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Day: November 24, 2014

New Study Finds ‘Surprisingly Thick Antarctic Sea Ice’ – Published in journal Nature Geoscience

http://www.livescience.com/48880-antarctica-sea-ice-thickness-mapped.html

Robot Sub Finds Surprisingly Thick Antarctic Sea Ice
by Becky Oskin, Senior Writer | November 24, 2014

Bellingshausen Sea
Pin It Different thicknesses of sea ice in Antarctica’s Bellingshausen Sea. Open water is dark black; older sea ice has a covering of bright white snow, and thick ice is grey.

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Antarctica’s ice paradox has yet another puzzling layer. Not only is the amount of sea ice increasing each year, but an underwater robot now shows the ice is also much thicker than was previously thought, a new study reports.

The discovery adds to the ongoing mystery of Antarctica’s expanding sea ice. According to climate models, the region’s sea ice should be shrinking each year because of global warming. Instead, satellite observations show the ice is expanding, and the continent’s sea ice has set new records for the past three winters.…

World Bank: Without Action, The Planet Will See 4°C Warming By The Time Teenagers Turn 80

World Bank: Without Action, The Planet Will See 4°C Warming By The Time Teenagers Turn 80

http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/11/24/3596227/world-bank-report-turn-down-the-heat/

CREDIT: Shutterstock A new report from the World Bank has determined that warming of around 1.5°C (around 2.7° Fahrenheit) by mid-century is already locked into the atmosphere but that further warming beyond 2°C — and some of the worst projected impacts — is avoidable with immediate action. The report also warns that without coordinated efforts to transition to low-carbon energy sources, there is an increasing likelihood that temperatures could rise by 4°C or more “by the time today’s teenagers are in their 80s.” This would have drastic consequences on many of the developing countries where the World Bank operates — many of which have very young populations. “The good news is that we can take action that reduces the rate of climate change and promotes economic growth, ultimately stopping our journey down this dangerous path,” said Jim Yong Kim, president of the World Bank. “World leaders and policy makers should embrace affordable solutions like carbon pricing and policy choices that shift investment to clean public transport, cleaner energy and more energy efficient factories, buildings and appliances.” Prepared for the World Bank Group by the Potsdam Institute for Climate Impact Research and Climate Analytics, this is the third such report focusing on climate impacts in areas where the Bank operates, including Latin America and the Caribbean, the Middle East and North Africa, and Eastern Europe and Central Asia. Called “Turn Down The Heat,” the report warns of a “new climate normal” that will create a world of increased risks and instability. This will add substantially to the already daunting challenges of global development and poverty reduction, as crop yields would decline, water resources dwindle or shift, ocean acidification accelerate, and sea levels continue to rise and disrupt heavily-populated coastal regions. In Latin America and the Caribbean, these heat extremes and changing rain patterns could lead to a 70 percent fall in soybean crop yields and up to 50 percent for wheat by 2050 without further adaption efforts. In the Caribbean, tropical storms and sea level rise will impact everything from tourism to security. Across the Middle East and North Africa, scarce water resources will be further stressed, which could increase the outbreak of conflicts in the already fraught region. Similar challenges with water availability and food production are expected in Eastern Europe and Central …

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