Is It Getting Warmer?

Environment News Service - July 7, 2008

The degradation of coral life has been happening for quite some time.  I remember multiple articles on the effects of water pollution on coral life back in the 70s and 80s (before the Internet so I can’t point to those articles - sorry).

This article now includes global warming in that threat.  Since this is coming from the 11th International Coral Reef Symposium and the organization reportedly meets every 4 years then the problem is at least 44 years old!

Interesting that it seems that every news article now has to include a count of scientists that sign on to the theory.  This one has 270 scientists writing the report.  How did they do that - did they each write one sentence out of each 270 sentences?  Also interesting that there were 2,500 scientists at this meeting - must be some interesting conversations at the bar at the local hotel in the evening!  Are there really 2,500 scientists studying coral?  Of course, that number includes “government officials” - your tax dollars at work!

Nearly half of U.S. coral reef ecosystems are considered to be in “poor” or “fair” condition according to a new analysis of the health of coral reefs under U.S. jurisdiction by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, NOAA.

---

… more than 2,500 scientists and government officials are gathered this week to discuss coral reef protection strategies and research priorities to further protection of sensitive coral ecosystems.ion, NOAA.

---

U.S. coral reef ecosystems, particularly those near populated areas, continue to face threats from human activities such as coastal development, pollution, fishing, sedimentation and recreational use, finds the report, “The State of Coral Reef Ecosystems of the United States and Pacific Freely Associated States: 2008.”ion, NOAA.

---

The 2008 report is the third in a series tracking the condition of U.S. coral reef ecosystems at local and national scales. The reports show that the condition of U.S. coral reefs has been declining for decades.ion, NOAA.

---

The paper presents new coral evidence suggesting the oceans may have acidified by almost a third of a unit of pH as a result of human emissions of the greenhouse gas carbon dioxide.ion, NOAA.

---

This suggests either that the corals are somehow amplifying the effect - or else that we may have gravely underestimated the rate at which the burning of fossil fuels is turning the oceans acidic.

You can read the entire article here.

Did you know that you can have these articles emailed to you? Click on the Subscribe to email link in the upper right corner, fill out the details, and you are set. No one will see your email address and you won’t get more spam by doing this.

Popularity: 29% [?]

Filed under: Getting warmer, Greenhouse gas, Human fault

Similar articles that you may enjoy:

• Ocean Map Charts Path of Human Destruction
• POWERFUL NEW TOOL TO TRACK ATMOSPHERIC CARBON DIOXIDE BY SOURCE
• Is Your Global Warming?
• "An Inconvenient Truth" found to be inconveniently incorrect!
• Convenient Untruths
• Global Warming’s Impact on Lobsters Has Scientists in a Stew
• Global Surface Mean Temp Anomalies
• The truth about global warming
• North America Absorbing Carbon Dioxide At Surprisingly High Rate, Team Reports
• The Beginning of the End for Life as We Know it on Planet Earth?
• Global Warming May Reduce Carbon Sink Capacity In Northern Forests
• Boxer Opening Statement Hearing on Al Gore’s Perspective on Global Warming.
• Extreme Weather: Once Every… Well, Every Day Lately
• E.P.A. Says 17 States Can’t Set Emission Rules
• They call this a consensus?