climate change

COPENHAGEN. Dec 9, 2009. Extinction of Coral reefs and 10-20% of marine species is likely if greehouse gases aren't brought down to 350ppm, warned Professor Ove Hoegh-Guldberg from the University of Queensland. He gave a presentation (audio 14mins 19s) at the US Pavilion at the COP15 climate negotiations in Copenhagen about the threat of climate change to the world's coral reefs. Over 500 million people living in approximately 90 nations are dependant in some way on coral reefs.

In a bizarre twist on the second day of Copenhagen talks, it has been revealed that Australia is part of a cabal of rich polluting nations including the UK, U.S. and Denmark called the “Circle of Commitment” planning a new agreement that favours the rich nations and sidelines the UN.

The Guardian newspaper has leaked the contents of the draft final agreement prepared by the Circle of Commitment (which sounds like an evil group of villains from a Bond movie!).
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2009/dec/08/copenhagen-climate-change

One of the three people in Canberra who have been on a hunger strike since November 6th, calling for the Copenhagen Treaty to stabilise carbon levels at 350ppm, has been hospitalised after losing 20% of their body weight. The hunger strike is part of a network of hunger strikes happening around the world in the build up to Copenhagen under the banner of the "Climate Justice Fast".

While the world debates emissions targets and climate funding amounts for developing countries in Copenhagen, a new research centre was launched in Perth on December 3 dedicated to developing technologies designed to help establish sustainable, low-emission, geothermal cities. At the same time the State Government is planning to double the number of coal-fired power stations at Collie.