Global Climate Destabilization

Lecture at Humboldt State University, 06 April MMX

Discussion at Waldron Island, 07 July MMX

“Scientists should be much braver […] I think this ethics argument – should they speak or shouldn’t they – is a lot of nonsense. Scientists cannot promise certainty any more than economists can when they call for changes in taxes or interest rates. Uncertainty is part of the human condition. Caution, in any case, may in reality be recklessness.” – Crispin Tickell

“Copenhagen, for me, is a very clear deadline that I think we need to meet, and I am afraid that if we don’t, then the process will begin to slip, and […] one deadline after the other will not be met, and we sort of become the little orchestra on the Titanic.”

– CØP15 orchestrator Yvo de Boer, December 2008, speaking to George Monbiot

… is about to begin

{Turley, C., Blackford, J., Widdicombe, S., Lowe, D., Nightingale, P.D. and A.P. Rees, A.P., (2006), ‘Reviewing the impact of increased atmospheric CO2 on oceanic pH and the marine ecosystem’. In: Schellnhuber, H J., Cramer,W., Nakicenovic, N., Wigley, T. and Yohe, G (Eds), Avoiding Dangerous Climate Change, Cambridge University Press, 8, p. 65-70}

Hope – ‘Anticipation of misfortune’

Earth at night

Global shipping

{Halpern et al. (2008), ‘A Global Map of Human Impact on Marine Ecosystems’, Science, 319, p. 948-952}

Stramma et al. (2008), ‘Expanding Oxygen-Minimum Zones in the Tropical Oceans’, Science, 320, 655, p. 655-658. Something to worry about for a change.

Take note: Ocean stratification may be a Bigger Deal than climate change.

Lovelock, J. (2006), 'The Revenge of Gaia', Figure 5.

Errr, I know you’re all really busy out there, but …