HOME - "It's not what's gone, it's what remains that is important."

HOME is a very inspiring video on YouTube about Our Planet and how we have exploited it...... AND, how we can help save it. It is an hour an a half long, but well worth your time to watch all of it.  I do plan to show a few segments in our climate class. Most climate change segments appear after 1:00 hr.

BTW, the photography is also awesome.

Sea Level Rise and South Florida

The title link is to an article in the Ledger from Lakeland Florida, and provides some first hand insight into what is expected in in the Miami area, and the Everglades. A couple of paragraphs from the article:

"If things continue as predicted, the bottom floors of the hotel where we were meeting would be part of Biscayne Bay — well offshore in Biscayne Bay — by the turn of the century.

And even the parts of Dade County that aren't underwater will be uninhabitable because the rising sea level will have made much of the Biscayne Aquifer, the shallow aquifer that supplies drinking water in this part of Florida, too salty to drink."

Climate Refugees - Osher Class 3 - Updated 11/2

Update:
The book David Weber referred to and summarized  was:
"The coming population crash and our planet's surprising future"

by Fred Pearce.  It can be found in the Lewes public library.

Original Post:
Below are the links used in the class on Oct 31, 2011.

Newtok, Alaska, Town of 350 relocates to higher ground.

Cateret Islands map, and trailer  for "Sun Comes Up" about their relocation attempts.

Article from Financial Times about 'environmental migration'. Also see Oct 24 post in this blog.

Climate refugees in 2050, link to International Organization for Migration page on 'Migration and Climate Change' (see paragraph 3).

Link to movie, "Climate Refugees". Link to 2 trailers is at top of their page. We watched 1/2 of trailer #2. This site also contains the 'Take Action' page with 11 tips we reviewed.

Climate Change Vulnerability Index by Maplecroft.

The most and the least vulnerable countries, from USA Today.

Below, photo of Haiti, the most vulnerable country, from Hispanically Speaking News, June 13, 2011.

Environmemtal Migration, aka Climigration

The title linked article was brought into class today by Bo French. It presents an in depth perspective about some of the details of 'environmental migration'. A quote from the Financial Times article:

"Global environmental change is likely to reduce the ability of many people to migrate and therefore will “in some circumstances reduce migration per se”, the report said. “These ‘trapped’ or ‘immobile’ populations are hidden from high-level estimates yet they represent a policy concern just as serious as, if not more serious than, migration.” "

As I read this quote, the people who can not afford to migrate, will face death by starving or drowning or?

On the positive side:
"Migration can not only remove people from environmental danger but also provide new sources of income to help mitigate climate change. Remittances from migrants to families in low-income countries exceed $300bn a year, nearly three times the value of overseas aid."

Sustainable Agriculture

The title link is to the NY Times Blog by Andrew Revkin which contains a link to the excellent video, "The Other Inconvenient Truth", featuring Jonathan Foley.

Some other links used in today's class are:
Skeptic Talking Points Melt Away
NASA On-line Videos
Agriculture and population maps of the world
Nationmaster map and statistics source for countries of the world

Earth and Its Climate in 2031 (Osher class title)

Following is the agenda for the next 4 classes of this Osher Lifelong Learning Course at the University of Delaware in Lewes, DE. The overall question to be addressed: "What will the Earth be like in 2031 in regard to the following subjects?"

October 24 - Global weather changes, and the effect on agriculture, potable water and feeding a growing world.

October 31 - Geographic population shifts and climate refugees.

November 7 - Wildlife and vegetation changes, plus the role of forests.

November 14 - Tipping points, what are the most troublesome ones, and how likely are they to occur?

Maldives Underwater Cabinet Meeting

With an average elevation above sea level of only 1.5 m, the Maldives face the most serious threat of any country in the world from rising sea levels. To highlight their plight, their new President has called an underwater cabinet meeting, and pledged to have the nation carbon neutral by 2020. They are also investigating purchase of land in India, Sri Lanka and Australia, where they could move their 330,000 residents if needed.

Sinking River Deltas

This linked article from NASA Earth Observatory provides some excellent insight into why river deltas across the globe are sinking, and how this affects about 1/2 billion people. (Be sure to read the last paragraph).