Climate Change is a hot and divisive topic and has been for the last couple of decades.  Sadly, it seems to extrapolate – you’re either for it, or you’re against it – reaction from people, like climate change were the Yankees and losing only means cheering (or booing) another day.  Except with climate change, the human franchise doesn’t have endless seasons to get it right.

On April 6th, 2009, the National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA) released a report detailing the accelerated thinning and melting of Arctic sea ice and permafrost compared to 2004 estimates, which forecast that it would take 50-100 years (from 2004) for that same ice and permafrost to thaw and melt.  Further evidence from NASA’s report confirmed the 5th lowest level of Arctic sea ice cover in 30 years (or since first being measured).  An admonition of that number is that the past 6 years have recorded the 6 lowest levels ever.  Meaning – the climate is changing rapidly – right now.

Why has actual climate change exceeded the widely accepted 2004 models?  There is significant evidence that the change is being accelerated by the continued and unfettered consumption of fossil-based fuels: direct measurement of rising surface air temps, subsurface ocean temps, increases in average global sea levels, and, what is highlighted in this article, retreating glaciers, ice cover and permafrost.

For example, climate change has been quickened by increasing emissions of unnatural greenhouse gases (GHG) like carbon dioxide (CO2), which is released from man-made power supplies, such as coal burning energy plants.  Also, there is a vicious cycle called feedback loops that’s forcing the exponential melts.

A surprisingly large amount of CO2 invading the atmosphere is a result of feedback loops, which is a causal path that leads from the initial generation of the feedback signal to the subsequent modification of the event.  According to a recent article in the Washington Post, the most prominent feedback loop is the cycle in which warmer temps are melting Arctic permafrost, layers of frozen soil that contain trapped methane (methane is a quarter more potent than CO2) and carbon dating back to the last ice age, which is being released when it thaws.  This Arctic permafrost collectively holds a trillion tons of carbon, and it has been estimated that, if the associated feedback loop continues, 10% of that carbon could be released this century.

Why do dangerous environmental emissions continue to rise amid growing awareness?  While the Industrial Revolution for the Western Hemisphere is long over, developing countries, such as China and India, are experiencing booms in expansion and industrial production, which has contributed to the vicious feedback cycle as well as the exponential CO2 emissions.  That does not mean these developing countries are wholly to blame; rather, the aggregate global demand for power, which is only expected to rise, is a key contributor, especially the unnecessary and wasteful power drain – like vampire energy loss.

As the debate surrounding climate change continues, our planet is signaling that it can’t wait for us to persuade our rivals.  Examples of recent acceleration are all around us and will eventually be drastic enough that everyone will take notice, but there may not be the extra innings needed to change course.

Tags: accelerated climate change, Arctic ice cover, climate change, eco batteries, Eco battery, eco charger, Exponential Climate change, feedback loop, global warming, NASA report, permafrost, vampire labs

This entry was posted on Sunday, April 12th, 2009 at 9:28 am and is filed under Uncategorized. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. Responses are currently closed, but you can trackback from your own site.