Posted on 4 May 2013 by John Hartz

Australian farmers suffer through drought

After suffering through a summer of bushfires and scorching temperatures, the exceptionally warm and extreme weather has continued into May, giving Australia its second-hottest start to the year on record. 

Australian farmers suffer through drought while mining industry escapes blame, TckTckTck, May 1, 2013

Belief in biblical end-times stifling climate change action in U.S.

The United States has failed to take action to mitigate climate change thanks in part to the large number of religious Americans who believe the world has a set expiration date.

Belief in biblical end-times stifling climate change action in U.S. by Eric W. dolan, the Raw Story, May 1, 2013

Drought and heat may fuel early fire season in West (US)

Fire season may come early this year in the West, as it has more frequently in recent years, thanks to ongoing drought conditions and increasing temperatures. According to a new outlook issued by the National Interagency Fire Center(NIFC) in Boise, Idaho, major wildfires in California could begin as early as this month, nearly a month ahead of schedule. Wildfire season is also expected to come early in southern Oregon and Washington, as well as in the central Rocky Mountains and parts of the Southwest.

Drought and Heat May Fuel Early Fire Season in West by Daniel Yawitz, Climate Central, May 2, 2013

Fast-moving climate zones are speeding extinction

As global temperatures rise, climate zones will shift at greater speed, according to new research in Nature Climate Change.

Fast-Moving Climate Zones Are Speeding Extinction by Tim Radford, Climate News Network, Climate Central, Apr 29, 2013

Global carbon dioxide levels near worrisome milestone

Concentrations of greenhouse gas will soon surpass 400 parts per million at sentinel spot.

Global carbon dioxide levels near worrisome milestone by Richard Monastersky, Nature, April 30, 2013

How climate scientists are being framed

To turn the public off climate change, right-wing media is blaming scientists for hurting kids and being puppets of totalitarianism.

How climate scientists are being framed by Graham Readfearn, PlanetOz, The Guardian, May 2, 2013

Ocean thermal power will debut off China's coast

Forty years of research and development by Lockheed Martin into harnessing energy from steep differentials in ocean temperatures will see its first commercial deployment in China. There, a resort developer has partnered with the U.S. defense and aerospace giant to build a 10-megawatt power plant using ocean thermal energy conversion (OTEC) technology.

Ocean thermal power will debut off China's coast by Daniel Cusick, ClimateWire, Scientific American, May 1, 2013

Overheated: The Human Cost of Climate Change

The dedication of Andrew Guzman’s book makes obvious what he hopes to convey in the couple of hundred pages to follow. “To Nicholas and Daniel,” he writes, referring to his sons, “Whose Generation Will Face The Consequences.”

‘Overheated: The Human Cost of Climate Change’ by Andrew Guzman by Juliet Elperin, Washington Post, May 3, 2013

Rain will get more extreme

The forecast for the future of rainfall on Earth is in: over the next hundred years, areas that receive lots of precipitation right now are only going to get wetter, and dry areas will go for longer periods without seeing a drop, according to a new study on global warming. "We looked at rainfall of different types," said William Lau, NASA's deputy director of atmospheric studies and the lead author of the study, in a phone interview withThe Verge. "The extreme heavy rain end the prolonged drought side both increase drastically and are also connected physically."

Rain will get more extreme thanks to global warming, says NASA study by Carl Franzen, The Verge, May 4, 2013

Time for Big Green to go fossil free

For a long time, forming partnerships with polluters was how the green groups proved they were serious. But the young people demanding divestment—as well as the grassroots groups fighting fossil fuels wherever they are mined, drilled, fracked, burned, piped or shipped—have a different definition of seriousness. They are serious about winning. And the message to Big Green is clear: cut your ties with the fossils, or become one yourself.

Time for Big Green to Go Fossil Free by Naomi Klein, The Nature, May 1, 2013

Unburnable fuel

Either governments are not serious about climate change or fossil-fuel firms are overvalued.

Unburnable fuel, The Economist, May 4, 2013

White House warned on imminent Arctic ice death spiral

National security officials worried by rapid loss of Arctic summer sea ice overlook threat of permanent global food shortages.

White House warned on imminent Arctic ice death spiral by Nafeez Ahmed, The Guardian, May 2, 2013