Monday, August 30, 2010

On track for going off the track

Perhaps you've heard that Arctic sea is "recovering" or is "just fine": unfortunately not so. You may also have heard that warming has stopped: unfortunately not so (and this doesn't include the record-breaking 2010).

Where's the talk of peak oil? Just where it should be: behind closed doors. Carry on. Nothing to see here.

The rapacious hunger of the ever expanding global economy means that it is not only species that are threatened with extinction.

Goliath whips David: enormous fossil fuel companies outspent the environmental lobby by about 8:1 blocking any US action on climate chaos.

Speaking of big money: keeping the wheels of denial, um, oiled.

Norway sells shares in illegal logging. What is it about the Norwegians that makes them smarter than the rest of us? Or maybe not.

Thank God global warming is a hoax.

Super-extreme weather in Indonesia is the worst on record.

NYT: What is the legal status of submerged countries?

NYT: Developing a climate plan Z.

Scientists reach for new term to describe super windstorm.

In case it felt left out: Atlantic garbage patch found to rival Pacific's.

The North West passage in the Arctic has melted open for only the fourth time in recorded history. The first three occurrences were way back in 2009, 2008 and 2007.

Heat records broken in 17 countries this year so far. Only one country has set a record for cold. No year has prior to this one has come close to having this many records broken (and remember, each year such a feat becomes statistically less likely if temperatures fluctuate randomly).

7 comments:

byron smith said...

Will the NZ-Aus migration pattern be reversed by climate change?

byron smith said...

Land grab in Africa over EU biofuels.

Mike W said...

Hi Byron, that article on the Koches is truly depressing.
Speech isn't free, it's only for those who can afford to raise their voice.

Thanks for the kind words and link love the other day.

byron smith said...

Mike - I'm glad you've started writing more regularly again. It's quality stuff.

More info on Kochs.

Brad Littlejohn said...

Actually, Byron, we're up to 18 countries with world-record heat, if you count Palestine as a country: http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1585&tstamp=

But, on the bright side, it looks like extreme heat on land actually represses hurricane activity in the oceans, contrary to some projections that linked climate change with more hurricanes: http://www.wunderground.com/blog/JeffMasters/comment.html?entrynum=1575&tstamp=

(Yes, I'm a weather nerd.)

byron smith said...

Just before I read your comment I came across this very relevant XKCD comic.

So, yes, perhaps 18 then.

As for hurricanes, that is a possibility, though my impression is that the jury is still out, with many uncertainties in the field.
Computer simulations of a future warmer climate generally show a reduction in global number of tropical cyclones (though the strongest storms get stronger), and it is possible we are seeing a preview of that future climate.
That's a pretty typical prediction: fewer hurricanes but the intense ones are more intense.

I mentioned another factor that could contribute to inhibiting hurricane formation here.

byron smith said...

BTW, your link is out of date as the number of storms has risen since then. And I assume you're keeping an eye on Earl?