Warming Could Raise Sea Level By 5 Mts: Scientist

[savramesh 37]

Economic Times

2 Jul 2009, 1610 hrs IST

WELLINGTON: New evidence shows that if global warming melts the West Antarctic ice sheet, sea levels around the world could rise by up to five metres, a New Zealand scientist said Thursday.

Tim Naish, director of Victoria University's Antarctic Research Centre in Wellington, said the ice sheet was Antarctica's most vulnerable element and was expected to melt first, along with Greenland.

"Polar ice sheets have grown and collapsed at least 40 times over the past five million years, causing major sea-level fluctuations," he said in a statement issued by the university.

The most recent "interglacial" period between collapses had lasted 10,000 years, during which time global sea-level and atmospheric temperatures remained more or less constant, and human civilization flourished, Naish said.

He said much of his research focused on an international drilling programme in the sedimentary layers of the West Antarctic ice sheet, which analyzed how it behaved at a time when the world was warmer.

"We know that greenhouse gases in the atmosphere were slightly above what they are now, and the earth was two to three degrees warmer. When the West Antarctica ice sheet collapsed numerous times, it raised sea levels by up to 10 metres.

"In the past, these climate changes were happening naturally, but now we've accelerated this process, the greenhouse gases are rising and temperatures are rising faster than they ever have in the past," Naish said.

"It's one of the big issues of our time and it will have a profound effect on our future society."

[kshah 452]

Sadik gave me this link. http://www.thezeitgeistmovement.com/

THough this type of thoughts are very prominent in Indian philosophy, we forgot in influence of western consumerist era. Jainism has few principles are ultimate for protecting environment. I started believing in limited consumerism since last 5 years.

I have a belief that if we do not do following - life of this civilization is not very long. Even 100 years is too optimistic

1. Grow tree where ever we can. and how much ever we can

2. reduce consumption of detergent and water as much as possible. Bathing with plain water (I have not used soap since last 7 years, to wash hair I use ARITHA / SATRITHA) reduces water polutions and environmental degradation.

3. Use new high quality flushing system which uses as less water as possible. (Un fortunately I am not able to convince my family members too for this matter - to avoid using flush / flush only once

4. Recycle / reuse as much material as possible. Using metal containers / utensils over ceramics and plastic is eco friendly. Ceramic is ecofriendly only if used for more than 1000 times. Else disposible plastic is more eco friendly. I am not promoting plastics - please be advised.

Sorry I can write essay on this and bore you. But better we wake us as early as possible.

We have to look in to ways to check population rise too.

Edited July 3, 2009 by kshah

[kshah 452]

One addition, arthur c clerk has said long back (i think in 70's that man reaching to other planet is impossible as technology destroys civilization) if u see harrapan sites, it is evident every where, that harrapan civilization ended because they learnt how to make bricks - so they destroyed forests so much that entire food cycle collapsed.

Same applied to peru civilization - to make bigger and bigger faces - they destroyed jungles around and civilization ended.

[savramesh 37]

thanks for the information. will do all possible good...