Nov 20 2009

Climate Changes

Posted by: Kory Raftery

Several stories on the science and politics of global warming caught our attention this week:

The world's two largest polluters have agreed to work together to lessen their greenhouse gas emissions. A joint statement released this week claims that U.S. and Chinese scientists and engineers will join forces to speed the widespread use of electric cars, energy efficient buildings, and "coal-fired plants that don't pump out gases that cause global warming." The agreement left out how much each country will contribute to emissions cuts.

A recent University of Saskatchewan study asserts that roughly 12,800 years ago, it only took six months to turn Europe's climate from warm and sunny into an ice age. Researchers previously believed the freeze took place over a much longer period. Lead researcher William Patterson put the new findings into perspective by saying the temperature change would equate to "taking Britain and moving it to the Arctic over the space of a few months."

Can you imagine an Italy without pasta? A report released by the British Meteorological Office can. The five-year study on the impact of global warming on eating habits in Europe predicts that increasing temperatures and decreasing rain will cause Italy's durum wheat crop to disappear in the second half of this century. The same report warns that Polish wheat and potato crops, French champagne and Spanish fruits and vegetables could also be at risk.

The Forest Service claims our nation's forests can be used as a "carbon sink" where trees absorb carbon dioxide to help slow global warming. Currently, forests store enough carbon to offset about 16 percent of the nation's fossil fuel emissions. But Forest Service Chief Tom Tidwell told the Senate Public Lands and Forestry Subcommittee that the number could change. "Disturbances such as fire and insects could dramatically change the role of forests, thereby emitting more carbon than currently sequestered by tree stands across the country," Tidwell said. 

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