Future Timeline

Germany is pushing for Group of Seven nations to walk back a commitment that would halt the financing of overseas fossil fuel projects by the end of the year, according to people familiar with the matter. That would be a major reversal on tackling climate change as Russia’s war in Ukraine upends access to energy supplies.

A draft text shared with Bloomberg would see the G7 “acknowledge that publicly supported investment in the gas sector is necessary” as a temporary response to the current energy crisis.

(EurekAlert) Published today in the journal Earth’s Future, researchers from UCL, the University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) used a 3D model to explore the impact of rocket launches and re-entry in 2019, and the impact of projected space tourism scenarios based on the recent billionaire space race.

The team found that black carbon (soot) particles emitted by rockets are almost 500 times more efficient at holding heat in the atmosphere than all other sources of soot combined (surface and aircraft) – resulting in an enhanced climate effect.

Furthermore, while the study revealed that the current loss of total ozone due to rockets is small, current growth trends around space tourism indicate potential for future depletion of the upper stratospheric ozone layer in the Arctic in spring. This is because pollutants from solid-fuel rockets and re-entry heating of returning spacecraft and debris are particularly harmful to stratospheric ozone.

Study co-author Dr Eloise Marais (UCL Geography) said: “Rocket launches are routinely compared to greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions from the aircraft industry, which we demonstrate in our work is erroneous.

“Soot particles from rocket launches have a much larger climate effect than aircraft and other Earth-bound sources, so there doesn’t need to be as many rocket launches as international flights to have a similar impact. What we really need now is a discussion amongst experts on the best strategy for regulating this rapidly growing industry.”

Migratory birds are declining globally because of the way that humans have modified the landscape over recent decades—according to new research from the University of East Anglia.

A new study published in Global Ecology and Biogeography reveals that population declines have been greatest among species that migrate to areas with more human infrastructure—roads, buildings, power lines, wind turbines—as well as higher population densities and hunting levels.

Habitat degradation and climate change have also played a part in driving long-term declines.

The research team hope their work will help inform how best to target conservation efforts.

caltrek wrote: ↑Sat Jun 25, 2022 5:44 pm Climate Damage Caused by Growing Space Tourism Needs Urgent Mitigation
June 25, 2022

Introduction:

(EurekAlert) Published today in the journal Earth’s Future, researchers from UCL, the University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) used a 3D model to explore the impact of rocket launches and re-entry in 2019, and the impact of projected space tourism scenarios based on the recent billionaire space race.

The team found that black carbon (soot) particles emitted by rockets are almost 500 times more efficient at holding heat in the atmosphere than all other sources of soot combined (surface and aircraft) – resulting in an enhanced climate effect.

Furthermore, while the study revealed that the current loss of total ozone due to rockets is small, current growth trends around space tourism indicate potential for future depletion of the upper stratospheric ozone layer in the Arctic in spring. This is because pollutants from solid-fuel rockets and re-entry heating of returning spacecraft and debris are particularly harmful to stratospheric ozone.

Study co-author Dr Eloise Marais (UCL Geography) said: “Rocket launches are routinely compared to greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions from the aircraft industry, which we demonstrate in our work is erroneous.

“Soot particles from rocket launches have a much larger climate effect than aircraft and other Earth-bound sources, so there doesn’t need to be as many rocket launches as international flights to have a similar impact. What we really need now is a discussion amongst experts on the best strategy for regulating this rapidly growing industry.”

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/956981

JUNE 22, 2022

Charles McAllister, of UK Onshore Oil & Gas (UKOOG), told a committee of MPs this afternoon this was a “plausible way” to cut bills.

He said:

“I have already got my board to agree that they will be more than willing to sell gas, especially to large industrial users, at fixed contracted prices.”

Mr McAllister was responding to comments by members of the Environmental Audit Committee that a revived shale gas industry onshore in the UK would not cut bills because gas prices were set internationally.

He said the Bowland shale was “literally underneath” industrial areas on the east coast and in the north west that had received government funding to develop carbon capture and storage.

He said:

“So we’ll be more than willing to fix the price into those facilities, that give a guaranteed price to those facilities and to the downstream users, be that other heavy industry, homes, transport, etc. That’s a plausible way of getting bills down.”

caltrek wrote: ↑Sat Jun 25, 2022 5:44 pm Climate Damage Caused by Growing Space Tourism Needs Urgent Mitigation
June 25, 2022

Introduction:

(EurekAlert) Published today in the journal Earth’s Future, researchers from UCL, the University of Cambridge and Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT) used a 3D model to explore the impact of rocket launches and re-entry in 2019, and the impact of projected space tourism scenarios based on the recent billionaire space race.

The team found that black carbon (soot) particles emitted by rockets are almost 500 times more efficient at holding heat in the atmosphere than all other sources of soot combined (surface and aircraft) – resulting in an enhanced climate effect.

Furthermore, while the study revealed that the current loss of total ozone due to rockets is small, current growth trends around space tourism indicate potential for future depletion of the upper stratospheric ozone layer in the Arctic in spring. This is because pollutants from solid-fuel rockets and re-entry heating of returning spacecraft and debris are particularly harmful to stratospheric ozone.

Study co-author Dr Eloise Marais (UCL Geography) said: “Rocket launches are routinely compared to greenhouse gas and air pollutant emissions from the aircraft industry, which we demonstrate in our work is erroneous.

“Soot particles from rocket launches have a much larger climate effect than aircraft and other Earth-bound sources, so there doesn’t need to be as many rocket launches as international flights to have a similar impact. What we really need now is a discussion amongst experts on the best strategy for regulating this rapidly growing industry.”

Read more here: https://www.eurekalert.org/news-releases/956981

wjfox wrote: ↑Sun Jun 26, 2022 1:22 pm