ADVENTURE DESTINATION |GREENLAND; As Ice Recedes, Interest Surges (Global Warming Problem)

ADVENTURE DESTINATION | GREENLAND; As Ice Recedes, Interest Surges

By ETHAN TODRAS-WHITEHILL

FOR those who find that Discovery Channel documentaries and Al Gore's PowerPoint presentations don't adequately capture the phenomenon of global warming, another option is now more readily available: pulling on a fur-lined parka and watching the ice melt in Greenland.

Highlighted as a focal point of global warming in scientific reports and apocalyptic films like ''The Day After Tomorrow,'' Greenland is beginning to draw attention from tourists who want to see the effects of climate change for themselves.

And the accessibility of Greenland for Americans got a boost last summer when Air Greenland started the first nonstop flight between the United States and Greenland, a five-hour flight out of Baltimore (airgreenland.com). In 2008, the airline is scheduling weekly service out of Baltimore/Washington International Airport from late June to early August, with round-trip fares starting at 6,335 Danish kroner, about $1,265 at 5 kroner to the dollar. (Previously, travelers had to fly through Nunavut in northern Canada, Iceland or Denmark.)

Visitors fly into Kangerlussuaq, the site of a former United States military base. The foot of the polar ice cap there is a popular picnicking spot for tourists, where they stare at a 250-foot wall of ice that, if it melts, has the potential to raise the world's oceans by 24 feet, some researchers have estimated.

The most popular destination for Americans is the Ilulissat ice fjord, a 45-minute flight from Kangerlussuaq and the site of the fastest retreating glacier in the Northern Hemisphere. A few years ago, the fjord was 25 miles long, but the melting of the glacier has lengthened the fjord to 31 miles, a change that has made it one of Greenland's most visible examples of climate change. The fjord is full of icebergs, calving from the bordering mountains of ice, and cruises to see the ice crack and fall are popular. Among the cruise lines offering Greenland sailings this summer is Hurtigruten (www.hurtigruten.us), which has an eight-day excursion to Disko Bay, departing from Kangerlussuaq, including a visit to the Eqip Sermia glacier. Prices start at $3,673 a person, including airfare from Baltimore.

A melting Arctic means that its ecosystem will not last forever, and the threatened wildlife is another draw. Polar bears, which have gotten the most attention as victims of global warming, are rarely sighted, but excursions to see whales -- including the narwhal, with its nine-foot unicorn horn -- and musk oxen are usually successful. These animals are not yet endangered, and tourists can enjoy many of them, including seal and reindeer, in the wild during the day and on their plates at night. Perhaps the greatest visual evidence of global warming in Greenland is Warming Island, a hand-shaped island off the east coast discovered in 2005 by an American, Dennis Schmitt. In years past, it was connected to the mainland by ice and presumed to be part of the same mass. A California outfit, Betchart Expeditions (www.betchartexpeditions.com), offers a September voyage to visit the island with Mr. Schmitt, a 12-day boat expedition that starts at $5,745 plus airfare.

''It's the visual symbol of climate change,'' Mr. Schmitt said. ''If global warming needed a poster child, here it is.'' Global warming, of course, is a delicate topic. Mr. Schmitt has been criticized by many because of the emissions such trips generate, and Greenland is careful not to stress climate change too strongly in its marketing. ''We don't want catastrophe tourism, like 'Come see it before it's too late,' '' said Jesper Kunuk Egede, a spokesman for the Greenland Group, which promotes tourism in Greenland. But Mr. Schmitt thinks that's precisely part of the appeal. ''People sense the Arctic is going to change,'' he said. ''There is something in human nature that likes to watch things die, a morbid curiosity of human beings. And I think there's a touch of that.''

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(Jakarta, Senin 19 February 2008, 16.03 sore)

Re-publish by Jacob Paradox from link (www.nytimes.com)

National Briefing | Science and Health: Journal Says Global Warming Document Was Blocked (Global Warming Problem)

National Briefing | Science and Health: Journal Says Global Warming Document Was Blocked

By ANDREW C. REVKIN

A few weeks before hurricane season, the Commerce Department blocked the release of a document describing possible links between global warming and hurricanes, according to a news article today in the journal Nature. The journal cited e-mail exchanges between officials and scientists at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration obtained under Freedom of Information laws by the environmental group Greenpeace. Jordan St. John, a NOAA spokesman, said the document was an information sheet being prepared for journalists but not finished in time. Scientists do not agree on the influence of global warming on hurricane activity.

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(Jakarta, Senin 19 February 2008, 16.03 sore)

Re-publish by Jacob Paradox from link (www.nytimes.com)

Indonesian Forest Fire (Global Warming Problem)

Indonesian Forest Fire

(Global Warming Problem)

By Jacob Paradox

According to environmental LSM conservation, Wetlands International, around 48% peat farm in Indonesia have been destroyed, and most ruining caused by wild deforestation. Marcel Silvius, program manager in Wetlands International, having a notion the problem of ruining of Peat forest in Kalimantan is one of biggest environment ruination of world.

From sweeping of garbage in wild hewing in just peat farm, word of Marcel, Indonesia yield 632 million ton of CO2 every year him. And from forest fire that goes on every year, yielded by CO2 is 1.400 million ton. Thus totalize around 2.000 million ton of CO2 every year him Indonesian," word of Marcel Silvius.

As comparison, Marcel, citing number that Country Dutch every year him yield 80 million CO2 every year him, although small Dutch clearly not compare with Indonesia. However forest fire in Indonesia remain to is serious problem more than anything else still also not yet can overcome.

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(Jakarta, Kamis 19 February 2008, 17.22 sore)

Forest Peat in Kalimantan (Global Warming Problem)

Forest Peat in Kalimantan

(Global Warming Problem)

By Jacob Paradox

Moment walk in above trees kanopi, there is a group of butterfly get in the way me whereas insect voice whizz to release on the air. But is not in maiden forest, but a forest area rehabilitation project is which during the time destroyed by wood industry.

This project is vitally because is the single research location Middle Kalimantan which cope re-curing tropical peat forest.

Vitally Peat farm because the ability of in processing gas causing glasshouse effect, like CO2 and of metan. Peat forest is world lung. But seems that world lung is minimizing.

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(Jakarta, Kamis 19 February 2008, 17.22 sore)

BAY WACTH, Pamela Anderson Video vs. Global Warming (Global Warming Problem)

BAY WACTH, Pamela Anderson Video

vs. Global Warming

(Global Warming Problem)

By Jacob Paradox

Which more again is if global warming will eliminate is at all current transfer of water. All of us know that earth heat is and in compared to higher North warming hemisphere of the other. We have seen by liquefaction of ice in Artik and ices coat in Island of Greenland.

That warming will make the amount of freshwaters in North sea more and more and because lighter freshwaters of sea-water, hence the situation of residing in sea surface. Existence of this fresh water prevent warm water reaching permeated polar area of heat by atmosfir in order to become chilled to go down to sea floor. Hence process ocean current belt shall no longger function.

Him do not of current belt go out to sea this endanger life of biota go out to sea in consequence mean there will be no again movement. In fact desist this ocean current belt him have happened during 1000 year, and make Europe return to ices era, that is in century to 14.

At that time Europe area like becoming a mini ices continent, and the cause of is natural symptom, for example hard wind storm.

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(Jakarta, Kamis 19 February 2008, 17.22 sore)

PSK, Gadis Seksi and Sea Belt (Global Warming Problem)

PSK, Gadis Seksi

and Sea Belt

(Global Warming Problem)

By Jacob Paradox

Lately there is doubtfulness if sea in this time progressively unable to distribute heat to all angle of earth.

Under water level, there is wave or possibly more referred as by precise of sea current stream, which sciences conceived of by Belt Sea. Function Belt go out to sea this is to push sea-water, which have been heated by sun in region of tropic, to cooler area in pole.

Process on the contrary also happened, that is cool by water in Artik and Antartic brought to area of tropic to be heated. Stuart Cunningham, a special expert of problem of current go out to sea from English, saying that that process is vitally for Atlantic ocean.

In north region of Atlantic there is Sea of Artik, so that warm water current can make a move till far away to polar back part. That is why Europe climate relative do not too cool. Atlantic Current of more knowledgeable North with the title Bay current, and which isn't it all of sciences is global warming will slow down that current.

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(Jakarta, Kamis 19 February 2008, 17.22 sore)

Global Warming and Importance of Economics (Global Warming Problem)

Global Warming and Importance

of Economics

(Global Warming Problem)

By Jacob Paradox

One other accused to push global warming is depended mankind to oil. But on the other side a lot see the melting of ices in polar area as good opportunity to conduct oil exploration.

His problem, is estimated around remains 25% world oil reserve estimated in sea floor of Artik. And oil companies have snappish to conduct exploration.

Besides melting of mount ices was also assumed opened new shipping path, which believed will repair economics of area.

Dr. David Vaughan of Body Research of Antartic English confess obsession advantage of overweening economics to be disregarded. One other very lure is fairway go out to sea North because will direct bring ship of Europe to Japan.

During the time ships of Europe going to some of Asia areas have to turn around to pass Canal of Suez. Thus is true there advantage, but also clear negative consequence do not fail the level of from this global warming.

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(Jakarta, Kamis 19 February 2008, 17.22 sore)

Fighting Global Warming (Global Warming Problem)

Fighting Global Warming

(www.nytimes.com)

''In Turnaround, Industries Seek U.S. Regulations'' (front page, Sept. 16) points out that industry is engaging in a form of unenlightened self-interest as it pushes for mild federal regulation that blocks stricter state standards and limits consumer rights while doing nothing to address the real dangers posed by their products. This effort is particularly dangerous when it comes to global warming, which Congress may get serious about for the first time this fall.

To meet the challenge of global warming, Congress must act quickly and decisively to pass strong, science-based legislation that reduces global warming pollution fast enough to protect future generations.

The Earth's climate is close to a critical tipping point, and even moderate additional warming could lead to severe consequences. Climate scientists warn that there is a very short window of time to begin the serious emission reductions we need to have a decent chance of avoiding dangerous impacts.

To prevent such impacts, the United States must halt increases in emissions now and reduce emissions by at least 15 percent by 2020 and 80 percent by 2050. As Congress turns its attention to global warming, our leaders must resist industry attempts to push for half-measures. Instead, we need bold action that will protect our environment, economy and future generations.

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(Jakarta, Senin 19 February 2008, 10.32 pagi)

Re-publish by Jacob Paradox from link (www.nytimes.com)

Project to Capture CO2 With Plankton Puts to Sea (Global Warming Problem)

Project to Capture CO2

With Plankton Puts to Sea

By Andrew C. Revkin

The WeatherBird II is part of a project aimed at encouraging plankton growth.

(Credit: Jay Paul for The New York Times)

The WeatherBird II, a 115-foot private research vessel, has put to sea from Florida as part of a novel and contentious effort to commercialize the removal of heat-trapping carbon dioxide from the atmosphere by triggering blooms of plankton.

The ship is operated by Planktos, one of a host of companies involved with the fast-growing global market in “carbon offsets,” credits bought by individuals or companies seeking to compensate for carbon dioxide emissions from flying, electricity use or other energy-intensive activities.

The WeatherBird II entered international waters on Sunday, said Russ George, the chief executive of Planktos, based in Foster City, Calif. Plankton blooms happen naturally when dust containing iron settles on ocean waters where a lack of iron otherwise prevents plankton from thriving. But efforts to replicate the process artificially have met with strong opposition from some environmental groups.

These include the Sea Shepherd Conservation Society, which for years has confronted, and sometimes rammed, whaling and fishing vessels. It had also planned to try to block a fertilization effort by Planktos this summer near the Galapagos Islands, but the company delayed that project for a variety of reasons, officials said. Ocean fertilization is one strategy scientists are mulling to blunt the unrelenting growth in carbon dioxide emissions from smokestacks, tailpipes and deforestation.

A natural phytoplankton bloom in the Bering Sea. (Credit: NASA) Some scientists have estimated that hundreds of millions of tons of carbon dioxide might be absorbed by fertilized seas, particularly in regions low in iron.

But others say much more research should be conducted before commercial-scale operations begin. Among various questions, scientists have yet to determine how much of the carbon captured by plankton blooms through photosynthesis sinks to the seabed and how much is re-emitted to the atmosphere as carbon dioxide or other greenhouse gases.

This year, the president of Friends of the Earth, Brent Blackwelder, issued a statement saying, “Planktos is selling the equivalent of global warming snake oil.” In an e-mail exchange Tuesday night, Mr. George declined to discuss the route of the WeatherBird II or whether a second ship will join it to distribute tons of iron-containing dust, because of what he said were continuing threats. Concerns about environmental impacts have no merit, he said, adding that the project was precisely the kind of work that could help answer lingering questions about the method.

“We have requests and offers from governments and scientists all over the world to send teams aboard to actively participate,” Mr. George said. “However, all those working with us who have been revealed in public have been ruthlessly attacked and threatened for helping Planktos do credible, transparent, verifiable science.”

[UPDATE: An Australian company with a different technique for boosting plankton growth — adding urea to the sea — has evidently gained permission from the Philippines to do a field test in the Sulu Sea, raising objections from some private groups and blogger.]

What kinds of private-sector experiments to limit the buildup of greenhouse gases do you feel are justified, given the limits of government-supported research?

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(Jakarta, Senin 19 February 2008, 10.32 pagi)

Re-publish by Jacob Paradox from link (www.nytimes.com)

Shaking Up the Bali Climate Conference, Literally (Global Warming Problem)

Shaking Up the Bali Climate

Conference, Literally

By Patrick J. Lyons

Whatever their brains may tell them, human hearts are strongly prone to read meaning and intention into what happens around them, and not be satisfied with “coincidence” as an explanation. It’s just natural to anthropomorphise.

So The Lede will perhaps be forgiven by even the most Vulcan of readers for the first thing that came to mind about the news this morning of a moderately strong earthquake just off the island of Bali in Indonesia: Ah! Gaia’s calling card.

You see, the United Nations Climate Change Conference, with thousands of delegates from 180 countres, happens to have just gotten underway there (more on the conference on our sibling blog, Dot Earth). And the earthquake appears to have been just strong enough to give the conferees a good shake, without causing any significant injuries or damage or touching off a tsunami.

Yes, earthquakes are common in Indonesia whether thousands of climate-policy grandees happen to be hanging around there or not, and no plausible case could be made that their arrival or their weighty arguments or their expense-account spending could have somehow nudged the tectonic plates just enough to touch off a temblor. It’s got to be pure coincidence.

Still, one thinks with a smile, if the natural world did have a mind and personality of its own, isn’t it just the kind of thing an earth goddess might do?

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(Jakarta, Senin 18 February 2008, 15.44 siang)

Re-publish by Jacob Paradox from link (www.nytimes.com)

Global Warming and the Minefield of Unintended Consequences (Global Warming Problem)

Global Warming and the Minefield of Unintended Consequences

By Melissa Lafsky

Dubner and Levitt recently wrote a column discussing the unintended consequences of legislation intended to help the neediest segments of society.

Few movements for change have met with as many unintended consequences as the efforts, both in the public and private sector, to combat global warming. Take biofuels (another topic Dubner has addressed here and here). Hailed as the darling of the alternative fuel market, this new energy source, led by the most popular form, ethanol, was declared the solution to burning fossil fuels in 2006. It has since been embraced by companies from luxury car makers to airlines. To meet the growing demand for ethanol, U.S. farmers and agribusiness firms invested millions in growing corn (a move that has already come back to bite them financially). Biofuels have become such a staple of international plans to combat climate change, reports the Times, that governments are even legislating and subsidizing their use: The EU has mandated that countries use 5.75 percent biofuel for transport by the end of 2008. In the United States, a proposed energy package would require that 15 percent of all transport fuels be made from biofuel by 2022. To reach these goals, biofuels production is heavily subsidized at many levels on both continents.

Fantastic! A worldwide movement to cut emissions and halt what a growing number of scientists call a massive global crisis. Except it all hit a roadblock last week, when two newly-released studies reported that the net environmental effect of using biofuels may be even more harmful than burning the gasoline they were created to replace. The first study, led by Princeton University environment and economics researcher Timothy Searchinger, found that replacing fossil fuels with corn-based ethanol could actually double greenhouse gas emissions for the next thirty years. As Scientific American writer David Biello explains it:

“Prior analyses made an accounting error,” says [Searchinger]. … “There is a huge imbalance between the carbon lost by plowing up a hectare [2.47 acres] of forest or grassland from the benefit you get from biofuels.” Growing plants store carbon in their roots, shoots and leaves. As a result, the world’s plants and the soil in which they grow contain nearly three times as much carbon as the entire atmosphere. … By turning crops such as corn, sugarcane and palm oil into biofuels — whether ethanol, biodiesel, or something else — proponents hope to reap the benefits of the carbon soaked up as the plants grow to offset the carbon dioxide (CO2) emitted when the resulting fuel is burned. But whether biofuels emit more or less CO2 than gasoline depends on what the land they were grown on was previously used for…

The second study, led by Joseph Fargione, a scientist at the Nature Conservancy, found that by switching to biofuels, we could essentially be worsening climate change for the next 93 years, in that “[t]he clearance of grassland releases 93 times the amount of greenhouse gas that would be saved by the fuel made annually on that land,” according to the Times. Not to mention the fact that, by switching to growing corn, U.S. farmers have turned away from growing other crops, such as soy. As a result, Fargione told the Times, “‘Brazilian farmers are planting more of the world’s soybeans — and they’re deforesting the Amazon to do it.’”

So in a matter of days, biofuels go from a celebrated fossil fuels alternative to a rainforest-killing disaster, with scientists already calling for government reform on biofuel policies. If anything, this provides a window into how little we actually know about this issue, and the wide lengths left to go in reaching a viable solution.

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(Jakarta, Jumat 15 February 2008, 13.41 siang)

Re-publish by Jacob Paradox from link (www.nytimes.com)

Work Together to Overcome (Global Warming Problem)

Work Together to Overcome

Global Warming

(Global Warming Problem)

By Jacob Paradox

Agreement to fight against global warming which yielded in Bali Road Map in Nusa Dua, Final Bali last year start completely. Carried out by Two-Day debate of United Nation Organization in New York, ACE to support new pact to be finished at 2009.

If 2007 is year becoming agenda top change of climate, 2008 is moment of us conduct action of together. This is follow-up have conference framework change of climate (UNFCC) in Bali attended by delegation 190 state. The conference have agreed on forming print blue to control change of year-end slowest climate 2009 for replace Protocol of Kyoto ending year 2012.

Conference specify what which must be done, now work was in fact started. Challenge of big. We own time less than two year to compile the agreement pursuant to existing erudite data. Have conference in Bali is big jumping movement in effort fight against change of climate effect of global warming which isn't it Bali Road Map.

Previous ace do not ratify Protocol of Kyoto have agreed on Bali Road Map. Commitment ACE very wait because as one of atonal industrial state of big emission in world. Before debate, General Secretary of PBB before all have new report which express that loss of global warming effect will reach 20 ACE dollar trillion during twenty year forwards. This report will become one of debate topic attended a number of figures.

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(Jakarta, Kamis 14 February 2008, 15.07 sore)