- At dinner last night, a friend was dismayed over a conversation with a Texas colleague. The Texan claimed that global warming was merely a conspiracy to frighten people into accepting big business greed. When asked why the glaciers were melting, there was no response. Divergent views can so often be helpful, and lead to better solutions, but with such a massive problem as chaos in climate, we need the vast majority on board. Here is another attempt to clarify and localize the climate issue for California. Facts like less oxygen in the ocean off the coast, and weather changes impacting fruit trees should be disconcerting. Can we help Texas write a parallel report? - Editor
State documents indicators of climate change in California
Climate change is occurring in California’s environment, with effects that include hotter temperatures, more carbon dioxide in the air and rising sea levels, according to a new report by the California Environmental Protection Agency’s Office of Environmental Health Hazard Assessment (OEHHA). The report identifies 27 indicators that measure the impact of climate change on the state’s temperatures, precipitation, land, water, people, plants, and animals. It concludes that changes in California are consistent with those occurring globally. The report is a meta-analysis of existing research done by world-class scientists at the best academic institutions. “This report documents that climate change is occurring in California with important consequences for the future,” says OEHHA Director Joan Denton. “By monitoring these indicators, we can measure the impacts of climate change and provide information that helps regulators develop policies to respond to them.”
http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/links/ClimateChangeIndicatorsApril2009.pdf
http://www.centralvalleybusinesstimes.com/stories/001/?ID=11712