AID-Delhi Environment Cell Electronic Newsletter 13

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AID-Delhi Environment Cell Electronic Newsletter 13   

CLIMATE CHANGE NEWS

   

Posted On: October 1,2009

   

Compiled By : AID-Delhi Environment Cell

   

Note : This compilation contains news items about Global Warming &

Climate change published in the media.

   

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1.  Global warming may bring tsunami and quakes-scientists

Wednesday 16th Sep, 2009

 

·         Quakes, volcanic eruptions, giant landslides and tsunamis may become more frequent as global warming changes the earth's crust, scientists said on Wednesday.

"Climate change doesn't just affect the atmosphere and the oceans but the earth's crust as well. The whole earth is an interactive system," Professor Bill McGuire of University College London told Reuters, at the first major conference of scientists researching the changing climate's effects on geological hazards.

·         "When the ice is lost, the earth's crust bounces back up again and that triggers earthquakes, which trigger submarine landslides, which cause tsunamis," said McGuire, who organised the three-day conference.. 

• David Pyle of Oxford University said small changes in the mass of the earth's surface seems to affect volcanic activity in general, not just in places where ice receded after a cold spell. Weather patterns also seem to affect volcanic activity - not just the other way round, he told the conference.
• Speakers were careful to point out that many findings still amounted only to hypotheses, but said evidence appeared to be mounting that the world could be in for shocks on a vast scale.

Summary from :

http://www.reuters.com/article/americasCrisis/idUSLG240630
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2. Warming ocean melts Greenland glaciers
By KARL RITTER (AP) – Sep 23, 2009

 

• Curry and her colleagues from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution in Massachusetts zigzagged between majestic icebergs in the Sermilik fjord last month in search of proof that waters from warmer latitudes, or subtropical waters, are flushing through this remote and frigid region. They found it — all the way up to the base of the outlet glaciers that spill into the ocean like tongues of ice from Greenland's massive ice sheet.
• The findings confirm the outcome of an undersea battle below the dark surface of the North Atlantic: Arctic waters that usually dominate this region have yielded to an influx of subtropical water carried north by westward branches of the current commonly called the Gulf Stream.Scientists say it's a natural process — in one period the cold waters will have the upper hand, and in the next it's the other way round. But the rapidly increasing temperatures of the subtropical oceans suggest that the balance could be tilted beyond natural variability, Curry says.
• In the June-August period, the world's ocean surface temperature was the warmest on record since 1880, according to the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration. The surface temperature was 62.5 F (17 Celsius), 1 degree F (0.6 degrees C) above the 20th century average. Meteorologists say the reason was El Nino weather patterns combined with manmade global warming.

Summary from : http://www.google.com/hostednews/ap/article/ALeqM5hs3-F2BGrFq8_Bf1dzV7PStwNFrwD9AT1C8G0 

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3. Climate change is an effect of global warming

 

(An article)

• One of the most common mistakes made by people is assuming that global warming and climate change is the same thing. While both have too much to do with each other, they are however, two separate things that are related to the similar cause that is carbon dioxide and other harmful refrigerants that are released into the earth’s atmosphere by human activities. Global warming is actually the rise in the average overall temperature.
• This rise in temperature may ultimately cause the change in climate that can be seen around the world. It may not seem like a great deal, but it is something that people should be concerned about. Global warming has been greatly proven to be caused by the greenhouse gases, especially carbon dioxide that is let into the air through the daily human activities. Such emissions are generally caused by airplanes, factories, cars, burning of fossil fuels etc. 
• While there are many other greenhouse gases that are emitted into the air, carbon compounds are one of the largest contributors that come from human activities. Global warming is what is causing the earth to warm-up and as mentioned earlier; it causes change in the climate. Severe hurricanes, floods, odd weathers such as abnormally warm or cold winters etc are the results of global warming.
• The refrigerants used in air conditioning units are also responsible for global warming and ozone depletion. The refrigerants such as R-22 used in air conditioning units are generally made from chlorine and other compounds. When chlorine is emitted in the environment, it reaches the ozone layer, reacts with the ozone gas and causes the ozone layer depletion. Thus, you need to make sure that you make the minimum use of air conditioning units and service them on a regular basis.
• Article from : http://www.aircondition.co.uk/articles/climate-change-is-an-effect-of-global-warming-974.html

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Disclaimer: Opinions expressed in the above articles are those of the
respective newspapers/sources, not those of AID-Delhi Environment Cell