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Peter Fairley

Power Potential and Pitfalls on the Congo: Developing Africa’s Cleanest and Largest Hydropower Opportunity

The erratic progress made by the Democratic Republic of the Congo in capitalizing on the power of the Congo River for development of its economy is charted in this news analysis by writer Peter Fairley. Read his analysis here. NEW DEVELOPMENT: A Reuters news story confirms that the DRC government is pulling out of Westcor in favor of the Billiton-financed project.

Peter Fairley, posted on March 8th, 2010
Articles, Economy, Energy, Politics, Water | 2 Comments »

South Africa’s Polar-Orbiting Ploughshares – A National Space Agency could help it become a regional powerhouse in Earth observation

South Africa, having proven its satellite capacity in the design, build out, and launch of SunSat and SumbandilaSat, is preparing to take its space program into higher orbit with the launch of a space agency. Twelve months ago President Kgalema Motlanthe signed legislation to create the South African National Space Agency (SANSA), and nominations for a board were approved in the fall. Its mandate is to promote the peaceful use of space, accelerate the industrial development of space technology, and foster research and international cooperation space science and engineering.

Peter Fairley, posted on January 18th, 2010
Articles, Earth Observation, Politics, Technology | 3 Comments »

Space-bound in South Africa: A Down-to-Earth Conversation With Dr. Phil Mjwara

A month after South Africa succesfully launched it’s second Earth observation satellite, Sumbandila, Earthzine contributor Peter Fairley talks with Dr. Philemon Mjwara, Director General of South Africa’s Department of Science and Technology, about the launch, the benefits South Africa expects to reap from the satellite, and what’s in store for the future of developing countries’ involvement in Earth observation and sustainability.

Peter Fairley, posted on January 11th, 2010
Articles, Earth Observation, People, Technology | No Comments »

Sniffing Out Geothermal Energy Resources from the Surface, Sky and Space

In Sniffing out Geothermal Energy Resources from the Surface, Sky and Space, energy writer Peter Fairley travels to Paris to do on-the-scene reporting about the progress of geothermal energy in France and elsewhere. Fairley, the editor of the energy web journal Carbon-Nation, shows that geothermal is enjoying a renaissance among experts in many parts of the world as an effective alternative to fossil fuels that also reduces CO₂ emissions.

Peter Fairley, posted on May 7th, 2009
Articles, Earth Observation, Energy, Sustainability, Technology | 1 Comment »

Halting Biodiversity Loss: An Earthzine Conversation with Kalemani Joseph Mulongoy

For perspective on biodiversity loss and the data management challenges facing the CBD, Earthzine contributor Peter Fairley interviewed Kalemani Joseph Mulongoy by telephone at the CBD Secretariat in Montreal. Since 1999, Mr. Mulongoy has served as Principal Officer in charge of the Secretariat’s Scientific, Technical and Technological Matters Division.

Peter Fairley, posted on December 5th, 2008
Biodiversity, Featured Person, People, Politics | No Comments »

The Globally-Aware Island: An Earthzine Conversation With Japan’s Shin Aoyama

Earthzine speaks with Japan’s Deputy Director-General of the Ministry of Education, Culture, Sports, Science and Technology (MEXT), Mr. Aoyama, who represents Japan within GEO.

Peter Fairley, posted on July 15th, 2008
Earth Observation, Featured Person, GEOSS/ICEO News, People | No Comments »

An Earthzine Conversation With Michael H. Freilich

“It’s almost a golden age of Earth observation because these many missions which are flying at the same time are all measuring different aspects of the system at the same time, and most with global extent. This is giving us, for the first time, the fodder for assembling an integrated view of the Earth.”

Peter Fairley, posted on May 29th, 2008
Earth Observation, People | No Comments »

The GEO Challenge: An Earthzine Conversation With GEO Secretariat Director José Achache

French geophysicist and GEO Secretariat Director Jose Achache discusses not only the vision, progress and achievements of GEO but also the challenges relating to resources and industry’s role in GEOSS with Earthzine contributor Peter Fairley.

Peter Fairley, posted on April 15th, 2008
Articles, Earth Observation, Featured Person, GEOSS/ICEO News, People, Technology | 1 Comment »

Big Years for the Heliosphere

Three interlocking international science years – International Polar Year, International Heliospherical Year, and the Electronic Geophysical Year – are inspiring intense global collaboration and coordinated investment. Earthzine takes a close look at one of its core programs, Heliosphere Impact on Geospace, thatÃs spinning out a blizzard of new data on Earth’s geomagnetic phenomena.

Peter Fairley, posted on February 25th, 2008
Articles, Earth Observation, In This Issue, Technology | 1 Comment »

Straight Talk on Climate Communication and Earth Observation: A conversation with Dr. Jerry Mahlman

An expert on the behavior of the upper atmosphere, Mahlman led the development of one of the first global climate models, for which he received the American Geophysical Union’s Carl-Gustav Rossby Medal, its highest honor. Mahlman chaired the Earth System Science and Applications Advisory Committee for NASA’s Mission to Planet Earth program in the 1990s and was involved in the founding of the IPCC; He created the so-called betting odds scheme used by IPCC to evaluate uncertainty and was a reviewer of the Working Group I report for IPCC’s 2007 assessment.

Peter Fairley, posted on January 21st, 2008
Climate, Featured Person, People | No Comments »

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Orbital Sunrise

The Expedition 24 crew on the International Space Station photographed this image of polar mesospheric clouds illuminated by an orbital sunrise. Polar mesospheric, or noctilucent ("night shining"), clouds usually are seen at twilight, following the setting of the sun below the horizon and darkening of Earth's surface. Occasionally the station's orbital track becomes nearly parallel to Earth's day/night terminator for a time, allowing the clouds to be visible to the crew at times other than the usual twilight because of the station's altitude. This photograph shows polar mesospheric clouds illuminated by the rising, rather than setting, sun at center right. Low clouds on the horizon appear yellow and orange, while higher clouds and aerosols are illuminated a brilliant white. Polar mesospheric clouds appear as light blue ribbons extending across the top of the image. The station was located over the Greek island of Kos in the Aegean Sea (near the southwestern coastline of Turkey) when the image was taken at approximately midnight local time. The orbital complex was tracking northeastward, nearly parallel to the terminator, making it possible to observe an apparent "sunrise" located almost due north. A similar unusual alignment of the ISS orbit track, terminator position and seasonal position of Earth's orbit around the sun allowed for this striking imagery of over the Southern Hemisphere. Image Credit: NASA
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