Category Archives: science

The science of climate change, incorporating earth sciences, atmospheric science, oceanography, biology, ecology, meteorology

Snow on snow: vanishing glacial ice

Posted on 19 June 2018 by Peter Boyer

Winter’s white blanket of snow is becoming rarer. We must learn to appreciate it. There could be no better description of how our planet begins its descent into an ice age than Christina Rossetti’s haunting 1872 Christmas carol: “Snow on … Continue reading →

Posted in Antarctic, carbon emissions and targets, changes to climate, climate sensitivity, glaciology, marine sciences, modelling, palaeoclimatology, science, sea level | Comments Off on Snow on snow: vanishing glacial ice

Natural disaster: a tale of two cities

Posted on 22 May 2018 by Peter Boyer

Recovery from disastrous events like floods and earthquakes involves vision and  imagination as well as hard yakka. Hobart and Christchurch have a lot in common. They’re around the same latitude and each is the main centre on a southern island. … Continue reading →

Posted in Adaptation, built environment, Bureau of Meteorology, bureaucracy, business, investment, employment, carbon, carbon emissions and targets, changes to climate, climate politics, climate system, CSIRO, economic activity, extreme events, extreme events, future climate, investment, land use, leadership, local economy, local government, planning, science | Tagged , , | Comments Off on Natural disaster: a tale of two cities

We are a nation in denial

Posted on 15 May 2018 by Peter Boyer

Experts, opinion leaders, politicians and the rest of us are in denial about Australia’s grossly inadequate climate response. Next time you hear a political leader talk about progress in curbing greenhouse emissions, bear this in mind: right now, the level of carbon … Continue reading →

Posted in agriculture and farming, Australian politics, carbon, carbon cycle, carbon emissions and targets, carbon pricing scheme, carbon record, carbon tax, contrarians, forests and forestry, fossil fuels, land use, leadership | Comments Off on We are a nation in denial