NASA: “It is nearly certain that a new record 12-month global temperature will be set in 2010″ – Must-read draft paper: “We conclude that global temperature continued to rise rapidly in the past decade” and “that there has been no reduction in the global warming trend of 0.15-0.20°C/decade that began in the late 1970s.”

NASA’s Goddard Institute for Space Studies (GISS) has released a draft paper “Current GISS Global Surface Temperature Analysis.”  It is a must read for warming junkies, but, as James Hansen notes in an e-mail, “it is too long for popular use.”  So Hansen offers “some of the main conclusions,” as well as a description of [...]

Scientists: “There are multiple, consistent lines of evidence from ground-based studies published in the peer-reviewed literature that Amazon forests are, indeed, very susceptible to drought stress.” – Major amplifying carbon-cycle feedback is not a “myth”

Up to 40% of the Amazonian forests could react drastically to even a slight reduction in precipitation; this means that the tropical vegetation, hydrology and climate system in South America could change very rapidly to another steady state, not necessarily producing gradual changes between the current and the future situation.
This statement [...]

20 environmental and climate groups applaud progress on Senate climate and clean energy jobs bill, will work to shape details

The details of the bipartisan climate and clean energy bill are starting to leak out (see here).
Twenty environmental, climate and progressive groups — including the one I work for — have issued a statement “in reaction to a late Thursday meeting with Senator John Kerry”:

“We are encouraged by the progress being made by Senators John [...]

20 environmental and climate groups applaud progress on Senate climate and clean energy jobs bill, will work to shape details

The details of the bipartisan climate and clean energy bill are starting to leak out (see here).
Twenty environmental, climate and progressive groups — including the one I work for — have issued a statement “in reaction to a late Thursday meeting with Senator John Kerry”:

“We are encouraged by the progress being made by Senators John [...]

Energy and Global Warming News for March 19th: Alcoa works to cut concentrated solar costs 20%; Largest efficiency overhaul in public housing history; U.S. researchers flock to China

Aluminum Maker Eyes Solar Industry
Alcoa, the aluminum giant, is testing a new type of solar technology that the company said it believed will lower the cost of renewable energy.

The company has replaced the glass in parabolic troughs with reflective aluminum and integrated the mirror into a single structure.
Parabolic troughs focus sunlight on liquid-filled receivers suspended [...]

The 5 characteristics of scientific denialism

One of the best climate websites is SkepticalScience.com run by physicist John Cook.
The goal of SkepticalScience is to “explain what peer reviewed science has to say about global warming” and answer the most common questions and objections raised both by the well-meaning doubters and the not-well-meaning disinformers.
Fortunately for us, Cook is blogging more [...]

Report: Mississippi, Montana, Louisiana and Oklahoma most vulnerable to oil spikes

A new report finds that comprehensive climate and clean energy legislation is needed to protect Americans from oil shock.  Brad Johnson has the details in this repost.
America’s exposure to oil spikes acts as a crippling do-nothing energy tax. In a white paper prepared for the Natural Resources Defense Council (NRDC), David Gardiner and Associates [...]