Pacific Ocean warming faster than it has in 10,000 years, study finds

Scientists have struggled to explain a recent slowdown in the rise of global surface temperatures while skeptics have seized on the 15-year lull to cast doubt on the science of climate change. http://www.latimes.com/science/sciencenow/la-pacific-ocean-warming-faster-10000-years-climate-change-20131101,0,2144238.story#axzz2k4Sz0UPx Article courtesy of the Los Angeles Times by Tony Barboza

California must adopt aggressive climate-change policies, report says

California will fall short of its goal to slash greenhouse gas emissions by midcentury unless it adopts aggressive policies to fight climate change, a new report says. http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-1105-greenhouse-gases-20131105,0,4761079.story#axzz2k4Sz0UPx Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by Tony Barboza

In Indonesia, Environmentalists See a Disaster in the Making

Aceh, the northern province on the Indonesian island of Sumatra, is a region made famous by separatist conflict and natural disasters, calamities that long held back economic development but helped preserve one of the world’s richest ecosystems. Now conservationists say the rapid clearing of virgin forest is paving the way for environmental catastrophe, turning critically endangered orangutans, tigers and elephants into refugees, and triggering landslides and flash floods http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/12/world/asia/in-indonesia-environmentalists-see-a-disaster-in-the-making.html?ref=science Article courtesy of The New York Times by Sara Schonhardt

Bulgaria’s Air Is Dirtiest in Europe, Study Finds, Followed by Poland

Bulgaria has the highest concentrations of the two major varieties of particulate matter, which are tiny airborne droplets or gas particles that come from smokestacks, vehicle tailpipes or a variety of other sources. They can lead to health problems from asthma to cancer. Bulgaria also has the highest concentrations of carbon monoxide and sulfur dioxide, according to the report by the European Environment Agency http://www.nytimes.com/2013/10/15/business/international/bulgarias-air-is-dirtiest-in-europe-study-finds-followed-by-poland.html?ref=science&_r=0 Article courtesy of The New York Times by Danny Hakim

Government shutdown hits fishermen, farmers, physicists

WASHINGTON — The crabbers are getting, well, crabby. With the offices of the National Marine Fisheries Service closed because of the federal government shutdown, fishermen have been unable to get permits for the Alaska king crab season, which begins Tuesday http://www.latimes.com/nation/la-na-shutdown-impacts-20131012,0,1327984.story Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by Richard Simon

California's alternative-energy program under scrutiny

California is spending nearly $15 million to build 10 hydrogen fueling stations, even though just 227 hydrogen-powered vehicles exist in the state today. It's a hefty bet on the future, given that government officials have been trying for nine years, with little success, to get automakers to build more hydrogen cars.http://www.latimes.com/local/la-me-energy-subsidies-20131014,0,1024399.story Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times by Ralph Vartabedian and Evan Halper

BART unions extend talks for one day, avert Monday strike

OAKLAND – Less than 90 minutes before a midnight strike deadline for the Bay Area’s commuter rail system, union leaders agreed to extend negotiations for one more day, sparing 200,000 round-trip riders the anxiety of a scramble for alternative transportation on a Monday. The surprise twist came after a marathon weekend of negotiations in which BART management and union leaders – as well as state and local elected officials who had streamed into Caltrans headquarters to help achieve resolution – described developments as "hopeful." http://www.latimes.com/local/lanow/la-me-bart-strike-averted-20131013,0,789923.story Article courtesy of The Los Angeles Times-LA NOW by Lee Romney