Just Warming Up

I'd always thought that the ice would melt faster than what the computers showed, because honestly it's pretty obvious that things happened faster than what the computers had predicted in the past. But I had no idea that they where that much under! We realy need to do something, and fast, I mean just think about all the wonderful places in this world that are giong to be flooded with the water from the glaciers!

So, how long will it be before we have a nice balmy Venus-like climate? I'm a fan of the near-term desertification trend myself; maybe I should intern with a nice Bedouin tribe sometime in the near future, get those basic survival skills down.

There is probably more to it than meets the eye. Remember that the wikings actually were farming in Greenland without the greenhouse effect. The natural variations are probably much larger than is currently accepted. The effect of the sun on earth needs much more investigation IMHO.

The text says the models have been erroneous over the last 50 years. Shouldn't they have improved the models by now? Am I reading that right?

I also thought one of the results of the arctic ice melting was flooding in coastal cities. If we are really 30 years ahead of predictions, why aren't cities underwater?

It's always worthwhile to know that the comments which we leave are actually being read and discussed by everyone concerned at ABC News. I especially applaud your and ABC News' rededication to comprehensive, in-depth reporting as opposed to flashy graphics and insubstantial "eye candy," which seem to be the hallmarks of other so-called "news" websites (I won't mention their names, but they know who they are!). It seems to me that the new redesign is much like coming home to find the furniture rearranged in your living room: you may have to do some searching for that favorite armchair, but the chances are good that it's in a better place than it used to be.

Once again, Ned, many thanks for the additional links (I never knew there was a National Snow and Ice Data Center, much less that they have a web site, too!). It certainly appears that the computer models now in use concerning climate change need to be improved a great deal, and I have to wonder whether scientists are in the process of doing so. Still, even with their flawed forecasts, the models still point to increased warming, signs that we can ill afford to ignore.

I do not argue tht we need to be doing many thingsto address the melting and global warming - but shouldn't we also be planning and attempting to deal with the potential incraease in sea levels? Has anyone considered the possibility of moving to large scale de-salinization to use this increase in water volume to address the droughts etc and the rapid growth of water demand. Perhaps there is a silver lining? Perhaps not..

And what of the island people in the Pacific Ocean nations? They're going to be more impacted than coastal cities. They have no "inland" to retreat to. When I was a boy, I spent 14 months on the island of Kwajalein - 7 feet above sea level. Of course, then I knew nothing of rising sea levels. Seven feet isn't much of a margin.

"Rachael" Ray above is misspelled.

Thank you, Chuck. Rachael Ray WAS misspelled, but is now corrected.

--Ned

So if this is true and the artic has melted 30 years ahead of schedule then we would be seeing the effects of that thirty years ahead of schedule, right? So checking on Al Gores predictions, and many of the other "scientists" like him, New York City should be 4 feet under water right now. How come it isn't?

Kinda expected this to happen. Those people who are against global warming just go a wake-up call, didn't they?

Melting Arctic SEA ice does not contribute to sea level rise (much like a melting ice cube doesn't cause your glass to overflow). Ice from LAND-based glaciers (i.e. those in Greenland and Antarctica) falls into the sea and in turn, raise sea level.

Dan, you're right on the money; no amount of melting SEA ice will cause sea levels to rise. However, it does make me nervous to see that much cold water being dumped into the mix.

Over 40 years ago, when I was still in school, one of the profs in our geology department off-handedly mentions the Labrador Current and its warming effects. He got my interest peaked and I did some independent research and reached a conclusion that still keeps me awake some nights - if the global climate warmed only a few degrees the cold water pouring south would effectively shut down this "conveyor belt" of warmth, and cause much of the northern hemispere to experience mini-ice-age winters and shortened growing seasons.

When I shared the research and my hypothesis with the department I was assured of two things: 1) global warming on the scale necessary for this to happen was very unlikely, and; 2) even if it happened it would be so gradual that the impact on the Labrador would be minimal - it could and would adjust to the very slow increase in south-flowing cold water.

Now, my nightmares are likely to get worse. I have read some recent articles that have reached the same conclusions as a freshman geology major did in '66 (although to be honest, others still disagree vehemently with this scenario). Still, if the warming trend continues and we start getting a lot of cold FRESH water dumped into the mix, it could easily happen - and this report is one more piece of evidence indicating that the level of warming needed is indeed happening.

I'm worried.

There is a problem that will ALWAYS exist until its way too late. Most people, like us, believe that some major changes have to be made NOW! But, Governments and big businesses (especially Oil) DO NOT want any type of changes to affect their "approval ratings" or profits (in the case of Oil Co.'s)
I am tying my best to help. I recycle, drive way less, change my bulbs in the house and am looking into a Smartcar for my next vehicle. I am not saying I am a model citizen for changing to save the planet, but if we all pitch in a little....we CAN help!

So we have global warming...oh duh. The world has been warming since the last ice age 10k years ago. Think the first inhabitants of North America were thinking the retreat of the glaciers which forged the Great Lakes was caused by their cars? Study the sun folks.

Everytime I hear of something new being discovered by melting ice/snow, such as the "Ice man" I wonder how the hell did he get under all that snow to begin with. Hmmm. By the way, stock up on those florescent light bulbs, they save energy. To bad they contain mercury. Who's gonna clean up that mess in the landfills 50 years from now?

The discrepancy between the prediction and reality just shows that we don't know as much about the cause as we think we do. I agree that the data shows recent warming, but until the modelling proves things out correctly, I don't care how certain the "experts" think they are.

I have been listing to the Global Warming issue for many years. Yes, I am concerned, but I am having a real problem with where the blame is being placed. I am not a scientist, but I use logic, observation and reading to form some ideas that we should be talking about in the news. I have learned that since May 1, 2007, there have been approximately 22 volcanoes that have become active. Since Feb., 2006 approximately 83 volcanoes have become active and that there are more than 500 active volcanoes in the Pacific Ocean. NOW, my point is that all of this activity in and around the Pacific Ocean must be warming up the water tamperature alot. So, how is changing fuel sources going to make that much difference? If you research the waming of the atmosphere and sea waters over the past years, look at the damaged that the gases, destruction of land mass, animal habitat and etc. that volcanoes had an effect on these areas. Which by the way sets off a chain of effects thoughout mother nature. To some up one thing that man does, ie. automobiles, can match the destructiveness of mother nature herself.