Saturday, September 4, 2010

Climate Change Concerns: How durable are we as a species?

In the last 15 years, humans have experienced 10 of the warmest years on record, going back as far as 1880.

In 2010, we have experienced the warmest land surface temperatures (global average) ever up to the end of July.

Can humans survive higher temperatures without great population loss?

In July, Russia experienced the most intense heat wave since 1880 (on July 11 the mercury soared to 44 degrees) and nearly 700 people died per day, i.e., 50% higher than norms.


["We all pay a high price for a cheap lifestyle": photo GH]

We already know we pay a high cost population-wise (we suffer with respiratory illnesses that snuff out many lives prematurely) for burning fossil fuels to the extent that we do.

(Big Coal and Big Oil aren’t as cheap as we think, are they?)

And during heat waves we suffer again and some die.

Will more die as heat waves grow longer and more intense?

I know we are a durable species but will we meet our match as we continue to spew high levels of carbon into the air?

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Russia also had some of its worst forest fires on record, and those were certainly related to prolonged high, dry temperatures.

[More Climate Change Concerns related to Russia]

Losses related to population, crop production, national resources are likely very closely related to higher temperatures.

Has anyone seen a graph that combines the above?

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