SOOT FROM POOR COUNTRIES COULD CAUSE HALF OF GLOBAL WARMING

NCPA Daily Policy Digest ^ | May 6, 2003 | John J. Fialka

[bruinbirdman]

POLITICS STALLS GLOBAL WARMING RESEARCH

As much as half of any artificial global warming that may be due to human activity is caused by the long-distance travel of airborne soot and similar pollutants, says meteorologist James R. Mahoney, assistant secretary of commerce and coordinator of climate change research for the Bush administration.

But research into the phenomenon is being stalled by the politics of global warming, as India in February 2003 persuaded the United Nations Environment Program to drop research efforts. The United States objected to the proposed 1997 Kyoto climate change protocols because they did not require mandatory reductions in emissions of so-called greenhouse gases by developing countries. Indian officials are reported to be concerned that such research bolsters the U.S. case.

The two-mile thick, continent-size cloud over the Indian Ocean -- dubbed the "Asian Brown Cloud" -- was discovered in 1999 by Indian scientist Veerabhadran Ramanathan.

o The reigning theory of "aerosols" -- airborne particles such as soot -- was that they soon drop from the sky, leaving the earth's atmosphere relatively pristine.

o Scientists previously believed only greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide could be carried by prevailing winds for thousands of miles from their source.

o But Ramanathan's six-week, $25 million experiment discovered the cloud -- at some points more than 1,000 miles from the source.

o The research suggests that the cloud could reduce sunlight hitting the earth in that area by as much as 15 percent and cut rainfall over much of Asia by up to 40 percent.

Asian pollution contains dark soot from hundreds of millions of dung-fueled cooking fires and inefficient coal furnaces. Soot warms the upper air by absorbing sunlight and artificially cools the earth's surface. This can cause regional droughts due to less evaporation from the cooler ocean.

Source: John J. Fialka, "Discovery of 'Asian Brown Cloud' Over Indian Ocean Sets Off Fight," Wall Street Journal, May 6, 2003.

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[WaveThatFlag]

What's global warming?

[areafiftyone]

Clean Up in Aisle 3!!!

[lepton]

bookmark bump

[marlon]

No, no, no, this can't be. Only evil capitalists can be responsible with their imperialistic, greedy, plundering of the earth's resources ways. These benevolent, peace loving innocent 3rd world countries could never harm anything or anyone.

Damn that W. if only we had signed the Kyoto accords none of this would have happened. Where's AlBore when you need him?

[aShepard]

Alex,
I'll take third world pollution for $200.

[raybbr]

The two-mile thick, continent-size cloud over the Indian Ocean -- dubbed the "Asian Brown Cloud" -- was discovered in 1999 by Indian scientist Veerabhadran Ramanathan.

It took a scientist to see this?

[BOBTHENAILER]

Great post, you beat me to it. The greatest part of this pollution coming from the EXEMPT from Kyoto protocol countries of China and India.

Eat dried brown burned dung soot you Kyoto Liberals.

[canuck_conservative]

"... hundreds of millions of dung-fueled cooking fires ...."

So, when's the UN going to come up with a World Dung-burning Treaty?!

[big bad easter bunny]

Half of nothing is..............NOTHING!!!!!

[ZGuy]

90% of global warming is half soot.

[Eala]

Excellent front-page article on this in today's Wall Street Journal.

[ClearCase_guy]

Well, if the poor countries are causing pollution, we're just going to have to punish the rich countries. That's obvious, right?

[Grampa Dave]

You posted, Eat dried brown burned dung soot you Kyoto Liberals!

What no Soylent Green for them?

[Thorondir]

This would be interesting if there were actually global warming, which there is NOT!

[BOBTHENAILER]

What no Soylent Green for them?

Even better. LOL

[Ernest_at_the_Beach]

Thanks, will add to the list and ping some folks!

Global Warming Hoax :

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[stylin19a]

Scientists previously believed only greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide could be carried by prevailing winds for thousands of miles from their source.

These must be "flat earth" scientists.

[gathersnomoss]

I have been freezing my a** off for months. What global warming are they talking about?

[WaveThatFlag]

Exactly.