The
American Meteorological Society updated their statement on climate change last week while much of the country was preoccupied
with Hurricane Isaac. Research has
greatly increased our understanding of the climate system and the body of
research continues to expand at a rapid pace.
It overwhelmingly supports the consensus that the earth is warming and
it is being caused by the burning of fossil fuels and deforestation.
The
full statement can be found here. This newer version is a better read and
accessible to the general public. It is
a conservative document and I am sure does not go far enough for some. However, it is an important one as it
represents the position of the society.
It is based on the science and not someone’s ideology or political
orientation. The previous statement on
climate change can be found here.
An
important point is summarized at the end in the final remarks:
There is unequivocal evidence that Earth’s lower atmosphere, ocean, and land surface are warming; sea level is rising; and snow cover, mountain glaciers, and Arctic sea ice are shrinking. The dominant cause of the warming since the 1950s is human activities. This scientific finding is based on a large and persuasive body of research. The observed warming will be irreversible for many years into the future, and even larger temperature increases will occur as greenhouse gases continue to accumulate in the atmosphere. Avoiding this future warming will require a large and rapid reduction in global greenhouse gas emissions. The ongoing warming will increase risks and stresses to human societies, economies, ecosystems, and wildlife through the 21st century and beyond, making it imperative that society respond to a changing climate (emphasis is mine).
Every
major scientific body and every national academy of sciences along with the
IPCC agrees with this assessment.
Deniers of this say that nothing needs to be done, because we can
adapt. So far we have not adapted well
and the situation is likely to get worse.
I
look forward to hearing from republicans, democrats, independents,
conservatives, liberals, and moderates on their ideas for drastically reducing
heat-trapping pollution. I especially look
forward to ideas for changing the economic basis for society (i.e., moving away
from fossil fuels) without destroying the economy. Some in the investment community are now
realizing that a fossil-fueled base economy is unsustainable. At some point in the not-too-distant future
there may be economic upheaval if the situation does not change.
Our
climate is changing. It is not just
about global warming. This change
includes changes in atmospheric chemistry which brings on changes due to the
physics of infrared radiation and moist air.
Ocean chemistry is likewise changing and combined with the atmospheric changes
is impacting ecosystems worldwide. The
physical and dynamical structure of the atmosphere is changing leading to more
extreme weather.
What
is most disturbing is the speed at which these changes are occurring. Past climate changes are known to have
occurred over thousands of years. The
changes were initiated by natural events.
The current change is man-made and at a pace not seen in the
paleoclimate record.
Climate
science is not complete, but that does not mean that we do not know enough to
act. The first and easiest step is
conservation. The technology exists to
make progress on reducing heat-trapping pollution.
It
is time to look for solutions to our problems.
It is time for politicians to stop denying and posturing. We need workable solutions and a plan. The discord in Washington must stop. Time is running out and the future is
irreversible.
