Bending the Third Rail
Because We Should, We Can, We Do
Friday, February 17, 2006
Calling Michael Crichton
The glaciers are melting twice as fast as was previously thought.

The ice sheets in Greenland and Antarctica are among the largest reservoirs of fresh water on Earth, and their fate is expected to be a major factor in determining how much the oceans will rise. Rignot and University of Kansas scientist Pannir Kanagaratnam, who published their findings yesterday in the journal Science, declined to guess how much the faster melting would raise sea levels but said current estimates of around 20 inches over the next century are probably too low.

While sea-level increases of a few feet may not sound like very much, they could have profound consequences on flood-prone countries such as Bangladesh and trigger severe weather around the world.

And places like the Gulf Coast should probably expect more Katrina-like hits. And the American government still hasn't signed the Kyoto Protocol, still doesn't take global warming seriously because it might hurt American business.

American business: We're putting the Green back in Greenland.

Written at 4:47 AM by Lynne.
2 comments
2 Comments:
Blogger Greyhair said...
You beat me to it. Ahhh. The advantages of a three hour jump!

I heard a news report that said that when (not if, but when) Greenland's full ice sheet melts, it will raise the oceans 23 feet. They initially thought that would take awhile.

Now, they're not quite so sure as it appears to be accelerating.
8:36 AM  
Blogger Lynne said...
I'm anticipating owning beachfront property one of these decades. (North Augusta, South Carolina)
9:29 AM  
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