ludicrousity

We all know the average global temperatures have been rising, and arctic is warming more than anywhere else on the planet. However, the antarctic temperatures have been dropping. The most recent study shows that now, the antarctic temperatures are rising... yet another proof of "global heating". Oh, and the ice shelves are looking like they could collapse.

Dr. Stern, who wrote the Stern Report on the economics of climate change back in 2006, recently wrote a short article, and intends to release a new economic report this year. He basically says we need to invest 2% of global GDP to get emissions levels to half that of 1990 by 2050. If not, we'll pass that disputed magic number of 500 ppm when there could be a tipping point that leads to catastrophic climate change. I'm reading a book now called "CO2: Fixing Climate", all about major climate changes in the past and how scientists discovered it. It also takes a sneak peek into what could happen next (like the greenland arctic ice melting and stopping the oceanic conveyor belt, which would freeze Europe... while the rest of the world just keeps heating. Also, no ice to reflect the sun could cause more heating...)

One effect of climate change is adaptation of species. Here's a fun article... the dung beetle has started to be carnivorous. They say it's due to food competition.

Regional climate shifts are killing trees in the US. This suggests another potentially dangerous addition to the positive feed back loop of climate change.

Sometimes fixing things (ie, cleaning SO2 from stacks, removing carbon, banning aerosols) prevent clouds from forming. Clouds help reflect sun light, which fights the greenhouse effect. Here's an example of London mists disappearing and causing local warming...
Another cause of the local heating/missing mists, though not mentioned, could have something to do with the rising temperatures of the Atlantic.

There is hope, though. I'm looking forward to watching the European Union and the US make a carbon cap and trade system.
Too bad Harper is such a climate bad-guy. Do you think we'll be rid of him on Monday when the prorogue ends?