Global Climate Disruption.

[Fragony]

Frag the Ozone hole above Antartica did shrink once Ozone depleting CFCs were removed. Much like lead levels in the atmosphere plummeted as we went to unleaded fuels.

Both CFCs and leaded fuel have something else in common apart from being atmospheric pollutants. Ten interwebs to the first correct answer.

It's still there. There is also one above Russia. But the green movement lost interest and moved on to another host

[Papewaio]

Yes there is, but it has reduced above Antartica with the reduction in CFCs.

[Fragony]

Yes there is, but it has reduced above Antartica with the reduction in CFCs.

Ya sure, just like it growed in Russia it's 4 times as big covering just about the whole of Russia. But holes in the ozon layer aren't profiable anymore. Neither is acid rain. Not scary enough anymore, used up.

[ICantSpellDawg]

I was just thinking about this for some reason. I think that it is clear that the current climate is changing (although when in history was it not?). I think that I am also inclined to believe, based on the evidence that I've read, that we may have something to do with this most recent bout of changes. Now, I have not read any experts opinion that suggests we can fix the problem at this point in time. This leaves us with 3 options that are practical:

1. Adapt. Find better and more sustainable ways of cooling ourselves, growing more resilient crops and irrigation measures, preserving drinking water and pushing de-desalinization methods.
2. Alter our methods of powering our civilization. More for cost saving, pollution reduction, national security, and grid stabilization reasons than limiting carbon emissions; we need to develop more sustainable and varied ways of powering our lives. The increased global temperatures will put greater strain on our current networks. Correcting our current usage issues will have the added benefit of reducing carbon emissions which will satisfy the people who are obsessed with that stuff just to get them off of our backs.
3. Colonize other planets. Push the development of the moon and mars and eventually actualize Wall-E/Cowboy Bebop type stuff. For some reason preservation of the species is something that we care about, so we should be trying to do that long after the sun burns out or we collide with another galaxy.

Any thoughts?

[CBR]

I apologize for the generally Euro-centric figures:

I already gave a link to a report that showed the considerable reductions of NOx and SO2 in Europe (post from August last year in this thread) but I'll post the graph from that PDF here along with newer numbers:



Then the new stuff and remember that these are now for 27 countries and not 15. Nonetheless the trend is clear.






For CFC:



Yes, I guess all those fancy graphs shows "We didn't act now" But it does show considerable reductions and therefore one should also expect some type of effect. For acid rain the effect is quick but for CFC it takes a while as the lifetime for the gases seems to be anywhere between 45 to 100 years.

It is therefore no surprise that there is a still an ozone hole. If the media in general does not write a lot about it, is hardly a big surprise either. It is no longer big news nor can we do much about it but wait.

[drone]

Any thoughts?

You forgot #4: Wait until the next large high-sulfur volcanic event.

[Greyblades]

I wonder if a cotroled release of volcanic gas into a series of wind turbines could be used to power a city?

[InsaneApache]

Now that's creative thinking.

[CBR]

1. Adapt. Find better and more sustainable ways of cooling ourselves, growing more resilient crops and irrigation measures, preserving drinking water and pushing de-desalinization methods.
2. Alter our methods of powering our civilization. More for cost saving, pollution reduction, national security, and grid stabilization reasons than limiting carbon emissions; we need to develop more sustainable and varied ways of powering our lives. The increased global temperatures will put greater strain on our current networks. Correcting our current usage issues will have the added benefit of reducing carbon emissions which will satisfy the people who are obsessed with that stuff just to get them off of our backs.
3. Colonize other planets. Push the development of the moon and mars and eventually actualize Wall-E/Cowboy Bebop type stuff. For some reason preservation of the species is something that we care about, so we should be trying to do that long after the sun burns out or we collide with another galaxy.

Any thoughts?

#3 is pretty fanciful and is gonna cost a helluva lot of money and will be for a few people only. Might as well build big domes in the deserts here on Earth.

Both #1 and #2 are needed. We have not seen the end of increasing temperatures, even if we were to stop pumping out CO2 tomorrow.

In the US the GOP seems to be on a collision course with reason and science, but at least some seems to be getting it: http://energyandenterprise.com/

[Furunculus]

worth another look:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance...ible-solution/

iron fertilisation

[Papewaio]

http://m.smh.com.au/environment/clim...730-23769.html

Skeptic think tank now agree that the globe has warmed over the last 250 years and that carbon is the most likely reason likely reason for this.

THE Earth's land has warmed by 1.5 degrees Celsius in the past 250 years and ''humans are almost entirely the cause'', according to a scientific study set up to address climate sceptic concerns about whether human-induced global warming is occurring.
Richard Muller, a climate sceptic physicist who founded the Berkeley Earth Surface Temperature (BEST) project, said he was ''surprised'' by the findings. ''We were not expecting this, but as scientists, it is our duty to let the evidence change our minds.''

[CBR]

worth another look:
http://blogs.telegraph.co.uk/finance...ible-solution/

iron fertilisation

The author of the blog seems to be pretty harsh on the inactivity of governments. Considering that the research results have just been published, so maybe let science do its thing and let them digest it first.