Our Climate System In A Nutshell // Published on Jun 19, 2016
I teach climatology to second year Geography university students and on a recent midterm AI asked:
“Describe the climate system of the Earth starting at the sun.”
It is only fair that I attempt to answer this question myself, so here is something verbatim that I wrote November 2, 2009 for an application.
Wolfgang’s first interview with Paul was considered by many, to be an excellent Podcast. Some even suggested it was among Paul’s best (dk). We continue by sharing from Wolfgang’s particularly excellent and firm capture of Paul’s predominating objective and scientific side, with Part Two, here:
SAG 007 ~ Melting Arctic, Gulf Stream and Severe Weather – Part 2
‘Paul Beckwith is one of the leading experts in abrupt climate change. In the first part of this interview we have been talking about the fast changes in the Arctic that lead to climate chaos and even to changes of ocean currents.
Part 2 is about weather extremes in Western Europe, BIG numbers, global emergency and dealing with this dire situation emotionally‘.
If any of you have not–as yet–taken time to listen to Schneller Als Gedacht (SAG 007, second link above), it is very, very strongly recommended that you do so. Its creator is a high bandwidth thinker, at once capable of understanding areas as disparate as science, economics, systems theory, humanity, children, soul, and compassion.
We all greatly look forward to more of Wolfgang’s solid and wide roster of guests, and his dependably moreover adding balance to the preponderance of rapid climate change thinkers and ample friends and colleagues stemming from The States and other English speaking countries including Canada, The United Kingdom, Australia, and New Zealand.
Biosphere Restoration To Save Our Souls From Climate Change // Published on Jun 19, 2016
A bunch of my friends generated this slide presentation that I walk you through here.
We clearly illustrate the dire state of global biomass (plants and animals; all living things). Our resilience is so poor, having lost 50% of our planetary biomass, that disruptions like a comet strike or super volcano would take-us-out; instead of merely causing a flesh wound.
Increasing existing biomass a mere 15% would significantly reduce CO2 in our atmosphere and oceans.
What are we waiting for???
Climate Barstool Leg 2: Deploy Solar Radiation Management (SRM) Cooling // Published on Jun 19, 2016
We must deploy Solar Radiation Management (SRM) methods to cool the planet. Along with Leg 1 (zeroing emissions), SRM is Leg 2.
People of our planet will utterly panic as we lose Arctic sea ice and snow cover and extreme weather events ramp up over an order of magnitude.
If we had a modicum of foresight we would immediately declare a global climate change emergency and move into barstool survival mode.
Climate System Change. “Too Late” or NOT “Too Late”? // Published on Jun 19, 2016
Which is correct regarding the abrupt climate system change that humanity has set into motion? What does this phrase “Too Late” really mean anyway. Too late for whom, and in what way.
Humanity occupies the entire spectrum of views, from outright ignorance and climate denial to the view that all 7.4 billion humans will die in the next 15 years and humanity will go extinct. Not only that, each subgroup has no tolerance for the views of others.
What does it all mean? For a start, we need to ask what people mean by “Too Late”!
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Climate Barstool LEG One: Zero Fossil Fuel Emissions // Published on Jun 16, 2016
In order to stabilize our climate system and avoid utter devastation of our societies we need to deploy my metaphorical Three-legged Barstool with extreme urgency.
Here I discuss the first leg, which is necessary but not sufficient. Recent research show that this can be done in a decade.
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Here is the link, for Carbon Fee and Dividend. Carbon Cap and Trade is well explained by EDF [1] here. Our Renewable Future: Laying the Path for One Hundred Percent Clean Energy, is shared here. Only Zero Carbon, from my friend Peter Carter. 100% Renewable Energy, wiki, here. Mark Z. Jacobson [2], here.
Marshall Plan, here: ‘The years 1948 to 1952 saw the fastest period of growth in European history. Industrial production increased by 35%. Agricultural production substantially surpassed pre-war levels.[64] The poverty and starvation of the immediate postwar years disappeared, and Western Europe embarked upon an unprecedented two decades of growth that saw standards of living increase dramatically. There is some debate among historians over how much this should be credited to the Marshall Plan. Most reject the idea that it alone miraculously revived Europe, as evidence shows that a general recovery was already underway. Most believe that the Marshall Plan sped this recovery, but did not initiate it. ‘
Manhattan Project, here. Apollo program, here. ‘Automobile Factories Switched to War Production As America Entered World War II: No more cars as civilian car and truck production was banned for the duration’.
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[1] Environmental Defense Fund. Probably connected to CELF, dk.
[2] In many direct conversations, Sam Carana, btw, speaks very highly of Mark, dk.
One of Paul’s very best. This is five out of four stars on the Paul-O-meter. And for those of you who might not yet have seen, Wolfgang Werminghausen has been producing excellent podcasts, often in English and uniquely so, alternating to his native German. He is a large systems thinker, having worked in areas as disparate as finance and as a Gestalt Therapist. His site, ‘Schneller Als Gedacht‘ we can agree, is aptly named ‘Faster Than Expected’.
Following Alex Smith’s lead at Radio Eco Shock (previous EcoShock Radio), he is part of the burgeoning podcast movement, emanating from SoundCloud, as Nick has similarly done at Relief Analysis. Wolfgang is no less than either of these esteemed hosts, who are surely known for their craft, inclusiveness, and preparedness. Add breadth to that list, too. He is also closely tied to Carolyn Baker, who of course is a collaborator with and to Dr. Guy McPherson (note here, dk).
Part two will come out next Tuesday. Without further ado, he begins:
‘Paul Beckwith is one of the leading experts in abrupt climate change. In my view he is a genius at explaining very complex issues in an understandable way. Very fast changes in the Arctic lead to climate chaos and even to changes of ocean currents. What are the consequences for weather patterns in Western Europe?
Part 1 about the habitual way of thinking, introduction into abrupt climate change and changes of the Gulf Stream‘.
Published on Jun 12, 2016
Arctic sea ice extent, area and volume are at record lows this year. Will we have another record low year, or will conditions stabilize? What about Arctic snow cover?
I discuss the present state of Arctic ice and snow, and what it means for our overall climate system.
What happens in the Arctic does not stay in the Arctic. As the Arctic goes, so goes the planet.
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We are in a climate change emergency. If you agree, like my videos, and wish to help me educate the public then please share widely, talk to your friends and neighbours, and please consider a Donation for my work, linked here.
Wassermassen bahnen sich ihren Weg durch das Stadtzentrum von Simbach am Inn. Foto: Manfred Fesl
Rampant weather change all of the world. So much to tell and share and speak of:
As Wolfgang Werminghausen posted today: ‘Extreme weather events accumulate all over the world, such as here in Germany: thunderstorms, storms, torrential rains. Professor Paul Beckwith from the University of Ottawa, Canada expects an increase by the factor 10 to 2o‘.
My November podcast with Nick (of Relief Analysis) is again shared there. Thank you Wolfgang!
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We have been ‘checking out EF4 damage to landscape near Chapman, KS and then heading home. Lots of photos and footage for our trip; will post when I get back… Incredible damage to houses, cars, trees, etc’.
Its been a great trip for Paul. He will be posting about it soon. In the meanwhile: ‘More severe weather and tornadoes roil Plains; no injuries‘.
‘The tornado on Wednesday night near 1,400-resident Chapman, 140 miles west of Kansas City, Kansas, damaged or destroyed about 20 homes but edged past Chapman’s southern side after forecasters declared a “tornado emergency” for the town. “Numerous” miles of power lines were extensively damaged, along with a set of railroad tracks, Kansas officials said Thursday.
A survey team from the National Weather Service office at Topeka rated the tornado as an EF4 on a scale of tornado strength – EF5 is the highest – with estimated peak winds of 180 mph.
In Kansas’ Dickinson County, a tornado Wednesday was blamed for destroying eight homes and heavily damaging as many as 20 others and farmsteads.
“It’s amazing how this tornado missed those centers of population,” said Paul Froelich, a Dickinson County fire district. “And we had outstanding early warning on this. … People knew well in advance of this storm. Consider also, this is Kansas. This is Tornado Alley.”‘ Article continues at link, above.
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Beijing was battered by the heaviest downpour in 61 years…epa03315035 Photo made available 23 July 2012 showing cars submerged in floodwaters around a residential block after heavy rains in Beijing 21 July 2012.. Thirty-seven citizens were killed and seven missing in the heaviest rains in Beijing in 61 years. EPA/CHING CHIN CHINA OUT
‘Major flooding in Beijing after the heaviest rain storm in 60 years‘: Beijing residents have expressed fury after the worst rains to hit the Chinese capital in more than 60 years left at least 37 people dead, with at least another seven still missing. Many said lives could have been saved and some of the worst devastation avoided if a better warning system had been in place, and criticised the city’s antiquated water infrastructure.’
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Sample images from the trip. Great late-night visit to The Weather Network in Oakville. Stay tuned!!! Got to see this crazy kid yesterday on the way home! Thanks for the lovely tour!
Paul Beckwith, Climate System Scientist 