REAL Breaking News about Environment, Global Warming, etc.

[ryberg]

AHEM!

Allow me, and I quote:

"The evidence for warming having happened on the planet is unequivocal," said U.S. government scientist Susan Solomon, who also is a member of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change.

"We can see that in rising air temperatures, we can see it in changes in snow cover in the Northern Hemisphere. We can see it in global sea rise. It's unequivocal," she said.

In a 21-page report for policymakers, the group of climate experts unanimously linked -- with "90 percent" certainty* -- the increase of average global temperatures since the mid-20th century to the increase of manmade greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

(Actually if you read the article, you see that that's understating the case, as their definitions indicate a range of 90-99% certain.)

Now yes, before the discrediting and hoo-hawing begins, and of course in the interest of fair and balanced® presentation, it's important to note also this bit:

In his State of the Union address, President Bush called for the use of more environmentally friendly technologies to "confront the serious challenge of global climate change."

It was the first time he has discussed the issue in a State of the Union address.

So again, thank heavens if this means the Bush administration is finally on board with a gajillion scientists on this one.

The full article is here.

Steve

[TeeZet]

Anyone got a houseboat for sale?

[ryberg]

Originally Posted by TeeZet

Anyone got a houseboat for sale?

Indeed!

The IPCC predicted global temperature increases of 1.8 to 4 degrees Celsius (3.2 to 7.1 degrees Fahrenheit) by 2100 and sea levels to rise between 7 and 23 inches (18 and 58 centimeters) by the end of the century.

"An additional 3.9-7.8 inches (10-20 centimeters) are possible if recent, surprising melting of polar ice sheets continues," the report stated.

[my emphasis]

Steve

[timbit]

So any opinions on the Kyoto protocol?
http://www.davidsuzuki.org/Climate_Change/

[MWC]

If the bulk of the winter we've had up in New England is any indication --
bring it on!
I have loved not spending so much on heating oil!

[Jacko]

Originally Posted by ryberg

AHEM!

Allow me, and I quote:

(Actually if you read the article, you see that that's understating the case, as their definitions indicate a range of 90-99% certain.)

Now yes, before the discrediting and hoo-hawing begins, and of course in the interest of fair and balanced® presentation, it's important to note also this bit:

So again, thank heavens if this means the Bush administration is finally on board with a gajillion scientists on this one.

The full article is here.

Steve

I am afraid that the President needs to still be a little more clear regarding his stance. Based upon far-right comments even on this forum, the President needs to make clear that this global warming is indeed caused by human activities....he has finally made a small baby step toward reality by at least acknowledging that it is happening, but he still has not made the path clear for his minions. IMO, acknowledgment that we are causing the problem will incent more people to feel a responsibility to work toward changing the problem than if one believes this is just happening by natural causes.....

[TeeZet]

I bet the Chinese and Indians couldn't care less with their rapidly expanding economies.
They'll probably will point their fingers and say something like: "don't try and keep US down on this one, we have a right to do the same thing you've been doing all along!"

[TeeZet]

Originally Posted by ryberg

Indeed!

Gotta keep in in mind that I live about 12 mtrs below sea-level as it is...

[itsmysecondtime]

Even more telling is a more recent study's conclusion that the IPCC's findings have shown to be rather conservative.

Excerpt:

"Writing in the journal Science, an international group of scientists concluded that temperatures and sea levels had been rising at or above the maximum rates proposed in the last report, which was published in 2001.
...
The [IPCC's] models had forecasted a temperature rise between about 0.15C-0.35C (0.27-0.63F) over this period. The actual rise of 0.33C (0.59F) was very close to the top of the IPCC's range.


A more dramatic picture emerged from the sea level comparison. The actual average level, measured by tide gauges and satellites, had risen faster than the intergovernmental panel of scientists predicted it would..."


Now that is certainly what I feared most, a rate of temperature rise and of escalating sea levels that is far more aggressive and severe than suggested by the IPCC group either in the previous 2001 or in the current report.



Link to news report relating to the more recent study, refer to section "At Variance" on the bottom 1/4 of the article.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/6321351.stm

Link to the full report of the IPCC alluded to by Ryberg.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/shared/bsp/h...matereport.pdf

[roni]

That was breaking news a decade ago for anyone with a brain free of right-wing ideology

[itsmysecondtime]

Originally Posted by TeeZet

Gotta keep in in mind that I live about 12 mtrs below sea-level as it is...

So what's another meter or two anyway?

I can already picture a breach of the hydraulic sea wall that will render the 1953 tragedy seem like a storm in a cup, and surpassing the New Orleans travesty beyond measure.

Yes this marvel of modern engineering may withstand forces of phenomenal intensity; but it will not endure the scourge of those ever intensifying Northern sea storms. Remember the Hurricane force winds that just hit northern Europe?

Talk about a light topic uh?

Unfortunately, such doomsday scenarios are not confined to the realm of fiction any longer.

My concern is with the thousands of Dutch refugees that will spread across Europe, including Portugal, and given their extraordinary social skills, influence the European parliament to adopt Dutch as the official lingua franca of the union.

[james]

visit Florence now

[sctx]

Originally Posted by roni

That was breaking news a decade ago for anyone with a brain free of right-wing ideology

I was worried when the glaciers receded from Kansas City

[Oso de Yogui]

"Global" is the key word....we can set the example, but the world must follow. What if?- would a huge meteor strike reverse things?....or a huge mushroom cloud?

[StewartG]

So where are all the righties tonight, anyway?

Or are they going to steer FAR clear of this one?