Global Warming Resulting in Climate Change
The following was just published:
ScienceDaily (2011-10-17) -- "Rising sea levels in the coming centuries is perhaps one of the most catastrophic consequences of rising temperatures. Massive economic costs, social consequences and forced migrations could result from global warming. But how frightening times are we facing? Researchers have now calculated the long-term outlook for rising sea levels in relation to the emission of greenhouse gases and pollution of the atmosphere using climate models and have some startling predictions."
The following graph summarizes the findings:
The graph shows how sea levels will change for four different pathways for human development and greenhouse gas pollution. The green, yellow and orange lines correspond to scenarios where it takes 10, 30, or 70 years before emissions are stabilized. The red line can be considered to represent business as usual where greenhouse gas emissions are increasing over time. (Credit: Aslak Grinsted)
Now let's discuss these findings. Of course most Americans do not have enough science and math knowledge to understand the above. I will not rant at this time on the huge percent of Americans who are totally and utterly scientific illiterate. So let me tell you what these scientists (these are the people who got As in science and math classes and who attended MIT and Cal Tech when you went to the local community college) found. If we continue to emit carbon dioxide at the same levels of today and do nothing to decrease the greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, then the sea level will rise 1.1 m (43 in.) by 2100 and will rise 5.5 m (216 in or 18 ft) by 2500. So many of you would say so what? How many of you live at or below sea level? A large percent of the human population lives within 100 mi of the sea. Significant increases in the level of oceans will result in the largest human migration ever. Just visualize New York City under water. Now that is just a starter. I will not bore you and tell you the specifics of changing ocean currents and the total modifications of weather patterns.
We must do something today! Look at the plots when something is done to decrease greenhouse gases. Yes, the seas will rise but it will be far less than if we have business as usual. We must educate our scientific illiterate politicians who run this country and the many other countries who continue to rely on burning goo from the ground at phenomenal rates. They only seem to understand money. Well, the cost of a large rise in the sea will make the 2011 US debt number look like small change.