In a recent issue of EOS, the American Geophysical Union's weekly journal /newsletter, scientists from the Center for Remote Sensing of Ice Sheets presented a new geographic analysis of the risk of sea level rise to the population and land area around the planet. You can view and download the high resolution maps and geographic datasets from the project at the CRESIS website.
The maps depict the impact of a 1 - 6 m rise in sea level. This degree of sea level rise, of course, could only happen with a major contribution from ice sheet melt, the rate of which is still being resolved by the scientific community, and even if so, won't be happening this weekend. So take a look at the maps, but use them with caution.
Showing posts with label environmental refugees. Show all posts
Showing posts with label environmental refugees. Show all posts
Monday, March 12, 2007
Mapping sea level rise
Monday, October 09, 2006
Should Australia be worried about climate refugees?
A new study sponsored by a group of NGOs in collaboration with CSIRO - the Australian science agency - states that Australia should prepare for the regional economic and national security fallout from climate change. A primary concern is providing refuge the possibility of hundreds of thousands or millions of "environmental refugees" from low-lying countries in south Asia and the Pacific. Unlike Australia, New Zealand has already reached agreement with Kiribati, Tuvalu and other Pacific nations to accept people displaced by environmental degradation or climate change. Here's the transcript of a short ABC (the other ABC) interview with one of the study authors.
I've not been able to locate a copy of the study (Australia Responds: Helping Our Neighbours Fight Climate Change) itself - if you find one, let me know.
Australia joined the US as a pariah in the eyes of advocates for international action on climate change when, under PM John Howard, it chose not to sign the Kyoto Protocol. The irony is that Australia had negotiated the right to increase GHG emissions by 8% over 1990 levels (by 2008-2012) under the Kyoto Protocol, and may actually be on pace to meet that commitment despite not signing the agreement.
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