More depressing news from the Arctic. The Independent newspaper leads on the story that parts of the Arctic have recorded temperatures above 20C, about 15C higher than the long-term average. Scientists from Queen’s University in Ontario watched with amazement as their thermometers touched 22C during their July field expedition at the High Arctic camp on … Read More
melting Arctic
Arctic Ice Island Breaks in Half
The giant Ayles Ice Island drifting off Canada’s northern shores has broken in two, much earlier than expected. In a season of record summer melting in the region, the two chunks have moved rapidly through the water – one of them covering 98km (61 miles) in a week. The original Manhattan-sized berg (16km by five … Read More
Clinton: Huge Economic Effort Needed on Climate
Former US President, Bill Clinton, has told the Financial Times the US needs to unleash “the greatest concentration of economic activity since we mobilised for World War II” by embracing new energy technology and regulatory incentives to tackle climate change. His comments come as leaders of 80 countries are expected to attend a special UN … Read More
Arctic Ice-Free by 2030
The Arctic ice cap has collapsed at an unprecedented rate this summer and levels of sea ice in the region now stand at a record low, scientists have warned. Experts said they were “stunned” by the loss of ice, with an area almost twice as big as Britain disappearing in the last week alone. So … Read More
Getting Close to the Climate Tipping Point
More bad news on the climate. Yesterday we blogged on how Arctic ice may be melting faster than previously thought. Now other scientists are warning that the tipping point for climate change could be closer than previously thought. They are predicting that the loss of the massive Greenland ice sheet may now be unstoppable and … Read More
Arctic Sea Ice Melting at Fastest Rate
The sea ice of the Arctic will melt further and faster than at any time since records began nearly 30 years ago, according to the latest data collected by a satellite survey of the polar region. Scientists warned yesterday that the sea ice is already approaching the record minimum set in September 2005, even with … Read More
Canada Joins Arctic Rush
Days after Russia planted a flag on the sea-bed at the North Pole, Canada responded by sending Stephen Harper, the prime minister, on a three-day trek to the region. “Our government has an aggressive Arctic agenda,” Dimitri Soudas, Mr Harper’s spokesman, said. “The Russians sent a submarine to drop a small flag at the bottom … Read More
Russia “Claims” Oil-Rich North Pole
Russia has sparked an Arctic oil-rush by planting its flag on the ocean floor under the North Pole in a politically charged symbolic gesture to claim the rights to the sea bed which could be rich in oil and gas. In a dramatic technical feat testing international law, the Russians dispatched two mini-submarines 2.5 miles … Read More
Climate Change “Three Times Faster Than Worst Predictions”
As you might expect this week’s blog is going to focus heavily on the G8. We will have reports from Graham at the G8, (see his first one here) as well as all the main news stories relating to climate change – one of the main areas for discussion. Having blogged for Oil Change for … Read More
Inuit: Stop Expansion of London’s 3rd Airport
One of the most prominent members of the Inuit community is pleading for an end to the expansion of London’s third airport at Stansted. Aqqaluk Lynge will present evidence of the increasing loss of Inuit villages and hunting grounds across the Arctic and link it to Britain’s cheap flight culture. His testimony will be given … Read More