There’s plenty of good news for green energy and climate change buzzing around the web this week. Lets take a look at this before getting onto, you guessed it, the bad news…

Hywind floating wind turbine - On Monday the world’s first floating wind turbine is being towed into place for testing. This incredible technology will greatly increase the range of potential offshore wind farm locations and should reduce costs as it won’t require seabed foundations. With floating turbines, wind farms can be located further offshore where winds are stronger and more constant, not to mention out of the NIMBYs sight! There are some nice videos and more info about it here: http://www.statoilhydro.com/en/TechnologyInnovation/NewEnergy/RenewablePowerProduction/Onshore/Pages/Karmoy.aspx

Eden project to build UK’s first Geo-Thermal power station – The folks at the Eden project are digging 3 miles beneath their Cornish granite to tap into the abundant heat below.  The resulting hot water will be used to drive a turbine that produces energy. The experimental plant will have 3MW capacity of constant clean electricity. If successful the Eden Project hopes to expand the plant and predicts that Cornwall’s geothermal potential alone could power 10% of the UK’s energy demand.
http://www.edenproject.com/media/geothermal-announcement-pr.php  

UNEP reports global investments into renewables higher than into fossil fuels last year - $155 billion was invested into green energy last year, the record spend and the first time funding for renewables has overtaken fossil fuels.
http://en.cop15.dk/news/view+news?newsid=1424

UK public wants political action on climate change – Research published by Christian Aid has revealed some encouraging numbers about the public’s attitude towards climate issues. According to them 77% of us want the government  to do more to reduce carbon emissions, 70% want our government to take a leading role in the December climate talks, and 57% of us declared that a party’s environmental policies would affect the way we vote.  It also says that 90% of the people asked have taken steps to reduce their own emissions!
http://www.christianaid.org.uk/pressoffice/pressreleases/June2009/climate-change-you-gov-survey.aspx

The in between…

UK emission targets – The Department of Energy and Climate Change (DECC) has sent a report to the UN claiming that the UK is set to reduce our carbon emissions by 23% of 1990 levels, nearly doubling its Kyoto target of 12%. The info is going to be made available soon apparently so it’ll be an interesting read. http://www.decc.gov.uk/en/content/cms/news/pn058/pn058.aspx

Fairly good news, but there is still plenty to do. China have just announced that they have set a voluntary target to source 1/5th of their energy needs from renewables by 2020. Now this is good news! If China can deliver, we’ve got a big leap forward in terms of emissions reduction on our hands, China being one of the most energy intensive countries in the world. It also represents a positive shift in attitude with the Chinese government seemingly talking a much greater interest in climate issues, and may even lift the stale mate in negotiations between themselves and the US.

If China can set such ambitious targets what is holding the UK back? We reported last week that we are not in line for making our much more modest percentage of renewables by the same time.

The bad

First study of existing climate impact reveals some shocking observations – Kofi Annan’s think tank the Global Humanitarian Forum has taken up the task of measuring the current impact of global warming, with disturbing results. The report declares that 300,000 people a year are dying as a result of manmade climate change, and that adaptation to changes is costing the global economy $125 billion. Unsurprisingly, they don’t see the situation improving, with predictions that the numbers will rise to 500,000 and $600 billion by 2030.
http://www.ghf-geneva.org/index.cfm?uNewsID=157

Water shortage is likely to be the most immediate problem as glaciers are retreating so quickly, and glaciers provide such a huge volume of the world’s fresh water supplies. To learn more about this visit the Glacier Trust.

It’s an important reminder that climate change has been driven by the developed world and yet will have the greatest impact on the developing world. As a developed country we have to lead the way in rectifying this, the damage we have done, and are continuing to do. On a national level, we cannot point the finger at the industries of China and India without shouldering any responsibility our selves.

On a personal level, we must cut our carbon footprints to the absolute minimum. If this report isn’t enough to make people re-consider their high carbon lifestyles then we are in more trouble than imaginable.

And the forecast for… 2080 – The Met Office is planning ahead. It’s been making future weather predictions in line with climate change simulation models and the results are in. Now before you say “oh it sounds lovely in Somerset” remember the wetter winters, sweltering heat waves, flooding and wild storms that come with the extra few degrees! http://www.timesonline.co.uk/tol/news/environment/article6446236.ece

And that’s the round up for this week. Don’t forget it’s wind week next week – more on this later.

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