Merry Christmas

We would like to wish all of you Hulme Geog Bloggers a very Merry Christmas.

Let it snow, let it snow, let it snow.

Swiss glaciers are melting away at an accelerating rate and many will vanish this century if climate projections are correct, two new studies suggest.
One assessment found that some 10 cubic km of ice have been lost from 1,500 glaciers over the past nine years.
The other study, based on a sample of 30 representative glaciers, indicates the group's members are now losing a metre of thickness every year.
Both pieces of work come out of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology.

For more details click this link.

Track Santa's progress

Some of you may have heard about, or even seen the Norad site that allows you to track Santa's progress.

Well it has lots more besides - Click the image above to take you to the website.

EC climate deal reached

European Union leaders have reached a deal on a package of measures to fight global warming.
The plan, agreed at a Brussels summit, sets out how 27 member-countries will cut carbon emissions by 20% by 2020, compared with 1990 levels.

For more information click this link to the BBC.

It's a no!

The people of Manchester have voted on the introduction of a congestion charge and the result is not in doubt.

78% of those who voted said No. For more details click this link to Manchester Evening News page.

The Hulme vote had a very similar result with 80% of people voting against the transport developments.

EU Climate Package

The EU is trying to hammer out a final deal on a climate change package that is supposed to become law in the 27-nation EU early next year.
The package focuses on three areas: emissions cuts, renewables and energy efficiency.

To see more details on the EU Climate Package click this link.

CAP proposals faulter

France has failed to get unanimous agreement on the future of the EU's Common Agricultural Policy (CAP) during EU farm ministers' talks in Brussels.
The UK, Sweden and Latvia objected to the final French draft on EU farm policy after 2013.
The CAP farm support scheme is the biggest item of EU spending - absorbing about 55bn euros (£45bn) annually - about 40% of the entire EU budget.

For more information click here.

Rainforest Clearance Accelerates

The destruction of the Amazon rainforest in Brazil has accelerated for the first time in four years, Brazilian officials say.
Satellite images show 11,968 sq km of land was cleared in the year to July, nearly 4% higher than the year before.

For more information click the following link: BBC News