Global Warming on Free Republic
Posted on 08/08/2013 7:43:49 AM PDT by Avoiding_Sulla
Rising ocean waters. Bigger and more frequent forest fires. More brutally hot summer days.
These aren't the usual predictions about global warming based on computer forecasts. They're changes already happening in California, according to a detailed new report issued Thursday by the California Environmental Protection Agency.
Climate change is "an immediate and growing threat" affecting the state's water supplies, farm industry, forests, wildlife and public health, the report says. The 258-page document was written by 51 scientists from the University of California, Scripps Institution of Oceanography, Lawrence Berkeley National Laboratory, U.S. Geological Survey and the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration, among other agencies and institutions.
"Climate change is not just some abstract scientific debate," said California EPA Secretary Matt Rodriquez. "It's real, and it's already here."
Most Californians seem to agree. In a poll last month by the nonpartisan Public Policy Institute of California, 63 percent of the state's residents said the effects of global warming are already being felt, while 22 percent said they will happen in the future. Eleven percent said they will never happen.
Although California has done more than nearly every other state to reduce emissions of heat-trapping gases, the report found, if it were a country, it would still rank as the 13th largest source of greenhouse gases in the world, ahead of France, Brazil, Australia and Saudi Arabia.
What the public may not realize, experts say, is how extensive the impact of climate change already is.
Since 1950, the report found, the three worst forest fire years in California -- measured by acres burned -- all have occurred in the past decade: 2003, 2007 and 2008. And the average number of acres scorched every year since 2000 is almost double the average of the previous 50 years -- 598,000 acres annually now, compared with 264,000 acres a year then.
"A report like this is Paul Revere. It provides an early warning, an early indicator of the challenges we face," said Matthew Kahn, a UCLA economics professor.
Kahn said that just as in past eras when Americans rose to meet threats, entrepreneurs in California will see opportunities to help reduce the impacts of climate change while making money, through industries such as electric vehicles, wind turbines, ocean desalination projects, better air conditioning systems and denser housing in coastal areas, which will remain cooler than inland areas as both warm in the decades to come.
"It's not like the Titanic where we just collide with the iceberg," Kahn said. "Most people want their children and grandchildren to have a great quality of life. We are going to get future Amazons, Apples and Facebooks out of this that will address the challenges."
But while opportunities may be going up, so are mercury readings.
Since 1895, annual average temperatures in California have increased about 1.5 degrees Fahrenheit and continue to rise, the report found. The length and severity of summer heat waves are increasing.
The sea level at the Golden Gate, home to the oldest continually operating tidal gauge in North America, rose 8 inches over the past century as the world's glaciers and ice sheets have begun melting. Higher seas increase the risk of floods during storms in low-lying communities around San Francisco Bay, from Treasure Island to Alviso.
At Lake Tahoe, there are now 30 fewer days a year compared with a century ago when air temperatures average below freezing, the report found. And while 52 percent of the precipitation at the lake fell as snow in 1910, today only 34 percent does.
"Most Californians get it," said Kathryn Phillips, executive director of Sierra Club California. "The thing I find so frustrating is how bought in elected officials are to the belief they can't do the right thing because it will disturb oil companies and some of the most powerful interests in the state."
Among other changes, Phillips said, the state needs more incentives for solar and renewable energy and mandatory rules requiring more energy-efficient buildings.
In 2006, then-Gov. Arnold Schwarzenegger signed a landmark law, AB32, requiring California to reduce its greenhouse gas emissions to 1990 levels by 2020, a drop of about 25 percent.
So far, however, emissions are up 3 percent since 1990, although they have dipped in the past five years because of the Great Recession and increased use of high-mileage cars as well as solar and wind power.
When it comes to the state's water supply, there's some good news: There is no clear trend in the amount of precipitation over the past 100 years, the report found. So California isn't getting less rain.
But the Sierra Nevada's glaciers have, depending on their location, shrunk from 22 percent to 69 percent over the past century. And spring runoff to the Sacramento River has decreased by 9 percent. That's because more precipitation is falling as rain rather than snow during California's warmer winters, the report found. And less runoff means less water for farms and cities.
Rodriquez said the amount of warming in the coming decades can be limited if the state, nation and world do more to reduce emissions and transition away from fossil fuels.
"We're doing what we can in California to address climate change," he said. "It's our hope that we can avoid some of the more extreme effects."
Paul Rogers covers environmental issues and resources. Contact him at 408-920-5045. Follow him at Twitter.com/PaulRogersSJMN.
Can anyone cite an ACTUAL measurement anywhere which supports this? I've never seen one.
Public Policy Institute is “non-partisan” and is located in the den of the hard core, right wing enclave known as San Francisco.
And have you seen the southwest desert anlong the border? Looks like N.Y. city has been dumping trash there for a couple of years. Yet its too sensitive of an environment to build a fence. Wonderful people.
BS,,, its cold as heck here this summer...
Gee if the coast of California gets inundated won’t Al Gore’s $6 million seaside mansion have wet carpets???
Same in CO. And people still deny it... no, it is so hot. No, it isn’t, we haven’t had a day over 100 this and very few over 90.
Somewhere Paul revere is puking,, more crap comes from gubamnt than due to the effects of globull varming
Global warming legislation has done more damage to the Kalifornia economy than any forest fire could.
“Acres burned increased - what changes took place in fire-fighting approach (e.g. let it burn vs aggressive tactics), what logging changes and forest management changes that resulted in more fuel per acre occurred?”
The reason these questions are not asked is, on one hand, directly related to your tagline “When there is no penalty for failure, failures proliferate.” George F. Will).
On the other hand, the reason your tagline remains operative is directly related to mine “How humanitarian can leaders truly be when they never direct a harsh word at Malthusian, Utilitarian, and Green nutcases?” In fact they grant them tax exempt status and award them government grants.
I forgot to add — and place the very worst loons deep into our bureaucracies where, in keeping with both Gresham’s Law and the Peter Principle, until there can be found no really good bureaucrats.
That could be.
But, I think there was an article here on FR ,some time back ,that said more arsonists, (people who have arson related charges on their record), live in Cali, than live in any other state.
Another thing I recall reading, was, they found some papers from Al Queda, where they had planned on starting huge fires, as a method of attack.
During one of the larger fires a few years ago, there were reports that people were seen trying to start it, then, we never heard another word. Strange.
I have lived here all my life. It's pretty much a given, that when the Santa Ana winds blow, this place goes up in flames, eeither by delibrately set fires, or due to mother nature i.e.-lightning strikes. It always burns.
The fires are actually part of the eco-system here But you never hear the so-called "experts" say that.
Theses scientists are dishonest, or just trying to line their pockets with payoffs for "reporting" this half-truth B.S.
Pure Eco-Porn.
I see little evidence of that coming from this government and the people that support tis government.
why did you remove this from “front page news’? This POS newspaper has it not only on its front page, it is flashing it across it’s online streaming version as one of 3 top stories.
Our job here is to COUNTER the propaganda by exposing it. Removing it from our side bars does not help us do that.
Global Warming on Free Republic
Forget belief.
What we KNOW is that the Statists are relentless at pushing propaganda and forcing all who want to keep their jobs to continue to lie for them. The constant line of brazen lies in the face of mountains of contradicting facts can not be explained by any other.
Another thing: The Statists have mounted a compaign to to turn experts who disagree into unpersons. That is another well-KNOWN tactic of fascism/Stalinism.
Bottom line: Beliefs, excepting for the dumb-downed bots who only believe what they’re told by edukators, has nothing to do with this. It’s about people who act in accordance with the totalitarian playbook that they have been given the means to control all thoughts.
The only real answer to that comes not from beliefs by from convictions that we must fight back.
I do. Californians have faced a lot of dramatic impacts due to Global Warming.
Power plants shut down because of Global Warming.
Businesses forced to trade in 'carbon credits' and emissions vouchers due to Global Warming.
Tax increases due to Global Warming.
Solar mandates due to Global Warming.
Firearms and ammunition restrictions due to Global Warming.
Okay, I made up that last one, but since they blame 'increased violence' on Global Warming, more 'gun control' measures are 'needed' to proactively address that 'problem'.
More likely to avoid the cat at the bottom of the hill!
What BS. The Temps around here are lower than “Normal.” We’re still waiting for summer to start.
And last year was fairly cool too. It's August and it is 67 near Oakland and only 88 in Fresno. What a beautiful day in Fresno in August.
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