Bali Climate Change Talks End December 16, 2007

There was quite a lot of drama, and it seems the talks ended on a good note with the US agreeing to 2-years of negotiations on decreasing greenhouse gas emissions together with the rest of the world. It wasn’t Al Gore, whose criticism of his country’s behavior garnered a round of applause, nor was it the scathing remarks of green NGO’s, nor was it the threat of political suicide at home, that at the very last minute changed the mind of the US delegate and join the rest of the world in legally binding negotiations to avert further climate change. It was the very stern reprimand of Papua New Guinea that changed the tides.

Although, I am skeptical about how thing will proceed in the next two years, I am hopeful because IPCC chairman Rajendra Pachauri is satisfied with the outcome of the talks. The IPCC, together with Al Gore, have jointly been awarded the Nobel Peace Prize for their work on the film An Inconvenient Truth.

Watch the last days of Bali on video.

Press Conference on UN Climate Change Meeting December 15, 2007

The consensus at the Bali UN Climate Change Meeting is that there is one country whose seems to have come to the meeting with a sinister attitude of destroying the talks that all other countries have come to with an attitude of goodwill. That country is the USA. The US is the top emitter of greenhouse gases, yet is unwilling to cooperate with other countries in placing caps that will significantly lower emissions. The Bush administration even had the absurd idea that countries should meet with them at a meeting in the Whitehouse and take talks on climate change from there. The United Nations is the only place that countries can meet and make decisions that are legally binding. Not only is the administration isolated from the talks but from their own country as well. Back in the US historic legislation and laws on reducing CO2 emissions have just been passed into law by individual states and the senate.

Watch the press conference with representatives of NGO’s that are involved on OneClimate Virtual Bali.

Wildlife Photographs November 10, 2007

These images of wildlife by National Geographic are beautiful. My favorite is the one of the penguins surfing the arctic waves.

Download for desktop is available on their website.

IPCC & World Governments Will Meet On Climate Change Issues November 9, 2007

The UN climate panel will meet with 130 governments in Valencia, Spain next week. The panel will seek tougher measures from countries, especially the US and China, in curbing climate change. There is no doubt as to the cause of climate change and to the solutions that need to be applied. According to the scientists, climate change can still be averted with tougher measures.

“There is no reason to question the science any longer,” said Achim Steiner, head of the U.N. Environment Programme, who said states should act “in the collective interest of humanity.”

The fear of environmentalists is that pressure from some governments might water down the conclusion of the IPCC 20-page summary for policy makers in order to stall action.

full story: UN Climate Panel to Meet, Add Pressure for Action

Al Gore & the IPCC Win the Nobel Peace Prize October 15, 2007

The Nobel Peace Prize for 2007 went to Al Gore and the United Nation’s Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

Gore in a statement said he was ” deeply honored … We face a true planetary emergency. The climate crisis is not a political issue, it is a moral and spiritual challenge to all of humanity.”

“It is the most dangerous challenge we’ve ever faced, but it is also the greatest opportunity we have had to make changes,” he later said at a brief news conference in Palo Alto, Calif.

~ MSNBC, Oct. 12, 2007

This really gives me hope for the future of our environment. I was beginning to see this fight for environmental causes as an exercise in futility.

Thanks Al.

Gorbachev - Fashion Model August 25, 2007

Did I hear right? The big news in the fashion industry is that Mikhail Gorbachev, former President of the Soviet Union, will be modeling for Louis Vuitton’s new luggage line. If that’s not enough to make you do a double take, he will be donating all proceeds from his modeling gig to Conservation International, whose spokesperson is none other than Al Gore. Talk about crossing political, ideological and stereotypical barriers, this really takes the cake. Go Gorby!

Hello SF! August 24, 2007

I am all settled in beautiful San Francisco and truly enjoying this wonderful city. My arrival on the other hand wasn’t so pleasant… I arrived on Aug. 14 at eight in the evening and got home at 10 pm because I was sent to the Homeland Security room. Why why why??? What took up most of my time there was the waiting, and then I was asked some incredibly inane questions that took all of three minutes. I have absolutely no idea why they called me in and I had no intention of prolonging my stay at the airport by demanding to know the reasons why I was directed to them. I’ve been coming to SF for the past twenty years and staying in the same apartment. Whatever reasons they may have, it’s insane. And to top it all, when I got home to the apartment my keys didn’t work because, apparently, the locks were changed a year ago and no one bothered to tell me. Luckily my neighbors, the Ziegler’s, were awake and let me in. Still none of that could bring me down. I was glad to be in SF and that was the last of my bad luck.

The next day I cleaned up the apartment and shopped for my necessities. The first place I went to was Whole Foods and I bought some of the things I love about SF – unpasteurized raw milk, artisan bread, miso mayo, soup in a carton (wasn’t to good, but very convenient), salmon smoked in ginger and tea, sliced turkey with bits of chipotle pepper, parma ham, some very fresh veggies and Odwalla juices. I think I have enough food for two weeks.

The weather is perfect and everything is working out smoothly. It took me some time to decide what laptop to get and to order internet access. I finally decided on a MacBook, I love it! My PC in Manila was giving me to much trouble, which is one of the reasons I hardly updated my blogs. Well, that all changes now…

As for my garden/farm, I left it as is and told the remaining farmers they could plant their own produce and sell it on their own. In return they are caretakers of my property. Before I left, Mario planted corn and I got a batch of delicious sweet corn in time for my Bon Voyage party. I had to leave my pets, who will be well taken care of, at my apartment with my helper. I miss them terribly. Thank god my cousin will be moving in with her fiancé in a couple of months. Hopefully they have a happy home life once again. My Mom and sister Marta took me to the airport, lots of hugs all around.

Open-faced Smoked Salmon Sandwich

a slice of Italian rustic bread
miso mayonnaise or plain mayo
mixed clover & radish sprouts
smoked wild salmon

Spread mayo on lightly toasted bread. Top with sprouts and smoked salmon. Delish.

EU’s New Climate Change Target January 10, 2007

On the news today is the EU’s new proposal for targets on Climate Change emission standards. It seems like they are proposing a 20% decrease on greenhouse gas emissions by the year 2020. Although this has just been proposed and not yet approved by the member countries they seem to be patting themselves on the back and proudly stating that this is “the most ambitious policy ever”.

“If this was adopted it would be by far the most ambitious policy ever — not only in Europe but the world — against climate change,” European Commission President Jose Manuel Barroso told a news conference.

Whether these policies ever get implemented is anybody’s guess. Sadly, even if these policies come to fruition, the targets are not nearly enough to make significant progress in the fight against Climate Change.

“Scientific findings show that it simply won’t be enough for the EU to only reduce CO2 emissions by 20 percent by 2020 if we want to avoid catastrophic climate change,” said Jan Kowalzig, climate campaigner at Friends of the Earth Europe.

When will policy makers actually listen to the scientists? It would take cooperation between all countries of the world and drastic measures to affect Climate Change. Considering the catastrophic impact of neglecting what scientists have been saying for decades about Climate Change it is mind-boggling that governments are not more inclined to make the environment the top of their agenda.

Climate Change websites:
Union of Concerned Scientists
An Inconvenient Truth
Fight Global Warming

January 1, 2007

Happy New Year and a Wonderful 2007!

Postcards From Vienna August 11, 2006

In my last post I joined the Blogger Postcards of the World exchange and yesterday I got some in my mail. What a pleasant surprise to find not one but 4 postcards from my secret sender. Johanna of The Passionate Cook wrote all about her homeland Vienna although she lives in London. I love to travel and discover new things and places so her write up was much appreciated. I must admit Vienna was not one of my list of places to visit and that’s because I didn’t know much about it. Thank you Johanna for sparking an interest in me. Vienna has much to offer in the way of culture and architecture which spans from the Baroque period to the present modern day. It is the birthplace of Johann Strauss, whose music, according to Johanna, “embodies everything that is Vienna and the Viennese”. She adds, that the Viennese concert every New Year is transmitted to over 40 nations. I will certainly try to catch that this New Year’s. What a wonderful thing! Johanna also wrote about Vienna’s coffee culture. I do love hanging out in cafes and I do have an awful sweet tooth for good pastry. She writes that the foremost intellectuals 100 years ago use to spend hours lingering in cafes over a cup of coffee, sharing thoughts. Nowadays, friends gather in cafes for coffee, pastry and chatting. Not a bad idea. Johanna shall I meet you there someday?