Arctic ice rapidly melting

[Evan Burton]

I was originally referring to "The Great Global Warming Swindle" which was quite convincing... but actually ended up being wrong in several areas. Have a look here.

Likewise, as you have pointed out Stephen, there are some faults with the Gore film.

The inaccuracies are:

* The film claims that melting snows on Mount Kilimanjaro evidence global warming. The Government’s expert was forced to concede that this is not correct.

* The film suggests that evidence from ice cores proves that rising CO2 causes temperature increases over 650,000 years. The Court found that the film was misleading: over that period the rises in CO2 lagged behind the temperature rises by 800-2000 years.

* The film uses emotive images of Hurricane Katrina and suggests that this has been caused by global warming. The Government’s expert had to accept that it was “not possible” to attribute one-off events to global warming.

* The film shows the drying up of Lake Chad and claims that this was caused by global warming. The Government’s expert had to accept that this was not the case.

* The film claims that a study showed that polar bears had drowned due to disappearing arctic ice. It turned out that Mr Gore had misread the study: in fact four polar bears drowned and this was because of a particularly violent storm.

* The film threatens that global warming could stop the Gulf Stream throwing Europe into an ice age: the Claimant’s evidence was that this was a scientific impossibility.

* The film blames global warming for species losses including coral reef bleaching. The Government could not find any evidence to support this claim.

* The film suggests that the Greenland ice covering could melt causing sea levels to rise dangerously. The evidence is that Greenland will not melt for millennia.

* The film suggests that the Antarctic ice covering is melting. The evidence was that it is in fact increasing.

* The film suggests that sea levels could rise by 7m causing the displacement of millions of people. In fact the evidence is that sea levels are expected to rise by about 40cm over the next hundred years and that there is no such threat of massive migration.

* The film claims that rising sea levels has caused the evacuation of certain Pacific islands to New Zealand. The Government are unable to substantiate this and the Court observed that this appears to be a false claim.

So while I agree with the basic premise of the film (global warming is a real problem), it has errors, and those errors should be brought to peoples attention. They should be acknowledged. It doesn't alter the overall validity of the film.

Edited October 20, 2007 by Evan Burton

[Evan Burton]

And sometimes people just like to get their facts right, or understand circumstances.

Person A says "I have a pink elephant". Whist this statement might be true, it's beneficial to know that the reason the elephant is pink is because it was painted pink.

So if Person B asks if the elephant was pink by natural pigment of the skin, it's not derailing or disinformation or an attack.

So if Person C questions the statement by Person A because Person C is under the impression that there were no such things as naturally pink elephants, it is not questioning the integrity or honesty of Person A.

So if Person D agrees with Person C, and quotes an official report which says there are no such things as naturally occurring pink elephants, they are not ganging up on someone to defend an official theory. It does not make them a pack. It does not make them drones.

It's seeking clarification because their understanding does not coincide with the statement.

Edited October 20, 2007 by Evan Burton

[Craig Lamson]

What I REALLY want to know is how my SUV and Pickup truck are causing global warming...ON MARS!

Edited October 20, 2007 by Craig Lamson

[Craig Lamson]

Heck YEA! GO UN! No agenda there...no sir!

Can you say WORLDWIDE CARBON TAX? Gonna make oil for food look like kid stuff.

Edited October 20, 2007 by Craig Lamson

[Mark Stapleton]

Another short piece in the media confirming scientists worst fears about the Greenland ice melt. Antarctica is melting, too:

http://www.theaustralian.news.com.au/story...6-11949,00.html

[Mark Stapleton]

According to this model from a group of Canadian scientists, the Arctic will be free of ice (in the summer), sometime between 2010 and 2015:

http://www.canada.com/globaltv/national/st...5d5&k=53683

And the scientists claim they are being conservative. It has the smell of authenticity because the US, Canada and others are already arguing about resource and shipping rights when the melt causes the opening of the Northwest Passages. In fact, they've melted already:

http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/20...st-passage.html

Edited January 16, 2008 by Mark Stapleton