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Global Warming, Endangered Species,Read the article this discussion is about
This archived discussion is "read only".
» kaf3 - Re: wild life management In response to message posted by maples:I need more information on which article Tim is talking about. I "process" so much info during a month that I can barely remember something I see on the day I see it; let alone days later. Hope people in the future will cite the specific article. -- posted by kaf3 » planetsave - Global Warming Cause to Pause: Global Climate ChangesEarth Warms, Sea Rises CONTENTS Introduction History What Happens Sea-Level Rises Public Health and Wildlife Affected Good News New Technologies The Tie-In Approach Analysis Governor George W. Bush’s recent masquerade as an environmentalist (Texas, in fact, is the most polluted state in the union) and Al Gore’s connection to Big Oil (his family has significant ties to mammoth Occidental) bring to mind the confusion that often accompanies environmental issues. Take, for instance, the fact that there may be benefits to global warming (e.g., longer growing seasons) -- or that some scientists say the warming may have little to do with human impact – and it’s easy to lose track of the basics. For a while now, we’ve been hearing that human-generated CO2 emissions are contributing to the increase in Earth’s temperature. Even twenty years after Dr. James Hansen’s revelation to the United States Congress that “greenhouse gases” are affecting the atmosphere, the issue is hotter – and more contentious -- than ever. Polls indicate that green concerns have become a major election-time issue, so we’re entering a time of increased scrutiny of environmental records. PlanetSave.com set out to unravel what appears to be a mass of interwoven information about the state of the planet. Here’s what we found out.
The Earth has warmed in the past. Geological data indicate that the planet undergoes cyclical warming and cooling, some of which has occurred on a dramatic scale. But scientists are now measuring a more rapid rate of change. The average ground temperature has increased at least 0.9 degrees F in the 20th century, with 1997, 1998, and 1999 the three warmest years -- and January through March of this year the hottest January-March period -- on record. While most mainstream scientists believe the rapid warming in recent years cannot be explained without the greenhouse effect, some scientists – including those from prestigious institutions such as M.I.T. – question to what extent greenhouse gases affect global climate. The crux of the debate lies in disparities in data. When the issue intensified more than ten years ago, scientists used surface temperatures to support the global warming trend. These data, however, were subject to variations such as heat from concrete and poor placement of thermometers. Now scientists use satellites to assist their measurements – which has only lead to a complex new line of data uncertainty. Contrarian scientists argue that what we’re seeing is natural fluctuation that – when taken out of the context of billions of years of planetary warming and cooling – only appears to constitute a significant change. When taken in the context of Earth’s history of fluctuations, they say, even relatively rapid changes may indicate a natural ebb and flow. The upshot? Greenhouse gases are almost certainly contributing to climate change, but no one really knows to what extent. And not all scientists agree on the rate at which the planet’s climate will continue to change. While some predict a warming of less than one degree by 2100, others aren’t convinced that the Earth won’t warm at a rate that could radically alter civilization.
Sea-Level Rises Even according to conservative estimates, climate change-related sea-level rise poses a major risk to U.S. coastal areas. In February of this year, the Pew Center on Global Climate Change published a groundbreaking study that examined the economic and social implications of the rise. (Note: The water will rise not only because of melting polar and glacial ice, but from thermal expansion as well.) The study points out that the East Coast will be more affected than the West, given that the former consists largely of low-lying coastal plains and the latter contains more protective cliffs. It also notes that other parts of the world will suffer more from the impact of the rising than the United States, particularly parts of Asia and Africa. Public Health and Wildlife Affected Increased global warming could increase the incidence of skin and other cancers, respiratory illnesses, allergies, heart attack, and stroke. A problem known as “saltwater intrusion” – increased salinity of drinking water -- could also become a serious problem if rising water displaces certain seaside biomes that fulfill critical environmental needs such as water purification. Species of vegetation and wildlife might undergo forced migration adjustments; the change in the migration of certain insects could conceivably pose additional health threats in some areas; growing seasons would change, making a tremendous impact on agriculture; and the arctic – which has already been hard-hit by climate change – could lose 50 percent of their bird habitat given only a 1.7 degree increase over the next seventy years. -- posted by planetsave » Red - Kenneth, I have... been exploring your topic and reading your articles. They are interesting and informative.I hope you will consider submitting this one, along with several others to the Nature's Treasures Event. They will be welcome additions. There are several categories in the Event. You can view them on the Event's splash page. I hope you will consider my request. -- posted by Red
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