Globally Warmed?

So, what do we call it if we figure that we already melted the Arctic ice cap? Or killed the coral reef?

First, the bad news about climate change - and there is a lot of it. "The arctic is screaming."

Check out:

From NOAA's Near-realtime Arctic Change Indicators web page:

Arctic Report Card 2007:

Or the Smithsonian Arctic Website "A friend acting strangely"

Scientists Warn about Rapid Arctic Melt Due to Global Warming

From Science Daily:

Global Warming Is Destroying Coral Reefs, Major Study Warns

So far, so bad, but the political wind finally seems to be changing:

From the NYT (requires free registration): At Bali Climate Talks, Signs of Compromise

And the Congress passed an energy bill that includes the first major changes in gas mileage standards in over 30 years. Pelosi Hails Energy Bill

There are reasons to be optimistic. Humans are incredibly resourceful, innovative, and adaptable, especially when the heat is on (pun intended). Many of the changes that we need to make rely on existing technology and 'just' require the recognition that we need to change the way we use energy (and other resources, but energy is the big one climate change).

On the other hand, the data suggests more and more that it is later in the day than we have realized. More problematic: The major negative impacts in the short-term will be felt in the parts of the world that do not contribute that much to the problem. This reality has no doubt retarded the efforts to get the US on board.

These things seem to be changing. A new President will help - I suspect even a Republican candidate will be hard-pressed to be as pig-headed as Bush has been. Moreover, there seems to be something in the air that people in general 'get it' and that's crucial because frankly neither party is going to lead. If it looks like leadership, it's only because the people are pushing their behinds and making them more afarid of inaction than action.