The Independent: Global Warming 'Past the Point of No Return'

[lebkuchen]

A record loss of sea ice in the Arctic this summer has convinced scientists that the northern hemisphere may have crossed a critical threshold beyond which the climate may never recover. Scientists fear that the Arctic has now entered an irreversible phase of warming which will accelerate the loss of the polar sea ice that has helped to keep the climate stable for thousands of years.

They believe global warming is melting Arctic ice so rapidly that the region is beginning to absorb more heat from the sun, causing the ice to melt still further and so reinforcing a vicious cycle of melting and heating.

The greatest fear is that the Arctic has reached a "tipping point" beyond which nothing can reverse the continual loss of sea ice and with it the massive land glaciers of Greenland, which will raise sea levels dramatically.

http://www.commondreams.org/headlines05/0916-09.htm

So that's it, then. Five years of Bush, and we're guaranteed no more Arctic.

What else will Bush irreversibly destroy before he leaves the WH? With a rapidly melting Artic, there's got to be a litany of inevitable repercussions--all because the US has a president who doesn't believe in science.

[opihimoimoi]

1. Assisted by people led to believe than to THINK>>>>>>>>

You would think they would Plan, address the damn thing...after all, it affects them too.....

Oceans gonna rise 300 feet in 35 to 350 years...now what??

[Briar]

2. The fundies are working to re-spin rainbows? n/t

[lebkuchen]

3. The article didn't go into the repercussions of lots of melting Arctic ice

or no Arctic ice.

We know about the rising sea levels, with coastal areas/cities being flooded, but what else will result?

It would have to have a huge effect on the food chain, with species being wiped out faster than the current level, leaving other species to overpopulate and eventually starve.

The over-abundance of cold water from the north meeting warm water in the south would create high pressure systems with an increased number of hurricanes, I assume.

The planet's warming up because of the Earth's inability to reflect the sun's rays will have a negative impact on countries' agriculture base as non-irrigated fields dry up, impacting on economies and the ability to feed populations.

Countries that have signed the Kyoto Treaty are at the mercy of countries that haven't and don't give a damn. Those countries that don't give a damn basically possess WMD that are being used against the rest of the world. Does that entitle the rest of the world to act preemptively in order to save itself?

[Karenina]

4. It could get VERY COLD around these parts...

[lebkuchen]

5. It's cold here right now

I nearly had ice on my windshield this a.m., and that typically doesn't happen until Nov. Germans are wearing neck scarves already!

[Karenina]

6. You're down south, eh?

Up here in Colonia, the weather changed Friday. Herbst! The normality contributes to the denial of our prognosis. Aber, JUNE was when I knew the worm had turned. Volatile, violent weather and a cold wind on bright sunny days... Oh dear. Between this and Merckel I JUST don't know.

[lebkuchen]

7. goodbye solar panels, hello Iraq

lots of artists down south dislike her, natch.

[Karenina]

8. "Civilization" is failing...

http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=103x157553

[Mr_Jefferson_24]

9. The urgency of...

...global warming isn't going to set in until NYC floods from rising sea levels and looks like New Orleans did last week:

http://www.karlandkinggeorge.com/Greenhouse_Experiment.html