the Stone Age
“The followers of the peace lobbies of the 1930s resembled the environmentalist movements now; their intentions were more than good but wholly inappropriate for the war that was about to start. It is time to wake up and realize that Gaia, the Earth system, is no cozy mother that nurtures humans and can be propitiated by gestures such as carbon trading or sustainable development.”