The Ice of Kilimanjaro

Still Waiting for Warming ^ | 28 Nov 03 | John Daly

[Dan Evans]

The Ice of Kilimanjaro
 (28 Nov 03)

Not to be confused with the `snows' of Kilimanjaro (which still come and go with the weather), the ice is actually an ice cap on top of the 5,900 metre mountain in northern Tanzania close to the Equator. That ice cap has been steadily melting away all through the 20th century and is expected to be fully melted away within the next 20 years.

Why has it been melting so relentlessly? The greenhouse industry say `global warming', but then they would say that.  The only problem with that knee-jerk  explanation is that there has been no measurable atmospheric warming in the region of Kilimanjaro. Satellites have been measuring temperature since 1979 in the free troposphere between 1,000 and 8,000 metres altitude, and they show no tropospheric warming in that area. None.

Kilimanjaro is above most of the weather and is thus exposed to the equatorial sun, a sun which has been hotter during the 20th century than at any time since the medieval period. That would be a sufficient explanation in itself for the depletion of the ice cap.  Earlier Kilimanjaro story here

However, a new finding just recently published by Nature, ("African Ice Under Wraps" - 24 Nov 03) points to de-forestation on the slopes of Kilimanjaro as being the main culprit.  With forests present, the natural updraft from the slopes carries moist air to the summit and helps reinforce and sustain the ice cap. Without those forests, the updrafts are dry and fail to replenish the ravages of the sun on the summit ice cap.  That too is a sufficient explanation. What happens on Kilimanjaro will also be happening on countless mountains all over the world where forests on lower slopes have been replaced by open pasture.

Blaming it all on `global warming' was just too glib and convenient for an industry desperate to convince a skeptical public that the end of the world was nigh. With a more down-to-earth cause like this identified, other `global-warming-did-it' phenomena should be looked at again for simple local causes like this. 

[Dan Evans]

The greenies set them up. John Daly knocks them down.

[Alberta's Child]

What happens on Kilimanjaro will also be happening on countless mountains all over the world where forests on lower slopes have been replaced by open pasture.

In parts of the western United States, the problem is exactly the opposite -- there is actually too much tree cover in many areas east of the Rocky Mountains. As a result, rivers in these areas run lower than normal because too much moisture is absorbed by tree roots instead of filtering down into the soil as run-off.

[Libertarianize the GOP]

ping

[PropheticZero]

Perhaps the equally important questions is....does it matter? The greenies fail to see that man, with his sky scrapers, coal burning electrical plants, and plastic, IS part of nature. The houses we build are natural. The fields we plow are natural.

One the one hand they want to believe in evolution so that they can believe in some golden age that wasn't ruined by our evil. On the other hand they won't live by the same logic and figure that if a some endangered pidgeon can't adapt, then maybe it should die out.

[ClearCase_guy]

the truth is the truth, and the truth is always important. Now, I'm no expert, so I can't say what's true here (but in my opinion, Global Warming is a complete crock). But I note room here for a neat segway:

"OK, OK, we Greens were wrong about the whole Warming thing. We admit it. No man-made temperature change. Sorry 'bout that. But this de-forestation stuff is REALLY serious! We need to shut industry down around the world so that we can save the forests! Look at Kilimanjaro!"

[The Great RJ]

I was hoping if I keep driving my old SUV South Dakota would soon have a climate like Florida.

[skinkinthegrass]

I was hoping if I keep driving my old SUV South Dakota would soon have a climate like Florida.

Hmmm...Maybe 65 million years ago, but then you'll have no gasoline too. Watch out for T. Rex and the Raptors.

[farmfriend]

Rights, farms, environment ping.

Let me know if you wish to be added or removed from this list.
I don't get offended if you want to be removed.

[E.G.C.]

BTTT!!!!!!

[GOPJ]

Quantifiable & verifiable :

However, a new finding just recently published by Nature, ("African Ice Under Wraps" - 24 Nov 03) points to de-forestation on the slopes of Kilimanjaro as being the main culprit. With forests present, the natural updraft from the slopes carries moist air to the summit and helps reinforce and sustain the ice cap. Without those forests, the updrafts are dry and fail to replenish the ravages of the sun on the summit ice cap. That too is a sufficient explanation.

What happens on Kilimanjaro will also be happening on countless mountains all over the world where forests on lower slopes have been replaced by open pasture.

Blaming it all on `global warming' was just too glib and convenient for an industry desperate to convince a skeptical public that the end of the world was nigh. With a more down-to-earth cause like this identified, other `global-warming-did-it' phenomena should be looked at again for simple local causes like this.