UN Warns: Say Goodbye to Glaciers
Posted on March 16, 2008 - Filed Under climate crisis |
The UN announced today that in 2006 glaciers around the world shrank at a record rate and could all disappear within decades. This data provides fresh evidence that the climate crises is increasing. In 2006 alone, the average glacier shrank by 4.9 feet, while one in Norway dropped by 10.2 feet.
From 1980 through 1999 the average melting was around a foot per year. Since 2000, that figure has increased to its now alarming rate. “The latest figures are part of what appears to be an accelerating trend with no apparent end in sight,” said Wilfried Haeberli, director of the World Glacier Monitoring Service.
Glacier melting is an issue that needs to be addressed now, before its effects are realized. Yet, how will governments react to this news? It remains to be seen if the UN report will spur more nations, including the US, into action. “There are many canaries emerging in the climate change coal mine. The glaciers are perhaps among those making the most noise,” said Achim Steiner, head of UNEP.
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11 Responses to “UN Warns: Say Goodbye to Glaciers”
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Just a thought. Could there possibly be a connection with global warming/rapid glacier melt/ and the oil fires after the invasion in Iraq? How long would it have taken for the pollution from those fires to affect the atmosphere? Could that have sped up the warming? What could make the water UNDER the deep glaciers begin to warm up to the point of melting the upper part? I haven’t really understood all the explanations thus far.
carol
i am very much against the war but i dont think those fires have a direct linar relationship to the melting. there has been a dramatic rise in glacier melting since 2000. its all the fossil fuels that get burned and the gases that get released into the atmosphere. that warms the earth, thus melting the glaciers. the oil burning may contribute to that but only on a small scale when compared to the massive daily global release of co2 gases all over the world.
Well, I guess if you do a study to measure glaciers that are shrinking, the study is apt to conclude that the glaciers are shrinking. This study is just politics. It does not prove that glaciers, globally are disappearing, net. It does not consider that ice is getting thicker. It cherrypicks the loser glaciers and is thus deceptive. The truth is that as these glaciers melt, ice is actually thickening at other locations on the globe. Some glacier melts, like Kilimanjaro are known to be caused by deforestation, locally.
David - thanks for that post. It reminds us that ignorance still exists in this world. The report clearly shows in increase in melting of the glaciers. While some are not melting (5% of the study did in fact show that some had grown) the vast majority of glaciers on this planet are shrinking — don’t you think that should alarm us to a very serious problem taking place right now??? We know that since 2000 this problem has increased beyond the margin of scientific error. Do you work for an oil company? how can you simply ignore this significant study? What will it take for you to wake up? Perhaps when all the glaciers are gone then we can turn and say to you, i told you so. But by that point, we’ll all be dead anyway, so who cares.
Mark - thanks for your post. It reminds us that condescension and deceit still exist in this world. In fact this article is a typical example of global warming politics - cherry pick the shrinking glaciers and cry wolf. A partial list of growing glaciers is below. It is easy to find studies that will argue against the above scare article. The debate is not over and science isn’t quite dead. http://www.iceagenow.com/List_of_Expanding_Glaciers.htm
Robert - just so i understand you - are you saying that those who worry about shrinking glaciers are crying wolf? Is that your position? If so, what are you smoking and may I have some. to think that we aren’t damaging our environment is a pathetic statement. Just like today in the US we wonder how we ever lived in a society that did not give women the right to vote, nor give equal rights to African-Americans, in future years we will wonder why we stood by silent, while the planet fell apart around us…
I can only give you a C- on trying to link my view that the science on global climate is not settled to racism and gender bias.
In future years we will wonder why we stood by silent, while the enviro-fascists destroyed the planet with draconian ’solutions’ to make-believe problems…
Stick to politics.
Make believe problems? Its as if you don’t live in the real world. Climate change is the most documented scientific undertaking in the last 25 years. The evidence is extremely compelling. Is it draconian to limit CO2 emissions? Is it draconian to want to reduce our use of fossil fuels? Its real. What is happening to the planet is not make believe. We should all be working together, today, to find solutions to these problems. http://reference.aol.com/planet-earth/global-warming/statistics the statistics do not lie. Ignorance will only hold us back, just like is has in the past (hence the reference to gender and racial inequities, and thus the notion that in 50 years from now we will look back in shame and indignation with those who take your position)
Your near religious zeal is amusing and telling. You are in the same camp as creationists. You have faith and that is all.
Ever hear of the Medievel Optimum or the Little Ice Age? It was warmer in the Medievel Optimum and at many other times than now. Climate change is normal and always occuring.
Do you know what the primary greenhouse gases are? Not CO2 but water vapor and clouds. CO2 is a minor player.
Did you know that the temperature is closely correlated with the sun’s irradiance and not so much with CO2?
Did you know that the Southern Hemisphere has shown no global temperature rise while any that has occured is in the North?
Did you know that even if Kyoto were followed it would have no effect on global temp according to the scare mongering computer models?
Did you know that many of the politicians and pseudo-scientist pushing global warming were pushing the coming ice age in the 70s and the ‘population bomb’ in the 60s?
In 50 years from now we will look back in shame and indignation with those who take your position.
so let me get this straight…you feel that the climate change of today is like that of the the medievel optimum and other shifts in history. You feel that mankind is having no effect on climate change of today. Is that right?
And if so, you dont think that all that extra co2 that we jam into the atmosphere is, or will, have any effect on the climate?
If all of that is true, can you also please let me know the address of santa claus, and the location of big foot.
Dear Bobert
Are you aware that the reason all of the water is becoming vapor in the first place is because of many of these greenhouse gasses?
A far greater reason for climate change is the greenhouse gas methane (note: not co2 nor water vapor).
You claim that we have the religious zeal, yet the icebergs melting are direct evidence. \
Rather your theories of solar radiation and natural global changes are based in a sort of ranting religious zeal, in direct opposition of actual fact.
Your right that there have been immense climate changes in the past. We have records that show how devastating it was to all life during that time. Oh and are you aware that these global changes have been linked to enormous dispersals of greenhouse gasses?
Its as if the liar is calling everyone a liar, the cheat is cheating.
Hmm, I wonder if your religious zeal also prevents you from seeing other obvious facts that stare you blankly in the face.