Alps Are Warmest in 1,300 Years

[Newsjock]

http://sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2006/12/05/international/i072945S64.DTL

VIENNA, Austria (AP) -- Europe's Alpine region is going through its warmest period in 1,300 years, the head of an extensive climate study said Tuesday.

... The unseasonably warm weather this autumn has caused concern in Austria's ski resorts, where slopes are still largely covered in green grass instead of snow. Many, such as St. Anton am Arlberg, have had to postpone the start of their skiing season and some have tried attracting tourists with alternative programs, such as hiking.

Austrian ski resorts usually open at the end of November or early December.

[no_hypocrisy]

1. Does that mean there will be a lot of avalanches as the snows

melt and migrate?

[aquart]

2. Does this mean we might find some more frozen icemen???

[RUMMYisFROSTED]

20. Do we need more lawyers?

[Coventina]

3. We are so fucked. eom.

[seemunkee]

4. We'll start seeing more heavy rock fall like on the Eiger this summer

http://outside.away.com/outside/news/20060714_1.html
July 14, 2006 A chunk of rock weighing millions of tons broke away from one of Switzerland's most famous peaks, the 13,025-foot Eiger mountain, on Thursday. The resulting rock avalanche covered local Grindelwald resort in dust but caused no injuries, according to an Associated Press (AP) report.

[AngryAmish]

5. Why was it warm 1300 years ago?

[customerserviceguy]

27. Damn good question

I hate seeing modern people fucking up the world, but the whole global warming thing has to be taken in perspective. The planet has been warming and cooling for various reasons for millions of years. Who's to say that we humans have much influence on it one way or another?

[Tiberius]

31. Rate of cooling/warming

Yes, the planet has been heating up and cooling down substantially when you look over long periods of time. But, say the Earth warms up and then cools down 2 degrees every 1,000 years - and let's say, for the sake of argument it has warmed up 2 degrees in the last 50. It is pretty widely accepted by the scientific community that that amount of warming in such a short period of time is a result of human activity.

I don't think it's the actual warming or cooling that's the proof that humans are to blame - it's the speed at which is is occurring. There's also feedback that we're beginning to learn about - as the tundra/permafrost thaws, for example, it may release trapped CO2 which may accelerate the cycle.

[rman]

34. The main point is no longer human influence -

the main point is that all the data shows this time around it's getting warmer than it has been in a very long time.
That is the perspective, and that's the reality we'll have to deal with regardless of what causes it.

[rman]

35. Why are CO2 levels so much higher now then they were 1300 years ago?

[AngryAmish]

36. Because we are burning fossil fuels at an unprecedented race

[Teaser]

6. shorter skiing season = MORE TIME TO SUNBATHE

I'm so sick of you global warming downers always being so negative.

[Eurobabe]

7. Yep. I live in the Alpenvorland near Garmisch (Germany)

and there is NO snow. I don't think any of the ski areas here are open yet. Today it was sunny and about 53F. Just 4 years ago it was cold as hell in early November, and it never got any warmer. This year, my roses are still blooming, and my flowering bushes are coming out in patches.

Something is up.

[Casablanca]

9. Snow or no snow ...

... Garmisch-Partenkirchen is one gorgeous area of the world to live in - and to work on your winter tan. :)

[Eurobabe]

14. Seriously. But I think today was the last day...

I hear it is supposed to return to more seasonable temps tomorrow. Back into the 30s 40s. I don't care, just as long as there is sun.

Here's my backyard, taken in August, towards the south (Garmisch)

[chknltl]

25. Gruss Gott

Now that's what I call a back yard! Here in America there would be no lack of folks, (republicans), lookin to turn a yard like that into a condo complex, strip mall or golf course.

[Eurobabe]

30. Well, technically it is at the end of my street, but you are correct

It is a huge Naturschutzgebiet (nature preserve). I love how the Germans plan their towns. Yes, the houses are close together, but that allows for ample free space for nature paths, bike paths, open space. It's gorgeous here, I love my village!!!

[NotGivingUp]

29. omg...how beautiful!!!

[featherman]

22. I spent part of my childhood in Oberammergau in the mid-1950's

Wonderful place for a 10 year old. We hiked the mountains all summer and skied all winter long. I believe about 8-10 feet of snow accumulated that winter. My Dad kept shovelling the sidewalk out to the street and the snowbanks on each side were well over his head by late winter. My brother and I dug out a large ice cave by digging sideways from the sidewalk into the snowbank on the left and furnished it with a old rug, chairs, tables, etc. Fun times.

[northstar7]

8. Medieval Warm Period

It was unusually warm from about AD 900 to 1300, a time known as the Medieval Warm Period. This was followed by the Little Ice Age, a time of cold that lasted from 1300 to about 1850. You can easily find background on both these temperature fluctuations if you search on the Internet. It is thought by many that this kind of temperature variation has been common through geologic time. What's not so common is that the greenhouse gas, CO2, is now at the highest level it has been in the last 650,000 years. In fact, I've seen studies saying that CO2 levels comparable to that we're experiencing now haven't been seen since the Mesozoic era (65-250 Myr ago). Maybe we're seeing the beginning of another Warm Period. Or possibly a Hot Period.

[skyblue]

17. Let's not Forget About the Methane!

http://www.npr.org/templates/story/story.php?storyId=6098974

[Jcrowley]

10. K & R n/t

[Gregorian]

11. I'm willing to bet that there is no recovery at this point.

And I don't bet.

Even if we stopped all combustion right now, the carbon dioxide has a transit period of over 100 years. That means, whatever effects we are seeing right now, we will continue seeing for at least half of that period.

And unless we can start start using noncombustive means of energy conversion (fusion), we can't even manufacture photovoltaics for the planet without causing greater damage.

Right now the logging trucks are rumbling down the roads of the town where I live. And in every city in every country of the world, where it's daytime, cars and trucks and manufacturing are all taking place. There is no stopping.

I guess I'm just a negative guy. There was a time when I was happy as can be. I think the most positive step we can take is to get Gore in the White House. After seeing his movie for the second time, I am convinced that I underestimated him. This is an old problem. We should have dealt with it by now. In fact, as vice president, I wonder why more wasn't done. I suspect great resistance to change. But the means for change must be primary above all. No more military spending until we conquer this problem.

[Odin2005]

15. Once we stop dumping CO2 into the air we need to work on geting it all back OUT.

I'm hoping that someday we will be able to use nanotech to bring CO2 back to pre-industrial levels by turing the excess CO2 into O2 and diamond, though it might just be wishful thinking.

[beth9999]

12. Figures...

... this is what you get when you let Repugs rule the world.

[Gregorian]

13. One more thing- This should be the thing that brings all nations together.

This should be the opportunity for all nations to stop manufacturing war, and come together. We all have something that is far more dangerous than ourselves. We all face disaster together. We all should gather together and work together to save ourselves. This is our opportunity.

[mia]

23. I couldn't agree more.

Al Gore for President.

[Ezlivin]

16. I'll send my Representative Joe Barton to check into it

He doesn't believe in global warming.

See the DU discussion of this idiot here: http://www.democraticunderground.com/discuss/duboard.php?az=view_all&address=364x2862229

[skyblue]

18. Republicans: SMOG it's Good For You! A Little Carbon Dioxide would do you some good!

What is soooo difficult to understand?

[hedgehog]

21. They're practicing for when the water rises as ice caps melt.

"Water isn't harmful, it's necessary for life!"

[skyblue]

19. Republicans: Let's Just Make The US a Giant Superfund Site Playground!

[w4rma]

24. Its all a leftist conspiracy! The leftists made it up to destroy the internal combustion engine!(nt)

:sarcasm:

[GreenZoneLT]

26. Not to downplay the significance

But has anyone looked at global warming from the hot places' perspective? Because it was unseasonably cool this past summer in Baghdad; never got over 120 F. Seriously, is climate change a bigger deal in northern climes?

Crichton claimed in his "global warming is a matter of local microclimate change around weather stations" book that desertification in Northern Africa has actually started to reverse. Anyone seen anything on global temps in the tropics?

[Nihil]

28. That's why it is referred to as "climate change" rather than "global warming"

Climate change is a big deal wherever you are for the simple reason
that the ecosystem is not set up for it.

When cold areas get warmer, the plants can't hack it, the grazers suffer
and the carnivores go hungry. When warm areas get colder, the plants
can't hack it, the grazers suffer and the carnivores go hungry.

Humans are partially insulated from the changes because of their ability
to put more clothes on (or take them off) and to heat up their environment
using power (or cool it down in the same way). Unfortunately, the second
part of the above means that we are actively worsening the state of change
by adding even more CO2 (et al) to an already polluted atmosphere ... in
other words, saving today and building an even worse tomorrow.

In addition, humans are only _partially_ protected from the changes as
they still need to eat & drink ... both food & potable water are being
reduced through climate change (and the demand is increasing through
over-population).

In short, we are in for a world of pain over the next few decades.

(PS: Mentioning Crichton will only cause you to be laughed at with
regards to the subject of climate change.)

[Gregorian]

32. Those questions are answered in An Inconvenient Truth

Al Gore discusses the difference in the latitudes. I have selective memory, but I do remember seeing his slide showing the huge increase in northernmost latitudes. And how the heat exacerbates the extremes in dry and wet.

His film is on Google. You've got to see it. Although unless one has a fast connection, it's probably not possible to load within a reasonable time.

Also, specific temperatures and locations are not indicative of global warming. It's the trends. Like the way the average global temperature is following the concentration of carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, to a precise degree.

The planet isn't that big. That's the misconception people have had. It can't take all of these exhaust pipes.

[DrunkenMaster]

33. I don't care: I'm still driving my Yukon XL!

It's my God given right as an American!

[Uncle Joe]

37. Yeah, though he drives through the Valley of Death,

he will fear no evil for he shall be protected by his Yukon XL.