Lets fight Global Warming

Some disturbing news has been doing the rounds here in India about one of the biggest Himalayan glaciers, 'Gangotri' being rapidly disintegrating. Indians concerned about global warming have been sent into a tizzy after shocking reports about Gangotri crumbling at an alarming rate emerged in a leading newspaper, the Hindu, which is regarded as one of the most widely read newspapers in the country. A team from G.B. Pant Institute of Himalayan Environment and Development, based in Almora, has come out with a report stating that the 'Gangotri' glacier has been rapidly disintegrating.

Gangotri, one of the largest Himalayan glaciers is the Uttarkashi district. Originating at about 7,100 meters(m) above sea level, the glacier is 30.2 km long and has a width that varies between 0.5 and 2.5 km. The Bhagirathi river, which is one of the main tributaries of the Ganga, originates from the glacier.

The beauty of Gangotri glacier is on the wane. (picture: indiamike)

Here are some takeaways from the report:


1) The team of the institute, which has been monitoring the Himalayan glaciers, especially the Gangotri, since 1999, visited the glacier between June and October this year.

2) Since the last 3 years, The Glacial Study Centre of the institute has been observing disintegration in the snout of the glacier. However, this time the disintegration on the right side of the snout has been taken place at a rapid rate,

3) As per Dr Kumar, a scientist at the institute, the reason behind this heavy disintegration can be attributed to the rapid melting of the Raktvarn, Chaturangi and Thelu - the tributory glaciers of the Gangotri, which are placed at a higher altitude than the Gangotri and are towards its right.


A 2008 research report published in the Current Science titled 'Estimation of retreat rate of Gangotri glacier using rapid static and kinematics GPS survey, stated, 'The Gangotri glacier is retreating like other glaciers in the Himalayas and its volume and size are shrinking as well.'

The glacier has retreated more than 1,500 m in the last 70 years. Post 1971, the rate of retreat of the glacier has declined. As per Dr Kumar, the latest data projects that post 2000, the average rate of retreat of the glacier per year has been about 12 to 13 m.

Dr Kumar said that global warming isn't not the only factor, but it is one of the major factors contributing to the glacial retreat.

Yet another slap on the face for the 'non-believers' and the sycophants.

Mr Coleman has made some startling claims.

Here are some of his shocking claims:


1) The theory of man-made climate change is no longer credible.

2) What 'little evidence' there is of rising global temperatures points to a 'natural phenomenon' within a developing eco-system.

3) The ocean level is not rising significantly.

4) The polar ice rising, not melting away. Polar bears are increasing in number.

5) Heat waves have diminished, not increased, so have the storms.


Let us now look at some compelling evidence for rapid climate change:


1) Rising Sea Level.

Global sea level rose about 17 centimeters(6.7 inches) in the last century. The rate in the last decade,however, is nearly double that of the last century. Greenland's rapid loss of ice means we are in for a rise of at least 1 metre by 2100 and possibly much more.

Rising sea level as per data collected by NASA.

2) Global Temperature Rise.

All three major global temperature reconstructions show that the Earth has warmed since 1880. Most of the warming has occurred since the 1970s, with the 20 warmest years having occurred since 1981 and with all 10 of the warmest years occurring in the last 12 years. Even though the 2000s witnessed a solar output decline, resulting in an unusually deep solar minimum in 2007-2009, surface temperature continues to increase.

The impact of rising temperature on the Earth.(source: iSGTW)

3) Warming Oceans.

The oceans have absorbed much of this increased heat, with the top 700 meters(about 2,300 feat) of ocean showing warming of 0.302 degrees Fahrenheit since 1969.

Chart showing the rise in temperature of oceans.(source: GO3 project)

 4) Shrinking Ice Sheets.


The Greenland and Antarctic ice sheets have decreased in mass. Data from NASA's Gravity Recovery and Climate Experiment show Greenland lost 150 to 250 kilometers of ice per year between 2002 and 2006, while Antarctica lost 152 cubic kilometers of ice between 2002 to 2005. As per latest IPCC reports in 2014, the thick Arctic ice was not expected to melt until the end of the century. However, if current trends continue, summer ice could be gone in a decade or two.

Estimation of melting Arctic ice. (source: ecology.com)

Arctic ice pack comparison (source: Wikipedia)

5) Glacial Retreat.

 Glaciers are retreating almost everywhere around the world including in the Alps, Himalayas, Andes, Rockies, Alaska and Africa.

Contrasting images of Grinnell Glacier over the years.

6)  Extreme events.

In recent times, the number of extreme events around the world has increased on account of climate change. Natural disasters such as storms, droughts, excessive rainfall, heat waves etc. don't pop out our eyeballs any more.

Pictures such as this one continue to perplex meteorologists.

7) Ocean Acidification.

Since the beginning of the Industrial Revolution, the acidity of surface ocean waters has increased by about 30 percent. This increase is the result of humans emitting more carbon dioxide into the atmosphere and hence more being absorbed into the oceans. The amount of carbon dioxide absorbed by the upper layers of the ocean is increasing by about 2 billion tonnes per year.

Ocean Acidification process. (source: UKOA)

After looking at this irrefutable evidence which nails the propaganda of the so called skeptics, let's go through some interesting news stories doing the rounds with regards to global warming and climate change.



Tens of thousands of walruses mass on Alaska beach due to climate change : Telegraph.


US greenhouse gas emissions rise despite Obama's new climate change push : Guardian.


Recommended: 7 industries at greatest risk from climate change  : CNBC


Just a small fact before closing this post : 97% of the climate scientists agree that climate change is caused due to human activities and most of the scientific organisations and issues statements endorsing the same, Take a look.: Consensus on climate change (source: NASA)

Scientists measuring the health of almost 30 glaciers around the world found that ice loss reached record levels in 2006, the U.N. agency said.

UNEP warned that further ice loss could have dramatic consequences particularly in India, whose rivers are fed by Himalayan glaciers.

The west coast of North America, which gets much of its water from glaciers in mountain ranges such as the Rockies and Sierra Nevada, also would be affected, it said.

"There are many canaries emerging in the climate change coal mine," UNEP's executive director Achim Steiner said in a statement. "The glaciers are perhaps among those making the most noise and it is absolutely essential that everyone sits up and takes notice."

source:- CNN

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