National Grid: Britain ‘at greater risk of blackouts’ as power stations close

Posted on October 28, 2014 by Jim Brennan

The Telegraph reports on how the energy infrastructure in Britain has become compromised, leading to a greater possibility of blackouts this winter:

Britain faces an increased risk of blackouts this winter, due to a compromised energy infrastructure. Emergency measures are being considered in order to minimise the risk of this eventuality. (Image credit: meltingdog on freeimages.com)

Britain faces an increased risk of blackouts this winter, due to a compromised energy infrastructure. Emergency measures are being considered in order to minimise the risk of this eventuality.
(Image credit: meltingdog on freeimages.com)

Britain’s spare power capacity will fall this winter to a seven-year low, forcing emergency measures to prevent blackouts, a report on Tuesday is expected to say.

A series of power plant breakdowns and closures in recent months have eroded the safety buffer between maximum supply and peak demand, the report from National Grid is likely to show.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Ebola blood-therapy team set up

Posted on October 23, 2014 by Jim Brennan

An article by the BBC discusses how an international team of researchers has been formed to establish whether the blood of Ebola survivors could be used as a treatment for people infected with the virus:

The blood of Ebola survivors is being considered as a treatment for Ebola patients. An international group of scientists has been set up to determine whether this would be effective as a treatment option. (Image credit)

The blood of Ebola survivors is being considered as a treatment for Ebola patients. An international group of scientists has been set up to determine whether this would be effective as a treatment option.
(Image credit)

An international team of scientists has been set up to determine the effectiveness of using the blood of Ebola survivors as a treatment.

It is hoped the antibodies used by the immune system to fight Ebola can be transferred from a survivor to a patient.

The study will start in Guinea and is led by the Institute of Tropical Medicine in Antwerp, Belgium.

The European Union has given 2.9m euros (£2.3m) to fund the project.

There are no widely available, proven drugs or vaccines for Ebola.

The World Health Organization has backed the use of survivors’ blood as the worst outbreak of Ebola in history continues to get worse.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.newmessage.org

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Abu Dhabi faces acute water scarcity

Posted on October 21, 2014 by Jim Brennan

An article on gulfnews highlights the situation facing the United Arab Emirates, and the wider world, regarding the availability of water:

Abu Dhabi is considered a “water-stressed” area as the emirate’s per capita availability of fresh, natural and renewable water resource is less than 100 cubic metres. The areas with less than 500 cubic metre availability of fresh water falls under this category, a conference in the capital heard on Tuesday.

If current trends continue, 1.8 billion people around the world will be living in water-scarce areas by 2025. (Image credit)

If current trends continue, 1.8 billion people around the world will be living in water-scarce areas by 2025.
(Image credit)

The agriculture sector is one of the top-priority sectors to tackle water scarcity because agriculture is very sensitive and vulnerable to climate change. The sector accounts for about 80 per cent of the total global consumption of water and contributes to more than 90 per cent of the water footprint. As 80 per cent of agricultural areas around the world rely on rainwater, minor climate change will affect the sector and the state of global food security.

Dr Al Jaberi, who delivered the keynote speech on behalf of Razan Khalifa Al Mubarak, secretary-general of the EAD, said water scarcity affects all continents and 40 per cent of humans on earth. By 2025, 1.8 billion will be living in water-scarce areas.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Natural gas switch won’t slow climate change, study suggests

Posted on October 18, 2014 by Jim Brennan

This article by the CBC discusses a recent study that disputes the notion of greater natural gas exploitation serving as a bridge to a low-carbon future:

Cheap and plentiful natural gas isn’t quite a bridge to a brighter energy future as claimed and won’t slow global warming, a new study projects.

Abundant natural gas in the United States has been displacing coal, which contains a higher proportion of carbon and produces more of the chief global warming gas carbon dioxide.

But the new international study says an expansion of natural gas use by 2050 would also keep other energy-producing technologies like wind, solar and nuclear, from being used more. And those technologies are even better than natural gas for avoiding global warming.

Computer simulations show that emissions of heat-trapping gases to make electricity would not decline worldwide and could possibly go up, says the study, released Wednesday by the journal Nature.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Obama authorizes military reservists for Ebola mission in Africa

Posted on October 16, 2014 by Jim Brennan

U.S. President Barack Obama has authorised the use of American military reservists to help tackle the Ebola epidemic in West Africa, according to the Jerusalem Post:

President Barack Obama authorized the use of American military reservists on Thursday to support humanitarian aid efforts against the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

In a letter to leaders of the US Congress, Obama said an unspecified number of reservists will be used to help activate duty personnel in support of the Ebola mission in West Africa.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.newmessage.org

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Strongest storm this year hits Japan

Posted on October 14, 2014 by Jim Brennan

The Weather Network reports on the situation after typhoon Vongfong hit Japan’s main islands on Monday morning:

Typhoon Vongfong made landfall on Japan early Monday morning, killing one, injuring more than 30 and forcing many more to evacuate (image not of storm itself). (Image credit)

Typhoon Vongfong made landfall on Japan early Monday morning, killing one, injuring more than 30 and forcing many more to evacuate (image not of storm itself).
(Image credit)

A week after being hit by Typhoon Phanfone, the strongest storm to hit Japan this year made landfall on the main islands early Monday morning leaving one dead and more than 30 injured.

Typhoon Vongfong hit Kyushu on Monday at about 9:15 a.m. local time. The region’s bullet train services were suspended since Sunday due to strong winds. About 300 flights also had to be cancelled out of local airports while hundreds of thousands were forced to leave their homes by officials.

Winds hit speeds of up to 143 km/h in Okinawa, despite the storm weakening as it made its way through the country. In Kunigami more than 500 mm of rainfall were reported.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Adapt or Die: Walrus Join Crowd of Species Facing Climate Ultimatum

Posted on October 10, 2014 by Jim Brennan

NBC news reports on how a large amount of Walruses were found crowded on an Alaskan beach during a time when they would normally be hunting from the arctic ice:

The walrus has become one of the species whose future survival is threatened by the changing climate. (Image credit)

The walrus has become one of the species whose future survival is threatened by the changing climate.
(Image credit)

The 35,000 walruses recently spotted jammed onto an Alaskan beach were a very visual sign of what wildlife scientists know and worry about: From the Arctic to Antarctica, some species are having to adapt, or die, in the face of the long-term threat of a warming planet and more immediate danger like habitat destruction.

“It’s got conservation groups scrambling for solutions,” says Lee Hannah, a climate change biology researcher at the nonprofit Conservation International. “We’re really seeing this across the board.”

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Ebola Death Toll Tops 3,000

Posted on September 28, 2014 by Jim Brennan

Time.com reports on the latest official figures for how many have succumbed to, and been infected by, the Ebola virus outbreak:

At least 3,080 people have died of Ebola in West Africa, the World Health Organization said Friday, bringing the death toll from the worst Ebola ever above 3,000 for the first time. More than 6,500 total cases have been confirmed.

The newly-released figure, which includes deaths in Guinea, Liberia and Sierra Leone, comes after a week of worsening news about the deadly disease. Estimates released Tuesday suggest that as many as 1.4 million people may be infected by the end of January under worst-case-scenario circumstances.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Asylum claims from Syria, Iraq and other conflict zones rise in first half 2014

Posted on September 26, 2014 by Jim Brennan

This article on the UNHCR website highlights the growth in numbers of asylum seekers from conflict-stricken parts of the world in early 2014:

A UNHCR report released on Friday shows that the number of people seeking refugee status in industrialized countries continued to climb in the first half of 2014, driven by the wars in Syria and Iraq as well as conflict and instability in countries such as Afghanistan, Eritrea.

UNHCR’s new “Asylum Trends” report, which is based on data received from 44 governments in Europe, North America and parts of the Asia-Pacific, says 330,700 people asked for refugee status in these 44 countries between the start of January and the end of June. The figure marks a rise of 24 per cent from the same period a year earlier, and slightly higher than in the second half of last year (328,100 claims).

The report warned that, based on historical trends showing higher numbers of asylum-seekers in the second half of each year, 2014 could produce as many as 700,000 claims – which would make it the highest level in industrialized countries in 20 years and a level not seen since the 1990s conflict in former Yugoslavia.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.greatwavesofchange.org

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Ebola crisis: Five ways to break the epidemic

Posted on September 24, 2014 by Jim Brennan

This article by the BBC discusses some of the steps being taken to stem the spread of Ebola virus in West Africa:

With the worst-ever outbreak of Ebola revealing woefully inadequate health systems in West Africa, especially in those countries recovering from civil war, the international response and leadership of the World Health Organization (WHO) has also come in for criticism.

Announcing US plans, President Barack Obama said the outbreak was “a threat to global security” which required a “global response”.

To read more about the changing world and what you can do to prepare, visit: www.newmessage.org

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