Numerous major publications have highlighted the global problems with increasing temperatures. Recently, complete issues of major magazines including National Geographic August 2019, have featured the worldwide problems, include human misery and resulting mass-migrations which result from rising sea levels, crop failures in densely populated countries, civil wars, and nationalistic fervor.
The very next month’s National Geographic highlighted the dramatic mass glacier melting underway in the polar regions and the warming of the arctic (September, 2019). In addition to the obvious, vast amounts of fresh water pouring into the oceans in the Arctic and Antarctic regions are affecting fishing yields. Several of the Earth’s largest glaciers are becoming unstable. Some of the Earth’s most densely populated countries, including Bangladesh and India, are seeing lessening of fresh water flows in rivers as glaciers in the Himalayas decrease in size; some are nearing their ends.
These are not “Pie in the sky” cries, but realistic problems of today. Crop yields are changing … some for the better and some for the worse. Mass migrations are affecting world stability. Nationalistic leadership movements in numerous countries are apparent with “Us First” and “Make Us Great Again” familiar themes. When immigration, especially when the newcomers are many in number, different in physical appearance, speak different languages, and believe in different spiritual values, exceeds a certain level, domestic unrest and many problems arise. Wars have been fought over the years for these basic themes.
Several of my most widely read blogs dealt with climate changes. This original posting in April, 2016 that included a comprehensive view resulted in some of the most feedback:
https://authorjkgeorge.com/thoughts-global-warming/
I’d love for you to go back and read this, but the “Cliff Notes” version is this:
- The Earth’s climate has changed radically, much before mankind ever existed. One million years ago it was much warmer, then several hundred thousand years ago, a glacial ice period dominated, followed by slightly warmer (than today) temperatures around 120,000 years ago. The most recent Ice Age followed. Only 12,000 years ago, it was cold enough that modern mankind walked across the land bridges between Asia and North America, as well as into what now is the UK from continental Europe. Sea levels were significantly lower because so much water was tied up in ice. Water levels now are around 400 feet higher, and have been relatively stable over modern history since the melting of a large surface portion of that glacial coverage (which covered much of North America as far south as the USA Midwestern states).
- Changes up to the present are not fully understood, but one major variable is the increase in Carbon Dioxide in the atmosphere of Earth. While some of this is naturally occurring, man-made CO2 is being generated now, and the data show a significant modern increase.
A three-part series in July, 2018 expanded on the April 2016 comments with more data and backup:
https://authorjkgeorge.com/climate-change-part-1-actual-physical-changes-1980-to-the-present/
https://authorjkgeorge.com/climate-change-part-2-the-science-behind-the-data/
https://authorjkgeorge.com/climate-change-part-3-implications-and-predictions-for-the-future/
Parts 1 and 2 show the data and science behind modern understanding of climate change. Part 3 shows the implications and predictions. Again, the Cliff Notes are these:
- If the current warming trend continues, the Earth will be ice-free within 200-300 years. This would (definitely, not hypothetically) result in increased sea levels of around 240 feet higher than today.
- If 250 years from now sounds like “somebody else’s problem,” then consider the year 2100, since more than half of all kids now in elementary or high school now will be alive. Sea levels will rise at least one foot by then and the changes affecting New Orleans, Miami, NYC, Norfolk and many international metropolitan centers will be catastrophic. In addition, the agriculture region of the USA Midwest breadbasket will have lost a significant portion of its productivity.
- Mass-migrations underway if this were to happen will shake world stability in many unpredictable ways.
These additional tidbits are, scientifically random, and you can discard them as not fitting into rigorous order, but just to re-post some of the news from the past few months:
- July was the hottest month world-wide since human records have been kept. (WSJ 8/16/2019)
- The ten hottest years overall since 1880 have occurred since 1998. (WSJ 1/16/2020)
- Parts of India are running out of water due to reduction in glacial melt from the Himalayas. (WSJ 8/20/2019)
- Economic impact of Climate Change poses a huge threat of economic crisis, (WSJ Op-Ed 1/17/2020)
- Russia rethinks the threat of Climate Change and ratifies the 2015 Paris Climate Accord. (WSJ 8/23/2019)
- Austin bakes in hottest September since temperatures have been recorded. (Austin American Statesman 10/28.2019)
- Antarctica sees its warmest temperature ever recorded (65 F). (Washington Post, 2/2020)
- Nepal’s Glaciers melting at a dramatic rate .. half will be gone in fifty years. (CNN 6/19/2019)
I can’t understand why the current US Administration continues to deny climate changes, and the clear threat they post to humanity -- indeed to the economy. To have anyone, no matter how powerful, use the term “hoax” is shameful. Why do we Americans tolerate that?
Comments are welcome and will be published, pro and con without the writer's identity. Make your comments below, or send to me via email at n3bb@mindspring.com
Enjoy life; it's the only one we will get.
J.K. (Jim) George
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