"We are not talking anymore about what climate models say might happen in the future.
We are experiencing dangerous human disruption of the global climate and we're going to experience more," Professor Holdren said.

He emphasised the seriousness of the melting Greenland ice cap, saying that without drastic action the world would experience more heatwaves, wild fires and floods.

He added that if the current pace of change continued, a catastrophic sea level rise of 4m (13ft) this century was within the realm of possibility; much higher than previous forecasts.

To put this in perspective, Professor Holdren pointed out that the melting of the Greenland ice cap, alone, could increase world-wide sea levels by 7m (23ft), swamping many cities.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5303574.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4969772.stm

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"We are not talking anymore about what climate models say might happen in the future.
We are experiencing dangerous human disruption of the global climate and we're going to experience more," Professor Holdren said.

He emphasised the seriousness of the melting Greenland ice cap, saying that without drastic action the world would experience more heatwaves, wild fires and floods.

He added that if the current pace of change continued, a catastrophic sea level rise of 4m (13ft) this century was within the realm of possibility; much higher than previous forecasts.

To put this in perspective, Professor Holdren pointed out that the melting of the Greenland ice cap, alone, could increase world-wide sea levels by 7m (23ft), swamping many cities.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5303574.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4969772.stm

Global Warming is real. The only reason people doubt it is because of the money-laden efforts of Big Oil - Don't fool yourself. Did you really think we could pump billions of tonnes of extra chemicals into the atmosphere without any consequences?

Check out "An Inconvenient Truth" if it's playing in a theatre near you, or rent the DVD when it comes out. Great stuff. Scary, too. And Al Gore is actually watchable, which is the REAL surprise.

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On Global Warming…Again a blog by Tommy

[ quote="Tommy" ]
"A Professor named John Holdren is afraid for our climate. Fine and well and it’s all Bush’s fault too, even though the glaciers in Greenland have been shrinking since the late 1800s. Somehow everything that’s ever happened to cause global warming is the fault of the current President who’s only been in office 6 years. Admittedly I don’t worry too much about the doom and gloom forecasts because doom and gloom just never comes to pass. Well I guess maybe there was that flood Noah dealt with if you’re inclined to believe that, but even then we seemed to have survived. Last time I checked we aren’t extinct. Now I do get frustrated at those that are more or less in in agreement with me who argue the earth isn’t getting warmer because it is, all you have to do is check the data. Arguing that it isn’t warming is to look like an idiot and you’re not helping the cause. But if you want to know why I don’t worry much about the global warming thing check the money quote from the first article:

He said research undertaken by Harvard University revealed that US government spending on energy research had not increased since 2001. In order to make any progress, funding for climate technology needed to multiply by three or four times, Professor Holdren warned.

That’s right, we can only solve this issue if we give three to four times as much research money to Professor Holdren. It’s not the greenhouse gases that are the problem, it’s the research money. I plan on keeping my money and not worrying too much about the doom and gloom. Like I said, they never happen and even if they do, somewhere there is some lunatic building a modern version of the required arc. I may not get to ride with Noah, but I’m going to take my chances that I won’t need to."
[/quote="Tommy"]

I disagree with the view that climate change is 'obvious' such that we must all sit back and thinking there is little that can be done. We need to get into research and climate models big time before it's too late to do anything about it, since climate change is 'obvious'. It's not about declaring doom and gloom but trying to be realistic about recognizing that we need to identify and quantify what is going on and shove the need to do something about it in the right faces.

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flaming balloons

http://www.cbsnews.com/stories/2006/02/16/60minutes/main1323169.shtml

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Global Warming is a very real problem indeed. Human population has exploded in the past 200 years and we are pushing this planet and its thinly spread resources into new and unknown terrority. We will within the next 50-100 years realize the full effects of what we are doing. Global Warming could very well push the Earth into another ice age by lowering the salinity of the ocean thereby shutting down the great ocean conveyor which warms the planet. If you look back at the mini ice age that lasted from about 1400 to 1800 where millions of people starved and froze to death you can see we have a real problem on our hands. Europe's average temperature would likely drop (9 to 18°F). Temperatures would be like they were in the last ice age 20,000 years ago.
It becomes worse when you bring the weapons we have devolped into the mix. China, India, and Pakistan are all 3 nuclear capable countries that will be fighting for resources if our worst fears are realized. Every 30 seconds 210,000 cubic feet of ice melts and 34.8 tons of CO2 are released into the atmosphere. If major parts of Greenland and Antartica fall into the ocean every costal city will be wiped out creating 100 million refugees. We are wondering through the fog towards a cliff but we don't know where the cliff is and how big the fall will be.

See also
http://science.nasa.gov/headlines/y2004/05mar_arctic.htm

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Global Warming is a very real problem indeed.

You are right about the concerns about the North Atlantic Drift. Temperatures in the UK would be 5 to 10 degrees C lower without it's moderating effect, so if this stopped we would indeed be buying warmer winter coats. Right now, however, we are experiencing exceptionally hot summers with major water shortages and drought conditions such that parts of England are experiencing Mediterranean-like climates. Someone is planting an olive grove in Devon, southern England, (first and only in the UK) which is expected to be in full production in five years or so. An avocado tree has found a niche in the unlikely surroundings of a council estate in West London. Horticulture experts believe the fruit-laden specimen is the first to flourish in Britain and has grown to 6ft. For the first time ever a French 'Spider' Wasp has been found in a quarry in Bedfordshire, southern England.

Where Do Greenhouse Gases Really Come From?

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flaming balloons

What's causing global warming is the population explosion. For every child born today, in 16 years, a new car appears and in 20 years, a new house. It's best to never have a kid before 22 years of age and never have more than two kids per couple during the entire life.

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"We are not talking anymore about what climate models say might happen in the future.
We are experiencing dangerous human disruption of the global climate and we're going to experience more," Professor Holdren said.

He emphasised the seriousness of the melting Greenland ice cap, saying that without drastic action the world would experience more heatwaves, wild fires and floods.

He added that if the current pace of change continued, a catastrophic sea level rise of 4m (13ft) this century was within the realm of possibility; much higher than previous forecasts.

To put this in perspective, Professor Holdren pointed out that the melting of the Greenland ice cap, alone, could increase world-wide sea levels by 7m (23ft), swamping many cities.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/5303574.stm
http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/4969772.stm

Has it ever dawned on anyone that we humans in our finite stupidity, when it comes to managing anything regarding the welfare of this planet, may be unwittingly doing our planet the biggest favor by recycling the locked up carbon back into the carbon cycle?

I think I will buy up a few thousand acres of prime beach front property up north by Hudson Bay. This should make me a fortune in a hundred years from now. Almost forgot, I will need to compensate for sea level rise and subsidence of the permafrost.

Playing the Devil’s Advocate.
Franz