Posted on July 29th, 2010 by Rónán Kennedy
For those seeking to take a comparative approach to teaching climate law, there are reports from countries around the globe (along with a wealth of similar material) available as part of the Web site for the XVIIIth International Congress of Comparative Law . This could serve as a starting point for a series of presentations, a discussion of different national approaches, or a critical perspective on domestic initiatives.
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Posted on July 28th, 2010 by Dr. Wil Burns
One of the more exotic potential solar radiation management geoengineering technologies is the placement of sunshades in space to reflect or deflect solar radiation, either by lifting these reflectors into orbit around Earth or at the Lagrangian L1 point between the sun and Earth. A new article by Takanobu Kosugi is a very thorough assessment of the potential effectiveness of this scheme, as well as potential perils that the technology… Continue reading
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Posted on July 26th, 2010 by Dr. Wil Burns
From Donald Brown’s excellent blog on climate ethics:
A new article has been posted on ClimateEthics that argues that we have been tricked into asking the wrong questions of climate change science compared to the questions that ethics would ask climate change science. It is titled:
Have We Been Asking the Wrong Questions About Climate Change Science? Why Strong Climate Change Ethical Duties Exist Before Scientific Uncertainties are… Continue reading
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Posted on July 25th, 2010 by Andrew Long
The New York Times recently included two notable commentaries on the abandonment of efforts toward climate change legislation. Andrew Revkin takes President Obama to task for abdicating leadership on the issue. Tom Friedman takes a broader view, highlighting the public’s failure to demand action and the the role of climate change deniers.
Both of these commentaries, especially Friedman’s, could be useful to include in readings for a… Continue reading
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Posted on July 23rd, 2010 by Andrew Long
The Nature Conservancy, Conservation International and WWF have recently released Reducing Emissions from Deforestation and Degradation (REDD): A Casebook of On-the-Ground Experience, which offers analysis of key REDD issues through investigation of specific cases. The report endorses REDD, frequently using the cases to demonstrate how potential probelems with REDD can be overcome. It thus comes across as a constructive assessment of REDD’s possiblities. The examination of specific cases is particularly helpful… Continue reading
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Posted on July 23rd, 2010 by Dr. Wil Burns
Below is the Executive Summary of an important new study by the U.S. National Academy of Sciences, entitled Stabilization Targets for Atmospheric Greenhouse Gas Concentrations.
The study assesses the link between specific increases in temperature and environmental impacts
EXECUTIVE SUMMARY
Emissions of carbon dioxide from the burning of fossil fuels have ushered in a new epoch where human activities will largely determine the evolution of Earth’s… Continue reading
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Posted on July 22nd, 2010 by Andrew Long
From today’s Washington Post: “Conceding that they can’t find enough votes for the legislation, Senate Democrats on Thursday abandoned efforts to put together a comprehensive energy bill that would seek to curb greenhouse gas emissions . . .”
Hardly surprising, but disappointing nonetheless… Continue reading
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Posted on July 22nd, 2010 by Dr. Wil Burns
Professor David Keith of the University of Calgary is both a scientist actively engaged in climate geoengineering research (primarily air capture technology) and one of the most thoughtful voices on ethical and governance considerations. Instructors seeking a good reading on geoengineering should check out Professor Keith’s February testimony before the House Energy and Environment Subcommittee of the Committee on Science and Technology. While Keith’s testimony focuses on solar… Continue reading
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Posted on July 20th, 2010 by Dr. Wil Burns
I have always found the open access publication Tiempo to be an excellent source of information on climate issues, as well a good source of student readings. For instructors looking for a good assessment of developments since the 15th COP at Copenhagen, the April edition has a very good article that surveys opinions in developing and developed Party States, as well as the corporate and NGOs sectors… Continue reading
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Posted on July 19th, 2010 by Dr. Wil Burns
With coal likely to continue to play a very substantial role in energy production over the course of the next few decades, with critical implications for climate policy making, there has been substantial focus in many quarters on the prospects for carbon capture and sequestration (CCS). However, a new study in the journal Nature Geoscience, Gary Shaffer, Long-Term Effectiveness and Consequences of Carbon Dioxide Sequestration, 3
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