Global Warming/Climate Change

[Holly Stick]

There is a new all-party climate change caucus which includres Conservative MP Michael Chong:


http://blogs.canada.com/2011/10/20/tory-chong-joins-all-party-climate-caucus/

[Toedancer]

That is a good beginning, but the pollution parties will still use the economy not to hurt the biggest foulers. The link between health issues and pollution is now irrefutable. I guess we'll wait and see how this goes.  But I will remind the mental health issues and suicide prevention we are seeing rah-rahed for right now by all parties (even John Baird) I don't find genuine. More it is the stats coming out of the austerity countries that is scaring the shit out of Canada's gob right now. The link between the 99% and the reform for the economic policies of the world and suicide is also irrefutable.

[Holly Stick]

Warming in our lifetime:

http://www.canada.com/life/green-guide/Warming+could+exceed+safe+levels+this+lifetime+report/5597386/story.html


ETA: the abstracts:


http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate1261.html


http://www.nature.com/nclimate/journal/vaop/ncurrent/full/nclimate1258.html

[Holly Stick]

"Critical Thinking on Climate Change" An excellent talk about AGW denial from the University of Edinburgh, lots of cartoons, etc. The talk is an hour long, then there are questions.
http://www.skepticalscience.com/Richard-Milne-separates-skepticism-from-denial.html


ETA: We are locked in to have some warming, but can still keep it from getting too dangerous:

http://www.vancouversun.com/technology/Humans%2Blocked%2Bwarmer%2Bworld%2Bstill%2Bavoid%2Bdangerous%2Bclimate%2Bchange/5630177/story.html


ETA again: De Souza posted the memo:
http://www.scribd.com/doc/70950589/Environment-Canada-memo-on-climate-change

[Holly Stick]

Forests across western North America are changing due to climate change:

CORVALLIS, Ore. – A huge “migration” of trees has begun across much of the West due to global warming, insect attack, diseases and fire, and many tree species are projected to decline or die out in regions where they have been present for centuries, while others move in and replace them.
In an enormous display of survival of the fittest, the forests of the future are taking a new shape...

http://oregonstate.edu/ua/ncs/archives/2011/nov/climate-change-causing-movement-tree-species-across-west

The study: http://www.fsl.orst.edu/~waring/Publications/pdf/RSE-in%20press_Aug%2022%202011.pdf

[Holly Stick]

Inadequate government climate change plans:

http://www.thestar.com/news/canada/politics/article/1082226--canada-s-climate-change-plans-to-fall-short-new-study-says


Same story, more optimistic sounding:

http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/story/2011/11/07/greenhouse-gas-cuts-federal-government.html

[Holly Stick]

Possible policy options:


http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-15619962

[lagatta]

A much more personal take on this issue from Montreal blogger Mary Soderstrom, who has written extensively on green and walkable cities:

http://marysoderstrom.blogspot.com/2011/11/climate-change-personal-view.html

Good illustration of our quandary - "Today is my birthday and for the first time since we came to Montreal decades ago, no snow has fallen so far this season. Every other year there have been at least a few flakes by now, even though rare has been the birthday when we had to wade through snow". (...)

I hate snow a lot more than Ms Soderstrom does, and have been thrilling in this mild, cyclable and walkable weather, though we know that it means severe problems elsewhere and even hereabouts.

Holly, thanks for your lynx...

[Toedancer]

No expectation of freeze over until first week of December for the polar bears. Very sad, freeze- over, over 20 years ago was by Nov. 8. So hungry in their walking hibernation.

[lagatta]

That is terrible, poor things. Do polar bears actually hibernate? (Calling on brebis!!!) I am woefully ignorant of their habits - I was under the impression that they didn't, as I thought a normal winter was a happy, fat-tummy time for them. This is also the case for Northern human beings, as it was easier for them to travel and go out on the land to hunt and fish. Summer also brought a lot of much-needed vitamins from shortlived berries and other plants, but I believe the spring could be a time of hunger.

I bought a postage stamp (this is getting rare) to send a birthday card to overseas friend; no surprise that the overseas stamp is a polar bear. Friend is well aware of the Harperites' ecocidal government.

[Toedancer]

http://www.polarbearsinternational.org/polar-bears/bear-essentials-polar-style/habits-and-behavior/hibernating-and-denning


That link should answer you questions Lagatta. I've been on the polar bear cam every morning waiting for them to leave, but they can't, especially mums with half-grown cubs. Env. Canada says no freezing until early Dec. and that's not right. Are they adapting? I dunno. But it's pretty awful to watch them eating seaoats when they are restless.

[Antonia]

  I stopped watching last week. 

[Toedancer]

Pls. don't stop watching A. I just came in from a short walk simply around the block, the fog is thick I could hardly breathe. Currently the major threats to penguins include oil pollution and competition from commercial fisheries for their natural food supply. OTOH major threats to penguins https://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&source=hp&q=major+threat+to+seals&pbx=1&oq=major+threat+to+seals&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=2078l7823l0l8117l21l16l0l5l5l0l370l2609l2.10.3.1l21l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=5fef1c2b59861573&biw=1024&bih=653


and major threats to seals https://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&source=hp&q=major+threat+to+penguins&pbx=1&oq=major+threat+to+penguins&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=87564l89874l1l90228l8l8l0l0l0l0l196l1026l3.5l8l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=5fef1c2b59861573&biw=1024&bih=653


major threats to polar bears https://www.google.com/#sclient=psy-ab&hl=en&source=hp&q=major+threat+to+polar+bears&pbx=1&oq=major+threat+to+polar+bears&aq=f&aqi=&aql=&gs_sm=e&gs_upl=0l0l2l-13394l11l10l1l0l0l0l200l1389l2.7.1l11l0&bav=on.2,or.r_gc.r_pw.,cf.osb&fp=5fef1c2b59861573&biw=1024&bih=653


It's like the world trying to figure out the major threat to human beings, lots, but since one can't prove any of it, the b.s. just keeps moving on.

[Holly Stick]

The Minister of the Environment plans to spend $150 million over five years on climate change adaptation (I wonder how this compares to the cuts made at Environment Canada. Are they going to keep the ozone measurement going?)

And Kent is going to the next big climate conference in Durban, in a non-cooperative mood.

http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/politics/ottawa-ramps-up-funding-for-climate-change-adaptation/article2229576/


ETA: Mike De Souza has more on this:

http://www.canada.com/technology/Kent+says+million+investment+addresses+climate+change+reality/5677396/story.html

[sparqui]

There it is again: "adaptation".  What is that? A bypass on curtailing man-made global warming? Adapting to cyclical climate change? Some more BS?