March 5th, 2010
A 60 mile long iceberg, known as B9B, has smashed into the Mertz Glacier tongue in Antarctica. The Mertz Glacier is a 100-mile long tongue of ice which the B9B iceberg broke away from in 1987.
Over a period of nearly 8 weeks, the B9B iceberg approached the glacier and with tide and current slowly hammered into the tongue of ice.
On the 26th February, the Mertz Glacier tongue broke off creating a new iceberg measuring 50 miles by 25 miles. This iceberg could now disrupt weather patterns for years to come.
Both icebergs are now floating 90 miles off the northern coast in the Antarctic Continental Shelf and combined, they are weighing in at over 1000 billion tons. The Mertz Tongue Iceberg contains a year’s supply of fresh water for 1/5 of the world’s population and could potentially block the ‘bottom water’ which powers the oceans circulation system. ‘Bottom water’ is the lowest layer of ocean, cold-salt water and Antarctica produces bottom water for the South Pacific, Southern Indian Ocean, South Atlantic and portions of the North Atlantic.
Changes in these waters and currents could influence weather patterns around the world and would make Britain colder as we would not have the mild sea temperatures brought in by the Atlantic drift.
With such a mass floating in the ocean it could also reduce the amount of oxygen in the oceans jeopardising marine wildlife. Emperor penguins, bird life and seals could be under threat.
Experts say that ‘iceberg calving’- which occurs when these icebergs break off, does happen from time to time and that this occurrance is by no means a record large iceberg.
The icebergs are expected to head west along the Antarctic coastline.
Tags: Antarctic, Atlantic drift, Icebergs, Weather, weather change, weather patterns | Posted in News, Wildlife, environment, rising sea levels
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February 12th, 2010
The 2010 Winter Olympics kick off today, in Vancouver, Canada and unfortunately during the mildest Canadian January on record since 1937.
Whilst organisers resort to desperate measures, trucking in tonnes of snow and straw to pack-out the slopes, there are already whispers as to whether the freak change in the weather is pointing to something more serious that a disruption to the ski season.
The very real jeopardy of a favoured recreational activity it seems is enough to bring Climate Change to the forefront of people’s minds. It is frustrating, that after all the dire warnings and devastating climatic events already taking place around the world; raising sea levels, tidal waves, flooding etc… it takes a treat to our right to strap flat objects to our feet and slide downhill in cold weather, to really put the frighteners on us. But if it works and prompts any kind of positive action, then who are we to question to motives behind it?
Tags: 2010, Climate Change, Global Warming, winter olympics | Posted in Climate Change, Events, Rising Temperatures, rising sea levels
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January 6th, 2010
Dorset County Council have won their bid for government funding to help protect the Jurassic Coast from the ravages of climate change.
The main concerns for the area (15 sections of coastline between Devon and Dorset) are storm damage, erosion and rising sea levels. In fact, only last year a huge landslide destroyed 400 metres of the world heritage coastline near Lime Regis. Clearly, the councils realised it was time to act.
£376,500 is now available to Devon and Dorset in order for them to assist the most venerable communities in the area. However, the money will not, as you would imagine, be going to improve sea defences, but to help the inhabitants gain a better understanding and ability to adapt to the impact of inevitable coastal changes. Debates will be held at local level, contingency plans devised and there will be the introduction and development of training programmes for conservationists.
Is this a case of forearmed is forewarned? Although it’s a positive nod by the government, towards recognising the dangers facing an island nation from the ravages of global warming, perhaps more should be being done to slow erosion and raising sea levels in the first place.
Tags: Climate Change, Global Warming, government, Jurassic Coast, rising sea levels | Posted in Climate Change, Local Councils, education, environment, rising sea levels
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December 7th, 2009
With the Copenhagen Summit kicking off today, it has been reported that many people do not accept that global warming exists and that if it does, that we have no part in it.
Hard to believe I know, especially when the evidence is so clear – greenhouse gasses cause climate change, Fact. As the ice melts in parts of Antarctica, sea levels are anticipated to rise by 1.4 m by the end of the century, which could be disastrous for many countries. Climate change is a very real phenomenon; as greenhouse gasses go up, so the temperature increases.
And yet, there are still non-believers! Following a recent opinion poll, it seems members of the public feel the following: that the science is too confusing, that it doesn’t affect them personally; that there is no urgency and it is not an important priority. Some even view it as a costly over-reaction.
What also appears to be a major factor in the public not facing the hard reality of global warming is that the message is frequently conveyed by politicians, which immediately gives rise to scepticism. So, why after all the eye wash we are fed by politicians, is this the one thing we choose to question? Somebody please answer me that!
Tags: Climate Change, Copenhagen Summit, Global Warming, greenhouse gasses, policticians, rising sea levels | Posted in Climate Change, carbon emissions, rising sea levels
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November 25th, 2009
Alex Hartley, an artist, has discovered an island in the Arctic. It appeared from beneath the melting ice of a retreating glacier in the High Arctic archipelago of Svalbard. Alex was the first person ever to stand on it and has named it Nowhereisland. With this project Alex won the Artists Taking the Lead prize for the South West of England
Obviously distressed by this casualty of global warming, Alex has arranged, as part of the London 2012 Cultural Olympiad, to use a part of it to highlight the climate change crisis we are facing.
The ‘portion’ referred to, will be transported by barge to Poole, in Dorset by mid July 2012. It will then embark a 702 mile coastal journey to Weymouth, arriving in time for the start of the Olympic sailing events in August.
The artist hopes that the island will capture international interest and by registering it as a micro nation and allowing people to become citizens, it is highly likely that he will succeed. Alex said, ‘The island addresses the most significant global issue of our time, namely how we can respond to the urgent issue of climate change together.’
For those of you who are wondering, some time after the Olympics the land mass will be returned to the Arctic and made whole again.
Tags: Alex Hartley, Arctic, artist, climate change crisis, Global Warming, island, London 2012 Olympics, Nowhereisland | Posted in 2012, Climate Change, education, environment, rising sea levels
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November 16th, 2009
This charity was set up last year by 3 Cambridge University students; Lynn Morris, Tim Bromfield and Will Lorimer. As the name ‘Atlantic Rising’ suggests their area of concern is the rising levels of the Atlantic Ocean and the potentially devastating repercussions of this.
In the next 100 years it is predicted that the Ocean will rise by 1.5m, taking with it unique landscapes, communities and reshaping our geography forever.
The trio believe that education is the key, particularly that of children. To this end they are embarking on a trip; the vision of which is to follow the 1m contour line around the edge of the Atlantic which is most likely to be affected. Their intention is to build educational links between places as far apart as the Scottish Isles, West Africa, Guyana and Canada.
Clearly some of these areas will suffer little or no affect whereas some will be devastated by the rising sea level – if these children communicate with each other it will, raise awareness of global climate change and hopefully teach our children the importance of helping and protecting the environment.
Tags: Atlanic Ocean, Atlantic Rising, children, education, environment, Global Warming | Posted in Climate Change, education, environment, rising sea levels
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September 26th, 2009
The Northeast Passage has been notorious amongst seafarers over the centuries. For 500 years this perilous sea-lane has proven impassable due to its heavy ice floes, even taking the lives of some those who were brave enough to attempt it.
Two German cargo ships; MV Beluga Fraternity and MV Beluga Foresight are the first merchant vessels to successfully cross this gruelling stretch of water. It has taken them two months to complete, setting off from Ulsan, South Korea, via the Northeast Passage to Siberia and finally on to their destination of Rotterdam.
This previously impassable course has now become possible due to an unprecedented ice-melt. Scientists report that the Arctic Ocean ice cap has been shrinking to unexpected levels in recent summers, because of global warming, opening up many passages that were ice-choked in earlier times.
In July, new NASA satellite measurements showed that sea ice in the Arctic was not just shrinking, but thinning dramatically. The Arctic is turning into a blue ocean.
Tags: Arctic Ocean, Global Warming, ice caps, North East Passage | Posted in Climate Change, environment, rising sea levels
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