http://www.munichre.com/en/ts/climate_ch ange_and_insurance/strategy_and_policy/d efault.aspx

http://www.theclimategroup.org/programs/ the-climate-principles/

Speaking of Portland, we are anticipating a terrible year for hydro runoff. And here is where the economic impacts start. The Bonneville Power Administration, the regional federal power distribution agency, monitors snowpack throughout the Northwest including up into eastern British Columbia where the headwaters of the Columbia River are, and most of the storage for the spring-summer freshet occurs.

As of last week, expected runoff at the big dam at The Dalles, Oregon (right by the Google net center) is projected at about 67% of average, down from a projected 74% just a month ago.

http://www.hydroworld.com/index/display/ article-display/7044873436/articles/hrhr w/News-2/2010/02/decreased-runoff_could. html

This is directly related to the fairly strong El Nino we’re currently having, but the climate models in this region show earlier and “peakier” runoff that will significantly affect hydropower, fish passage, domestic water supply (especially in Seattle and other parts of the region directly dependent on glacial runoff for drinking water) and agriculture in the future.

We are even wondering whether climate change is already affecting the ENSO cycle, but that’s just conjectural at this point. The irregularity of the cycle over the last decade is cause for some concern, however. And the visuals of crews trucking snow into the Olympic sites leaves a big impression in these parts.

The economic recession did a nice job of killing off the construction industry in Las Vegas. But there’s a pretty powerful argument that Las Vegas is built out, not due to lack of land, but to lack of water. Arizona has pretty junior rights as well and looks to be facing tough times over the next few decades as the Colorado River gets drier. There’s a blog called Inkstain (here) that’s pretty good on Southwest water issues.

Being interested in one side of a story (if such story exists at all), and not in other aspects of it may produce amusing stories and anecdotes, but it’s not exactly good journalism.

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As for fears about Earth becoming a “Dune” style planet, they are absurd, since warmer oceans increase evaporation, and that leads to an increase in precipitations – inevitably.

As for fears about shortage of food, just think about the huge land masses of Northern Asia (a.k.a. Siberia), Canada and Alaska changing climate from cold to temperate. In terms of additional arable land this would be the equivalent of discovering a new continent.

to me i guess i want to know from businesses, beyond trying not to be a big part of the problem, and beyond new regs, new raw materials pricing/sourcing, new transport regimes, maybe even on the other side of planned obsolescence, if all your externalities are on your books (like http://j.mp/4GwAR3 ), what’s your business model look like?

cuz there’s too much else. to silo climate.

The changes are causing extreme weather patterns to become more extreme, I don’t take heed of studies, it is obvious from weather reports.

Then we mix waste into the equation, shoddy reasoning.

On thing is for sure, we are too many and the large cities need to reduce headcounts, de-urbanisation,they are the main sources of waste concentrates and will also not cope with evacuations.

Then of course, the saddest part of my trip, a diamond mining company that completely destroyed a very large estuary/delta on the Atlantic Seaboard. It looks like Saudi on a good day. Who cares about rehabilitation legislation and fines ?

I’m very interested to read this piece when it’s done.