continued live blog

[ljgeoff]

Recent retreat of arctic sea ice is likely to accelerate so rapidly that Arctic ocean will be devoid of ice during summertime as early as 2030.

(however, Walter Meier, cryosphere scientist with the National Snow and Ice Data Center at the University of Colorado, said that the prediction of an ice-free summer as early as 2013-2014 is "not totally out of the realm of possibility. Five years ago that suggestion would have been laughed out of the room, now scientists say it's very unlikely but possible."

Models show that species change will be significant. Approx 15%-37% of all species will go extinct.

China emits more CO2 than the US, and India is catching up. The Kyoto Protocol is not working. We need to help China and India with clean energy technologies.

It will cost a lot more to deal with three degrees increase in world temperature than try to hold it at two degrees. To hold it back to 450-550 ppm will cost about 1% world GNP.

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The federal government has been strongly subsidizing fossil fuels. But now, we are beginning to subsidize renewable energy sources. Currently, European countries are taxing fossil fuels 10 times higher than the US.

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Write to your legislators supporting Waxman and Markey's legislation. Support wind farms. Install solar panels.

Eat Less Meat.

Support Green initiatives.

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