The Race to the Poles

This past Thursday, Canada and Russia tried to work out claims over the Arctic as each country looked to its energy riches and new shipping routes made increasingly possible by the melting Polar ice. 
Along with Canada and Russia, Norway, Denmark, and the United States are all at odds over how to divide up the Arctic seabed. Why? According to the US Geological Survey, the Arctic is thought to hold 90 billion barrels of oil and 30 percent of the world's untapped gas resources.
Every winter, the Arctic ice shelf returns less and less making the seabed more accessible.
In an effort to solidify the idea that the North Pole has been claimed since 2007 (Here: Quest for the Poles), Russia will boost its research efforts next month by launching a drifting research station. Russia must have scientific data of such energy sources, prove that the people of Russia need said energy and submit them to the United Nations in 2013 (matching the claim made by Canada expected for that year.)
The two Arctic nations claim the Lomonosov Ridge, a mountain chain running underneath the Arctic, as an extension of their continental shelf. AP

U.S. Starts Setting Itself Some Standards

A 684 page carbon cutting legislation called the American Clean Energy and Security Act kicked off the long anticipated battle over climate change for the United States. The U.S. Congress included energy policy changes, ranging from a mandate that 25 percent of U.S. electricity come from renewable sources by 2025 to energy efficient codes for new buildings.

The most controversial aspect of the bill is its proposal to place a price on carbon and other climate changing gases by implementing a cap - and - trade system. The program would require any business that emits more than 25,000 tons of greenhouse gases per year, such as oil companies, electric utilities or large industrial plants, to buy federal share or allowance.

"This legislation will create millions of clean energy jobs, put America on the path to energy independence and cut global warming pollution," said House Energy and Commerce Committee Chairman Henry Waxman. Climate Science

A Macho Murder?

The last known jaguar in the United States was put to sleep a couple months ago after trackers discovered the 13 year old cat was suffering from kidney failure.
Now some experts say that decision may have been too hasty. A necropsy by veterinary pathologists at the University of Arizona, suggested that the animal was not suffering from kidney failure and may have just been dehydrated. Macho B, the oldest known wild jaguar, died within days after being snared, tranquilized and collared.

"If something about the way you capture an animal causes stress, injury, pain or death, you've got to know so that next time you capture one, you don't make the same mistake. I'm sure everyone feels terrible about it, but if we haven't been able to learn from it, that's really bad." said Jessup, who has 30 years of experience with wildlife captures and post mortem examinations.

There are no bad guys to this story, Macho B was extremely sick and treating a wild cat can be dangerous and difficult. "By grabbing the public's attention, Macho B can spread the word about jaguar conservation (in the USA)," said Michael Robinson, a conservation advocate at the Center for Biological Diversity. Discovery

We Agree With Ourselves

The United States is set to hold its own climate change conference despite the fact that the world has already done so. The meetings scheduled for January 30th and, my birthday Wh00t!, January 31st are focusing on figuring out a safe way to use nuclear power and burn coal at the same time trapping the greenhouse gas emissions to prevent them from entering our atmosphere.. as well as a few other issues.
As my president tries to figure out how that could be done, the world criticizes the U.S. for undermining the U.N.
"And that underscores the importance of the Major Economies process, the aim of which is to focus on a few key areas from the Bali road map where the major economies can make a detailed contribution to be brought into the UN negotiations." said Jim Connaughton, chairman of the White House's Council on Environmental Quality.
More on this issue Friday.

What The United States Doesn't Understand

The UN Climate Change Conference concluded last week after a 13th unscheduled day of talks and set the bar for participating countries to cut their greenhouse gas emissions for what is now called 'Kyoto II'. But the United States still remains the only major industrialised nation to reject the Kyoto treaty and will not comply to mention figures as it feels developing countries, like China, needs to make tougher emission commitments.
The senior US negotiator, Paula Dobriansky, said she had heard "many strong statements from many major developing country leaders on a greater role in helping to address urgently this global problem." But "doesn't seem it's going to be reflected in our outcome here in the declaration."
Dobriansky was loudly booed by other negotiators, and a US environmental activist representing New Guinea said to thrilling applauds:
"If you're not willing to lead, please get out of the way."
Fighting climate change will require commitments not only from developing countries but also from larger developed nations.
As a citizen of the United States, I feel that I am not in an agreement with my government over this issue. The United States is taking a back seat to a global initiative to halt a crisis that will eventually affect billions of people, especially those in third world countries all because we fear that China is not setting a high enough goal for itself.. See that's how much America believes in you, World. Aim higher then you believe you can achieve, if not we will not join any of your clubs.

To fully understand the concept of my photo above go to MySpace.com/TheChardonairs and listen to the song Captain America!

UPDATE: It is now being reported that the United States has joined in the global emissions pledge to now take part in the negotiations. The two main debatable questions to be answered are how to reduce gas emissions for developed/developing nations and what sort of commitment poor and emerging economies should take on in the future.
Yesterday, I was very upset with my country (if you couldn't tell with that last bit of sarcasm) and now I am very proud. We decided to quit dragging our feet and step up to join the world in solving our crisis.
Other commitments for change include sending the necessary technology to aid the rising economies to grow, to deal with the severe issue of deforestation (which is responsible for one-fifth of the world's greenhouse gases) and to create a U.N. fund to help poor countries adapt to the effects of climate change, such as droughts and flooding.

America Invades Japan!

What I meant for the title to read: American Bluegill Fish Invades Japans Waters. Oops.


The fairly aggressive American native, Bluegill fish, has caused some grief to Japan's Emperor Akihito after he introduced the species of fish to Japan over 50 years ago. The Emporer received several Bluegills as a gift during a visit to the U.S. He was hoping to breed the fish as a substantial food source but some have broken free from the research centers, wiped out the Japanese royal bitterling and are now currently reducing the number of some other native fish. Many marine experts in Japan are working to bring the Bluegill fish back into captivity. Source.