Canadian and British climate scientists have clearly detected human-induced climate change at a regional scale in Canada, southern Europe and China. This new research is the first to combine the results from several climate model simulations, increasing scientific confidence in these findings. The study…is published in the September issue of the Journal of Climate.

The three regions in the study have experienced rising temperatures during the 20th century. The scientists analyzed temperature measurements from 1900 to 1999, to determine the geographic patterns and timing of this warming, as it changed from decade to decade. The researchers then used computer-based climate models developed at the Canadian Centre for Climate Modeling and Analysis and the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research to simulate the climates over the same time periods.

They found that simulations which include human influences on climate were able to reproduce the patterns and evolution of the observed temperature changes. This indicates that the models can simulate climate change, even at a scale as small as that of a large country, and that natural variability of the climate system alone can not explain the observed warming.

Over the past 10 years, climate scientists have been making steady progress in finding evidence of human-induced climate change. The challenge is to separate the natural fluctuations in climate from those that are caused by human activities. On a global scale, it is easier to detect such small changes in climate, as the natural fluctuations tend to average out for a large area. Scientists are now able to identify the human fingerprint on smaller areas, even at the scale of a single large country.

Researchers attribute this progress to improvements in computer models, faster supercomputer capability, a growing record of historical climate information, and the fact that climate change is now becoming more pronounced.

I realize there are politicians and other sub-species of know-nothings who don’t comprehend what computational analysis is — and how methods and means continually grow in capacity and quality.

This is not the place to seek rationales for doing nothing. All I offer is a point in cyberspace to examine what science offers. The understanding part is your responsibility.



  1. Proud Alien says:

    Let’s see: the gas prices are going down, the report will be dismissed as another “fantasy” of the “liberal crazies”. Too bad, when those raising alarm now are able to say “We told you so!”, it’s going to be too late.

  2. RBG says:

    So I could be in for some tropical waterfront property and this is a bad thing?

    RBG
    Great White North

  3. James Hill says:

    Surf’s up.

  4. Sounds The Alarm says:

    If you just looked at the picture – it’d be a great reason for climate change

  5. Mark Derail says:

    Also from the Great White North – Quebec.

    The pic is missing the 2000+ era….guess it’s NSFW.

    Rainfall patterns, will hugely affect the hydro dams in the far north where the larger dams are, shrinking the resevoirs.

    Hydro-Quebec is trying to dam up smaller southern rivers to share the load. The environmentalists want nothing of it, preferring wind mills.

    I think we are at a crossroads, must choose the lesser of two evils, to curb the real problem, CO2 emissions from petrol & coal.

    More wind mills, solar & hydro to power industries and all-electric cars / busses for the work commute. Hydrogen is a joke, methane / propane gas packs more punch to the cubed inch are requires zero electricity to manufacture, burns 99% clean compared to petrol.

    Why not even more nuclear? Just ship the pollutants up the space elevator that can be ready in 20 years.

    Let’s not forget hybrid mini-vans and SUV’s that would pollute 90% less than actual for the families, AND, people like AB CD that are over 6′ 11″ and worried over their human frailties & luxury concerns ….that….must…drive…a…tank….more… …roadkill….with….21″….wheels… ..big…bump…no…was…an….Echo…

  6. AB CD says:

    Yeah, there science is very capable of matching models to historical events. Yet take those same models, and have them predict the future, and the answers come out different from what actually happens. If these models come out on a decade scale, then let’s take a look at their next decade prediction and come back in ten years. Or how about we take a look at the predictions from fifteen years ago. They were saying that the planet is boiling up by several degrees per decade when I was in school. Now they’re down to maybe 8 degrees for the century worst case.

  7. MSwanberg says:

    The ligitimacy of the results of any study are only as veracious as those that conduct the study. Heck, there have been scientific studies that prove that smoking is harmless to one’s health.

    I don’t know whether there is global warming or not. And I don’t know whether it’s caused by SUVs or the Tunguska Blast of 1909.

    In the end, I think we should do what we can do, within reason, to preserve the planet, regardless of the studies. And without personally reviewing the data and the methods, I cannot say whether the conclusions are correct.

  8. Mark Derail says:

    #7 AB CD I totally agree with you on this.

    Math can be used to prove anything. Fact remains that the tundra is turning swamp.

  9. Gig says:

    Canada ought to be tickled to death about global warming. There is a metric butt-load of land that will become farmable and liveable if the temp goes up just a few degrees.

    If I were head bunny fufu of the great white north I’d be passing laws left and right that require the population do everything in their power to help mother nature along in the cycle.

  10. Mark says:

    “In the end, I think we should do what we can do, within reason, to preserve the planet, regardless of the studies. And without personally reviewing the data and the methods, I cannot say whether the conclusions are correct. ”

    Touche

  11. tkane says:

    We have got to get off the global warming kick. We cannot do anything about it, assuming it’s even real. However, any human activity that produces environmental pollutants on a large scale can and should be scaled back. Save the oil for plastics production, use nuclear and others for electric production. Windmills where appropriate, etc. More trains, less trucks and planes. We do that and the rest will take care of itself.

  12. joshua says:

    Why do we have to have a reason…ie: global warming…….to do what we should be doing in the first place. I don’t care if people like AB CD believes there is global warming, but I do care that people like AB CD and all the others in this world as well simply do what common sense says and leave the smallest possable footprint on this Earth.
    Global warming or not, just don’t pollute. Don’t drive cars, trucks and vans that pollute. Don’t throw your waste out into the street, don’t buy goods that are over packaged or packed with non-biodegradable substances. Refuse to buy fruits and vegggies that are transportted half-way around the Earth just so you can have strawberries in January in New England.
    As tkane said above, use nuke power to generate electricity, it’s the cleanest thing going , use wind and solor power as well. We need to scream at our goverment that we want high powered bullet trains such as Europe and Japan have, instead of a bunch of high polluting short hop airlines, use trains to travel throughout this country and to haul goods.
    When jet travel took off, Americans just said screw trains and basically outlawed them. But jets are extreamly high polutors.
    We refuse to use the gifts we have to make a difference. If we would just wake up and use common sense……nature will do it’s part.

  13. Mr. Neolib Fusion says:

    If I were head bunny fufu of the great white north I’d be passing laws left and right that require the population do everything in their power to help mother nature along in the cycle.
    Comment by Gig — 9/22/2006 @ 11:40 am

    Thankfully you’re not. Your ignorance of the global impact from global warming qualifies you for membership in the “Some Village is Missing Their Idiot” club.

  14. OmarTheAlien says:

    The only newsworthy aspect of this post is the picture, the rest is old hash.

  15. Angel H. Wong says:

    No male underwear?


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