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In June of this year, the International Red Cross reported that more than 25 million people were driven from their homes in 1998 as a consequence of flood, drought, deforestation or other environmental problems. For the first time, according to the World Disasters Report, environmental refugees outnumbered those displaced by wars and other social conflicts. Last year's series of natural disasters was the worst on record, and during the past six years, the number of people needing relief from hurricanes, earthquakes, floods, and other natural events jumped from 500,000 to more than 5.5 million. Read more HERE!

The following articles are just a small example of some other the effects of GLOBAL WARMING...

  • Ocean is warming, study finds
    Friday, March 24, 2000
    By John Roach, Environmental News Network

    The world ocean has experienced a net warming of 0.11 degrees Fahrenheit from the sea surface through about 10,000 feet of depth over the past 35-45 years. The world ocean has experienced a net warming of 0.11 degrees Fahrenheit from the sea surface through about 10,000 feet of depth over the past 35-45 years. The upper 1,000 feet has warmed by 0.56 degrees Fahrenheit.

    "Although these may seem like small changes, it represents a large change in the heat content of the ocean," said Sydney Levitus, an oceanographer with the National Oceanographic and Atmospheric Administration. "Water is very effective at absorbing heat without undergoing much of a temperature change."

    The finding, reported in today's issue of Science, answers the question of why the Earth's atmosphere has not warmed as much as climate model simulations have predicted, a point made repeatedly by critics of global warming.

    "The response of climate modelers has been that part of the warming due to increasing greenhouse gases could be expected to be found in the ocean," said Levitus. "Our results support the predictions of the climate modelers and suggest that the models do have the correct sensitivity to increasing greenhouse gases."

    The ocean warming itself is not conclusive evidence of global warming due to human-induced emissions of greenhouse gases. Combined with lower atmosphere and sea surface warming over the past 100 years and the thinning and retreat of Arctic sea ice during the past 35 to 45 years, however, builds a strong case for anthropogenic global warming.

    "I have followed the greenhouse gas debate and part of the scientific literature on the subject. During the past year I have come to believe that part of the warming we observe in the Earth's climate system is due to increased greenhouse gases," said Levitus.

    The Columbia Glacier in Alaska has been retreating nearly one kilometer a year since a drastic retreat began in 1982. This combined with other evidence spells anthropogenic global warming.

    A warmer ocean has an effect on fish migration routes, and thus the success of fisheries, can cause outbreaks of cholera in some parts of the world and affects atmospheric circulation patterns and weather.

    The warming of the ocean was not a steady process, according to the study. The heat content rose from a low in the 1950s, peaked in the late '70s, dropped in the '80s and rose to a higher peak in the '90s.

    "Finding not only that a net warming of the ocean has occurred but that there are large-scale coherent patterns to this warming suggest that we may someday have the ability to make climate forecasts on decadal time scales," said Levitus.

    The study is based on 5 million profiles of ocean temperature collected over the last seven years by data archeologists like Levitus. He is quite confident in the results and believes the establishment of a global ocean observing system will ensure the ability to document changes in the ocean into the future.

  • Ontarians to be given strong voice at climate change meeting in Vancouver
    Source: Canada Newswire
    Publication date: 2000-03-24

    TORONTO, March 24 /CNW/ - Ontarians will be given a strong voice at the meeting of the Joint Ministers of Environment and Energy on March 27 and 28 in Vancouver, said Environment Minister Dan Newman. The ministers are meeting to discuss progress on the national implementation strategy on climate change. "Our government is committed to further improving our environment and quality of life by sustaining the momentum of climate change actions already underway in Ontario with new ideas, new action and greater participation," Newman said.

    "Recently, I met with a number of stakeholders, including representatives from industry and the environmental community, to hear their views on climate change," Newman added. "I plan to meet with other stakeholders and expand my consultations when I return from Vancouver."

    Ontario has already taken leadership to curb climate change- related emissions. Our Drive Clean program is making significant reductions in the release of smog-causing emissions, and carbon dioxide from one of Ontario's leading sources of greenhouse gases vehicles. As well, the province's landfill regulations put Ontario at the forefront of Canadian efforts to capture methane, another key greenhouse gas. Recent initiatives to reduce energy-related emissions in the electricity sector and conservation tillage on farms, are also part of Ontario's strong actions.

    Ontario has committed $10 million through its Climate Change Fund to develop provincial actions and spur all sectors including governments, industries, communities and individuals to find the most effective ways to reduce their greenhouse gas emissions.

  • Snowfalls are now just a thing of the past
    Source: The Independent - London
    Publication date: 2000-03-20
    BRITAIN'S WINTER ends tomorrow with further indications of a striking environmental change: snow is starting to disappear from our lives. Sledges, snowmen, snowballs and the excitement of waking to find that the stuff has settled outside are all a rapidly diminishing part of Britain's culture, as warmer winters - which scientists are attributing to global climate change - produce not only fewer white Christmases, but fewer white Januaries and Februaries.

    The first two months of 2000 were virtually free of significant snowfall in much of lowland Britain, and December brought only moderate snowfall in the South-east. It is the continuation of a trend that has been increasingly visible in the past 15 years: in the south of England, for instance, from 1970 to 1995 snow and sleet fell for an average of 3.7 days, while from 1988 to 1995 the average was 0.7 days. London's last substantial snowfall was in February 1991.

    Global warming, the heating of the atmosphere by increased amounts of industrial gases, is now accepted as a reality by the international community. Average temperatures in Britain were nearly 0.6C higher in the Nineties than in 1960-90, and it is estimated that they will increase by 0.2C every decade over the coming century. Eight of the 10 hottest years on record occurred in the Nineties.

    However, the warming is so far manifesting itself more in winters which are less cold than in much hotter summers. According to Dr David Viner, a senior research scientist at the climatic research unit (CRU) of the University of East Anglia,within a few years winter snowfall will become "a very rare and exciting event".

    "Children just aren't going to know what snow is," he said.

    The effects of snow-free winter in Britain are already becoming apparent. This year, for the first time ever, Hamleys, Britain's biggest toyshop, had no sledges on display in its Regent Street store. "It was a bit of a first," a spokesperson said.

    Fen skating, once a popular sport on the fields of East Anglia, now takes place on indoor artificial rinks. Malcolm Robinson, of the Fenland Indoor Speed Skating Club in Peterborough, says they have not skated outside since 1997. "As a boy, I can remember being on ice most winters. Now it's few and far between," he said.

    Michael Jeacock, a Cambridgeshire local historian, added that a generation was growing up "without experiencing one of the greatest joys and privileges of living in this part of the world - open-air skating".

    Warmer winters have significant environmental and economic implications, and a wide range of research indicates that pests and plant diseases, usually killed back by sharp frosts, are likely to flourish. But very little research has been done on the cultural implications of climate change - into the possibility, for example, that our notion of Christmas might have to shift.

    Professor Jarich Oosten, an anthropologist at the University of Leiden in the Netherlands, says that even if we no longer see snow, it will remain culturally important.

    "We don't really have wolves in Europe any more, but they are still an important part of our culture and everyone knows what they look like," he said.

    David Parker, at the Hadley Centre for Climate Prediction and Research in Berkshire, says ultimately, British children could have only virtual experience of snow. Via the internet, they might wonder at polar scenes - or eventually "feel" virtual cold.

    Heavy snow will return occasionally, says Dr Viner, but when it does we will be unprepared. "We're really going to get caught out. Snow will probably cause chaos in 20 years time," he said.

    The chances are certainly now stacked against the sort of heavy snowfall in cities that inspired Impressionist painters, such as Sisley, and the 19th century poet laureate Robert Bridges, who wrote in "London Snow" of it, "stealthily and perpetually settling and loosely lying".

    Not any more, it seems.