Review of the Year 2009: Climate change

The heat of the moment

By Tony Juniper
Wednesday, 23 December 2009


Steam rises from oil refineries just before dawn over Edmonton, Alberta following a drop in temperatures earlier this month

Despite the crippling economic crisis, green challenges remained prominent on the political and public agendas during 2009. This contrasts with previous downturns, during which the environment has been generally relegated to the "to do later" list. The reason it didn't disappear this time is because it is ever more clear that "later" might be too late – especially in relation to the climate change challenge. Most serious politicians get this, so do many businesses. The question is can we convert this realisation into practical change?

Negotiations leading to this month's Copenhagen climate summit were conducted with this purpose in mind. Considering the divergent national interests that exist between the nearly 200 countries involved in this most complex UN process, it is perhaps not surprising that the science-based treaty needed to avoid the worst impacts of climate change is still elusive. The situation was not helped by the selective leaking of private emails from a few climate change scientists.

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Climate change: How global warming is having an impact

From cautiously advising that man-made, heat-trapping carbon gases would disrupt Earth's climate system, mainstream scientists are increasingly convinced that the first signs of change are already here. Following are the main indicators, reported in the scientific press over past three years:

RISING SEAS: Sea levels have risen in tandem with global warming, according to the UN's Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). The global average sea level has risen since 1961 at an average rate of 1.8mm (0.07 inches) per year, but accelerated from 1991 to 3.1mm (0.12 inches) per year. The IPCC estimated sea levels would rise 18-59 centimetres (7.2-23.2 inches) by 2100. But added runoff from melting land ice is accelerating. According to Germany's Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research (PIK), the global sea level is likely to rise at least twice as much as projected. If emissions are not curbed, "it may well exceed one metre (3.25 feet)."

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Top 10 Solar Technologies to Watch Out For

Solar power technology is moving forward by leaps and bounds, with some new advancements being built out into usable installations virtually every day. Design concepts once thought to be ‘pie in the sky’ ideas are being implemented, and making a simple solar panel array look like old-school technology .While it may be some time before you see some of these solar technologies in use, chances are it will be sooner rather than later, so keep your eyes on these:

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Mencairnya Methane Hydrates=Kiamat? - SejutaBlog

Satu lagi berita buruk, Pemanasan Global juga membawa satu potensi bencana besar bagi planet kita, yaitu mencairnya Methane Hydrates: Metana beku yang tersimpan dalam bentuk es. Jumlahnya cukup mencengangkan 3.000 kali dari metana yang saat ini ada di atmosfer.

Mencairnya Methane Hydrates=Kiamat? - SejutaBlog

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Making Solar Power at the Office? : CleanTechnica

"New Energy’s solar cells in their transparent SolarWindow™ generate electricity by using the visible light in artificial fluorescent lighting typically installed in offices and commercial buildings."

New Energy’s solar cells in their transparent SolarWindow™ generate electricity by using the visible light in artificial fluorescent lighting typically installed in offices and commercial buildings...
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A Thin-Film Solar Panel Installation : CleanTechnica

Many people envision solar power as rigid silicon panels mounted on a roof. With thin film solar cells, you’re more likely to not see them, or even know they’re there. This article is about a real-life thin film solar project.

Not many bloggers are able to witness the technologies we research and write about. It’s one thing to be able to buy afford a cool “green” gadget (usually not very green), but another to see the many forms of solar, wind, geothermal, etc., which are always changing and developing around the world. So when my employer decided to go solar, you might imagine my excitement.

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GreenSun Develops Colorful Solar Panels that don’t need Direct Sunlight : CleanTechnica

Solar power comes in many forms, from rigid to thin film. The panels are shiny, gleaming and ready to harness the power of the sun.

They’re also usually silver. Yet they also come in colors, not just for looks, but for efficiency.
A Jerusalem company called GreenSun has developed bright-colored panels. Officials say the hues capture different parts of sun’s spectrum, and don’t need direct sunlight to work, according to National Geographic News.

The colored collectors are still in development, but the company says its panels will cost less than a buck per watt to manufacture, compared to more than $4 a watt for conventional solar.

The technology is based on concentrating visible and ultraviolet light without concentrating heat, which reduces the performance of conventional cells. GreenSun also says its panels only require 20 percent silicon, with a conversion rate of up to 20 percent, or up to twice as much as commercial panels now on the market.

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