Global warming

Date: Thu, 10 May 2001 11:26:53 -0300 (ADT)
From: Martin Willison <willison@is.dal.ca>
To: sust-mar@chebucto.ns.ca
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Dear readers of Sustainable Maritimes

It is very frustrating to hear political commentary
on global warming evidence and theory, such as that
provided recently by Steve d'Appolonia.  Steve should
examine the primary data and basic theory before
accepting secondary commentary as having validity.
For those who want to know the truth, the Intergovernmental
Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) maintains an excellent
website at www.ipcc.org.  From this site you can
download entire detailed reports, including measures
of statistical probability.

The "greenhouse effect" is based in such fundamental
physical theory that it is virtually a law of pysics.
The theory that global warming can be expected is
solidly based in physics too.  The only issue of doubt
is how to attribute measured changes in temperatures to 
changes in atmospheric composition caused by human
activity (anthropogenic), relative to changes which can
be attributed to so-called "natural" effects.  According
to one theory, for example, the warming due to 
atmospheric change is being offset by cooling associated
with the phenomena which drive the periodic temperature 
cycling associated with the ice ages.

The debate over climate change has become highly
politicized, mostly as a result of the work of a
lobby in the United States established by the fossil
fuel industry.  This is the source of the doubts
expressed by Steve.  There are also counterveiling 
lobby efforts, some of which are not very well
informed, and this has deepened the politicization
of this necessary debate.

There are some indisputable facts: Earth's atmosphere
creates a "greenhouse effect"; Earth's atmosphere has
changed in composition as a result of human activity;
the rate of change in atmospheric composition is 
accelerating as a result of industrial growth; global
average temperatures are rising.  It is also highly
probable that the current average surface temperature of 
the Earth was higher in 2000 than at any time in the last 
2000 years (at least).

The error of some thinking, though, is that Earth's
atmosphere and climate have been stable until humans came 
along and messed them up.  This is not so.  Earth's
atmosphere has evolved over time, and some of the
biggest changes have resulted from the development of
life itself.  A lot of early life forms were wiped
out of existence as a result of atmospheric change created
by other organisms (some no doubt wiped themselves out too).
The risk for current and future humans is that climate change 
induced by changes in atmospheric composition resulting 
from industrial activity will have unpredictable 
consequences.  Organizations like the IPCC (which was 
created by the governments of the inustrialized nations 
to provide information and reasoned advice) were created 
to try to provide fore-warning of these changes.  To ignore 
the evidence which is being provided by the IPCC is, to 
put it mildly, very stupid.

As my own little indicator of the impact of climate change, 
I watch the timing of the Spring leaves that burst on 
one particular tree in my backyard.  They burst earlier
in the 2000's than in the 1990's (this year has 
maintained the trend). The crocus bloom was late this
year, of course, but they have always been more variable 
in their responsiveness to the end of winter than the 
horse chestnut tree that makes its annual statement on 
the subject of climate.  If you watch and listen to the 
world, it will speak to you - I recommend this to all 
Maritimers.  Some of my friends have been crying out very 
loudly, and some (not the horse chestnut nor the crocus) 
are expressing pain.  The frogs and the migratory birds 
seem unhappy, for example, and I am told by those who 
know the fish and the molluscs that some of them are
also expressing great suffering.

Martin Willison



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