R.I.P. Rebecca Tarbotton, Head of Rainforest Action Network

Rebecca Tarbotton, executive director of Rainforest Action Network,  tragically drowned in rough surf in San Pancho, north of Puerto Vallarta, on December 28, 2012. Above, she addresses the 2012 REVEL Conference in October.

Butterflies Drink Turtle Tears

In Ecuador's Yasuní National Park, butterflies sip a yellow-spotted river turtle's tears. The mineral-rich liquid helps the insects reproduce. In exchange, the reptile gets a good eye-cleaning. (ref) Photo by Pete Oxford/Minden Pictures

Doha COP18 Ending in Failure as Super-Typhoon Bopha Ravages the Philippines

 As hopes for progress fade at COP18 in Doha, in spite of much talk about the devastation of Hurricane Sandy a few weeks ago in the U.S. and it's impact on both scientists and the general public, another super-storm, Typhoon Bopha, is devastating the Philippines, with 1000 dead and hundreds of thousands homeless at last count. Bopha is the strongest typhoon ever to hit Mindanao, the southernmost island of the Phillipines.  Storms this strong do not usually occur this far south because the coriolis force, which helps storms spin up, is weak at such latitudes. 

 

Remember how Sandy, moving in a northeastern direction up the US coast, stopped opposite New Jersey, gained strength and wind-speed, and then punched directly west? As the projected storm track (above right) shows, after having battered the southern lands, Bopha is expected to do a similar jujitsu- after strengthening in the China sea again, it will spin down to the east and hit the northern island of Luzon, the most populous island of the Philippines.

The Phillipine's delegate to the Doha COP118 Conference broke down while pleading for action:

World Bank Now Warns of Climate Catastrophe

"A shocking new report commissioned by the World Bank is warning temperatures could rise by 4 degrees Celsius (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit) by the end of the century, causing devastating food shortages, rising sea levels, cyclones and drought — even if countries meet their current pledges to reduce emissions. If these promises are not met, the increase could happen even sooner." -DemocracyNow, Dec 4, 2012