Just weeks after a statement of intent from the nations meeting in Copenhagen pledging to work to prevent global warming, the BBC, and the Hindustan Times and other news outlets are reporting a record cold snap across northern India. One source says that over 40 people have died from the cold.
Reports are that temperatures dipped as low as -1.2 degrees Celsius (29.86 Fahrenheit) in Amritsar. In Ladakh, a part of Jammu & Kashmir State in northern India bordering Pakistan and China, temperatures reached a minimum of -18.6 degrees Celsius or -1.5° F .
To put this in perspective, the previous low in Amritsar was -2.6 °C (27 °F), was recorded on 21 Jan 2005. This is a 3.8 °C decrease in temperature.
The Copenhagen Summit (officially called The 2009 United Nations Climate Change Conference) decided that it was imperative the nations work to reduce any increase in global temperature to under 2 °C.
Here is a definition of global warming from Green Headquarters.
Global warming occurs when greenhouse gases are released - for whatever reason - on the Planet, where they build up in the Earth's atmosphere.
This forms a layer in the upper atmosphere that allows heat and light IN; then some of the heat/light energy soaks in to the surface of the Earth, and the rest, historically anyway, is reflected out to space.
Wikipedia adds this more precise definition:
Global warming is the increase in the average temperature of Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation. Global surface temperature increased 0.74 ± 0.18 °C (1.33 ± 0.32 °F) between the start and the end of the 20th century.
The science of global warming is an example of an indefeasible position. It is immune to logic, empirical data, history, and common sense. Lets hope that in 2010, we as a race grow in wisdom and discernment, and the ability to recognize fallacies when we hear them, no matter how authoritative the source.
Comments
"2.6 °C (27 °F)," You mean NEGATIVE –2.6 °C (27 °F),
Right sierra, I stand corrected.
This is Non-sense.
Severe cold wave itself is an evidence of climate change. Global warming not neceserly means ‘warming’. It is actually change in the climate system. That is rising cold in cold climate and rising heat in the warm climate. Please read the science at www.350.org
ARUL Rathinam has been brain washed. This person needs to look beyond this one cold wave. Over the last year and a half, there have been numerous extreme cold waves and very, very few heat waves. In fact, people are beginning to die because of the extreme cold the earth is now experiencing. Crops are in severe danger in Florida this week. Huge snow amounts in China. People dying in Peru. Last summer was actually not a summer - it was fairly cold. Last winter - pretty severe. This winter, even more sevee.
www.iceagenow.com
I think Allen needs to look at the definitions of the words "weather" and "climate". THEN you can write your nonsense.
"is the increase in the average temperature of Earth's near-surface air and oceans since the mid-20th century and its projected continuation"
"average" is the key word here, with "and oceans" and "near-surface air" being critical as well. Global warming can lead to cold waves (even a mini-ice-age) on parts of land masses of the earth.
Two pictures:
1) Put an ice cube in your hand, walk outside on a hot day. Your system is hotter, but your hand'll be much colder until the ice melts and it warms up.
2) Think of a rope you move up and down forming 'waves'. Increase the energy (warmth, or your movement in this case), and you increase the frequency and/or size of the 'waves'. These waves represent highs, lows, fronts, etc. from various air and ocean currents. You have more extremes (both cold and hot) until the system stabilizes.
Oh my god duh.. go back to school, stop writing articles pertaining to science and a get a grip.. Carbon Dioxide is in our atmosphere at toxic levels, fish plants and wildlife are going extinct.. you must work in some way for big oil.. otherwise you would get a grip... you type of people make me sick.. it's like saying you can smoke all the cigarretes you want and wont get cancer.. Please Allen.. no offense.. just wake up..
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