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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">1.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The Florida Oceans and Coastal Council has released a report on Climate Change and Sea Level Rise in Florida.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>It recognizes the impending danger for Florida’s coastal communities and to such inland features as the Biscayne Aquifer.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Florida’s sea level rise can be considered as equivalent to the global sea level rise, and the current rise is 80% faster than the IPCC’s best estimate in the last AR. (p.3).<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>In my view the report is conservative in its projections but responsible in conveying a warning which is difficult to contradict on rational grounds.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>It does not sufficiently address the problem posed by people displaced by sea level rise nor does it represent the studies of slr based on the historical record, which generally double the projections of the models.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://www.floridaoceanscouncil.org/reports/Climate_Change_and_Sea_Level_Rise.pdf"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.floridaoceanscouncil.org/reports/Climate_Change_and_Sea_Level_Rise.pdf</font></a></p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">2.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Florida Atlantic U sponsored a conference on sea level rise last week at which the progressive inundation of Florida south of Lake Okeechobee was discussed.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Margo Moehring attended and I look forward to a report.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/22/2864586/rising-seas-mean-shrinking-south.html"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.miamiherald.com/2012/06/22/2864586/rising-seas-mean-shrinking-south.html</font></a><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"><font size="3" face="Calibri">
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">3.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The North Carolina bill to restrict studies of sea level rise to current rates of increase did not pass.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://hamptonroads.com/2012/06/nc-lawmakers-pass-sealevel-bill-call-study"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://hamptonroads.com/2012/06/nc-lawmakers-pass-sealevel-bill-call-study</font></a><font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The NC legislature is said in other news stories not to have given up on the issue.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Two weeks ago at a conference I was told by planners from NC and SC that their states have asked them to do their work without reference to sea level rise or climate change.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>VA planners are said to be working in the same foolish predicament.</font></font></p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">4.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>In 2010 global carbon emissions were up 48% from a 1992 base according to a new analysis by the<i style="mso-bidi-font-style: normal"> Guardian</i>.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jun/21/global-carbon-emissions-record"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jun/21/global-carbon-emissions-record</font></a></p>
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<p style="MARGIN: 0in 0in 0pt" class="MsoNormal"><font size="3"><font face="Calibri">5.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Rio+20 produced some improvements in ocean management and little else.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>It did, however, demonstrate global concern and showcase some efforts toward emissions controls.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://e360.yale.edu/digest/rio_20_summit_ends_with_little_faith_in_government_solutions/3521/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+YaleEnvironment360+%28Yale+Environment+360%29"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://e360.yale.edu/digest/rio_20_summit_ends_with_little_faith_in_government_solutions/3521/?utm_source=feedburner&utm_medium=feed&utm_campaign=Feed%3A+YaleEnvironment360+%28Yale+Environment+360%29</font></a><font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>On the agreements regarding oceans:<span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span>
</font></font><a href="http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/06/120622-rio-20-oceans/"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://news.nationalgeographic.com/news/2012/06/120622-rio-20-oceans/</font></a><font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The US is said by George Monbiot to have played a disappointing role in the agreement process.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>We apparently worked to alter “sustainable development” to “sustainable growth” and to decouple economic growth from the use of natural resources.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span></font></font><a href="http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2012/jun/22/rio-20-earth-summit-brazil"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/georgemonbiot/2012/jun/22/rio-20-earth-summit-brazil</font></a><font size="3"><font face="Calibri"><span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>The next significant UN meeting will be in 2015.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>By then governments are to have agreed to sustainability goals.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>Something will need to happen to moderate the corporate and political pressures now preventing action for anything significant to happen in 2015.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span>We should imagine how we might bring about that moderation.<span style="mso-spacerun: yes">
</span><span style="mso-spacerun: yes"> </span></font></font><a href="http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18561223"><font color="#0000ff" size="3" face="Calibri">http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-18561223</font></a></p>
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