Whenever there is a scientific theory or even an assumption, the most obvious effect of it, is the appearance of the skeptics. It is such people who have always maintained that the humans as a race were over-reacting to the phenomenon of ‘global warming’ and that it was just a natural cycle of the Earth that was causing climate changes.

But scientists have now proved beyond any doubt that the climate change at the poles is indeed because of human activities and our impact on the planet.

Using four computer models and data from dozens of weather stations sited around both the North and South Poles, the scientists were able to prove that the climatic change at the poles is so great that there is no way any natural model of climate change will account for such steep increase in polar temperatures.

The polar ice has been melting at a rate that is far higher than normal and in the last two years we have seen for the first time ever, that the Arctic Circle and North Pole kind of melts into an Island. The temperature even in Antarctica have been on the rise and while the Ozone depletion helped reverse the heating effect for a while, it’s now replenished and will increase the temperatures even further.

While there has been no doubt in the minds of many that human activity was indeed destroying the poles, this now proves the theory beyond doubt. The melting sea ice in the Arctic and the increasing temperatures in the Antarctic are all further proof of how much we need to cut down on pollution before we get sniffed out due to our own over-indulgence.

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Global warming is one phenomenon that has pretty much grown into the biggest demon the planet is trying to get off of its back and not too surprisingly, we have not been all that successful till today.

Despite growing concerns over how the greenhouse gases must be controlled and their volume curbed, it seems the progress is either too slow or even non existent for many developing nations. Europe though is at the forefront of this movement and it is interesting to take a look at the radical few new ways that UK’s Royal Society has come up with to deal with the rising temperature.

1) Methods proposed by scientists at the Royal Society include using trillions of space ship mirrors that hover around the earth and create a shield that reflects the sunlight and forms a heat shield of sorts.

2) Then there is the idea of spraying ocean water into the atmosphere to which will increase salt content in the clouds and make them whiter. This would also act on the principle of reflecting light.

3) The most acceptable method seems to be increasing iron content in oceans which would encourage growth of algae and absorption of carbon gases. But such a method could cause havoc to the marine ecosystem.

The methods stated by John Shepherd, chairman of the Royal Society and his team of scientists are all still just secondary plan and the scientists themselves admit that our major goal must be to reduce greenhouse gases. That should make the priorities clear for all reluctant nations who still think of economic impact above environment effects.

By the way; ’spaceships with mirrors’… What is this, Fifth grade?

Image courtesy of Enzo D.

Prince Charles is in Tokyo urging the world to fight climate change saying that,

“Given the current turbulence in the international financial system and the immediate and damaging effect it is having on the whole world, the credit crunch is rightly a preoccupation of vast significance and importance.

But we take our eye off the ‘climate crunch’ at our peril.”

The Prince thinks that the earth’s temps could rise by more than 6C by 2100, citing UN scientists. He didn’t mention, however, that the scientists aren’t sure what the temps will be next week. Elephants could fall out of airplanes, too.

I think the climate is changing. I think that we ought to be responsible stewards of Earth. I also think that there isn’t a whole lot we can do to change the weather cycles.

It’s kind of like giving $700 billion to Neel Kashkari and expecting him to change the tide of the world’s economies. That didn’t work either.

Image courtesy of petecarr

Corals at the Great Barrier Reef are soaking up carbon dioxide at new levels say researchers. As a result, the corals may (operative word) be accelerating bleaching and some might (operative word) be destroyed by 2050.

I say operative word because the actual effect is not known and the ultimate outcome is still very much everyone’s best guess. Could, maybe, might, perhaps… When the scientists say will, have been proven to, and did, I’ll listen.

Indeed, I’ll say it yet again - Let’s be good stewards of our Planet. Let’s treat Earth as if it is the only home we will ever have. Let’s be responsible. Let’s be thrifty. But, not because the climate is changing. That’s what the climate does.

We are all aware by now of the effects of global warming which is soon to cause a major hazard to the earth. Unless and until we make efforts to stop or reduce greenhouse emissions we are to witness a complete shift in the ecological balance.

According to David Jones the head of climate analysis at the Bureau of Meteorology the severe droughts affecting the south-west Western Australia, south-east South Australia, Victoria and northern Tasmania have been the worst in centuries.

The temperatures are higher than the normal drought, showing a degree that clearly tells us that global warming has begun to take its toll.

Jones also specifies that every one degree of warming will decrease the runoff water by 15%. Rainfall has been close to nil for a long time now. If we do not act fast we will witness the destruction of our earth in front of our very own eyes. - via ClimateProgess

Image via Georgie Sharp

In a previous post I wrote Beijing was planing to artificially change the weather for the Olympics if they needed to. Good news, I suppose, they won’t have to. How do you say “whew!” in Chinese, I wonder? The forecast will be overcast (smog?) but no rain is expected according to the China Meterological Administration. A shower in the afternoon and temps from 25-30C (78-86F).

Some 100,000 people, athletes and fans, are expected to be in the National Stadium (Bird’s Nest) on Friday for the opening ceremony. Moderate rain is expected over the weekend. Won’t matter, I suppose, early events in the Olympics are indoors - swimming, basketball and such.

Weather forecasts will be broadcast every hour, 24 hours in advance. Four satellites will check out the clouds every 15 minutes, and 186 weather stations will gather data every 5 minutes. There are also seven fixed Doppler radar stations and two mobile stations. All this to tell us it’s going to rain, or not, be hot or not. And, then what?

Can you say overkill?

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Beijing is pulling out all the stops in order to have clear weather for the opening ceremony of the 2008 Summer Olympics Games. The government says that if bad weather threatens then meteorologists will be asked to step in and change the weather.  Whoa! It almost makes me wish for rain, or thunderstorms and heavy winds and such just to see if the climateers can pull it off.

China’s vice director with the China Meteorological Administration (CMA) says the meteorologists have been practicing to make artificial weather modifications for the past 5 years, especially on reducing rainfall. 

“Artificial weather modification could be useful when a drizzle occurs,” he said. “But in case of a heavy rainfall, no one can help.”

Official forecasts for the opening games are due out on August 1st, a week before they kick off. According to city weather statistics, there’s a 47% chance of drizzle on August 8th. That sounds about right for most anywhere. Maybe it’ll rain, maybe it won’t.

So, how would they stop the drizzle anyway? Giant umbrella?

The guys in this house of umbrellas won’t mind for sure.

Something tells me that people ought not be messing with the weather. But, then China has definitely been doing their part to mess things up.