Green news is humming with a number of pressing issues: increasing methane levels due to the Arctic melt; increasing drought throughout the world leading to land abandonment; and the issue of water – Europe’s bid to privatise; and is water the ‘new oil’. But, what is SA doing about climate change?

Arctic melt responsible for rise in methane. A global study in Geophysical Research Letters found the first increase in methane levels this century — by about 28 million tonnes since mid-2006 — was in part due to release of gas in and near the Arctic. Data from the study was in line with predictions that rapid melting of Arctic ice would create natural wetlands, one of the most common methane emitters. [theage]

Climate change could lead to ‘economic deserts’ even in wealthy countries. Parts of the world may have to be abandoned because severe water shortages will leave them uninhabitable, the United Nations environment chief has warned. Water shortages caused by over-use of rivers and aquifers were already leading to serious problems, even in rich nations. [guardian]

European Commission intent on privatisation of water, despite pressure for public control. The first-ever pan-European civil society coalition against water privatisation was launched last week during the European Social Forum in the Swedish city Malmö. Including citizens groups from Italy, Germany, France, Spain, Turkey and a dozen other countries across Europe…[alternet] (read more about what's happening in SA...)

Is water the new oil? Global population, economic development and a growing appetite for meat, dairy and fish protein have raised human water demand sixfold in 50 years. Meanwhile, supplies have been diminished in several ways… [guardian]

The good news in SA:

Local MPs want sun, wind, water for the people. A group of impatient MPs have unveiled a private member’s bill to speed up the process of renewable energy. The lobby group, called eREACT, may force Eskom to make sure that solar, wind and hydro power producers are paid a ‘fixed tariff to feed energy into the grid...’ [IOL]

WWF solution to reduce carbon emissions in SA. South Africa's carbon footprint is way above the world average - a reflection both on the country's heavy reliance on coal and on our high level of energy inefficiency. Richard Worthington, climate change programme manager for the South African branch of the WWF, referred to the WWF Climate Solutions Model in the Living Planet Report, which showed that it was technically possible to dramatically reduce carbon emissions from energy services, while expanding energy supplies. There were three principal strategies in WWF's model to reduce carbon emissions and increase energy services: energy efficiency; rapid growth of a full range of low-emission technologies, and fossil-fuelled plants with carbon & capture (we’re not completely sold on carbon capture – read more here) storage technology. [IOL]