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The Best Science Writing Online 2012
Showcasing more than fifty of the most provocative, original, and significant online essays from 2011, The Best Science Writing Online 2012 will change the way...
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“Kyoto divided the world…between rich and poor, developed and developing…our task now is to unite the world behind the shared vision of low carbon growth. The Maldives is trying to lead the way.”
That's Maldives President Mohammed Nasheed at the 2009 Copenhagen Climate Summit.
Or should I say former president? Nasheed was forced out of office this week. Allies of the dictator he democratically defeated seem to have taken over. And Nasheed could be headed to jail, where he’s already been 27 times before as a human rights activist in his nation.
Thus far, the U.S. has provisionally recognized the coup leaders as the legitimate government, despite the fact that Nasheed is the only democratically elected president in Maldives history.
He's also a leader of the international fight against climate change. He's pledged to make the Maldives carbon neutral by 2020 and held an underwater cabinet meeting in scuba gear to highlight the existential threat his nation faces from rising sea levels caused by global warming. He's even corralled support for climate agreements in Copenhagen, Cancun and Durban. That means a coup in the tiny chain of islands might mean big things for the global effort to combat climate change.
—David Biello
[The above text is a transcript of this podcast.]
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14 Comments
Add CommentThis is a story about - nothing. The subtitle "...may mean more--or even less..." says it all, what else is there, no change?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisNot sure what SA is trying to imply here. Is it global warming is being spearheaded by a now deposed dictator? I dont think the warmist religion will get far with that kind of message. Save the planet from CO2 and make sure warmist dictators stay in power!!! ahhh yeah thats not going to work.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisDictator? Exactly which part of "Nasheed is the only democratically elected president in Maldives history" lead you to that conclusion?
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe overthrow of President Nasheed at gunpoint is a very disturbing story. Just consider this:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe Maldives is the planet's lowest country, with an average elevation of 1.5 metres above sea level. The highest natural point in the country's 298 sq. kilometers is only 2.4 metres elevation. It will be the first country to disappear under rising sea levels. No wonder Nasheed was a clarion voice to address climate change!
Maldives was also near the top of the very short list of Islamist democracies (see http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Islam_and_democracy ); not so any longer.
Whether his overthrow was motivated by climate change deniers or Islamic fundamentalists, the world has changed. Be worried, be very worried. The superficial interest of the media in this is itself startling.
Rich or poor, developed or developing, the contributions of all nations are equally destructive. The poor and developing nations contribute massive populations, by far worse than any greenhouse gas when it comes to reducing biodiversity and habitat. Our population numbers are the primary cause of climate change not greenhouse gas emissions.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisWhat is worse, for religious reasons they refuse to control population growth and like Bangladesh export their surplus people. These exported populations demand their host nations accept their culture, morals, beliefs and breeding habits, but on their part accept absolutely nothing accept the social security benefits of their hosts.
Apparently you misunderstood the topic here. The Maldives population is somewhere around 300,000. Hardly a massive population contributing to a social security burden to more "civilized" nations.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisSA is merely reporting here that a tiny country,at great risk due to the consequences of global warming, has lost a leader who has passionately advocated for his country.
Perhaps you, as part of the over population problem you are describing, should think about whether you are part of your own dilemma.
Maybe it means the Islamists will invade the State Museum and destroy all the Buddhas.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe US support the coup leaders is par for the course. The US has had a hand in deposing of over 50 democratically elected governments in recent years.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisIt's nice of the Maldives to do its bit for GW but it's a tiny spit in a huge ocean. It wont inspire China, India, the rest of the developing nations and the USA to do the same. They're all hell bent on growing.
You've got that right. No question, the US knew it was coming and was okay with it.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisYou can't beat that Putin though, he's so worried about negative population growth he's encouraging Russians to have more sex.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisGood grief. I wish SA would keep to science.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to this'may'..'more or less'
A nothing article about nothing.
Here is a link to an article giving some background as to why he was removed:
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thishttp://www.usatoday.com/news/world/story/2012-02-07/maldives-nasheed/52995696/1
He may have been democratically elected, but it seems he wanted to be a dictator.
northstarman - Nothing here about Islamic fundamentalists. He acted like a dictator and was removed by the police and protesting citizens.
Mr. Nasheed proposed to take his country CO2e neutral, or even carbon negative by the use of thermal conversion of biomass. Theses Biofuel technologies are "off-the-shelf" and conserve the carbon in biomass for soil carbon sequestration in the form of Biochar.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe Executive Director of the Commission for Environmental Cooperation(CEC) asked me to speak on Thermal fractionating Bio-Refineries for harvesting carbon & integration of nutrient management. The talk I titled:
The Establishment of Soil Carbon as the Universal Measure of Sustainability
Personally, the one most rewarding moment of the year for me was after returning from my CEC talk to the EPA chiefs in Montreal, I sent the text to the climate change office at DOE, with a cc to Dr. Rattan Lal at OSU, the most cited soil scientist in the world,(or as Dr.Jeff Novak at ARS joked; "In the universe" :). Dr. Lal replied to me with thanks and was impressed, commending me on conceptualizing & articulating the concept.
A report, text & links are here; http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biochar-policy/message/3233
Instigation of, in situ, Biochar Hg remediation with DuPont & ORNL ran a close second, A 95% reduction of Hg uptake in the food chain was most impressive.
The Major Endorsements include:
Dr. Jim Hansen,(NASA), Dr. James Lovelock,(Gaia)
Nobel laureates; Al Gore and Dr. Mario Molina,(Ozone Savior)
Politicians; Tony Blair, Tony Abbott, Secretaries Salazar & Vilsack,
Environmentalist; Tim Flannery, Bill McKibben, Richard Branson & his Carbon War Room.
The Bio-refining components to harvest Carbon;
The photosynthetic "capture" collectors are up and running all around us, the "storage" sink is in operation just under our feet, conversion reactors are the only infrastructure we need to build out. Carbon, as the center of life, has high value to recapitalize our soils. Yielding nutrient dense foods and Biofuels, Paying Premiums of pollution abatement and toxic remediation and the growing Dividends created by the increasing biomass of a thriving soil community.
Since we have filled the air, filling the seas to full, soil is the only beneficial place left.
Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it.
Mr. Nasheed proposed to take his country C-neutral, or even C-Negative with "off the shelf" technology for soil carbon sequestration, what I proposed at the Commission for Environmental Cooperation, to the EPA chiefs of North America.
Reply | Report Abuse | Link to thisThe most cited soil scientist in the world, Dr. Rattan Lal at OSU, was impressed with this talk, commending me on conceptualizing & articulating the concept.
Bellow the opening & closing text. A Report on my talk at CEC, and complete text & links are here:
http://tech.groups.yahoo.com/group/biochar-policy/message/3233
The Establishment of Soil Carbon as the Universal Measure of Sustainability
The Paleoclimate Record shows agricultural-geo-engineering is responsible for 2/3rds of our excess greenhouse gases. The unintended consequence, the flowering of our civilization. Our science has now realized these consequences and has developed a more encompassing wisdom. Wise land management, afforestation and the thermal conversion of biomass can build back our soil carbon. Pyrolysis, Gasification and Hydro-Thermal Carbonization are known biofuel technologies, What is new are the concomitant benefits of biochars for Soil Carbon Sequestration; building soil biodiversity & nitrogen efficiency, for in situ remediation of toxic agents, and, as a feed supplement cutting the carbon foot print of livestock. Modern systems are closed-loop with no significant emissions. The general life cycle analysis is: every 1 ton of biomass yields 1/3 ton Biochar equal to 1 ton CO2e, plus biofuels equal to 1MWh exported electricity, so each energy cycle is 1/3 carbon negative.
Beyond Rectifying the Carbon Cycle;
Biochar systems Integrate nutrient management, serving the same healing function for the Nitrogen and Phosphorous Cycles.
The Agricultural Soil Carbon Sequestration Standards are the royal road for the GHG Mitigation;
The Bio-Refining Technologies to Harvest Carbon.
The photosynthetic "capture" collectors are up and running all around us, the "storage" sink is in operation just under our feet, conversion reactors are the only infrastructure we need to build out. Carbon, as the center of life, has high value to recapitalize our soils. Yielding nutrient dense foods and Biofuels, Paying Premiums of pollution abatement and toxic remediation and the growing Dividend created by the increasing biomass of a thriving soil community.
Since we have filled the air,
filling the seas to full,
soil is the only beneficial place left.
Carbon to the Soil, the only ubiquitous and economic place to put it.