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| North Pole webcam picture taken on 22 August 2012 showing ice cap melting. Climate scientists expect the Arctic sea ice is on course to plummet to its lowest levels ever this weekend. Photograph: University of Washington/ North Pole Environmental Observatory/NOAA |
August 24 in The Guardian: Melting at an unprecedented rate, Arctic sea ice is set to reach its lowest ever recorded extent as early as this weekend. These “dramatic changes” signal that man-made global warming is having a major impact on the polar region.
Julienne Stroeve, a scientist at the US National Snow and Ice Data Centre (NSIDC) in Boulder, Colorado, told the newspaper: "Unless something really unusual happens we will see the record broken in the next few days. It might happen this weekend, almost certainly next week … The rate of ice loss is faster than the models can capture [but] we can expect the Arctic to be ice-free in summer by 2050."
She also said: "Only 15 years ago I didn't expect to see such dramatic changes – no one did. The ice-free season is far longer now. Twenty years ago it was about a month. Now it's three months.”
Feedback loop
Sea-ice loss is a positive feedback loop: if the white sea ice no longer reflects sunlight back into space, the region can be expected to heat up even more than at present. This could lead to an increase in ocean temperatures with unknown effects on weather systems in northern latitudes. The consequences of losing the Arctic's ice coverage for the summer months are expected to be immense.
Meanwhile at the other end of the world, a new report in Nature released Wednesday says that on the Antarctic Peninsula, human-generated greenhouse gases have almost certainly been by far the most important driver of warming over the past half-century. Story on Climate Central.
And the Antarctic
Meanwhile at the other end of the world, a new report in Nature released Wednesday says that on the Antarctic Peninsula, human-generated greenhouse gases have almost certainly been by far the most important driver of warming over the past half-century. Story on Climate Central.
So what's the answer Pete?
ReplyDeleteMore equality, coupled with a lower AVERAGE consumption in the developed world. Sacrifices will have to be made. Changing the light bulbs will not be enough. Capitalism cannot do all this so it must go.
DeleteReplaced with? I'll vote for sacrifices as long as it's you that makes them, and probably vice-versa. What do we sacrifice? The car on the drive? The holiday in the summer? Dare I say it - the meat on the plate? I'm not disagreeing with you I'm just doubtful that people would actually go for it. Quite depressing really, but at least it's a nice, warm sunny day!
ReplyDeletePerhaps we need a benevolent dictator. I modestly offer myself for the post.
DeleteVery modest Pete but there's no such thing. You'd start with the best of intentions but soon enough you'd be forcing us to study astrology, running our lives by star-sign. And unlike Mussolini I wouldn't trust you to make the trains run on time after our recent experience in Cahir!
ReplyDelete