We have reached an irreversible tipping point death spiral loss of ice sheets catastrophe from which we can’t recover.
James Hansen, who heads the NASA Goddard Institute for Space Studies, warns that if our “present overshoot” of the 350 ppm upper limit “is not brief, there is a possibility of seeding irreversible catastrophic effects.” According to a 2009 paper in Nature co-authored by 28 international climate scientists, these effects would include “the risk of irreversible climate change, such as the loss of major ice sheets, accelerated sea-level rise and abrupt shifts in forest and agricultural systems.”
It is likely that some of these feedbacks are already underway. The IPCC had originally projected the disappearance of the Arctic’s late summer sea ice by the end of the century. But this year, Mark Serreze, head of the US National Snow and Ice Data Center, reported: “The Arctic sea ice has reached its four lowest summer extents (area covered) in the last four years. I stand by my previous statements that the Arctic summer sea ice cover is in a death spiral. It’s not going to recover.” Scientists fear the summer sea ice could disappear within three years.
http://blogs.independent.co.uk/2010/11/24/avoiding-catastrophe/
Wow. This is terrible. But at least we know the suffering won’t be for long.
I wonder if Jim and Mark will hold hands and leap into the Arctic to auto terminate and help to save the planet?
From the Guardian
You Can’t Trust Science!
http://www.guardian.co.uk/science/punctuated-equilibrium/2010/nov/24/3
“Science has an agenda! Science is unreliable!” If you’ve ever heard a religious person say these words, you’ll love this video
Note the cagey “scientists fear” qualifier. What Serreze stands for is obvious. The use of such terms only confirms that they are playing a game. Once temps have been down for a decade more, they will only have to fear for their grants…
“sea ice could disappear within three years.”
And if it doesn’t then Mark Serreze should disappear!
Nice!!!
According to a 2009 paper in Nature co-authored by 28 international climate scientists,
Translation: blah, blah, blah, blah, blah
Mark Serreze, head of the US National Snow and Ice Data Center, reported: “The Arctic sea ice has reached its four lowest summer extents (area covered) in the last four years. I stand by my previous statements that the Arctic summer sea ice cover is in a death spiral. It’s not going to recover.”
No, no, no, wait, wait, they’ve got it wrong. Mark Serreze doesn’t make forecasts.
Remember? That was so reassuring of NSIDC employees to tell us that Mark Serreze is not in position of making forecasts. So remember now, Mark Serreze does not make forecasts. That is not his job. He is not in that capacity at the NSIDC. He doesn’t do that. Ok? Got that? Mark Serreze does not make forecasts. So don’t pay attention to what is reported by the media. No one in the government agrees with him. He’s just acting on his own. When you see the letters N-S-I-D-C by his name don’t pay attention. He is not acting in any official capacity at all when he makes predictions of an ice free Arctic and they say “Mark Serreze, head of the US National Snow and Ice Data Center”. There is no connection between the NSIDC and Mark Serreze when he says that. They just do that thing of putting NSIDC by his name for no reason at all. Because everyone that reads that already knows Mark Serreze does not make forecasts for the NSIDC. It’s so common for everyone to know that. There is no agreement with his death spiral thing inside the NSIDC. Everyone there just says Mark Serreze does not make forecasts. He’s just the head of the agency. He’s the only employee of that place that people in the public may have heard of. So he’s no one of any significance. When he talks about a death spiral don’t worry—he’s just a side show, no one of any importance there.
Because, and remember now, Mark Serreze does not make forecasts.
thanks chrisd 😉
But think about it – if they keep saying the same thing every year, 3 years never comes and they are not wrong! 😉