The National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration's just-released 2009 State of the Climate report bears few surprises for those who follow climate science--the past decade was the warmest on record, and the Earth has slowly been heating up for the past 50 years.
TEPCO: Chart depicting rising CO2 levels starting 1990 and projected through 2030
The difference between this and every other climate report, however, is that NOAA gathered research from 300 scientists in 48 countries to produce a compelling document that covers every aspect of our planet's climate. The report is, according to NOAA, the first to bring together "multiple observational records from the top of the atmosphere to the depths of the ocean."
CCN: Global map depicting rising temperatures -- temps (red) highest among industrialized nations
NOAA's report uses 10 features to measure global temperature changes. Seven of the features (air temperature over land, sea-surface temperature, air temperature over oceans, sea level, ocean heat, humidity, and tropospheric temperature in the "active-weather" layer of the atmosphere) are rising significantly, while three (Arctic sea ice, glaciers, and spring snow cover in the Northern hemisphere) are declining.
"Hey, Mr. NOAA Man its hotter than a summer in Lubbock, let's end this global warm meet, falling behind on my golfing."
It's a fairly discouraging situation, according to the NOAA:
The report emphasizes that human society has developed for thousands of years under one climatic state, and now a new set of climatic conditions are taking shape. These conditions are consistently warmer, and some areas are likely to see more extreme events like severe drought, torrential rain and violent storms.
Does this mean we should seriously start considering geoengineering? Maybe, but it's just as important to focus on mitigating the consequences of the coming set of climatic conditions. A combination of geoengineering and solid preparation for a warming world may be the best solution (if it can be called a solution) that we have available.
COMMENTARY: Not withstanding my political humor, global warming is upon us. To deny that global warming is reaching an irreversible stage affects the very existence of mankind and every living creature on earth. This should be a concern to everybody regardless of political affiliation, rich or poor, developed or underdeveloped. We need to get to work.
Courtesy of an article dated July 28, 2010 appearing in Fast Company
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