Current CO2 levels could lead to irreversible Arctic change - 19 Jul 2010  
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Current CO2 levels could lead to irreversible Arctic change.
With current rates of Arctic warming continuing to accelerate, especially over the past two decades, Dr. Ashley Ballantyne of the University of Colorado, USA and other international colleagues sought to better understand these rising temperature-related risks.

To do so, he looked back in Earths’ history to the Pliocene Epoch between 2.5 to more than 5 million years ago, when CO2 levels were between 350-450 parts per million, comparable to today’s approximately 390 parts per million. However, despite the similar amounts of greenhouse gas in the atmosphere, the Arctic’s temperature at that time was much higher.

Dr. Ballantyne’s findings indicate that present temperatures in the Arctic simply may not yet be showing the future changes in store for the region.

Dr. Ashley Ballantyne – University of Colorado, USA (M): We were pretty startled to learn from our estimates that temperatures were on the order of 19 degrees (Celsius) warmer during the Pliocene in the Arctic.
It was very different from the Arctic landscape of today, which is very sparse and barren if there isn’t ice cover. This implies that not only is the Arctic very sensitive to CO2 levels, but that what we’ve observed thus far in the Arctic is a transient response, and that the Arctic hasn’t yet reached its equilibrium state.

VOICE: The research suggests that the significant changes resulting from the presence of increased CO2 in the atmosphere could not only harm species’ adaptation and survival but could even set off an unalterable process of ice-free warming. Related research has already forecast that continued melting of the Arctic tundra could trigger a devastating release of greenhouse gases such as the potent methane into the atmosphere, leading to runaway global warming.

Dr. Ballantyne (M): It implies that the Arctic is in store for much warmer conditions in the future, even if we were to stabilize CO2 levels at four hundred parts per million. And this warming will produce irreversible changes in our big ecosystems.

VOICE: Our appreciation, Dr. Ballantyne and associates, for your research that warns of future Arctic destabilization even without further greenhouse gas emissions. May we act quickly in mitigating climate change at all costs by adopting necessary Earth-preserving measures. In an August 2008 interview by Ireland’s East Coast FM Radio, Supreme Master Ching Hai urged for humanity to heed such scientific cautioning through the most effective actions to quickly rebalance the biosphere.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: According to the scientists, whatever they have predicted or prescribed about our critical situation is accurate up to 99%. They want us to change the way we live our lives by cutting down CO2 emissions. And the fastest way that individuals can do, without a lot of protocol and ado, is to be veg.

It’s truly critical now, as we have witnessed increasing disaster worldwide, due to climate change. We still have time, we still have a little time to change the course of destiny, thanks to the vegetarian population, old and new members that reduce the most karmic retribution in the shortest span of time.

Thus we have like an extended deadline before the no return point. But it’s not much. We must change fast to avoid much more damage to the Earth as well as loss of more lives and resources.
http://www.upi.com/Science_News/2010/06/30/Study-Arctic-climate-at-tipping-point/UPI-95001277922906/
http://www.cbc.ca/technology/story/2010/06/30/study-ozone-arctic-ice-levels.html

Endangered turtles successfully released.
Spain’s Cabo de Gata-Níjar Natural Park in the province of Almería is home to a special project of caring for and reintroducing young loggerhead sea turtles to the region.

On Thursday, July 15, 80 turtles hatched in 2009 were successfully released from a beach in the park. The Environmental Department and the Spanish National Research Council (CSIC) initiated the reintroduction program in 2004, which involves first collecting turtle eggs from Cape Verde, where the species is found in larger groups but sadly faces multiple dangers.

The eggs are then placed on the beaches of the park or in incubators and are transferred when they hatch to the center of the Marine Environment Management Algeciras.

The young turtles thus spend their first few months in a safe environment to sufficiently harden their shells, which greatly increases the chance of their survival in the wild.
The hope is also that the turtles will return to nest in the park, thus creating a healthy, thriving population from its beaches.

A big bravo, Environmental Department, Spanish National Research Council and Spain for your dedicated efforts to save this wonderful marine animal. May your exemplary actions lead to more such celebrations of life around the world with shared respect amongst all Earth’s inhabitants.
http://www.barcelonareporter.com/index.php?/news/comments
/80_loggerhead_turtles_released_into_the_cabo_de_gata-nijar_natural_park/

An extreme heat wave continues in many countries across Europe, with northern countries such as Finland reporting the highest temperatures in 76 years.
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/world/2010-07/13/c_13396516.htm
http://english.cntv.cn/program/newsupdate/20100713/102904.shtml
http://www.spiegel.de/international/europe/0,1518,705963,00.html

A report by the non-profit Western Resource Advocates in Colorado, USA highlights water scarcities in the American West and Mexico, stating that legal water rights are exceeding actual river amounts, while two of the region’s largest reservoirs stand at just 55% of capacity.
http://www.newwest.net/topic/article/report_urges_senate_to_look_critically_at_water_in_the_west
/C559/L559/ 
http://www.summitdaily.com/article/20100714/NEWS/100719921/1001&parentprofile=10551

China’s National Bureau of Statistics reports that extreme drought has caused the nation’s grain yields to be down for the first time in 7 years, with further declines forecast due to recent excessive flooding in southern regions.
http://www.chinadaily.com.cn/china/2010-07/13/content_10097379.htm
http://www.bloomberg.com/news/2010-07-08/china-grain-output-may-decline-much-as-2-due-to-flooding-daily-
reports.html  
http://news.xinhuanet.com/english2010/china/2010-07/12/c_13396030.htm