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Biosphere tures we are getting on our computer projections for the end of the 1990s read like science fiction.” Ascientific report released by the UN last June estimated that sea levels will rise 5cm and temperatures rise by 0.5° C each Floods While temperate zones are scorching, the tropics are flooding. Brazil was hit by its worst flood this century in April, Sudan was similarly struck and it seems that parts of Bangladesh may remain underwater for years to come - hundreds of millions of people are already facing consequences of a global greenhouse (although the Bangladesh situation is caused primarily by the felling of forests upriver in India and the Himalayan foothills; World Bank funding of these initiatives has made siltation and flooding in this ‘coastal nation inevitable). Cyclonic activity is already increasing and moving further from the equator. Hurricane Gilbert, which struck the Caribbean and US in September was the fiercest on record. Wind gusts Brazilian and US scientists have measured the effects on the reached 400 km/hr. It struck Mexico with sustained winds of atmosphere of the annual conflagration caused by ‘burning off’ 290km/hr, where waves reached higher than seven metres. The and other fires in the Amazon Forest. According to one NASA eye changed from a compact 13 km wide to a two-eyed, 110km scientist, the results are “mind boggling, an unmitigated disas- wide monster and was seen to rotate slower than any other on ter.” record. le broke up into scores of tornadoes over the US Using satellite data, the researchers found that this annual wn emoall Unmnsonen huenine alana mau aernunt far 1NOL af tha manimada CO Floods While temperate zones are scorching, the tropics are flooding. Brazil was hit by its worst flood this century in April, Sudan was similarly struck and it seems that parts of Bangladesh may remain underwater for years to come - hundreds of millions of people are already facing consequences of a global greenhouse (although the Bangladesh situation is caused primarily by the felling of forests upriver in India and the Himalayan foothills; World Bank funding of these initiatives has made siltation and flooding in this ‘coastal nation inevitable). Cyclonic activity is already increasing and moving further from the equator. Hurricane Gilbert, which struck the Caribbean and US in September was the fiercest on record. Wind gusts reached 400 km/hr. It struck Mexico with sustained winds of 290km/hr, where waves reached higher than seven metres. The eye changed from a compact 13 km wide to a two-eyed, 110km wide monster and was seen to rotate slower than any other on record. Gilbert broke up into scores of tornadoes over the US mainland, wreaking widespread havoc. Closer to home, meteorologists have found that bigger storms and greater rainfall have occurred in the last 20 years than previously thought possible. Dr Barrie Pittock of the CSIRO reported last August that rainfall levels between Dubbo and the Hunter Valley increased by 30% since World War II. He says a 10-20% decrease in rainfall in south-western Australia is another greenhouse result, CSIRO computer models predict a rise of 2°C over northern Australia’s inland areas and up to 4°C further south, Cyclones originate and exist only where sea surface tempera- ture reaches over 27°C. Tropical cyclone activity may extend as far south as Sydney, and the mythic ‘Inland Sea’ may soon become a reality. But vast coastal regions and entire island nations will also fade away as their aquifer and water tables are salinated by rising sea levels and they run out of fresh water. Summer rains are spreading further south in Australia, while winter rainfall is decreasing further south and in the southwest. Many dams weren't designed to withstand floods now pre- dicted for the next decade/s. The safety of 300 of Australia’s biggest dams is now in doubt. Fire in the Greenhouse One effect of a greenhouse is to speed plant growth generally - this is one positive effect we can make use of. Rapid regreening and reforestation of the planet will help fix atmospheric carbon. This is something we can do now to redirect the greenhouse effect; otherwise many forests will be overwhelmed by cyclonic winds and fires. Increasing CO, and decreasing ozone levels are both cross- linked to increasing forest fires around the globe. The last few years have seen the largest fires in human memory sweeping China, Russia and North and South America. For the first time, Biosphere tures we are getting on our computer projections for the end of the 1990s read like science fiction.” Ascientific report released by the UN last June estimated that sea levels will rise 5cm and temperatures rise by 0.5° C each Floods While temperate zones are scorching, the tropics are flooding. Brazil was hit by its worst flood this century in April, Sudan was similarly struck and it seems that parts of Bangladesh may remain underwater for years to come - hundreds of millions of people are already facing consequences of a global greenhouse (although the Bangladesh situation is caused primarily by the felling of forests upriver in India and the Himalayan foothills; World Bank funding of these initiatives has made siltation and flooding in this ‘coastal nation inevitable). Cyclonic activity is already increasing and moving further from the equator. Hurricane Gilbert, which struck the Caribbean and US in September was the fiercest on record. Wind gusts Brazilian and US scientists have measured the effects on the reached 400 km/hr. It struck Mexico with sustained winds of atmosphere of the annual conflagration caused by ‘burning off’ 290km/hr, where waves reached higher than seven metres. The and other fires in the Amazon Forest. According to one NASA eye changed from a compact 13 km wide to a two-eyed, 110km scientist, the results are “mind boggling, an unmitigated disas- wide monster and was seen to rotate slower than any other on ter.” record. Gilbert broke up into scores of tornadoes over the US Using satellite data, the researchers found that this annual mainland, wreaking widespread havoc. burning alone may account for 10% of the man-made CO, Closer to home, meteorologists have found that bigger storms entering the atmosphere. About 120,000 square miles of Ama- and greater rainfall have occurred in the last 20 years than zon (over 30,000 virgin) forest was burned in 1987, according to previously thought possible. Dr Barrie Pittock of the CSIRO Alberto Setzer from Brazil’s National Institute of Space research, reported last August that rainfall levels between Dubbo and the co-ordinator of data from Landsat and the NOAA satellites. Hunter Valley increased by 30% since World War II. He says a The amount of forest burned annually doubled in only two 10-20% decrease in rainfall in south-western Australia is another years; 1987's burning released 1.9 billion tonnes of CO,, 44 greenhouse result, CSIRO computer models predict a rise of 2°C million tonnes of carbon monoxide, 6 million tonnes of dust, soot over northern Australia’s inland areas and up to 4°C further and smoke, 5 million tonnes of methane and a million tonnes of south, nitrogen oxides and other substances into the atmosphere - often Cyclones originate and exist only where sea surface tempera- rising to a height of 3,600 metres, where they’re carried higher by ture reaches over 27°C. Tropical cyclone activity may extend as jet streams and blown across the South Atlantic. far south as Sydney, and the mythic ‘Inland Sea’ may soon “One of the main causes of ozone destruction is these become a reality. But vast coastal regions and entire island enormous fires, not just in Brazil but in Africa, too,” said West nations will also fade away as their aquifer and water tables are German ozone expert Professor Paul Crutzens, head of the Max salinated by rising sea levels and they run out of fresh water. Planck Institute at Mainz. It’s believed that the massive pall of Summer rains are spreading further south in Australia, while smoke, which peaks each August, produces ozone-damaging winter rainfall is decreasing further south and in the southwest. gases which reach the Antarctic region about ten days later. On Many dams weren't designed to withstand floods now pre- August 24, 1987 a NOAA satellite registered 8,000 separate dicted for the next decade/s. The safety of 300 of Australia’s Amazon fires, each at least a square kilometre in size. 12 days biggest dams is now in doubt. later, the international airborne Antarctic ozone experiment recorded a dramatic fall in ozone levels - about 10% over 2 million square miles, Fire in the Greenhouse Much of this destruction was inaugurated by World Bank funding of Brazil’s Polonoreste highway - a project which was One effect of a greenhouse is to speed plant growth generally - denounced in advance by environmentalists. New settlers have this is one positive effect we can make use of. Rapid regreening used the highway to reach and burn off vast tracts of the Amazon and reforestation of the planet will help fix atmospheric carbon. - partly because ‘squatter’s rights’ in Brazil require that land be This is something we can do now to redirect the greenhouse burned off as proof of ‘development’ and ownership. effect; otherwise many forests will be overwhelmed by cyclonic Acid rain damages forests, drying land and exposing it to fire. winds and fires. The debris thrown up by resulting fires creates more acid rain, Increasing CO, and decreasing ozone levels are both cross- and so on, This is exacerbated by humans’ direct destruction of linked to increasing forest fires around the globe. The last few tropical forests (at a rate of about 1.1 million hectares a year). years have seen the largest fires in human memory sweeping Increasing forest fires are caused not only by increased tem- China, Russia and North and South America. For the first time, perature but by altered water tables, salination, acidity - and a Ascientific report released by the UN last June estimated that sea levels will rise 5cm and temperatures rise by 0.5° C each Floods While temperate zones are scorching, the tropics are flooding. Brazil was hit by its worst flood this century in April, Sudan was similarly struck and it seems that parts of Bangladesh may remain underwater for years to come - hundreds of millions of people are already facing consequences of a global greenhouse (although the Bangladesh situation is caused primarily by the felling of forests upriver in India and the Himalayan foothills; World Bank funding of these initiatives has made siltation and flooding in this ‘coastal nation inevitable). Cyclonic activity is already increasing and moving further from the equator. Hurricane Gilbert, which struck the Caribbean and US in September was the fiercest on record. Wind gusts Brazilian and US scientists have measured the effects on the reached 400 km/hr. It struck Mexico with sustained winds of atmosphere of the annual conflagration caused by ‘burning off’ 290km/hr, where waves reached higher than seven metres. The and other fires in the Amazon Forest. According to one NASA eye changed from a compact 13 km wide to a two-eyed, 110km scientist, the results are “mind boggling, an unmitigated disas- wide monster and was seen to rotate slower than any other on ter.” record. Gilbert broke up into scores of tornadoes over the US Using satellite data, the researchers found that this annual mainland, wreaking widespread havoc. burning alone may account for 10% of the man-made CO, Closer to home, meteorologists have found that bigger storms entering the atmosphere. About 120,000 square miles of Ama- and greater rainfall have occurred in the last 20 years than zon (over 30,000 virgin) forest was burned in 1987, according to previously thought possible. Dr Barrie Pittock of the CSIRO Alberto Setzer from Brazil’s National Institute of Space research, reported last August that rainfall levels between Dubbo and the co-ordinator of data from Landsat and the NOAA satellites. Hunter Valley increased by 30% since World War II. He says a The amount of forest burned annually doubled in only two 10-20% decrease in rainfall in south-western Australia is another years; 1987's burning released 1.9 billion tonnes of CO,, 44 greenhouse result, CSIRO computer models predict a rise of 2°C million tonnes of carbon monoxide, 6 million tonnes of dust, soot over northern Australia’s inland areas and up to 4°C further and smoke, 5 million tonnes of methane and a million tonnes of south, nitrogen oxides and other substances into the atmosphere - often Cyclones originate and exist only where sea surface tempera- rising to a height of 3,600 metres, where they’re carried higher by ture reaches over 27°C. Tropical cyclone activity may extend as jet streams and blown across the South Atlantic. far south as Sydney, and the mythic ‘Inland Sea’ may soon “One of the main causes of ozone destruction is these become a reality. But vast coastal regions and entire island enormous fires, not just in Brazil but in Africa, too,” said West nations will also fade away as their aquifer and water tables are German ozone expert Professor Paul Crutzens, head of the Max salinated by rising sea levels and they run out of fresh water. Planck Institute at Mainz. It’s believed that the massive pall of Summer rains are spreading further south in Australia, while smoke, which peaks each August, produces ozone-damaging winter rainfall is decreasing further south and in the southwest. gases which reach the Antarctic region about ten days later. On Many dams weren't designed to withstand floods now pre- August 24, 1987 a NOAA satellite registered 8,000 separate dicted for the next decade/s. The safety of 300 of Australia’s Amazon fires, each at least a square kilometre in size. 12 days biggest dams is now in doubt. later, the international airborne Antarctic ozone experiment recorded a dramatic fall in ozone levels - about 10% over 2 million square miles, Fire in the Greenhouse Much of this destruction was inaugurated by World Bank funding of Brazil’s Polonoreste highway - a project which was One effect of a greenhouse is to speed plant growth generally - denounced in advance by environmentalists. New settlers have this is one positive effect we can make use of. Rapid regreening used the highway to reach and burn off vast tracts of the Amazon and reforestation of the planet will help fix atmospheric carbon. - partly because ‘squatter’s rights’ in Brazil require that land be This is something we can do now to redirect the greenhouse burned off as proof of ‘development’ and ownership. effect; otherwise many forests will be overwhelmed by cyclonic Acid rain damages forests, drying land and exposing it to fire. winds and fires. The debris thrown up by resulting fires creates more acid rain, Increasing CO, and decreasing ozone levels are both cross- and so on, This is exacerbated by humans’ direct destruction of linked to increasing forest fires around the globe. The last few tropical forests (at a rate of about 1.1 million hectares a year). years have seen the largest fires in human memory sweeping Increasing forest fires are caused not only by increased tem- China, Russia and North and South America. For the first time, perature but by altered water tables, salination, acidity - and a NEXUS New Times Seven - Summer 1989 3 NEXUS New Times Seven - Summer 1989 3