Climate change: Scientists warn it may be too late to save the ice caps

[Doondoo]

A critical meltdown of ice sheets and severe sea level rise could be inevitable because of global warming, the world's scientists are preparing to warn their governments. New studies of Greenland and Antarctica have forced a UN expert panel to conclude there is a 50% chance that widespread ice sheet loss "may no longer be avoided" because of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere.

Such melting would raise sea levels by four to six metres, the scientists say. It would cause "major changes in coastline and inundation of low-lying areas" and require "costly and challenging" efforts to move millions of people and infrastructure from vulnerable areas. The previous official line, issued in 2001, was that the chance of such an event was "not well known, but probably very low".

The melting process could take centuries, but increased warming caused by a failure to cut emissions would accelerate the ice sheets' demise, and give nations less time to adapt to the consequences. Areas such as the Maldives would be swamped and low-lying countries such as the Netherlands and Bangladesh, as well as coastal cities including London, New York and Tokyo, would face critical flooding.

The warning appears in a report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, which assesses the likely impacts of global warming and will be published in April. A final draft of the report's summary-for-policymakers chapter, obtained by the Guardian, says: "Very large sea level rises that would result from widespread deglaciation of Greenland and West Antarctic ice sheets imply major changes in coastlines and inundation of low-lying areas, with greatest effects in river deltas.

"Relocating populations, economic activity and infrastructure would be costly and challenging. There is medium confidence that both ice sheets would be committed to partial deglaciation for a global average temperature increase greater than 1-2C, causing sea level rise of 4-6m over centuries to millennia." Medium confidence means about a five in 10 chance.



http://environment.guardian.co.uk/climatechange/story/0,,2016243,00.html

[AnOhioan]

1. Just re-watched "An Inconvenient Truth" last evening.

Al Gore specifically mentions the loss of land ice in Greenland and Antarctica as a possibility with devastating consequences. Here is my K&R for this thread.

[L. Coyote]

2. kick, and moving to higher ground

[lonestarnot]

3. San don donia! Wonder if I will be looking at the beach from my front window.

[localroger]

4. So Millennia turn to Centuries

...which seem intent on turning into Decades. I think I better go check the height of the water table before the next report comes out and I suddenly find myself swimming for it.

[Pachamama]

5. I recently read Sir James Lovelock's "Revenge of Gaia" - he basically concludes its too late too...

At this point, we can make choices to perhaps slow things down, prepare for what's coming and accept that the majority of the earth's populations, both human and animal and plant life will perish and the small percentages of survivors, will be living North (hello Canada?) and figuring new ways to survive.

Welcome to the Brave New World folks!

(Sorry for the depressing post, but seriously, I believe this is where things are going in the next 100+ years...)

[JustABozoOnThisBus]

7. Don't be too quick to move to Canada ...

Some scientist on TV claimed that all that fresh water from melting icecaps will stop the Gulf Stream and result in another major ice age.

Scientists are not all in agreement about the results of global warming, only that it's happening.

See ya in Mexico.

[Pachamama]

9. Then I'll hedge my bets - One house up North and one way down South!

:hi:

That way, depending on what happens, my family can decide which way to go...

[nam78_two]

6. k&r.nt

[Jcrowley]

8. k&r

[rman]

10. Tibetan shepherds welcome climate change

Telegraph UK
Tibetan shepherds welcome climate change
By Richard Spencer at the Karo-la Pass in Tibet
Last Updated: 1:48am GMT 16/02/2007
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2007/02/15/wtibet15.xml

Global warming is melting the snows and glaciers — and the peasant farmers of the Tibetan plateau are delighted.

While much of the world worries about the impact of climate change, for these hardy Himalayan shepherds, battling the elements in the world's highest mountains, a gentler climate can only be good news.

...

The glacier that falls from its peak has shrunk by nine per cent in recent years. "I have heard of global warming, though I don't really understand what it means," said Tashi, 30, another shepherd, watching his sheep lower down the mountainside.

"But you can see there is less snow on the mountains. In the old days, all those rocks would be covered. I don't have to take my sheep so far away from the mountain in lambing season now."

...

[kineneb]

11. effects on central SF Bay

Check out more maps here:

http://www.bcdc.ca.gov/index.php?cat=56

[newyawker99]

12. kick

:kick:


:grr:

[etherealtruth]

13. I had a college Prof that believed

... my fair state would soon be a "tropical paradise" due to global warming.