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A poll.
Nothing Biblical about this one.
New Noah predicts floods across the US A MAN named Noah is predicting floods across the US. But Noah Diffenbaugh is no biblical prophet. He is a climate scientist at Purdue University, Indiana, and his computer model of the continental US is predicting at least a doubling of extremes of both rain and drought across the US by the end of this century.
"Essentially, that means that what are now the hottest two or three weeks of the year would last two to three months," says Diffenbaugh. Extreme episodes of rainfall are also projected to double, meaning that the risk of flooding could be much greater as well. "These are very substantial changes that could make life quite different for a lot of people."
Diffenbaugh's model, which is four times as detailed as earlier ones, is the first simulation to incorporate local geographical features such as the rain shadow region along the Pacific coast, historical weather data and predictions of greenhouse gas emissions. It uses weather data from 1961 to 1985 and models of future weather from 2071 to 2095, which assume a doubling of the amount of atmospheric carbon dioxide (Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences, DOI: 10.1073/pnas.0506042102).
Besides increased flooding and droughts, Diffenbaugh's model predicts extreme summers across the south-west and an end to the north-east's winter as we know it.
- New Scientist (Nov 2005)
Climate Going Crazy The ominous phrase "tipping point" entered the vocabulary of climate science - a stark warning that global warming may soon spiral out of control
The permafrost beneath the west Siberian peatlands is thawing, creating giant lakes and swelling rivers. More worryingly, the melting of the bogs - which cover an area the size of France and Germany combined - could unleash billions of tonnes of methane. This greenhouse gas is 20 times more potent than carbon dioxide, so the event has the potential to accelerate global warming.
Meanwhile, higher air and sea temperatures dramatically reduced the extent of sea ice in the Arctic Ocean this year. Satellite measurements analysed by the National Snow and Ice Data Center (NSIDC) in Boulder, Colorado, showed 20 per cent less ice than when NASA took the first pictures in 1978.
- New Scientist (Dec 2005)
Melting of sea ice speeds up in Arctic Sea ice in the Arctic reached a record low this summer, accelerating a melting trend evident for a quarter-century, US government scientists have reported.
The extent of Arctic sea ice typically reaches a minimum in September each year. And between 16 and 21 September this year, there were just 5.3 million square kilometres, 20% less than the average since 1978.
The data reveal that the rate of disappearance of ice has now risen to an average of 8% per decade. The figures reinforce previous forecasts that the Arctic is likely to be free of ice during most summers by about 2080.
...?Feedbacks in the system are starting to take hold,? says Scambos. The decline in sea ice ?could pick up speed? as a result.
You can view a video (11MB mpeg) of Arctic sea ice extent from 1979 to 2005
HERE - New Scientist
OTHER ARTICLES: Editorial: Edge of the global warming abyss Within 10 years, climate change will be irreversible, concluded the climate science meeting in the UK last month - were politicians not listening?
Cities may be abandoned as salt water invades Dozens of major cities around the world are at risk from a previously ignored aspect of global warming - the salt-pollution of underground water
Climate change: Act now, before it is too late Time is running out, and fast. That was the message from climate experts at an international climate conference in the UK
- Feb 2005
Climate change: Awaking the sleeping giants Set certain changes in motion and they will carry on whether we slash emissions or not - New Scientist lists the risks
Editorial: Climate change threat may be underestimated The climate change conference suggests scientific peer pressure may have led to gross underestimates of the potential scale of global warming
Antarctic ice sheet is an 'awakened giant' The massive west Antarctic ice sheet, previously assumed to be stable, is starting to collapse, scientists warn
Soaring global warming 'can't be ruled out' A massive modelling study produces an upper extreme of 11?C warming - suggesting the Earth may be far more sensitive to CO2 than thought
Earth dries up as temperatures rise The fraction of the Earth suffering drought has more than doubled in the past 30 years - rising temperatures and climate change are implicated
Only huge emissions cuts will curb climate change To have half a chance of stopping the world warming by 2?C, greenhouse gas emissions need to fall by up to 70% by 2050, a new study suggests
And on and on...
So my question, after all that, is this:
Can humanity avert disastrous climate change?
You may wish to comment upon whether you believe global warming is (in this case) a naturally occuring phenomena, or is partially or wholly a result of human activity.
Regards,
Blacknad
