The Arctic is warming up faster than the rest of us and this is bad news

The Arctic is warming up faster than the rest of us and this is bad news ››: This huge and glossy report presents the rather stark conclusion arising from the consensus of a large group of climate and polar scientists. They claim to be using moderate estimates and extrapolations based on well-supported, non-extreme models of carbon dioxide concentrations and global temperatures (IPCC scenario B2, a conservative choice). The report is huge, pretty, impressive and scary. Expect a 4-7 degree rise in Arctic temperatures by 2100, with sea-level rises between 10cm and 90cm. Most of the summer sea ice, the bits the polar bears and seals like lie on and reproduce on, will be gone and anyone making a living herding caribou and the like will find times hard. The Earth's albedo will be significantly altered. The expected loss of permafrost will free up some highly desirable but somewhat unstable agricultural land in Northern Canada and Siberia. The effects on oceanic conveyer belts and so on are wholly unpredictable at our current level of knowledge.; [Permalink…09-Nov-04…Deserving memes…]

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