Friday, June 07, 2013

Cheay Areng Dam Would Flood Cardamom Forest and Displace Indigenous Peoples For No Other Reason But Greed



Cambodia: Stop The Flooding Of The Cardamom Forest!

This is what’s at stake: rainforest as far as the eye can see (Photo: Luke Duggleby)

China Guodian Corporation, a state-owned power company, plans to build a hydroelectric dam on the Areng’s upper reaches in Cambodia.

The Cheăy Areng dam would spell catastrophe for the rainforest dwellers by inundating their habitat. Just a few hundred of the highly-endangered Siamese crocodiles remain worldwide – and most of them live in the Areng Valley.

The indigenous peoples would lose their homes and have to be relocated.

From an economic point of view, the project makes little sense, as its costs would exceed its benefits for the country:

20,000 hectares of rainforest are to be flooded; half of them in the Central Cardamoms Protected Forest.

The lost habitat is one of the most important biologically diverse areas in Cambodia, with more than 277 animal species recorded in the valley, of which 31 are globally threatened. Among these are the Asian elephant, the clouded leopard, the Siamese crocodile, the dragon fish and the white-winged duck.

Development of the densely wooded river valley would pave the way for illegal logging and poaching.

Nearly 1,000 indigenous Khmer Daeum people face forced relocation from their ancestral homelands that they have sustainably managed to date.

Other energy companies have studied the project but turned it down – in addition to the environmental damage, the costs for the dam would be very high in view of the plant’s low capacity. Its projected output of only 108 MW would not meet Cambodia’s rising energy needs.

China Guodian Corporation, however, now wants to sign an agreement on the construction and operation of the dam with the Cambodian government.

Please sign the petition which the Cambodian environmentalists will be submitting to China Guodian Corporation. It will also be addressed to the Cambodian government at a later date.

Start of campaign: Jun 7, 2013

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Also See:

Fight On To Keep Pristine Paradise From Being Turned Into Death Valley

An unlikely alliance has been formed to block efforts to flood the Central Cardamon Protected Forest to make way for a dubious hydroelectric project that puts the future of the indigenous people and the...

See rest of article at the link.

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Unconscionable. I can't even begin to describe the outrage I feel about this. This has happened so many times wherein these hydroelectric dams are built displacing indigenous people and destroying forests, agricultural land and displacing species all for greed. And reportedly this company is doing it in order to get oil and gas concessions. Yet those who do this claim hydroelectric dams are "green." Please pass this on and sign the petition to protect this pristine and diverse paradise and the culture and spirit of the trees here as well as the river.

Also see:

Hydroelectric Dams Pose Threat To Tribal Peoples

Wednesday, June 05, 2013

Bill Nye: "Heat Energy" Caused 2.6 Mile Wide Tornado In Oklahoma



Bill Nye: "Heat Energy" Caused 2.6 Mile Wide Tornado In Oklahoma

By Stephen C. Webster

Excess “heat energy in the atmosphere” contributed significantly to making last week’s EF5 tornado in El Reno, Oklahoma grow to an astonishing 2.6 miles-wide, science educator Bill Nye told CNN on Tuesday.

The El Reno tornado was the widest-ever on record, and the National Weather Service said its winds nearly topped 300 miles per hour. A total of 19 people died in the event, including two experienced storm chasers, less than two weeks after another EF5 tornado killed 25 in neighboring Moore, Oklahoma.

“What would make it so wide is more heat energy in the atmosphere,” Nye said. “But just fundamentally, if you think of a tornado as being a half mile or three quarters of a mile wide, this thing’s about four times that… So, the first approximation is, if it’s four times as wide and you’re looking at the same area, it would be 16 times as much energy [as an average tornado].”

“Now, the problem is probably more complicated than that,” he went on. “But it’s on the order of two times 10: so 20 times as much energy in a tornado. And you guys, I appreciate everybody saying ‘this is a very rare event, you may never see this again in your lifetime,’ but if this is the third tornado to go through, very narrowly, this track in the last, say, since 1999… Maybe it’s the beginning of something that’s troublesome. So, this is really something for everybody to consider.”

While the science is out on how climate change interacts with tornadoes, scientists have long predicted that extreme weather patterns would worsen as more heat energy and moisture is trapped in the atmosphere due to human activity and industrial carbon emissions.

In his 2009 book “Storms of My Grandchildren,” former top NASA climatologist James Hansen writes that as the polar ice caps melt, more water vapor occupies the air. With more water vapor and more heat trapped in the atmosphere, extreme weather systems like tornadoes and hurricanes have more moisture to power their fury, leading to storms of gradually increasing destructiveness.

“Global warming does increase the intensity of droughts and heat waves, and thus the area of forest fires,” Hansen wrote. “However, because the warmer atmosphere holds more water vapor, global warming must also increase the intensity of the other extreme of the hydrologic cycle — meaning heavier rains, more extreme floods, and more intense storms driven by latent heat, including thunderstorms, tornadoes, and tropical storms.”

Climate-related extreme weather events cost the U.S. in excess of $170 billion in 2012, a total which amounts to more than two-thirds of the natural disaster costs felt around the world, according to the environmental group World Watch Institute.

end of excerpt.

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No apology for some of the language in my response here. It is warranted at this point. I truly wonder when fossil fuel companies will be held responsible for all of the people they have killed and how long it really will take for people to demand it and the changes we now must see to save ourselves!

Thank you Bill Nye. Also take into account that the Moore tornado was moving 20-25 MPH when it is usual for such violent tornadoes to move much faster. This facilitated much more devastation. Arctic amplification also enters into these events in regards to jet stream changes holding fronts in place providing the conditions for these events to be more destructive. Hurricane Sandy was also only moving at about 10 MPH which facilitated much more damage. It is time for deniers in league with oil goons for $$$$, ideologues with a partisan stick stuck up their butts and those scientists as well who continue to be fearful of TRUTH to tell us what is really going on. By rights this tornado should have been categorized as an EF-6. We are crossing into new territory here and the continued BS being spewed by those who refuse to see it for their own selfish reasons is KILLING PEOPLE. This is not some partisan game being played. THIS IS ABOUT OUR LIVES. In decades to come when the coasts are under water and people will have no choice but to move inland, where will they go? What will we do when the Ogalalla Aquifer runs dry and that combined with more frequent and severe drought cuts food production while raising prices leading us to potential famine? But hey, let's keep burning that TAR SAND Sludge and using the sand it is sucked from to bury our heads... Absolutely insane.

Monday, June 03, 2013

Nestle' Strikes Deal To Pump Unrestricted Amounts Of Water From Ontario Aquifer During Drought Conditions



"Nestlé's Chairman and former CEO once infamously declared that, "access to water should not be a public right." Nestlé has won a permit to drain an Ontario aquifer whenever it likes. Meanwhile, the surrounding communities which rely on the aquifer have by-laws to restrict their access to their own water during dry conditions in the summer. This just isn’t right, and groups are fighting back against Nestlé and the Ontario government office that handed out its permit in an environmental tribunal. It shouldn’t take a legal proceeding to force Nestlé to do the right thing. Let’s tell Nestlé that a community’s access to its own water supply is more important than any company's profits.

Tell Nestlé: Stop bottling Ontario’s water source during drought conditions.

Currently, Nestlé has a permit through 2017 to take about 1.1 million litres of water per day from Hillsburgh, Ontario for its bottling operations in nearby Aberfoyle -- even during drought conditions while there are by-laws on water use for households. SumOfUs.org is joining a number of groups that are fighting back against Nestlé.

Nestlé has been in the news a lot lately for attempting to profit from our natural resources. Last month, over 220,000 SumOfUs.org supporters signed our petition against Nestlé's greedy effort to patent the fennel flower, a cure-all medicinal remedy for millions of people in impoverished communities across the Middle East and Asia. Several days after we sent out our petition, a video emerged showing Nestlé’s Chairman claiming that the idea that water is a human right comes from “extremist” NGOs and that water should have a market value. Nestlé has dealt with NGOs and lost before -- the years-long boycott over Nestlé's dirty tactics to get mothers to stop breastfeeding and use baby formula -- which resulted in thousands of infant deaths from water-born illnesses -- was a historic success in corporate campaigning.

Nestlé’s appetite to commodify water and natural remedies is a recurring strategy by a corporation with a pattern of seeking to privatize and profit from traditional knowledge and our natural resources. By speaking out against the draining of our watersheds, you will be taking a stand against Nestlé’s strategy to profit off everything in nature.

Demand that Nestlé stop commodifying everything in nature. Stop draining Ontario's watershed to bottle water.

Thanks for all you do"

Also see:

Groups To Participate In Hearings On Nestle's Water Taking In Ontario

Please sign the petition to stop Nestle'from violating our human right to water.

UPDATE 6-6-13:Czech Floods...Floods in Central Europe... Floods in the Midwest... Monster Tornadoes...Heatwaves...Glacier Melting...Excessive Drought... Now, What Could Be The Reason? Really? People Are Still Asking That Question?



UPDATE: 6-6-13: Copters Pluck Families From Raging European Floods

The death toll so far has included eight people in the Czech Republic, five in Germany, two in Austria and one in Slovakia.

USTI NAD LABEM, Czech Republic — Families in southern Germany scrambled to their rooftops and were airlifted to safety by helicopter Wednesday after two levees broke and raging floodwaters swept through their village.

The drama in the southern German town of Deggendorf was being echoed in various degrees across vast tracts of central Europe. Authorities said at least 16 people have died and at least four others were missing in the surge of water overflowing river banks.

Thousands of people have had to be evacuated, chemical plants along the swollen rivers have been closing down hastily and emergency workers were bracing for new flood crests at cities along the mighty Danube and Elbe rivers.

The dpa news agency said helicopters started evacuating residents Wednesday after two levees along the Danube and Isar rivers broke and huge masses of water poured into the Bavarian village of Deggendorf.

Four farmers were rescued at the very last minute by helicopter as floods submerged their tractor, firefighter Alois Schraufstetter said, adding that water was nearly 10 feet high in the village.

"This is a life-threatening situation," he told dpa.

Photos: Historic floods submerge Europe

Related: German city submerged by 'dramatic' 500-year flood

Overall, the death toll included eight people in the Czech Republic, five in Germany, two in Austria and one in Slovakia. At least four other people were missing in the Czech Republic.

Related: Death toll climbs in European flooding

An emergency committee in the Czech capital of Prague said the water in the Elbe was expected to reach 36 feet early Thursday morning in the northern Czech Republic, almost four times its usual height.

Firefighters said more than 19,000 people were evacuated from the flooding in the Czech Republic. Floodwaters in the Elbe, after inundating parts of Prague, were now roaring north toward Germany, particularly the eastern city of Dresden.

In villages around Usti nad Labem, a northern Czech city of 100,000 people, police in boats were handing out drinking water and medicine to those who had not evacuated.

Alena Lacinova despaired at how much she would have to rebuild after watching the water wash into her home. In many places, even protective barriers were unable to stop the surge.

"At the moment, we have about 2.5 meters (8 feet) of water inside. The cellar and the house are flooded," she said, adding that she was expecting 3 more feet of water soon. "It's a pity for all those who have the same problem and have not enough money to fix it any time soon."



Surely the austerity measures forced upon people living in the EU will more than enough satisfy the funding needed to now HELP THEM.::::sarcasm:::: At least the government of Germany has made strides in renewable/solar energy much more so than the government here in the US that thinks these events are just "normal" because we are addicted to oil. However, the rate of transition to the rate of effect is quickly becoming unattainable... Question now is, will the EU now drown in its own austerity proving that these measures in the face of climate change are ill considered? Do you think there might be more important crises we need to be concerned with globally? How many more lives will have to be lost before the world comes together to truly face this crisis?



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Thousands Evacuated As Deadly Floods Swamp Europe



By Andy Eckardt and John Newland, NBC News

Floodwaters from heavy rains swamped five countries in Europe and threatened others, leaving at least six people dead and eight missing. Germany, Austria, Poland, Switzerland and the Czech Republic have been affected, with officials in the Czech capital, Prague, closing the subway system, evacuating thousands of homes and warning other people not to come into the city. Slovakia and Hungary were preparing flood defenses on the Danube River. In Germany, rain levels that reached record highs in May contributed to widespread flooding across southern and eastern parts of the country.

In the southern state of Bavaria, more than 20,000 firefighters and other rescue workers were battling rising water levels, especially in the southeast. The historic cities of Passau and Rosenheim declared states of emergency.

Water in Passau, which is surrounded by three rivers, was at record levels, Bavarian Interior Minister Joachim Herrmann said. "The situation is ... dramatic."

Snip

"This weekend saw many southern German towns struck particularly hard. "In the past three days, more than 400 liters of rain per square meter [about 10 gallons per square foot] were measured in many regions that border the Alps," meteorologist Klaus Lessmann from German public broadcaster ZDF said. The German Weather Service, DWD, reported Monday that Germany had not seen such extreme soil moisture in the past 50 years."

Also see:

Oklahoma A "War Zone" After Twisters And Floods/Floods In Central Europe/U.S. Midwest

India Heatwave Bringing Violence And Protest

San Antonio Floods

Torrential Rains Flood Athens

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I have been covering this here and elsewhere for more than seven plus years. See current posts on Arctic melting as well. Much time and work goes into this effort because I care about this world and the present and future and care that people have this information to be aware and empowered. Would really appreciate knowing I am not alone here.







Major Loss In Sea Ice Volume: It Does Effect You

Huge Hurricane Bears Down On U.S. East Coast: Will This Be Our Wake Up Call?

Satellite Data Shows Sea Level Rise

India: Poorest Monsoon Rains In Four Decades

Drought Leads to Natural Disaster In 26 States

Drought Hits Spain's Wheat Crop

Anthropogenic Climate Change Has Intensified The Global Water Cycle

Dry Weather/Overconsumption Drawing Down Lake Mead

Our Oceans Have Acidified More In The Last 200 Years Than The Previous 21,000 Years

Human Forcings On Climate Already A Factor In Mediterranean Droughts

Lake Erie's Toxic Algae Bloom Seen From Space

The Colorado River: Running Near Empty

Extreme Snowfall Blankets South Africa

Climate Change/Biodistress The Test Of Humanity

Severe Rains Pounds North Nigeria City

East Africa: Severe Drought Due To Climate Change

Island Nations Looking To Maintain Sovereignty If Lands Become Uninhabitable Due To Sea Level Rise

China Facing Worst Drought In Half A Century

When The Water Ends: Africa's Climate Conflict

Droughts, Floods And Food

Where Will The Climate Refugees Go?

Glacier Melt Across The World

Water Shortage In Southern Iraq Effects Two Million People

Drought And Desertification Worsening In Tibet

160 Syrian Villages Deserted Due To Climate Change

Brazil Drought Staunches Famed Iguazu Falls

Drought To Make Land Worldwide Uninhabitable

Species To Be Relocated As Rivers Dry Up In The UK

Australian Prime Minister Warned Over "Hell To Highwater" State

Devastating Drought Settles On The High Plains

World's Glaciers Shrink In Alps, Andes For 18th Year

Water Scarcity In The Sahel

2nd Largest Lake In Turkey No More Due To Climate Change/Waste

Spain Sweats Amid "Water Wars"

Cyprus Is Running Out Of Water

Ceremony Marks "Death" Of Australia's Greatest River

Central Africa's Lake Chad Is Disappearing

Floodwaters Ravage Illinois And Iowa As Drought Declared In California

African Glaciers Disappearing

Global Warming Is Shrinking The Great Lakes

Australia's Farms Thirst

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This is just a small sampling of news related to climate change events from this blog over the last seven years. It doesn't even make a dent in all of the global extreme events that have taken place beyond the norm that include record breaking wildfires in the Northwest US in 2011-2012 as well as Australia (the 2010 Russia wildfires have already been connected to climate change as have the floods in Pakistan and heat wave in Australia) floods, heat waves (2000-2010 was the hottest decade ever recorded with 2012 the hottest year ever recorded in the US) record breaking storms including hurricanes and cyclones, mega drought in the Amazon that has also been linked to human induced climate change due to their 1-100 year occurrence now being shortened to 1-5 years...

And yet, with all of this reality, with all of this evidence, with all of this damage to our environment, economy and loss of life and biodiversity, with 97% of scientists in agreement as to the cause... with it staring us down in our faces people still ask-gee, what could be doing this? Well, the answer is us regardless of what paid shills and oil executives tell you and the sooner we fess up to it the sooner we can get down to doing the moral thing to make sure our children and grandchildren have a world that isn't totally destroyed. The emissions poured into our atmosphere over the last century are now being seen. The more we continue to pour into the atmosphere now only amplifies those effects in the future.

So many voices crying in the wilderness as it is being deforested around us and yet so much silence. So much fear in admitting we screwed up. Is PRIDE truly to be our downfall? Is our world and our water not worth more than pride?

Another World Water Day Gone

We see another World Water Day pass us by. The theme, Water For All, signifies that though some progress has been made we are woefully behin...