Rocks may hold carbon storage solution, say geologists

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Mountains such as these in California hold rocks able to store CO2

A team of geologists has mapped areas of the US containing rocks which pull carbon dioxide from the air, a process they hope can be harnessed to slow global warming.

Called ultramafic rocks, these rocks - such as peridotite, dunite and lherzholite - contain minerals that react with carbon dioxide to form limestone and chalk, effectively removing the CO2 from the air.

According to Sam Krevor, the lead author of the report from Columbia University's Earth Institute and the US Geological Survey, the United States' 6,000 square miles of ultramafic rocks could hold more than 500 years' worth of the country's carbon dioxide output.

"We're trying to show that anyone within a reasonable distance of these rock formations could use this process to sequester as much carbon dioxide as possible," said Krevor.

Generally formed deep underground, the rocks are brought to the surface under geological conditions such as plate collisions, meaning that the majority of the US rock formations are located in coastal mountain ranges in areas such as California in the west, and along the Appalachians in the east.

Mineral carbonation is a version of CSS (Carbon Capture and Storage) technology. However unlike standard methods, where liquid or gaseous CO2 is injected into spaces underground, mineral carbonation results in a harmless solid.

Scientists are working on methods to increase the speed of the reaction, which typically takes thousands of years under natural conditions.

The geologists hope that more studies of ultramafic rocks will be carried out on a global scale. In May, Juerg Matter, from Columbia's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory is taking part in a project to inject basalt formations with water saturated with CO2 from a nearby geothermal power plant. A similar project is planned for Wallula, Washington, by Pacific Northwest National Laboratory.

Source: The Earth Institute at Columbia University

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Media accused of failing public on climate change

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Is the media misleading the public when it comes to climate change?

Researchers at the University of Liverpool think so.

They found that there was less coverage of climate change issues over the last three years than there was of health issues in just one month, while those articles on climate change that were printed offered very mixed coverage.

Dr Neil Gavin, from the university's School of Politics and Communication Studies, believes that the media has a crucial part to play in the public's perception of the importance of climate change.

“Our research suggests that the media is not treating these issues with the seriousness that scientists would say they deserve. The research company lpsos-MORI found that 50 per cent of people think the jury is still out on the causes of global warming.

"The limited amount of media coverage - which tends to be restricted to the broadsheets - means that this statistic is unlikely to alter in the short-term."

Read more about media coverage of climate change here.

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Polar explorers on mission to answer Arctic sea ice question

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L-R: Hadow, Hartley and Daniels. Photo: Martin Hartley (www.martinhartley.com)

A trio of polar explorers is set to undertake an arduous Arctic expedition to collect data vital to our understanding of global warming.

The Catlin Arctic Survey Ice Team - Pen Hadow, Martin Hartley and Ann Daniels - is conducting a scientific survey of the Arctic Ocean’s floating sea ice, measuring its thickness and density in order to accurately determine the rate at which it is disappearing.

The Ice Team will start at the edge of the permanent sea ice off the Canadian coast and make its way 1,300 kilometres to the North Geographic Pole, which it hopes to reach in late May to early June.

Hadow, Daniels and Hartley will haul sleds weighing around 100 kilograms, carrying ice drills and specially designed ice-penetrating radar equipment to take comprehensive measurements of the ice thickness and density, as well as gather atmospheric and water readings. The 90-day trek may also include swimming for more than 100 hours in Arctic waters. During the early stages of the expedition, the team will experience temperatures as low as -50ºC, with a wind chill temperature of -90ºC.

“This is important data at a critical time for the Arctic,” said Neil Hamilton, Director of WWF International’s Arctic Programme. “This is the only on-the-ground information about ice thickness coming out of the Arctic this year. Satellites give us good indications about the extent of the ice, but this expedition will produce solid information about its thickness and density. These measurements are important for our understanding of how long the ice will last.”

Sea ice is critical to a stable global climate as it reflects 80 per cent of the sun's rays, which otherwise would be absorbed by the open water, resulting in rising sea levels and unpredictable weather patterns. It is also vital for Arctic wildlife, such as polar bears.

The permanent central region of the Arctic Ocean’s ice cover has receded at a rate of up to 10 per cent per decade since 1979, according to the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre. Last year’s summer melt saw Arctic sea ice plummet to its lowest level since satellite measurements began. According to one projection, floating Arctic sea ice may vanish as early as 2013.

“The scientists we are working with at the Catlin Arctic Survey are recording rapidly receding ice,” said Hamilton. “I only know what I have seen myself during my time on the Arctic Ocean, but if we succeed in re-connecting exploration with its origins in science, it will be a job well done.”

The expedition can be tracked online at Google Earth, where viewers can see information from the expedition, along with photos and video.

More information about the expedition can be found at catlinarcticsurvey.com.
Google Earth can be downloaded for free at earth.google.com.

Information from Catlin Arctic Survey and WWF. All photographs Martin Hartley (martinhartley.com)

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Australian bushfires unleash millions of tonnes of carbon

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Australia is facing a massive environmental challenge from the huge amounts of carbon dioxide released by this year's bushfires.

Scientists believe that the amount of CO2 released into the atmosphere may be equal to that produced in a full year by Australian industry.

Speaking to The Australian's Asa Wahlquist, Professor Mark Adams from the University of Sydney said that the carbon release was "far, far more than we're ever going to be able to sequester from planting trees or promoting carbon capture."

Australia's 2003 and 2006/7 bushfires were estimated to have released 70-105 million tonnes of CO2 into the atmosphere. Because the forests affected by this year's fires are much more carbon-dense, it is thought that their emissions will be far greater.

Currently carbon emissions from forest fires are not included in the Kyoto Protocol, though this may change with a new climate change protocol.

This year's bushfires have killed over 180 people, with the final official death toll predicted to be at least 200.

Read Adams' full interview with The Australian here.
See images from the bushfires and their aftermath here.

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Canadian athletes call for carbon neutral Vancouver Olympics

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L-R: Kristina Groves (Photo:Ewan Nicholson); Thomas Grandi and Sara Renner; Kevin Light

More than 70 of Canada’s leading athletes have written to organizers of the 2010 Vancouver Winter Olympics, asking them to do more to make the Olympics carbon neutral.

While the Vancouver Organizing Committee for the 2010 Olympic and Paralympic Winter Games (VANOC) has said that the environment is one of the top priorities for the 2010 Games, there is concern that not enough is being done to address the real environmental impact of the event, which is estimated to produce 328,000 tonnes of greenhouse gas emissions.

At the United Nations in October 2007, VANOC CEO John Furlong stated the official position of the organizers, saying, “Climate change is at the top of our environmental agenda having set an early goal of a carbon neutral Games.” Meanwhile, the International Olympic Committee has officially made “Environment” the third pillar of the Games, after “Sport”, and “Culture”.

However, while VANOC has planned other initiatives, such as making venues more energy efficient, it has not yet said how it intends to tackle the biggest part of its carbon footprint – the estimated 69 per cent from the air travel to and from the event by participants, officials, sponsors, employees, media and spectators.

In 2007, VANOC asked the David Suzuki Foundation to produce an estimate of the 2010 Games’ greenhouse gas emissions. The estimate was roughly 328,000 tonnes – the equivalent of approximately 65,600 cars on the road for one year.

The report also estimated that it would cost less than $5 million to make the Games carbon neutral (assuming $15/tonne for offsets). This sum represents 0.3 per cent of VANOC’s current operating budget of about $1.76 billion.

“We're encouraging VANOC to lead by example and use the inspirational power of the Olympics. Let’s show the world that together we can put effective climate change solutions into action," said rower Adam Kreek, a Beijing Olympic gold medallist.

There is concern among winter Olympic athletes that global warming will affect the future of winter sports due to decreased amounts of snow and ice.

“Throughout my 15-year career as a cross-country skier, I have seen the seasons becoming less predictable, and races being cancelled more frequently due to lack of snow, said Sara Renner, an Olympic silver medallist, and one of the founding members of Play it Cool, an initiative by athletes to raise awareness of the impact of climate change on sports.

“I am concerned about the future of the sports we love, but also about the next generation of Canadians, who will be left to deal with even more serious climate change impacts if we don’t act now.”

You can read the athletes’ letter to VANOC, and see a full list of signatures, online here. You can also add your own name to the letter.
Learn more about Play it Cool at playitcool.ca.

Source: David Suzuki Foundation

Slideshow of the participating athletes


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Global warming could increase sea levels by 21 feet, scientists warn

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Rising sea levels due to global warming could be much higher than previously thought, swamping coastal areas such as southern Florida and putting Washington D.C. under water, according to a new study.

If the West Antarctic Ice Sheet were to collapse, current estimates by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change put sea levels at 16.5 feet. However, researchers from the University of Oregon and the University of Toronto have predicted that the sea level rise could reach 21 feet. In Europe, sea levels could rise by 18 feet.

The report, which will be published in Science on Friday, explains that when the original estimate was made, several significant factors were not taken into account, including the gravitational pull of the huge ice sheet on the surrounding water, which would be lost if the ice were to melt.

“A study was done more than 30 years ago pointing out this gravitational effect, but for some reason it became virtually ignored,” said Peter Clark, a professor of geosciences at Oregon State University. “People forgot about it when developing their sea level projections for the future.”

The melting of the ice sheet would have other effects too. According to the study, the removal of the weight of the ice would shift the rotational axis of the Earth by about a third of a mile, which would also alter sea levels.

With all this taken into account, sea levels would decrease around Antarctica, while rising in the Northern Hemisphere.

“If this did happen, there would also be many other impacts that go far beyond sea level increase, including much higher rates of coastal erosion, greater damage from major storm events, problems with ground water salinization, and other issues,” said Clark.

“And there could be correlated impacts on other glaciers and ice sheets in coastal areas that could tend to destabilize them as well.”

It is not yet clear how long it may take for the West Antarctic Ice Sheet to melt completely.

"These same effects apply to any amount of melting that may occur from West Antarctica,” Clark said. “So many coastal areas need to plan for greater sea level rise than they may have expected.”

Meanwhile there is also concern over the fate of Antarctica's marine life, as global warming means predators from warmer seas are moving into Antarctic waters, threatening established ecosystems.

See images and video showing effects of rising sea levels here.
Source: University of Oregon

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Aussies demand action on climate change as drought and floods ravage nation

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As Australia suffers some of the worst weather extremes it has ever seen, its people are urging their government to get serious about tackling climate change.

Temperatures in South Australia and Victoria soared above 110F for six consecutive days, claiming 37 lives, causing hundreds of bushfires and leaving more than 10,000 homes without power. The high temperatures, not seen for a century, are expected to reach Sydney by the end of the week.


Meanwhile, in north Queensland, 3000 homes have been affected by floods, with no reprieve yet, as meteorologists are predicting that cyclone Ellie will bring yet more rainfall. Residents have also been cautioned to watch out for snakes and large crocodiles that have been forced to seek dry land.

The extreme weather conditions are being widely attributed to climate change.

"Eleven of the hottest years in history have been in the last 12, and we also note, particularly in the southern part of Australia, we're seeing less rainfall," said Climate Change Minister Penny Wong.

"All of this is consistent with climate change, and all of this is consistent with what scientists told us would happen."

On Tuesday over 2,500 people formed a circle around Parliament House in Canberra in a peaceful protest to urge the government to take more action on climate change.

Australian Prime Minister Kevin Rudd has faced criticism for pledging only a five per cent reduction in carbon pollution by 2020, a figure that Australian Greens Leader Bob Brown called "a global embarrassment and a recipe for global catastrophe," and for his support of the Australian coal industry, which supplies almost 40 per cent of globally-traded coal.

Australia is the driest habitable continent in the world and as such is expected to face a severe threat from climate change. There is particular concern for the fate of indigenous communities living in remote areas who may be worst affected by drought.

It's appropriate timing for March's climate change conference in Perth, Greenhouse 2009, which will discuss climate change science and how government and industry can help control greenhouse emissions.

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Cost of saving the world? $10 trillion

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The World Economic Forum has warned that unless $515 billion is invested in clean energy each year between now and 2030, carbon emissions will cause global temperatures to rise by two degrees.

In its Green Investing: Towards a Clean Energy Infrastructure report, released at this year's Davos conference, the WEF and New Energy Finance named eight emerging, large-scale clean energy sectors that are expected to significantly contribute in the shift from fossil fuels to clean energy:

-Onshore wind
-Offshore wind
-Solar photovoltaic
-Solar thermal electricity generation
-Municipal solar waste-to-energy
-Sugar-based ethanol
-Cellulosic and next generation biofuels
-Geothermal power

The report’s authors, Max von Bismarck and Anuradha Gurung from the World Economic Forum, and Chris Greenwood and Michael Liebreich from New Energy Finance, argue that “enormous investment in energy infrastructure is required to address the twin threats of energy insecurity and climate change.

"In light of the global financial crisis, it is crucial that every dollar is made to ‘multi-task’ to create a sustainable low-carbon economy.”

Even after a financially troubled 2008, the report shows that clean energy opportunities have the potential to generate significant economic returns. An index of the world’s 90 leading clean energy companies had a five-year compounded annualized return of almost 10 per cent, unmatched by the world’s major stock indices.

Also at Davos, a group of climate change experts warned against complacency in the UN climate talks and urged business, governments, experts and civil society groups to come together to design “win-win” projects and collaborations – projects that are good for the economy in the short term and that help to tackle climate change in the longer term.

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