climate change Archives - The Silver Ink

Drought Will Impact All U.S. Forests

February 23, 2016 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

Scientists are sending warnings that drought will impact all U.S. forests, and not just the ones in the western regions as it was previously believed. Many studies are currently being conducted in order to find better ways to manage the whole situation.

It is well known that very dry and warm conditions can have disastrous consequences on the vegetation of various regions and thus on the environment itself. Entire forests can be killed just by drought alone, and the rest that remain are prone to bark beetle infestations. Furthermore, the phenomenon causes unpredictable wildfires that can spread at high speeds.

Scientists believe these effects will spread to the east of the United States thus heavily modifying the biodiversity and species distribution across the whole country. However, no one can determine for sure the extent of the consequences of this drought.

A recent study was published in the Global Change journal last Monday by scientists from the US Geological Survey, the Duke University, the US Department of Agriculture and eleven more institutions. According to the report, even though the forests in the east of the U.S. have yet to go through the changes of the ones from the west, they are also vulnerable to drought. Unfortunately, the changes are occurring too quickly and trees do not have the necessary time to adapt, or in other words to expand their territory into more favorable habitats.

The new research has one major purpose: to understand the effects of climate change in order to find out how to better manage the situation and thus reduce the harmful effects on the surrounding environment.

The lead author of the newest study and Duke University environmental scientist, James Clark, has stated that at the moment scientists can predict the consequences of both drought and climate change on the trees of the U.S. forests.

The report that was released this week is a compilation of various studies on the status of rangelands and forests across the whole country. It is also a part of the US Global Change Research Program and the agriculture department larger report that was published earlier in February.

According to Dr. Clark,

“Ecologists have identified many of the important differences between species that explain how they respond differently to drought. But there’s still uncertainty about what might happen at the species-wide or stand-wide levels, particularly in Eastern forests.”

Drought will impact all U.S. forests whether we like it or not, and we will need to be prepared for the difficult times that will come in the future. These lands are even more important than we thought, since they contribute with $13 billion to the local economies, support over 200,000 jobs and are the primary resource of drinking water for more than sixty million Americans.

Image Source: Wallpaper UP

Climate Change Starts With Us

January 12, 2016 By Stephanie James Leave a Comment

Livestock pollute water sources with fecal matter that could be filled with bacteria.

The Climate Conference that took place in Paris at the end of 2015 seems like it didn’t even end because all the promises made remained just that, promises. Everybody was rooting for a better planet, had expectations for others to start behaving and saving, but climate change starts with us.

The majority of topics discussed at the Climate Conference in Paris revolved around our burning need of replacing fossil fuels with sustainable energy. To give people who want to make a change a choice between solar panels and power plant electricity. The talks revolved around energy, a better education and plans on how to keep greenhouse gases under control. A fight against pollution, more precisely against the big polluters.

But what the members forgot is that we can’t save our planet by making other people do something that we deem healthy for mother Earth, no, climate change starts with us. And we can start by pointing out just how much water, oxygen and acres of forest were used and destroyed so that the participants could enjoy a beef steak after the conference.

If we look at the numbers, big facilities that emit high amounts of carbon dioxide are a small percentage (13%) out of the total of pollution factors. The higher polluter is not a plant that uses fossil fuels and emits thick, grey carbon smoke, although they are not innocent, either. No, the main culprit are livestock.

Numbers aren’t clear yet because studies have only been conducted on small samples of livestock, but it is estimated that pollution figures are somewhere in between 14.5% and 51%. It is a harder concept to grasp than the idea of evil factories, but it is true. A cow pollutes more than an average American with an old coughing car and a habit of long showers and grills. Such a thing is possible because a cow’s manure contains large quantities of nitrogen dioxide, a gas that has a warming potential 289 times greater than carbon dioxide.

But the danger is not only in the manure. A flock of livestock consumes incredible amounts of water. It takes approximately 1850 gallons to obtain only a pound of beef. By comparison, an average American with a taste for daily refreshing showers needs 3.5 months to reach such an amount of water consumed.

Cows are raised for food consumption, but what about their diet? A great part of the Amazon forest was cut down in order to create more grasslands in order to feed the cattle. Those trees used to filter the carbon dioxide. The cows release methane.

The conclusion is, obviously, not to kill all the cows and start a vegan diet, but change starts with us. We could start by adopting a more diverse diet, shrinking our red meat necessities. We need to limit the numbers of animals raised for human consumption because we are hurting the planet more than we expected.

Image source: www.wikimedia.org

Pope Francis Commented on the Decisions Taken at the COP21 Held in Paris

December 14, 2015 By Carrie Davis Leave a Comment

Pope Francis is seen as a true successor of the famed Pope John Paul the 2nd, another beloved Pope, praised for his views on evolution and his role in bringing down dictatorships around the world.

With the coming of this year’s December 13th and the annual Angelus address, Pope Francis commented on the decisions taken at the COP21 held in Paris during the previous two weeks. The general idea of the conference was that every country will be tasked to reduce greenhouse gas emissions drastically in the coming years, with rich countries helping the poor ones in order to achieve this goal.

After the Pope’s reading of the Gospel, he gave his utmost approval of the agreements taken between the 150 nation leaders present at the COP21 discussing climate change. But Pope Francis has also stated the need of the conference participating nations to focus on poor countries as well as those suffering from a high degree of vulnerability towards environmental disasters, as well as social ones.

Even if the agreement has started a historic change towards a better future for all of human society, this change will be slowed if an emphasis towards helping everyone along the way is not present. The Pope claimed once again how all of humankind is one big family, with each member tasked with the family’s overall protection.

His words are true indeed, as the effect of global warming and climate change will be seen across our planet. If a global urge to change is not present, everyone will suffer the consequences. Even though Pope Francis also urged people to convert to Catholicism, his usual open-mindedness seen throughout his predication as well as his numerous public addresses was still present.

His Holiness’s flexibility and general composure have been seen by many, be they of faith or agnostic, as extremely favorable. Up to this point, Pope Francis has been one of the best Popes when it comes to understanding human society’s current mentality and technological advancement. His humble approach towards his position and influence is also seen as a very big plus.

The Pope’s focus on poor countries is based on the fact that though they have the lowest emissions of greenhouse gases which create global warming, they will be the countries which will feel the full force of this event. Outbreaks of various diseases, lack of food supply, the threat of floods and wildfires are all possible outcomes for third world countries across the Earth.

Pope Francis has also urged the participants of the approaching international trade conference which will be held this December 15th. He focused on the same elements as before, asking them to give priority to the help of the aforementioned vulnerable targets in order to gain benefits for the whole “human family” as the Pope calls it.

Taking into account Pope Francis commented on the decisions taken at the COP21 held in Paris in an extremely favorable manner, it shows that the Catholic Church backs up the agreements reached at said conference even more. This is to no surprise because climate change will impact the Church as well as all the institutions currently present worldwide.

Image source:www.pixabay.com

Climate change shows no sign of slowing, US scientists say

June 5, 2015 By Jeff Suchon Leave a Comment

Over the past 15 years, climate scientists had trouble explaining why the expected global warming never really took place that time period.

But this is explained by a new study, it revealed that Earth’s average surface temperature has increased by 0.2 degrees Fahrenheit each decade since 1950, largely due to the heat trapping properties of greenhouse gases.

The findings of the study flew in the face of the recent narrative that for some inexplicable reason, global climate change was causing temperatures to remain more or less constant across globe.

Various theories tried to explain the slowdown in temperature increase, including volcanic ash and dust blocking radiation from reaching the surface, a rare low period in the solar cycle, and absorption of massive amounts of heat by the world’s oceans.

Climate skeptics have clung on to the hiatus as evidence that global warming was little more than a scam.

The new findings have drawn criticism from both environments from thousands of land station, research ships, buoys, some of which had been collecting data since 1889.
Judith Curry, a climatologist at Georgia Tech didn’t find the new NOAA study convincing at all. Curry studies natural variability in climate cycles and said that these changes can cause more of an impact than greenhouse gasses from industrial sources and other human activities. She said the study was published solely for political purposes.

Willian Patzert, a NASA climatologist said that the NOAA going over the data again was going thing, but he also believes that hiatus actually happened.

The study claimed that the problems with how temperature data is collected might have masked the oceans ability to absorb heat energy coming from sun. After correcting for those problems, the study found that he hiatus vanished from the data.

Whether the slowdown in global warming observed over the last 15 years is the result of faulty data collection or some actual phenomenon we have yet to understand, but it is not guaranteed that the slowdown will last forever.

Obama says climate change is a national security threat

May 20, 2015 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

In a speech on Wednesday, President Obama is going to highlight his view that climate change is one of the most important military threats to the United States and the world.

Obama will address to graduates at the United States Coast Guard Academy, he will deliver a talk on climate change and makes the fight against climate change a fight for global peace and against the conflicts that lead to war.

Obama will tell the new Coast Guard officers “I am here today to say that climate change constitutes a serious threat to global security, an immediate risk to our national security, and, make no mistake, it will impact how our military defends our country, and so we need to act — and we need to act now.”

White House official said that the speech will demonstrate that climate change “poses immediate risks to our national security, contributing to increased natural disasters and resulting in humanitarian crises, and potentially increasing refugee flows and exacerbating conflicts over basic resources like food and water.”

White house is also releasing an 11 page report on the national security implications of climate change; the information is aggregated from several other federal reports on the subject.

In recent months Obama has highlighted security implications of climate change to gather more support for his efforts to invest in climate adaptations and reduce greenhouse gases; this also includes regulation to limit carbon emission from power plants.

Obama has argued the problems which global warming can cause and the effects also threaten military facilities and readiness.

In February White House said that climate change threatens more people than terrorism.

Decline in herbivores population can lead to empty landscapes

May 3, 2015 By Carrie Davis 1 Comment

According to a new study, it is found that due to rapid decline in the population of large terrestrial herbivores the planet is standing at a risk of becoming an empty landscape or turn into a desert.

The international research team was directed by Professor William Ripple from Oregon State University.

For the study they have examined 74 world’s biggest herbivores including zebras, rhinos, and tapirs. They have examined herbivores which are approximately weighing 220 pounds or 100 kg.

Researchers have discovered that 24 out of the 74 species occupy 19 percent of their historical range on average and 60 percent of the herbivore population are on the verge of extinction.

They found that poaching, hunting, habitat loss, ecological consequences, climate change are some of the causes of population decline.

Since 1980 livestock production has tripled in developing countries, leading to encroachment of land meant for wildlife herbivores, and this also resulted in reduced access to water and food and also increased the risk of transmission of diseases.

Poaching and hunting is also one of the key factors for population decline, the growing demand for skin, horn and meat are having great impact on animal population.

The price of the rhinoceros horn is soaring in illegal market more than diamond, gold and cocaine, which have resulted in extinction of Africa’s western black rhinoceros in 2011.

If giant herbivores vanish then it would have many negative consequences, as this will not only impact food cycle but also pollination process also. Animals which are on the top of the food chain depend on herbivores for their food, and if lower chain animals vanish then it can affect higher chain population as well. Rhinoceros are the carriers of seed for longer distances, and if they disappear it can affect nutrients cycle.

Small animals can lose their natural habitats if there are no elephants stamping and clearing vegetation.

The vegetation clearance also creates wild forest fires and they can become more frequent and stronger.

There are approximately 4,000 species of herbivores on land are known, they are occupying different areas in all the continents except Antarctica.

Ripple said, “We hope this report increases appreciation for the importance of large herbivores in these ecosystems. And we hope that policy makers take action to conserve these species.”

White House gears up to explore about climate-related health problem

April 8, 2015 By Jeff Suchon Leave a Comment

US President Barack Obama on Tuesday launched an initiative in order to underscore the nexus between the climate change and public health, bringing the data and medical experts to the White House this week.

The White House is going to hold a Climate Change and Health Summit later this spring. The event will witness the presence of leading lights from the health sector, including Surgeon General Vivek Murthy.

The Obama administration is carrying expansion of its Climate Data Initiative, which was launched by the government last year, for the inclusion of over 150 health-relevant data sets.

Addressing a group at Howard University, Obama said that the warmer temperature conditions excessively contribute to several health problems, including asthma. The rising temperature increases the formation of smog pollutants. It also contributes in fuelling wildfires with the emission of soot or fine particles into the air.

“And so there are a whole host of public health impacts that are going to hit home. So we’ve got to do better in protecting vulnerable Americans. Ultimately, though, all of our families are going to be vulnerable. You can’t cordon yourself off from air or from climate,” Obama told the gathering which was attended by Horward’s College of Medicine Dean Edward E. Cornwell, III and Tyra Bryant-Stephens, responsible for directing the community asthma prevention program at Children’s Hospital of Philadelphia.

The White House on Tuesday announced that a coalition of 30 deans, public health and nursing schools will together work for training the students to address the health impacts of the climate change.

The universities working for the cause include the University of Maryland, Johns Hopkins, the University of Nebraska and the Harvard University.

The US Global Change Research Program is also set to release a draft Climate and Health Assessment report detailing how the public health is impacted by changes in the air quality, weather conditions and vector-borne ailments.

The Centers for Disease Control and Prevention (CDC) is set to release an “Adaptation in Action Report” on Tuesday in order to highlight the actions taken by the state and local leaders in order to reduce the health impacts of global warming in San Francisco, New York, Minnesota, Maine, Michigan, Arizona, California and New York state.

Maps reveals how America feels about climate change

April 7, 2015 By Dave Smith Leave a Comment

Research from the Yale University developed interactive maps revealing the public’s perception about climate change and global warming on a county, congressional, state and national level.

They produced seven maps.

Climate Communication Project of Yale and the Climate Change Communication of George Mason Center jointly performed 12 surveys’ from 2008 to 2013 where numerous questions regarding global warming were asked and this data is compiled in map format.

These projections were compared to local and state surveys.

The findings revealed that people of Washington D.C are more worried about the
global warming and its consequences than other state people.

63 percent of the people of United States admit that they are feeling climate change while 81 percent of the people of Washington admit it.

52 percent of the people admit that they are worried about the effects of climate change at national level while 71 percent of Washington acknowledges the same fact.

“These differences are partly due to the fact that different groups often think differently about the issue,” said study lead author Peter Howe.

The people of America believe that the government should spend more on climate change factors and more funds to be allocated for carbon dioxide regulation and for the development of new sources of energy other than coal.

Due to Climate change polar bears may starve

April 2, 2015 By Kyle Mills Leave a Comment

According to a new research, polar bears being forced on land by sea ice loss and feeding on terrestrial food may not survive.

Steve Amstrup, chief scientist of Polar Bears International and a co-author of the study in Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment said, “The bears are being forced off the ice earlier and they are not just going to sit around and wait for the sea ice to refreeze if there is something available for them to eat. The issue is whether or not eating these things will benefit the bears.”

“The one terrestrial food rich enough to support bears is bird eggs. But the problem is that there aren’t enough of those in the polar bear’s range to make much of a difference.”

Polar bear have believed to include berries, birds, eggs, grains in their diet but this will not be sufficient and compensate for the lipid rich seals.

The terrestrial regions are inhabited by the grizzly bears but they number very few because of food scarcity.

Food in terrestrial environment is rich in protein but not in fat and polar bear is not suited to ingest plant to sustain their large bodies.

Polar bear will have competitors on land, the grizzly bears for the food sources available.

Grizzly bear is smallest among their species because of their diet.

The small population of the grizzly bears in the Arctic indicates the nutrition limitation and it possibly raises a question how the polar bear could survive.

Polar bears are added to the list of endangered species.

The findings were published in the journal Frontiers in Ecology and the Environment.

Oceans take millennium to recover from climate change

April 2, 2015 By Carrie Davis 2 Comments

Anthropogenic climate change is pushing the marine life towards major extinction, and a new study has found that disruptions in the marine ecosystem happen rapidly but the recovery may take thousands of years and not hundreds of years as previously believed.

Lead author Sarah Moffitt, a scientist from the Bodega Marine Laboratory and Coastal and Marine Sciences Institute at the University of California, Davis, said “What we’re doing now is a long-term shift — there’s not a recovery we have to look forward to in my lifetime or my grandchildren’s lifetime.”

Researchers have studied over 5,400 invertebrate fossils from the sediments of the ocean floor off Santa Barbara, California in order to understand how the climate change has affected the marine ecosystem and reduction in the level of dissolved oxygen in the oceans.

The fossils were 3,400 and 16,000 years ago, this is the time when deglaciation accompanied by melting of polar ice caps, low oxygen level in ocean and climate warming took place.

Based on the study of the fossils, scientist found that there was loss of diversity with the depletion of oxygen levels and this period lasted only decade but for the ecosystem to recover it took thousands of years.

Moffitt said, “These past events show us how sensitive ecosystems are to changes in Earth’s climate — it commits us to thousands of years of recovery.”

The scientists also found that similar deoxygenation effect taking place in the oceans and this would be equally damaging.

She added, “It’s a gritty reality we need to face as scientists and people who care about the natural world and who make decisions about the natural world.”

Categories