[GWSG] CA's water; gas policy; birds; CO2 increases; methane seeps; sidestepping propaganda

[Tilley, Al]

1.  The California legislature has passed provisions for stricter management of groundwater at the local and state levels.  Groundwater loss is a problem common to many states.  http://www.enn.com/climate/article/47786?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+ClimateChangeNews-Enn+%28Climate+Change+News+-+ENN%29

2.  Bill McKibben recapitulates the sorry history of the place of natural gas in public policy.  “It’s time to stop looking for a bridge and simply take the leap.” http://www.motherjones.com/environment/2014/09/methane-fracking-obama-climate-change-bill-mckibben

3.   Climate disruption threatens the continued presence of half the bird species in North America, and many could go extinct.  Included in the Audubon Society study’s list of threatened birds are the bald eagle and ten state birds (plus Washington, D.C.’s).  http://www.theguardian.com/environment/2014/sep/09/north-america-birds-extinction-study-climate-change  Pictures of some of the threatened species:  http://www.theguardian.com/environment/gallery/2014/sep/09/birds-of-north-america-under-threat-from-climate-change-in-pictures

4.  Atmospheric CO2 increased last year at the fastest rate since 1984.  Part of the problem is that the biosphere is absorbing less CO2 than usual and may have reached a limit.  The cause is not known.  http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-29115845  Climate Progress puts the CO2 rise together with the rises in methane emissions and acidification; we should indeed take the leap.  http://thinkprogress.org/climate/2014/09/09/3564900/wmo-climate-change-co2-report/?elq=~~eloqua..type--emailfield..syntax--recipientid~~&elqCampaignId=~~eloqua..type--campaign..campaignid--0..fieldname--id~~

5.  At least 570 methane seeps have appeared on the margin of the US continental shelf.  The origin appears to be melting clathrates.  Previous surveys showed only three seeps.  The seeps appear to be oxidizing to CO2 and dissolving in the water instead of entering the atmosphere.  (The contribution to ocean acidification is not addressed.)  30,000 of these seeps are estimated worldwide.  http://www.bbc.com/news/science-environment-28898223

6.  Much local planning and even public education about climate disruption focusses on the effects (here in NE Florida, sea level rise) and sidesteps the cause.  That approach makes working with the public and local governments much easier.  It is difficult for people to argue that we should not manage risks; it is easier to claim the right not to believe in scientific analysis, leading to much emotionally charged and unproductive discussion.  Propaganda has prepared many to assert their right to disbelieve in climate science.  (No one should; belief only gets in the way of understanding.  Either you have evidence or you don’t.  Statements of belief or disbelief can amount to covert assertions of ignorance.)  When people realize that they should prepare for, say, about eight inches of sea level rise by 2030 they will probably wonder about the causes on their own and be ready to do something to avoid even worse problems.    http://www.contracostatimes.com/environment/ci_26490212/cities-prepare-warm-climate-without-saying-so
-------------- next part --------------
An HTML attachment was scrubbed...
URL: http://lists.unf.edu/pipermail/gwsg/attachments/20140910/b6c3e78c/attachment.html