Environmental decline in general and climate change in particular all comes down to consumption and its total impact which is generally equal to population times consumption levles, which is also influenced by the level of technology. Humanity must decrease the total impact of its activities upon the Earth ecological processes and patterns. The only chance we have is to reduce consumption of resources significantly.

How Europe is choking itself - and the world

Europe's claim to the moral high ground over the environment has been comprehensively challenged in a devastating report on its failings in the battle against global warming and pollution. It says Europe is devouring the world's natural resources at twice the global rate.

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Here is a news article entitled "How to tame the logging beast" I wrote in today's Independent (UK) in response to proposals to harness carbon markets for rainforest protection. I was asked to write the piece in response to proposals to be made at the current Montreal climate meetings by the Papua New Guinea government and others. My basic point is that carbon trading and other payments to rainforest countries to promote rainforest protection are admirable and overdue. However, given the scope of the legal and illegal logging industries in the world's remaining large forest wildlands, the continued existence of these carbon stores are far from assured unless dramatic efforts to tame logging are made immediately. My article below is currently linked as the lead article on the Independent's web site at http://www.independent.co.uk/ . The Independent is carrying out some of the best, ground-breaking environmental journalism on a regular basis at http://news.independent.co.uk/environment/ .

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Levels of carbon dioxide (CO2), the principal gas that drives global warming, are now 27 pct higher than at any point in the last 650,000 years, according to research into Antarctic ice cores. The more we learn about climate change, its rate and its impacts; the more the scale and magnitude of human impact upon global ecological systems becomes apparent. We are really in trouble as advances in climate change science (and obvious impacts just outside our door) indictate we may have reached or being reaching a tipping point where abrupt and major climate shifts are underway. It is clear that immediate efforts to significantly reduce greenhouse gas emissions are absolutely vital to humanity's survival. Vague commitments to adapt to changes and reduce the rate of growth of greenhouse gases will doom humanity to eco-armaggedon. Climate change is deadly serious - and either we accept that ecological sustainability takes preference over unbridled economic growth or we die.

Core Evidence That Humans Affect Climate Change

An ice core about two miles long — the oldest frozen sample ever drilled from the underbelly of Antarctica — shows that at no time in the last 650,000 years have levels of the greenhouse gases carbon dioxide and methane been as high as they are today... the core and shows that carbon dioxide levels today are 27% higher than they have been in the last 650,000 years and levels of methane, an even more powerful greenhouse gas, are 130% higher...

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As greenhouse gas concentrations in the atmosphere increase due to humanity's pervasive presence upon the Earth, a range of feedbacks threaten to tremendously increase resulting impacts. Additional research again highlights the degree to which water vapor is a greenhouse gas. And it is gaining in importance as existing warming causes greater evaporation. Climate change is indicative of broader collapse of natural ecosystems. What is becoming apparent is the degree to which we have altered the biosphere with unknown feedbacks and potentially horrific consequences.

Water Vapor May Be Biggest Contributor to Higher Global Temperatures, Researcher Says

An unexpected greenhouse gas -- water vapor -- may be the biggest factor contributing to higher global air temperatures... Other greenhouse gases heat the ground, which causes more water evaporation that in turn further increases ground and then air temperatures...

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China has doubled its target for renewable energy use for 2020. While this is good news, clearly economic growth by China and the rest of the over-industrialized world will remain mostly fossil fueled. To effectively address climate change reductions in emissions must occur, and we are far from that point. Nonetheless, at least the Chinese are trying and have the rhetoric right. Unlike the United States where oil addiction and denial threaten a deeply ecologically unsustainable way of life.

China pledges to double reliance on renewable energy by 2020

China, the world's second biggest emitter of greenhouse gases, announced plans yesterday to more than double its reliance on renewable energy by 2020, which could make it a leading player in the wind, solar and hydropower industries. But environmentalists said that Beijing's new target was still not ambitious enough to offset the climatic damage caused by its spectacular economic growth, which will continue to be predominantly fuelled by coal.

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If greenhouse gas emissions increase by 50% in the next 25 years, as the International Energy Agency recently found, the Earth will be hard pressed to maintain an operable climatic system. Climate scientists have indicated that a 60% CUT in such emissions is required by 2050 if we are to avoid the most egregious and abrupt climate changes. Clearly if the world is to avoid the most terrible weather extremes, climatic instability and deadly ecosystem crashes; we must stop and reverse this trend at all costs. This may include limiting human population, rationing energy and more equitably sharing the Earth's wealth. It will not be easy but our survival as a species requires it.

BBC NEWS | Business | Greenhouse gases 'to rise by 52%'

Global greenhouse gas emissions will rise by 52% by 2030, unless the world takes action to reduce energy consumption, a study has warned.

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