Jennifer Marohasy

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The Real Threats to Coral Atolls

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cod“CORAL atolls have proven over thousands of years that, if left alone, they can go up and down with any sea level rise. And if we follow some simple conservation practices, they can continue to do so and to support atoll residents. But they cannot survive an unlimited population increase, or unrestricted fishing, or overpumping the water lens, or unrestrained coral mining.”

These are the conclusions from Willis Eschenbach who lives in Honiara, Solomon Islands.  He explains why: [Read more…] about The Real Threats to Coral Atolls

The Scientific American Over 30 Years: Vincent Grey

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I HAVE been a subscriber to the “Scientific American” for over 30 years. It used to be the most useful summary of the most important recent scientific discoveries. I have witnessed its slow and inexorable decline, to an organ of the environmental movement, an advocate of “global warming”, a peddler of extravagant cosmological theories, unflinching support for US Government political policies, and  the persistent announcement of premature, unfulfilled scientific discoveries.
 
The latest issue (October 2009), gives me hope that the situation  is changing for the better. Admittedly, they are still stuck on “global warming” but there are now several articles which indicate a change in some of the other obsessions.
 
We start with an article by Jeffrey Sachs. “The Crisis of Public Management” which has a good go at US Government incompetence, and the absence of sensible coordinated  plans for security (the 9/11 fiasco), disaster control (hurricane Katrina), financial regulation,. health care, budget deficits, corruption in Iraq and Afghanistan, military procurement, energy, and, yes, climate change. The president is reduced to meaningless platitudes without effective action, because ther is no coordinated plan.. About time somebody says these things.
 
Next comes my favourite columnist, Michael Shermer (Skeptic) who debunks the idea that pirates are disorganized. He puts forward the view that successful activities of humans automatically develop  discipline, in this case, quite strict. They promote a reputation for irresponsibility to scare their victims. It is a counter to the “Lord of the Flies” idea, and the principles apply not just to the Mafia, but also to Al Quieda and Somali pirates.
 
I pass the articles on black holes and on smart pills to the article by Leonard Maugeri on oil supplies which debunks the theory of “Peak Oil”, and shows that there is enough oil for at least 100 years, and that future prospecting and better recovery from existing sources is far from ended..
 
The next article “Lost Cities of the Amazon” debunks the idea of a “pristine rain forest” in Brazil. Parts of the area were once covered with densely populated, flourishing cities, surrounded by farms. Most of the people died of disease after European occupation and the forest took over.. But some are still there.
 
Later we have “Biotech’s Plans to Sustain Agriculture”  which attacks the “organic” movement and insists that biotechnology can continue to supply adequate food.
 
Lastly, somebody asks “Why do whales beach themselves”. The answer is, a whole variety of reasons, some of which might involve humans. It is pointed out that there are records of whales beaching themselves at the time of Aristotle.
 
So, perhaps there is a future for genuine science.
 
Vincent Gray
Wellington, New Zealand.

Climate Change Summit in New York

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In New York… Chinese leader Hu Jintao … U.S. President Barack Obama more or less shuffled climate control policy off into the great dreamscape of unattainable plans and long range objectives. Like equality for all and peace in our time …  Terence Corcoran, Financial Post

Latest Meteorological Update: August 2009

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Dear All,

Please find attached a newsletter* with meteorological information updated to August 2009. All temperatures are shown in degrees Celsius.

In the maps showing the geographical pattern of temperatures, the period
1998-2006 is used as reference period. The reason for comparing with this recent period instead of the official WMO ‘normal’ period 1961-1990, is that the latter period is affected by the relatively cold period 1945-1980. Almost any comparison with such a low average value will therefore appear as high or warm, and it will be difficult to decide if modern surface air temperatures are increasing or decreasing. Comparing with a more recent period overcomes this problem.

In the other diagrams the thin line represents the monthly global average value, and the thick line indicate a simple running average, in most cases a 37-month average.

The year 1979 has been chosen as starting point in several of the diagrams, as this roughly corresponds to both the beginning of satellite observations and the onset of the late 20th century warming period.

Surface air temperatures August 2009 was generally low at northern mid latitudes. Also southern Africa experienced relatively low temperatures this month. In contrast, equatorial Pacific Ocean, northern Argentina and Australia were relatively warm.

In the Arctic, most of the Arctic had temperatures near or below the
1998-2006 average. Only northern Canada and parts of Greenland was relatively warm. In the Antarctic, most of the eastern part of the continent was relatively cold in August 2009, while parts of the peninsula and the region around the Ross Sea and ajoining land areas were relatively warm.

All diagrams and figures are also available on http://www.climate4you.com/

Yours sincerely,
Ole Humlum

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*If you would like to receive the monthly updates email Ole.Humlum at geo.uio.no .  The information is also available at http://www.climate4you.com/

Ole Humlum is Professor of Physical Geography Department of Physical Geography, Institute of Geosciences University of Oslo, Box 1047 Blindern
N-0316 Oslo, Norway

Email: Ole.Humlum at geo.uio.no
Web: http://www.geo.uio.no/geogr/staff/olehum.html