Climate Change 2007 - Reap The Whirlwind
Another drear, dread report by the United Nations' science advisers. The synopsis, clear and concise, appears front and centre. It's a conclusion anticipated, but most certainly not welcome: We are to prepare for a hotter world.
We can do as we will with the best of will, and it will not forestall the inevitable. Whether the root causes are man-inspired or not are, at this point, rather moot. The trajectory is oppressively unstoppable.
Our planet is on its melt-down route and it is determined, regardless of what we do, to impact on our ecosystems, transforming them beyond anything we have been able to anticipate. There are those who hasten to assure us that worst-case scenarios are doomsday-lovers' inventions, and wouldn't we love to believe them?
There are those who hypothesize that global warming won't be entirely catastrophic, as long as you don't reside in coastal areas, in which case all those affected would be wise to begin a long migration elsewhere. With some level of global warming we may enjoy longer agricultural growing seasons, with extended crop possibilities.
On the other hand, if weather patterns are truly egregiously affected and we see more prolonged bouts of drought and hot high winds, or alternately typhoons and increasing rainfall, how will this impact other than truly deleteriously on any agricultural crops? So there it is: rising sea levels, submerged coastal areas.
The Panel on Climate Change would have us know and appreciate that there is a direct and distinct potential for an increase in the already 'astounding' rate of Arctic ice retreat, heralding a 'tipping point'. Hastened, need we dare say by the steady growth of global emissions thanks to China and India.
Not their fault; they're catching up with the rest of us. Or so they say. And so we accede.
"Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global mean sea level", according to the report.
The unstoppable evidence is seen on "all continents and most oceans". How grim can it get? "Global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have increased markedly as a result of human activities since 1750 (!) and far exceed pre-industrial values determined from ice cores spanning many thousands of years." Big surprise; any primary-school graduate could match that conclusion.
Get this: the coalition of international scientists representing environmental disciplines of all kinds, have concluded that even if we somehow manage - by some universal herculean determination of willpower and scientific advance - to stabilize greenhouse gases, the warming and rising sea levels will continue to advance.
Oh.
We can do as we will with the best of will, and it will not forestall the inevitable. Whether the root causes are man-inspired or not are, at this point, rather moot. The trajectory is oppressively unstoppable.
Our planet is on its melt-down route and it is determined, regardless of what we do, to impact on our ecosystems, transforming them beyond anything we have been able to anticipate. There are those who hasten to assure us that worst-case scenarios are doomsday-lovers' inventions, and wouldn't we love to believe them?
There are those who hypothesize that global warming won't be entirely catastrophic, as long as you don't reside in coastal areas, in which case all those affected would be wise to begin a long migration elsewhere. With some level of global warming we may enjoy longer agricultural growing seasons, with extended crop possibilities.
On the other hand, if weather patterns are truly egregiously affected and we see more prolonged bouts of drought and hot high winds, or alternately typhoons and increasing rainfall, how will this impact other than truly deleteriously on any agricultural crops? So there it is: rising sea levels, submerged coastal areas.
The Panel on Climate Change would have us know and appreciate that there is a direct and distinct potential for an increase in the already 'astounding' rate of Arctic ice retreat, heralding a 'tipping point'. Hastened, need we dare say by the steady growth of global emissions thanks to China and India.
Not their fault; they're catching up with the rest of us. Or so they say. And so we accede.
"Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global mean sea level", according to the report.
The unstoppable evidence is seen on "all continents and most oceans". How grim can it get? "Global atmospheric concentrations of carbon dioxide, methane and nitrous oxide have increased markedly as a result of human activities since 1750 (!) and far exceed pre-industrial values determined from ice cores spanning many thousands of years." Big surprise; any primary-school graduate could match that conclusion.
Get this: the coalition of international scientists representing environmental disciplines of all kinds, have concluded that even if we somehow manage - by some universal herculean determination of willpower and scientific advance - to stabilize greenhouse gases, the warming and rising sea levels will continue to advance.
Oh.
Labels: Environment, Technology
posted by Pieface | 7:10 PM
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