Global Warming Q & A's

Is Global Warming Really Happening? Yes. But it's probably not as simple as that. Some studies of climate trends over long periods indicate that warming of planet earth follows a cycle.    In this cycle average temperatures around the rise gradually for a few decades then dip back down.    However over the past few centuries the dip has never gone back to what it was before the last rising temperature period began and most recently the rise seems to have accelerated.     Records of temperature variability show that the last decade of the last century is very likely to have been the warmest during the last 1,000 years. In addition, the IPCC (2001) shows that natural factors alone cannot explain the amount of warming we have experienced during the last century.   A recent study examining the earth's energy imbalance (amount of heat absorbed by the sun versus heat emitted by the planet) proves that human-generated gases (primarily CO2) are the major cause of recent observed warming of 0.7°C (Hansen, 2005). Researchers claim that even if we stopped all greenhouse gas emissions, we have already committed ourselves to another 0.6°C warming (Hansen, 2005). This is most likely the fastest global temperature increase since the last ice age. Global atmospheric CO2 concentrations are at 3 81 parts per million (ppm), the highest concentration since at least 650,000 years ago. If we continue with business as usual we can expect a further increase to at least 500 ppm within 40 years, which is essentially equal to a doubling of pre-industrial concentrations. Most experts believe that we have been going through a natural warming cycle for the past 5,000 years.    However t T emperatures have accelerated far more quickly over the past century than previous - a general rise of One Degree Celsius.    This increase has been doubled in the Alps where temperatures have risen two degrees over the past century. The warming does not mean that all parts of the planet will get warmer straight away uniformly .    Instead complex oceanic and climate patterns established over thousands of years will change which may and lead to some areas getting colder initially as warming currents that have kept them warmer than is normal for their latitude are diverted. In fact, modeled climate projects that demonstrate global warming also show near-term cooling in some areas as a result of altered air and ocean circulation patterns due to warming elsewhere. As you look farther out in projected time even these areas begin to warm. Where's the Evidence? There's hard evidence that the world's glaciers are melting away completely (you can go and look for yourself on that one).    In many cases structures erected on the top of ice fields 50, 30 or even 10 years ago are now left tens of metres/dozens of feet above the current ice level. Sea levels are rising, species are being affected, and humans are impacted. Examples of these can be found around the world from the residents of Tuvalu having to move to higher ground because of sea-level rise to the extinction of golden toads in Costa Rica because of rising temperatures to the death of more than 30,000 in Europe due to heatwaves. Scientific measurements of average global temperature show that the past decade has been the warmest ever and that the polar ice is melting away.      Is Global Warming Cause By Mankind's Activities? There is an international scientific consensus that most of the warming observed over the last 50 years is attributable to human activities (IPCC, 2001; ACIA 2004). While natural climatic variability plays a significant role in global climate by affecting ocean currents and global climatic patterns, scientists have attributed the majority of recent warming with human activities such as burning fossil fuels and land use changes. Consequently, while we are sure that most of the warming during the last century is because of human activities, we do not know exactly how much is attributed to natural variability. It is well accepted that greenhouse gas emissions lead to surface heating of the earth and that current trends can not be explained by only natural variability.   Will Global Warming End Winter Sports? The reason that many scientists prefer the term "climate change" to "global warming" is that rising temperatures, initially at least, may not mean the end of winter sports, at least, not everywhere. The short term effects may include alterations in the world's complex weather patterns (partly predictable, but most likely subject to the rules of chaos theory ).    Predicted results can include heavier precipitation including snow in some areas, the end of winter sports in others and possibly the triggering of colder weather conditions in Northern Europe ( with especially in countries like Iceland, Scotland and Greenland currently getting warmer ) as predicted rather dramatically in the film, The Day After Tomorrow (although probably not quite as quickly as that) because of a potential shutdown of the thermohaline circulation pattern . Most studies on climate change predict dire consequences for the main winter sports areas by the latter half of this century (a safe way off! ) with overall consequences for the whole planet looking very bad indeed by the next century.   Are Winter Sports Being Affected Already? This is difficult to prove as resorts and regions will always have good and bad seasons and every winter a resort and region has its worst ever year for snow cover whilst still others break records for snowfall.    Whilst it is tempting to say global warming is the cause of a resort in Arizona not being able to open until March 2006, the latest in its 70 year history, it may be due a deluge in a coming winter is nearly impossible to attribute one single climate event to global warming . Some longer term trends of the past decade or two can be identified and are more difficult to attribute to a "bad season" however: Melting glaciers in Europe and North America have led to a shortening of summer skiing or the end of it all together. Ski areas in Scotland rarely get a total of more than 40 days skiing per year, compared to a norm of up to four times that 160? days before the 1980s. The world's highest ski centre, 5300m up in the Bolivian Andes, established in the 1930s, is likely to have to close by 2010 as more than 80% of the glacier it sits on has melted with the remainder disappearing fast. Ski resorts around the world are spending ever greater amounts on ever more sophisticated and energy efficient snow making systems.   Where Should I Stand? Many Some people either deny that global warming is happening or believe that it is but there's nothing they can do about it.    Sometimes they reach this decision after they have looked at the issues and the evidence and made that decision, other times not. Probably most people now believe global warming is a reality but feel so daunted by the complexities of the issues involved and/or so pessimistic that doing anything will actually change things around, that they find it easier to forget about it.    The huge complexities of the cause and affect of trying to do the right thing for the environment doesn't help. Most of these people will try to "do the right thing" when given the choice but are unlikely to make personal sacrifices in terms of using more fuel efficient vehicles and heating or cooling systems or reducing their consumerist urges, to help slow global warming unless this is made the better option by governments, product manufacturers and media image makers. Others people become zealous believers that global warming is here, that it's mankind's fault and that we should go back to a (methane free) horse and cart existence in order to save the world. If It Is Happening, And If We Are Causing It, Should We Do Anything and If So, What? If (like us) you do weigh up the arguments and decide that global warming is happening, that it is at least largely caused by mankind's activities and that it's worth trying to do SOMETHING - albeit possibly a futile gesture too late ; whilst at the same time you're not wishing to sacrifice your 21 st century lifestyle, particularly the skiing and boarding, then this site is for you. Our aims are to, firstly, provide practical information to you on how to lead a more environmentally friendly lifestyle on the ski slopes (and link you to the best sites for straight forward information on the bigger issue of how to do so the rest of the year. Secondly to encourage ski resorts to continue to work for the highest environmental standards, which they nearly all know is in their interests anyway of course, by publicising those efforts and providing a central global resource for ski areas around the planet to examine best practice around the world. And we want to keep it all as simple and easy to follow as we can.