Regional nuclear war could spark climate change: New scientific modeling shows that a regional nuclear conflict between countries such as India and Pakistan could spark devastating climate changes worldwide, a team of researchers said on Monday —  “The current combination of nuclear proliferation, political instability and urban demographics form perhaps the greatest danger to the stability of society since the dawn of humanity.” AlertNet 

A threat we’re not ready for: The public discussion about climate change is likely to have many people thinking it’s just to do with drought, nuclear power versus coal or the possibility of higher prices if carbon “taxes” are used to recalibrate energy supply and demand …. but for the federal Coalition Government …. to keep sidestepping the broader climate change discussion is irresponsible and misleading. Andrew Wilkie in The Age

Desalination without emissions: There are plenty of suggestions for how to beat the drought, and desalination is one that is frequently mentioned. The problem with desalination has always been that it’s expensive — plants cost a lot to build, and they’re not cheap to run, either. But RMIT scientists say they’ve developed a solar-thermal desalination plant that turns salty groundwater into the good stuff, and produces no greenhouse emissions in the process. ABC Central Victoria

Climate change capturing voter attention around the world: It’s the environment, stupid!” Just as Bill Clinton used the battle cry “It’s the economy, stupid!” to keep his 1992 presidential campaign focused, political leaders worldwide are chanting a new mantra based on growing alarm about global warming. Reuters

No link yet between human-caused global warming and cyclones: Despite a recent increase in dangerous typhoons and hurricanes, no firm link can yet be drawn between human-induced climate change and variations in intensity and frequency of tropical cyclones, the United Nations World Meteorological Organisation (WMO) has reported, citing a consensus of 125 leading researchers and forecasters. UN News