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Your message didn't get posted on sust-mar? Probably it contained html coding. Use your "Format" pull-down menu to switch to plain text format. ____________________________________________________________________________ Nothing local in the queue today: here's a message from my files. -*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*-*- Media Release: Sierra Club of Canada August 8 2003 Fires, floods demonstrate danger of climate change August 8, 2003 Ottawa - Extreme weather events across Canada - including the forest fires in British Columbia and the recent torrential rains in Quebec - are trigging calls for increased action on climate change. "These forest fires are the kind of thing we expect with a warming climate. While one event does not prove climate change, the overall trend is convincing," said Dr. Jim Bruce a former Environment Canada scientist and past chair of an International Panel on Climate Change working group. The link between British Columbia's forest fires and climate change is a trend. In line with global climate predictions, British Columbia's climate is warming. And, as environmentalists point out, increased temperature means larger, more severe and more frequent forest fires. It also means increased extreme rainfalls events; deluges such as that just experienced in Quebec. "Climate change is now a burning issue," said Art Herbert, resident of Enderby, British Columbia. "I am very nervous about the large forest fires now burning by my home and about the potential for new ones," said Mr. Herbert, noting that 30 to 40 fires start each night. "We must all do our part to prevent climate change's dire consequences." BC's fires come just a month after the World Meteorlogical Organisation issued a warning that the extreme weather events would become more frequent. "It is difficult for people to easily understand the consequences of burning fossil fuels, given that the causes and effects are so far apart. But now the human consequences are evident. The loss of property, livelihood and animals provides a powerful incentive for action," said Elizabeth May, Executive Director of the Sierra Club of Canada. "Driving a car in Toronto contributes to more severe forest fires in Kamloops and torrential rains in Quebec as much as anywhere else on the globe. Among many tragedies is that the rains do not fall where British Columbians are now praying for them." Recent work by Canadian Forest Service scientists suggests that the average area burned annually could increase 50 to 100 percent in the next 50 to 100 years because of climate change. The 2.8 million hectares burnt each year could become 4 to 6 million hectares. Other consequences of the drought in British Columbia include dried up rangeland and watering holes, interior lakes at September water levels in July, nearly empty town reservoirs, sun burnt fruit crops, salmon threatened by warm water temperatures and increased air pollution. An extreme heatwave has hit at least 30 countries in the Northern Hemisphere. In India, 1500 people have recently died because of temperatures of 45 - 49 C (113-120F). --30-- For information: Elizabeth May, Executive Director, the Sierra Club of Canada, 902-235-2584 Dr. Jim Bruce, past Chair of IPCC Working Group, 613-731-5929 Art Herbert, resident of Enderby British Columbia, 250-832-5012 ____________________________________________________________________________ Did a friend forward this to you? Join sust-mar yourself! Just send 'subscribe sust-mar' to mailto:majordomo@chebucto.ca
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