ABC News Watch: Missing News: Nothing ‘unprecedented’ in melting ice

ABC are fond of using photos of melting ice packs to accompany reports of alarming man made global warming, perhaps to emphasise how ‘unprecedented’ this appears to be. However a recent article titled ‘Reduced ice extent on the western Antarctic Peninsula at 700-970 cal. yr B.P.’ published in the prestigious journal ‘Geology’ reports that melting ice in the Antarctic, particularly in the West Antarctica peninsula, is not unprecedented at all, but is quite a common natural occurrence happening regardless of human influence.

The abstract reads: ‘Rapid warming and consequent ice-shelf collapse have focused attention on the glacial record of the Antarctic Peninsula. …the data indicate that present reduced ice extent on the western Antarctic Peninsula is not unprecedented and is similar to that experienced during at least three periods in the last 5600 yr.

Perhaps the ABC will firstly report on this important new study, and secondly, perhaps it will now find more appropriate imagery to accompany articles on ‘Dangerous Man Made Global Warming’

We’re not scared anymore Mr Gore: Special edition – another victim of Totschweigtaktik

Source: ABC News Watch

Read more about Totschweigtaktik by Shelley Gare

Climate change is forcing Australia’s struggling winemakers to adapt

Out at Keith Tulloch Wine, in the NSW Hunter Valley, the soil is bone dry. The ongoing drought has grape growers in one of Australia’s major wine regions bracing for yet another challenging harvest season. ‘The extreme drought has affected the yields on some our vineyards – some dropping beneath 25 per cent of what they had previously yielded’, Mr Tulloch said. ‘The heatwaves are my primary concern, leading into it from a very dry winter, into what is forecasted to be a very dry spring’.

Source: SBS

“Going carbon neutral is another strategy helping mitigate the threats. Mr Bruer has made the switch, and so too has the Tulloch business.
An important step, Alisdair Tulloch says, given that the agricultural sector is a significant contributor to Australia’s emissions”.

Someone has been drinking bad plonk. Agriculture ‘contributes’ 13% of emissions globally, with half of that from methane produced by livestock. The contribution of viticulture would a share of less than 50% of Australia’s Agriculture (13%) of Australia’s share of the global economy (1.3%) of the contribution of human activities (3%), which is 0.0025% of global emissions. The effect on temperature is a big fat round zero.

What is El Niño and what might it mean for Australia?

June 2014: Australia’s weather is influenced by many climate drivers. El Niño and La Niña have perhaps the strongest influence on year-to-year climate variability in Australia. They are a part of a natural cycle known as the El Niño–Southern Oscillation (ENSO) and are associated with a sustained period (many months) of warming (El Niño) or cooling (La Niña) in the central and eastern tropical Pacific. The ENSO cycle loosely operates over timescales from one to eight years. Potential effects of El Niño on Australia include:

• Reduced rainfall
• Warmer temperatures
• Shift in temperature extremes
• Increased frost risk
• Reduced tropical cyclone numbers
• Later monsoon onset
• Increased fire danger in southeast Australia
• Decreased alpine snow depths

Source: Bureau of Meterology

Australian winter–spring mean maximum temperature deciles averaged for twelve strong El Niño events.

Is the Netherlands below sea level?

“Well, yes. About one third of the Netherlands lies below sea level, with the lowest point being 22 feet (6.7 meters) below sea level. The landscape of is almost completely flat!

How to keep the water out

So why isn’t the country underwater right now? Well, there is an extensive system in place that keeps the country safe. Through a complex system of dikes, pumps and sand dunes along the coast, the Netherlands stays above water. In fact, it has one of the most sophisticated anti-flood systems in place anywhere in the world. Therefore, go ahead and enjoy your visit without fear of floods. Some of the dikes and deltas are open to the public, which would make a fun afternoon out.

Source: Netherlands Tourism

Pacific Catholic leader to speak on the poor, climate change and the threat of rising tides

Suva Archbishop Peter Loy Chong has ‘witnessed Pacific villagers forced from their coastal homes because of rising sea levels’ is to celebrate Mass in Brisbane next month, and will speak about the poor, the vulnerable and the challenges of climate change. Archbishop Chong is president of the Oceania Federation of Catholic Bishops Conferences and he will ‘concelebrate’ the World Day of Prayer for the Care of Creation at St Stephen’s Cathedral on September 1, marking the start of the Season of Creation. Archbishop Chong is calling for ecological action and wants Catholics to get involved.

Source: The Catholic Leader

“ASIC highlights financial risk of climate change”

ASIC commissioner John Price said climate change was an area which the commission continued to focus on and its updates would help stakeholders to comply with their obligations. ‘ASIC welcomes the continuing emergence of the TCFD framework as the preferred market standard for voluntary climate change-related disclosures’, he said.  ‘ASIC considers this to be a positive development and we again strongly encourage listed companies with material exposure to climate change to consider reporting voluntarily under the TCFD framework’.

Got it. Reporting under the voluntary TCFD framework is voluntary.

But here comes the big stick, or implied big stick, or something…

ASIC will be conducting surveillances of climate change-related disclosure practices by listed companies during the coming year.

‘Directors should be able to demonstrate that they have met their legal obligations in considering, managing and disclosing all material risks that may affect their companies. This includes any risks arising from climate change, be they physical or transitional risks’, said Mr Price.

Get that? If your business incurs some financial risk due to a 3.2mm sea level rise or a 0.008 deg C temperature rise you must disclose these risks!

Source: InvestorDaily

One CEO isn’t in any doubt about the risk of ‘Climate Change’… and there is absolutely NO DOUBT that the Financial Risk is Anthropogenic!

Qantas CEO Alan Joyce warns against climate change panic

Qantas chief executive Alan Joyce has said climate change panic could threaten the future of air travel.

Source: SBS.com.au