Thursday, January 6

New Zealand Ice Bergs

As the debate rages over the interpretation of the available data predicting the likely dire consequences of global warming (perhaps to a point of no retrn in the next 30/ 40years) the insurance industry has been making its own interpretations. The analysis showing increases in large claim natural loss disasters shows a remarkable degree of correlation with the increased temperatures over the past several decades. Its sending shivers down the spine of a the actuarial calculators.

For evidence of global warming down under in Australia and NZ Look no further to recent reports of icebergs spotted off NZ for the first time since 1948.

It was reported in Fairfax NZ that the National Institute of Water and Atmospheric Research (NIWA) said the cluster of icebergs had been seen on the Southern Ocean east of Campbell Island. 700 Km southeast of the South Island . NAWB scientist Dr Lionel Carter had said 15 icebergs , some up to 3K wide were recorded in a single sighting before Christmas .

Although it may be too soon to blame this flotilla of ice on global warming the co incidence of large collapse of the Antarctic Ice shelves with rapidly changing climate could not be dismissed, and it seems we are ultimately tied to Antarctica.

3 comments:

dabydeen said...
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lindsaylobe said...

Hi Darrick

Thanks for your comment.I would
welcome any further discussion and I have posted again based upon an article appearing in the "Age" newspaper down under.Also provided a link to another article in that publication.

I think your point on the other species naturally controlling their enviroment is a good one. We need to take more positive steps immeadiately otherwise it wil be too late. Melissa Fyfe has some other worthwhile articles you can find with a Google search.

lindsaylobe said...

Global warming is a threat. But it seems to be a natural accruing event as well. As far as scientist can go back, records show that the earth has been in a constant flux, not only with climate, but in the physical aspect as well. Although global warming might be a natural accruing event, we are certainly not helping. With our developing of landscapes and burning of fuels, we are more than likely speeding it up.

On the subject of our climate and how we as a species. Even though we may have been able to take ourselves out of some of natures laws. One that we should be concerned about is our environment. All species tends to pollute its own environment, but it most cases another animal or natural event helps to control it. We have very few to help us with our waste. When I was in high school I remember watching a video about fruit flies. In this video the flies were sealed in a container without any other animal. The flies naturally reached a peak in population and consumed all food resources. I don't want to get to far off the topic, but you may want to open up this further for discussion.

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Posted by Darrick to Lindsay's Lobes at 2/10/2005 12:17:45 PM