The Birth of a Trillion-Ton Iceberg Isn’t Celebrated
In most cases in our human experiences, births are regarded as blessed events, as a bouncing baby boy or girl is brought into the world.
Not so when icebergs come into being by calving off larger ice sheets. As shown in the video below, a chunk of ice the size of the state of Delaware, weighing approximately as much as every car and truck in the Unites States combined, just broke loose from the Larsen C ice shelf in the Antarctic.
The reason this is bad news is that the melting of the entire ice shelf would cause a 200-foot rise in sea levels, and that the rest of the Earth’s above-ground ice, mostly on Greenland, will cause an additional 60 feet; rendering a great deal of the Earth’s surface inhabitable onto by marine life.
Craig,
I hope you had a great Christmas.
I’m delighted to see you have returned to an earlier obsession as opposed to obsessing about the ills of the man in the big house on Pennsylvania Ave.
Unfortunately, you still seem to be repeating a doctrine based on selective information and remarkable degree of ” faith” rather than any rational or objective analysis. Your elevation of certain scientists and advocates to “infallible oracle” status, principally on the basis of whether you have met the individuals personally, seems more reminiscent of membership in faith based movement than scientific appraisal.
The planet’s climate constantly changes. There’s nothing new about large icebergs, the Great Barrier Reef is not bleaching because of “climate change”. There is no real evidence, apart from ill-informed conjecture, of an increase in the volume of the planets oceans.
South Pacific Islands are not about to sink beneath the waves ! Actually, if left alone most Pacific Islands are increasing in size. ( The explanation for this phenomena is currently being researched with quite startling conclusions).
Obsessing about this sort of alarmist and dubious scientific speculation to score points against your perceived political enemies, is a distraction and counter-productive.
President Macron’s empty political gesture is typical of those who believe ‘symbolism’ triumphs over reality.
I say empty, but also cynical . Macron will no longer be President in 20-30 years. To shore up his collapsing popularity, and appease his Green Party coalition partners, President Macron announced the decision to reduce French Government direct shareholding in Total Oil from 31.7%,to 5 %. He promised to spend the $1.8 billion raised on health education etc.
Unfortunately, these departments will receive a one off bonus, but lose their share of the dividends previously received every year, so the result is actually negative.
What was not announced was Macron’s secret directive to other other state owned entities to increase their combined 2.2% stake in Total to 30%. The French government has also provided more covert financial benefits to Total.
Total Oil has always been an active participant with French Government Security,Intelligence and Espionage Services. ( When President Qaddafi of Libya informed Total Oil the oil concessions would not be renewed but transferred to the PRC, the response as swift. French Secret Service and special forces destabilized his government, overthrew his regime and he was finally murdered by a Major ( now Colonel) serving in the French Secret Special Forces).
Craig, the point I’m making is it’s very important to analyze information by accessing many sources and not select only sources to suit preconceived beliefs.
It’s been a long time since you posted any new technology for discussion. Yet many new clean technologies thought impossible only a decade ago are reaching maturity and commercialization.
Surely these amazing new advances are more interesting than despairing about the antics of politics or fighting about long discredited theories ?
What’s the point of ranting against the US President or Icebergs, while you express little or no interest in the climate catastrophe unfolding outside your back door !
Large wildfires can pump as much carbon dioxide into the atmosphere in just a few weeks as cars do in those areas in an entire year . More alarming, climate change emissions from US forest Fires (wildfires)in 2017 according to the most most recent estimates, exceed all industrial and transport emissions in the US for 2017.
Tomorrow, I will travel to my farming Property in North Eastern Victoria. For the last two winters we have been investing in constructing Wildfire preventive measures and studying better summer fire control methods.
My Daughter has been busy raising funds and young volunteers for our Local fire brigade. Meanwhile I’m keen to see how well our own fully restored, and operational, ex-army Classic Fire Tender performs.
Being situated alongside a 1.4 million Alpine National Forrest means the risk of wildfires is a constant threat made more so as Australian native trees have evolved to burn easily as a method of rejuvenation and seed dispersal.
As a result of expensive investment we are in a better position than many in our valley, so we try our best to help neighbors and others in our community to minimize the tragedy caused by out of control fires.
Each New Year I review my personal commitments and investments in clean technology and environmental projects. (Yelling at political or philosophic opponents is not a priority !
Like most investors, I’ve had my share of failed projects, but relatively few in comparison to my successes. Over the last 10 years the Foundation I established in memory of my late wife has funded more than 12 annual University scholarships and 23 research projects. With the active involvement of my son and daughter, the number of recipients will hopefully grow dramatically with the participation of by other (richer) donors than just my family.
I believe if we concentrate on the benefits of encouraging new clean technology and encouraging cooperation and participation, we will achieve far more than indulging in bitter, divisive, political combat.
What is the point of “proving yourself right” if you alienate the support of those you need to acheive your objective ? At some point you must ask yourself what is your true objective !
Indeed, Craig. Also of concern is the impact of that volume of cold fresh water on the heat pump of an ocean current that keeps the UK and much of western Europe more reasonably habitable.