[GWSG] Trans. T.; W Village; evil gas; Munich Re; 65% renewable; slr survey; VA win; 2 too much; sudden moves; necessary shift

[Tilley, Al]

1.  The Transition Town movement started in 2005 and now has over 1,000 affiliated communities in over 40 countries.  The basic idea is local self-sufficiency as a path toward construction of a sustainable society.  Thanks to Wendy Geiger for calling this to our attention for an update.  http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/jun/15/transition-towns-way-forward?utm_source=Transition+US+Mailing+List&utm_campaign=bb18d128ad-newsletter_Mar13&utm_medium=email&utm_term=0_55c243ce26-bb18d128ad-82462629

2.  West Village at UC Davis is close to its goal of being the largest net zero planned community in the US.  http://www.renewableenergyworld.com/rea/news/article/2013/11/what-the-energy-future-looks-like-west-village-university-of-california-at-davis?cmpid=WNL-Friday-November29-2013

3.  A PNAS article confirms that leakage and global warming impact make natural gas a destructive choice as an energy source.  http://www.alternet.org/environment/methane-emissions-natural-gas-production-far-higher-epa-estimates   Cheap fracked gas, a friendly administration, protection from prosecution for environmental destruction, and even support from such as the Environmental Defense Fund has made the gas industry a formidable enemy of sustainable energy.  http://www.star-telegram.com/2013/11/27/5351234/saudi-america-fracking-boom-a.html?rh=1

4.  World weather-related insurance losses have doubled each decade since the 1980s, adjusted for inflation.  Munich Re has been studying climate and its impact since 1973 and has maintained profits by adjusting their premiums according to their findings.  They are intent on not being surprised by sea level rise.   http://www.theglobeandmail.com/report-on-business/rob-magazine/an-industry-that-has-woken-up-to-climate-change-no-deniers-at-global-resinsurance-giant/article15635331/?page=all

5.  The power supplied by Central American public utilities is now approaching 65% renewable, thanks to a broad array of relatively low-cost programs.  http://www.trust.org/item/20131128170602-5qi3n/

6.  RealClimate has an interesting representation of a survey of scientists publishing on sea level rise regarding projections, and an even more interesting string of comments at the end.  http://www.realclimate.org/index.php/archives/2013/11/sea-level-rise-what-the-experts-expect/#more-16340

7.  According to Tom Steyer, who should know, Ken Cuccinelli’s climate denial was a key reason he lost the VA governorship to Terry McAuliffe.  http://grist.org/politics/climate-change-no-longer-electoral-kryptonite/?utm_source=newsletter&utm_medium=email&utm_term=Daily%2520Dec%25202&utm_campaign=daily

8.  James Hansen and 17 colleagues have published a paper arguing in some detail that two degrees of warming would be disastrous, and that the time for decisive action is upon us.  http://www.columbia.edu/~jeh1/mailings/2013/20131202_PopularSciencePlosOneE.pdf
The study is in part a rebuttal of the emissions target suggested by the IPCC.  http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2013/dec/03/un-2c-global-warming-climate-change

9.  A panel of the National Research Council warns of the rising risk of sudden climate shifts and events.  http://www.npr.org/2013/12/03/248474721/ready-or-not-quick-climate-changes-worry-scientists-most

10.  A consortium of 13 international research teams has concluded that continuing with the existing global emissions goals renders effective action more and more difficult.  http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2013/12/131203110318.htm?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+sciencedaily+%28ScienceDaily%3A+Latest+Science+News%29
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