Ancient Tides Quite Different From Today
Geological forces that act over hundreds to millions of years, such as plate tectonics, ice ages, land uplift, erosion and sedimentation, have caused the tides, generally thought to be one of the most predictable forces on Earth, to vary wildly throughout history, according to a new study.
Unexpected Source of Sea Level Rise Found
Surprising patterns of melting during the last interglacial period suggest that Greenland’s ice may be more stable, and Antarctica’s less stable, than many thought, a new study shows.
UN climate change conference and the world security
The UN Security Council expressed concern that the possible adverse effects of climate change could aggravate certain existing threats to international peace and security and that the loss of territory in some States due to sea-level rise, particularly in small low-lying island States, could have possible security implications.
The Rising Sea
On Shishmaref Island in Alaska, homes are being washed into the sea. In the South Pacific, small island nations face annihilation by encroaching waters. In coastal Louisiana, an area the size of a football field disappears every day. For these communities, sea level rise isn’t a distant, abstract fear: it’s happening now and it’s threatening their way of life… A book by Orrin H. Pilkey and Rob Young, published by Island Press.
Rising Oceans: Too Late to Turn the Tide?
Unless we dramatically curb global warming, we are in for centuries of sea level rise at a rate of up to three feet per century. Much of the world’s population lives relatively close to sea level, thus this is going to have huge impacts, especially on poor countries.
Strong El Niño could bring increased sea levels, storm surges to U.S. East Coast
Coastal communities along the U.S. East Coast may be at risk to higher sea levels accompanied by more destructive storm surges in future El Niño years, according to a new study by NOAA.
Forests soak up third of fossil fuel emissions: study
An international team of climate scientists released a study showing the role global forests have played as regulators of the atmosphere. This is the first complete and global evidence of the overwhelming role of forests in removing anthropogenic carbon dioxide.
US West Coast Erosion Spiked In Winter 2009-10, Previewing Likely Future As Climate Changes
Knowing that the U.S. west coast was battered during the winter before last by a climatic pattern expected more often in the future, scientists have now pieced together a San Diego-to-Seattle assessment of the damage wrought by that winter’s extreme waves and higher-than-usual water levels.
Shifting Sands and Rising Seas
“In a time of rising seas, it is senseless and dangerous to build on barrier islands.” World-renowned coastal geologist Orrin H. Pilkey and artist Mary Edna Fraser, an internationally recognized master of the textile art of batik, bring an understanding of coastal geology and global change to the public in a way that is scientifically astute and visually intriguing. By Celie Daily and Orrin Pilkey.