Posted on 01/26/2007 7:41:52 AM PST by dead
GLOBAL warming has accelerated and the carbon emitted this century will continue to warm the Earth for more than a thousand years, according to the scientific advice commissioned by the world's governments.
Officials from about 180 governments, including Australia, will meet in Paris next week for the first Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in six years.
Confidential research to go to the meeting predicts rainfall will increase in the tropics over this century. But it is likely rainfall will diminish in the regions near the tropics, which includes most of the inhabited parts of Australia.
The reductions in rainfall due to global warming could be as much as 20 per cent under some of the scenarios the working group finds plausible.
The updated expert scientific advice for the meeting is considerably more confident that global warming is caused by man-made emissions of greenhouse gases. The best assessment for the last climate change panel meeting put the likelihood at more than 66 per cent that human activity was to blame. But the scientists now assert it is more than a 90 per cent likelihood, say sources familiar with the confidential advice.
The likelihood of a continuing global trend to more warm days and fewer cold ones is rated greater than 99 per cent.
Research on the physical science of climate change, prepared by 49 of the foremost experts, finds warming caused by carbon emissions increased by 20 per cent in the past 10 years, the fastest in at least 500 years.
The scientists predict that the average global temperature will rise by 0.2 degrees in each of the next two decades, double the rate of warming that would have occurred if greenhouse outputs had been stabilised at 2000 levels.
The advice to the governments says man-made carbon dioxide emissions already under way in the 21st century - even if they were to cease at the end of the century - will continue to exert a warming effect for more than a thousand years because it takes time for the gas to leave the Earth.
Meanwhile, the Prime Minister, John Howard, yesterday brushed off an accusation from the Australian of the Year, Tim Flannery, that his Government had dragged the climate change chain. Mr Howard said he was not "bowled over by some of the doomsday scenarios".
Among other effects the scientists predict are that sea ice will shrink in the Arctic and Antarctic under all plausible scenarios, extremes including heatwaves will continue to become more frequent and snow cover will contract. There are projected to be fewer tropical cyclones, but their intensity will grow.
In a projection less troubling than the previous report, the scientists now believe the rise in the sea level will be smaller. The scientists are uncertain of the strength of the feedback effects that will accompany global warming - that is, its propensity to be self-perpetuating.
The findings will be the basis for debate and negotiations over measures governments might take to address global warming.
Looks like it's too late to do anything about it. Might as well eat, drink and be merry.
As one would expect with increased solar output.
oh no! the sky is falling!!
dogs and cats living together!
WE'RE ALL GONNE DIE!!!!
quick: take my car! take my electricity! take my house! take every modern convenience away and let me live in the stone age!!!
It's 52 freaking degrees outside in Florida.
Global warming my butt.
And the one last possible solution is no longer viable: that of building rocket ships and saving civilization by traveling
to other planets, like Mars - since our emission of CO2 has warmed all the other planets too!
"The reductions in rainfall due to global warming could be as much as 20 per cent under some of the scenarios the working group finds plausible."
That last word made me quote this. I can think of a lot of things that are plausible, but remain improbable and even impossible. If this weren't true, how could sci-fi have any narrative purchase whatsoever?
These people have to get real jobs.
NO, SERIESLY...
If it was 52 here, I'd be getting a tan. (5 degrees this morning).
Al Gore and the rest can zip it just for one day is all I ask.
I'm in no mood:
http://www.weather.com/outlook/travel/vacationplanner/local/04554?from=hp_promolocator&lswe=04554&lwsa=Weather36HourVacationPlannerCommand
No, no. They don't want all that stuff from you. They just want your money. If you give them all your money, Global Warming will go away.
Could, might, maybe, very scientific.
I've got 4 degrees where I am.
To the small percentage of FReepers who still worry about CO2 - don't. Greenhouse gases are a minor factor in climate change. Even restricting the conversation to greenhouse effects, water vapour is THE greenhouse gas, and CO2 is a bit player. And man's contribution to CO2 is a minor peturbation.
Here is an excellent resource for those who want to find out more.
Global Warming causes Global Cooling and makes it
snow in the wnter time. We're all doomed!
Officials from about 180 governments, including Australia, will meet in Paris next week for the first Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change in six years.
Al Gore's "CIRCUIS of RETARDS"!!!!
It better hold out until after the final "24" and American Idol!
Too bad John Howard can't run for President of the United States. I LIKE that guy.
WE'RE DOOMED!!!!
Only socialist policies can save Mother Earth!!!!! Hear us, O Great Mother, GAIA. Spare your children, those of us who are liberal and love you, anyway.
The rests of mankind will live at a subsistence level, forever, so that we, the liberal elite, can worship you through our own vast materialism, like the sainted Barbra Streisand.
Oh, and please kill all the Christians, who hate all living things, and the evil Republicans, who only love money.
Amen.
Disclaimer: Opinions posted on Free Republic are those of the individual posters and do not necessarily represent the opinion of Free Republic or its management. All materials posted herein are protected by copyright law and the exemption for fair use of copyrighted works.