Climate Change Science - Ice Melting

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Description: ''The highest mountains in the world are the source of life for more than a billion people spread across Asia. The Himalaya and Hindu Kush peaks contain vast amounts of ice locked in glaciers. But scientists are warning that precious resource is disappearing at an alarming rate. The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment report says a third of all glaciers could melt by the end of the century - even if we meet most the ambitious climate change targets. That could threaten water supplies for 250 million people in eight countries. The glaciers feed ten major river systems. They may soon struggle to meet their fresh water, food and hydro-electric needs...''
Creator/author: Eklabya Sharma, Chandra Bhushan, Asad Rehman
Source/publisher: Al Jazeera
2019-02-05
Date of entry/update: 2019-03-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: A collection of scientist's evidence detailing the history of global warming, this is a must watch. Now if we can just get our politicians to pay attention, we can start figuring out path towards a collective effort to limit human industrial greenhouse gas release ...
Creator/author: Multiple
Source/publisher: The Syndicate-Info
2013-11-18
Date of entry/update: 2019-02-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Sub-title: Mountains, Climate Change, Sustainability and People
Description: "This assessment report establishes the value of the Hindu Kush Himalaya (HKH) for the 240 million hill and mountain people across the eight countries sharing the region, for the 1.65 billion people in the river basins downstream, and ultimately for the world. Yet, the region and its people face a range of old and new challenges moving forward, with climate change, globalization, movement of people, conflict and environmental degradation. At the same time, we also see incredible potential to meet these challenges in a sustainable manner. In spite of its importance, relatively less is known about the HKH, its ecosystems and its people, especially in the context of rapid change. Over the last few decades, there has been more research on the region, but the knowledge gathered is often scattered, reaches a limited audience, is sectoral or based on single disciplines and, most importantly, does not reach decision-makers, whether they be in government, in local communities, or in the private sector. The rationale for this assessment is manifold. The first is about extending the accessible knowledge base. There has been incredible value in bringing together people engaged in generating knowledge about the HKH to collate existing knowledge. Plus, by working across disciplines and countries, the assessment blends insights from different perspectives about the mountains. Global assessments and programmes like the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) can now benefit from an important knowledge source about this region, and the book has great value in informing global debates and discourses. Then, there is a value beyond the assessment report itself, in bringing together a network of people who can work across disciplinary and geographical boundaries in the future. But the main reason for the assessment goes beyond the collation of knowledge. It is to answer a range of policy-oriented questions we all grapple with. Some of these are quite scientific, such as what will happen with climate change, or what the impact of air pollution is. Others are more targeted to actions that people should take, like pathways to sustainable access to energy, or building resilience. The main objective of the assessment thus is to inform decision-makers with the best science and knowledge we have. This assessment has made important strides in this direction. A very important finding of the assessment is that while we have significant knowledge gaps, we know enough to take action. The publication of the Hindu Kush Himalayan Monitoring and Assessment Programme’s (HIMAP) flagship piece—The Hindu Kush Himalaya Assessment: Mountains, Climate Change, Sustainability and People—is an important milestone in a larger process that aims to bring together researchers, policy makers and the public to better manage the HKH so that women, men and children can enjoy improved well-being in a healthy mountain environment. The HIMAP process will continue to engage in science-policy discussions at country and regional levels to enhance cooperation between communities, states and countries in managing the HKH. It will also develop more targeted assessments about specific areas of concern that emerge as we develop more knowledge about the region. Importantly, the authors of the assessment have laid out mountain-specific priorities consistent with the Sustainable v Development Goals (SDGs), and this book provides an important baseline in reaching these goals for the mountains and people of the HKH region. Perhaps the greatest good is that we have an expanding community of practice working together to match and rise above the challenges facing the HKH today".....KEYWORDS: Open Access book on Hindu Kush Himalaya; Climate Change in the Hindu Kush Himalaya; Sustainable Mountain Development; Environmental Assessment; HKH Assessment Report; Biodiversity and Ecosystem Services in the HKH; Energy Needs in Asia; Water Security, Availability Use and Governance; Food Nutrition and Security in Asia; Disaster Risk Reduction and Increasing Resilience Poverty and Vulnerability in Mountain Livelihoods; Climate Change Adaptation; Governance, Drivers and Consequences of Migration; Environmental Governance in the Hindu Kush Himalaya; Sustainable Mountain Development.
Creator/author: Philippus Wester, Arabinda MishraAditi MukherjiArun Bhakta Shrestha
Source/publisher: ICIMOD/Hindu Kush Himalayan Monitoring and Assessment Programme (HIMAP)
2019-01-31
Date of entry/update: 2019-02-05
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 7.92 MB
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Description: " Antarctica has lost 3 trillion tons of ice in the past 25 years, and that ice loss has accelerated rapidly over the last five years. In a new study, the most comprehensive to date of the continent?s icy status, an international group of 84 researchers analyzed data from multiple satellite surveys, from 1992 to 2017. They discovered that Antarctica is currently losing ice about three times faster than it did until 2012, climbing to a rate of more than 241 billion tons (219 billion metric tons) per year. Total ice loss during the 25-year period contributed to sea level rise of about 0.3 inches (around 8 millimeters), approximately 40 percent of which — about 0.1 inches (3 mm) — happened in the past five years."
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Live Science - Planet Earth"
2018-06-13
Date of entry/update: 2018-06-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language:
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Description: "The Antarctic Ice Sheet is an important indicator of climate change and driver of sea-level rise. Here we combine satellite observations of its changing volume, flow and gravitational attraction with modelling of its surface mass balance to show that it lost 2,720 ± 1,390 billion tonnes of ice between 1992 and 2017, which corresponds to an increase in mean sea level of 7.6 ± 3.9 millimetres (errors are one standard deviation). Over this period, ocean-driven melting has caused rates of ice loss from West Antarctica to increase from 53 ± 29 billion to 159 ± 26 billion tonnes per year; ice-shelf collapse has increased the rate of ice loss from the Antarctic Peninsula from 7 ± 13 billion to 33 ± 16 billion tonnes per year. We find large variations in and among model estimates of surface mass balance and glacial isostatic adjustment for East Antarctica, with its average rate of mass gain over the period 1992?2017 (5 ± 46 billion tonnes per year) being the least certain"
Creator/author:
Source/publisher: "Nature" VOL 558, 14 JUNE 2018
2018-06-14
Date of entry/update: 2018-06-14
Grouping: Individual Documents
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Description: "Antarctica?s ice sheet contains enough water to rise sea-levels by over 60 meters, yet we know surprisingly little about the frozen continent to our south. In fact we know more about the surface of Mars than we do the topography of Antarctica. In a live interview in Birmingham with Glaciologist Dr. Martin Siegert, in this episode of The Elephant, we learn the innovative ways in which scientists are studying the ice-sheet, why it matters for the future of the world, and hear about the mysterious sub-glacial lakes that lie buried beneath kilometers of ice" For more interviews exploring our changing climate, head to www.elephantpodcast.org subscribe in iTunes at: http://bit.ly/elephantpod
Creator/author: Martin Siegert
Source/publisher: The Elephant/Grantham Research Institute,
2015-11-11
Date of entry/update: 2017-01-27
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: Melting Ice, Rising Seas (Part One) - Prof Jonathan Bamber, Introduced by Prof Bryan Storey... Melting Ice, Rising Seas (Part Two) - Dr Steve Rintoul, Research Team Leader, CSIRO Australia... Melting Ice, Rising Seas (Part Three) - Director of the Antarctic Research Centre... Melting Ice, Rising Seas (Part Four) - Prof Rob DeConto, University of Massachusetts
Creator/author: Prof Jonathan Bamber, Dr Steve Rintoul, Tim Naish, Prof Rob DeConto
Source/publisher: The Antarctic Report - Royal Society of New Zealand
2016-01-13
Date of entry/update: 2017-01-24
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "This is the story of the century. We have passed a tipping point and are now in a new era ? one where the melting of global ice sheets will dramatically transform our world. John clearly explains the latest science and puts sea level rise into a historical perspective. He then paints a vivid picture of what we can expect in the future, the potential solutions and what we must do now to create resilient cities and communities. In this enlightening presentation you?ll learn: Why sea level rise is now unstoppable The realistic projections over the coming decades Why the triple threat from storms, tides and sea level rise is producing deadly floods Why real estate values will go ?underwater” long before the property does Some of the potential business opportunities that could benefit our economy Why communities, businesses and individuals must start planning and adapting now Higher Sea Levels Mean Big Risk and Big Business Opportunities Businesses need to have the latest information on how sea level rise is going to impact their assets and supply chains in coastal zones around the world. Seeing what lies ahead can reduce risk and identify potential new business opportunities. John highlights the realistic projections that can impact an organization?s bottom line, because today the most important line in business is the shoreline. Rising Seas: Community Planning for a new era Municipalities in coastal zones and on tidal rivers must now plan for a full range of flooding scenarios from the interplay of storms, tides and sea level rise. John explains how good planning needs to consider short, medium and long range time scales to create cost effective resiliency..."
Creator/author: John Englander
Source/publisher: The Real Truth About Health Conference
2016-03-11
Date of entry/update: 2017-01-23
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: "The melting fresh water from glaciers alters the ocean, not only by directly contributing to the global sea level rise, but also because it pushes down the heavier salt water, thereby changing what scientists call the THC, or Thermo (heat) Haline (salt) Circulation, meaning currents in the ocean. This has an immediate effect on the near region, such as the north Atlantic off the coast of Greenland, but ultimately the impacts can ripple far beyond the immediate area and climate. Ice that took centuries to develop can vanish in just a few years. A glacier doesn?t melt slowly and steadily like an ice cube on a table. Once glacial ice begins to break down, the interaction of meltwater and sea water with the glacier?s structure can cause increasingly fast melting and retreat. Today, Earth?s surface is made up of 71% water, 10% ice and 19% land. Most of the world?s ice is in the Arctic and Antarctic, but some of it is scattered around Earth in the form of mountain glaciers..."
Creator/author: James Balog
Source/publisher: PBS viaYoutube
2015-12-00
Date of entry/update: 2016-12-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: As the volume of greenhouse gases increases yearly, scientists are warning that the global average temperature could increase by as much as 6 degrees Celsius over the next century, which would cause our world to change radically. This documentary joins British author Mark Lynas and climate experts as they take a look at what effect each rise of 1ºC could have on the world. Even if greenhouse emissions stopped overnight, the concentrations already in the atmosphere would still mean a global rise of between 0.5 and 1ºC. But what if the global temperature increased by another degree? According to Mark Lynas, author of Six Degrees, the changes would no longer be gradual. Greenland?s glaciers and some of the lower lying islands would start to disappear. At 3ºC higher the Arctic would be ice-free all summer, the Amazon rainforest would begin to dry out and extreme weather patterns would become the norm. An increase of 4ºC would see the oceans rise drastically. Then comes the twilight zone of climate change, if the global temperature rises again by another degree. Part of once temperate regions could become uninhabitable, while humans fight each other for the world?s remaining resources. The sixth degree is what is called the doomsday scenario as oceans become marine wastelands, deserts expand and catastrophic events become more common. If we do nothing to reduce this threat, where will the tipping point be that may mean we are no longer able to stop global warming?..."
Creator/author: Mark Lynas (author)
Source/publisher: National Geographic
2008-02-10
Date of entry/update: 2016-12-09
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
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Description: Abstract. "We use numerical climate simulations, paleoclimate data, and modern observations to study the effect of growing ice melt from Antarctica and Greenland. Meltwater tends to stabilize the ocean column, inducing amplifying feedbacks that increase subsurface ocean warming and ice shelf melting. Cold meltwater and induced dynamical effects cause ocean surface cooling in the Southern Ocean and North Atlantic, thus increasing Earth?s energy imbalance and heat flux into most of the global ocean?s surface. Southern Ocean surface cooling, while lower latitudes are warming, increases precipitation on the Southern Ocean, increasing ocean stratification, slowing deepwater formation, and increasing ice sheet mass loss. These feedbacks make ice sheets in contact with the ocean vulnerable to accelerating disintegration. We hypothesize that ice mass loss from the most vulnerable ice, sufficient to raise sea level several meters, is better approximated as exponential than by a more linear response. Doubling times of 10, 20 or 40 years yield multi-meter sea level rise in about 50, 100 or 200 years. Recent ice melt doubling times are near the lower end of the 10?40-year range, but the record is too short to confirm the nature of the response. The feedbacks, including subsurface ocean warming, help explain paleoclimate data and point to a dominant Southern Ocean role in controlling atmospheric CO2, which in turn exercised tight control on global temperature and sea level. The millennial (500?2000-year) timescale of deep-ocean ventilation affects the timescale for natural CO2 change and thus the timescale for paleo-global climate, ice sheet, and sea level changes, but this paleo-millennial timescale should not be misinterpreted as the timescale for ice sheet response to a rapid, large, human-made climate forcing. These climate feedbacks aid interpretation of events late in the prior interglacial, when sea level rose to +6?9 m with evidence of extreme storms while Earth was less than 1 °C warmer than today. Ice melt cooling of the North Atlantic and Southern oceans increases atmospheric temperature gradients, eddy kinetic energy and baroclinicity, thus driving more powerful storms. The modeling, paleoclimate evidence, and ongoing observations together imply that 2 °C global warming above the preindustrial level could be dangerous. Continued high fossil fuel emissions this century are predicted to yield (1) cooling of the Southern Ocean, especially in the Western Hemisphere; (2) slowing of the Southern Ocean overturning circulation, warming of the ice shelves, and growing ice sheet mass loss; (3) slowdown and eventual shutdown of the Atlantic overturning circulation with cooling of the North Atlantic region; (4) increasingly powerful storms; and (5) nonlinearly growing sea level rise, reaching several meters over a timescale of 50?150 years. These predictions, especially the cooling in the Southern Ocean and North Atlantic with markedly reduced warming or even cooling in Europe, differ fundamentally from existing climate change assessments. We discuss observations and modeling studies needed to refute or clarify these assertions"...... James Hansen, Makiko Sato, Paul Hearty, Reto Ruedy, Maxwell Kelley, Valerie Masson-Delmotte, Gary Russell, George Tselioudis, Junji Cao, Eric Rignot, Isabella Velicogna, Blair Tormey, Bailey Donovan, Evgeniya Kandiano, Karina von Schuckmann, Pushker Kharecha, Allegra N. Legrande, Michael Bau, and Kwok-Wai Lo
Creator/author: James Hansen et al
Source/publisher: "Atmospheric Chemistry and Physics"
2016-03-22
Date of entry/update: 2016-06-25
Grouping: Individual Documents
Language: English
Format : pdf
Size: 7.17 MB
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