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NASA Scientists Suggest We’ve Been Underestimating Sea Level Rise

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31–40 of 247 posts

Re: NASA Scientists Suggest We’ve Been Underestimating Sea Level Rise

#31
post #17

As the sea level rises, its surface grows by the square. So, more and more water is needed for it to rise more. So, all linear predictions are flawed anyway. What do you think, the sea is suddenly going to rise by meters? Get a grip on reality. I really dislike these alarmist articles. EDIT: Okay, I checked the math and the square really doesn't weigh much at this ratio of sphere radius vs. sea level rise. I guess I…

If we were randomly distributed on land, I'd agree. But humans are disproportionately concentrated on coasts compared to inland.

Re: NASA Scientists Suggest We’ve Been Underestimating Sea Level Rise

#32
post #17

As the sea level rises, its surface grows by the square. So, more and more water is needed for it to rise more. So, all linear predictions are flawed anyway. What do you think, the sea is suddenly going to rise by meters? Get a grip on reality. I really dislike these alarmist articles. EDIT: Okay, I checked the math and the square really doesn't weigh much at this ratio of sphere radius vs. sea level rise. I guess I…

What a pity that we predominately live in coastal regions, and what a pity that you're ignoring the issue of our water table being inundated.

Re: NASA Scientists Suggest We’ve Been Underestimating Sea Level Rise

#33
post #12
post #4

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Try a revenue neutral carbon tax.

In Australia we tried a scheme with very low economic impact (despite scaremongering to the contrary) carbon tax, which provably reduced emissions before its repeal. http://www.smh.com.au/environment/climate-change/carbon-pric...

Our Environment Minister doesn't believe in Climate Change. I expect we'll utterly fail to do something like this again.

Re: NASA Scientists Suggest We’ve Been Underestimating Sea Level Rise

#34
post #21
post #15

There is nothing we can do, as long China and India get a pass, 3.2 billion people in 2 country doing nothing. Even if the US disappeared off the face of the map, its still to late. I say let it happen, it will propel us into a new era off innovation and environmental awareness. No one is going to take it seriously until its to late anyway .

They're building solar power plants everywhere, shutting down factories and coal power plants around large cities. "Other main targets include: – reduction of emissions from coal burning industries and vehicles2 – boost cleaner and more efficient use of coal – promote the use of electricity and natural gas in place of coal – support for wind, solar and bio power sectors; increase in proportion of clean energy – encou…

Not to mention that we're incredibly hypocritical about the fact that we happily burned coal and oil and continue to, but expect developing economies to just... stop. It's worse when you consider Europe getting uppity about migrancy, which is being causes in large part by drought related to climate change.

It's going to be the story of this century: the people least responsible for climate change are going to disproportionately suffer for it. Meanwhile those most responsible will demonize them for their efforts to survive it.

Re: NASA Scientists Suggest We’ve Been Underestimating Sea Level Rise

#35

Earlier quoted context omitted.

Maybe I'm daft but one suggested itself to me: if you add more very cold water locally, that influences the temperature and pressure/density differentials with existing currents. It's presumably the effect on those currents that causes more water to build up elsewhere.

Gravimetry has been used to track ocean currents, and water temperature will presumably effect currents. https://www.google.com/amp/s/www.washingtonpost.com/amphtml/...

Awesome.

Re: NASA Scientists Suggest We’ve Been Underestimating Sea Level Rise

#36
post #2

In terms of sea level changes, however, the study found the effects of melting are more drastically felt in regions farther from its source. Would be nice if they had a theory why.

There are several reasons, the main one being that glaciers and ice sheets exert a large gravitational pull.

http://harvardmagazine.com/2010/05/gravity-of-glacial-melt

http://m.nautil.us/issue/33/attraction/why-our-intuition-abo...

From the last article:

"Three things happen. One is that you’re dumping all of this melt water into the ocean. So the mass of the entire ocean would definitely be going up if ice sheets were melting—as they are today. The second thing that happens is that this gravitational attraction that the ice sheet exerts on the surrounding water diminishes. As a consequence, water migrates away from the ice sheet. The third thing is, as the ice sheet melts, the land underneath the ice sheet pops up; it rebounds."

Re: NASA Scientists Suggest We’ve Been Underestimating Sea Level Rise

#37
post #21
post #15

There is nothing we can do, as long China and India get a pass, 3.2 billion people in 2 country doing nothing. Even if the US disappeared off the face of the map, its still to late. I say let it happen, it will propel us into a new era off innovation and environmental awareness. No one is going to take it seriously until its to late anyway .

They're building solar power plants everywhere, shutting down factories and coal power plants around large cities. "Other main targets include: – reduction of emissions from coal burning industries and vehicles2 – boost cleaner and more efficient use of coal – promote the use of electricity and natural gas in place of coal – support for wind, solar and bio power sectors; increase in proportion of clean energy – encou…

Solar and wind based energy production is not going to fully or even mostly replace our gas/coal burners because they lack constant and predictable outputs.

Also, we have neither infrastructure for storing power at this level, nor would it be economically feasible.

Hydro and geo-thermal are better sources in this sense, but neither are abundant and have their own drawbacks.

'- promote the use of electricity and natural gas in place of coal' - Only valid if the electricity is produced by means other than burning fossil fuels, otherwise you are just moving the problem up the supply chain.

Same way with electric cars, if the electricity is still being produced by dirty means, it is not all that impressive a reduction in poluttion or emissions, it's just moving the problem up the chain.

Not trying to sound defeatist or anything, it's just not a complete solution, still seem like band aid attempts by themselves.

Re: NASA Scientists Suggest We’ve Been Underestimating Sea Level Rise

#38
post #15

There is nothing we can do, as long China and India get a pass, 3.2 billion people in 2 country doing nothing. Even if the US disappeared off the face of the map, its still to late. I say let it happen, it will propel us into a new era off innovation and environmental awareness. No one is going to take it seriously until its to late anyway .

Population(Billions): US 0.3 - 1.2 India

CO2 emissions per capita(metric tons): US 16.4 - 1.6 India [0]

I see numbers like this, and I am surprised that in 2016, in the face of evidence and danger, we still have arguments like I will not do anything because you didn't do enough according to me. Let it all burn down.

[0] https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/List_of_countries_by_carbon_di...

Re: NASA Scientists Suggest We’ve Been Underestimating Sea Level Rise

#39
post #15

There is nothing we can do, as long China and India get a pass, 3.2 billion people in 2 country doing nothing. Even if the US disappeared off the face of the map, its still to late. I say let it happen, it will propel us into a new era off innovation and environmental awareness. No one is going to take it seriously until its to late anyway .

China has 22 nuclear reactors under construction, they are also collaborating with nuclear power innovators, and building renewables. India is also building more nuclear and solar. Honestly, I wouldn't be worried about them, they are the superpowers of 21st century and will understand negative consequences of climate change to their era.

I would be more worried about US & Europe - Germany is shutting down nuclear plants, opposition of nuclear is strong everywhere in Europe, US has been very reluctant to participate in climate deals and has a lot of climate-deniers in power.

Re: NASA Scientists Suggest We’ve Been Underestimating Sea Level Rise

#40
post #15

There is nothing we can do, as long China and India get a pass, 3.2 billion people in 2 country doing nothing. Even if the US disappeared off the face of the map, its still to late. I say let it happen, it will propel us into a new era off innovation and environmental awareness. No one is going to take it seriously until its to late anyway .

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