|
Voorpagina |
It is not too late to save the planet
Londen, 19 februari 2006 - "Every week, it seems, brings a fresh shock
about how rapidly and fundamentally global warming is changing our
world. Last week there were two. In the first, Nasa scientists told the
annual meeting of the American Association of the Advancement of
Science that the Greenland ice-sheet appears to be breaking up as its
glaciers are accelerating towards the sea, a development first reported
by The Independent on Sunday in November. Its disappearance would raise
sea levels some 20ft, inundating coastal cities, but the second piece
of news disclosed was even more alarming. Humanity is emitting carbon
dioxide and methane - the two main greenhouse gases - into the
atmosphere 30 times faster than they were naturally released during the
last comparable period of global warming, 55 million years ago. That
left Antarctica as the only place on the globe that could have
sustained human life.
It is becoming horrifyingly clear that the world's climate scientists,
often accused of exaggerating by President George Bush and his
oil-soaked cronies, have in fact been underplaying the crisis. Cautious
creatures by nature, they have only recently said the climate change is
far faster than they ever expected. That has left us desperately short
of time."
Independent: It is not too late to save the planet
Greenland ice cap breaking up at twice the rate it was five years ago, says scientist Bush tried to gag
London, 17 februari 2006 - A satellite study of the Greenland ice cap
shows that it is melting far faster than scientists had feared - twice
as much ice is going into the sea as it was five years ago. The
implications for rising sea levels - and climate change - could be
dramatic.
Yet, a few weeks ago, when I - a Nasa climate scientist - tried to talk
to the media about these issues following a lecture I had given calling
for prompt reductions in the emission of greenhouse gases, the Nasa
public affairs team - staffed by political appointees from the Bush
administration - tried to stop me doing so. I was not happy with that,
and I ignored the restrictions. The first line of Nasa's mission is to
understand and protect the planet.
Independent: Greenland ice cap breaking up at twice the rate it was five years ago
Global warming '30 times quicker than it used to be'
London, 17 februari 2006 -
Greenhouse gases are being released into the atmosphere 30 times faster
than the time when the Earth experienced a previous episode of global
warming.
A study comparing the rate at which carbon dioxide and methane are
being emitted now, compared to 55 million years ago when global warming
also occurred, has found dramatic differences in the speed of release.
Independent: Global warming '30 times quicker than it used to be'
Sea levels likely to rise much faster than was predicted
London, 17 februari 2006 -
Global warming is causing the Greenland ice cap to disintegrate far
faster than anyone predicted. A study of the region's massive ice sheet
warns that sea levels may - as a consequence - rise more dramatically
than expected.
Scientists have found that many of the huge glaciers of Greenland are
moving at an accelerating rate - dumping twice as much ice into the sea
than five years ago - indicating that the ice sheet is undergoing a
potentially catastrophic breakup.
Independent: Sea levels likely to rise much faster than was predicted
Global warming to speed up as carbon levels show sharp rise
London, 15 January 2006 -
Global warming is set to accelerate alarmingly because of a sharp jump in the amount of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere.
Preliminary figures, exclusively obtained by The Independent on Sunday,
show that levels of the gas - the main cause of climate change - have
risen abruptly in the past four years. Scientists fear that warming is
entering a new phase, and may accelerate further.
Independent: Global warming to speed up as carbon levels show sharp rise
|
|
|
© 2006
|
Naar boven Voorpagina
|
info@zeeburgnieuws.nl
|