Increased Arctic Sea Ice melt points to drier North American West Coast

The issue bigger than terrorism: climate change is on the agenda and will affect every person and country. Greenhouse Gas Emissions are a primary cause of global warming which is a major driving force for climate change. And conservative politicians like George Bush (USA) and John Howard (Australia) have their heads in the sand in Iraq.

A new study by a senior British climatologist, Jonathan Gregory, published in Nature and reported on in New Scientist (Greenland ice cap 'doomed to meltdown'), predicts that the Greenland ice sheet is all but doomed to melt away to nothing causing global sea levels to rise by seven metres, flooding most of the world's coastal regions.

Gregory warns that, if his calculations are correct, "the Greenland ice sheet is likely to be eliminated unless much more substantial reductions in [carbon dioxide] emissions are made than those envisaged" so far by scientists or politicians.

Climate Meltdown: Greenland ice cap to raise sea levels

The issue bigger than terrorism: climate change is on the agenda and will affect every person and country. Greenhouse Gas Emissions are a primary cause of global warming which is a major driving force for climate change. And conservative politicians like George Bush (USA) and John Howard (Australia) have their heads in the sand in Iraq.

A new study by a senior British climatologist, Jonathan Gregory, published in Nature and reported on in New Scientist (Greenland ice cap 'doomed to meltdown'), predicts that the Greenland ice sheet is all but doomed to melt away to nothing causing global sea levels to rise by seven metres, flooding most of the world's coastal regions.

Gregory warns that, if his calculations are correct, "the Greenland ice sheet is likely to be eliminated unless much more substantial reductions in [carbon dioxide] emissions are made than those envisaged" so far by scientists or politicians.

Climate Change 'Greater Threat Than Terrorism', Says Professor McMichael

Professor Tony McMichael, from the Australian National University's Centre for Epidemiology and Population Health, says world weather patterns are becoming more unstable and will get worse.

"We've got to recognise there's an international stand-off when it comes to signing (the) Kyoto (Protocol), Australia's not signing Kyoto, that's a disgraceful decision by Canberra," he said. Professor McMichael is a member of an international policy initiative launched on March 16 to address the threat of global climate change.

He joins Tony Blair's chief scientist in criticism of those who will not sign the agreement. Sir David King launched a withering attack on US President George W. Bush in January.

Climate change will affect our health, as detailed in reports such as 'Human Health and Climate Change in Oceania'

[How global warming may cause the next Ice Age | Rising Tide Climate Justice Network | The discovering of Global Warming]

As one of the editors of the global Indymedia site this article was Originally posted at: https://www.indymedia.org/en/2004/03/110644.shtml at 27 Mar 2004 09:54 GMT

How Global Warming May Cause the Next Ice Age

New research on the Great Ocean conveyor belt and climatology show How Global Warming May Cause the Next Ice Age (Thom Hartmann). A report in The Independent claims new research also suggests Britain is likely to be plunged into an ice age within our lifetime by global warming. (See also Bill Maguire in The Guardian reproduced below: Will global warming trigger a new ice age?

Some reports claim Climate Collapse is The Pentagon's Weather Nightmare (Fortune).

Current models of climate change assume a gradual process, but some geoscientists say Sudden Climate Change is the historical norm (See Alley et al 2003 in Science: Abrupt Climate Change).

While there is a vigorous debate in scientific circles over whether global warming matters, Tony Blair's chief scientist David A King has launched a withering attack on President George Bush for failing to tackle climate change, which he says is more serious than terrorism. (Read his letter published in Science, January 2004: Climate Change Science: Adapt, Mitigate, or Ignore?)

While Bush dithers on climate change for the benefit of corporations, New England states confront Bush with climate change plans.

The World Health Organisation recently said 150,000 people died due to global warming (The Guardian) in 2000, and the death toll could double again in the next 30 years if current trends are not reversed.

Another scientific paper predicted Global Warming to Kill Off more than 10 per cent of Species by 2050 (Thomas et al 2014 in Nature: Extinction risk from climate change)

Global Warming is likely to trigger a potential water crisis globally, and Hotter summers, fewer frosts for Australia according to the CSIRO.

Debates and Actions around and outside the Climate Conference in Milan in December 2003 highlighted the root cause of climate change, the fossil fuel economy. According to a recent report to US Dept. of Energy on Peak Oil, "Peaking will be catastrophic".

The lack of action by the United Nations, should make people around the world aware not to depend on states and corporations, but instead to create social-ecological alternatives in our daily lives. Or maybe its time to start preparing for Life after the Oil Crash.

Links: Rising Tide climate Justice Network | Vital Climate Graphics | The discovering of Global Warming

Southern Ozone Hole Resurgent

After two years of a reduced ozone hole over the Antarctic largely due to statospheric turbulence, the Ozone Hole is resurgent this year almost matching its record size in 2000. Southern Hemisphere peoples, particularly children, have been warned to take care outside with increased exposure to ultraviolet (UV) radiation. Changes in UV radiation can be expected from a smaller ozone hole which forms above the arctic region. There are important connections between ozone depletion and climate change.

Ozone destruction by manufactured chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs) and bromine- containing halons has been studied since the early 1980s, which led to the Montreal Protocol in 1987 - which started phasing out use of chemicals which destroy the ozone layer. Recent evidence indicates that ozone depletion may be slowing , which is attributed to the success of the Montreal Treaty. This treaty is currently under attack by US President Bush demanding exemptions for the USA to maintain use of the ozone destroying pesticide, methyl bromide.

Melbourne IMC Feature
Green Nature
Methyl Bromide Campaign

As one of the editors of the global Indymedia site this article was Originally posted at: https://indymedia.org/pt/2003/11/109937.shtml at 11 Nov 2003 11:16 GMT

1977 Canberra Alternative Energy Festival while Prime Minister Fraser spruiks coal over solar for energy research

John Englart assisting solar hot water demonstration system on Parliament House lawns, Canberra

It's November 2021. In 1977 I was photographed helping install a demonstration solar hot water system on the lawns of Parliament House in Canberra at the end of the 1977 Ride Against Uranium.

It was part of an Alternative Energy Festival organised by Friends of the Earth. This followed the conclusion of the Rides against Uranium from Sydney and Melbourne to Canberra.

It paved the way for my long advocacy for renewables. It has taken the world a long time to catch up. At a time when we face a climate emergency. Of course I didn't realise the full implications way back then, nor the many scientific papers and blog posts I would do to highlight the complex issues.