Recent Measurements and Predictions of Thermohaline Circulation (THC)

Now I recall why I did not include such information in today's class....it was because I could not find any recent meaningful reports. This afternoon I have Googled it, Wikipedia'd it, and no recent information worth reporting can I find. I will continue....BUT

......this blog post is also a request to anyone in our OLLI, Oceans and Climate Change class, to bring to the next class, 3/23/15, any recent information about THC measurements and predictions you can find.

Many thanks,
Bill

Sea Level Rise and Preparations at Prime Hook

"Thanks" to Hurricane Sandy, Delaware is receiving almost 20 million dollars in US Government funding to REPAIR damage done by Sandy, and to PREPARE for future challenges from storms, and rising seas.

More to come...but so you can review US Gov documents whenever you have time, as they are very lengthy and detailed, but I also believe very scientifically well founded, see the following link.

Building a Stronger Coast

Delaware Executive Order 41 re Climate Change

After reading the news about the Florida climate change debacle (last blog post and last OLLI class), I was so encouraged to read what Delaware is doing, and being spurred on to do by Gov. Markell (link thanks to Sally F.)

Delaware residents, and anyone else who happens onto this information, I think will be encouraged. Now I am a realist, and good intentions do not always end up as good results, so we in Delaware still have a long road ahead.....and hopefully, the 2 below pics from Fowler Beach, are not indicative of a road ahead we will have to travel to get to our destination.

But lets get positive, The Climate Framework for Delaware....Dec 31, 2014.

Florida and Mother Jones

Mother Jones did it right in describing the Florida debacle over verbal directives to not use the phrases "climate change" and "global warming".....as we discussed in the beginning of today's OLLI class on Oceans and Climate Change.

The Guardian Puts Climate Change "Front and Center"

Why? is explained HERE.

Followed by an excellent article extracted from Naomi Klein's new book, This Changes Everything.

To me the main issue is not: Are we facing a crisis? The main issue is how to deal with the greed and self interests that keep the fossil fuel industry continuing to extract and sell fossil fuels. Add to that  the fossil fuel market created by developing nations trying to grow their economies and standard of living into ones comparable to developed nations.......  and the Earth has a HUGE problem.

Oceans and Climate Change Class - 3/2/15 Summary

The first class on 3/2 outlined topics planned for all 5 classes, plus covered details about sea level rise, its causes, effects and responses.

Planned topics for all 5 classes:
Sea level rise
Ocean acidification
Ocean temperature and current changes
Marine ecosystem changes
Arctic sea ice extent and its global impacts
Antarctica and Greenland ice loss
Change in intensity of major storms - scientific basis for worsening

Links to specific topics presented 3/2/15:
Article on "Willie" Soon from Washington Post
Quantifying CO2 contributions from Forbes
NASA home page for climate measurements
Yale video on West Antarctic Ice Sheet
NASA video on Greenland Ice Sheet
IPCC 2013 Projections of Sea Level Rise
Kivalina, AK
Vunidogoloa, FIJI
NYC Climate Change Report
Norfolk, VA video from PBS

Based on class input, topics to be emphasized in next 4 classes include:
More on local sea level rise, especially Delaware
Ocean temperature and current changes
Marine ecosystem changes - fish populations, coral reefs, clams and crabs
Arctic sea ice extent and its global impact
Changing intensity of major storms - scientific basis for worsening

And a final word from the Indian Yellow-nosed Albatross:
"Going to snow again? Get with the picture petrel! We are in the midst of a global warming crisis!!!"

EDF's Blueprint for Climate Stability

The Environmental Defense Fund's Blueprint for Climate Stability presents a very positive position that climate stability can be achieved relatively soon, and specifically that carbon emissions can be slowed to a peak in 2020, and brought into steady decline out through 2100.

Do I believe that can be achieved? Let me just say I believe the technology exists. I just hope that we humans are able to organize and accomplish the huge task required.

For additional details on all EDF's programs, see their Blueprint 2020. It is a 58 page detailed presentation of their programs, from climate change to oceans to agricultural pollutants to world health. It also contains an extensive and interactive list of internet references at the end.

YES, it is record COLD in the Northeast...

You saw we are just back from Africa (last post), so this current cold and snowy spell in Lewes DE is both unwelcome and unexpected. Now is it relevant OR irrelevant to climate change and often associated global warming???

You judge...and for background read James Taylor of Forbes.

Me, I miss my lobster dinners once each moth....because the lobster boats are frozen in.

Want a better answer....we will explore Alaska in our upcoming Osher Lifelong Learning class. The Arctic is where global warming is happening at a very accelerated rate in the past few decades. We tend to look at what is happening right now, and where we live, but OUR World is what really matters.

Below, a Hermit Thrush has found a holly berry in spite of the recent DE cold and snowy weather.

Bill Fintel photo on Prime Hook NWR field trip Feb 19, 2015

An Africa Perspective... after a firsthand visit

It is good to be back in the US....but I do miss the wildness of Africa

My global impact perspective? ..........I feel that by traveling to Africa, we helped the local African economy a great deal. This in turn should benefit the globally special wildlife they are protecting.

Bottom-line: Tourism is a major GNP for Africa..... the Lions, Elephants, Rhinos, Leopards....etc are THE draw. And the income from tourism supports the protection of these marvelous animals.

Bill and Sally....
...we are VERY supportive of South Africa and Ethiopia....where we visited.

Below, a few of our special friends.

How should we respond to rising sea levels?

I am not going to try and answer that question right now. I am just going to direct you to two thought provoking articles. The first is from the Washington Post about how the National Park Service is responding on Assateague Island.....basically let nature take its course and adapt (retreat) as needed....for link click The Old Man and the Rising Sea and scroll down to the article.

Glacier calving - Bill Fintel photo

For new data on the increasing rate of glacial melting in Antarctica, see Antarctic glacial melt rate triples in Amundsen Sea embayment

New Fusion Power Prospect - the Dynomak

I have made 6 posts about fusion status, and I confess none have been very optimistic for near term economical fusion power generation....BUT.... now we have....

The Dynomak.....a fusion reactor envisioned to be small enough to fit on a truck. That sizing is so desirable, because local power generation is so much more secure from severe weather events, and because the best fusion power candidate to date is the ITER Tokamak, which is HUGE, and hugely expensive.

I am optimistic....and it is this kind of human ingenuity that may save us as a species, as well as our planet Earth, and the other plant and animal species who we depend on, and in turn depend on a livable planet.