Jennifer Marohasy

a forum for the discussion of issues concerning the natural environment

Archives for June 2009

Sea Ice Extent Now Normal in Arctic

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NOTHING seems to be going to plan for those who believe in anthropogenic global warming and an imminent climate crisis.   According to thermometer and satellite data global surface temperatures are not increasing, the oceans aren’t warming, and now it seems not even the Arctic is melting.

The latest satellite data on Arctic sea ice extent suggests that there is now a normal amount of sea ice in the Arctic – normal is defined as about average for the period 1979 – 2007. 

And when all is said and done, if the climate system is not accumulating heat, the AGW hypothesis is invalid. [Read more…] about Sea Ice Extent Now Normal in Arctic

Kofi Annan’s 315,000 Dead from AGW

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IF the case for global warming is so open and shut, why the need for a report as disingenuous as Mr Kofi Annan’s… warning that climate change-induced disasters, such as droughts and floods, kill 315,000 each year and cost $125 billion, numbers it says will rise to 500,000 dead and $340 billion by 2030.  Read more here.

Aerosols Mask Global Warming?

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“MOST people are under the impression global warming has risen by about 0.8 degrees C since the dawn of the industrial age. Unfortunately, mean temperatures have risen much further when account is taken of the short-term masking effect of aerosols emitted from coal and oil, mainly sulphur dioxide and its oxidized products…

“Thus, according to the IPCC AR4-2007 report (figure SPM.2), the total anthropogenic greenhouse effect since 1750 AD, which is equivalent to about +2.3 degrees C, is masked by a compensating aerosol albedo effect equivalent to about -1.1 degrees C. However, given the short-lived residence time of sulphur aerosols in the atmosphere, this masking effect dissipates within periods up to a few years.

“Currently continuing emission of SO2 maintains the aerosol albedo effect, preventing further sharp temperature rises. But in a situation akin to methadone addiction, proposed reduction of sulphur emissions would lift this barrier, enhancing global warming.

[Read more…] about Aerosols Mask Global Warming?

Defining the Greens (Part 13)

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THE Greens consider themselves morally and intellectually superior.

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Earlier posts in this series can be found here.   The word ‘Greens’ refers to a group with unique characteristics as one might use the word ‘fishermen’ or ‘Moslem’.

Coral Calcification and Ocean Acidification Revisited

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“RESEARCHERS in Australia say the growth of coral on the country’s iconic Great Barrier Reef has fallen since 1990 to its lowest rate in 400 years”, variations of this message have been repeated around the world with global warming, and the associated acidification of oceans, claimed to be the cause. [1]  

That was at the beginning of this year, in January, and the media frenzy was based on a paper by Glenn De’ath, Janice Lough and Katrina Fabricius published in the peer-reviewed journal ‘Science’. [2]

Canadian statistician Steve McIntyre has recently had an opportunity to download all the data used to construct the key illustrations that suggested catastrophe. 

Mr McIntyre concludes that looking at just yearly averages (above graph) there has been a general trend of increasing coral calcification rates at the Great Barrier Reef since the late 1500s. 

In recent years there have been fewer measurements of coral at the Great Barrier Reef and the apparent downward spike in 2004-05 may be an artifact of the data – lack of data. [3]

[Read more…] about Coral Calcification and Ocean Acidification Revisited