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Tampilkan postingan dengan label drought. Tampilkan semua postingan

Kamis, 21 April 2011

Beware the Ozone

Ten years ago the ozone layer was a major topic. "The ozone is decreasing," headlines proclaimed. Then, it was just as quickly forgotten. It may not be growing so much but the ozone layer is still causing problems. The weather has been altered. Wet and dry extremes are the result. Desalination programs have been put on the backburner for now. They will be needed soon as the cycle swings back to dry.

The ozone hole shifts high-altitude wind circulation southward. Most notable for Australia has been the movement of the Southern Hemisphere jet stream to the south. This has severe effects. For example, in the north Britain has got very cold winters in recent years due to blocking of the Northern stream. Estimates are that Australia's weather has changed by a magnitude of 35 per cent. More rain has been brought here. With the impact from greenhouse gases this water evaporates very quickly, so the overall impact is dryness.

With the combination of ozone, greenhouse gases and El Nino the weather has become chaotic for Australia. Chlorofluorocarbon reduction has been successful. Nonetheless, we should not become complacent. Damage still persists in the Arctic. Besides, greenhouse gas emissions is doing more damage now than the depleted ozone. Australians need to consider the country as a whole. Eastern states are now soaking in water. Western Australia, however, is in drought.
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Science

Selasa, 08 Februari 2011

Complacency Is the Main Danger in Regard to Climate Change

There is little to gain in reducing greenhouse gases if farmers are continually hammered by floods and cyclones, even if carbon output is the cause of these events. It might seem logical to lessen gas emissions thus eliminating some cyclones and floods, but with no profit not much can be done.

Improving the digestion of cattle will help farmers generally, though such research by the Primary Industries Climate Challenges Centre seems to be not the ideal project to work on. Determining how high carbon levels impact on wheat quality is more relevant and could help if climate change becomes permanent.

Bodies such as the Climate Challenges Centre can be useful if they are well targeted. It needs to get on with the job. Australia's economy cannot sustain continual buffering from climatic extremes. Furthermore, other countries will surely get bad weather as well without a worldwide change in the way we live. Even Russia is getting extreme summers and winters. No country can avoid damage in the long term.

Mankind is at crisis point. Looking around at people you would not know this. Complacency is probably the greatest danger we face.
~~~~~Weather~~~~~
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