Forget the mideast, Greenland may decide our future.

[alfredo]

This from the Weather Underground's Jeff Masters


http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=882&tstamp=200712


If one had to pick the region of the world most likely to influence the course of human history this century, the Middle East would be the obvious choice, due to its political volatility and rich oil resources. However, the Middle East may have a significant challenger next century from a seemingly unlikely place--Greenland. Why Greenland? Well, the Greenland ice sheet holds enough water to raise global sea level 7 meters (23 feet). There are worrisome signs that the ice sheet might be more vulnerable than we thought to significant melting near the end of the century, according to research results presented at last week's annual meeting of the American Geophysical Union (AGU) in San Francisco. The meeting is the world's largest annual gathering of climate change scientists.

[Hydra]

1. Yup

and all the things under the ice will have an impact, too.

I guess I better learn to love war, cuz we're staring at about 100 years of complete world war if we don't do something about exiling the powers that be to Mars without an air supply.

[alfredo]

2. Consumerism has been our downfall. When the deer in this area

over produce, and aren't culled by predators, starvation and disease reduce their numbers. That's the way of nature. We are not immune to nature. We are not a special creation immune to the laws of nature. If we don't discard the infantile notion that we are the center of the universe protected by a loving god, we will die a long, slow, violent, and painful fall.

The great civilizations didn't all fall from conquest, but from using up the resources of their region. You might get a real time example if the southeast US doesn't get enough rain to break the drought.

[Alexander]

15. Good points. I completely agree.

[alfredo]

19. I think every young person should spend some time in the

third world. They will learn what is important.

[Delphinus]

3. Kick.

:kick:

[alfredo]

4. Thanks

[windoe]

5. Greenland should at least sell the water~

it's melting anyway and there are such water shortages....it's top quality water.

[bemildred]

6. Or it could be something we never even thought of.

One thing that is perfectly clear is that things are not going to continue in a smooth upward curve ...

[alfredo]

8. Tillable land loss, lack of water, disease caused in part by our population

concentrated in areas with the remaining resources, and a breakdown of social order will help cull our herd.

[bemildred]

9. So many to choose from, so little time left, so little initiative and leadership. nt

[alfredo]

10. Nixon opening China could have sealed our fate.

[bemildred]

11. I'm sort of wondering it they will collapse before we do.

They have a lot of the same issues, but sort of on steroids.

[alfredo]

12. China is not the only Asian country in the grip of consumerism.

If China collapses it will hurt us because they are our generous bankers and they make all the consumer crap we demand.

[Ezlivin]

7. Ironically our aerosol pollution may actually help us

Due to global dimming our global temperatures are actually depressed. If circumstances arise that ground most of our aircraft we may see a rapid increase in global temperatures.

In all of the articles I've read about global warming I don't recall a discussion on the offsetting properties of airborne aerosols.

I wonder if a catastrophic meltdown of Greenland could ensue once global dimming ceases?

[windoe]

13. 'Global dimmming' sounds like an educational problem

I couldn't stop my fingers.

[Ezlivin]

18. As long as we have global dimwits running this country...

Our future doesn't look too bright.

[alfredo]

21. bush has wasted our time so he can capitalize on the

future droughts brought on by climate change. Why do you think he bought land over the largest aquifer in the world.

[Ezlivin]

22. That's a good view: Nothing but a delaying tactic

He wants to distract us long enough to get out of office and then run his little fiefdom down in Paraguay.

[alfredo]

23. Him and Rev Moon.

[DanG2012]

14. climate change

unquestionably the largest (real) threat we will face in this century.
while I recognize continued run away global warming and the 20 some foot rise in sea level
is a possibility, I think we will most likely see the influx of cold/fresh water into the
north atlantic cause the main currents to falter and result in another 'little ice age'.

peace,
DanG

climatepatrol.com

[BeHereNow]

16. Welcome to DU DanG2012

If the climate change doesn't do us in, then
the viruses will.
That is if any of us are left
after the Cheney rampage against humanity.
Cheery thought, eh?
BHN

[DanG2012]

17. thanks!

yeah - sometimes its difficult to keep the dooom straight.

peace,
DanG

[me b zola]

20. There was a show on PBS/OPB about this subject the other week

It was fascinating--and startling. If the Atlantic jet stream stops circulating, I can't even begin to imagine what will happen to our oceans and their inhabitants.