Artic Ice Melting...fast...
Disoriented Penguins, surf ice floats, looking for mating grounds.
After five long years, the State of the Arctic analysis, has been released by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The findings show an increase in northward movement of warmer water through the Bering Strait in 2001-2004, which may be continuing to contribute to the reduction of sea ice in the antartic.
The study was designed to assess the overall impact of climate change in the Arctic and will be updated annually. It was compiled by researchers from the United States, Canada France, Germany, Poland, Norway, Sweden and Russia.
The findings outline how for the past five years, it has been at least 1.8 degrees Fahrenheit above average over the Arctic. Indeed, the report shows Arctic sea ice coverage this past March, was the lowest in winter since measurements by satellite began in the early 1970s.
Ice Shelf Drift
Vladimir E. Romanovsky, a professor at the geophysical institute of the University of Alaska, commented that there have been many changes over the Arctic land areas during recent years, including changes in vegetation, river discharge into the Arctic Ocean, glaciers and permafrost.
Romanovsky claims that the tundra is becoming greener with the growth of more shrubs. A development that is causing problems in some areas as herds of reindeer migrate.
At the same time, there is some decrease in the greening of the northern forest areas, probably due to drought. The glaciers are continuing to shrink and river discharge into the Arctic Ocean is rising.
The report has defined that much of the damage to the permafrost soil can be blamed on human construction activities and fires. In many areas, this frozen ground is close to the melting point and is soon expected to begin thawing.
According to the study, artic creatures in the middle levels of the ocean, such as pollock, seem to do well, whilst those on the surface ice or the sea floor, such as walrus or crabs, are not coping as well. Polar bears are often becoming stranded and found drowned.
The most alarming signs shown by the report are that the indicators of climate change occurring in the Arctic may well be an early indicator for change in other parts of the world. This happens because the temperature difference between the Arctic and equator drives all of the earth’s weather, so if the Arctic warms up and that difference is reduced, weather can change, though scientists remain unsure about the exact degrees and effects...therefore, following the declining results from the State of the Artic study… 2007 has been designated as the International Year of the Arctic, with intense scientific study of the region planned.
Read the full report and more at www.arctic.unep.net/
Photographs courtesy : www.phys.unsw.edu.au
Learning Something Everyday
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How do I recognise you?
I think I missed sending you a reply on that other one, I'll fix that up tomorrow.
I remember noticing you and working out who you were but don't remember doing anything after that. I t is just that I was distracted.
katyzzz
WHAT A DAY I won't be doing anything like that again in a hurry though, but I learned heaps, everything I wanted, well nearly everything. I do know that I will not continue to work for that sort of money, but different strokes for different folks . I realize that.
Beautiful pictures, but tragic, I think we're in a much worse situation than anyone realises.
Dr Spin
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it is good to see you again, hope you feel better...
Yes, sorry to greet you back with bad news... it is not good, at all...
The times they are a-changing... and it is time to make changes... big ones...
Lilla...
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...that is the message I am trying to convey...
...it is time for change...the irony is that tied up in oil corporate vaults are the plans to hundreds of clean, green free-energy alternatives that can turn the planet climate back to pristine in under 10 years!
... I will feature some of this technology soon, as planned...
Lilla...
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'..I told you so,' seems redundant to me...
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... is this mess due to separating religion and politics? In the face of a greater enemy, can ... left and right re-unite and walk the talk...together?
The right will probably argue that it is really not a mess...[as they build their escape route in space - just in case] all the while claiming that it's a natural cycle playing itself out...existentialism flows shortly after this one though and I don't like to go there....
Can't we just look at the facts ... don't the pictures and words add up and speak for themselves...? Have we lost the ability to 'see' the truth for what it is...?and the belief that we [the people] can make a difference...?
Lilla ...
Learning Something Everyday
Yes, I am feeling better now. But my colleagues have caught the viral flu unfortunately... There are signs popping out now...
Big changes starts will individual small ones, and lets hope and pray that everyone's little move to help the environment will make a big shift of nature revival!
^_^
p/s: and by doing so, I start walking to work again! hahaha!
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...you are a sister warrior...
Lilla...
LaurenD
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Great picture with the penguins. Though, sad too.
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..thank you for your comment, yes the picture devastates me each time I see it...
...in answer : yes, when will [we] the people realise that [we] have the power to insist that [our] elected representatives must have a green policiy of some kind to govern in the 21st Century, or he/she will not be voted for... [We] the people must put profit and religion aside and become aware of the truths in this matter and consider the policies that our chosen representative will provide for our children and our children's children's future as a matter of some urgency.
I think Kyoto must be pushed a little by Americans and Australians come election time, without new carbon markets we may well be headed down a very scary, anarchic road into the unknown...
Thanks for stopping by...
Lilla...