next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects
Dear readers of Sustainable Maritimes It is very frustrating to hear political commentary on global warming evidence and theory, such as that provided recently by Steve d'Appolonia. Steve should examine the primary data and basic theory before accepting secondary commentary as having validity. For those who want to know the truth, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) maintains an excellent website at www.ipcc.org. From this site you can download entire detailed reports, including measures of statistical probability. The "greenhouse effect" is based in such fundamental physical theory that it is virtually a law of pysics. The theory that global warming can be expected is solidly based in physics too. The only issue of doubt is how to attribute measured changes in temperatures to changes in atmospheric composition caused by human activity (anthropogenic), relative to changes which can be attributed to so-called "natural" effects. According to one theory, for example, the warming due to atmospheric change is being offset by cooling associated with the phenomena which drive the periodic temperature cycling associated with the ice ages. The debate over climate change has become highly politicized, mostly as a result of the work of a lobby in the United States established by the fossil fuel industry. This is the source of the doubts expressed by Steve. There are also counterveiling lobby efforts, some of which are not very well informed, and this has deepened the politicization of this necessary debate. There are some indisputable facts: Earth's atmosphere creates a "greenhouse effect"; Earth's atmosphere has changed in composition as a result of human activity; the rate of change in atmospheric composition is accelerating as a result of industrial growth; global average temperatures are rising. It is also highly probable that the current average surface temperature of the Earth was higher in 2000 than at any time in the last 2000 years (at least). The error of some thinking, though, is that Earth's atmosphere and climate have been stable until humans came along and messed them up. This is not so. Earth's atmosphere has evolved over time, and some of the biggest changes have resulted from the development of life itself. A lot of early life forms were wiped out of existence as a result of atmospheric change created by other organisms (some no doubt wiped themselves out too). The risk for current and future humans is that climate change induced by changes in atmospheric composition resulting from industrial activity will have unpredictable consequences. Organizations like the IPCC (which was created by the governments of the inustrialized nations to provide information and reasoned advice) were created to try to provide fore-warning of these changes. To ignore the evidence which is being provided by the IPCC is, to put it mildly, very stupid. As my own little indicator of the impact of climate change, I watch the timing of the Spring leaves that burst on one particular tree in my backyard. They burst earlier in the 2000's than in the 1990's (this year has maintained the trend). The crocus bloom was late this year, of course, but they have always been more variable in their responsiveness to the end of winter than the horse chestnut tree that makes its annual statement on the subject of climate. If you watch and listen to the world, it will speak to you - I recommend this to all Maritimers. Some of my friends have been crying out very loudly, and some (not the horse chestnut nor the crocus) are expressing pain. The frogs and the migratory birds seem unhappy, for example, and I am told by those who know the fish and the molluscs that some of them are also expressing great suffering. Martin Willison -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- The preceding message was posted on Sustainable Maritimes (sust-mar) -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- DOES SUST-MAR KNOW? Not unless you tell us ... To submit a message about the environment/sustainability in the Maritimes, just send it to <sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca> Messages are prioritised and queued, so please be patient if your message doesn't appear right away.
next message in archive
no next message in thread
previous message in archive
Index of Subjects