Environmental Outlook: Rising Sea Levels
http://thedianerehmshow.org/shows/2012-07-03/environmental-outlook-rising-sea-levels
In this month’s environmental outlook, a look at rising sea levels and what’s at stake. Whether it’s caused by natural variability or human activity, the fact remains that sea levels are rising. The U.S. Geological Survey recently estimated that the Eastern Seaboard -- coined a "hotspot" by scientists -- will rise to four feet by 2100. A separate study by the National Research Council says ocean levels on the California coast could rise by three feet by the end of the century. Diane and her guests look at the causes and consequences of rising sea levels.
Guests
Dr. Ben Strauss
Chief Operating Officer and Director of the Program on Sea Level Rise, Climate Central.
Jessica Grannis
Staff Attorney and Adjunct Professor, Georgetown Climate Center and Georgetown University Law Center.
Dr. Asbury Sallenger
Oceanographer, U.S. Geological Survey
Philip Mote
Professor, Oregon State University
Comments
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A group in North Carolina, NC-20, favors legislation like State bill HB 819 that builds sea level forecast models from historical rates and prohibits the use of accelerated estimates. Please ask the panel if they think coastal development should accommodate for greater sea level rises in the next 100 years or take a more conservative approach.
It seems like now is the time to get the federal government out of the insurance business for those who live on the coasts.
Recently on the same day I read that VA Gov. McDonnell and the Tidewater area were quietly taking steps to preserve the beaches and the threatened tourist industry, AND that VA AG Ken Cuccinelli was elsewhere fighting the issue of global warming. How can the naysayers continue to deny climate change in the face of realities that affect them directly?
Executives in fossil fuel industries stand to make millions of dollars if voters doubt the climatologists. Hence the "controversy".
The previous CEO of Exxon spent millions on fake scientific data to disprove global warming.
The present CEO realized legal liability of this approach and stopped doing it. We may hear more and more real scientists talking about it.
"Private Empire" book is covering this.
The answer is simple. If you choose to build your house in an area that is projected to be adversely impacted by the rise in sea levels, and the inevitable happens, you forfeit your ability to sue any one, or appear on camera crying about how somebody should have stopped the building.
Apparently Nature hasn't read U.S. Senator James Inhofe's book, "The Greatest Hoax: How the Global Warming Conspiracy Threatens Your Future," nor gotten the memo from the so-called "Heartland Institute" -- or their lunatic fellow travelers and sycophants.
What will be the effects on the Great Lakes and, for example, the Mississippi River, with the increasing rise in sea levels?
Whether you believe the warming is human-made or not, the fact is that warming is not only happening, it's causing even more warming and sea level rise:
"Arctic methane gas could spell trouble for Florida coastline" http://www.fsu.edu/indexTOFStory.html?lead.chanton
The Nature Geoscience article is at http://www.nature.com/ngeo/journal/vaop/ncurrent/abs/ngeo1480.html
I am so very glad to hear this discussion. I am amazed at how little discussion I hear on major new shows about climate change, especially while we are actually experiencing the consequences right now. Why can't our politicians take up this conversation? I think we should be urgent in making changes in the way we live. We need action NOW.
In some of our "genius" states it is forbidden to mention global warming in their state legislatures.
This is a quote from a law passed in one of these states (South Carolina):
"Whereas, evidence of widespread corruption has surfaced in the basic temperature records maintained by key scientific advocates of the theory of man-made global warming, eroding the foundation upon which the anthropomorphic global warming theory is built and undercutting the argument in favor of a cap and trade emissions trading scheme; and…"
Another interesting comment from another intellectual genius:
A Republican congressman hoping to chair the powerful House Energy Committee refers to the Bible and God on the issue of global warming.
Representative John Shimkus insists we shouldn't concerned about the planet being destroyed because God promised Noah it wouldn't happen again after the great flood.
Speaking before a House Energy Subcommittee on Energy and Environment hearing in March, 2009, Shimkus quoted Chapter 8, Verse 22 of the Book of Genesis.
He said: 'As long as the earth endures, seed time and harvest, cold and heat, summer and winter, day and night, will never cease.'
Quizzed: Illinois Republican Representative John Shimkus answers questions for reporters after appearing before the House ethics committee
The Illinois Republican continued: 'I believe that is the infallible word of God, and that's the way it is going to be for his creation.
'The earth will end only when God declares its time to be over. Man will not destroy this earth. This earth will not be destroyed by a flood.
Over population is generating off-gassing at least 3 times faster than the Earth can absorb it.
Over crowding forces ever increasing numbers of people to live in high risk areas.
Obsession with growth and planned obsolescence will exacerbate population increases PLUS bury our grandchildren in the waste products.
BUT growth is extolled, analyzed and trumpeted as if it is progress.
The society of Man has to find some way to re-direct our efforts or Mother Nature will do it for us.
Mother Nature is not so humane when she corrects excesses.
In discussing the political kickback to climate change and sea level rise in North Carolina, your guests hold to the view that th
eir research is pure science and they avoid policy issues. Do you think it is time for scientists to become more vocal in these policy issues?
These climate alarmist people never go away, probably due to the hidden funding from the leftists.
They also never fail to attract the idealistic youth to do the bull work for them.
Since they are not going to be able to enact any restrictive legislation after the embarrassing emails from East Anglia were leaked, combined with divided federal government, I think it is fine that Diane Rehm provides them with a harmless sandbox to play in
As has been widely said, when the twin weasels Al Gore and Tom Friedman start acting in concert with what they are preaching, maybe I will begin to take this seriously.
Until then, this all smells like an attempt at people control and revenue collection.
larycham - good point. In our House we have only two politicians with scientific background:
Representative Rush Holt of New Jersey and Bill Foster of Illinois
We learned a few years ago that an island, that lies between India and Bangladesh, had disappeared beneath the surface of the Sea of Bengal. Are there any updates on this issue, and what this means to the populations and food production of India and Bangladesh?
Thank you.
David
Atmospheric Greenhouse gases take centuries to accumulate and centuries more to dissipate. Even a perfect anti-greenhouse gas effort will not prevent the consequences of what we (and the inter-glacial period) have set in motion. Global warming will create winners and losers. We need to tax the carbon of the winners to help the losers adapt.
Smoot - your depth of analysis of this issue is impressive.
Unfortunately, we are past emails which were investigated and found not to affect science behind the global warming..
What are the current thoughts on solar storms adding to the problem?
One to two people die from Malaria each year. Kofi Anan says about 300,000 people die or are displaced as a direct cause of climate change.
1. I'm not clear whether climate change will cause the earth to cool or heat up. Sea level rise is due, mostly to the expansion of H2O molecules, thus the volume of the oceans increases, and sea levels rise. But if the polar ice caps melt it seems like the opposite will happen and the contraction of h2o molecules due to the flood of cooler water will offset (at least in part) the rise in sea levels.
2. 75 million people are predicted to be killed or displaced due to climate change in the next 100 years. Basic math gives us a total of at least two hundred million people who will die from preventable diseases, like malaria, this century.
Climate Change should not be the priority
Vishnu Rama - explain your reasoning to Bangladesh people or Tuvalu islanders. If it was not for their precarious condition, they would laugh.
Get your math right.
Sane -
Thank you, I am glad you appreciated the differing perspective.
Perhaps I can further assist you with the observation that, unless the information that is presented is squeaky clean and without the stench of liberal control-freak ambitions, the public won't get behind it.
The Internet has proven to be particularly valuable tool because it has taken away the exclusive megaphone that the liberal media used to have.
Remember, every liberal journalist (which is about all of them) fired from a newspaper reduces the amount of lies that the general public must endure.
The public is much more skeptical of government and lib B.S. nowadays.
You guys can forget getting any environmental legislation passed.
But hey, you can always rely on activist judges to further your agenda - it has worked well for you so far.
Thank you for covering this issue. I agree (with what was previously stated) that many of us in the public feel powerless. That said, I'd like to hear more about the power of food choices on our "carbon footprint". I am studying to be a Registered Dietitian (RD), and it was interesting to learn that a reduction in meat consumption can improve both our health and the planet. I would love for this issue to be discussed in more detail. Thanks again!
Thanks so much for today's segments. Just wish you could have given both more time. Your staff does great work getting expert guests.
Just can't believe how poorly the media in general fails to report the serious consequences of climate change, particularly the long term impacts. The HBO show, Newsroom, addresses this problem with television news today being driven by the audience, particularly the cable news media like Fox and MSNBC shaping coverage for a biased audience viewpoint. Really shameful!
Regarding NC Sea Level Rise Law
NC Lawmakers base Laws on Facts, not Fiction.
CRC’s Scientists have declined to answer questions on their Science Report since Feb,2011.
One CRC Scientist said, in effect, that it was better to be fast and cheap,, than accurate.
NC Lawmakers disagree. They want to be accurate.
Bill Price Pine Knoll Shores
Bill,
Got a link to this supposed statement?
This isn't redstate.com
Your connection to Koch Brothers' "scientists" makes me
skeptical about your interpretation of real scientists comments,
or anything for that matter.
Being a pawn in the AGW deniers religious war on science
is no way to go through life my friend.
Zach
Well ,as you can read ,this is a big issue .
Problem is most people do not have a clue where and how their power is generated .
I am in favor of power generation that is stable ,effective and reliable .
Renewables are NOT in fact they endanger the grid ,
Just ask Germany where the past few days grid disruption has cause industries to shut down .
I have spent the past few years exploring wind power pro/con .Bottom line, GREAT idea, BAD results .
The wind industry claims x amount of generation , but the real power generated and used is another stat. Most of the power generated is lost to the grid and some is generated when not needed IE over night .
If you really want to reduce co2 MANDATE ALL building to be efficient via insulation and efficient heating and cooling .
I am going now to use wind power as it should be used ...sailing