This is an 18 minute video designed to introduce the idea of building core resilience for heavily urbanised atoll islands in general, and for Funafuti in particular. [vimeo id=”128706396″]
El Niño is Back in town
The Australian Bureau of Meteorology (BOM) has now officially declared the arrival of El Niño 2015. And its expected to be a significant event. The last El Nino five years ago had a major impact with monsoons in Southeast Asia, droughts in southern Australia, the Philippines and Ecuador, blizzards in the United States, heatwaves in…
The Drought in California Caused By Warm Ocean Anomalies
Historical Patterns, The 1930s Dust Bowl Drought A scientific paper published last month in the journal Climate Dynamics by a scientist from NOAA’s National Climatic Data Center and three universities found that the 1930s drought was exacerbated by an anomalous warm spots in the ocean: Unusually hot summer conditions occurred during the 1930s over the…
UN Calls for an End to Industrialised Farming
In 2013 the United Nations released a report indicating that the world’s food needs could be met through organic, local farms. The United Nations report stated that food security, poverty, gender inequality, and climate change can be addressed with a significant shift towards organic, localized farming. In contrast with industrialized farming, organic and local farms…
Volcanoes Erupting Right Now: Greater Than 20th Century’s Yearly Average
Is the number of volcanic eruptions worldwide increasing? Yes. During the 20th century, there were a total of 3,542 volcanic eruptions globally. That works out to approximately 35 eruptions per year. That may sound like a lot, but according to Volcano Discovery there are 36 volcanoes erupting around the world right now. In other words,…
Climate Change Politics in Australia: The Lomborg Factor
Eager to cut, savage and wind back constructive projects in the realm of medicine, science and education, Australia’s government has made its latest head-shaking announcement on budgetary issues. The veteran climate change sceptic Bjørn Lomborg is going to become the recipient of $4 million in Australian tax payers’ money. According to a spokesman for education…
Cyclone Pam a category 6 cyclone?
The monster Category 5 storm, which brought wind gusts of 270-300 km/h and devastated Vanuatu might prompt the creation of a new Cyclone Category 6. Atmospheric researchers tend to agree that tropical cyclones of unusual ferocity are coming this century, but the strange fact is that there is no consensus to date on the five-point…
Acid Oceans Blamed For Worst Mass Extinction
An extinction event known as the ‘Great Dying’ wiped out most of the life on Earth 251 million years ago.It was a die-off of apocalyptic proportions – a period of around 60,000 years that saw the disappearance of 70% of the planet’s land species and more than 90% of all marine life.For years scientists believed…
Volcanoes and climate: After Tambora
Two hundred years ago the most powerful eruption in modern history made itself felt around the world. It could happen again at almost any time Apr 11th 2015 | From the print edition If aliens had been watching the Earth during 1815 the chances are they would not have noticed the cannon fire of Waterloo,…
Funafuti Atoll leaked sand during Cyclone Pam
A coral atoll, is a ring-shaped coral reef including a coral rim that encircles a lagoon partially or completely. There may be coral islands/cays on the rim. The coral of the atoll often sits on top of the rim of an extinct seamount or volcano which has eroded or subsided partially beneath the water. The…
Global warming is now slowing down the circulation of the oceans
By Chris Mooney March 23 This NASA animation shows what happens globally to create the large, slow current called the thermohaline circulation. (NASA) Welcome to this week’s installment of “Don’t Mess with Geophysics.” Last week, we learned about the possible destabilization of the Totten Glacier of East Antarctica, which could unleash over 11 feet of…
Maysak Intensifies to Super Typhoon Over Pacific
Super Typhoon Maysak, one of the strongest cyclones in history during the months of January, February and March, has already slammed several Micronesian islands on its way to the Philippines. Maysak will continue to strengthen during the next 12-24 hours as it moves westward across the Pacific Ocean. Though passing to the north of Yap,…
The CO2 Crisis: The Social Costs Of Capitalism Are Destroying Earth’s Ability To Support Life
I admire David Ray Griffin for his wide-ranging intelligence, his research skills, and for his courage. Dr. Griffin is not afraid to take on the controversial topics. He gave us ten books on 9/11, and anyone who has read half of one of them knows that the official story is a lie. Now Griffin has…
Climate Change: Gulf Stream System Slow Down
The Gulf Stream is one of the most important heat transport systems on the planet. It efficiently brings heat from the equator to the Northern Hemisphere through ocean currents. But a recent study indicates that it has been slowing down, which is most interesting because it results in cooling of the region when most other…
Will Pacific Islands Disappear as Seas Rise? Maybe Not
“If you were faced with the threat of the disappearance of your nation, what would you do?” That’s the question Enele Sopoaga, the prime minister of the tiny Pacific Island nation of Tuvalu, asked fellow world leaders at the United Nations climate summit in Lima, Peru, in December. It’s a question that leaders of Pacific…