Politics

Tim Flannery, one of Australia's top scientists and author of The Weather Makers: The History and Future Impact of Climate Change talks to Andi Hazelwood of Global Public Media about his suggested mitigations for climate change on the heels of the alarming new report from the Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO). Flannery also discusses Australia's drought and food crises, relocalization and Bjorn Lomborg's skeptical new book on global warming.

Queensland's newly appointed Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation talks with GPM's Andi Hazelwood about his robust new portfolio (with double the previous environmental budget), the impending public release of his government-commissioned report on "Queensland's Vulnerability to Oil Prices," and the importance of relocalisation in the face of oil depletion.

Paul Syvret, assistant editor and columnist for the Courier Mail newspaper in Australia, talks to GPM's Andi Hazelwood about the forthcoming report on "Queensland's Vulnerability to Rising Oil Prices." Syvret also discusses his coverage of peak oil in the Courier Mail and other News Corp. publications and his own thoughts on peak oil and mitigation strategies.

Stuart McCarthy of the Association for the Study of Peak Oil and Gas talks to GPM's Andi Hazelwood about Queensland's new leadership, Andrew McNamara's recent appointment to Minister for Sustainability, Climate Change and Innovation, McNamara's "Queensland's Vulnerability to Rising Oil Prices" report three years in the making and today's coverage of this landmark report in Queensland's Courier-Mail newspaper.

Local-global-cosmic. The start of a new year always seems to be a time for reflection and prediction. Mayors Gramson, Williams, Van Dusen and Larsen of Warrenton, Cannon Beach, Astoria and Seaside -- and City Manager Jerry Taylor of Manzanita join us in examining local trends. Richard Heinberg makes a personal visit by phone from California addressing national and international trends. And, then we "sail into uncharted waters" and talk with a student of behavioral psychology-turned-astrologer Bill Herbst for the cosmic perspective on the first decade of the 21st Century.

Former BBC journalist David Strahan talks to GPM's Julian Darley about the sudden attention to peak oil in the UK and elsewhere from the media, the NPC, the IEA, Goldman Sachs and CIBC. Strahan also recounts his experience with the UK's new All Party Parliamentary Group on Peak Oil and Gas (APPGOPO).

Green architect, author, economist, feng shui-ist and local legend Tom Bender recounting his recent essay, "Oh, NO! We've Been Elected!" Connecting the dots between global warming and peak oil, and peak oil and culture, Tom draws on his own award-winning "Factor 10 Economics" for solutions to the question, "What can I do?" Putting Spirituality back into the equation is a good start, and Tom leaves us with a sense that this is going to be an exciting adventure in which we can all take part.

Sheri Liao is founder and president of Global Village Beijing, the foremost non-governmental organization (NGO) working towards a greener China. In this presentation to the World Affairs Council in San Francisco, she discusses the battle that Chinese environmentalists face when taking on polluters and unsustainable businesses, and outlines the ways in which progress is being made. Yes, there is an environmental movement in the world's most populous nation, and Sheri Liao is at the forefront.

My book The Oil Depletion Protocol: A Plan to Avert Oil Wars, Terrorism and Economic Collapse was released eight months ago; given the importance of its subject, I thought an update might be useful. Relevant developments during these few months have been both encouraging and discouraging.

An update to Heinberg's 20 May 2007 Museletter update (!) on the ever-changing situation with Iran. Stay tuned for more as it happens.

MuseLetter for March this year, titled, “Iran: We Will Know Soon,” was a summary of the information available at the time regarding the likelihood of a US or Israeli air attack on Iran’s nuclear research facilities—an attack that many informed commentators and analysts have considered very likely. The most recent news on this score is very good.