clair031

Summary .   Hurricane Sandy inflicted heavy damage on the northeastern U. S. states of New Jersey , New York and Connecticut on October 29, 2012 .   Much of the damage arose from the storm surge of unprecedented intensity that accompanied the storm. This post summarizes several recent scientific articles characterizing melting of polar ice, historical sea level rise over recent decades, and model calculations projecting future sea level rise.   Melting of polar ice, higher sea levels, and stronger storm surges have occurred in recent years, in conjunction with the long-term increase in global average temperature.   Model projections incorporating various scenarios that continue to emit carbon dioxide predict that sea levels will continue rising to high levels for the next 290 years. The nations of the world will continue paying the damages caused by extreme events such as Hurricane Sandy, with expenses passed on as higher tax rates and higher insurance premium...

Summary .   Hurricane Sandy struck the state of New Jersey and the New York metropolitan area on Monday October 29, 2012 .   It caused damage estimated to range as high as US$50 billion, much of it due to storm surges that impacted wide stretches of shoreline in New Jersey , the heart of New York City , and eastward along New York and Connecticut .   The ravages of the storm could be due to factors related to global warming, such as increases in the moisture content of air over warm ocean waters, rising sea levels, and a blocking high pressure system that forced the path of the storm toward land. Global warming is expected to worsen the impacts of extreme weather events such as Hurricane Sandy.   Society is faced with the prospect of having to remediate their effects as emergency situations each time one occurs.   Costs of such efforts affect us all, since they ultimately create a demand for higher taxes and for higher insurance premiums.   An ...

Summary .   A conference entitled “Global Climate Policy without the United States : Thinking the Unthinkable”, was held at Yale University Law School November 9-10, 2012 .   After an opening talk detailing the worsening state of global warming already under way, several speakers dealt with frameworks and strategies that could bypass the stalemated international deliberations on global warming.   These include transnational actions involving fewer nations, and cooperation among nations, nongovernmental organizations and private corporations.   Additionally two talks addressed geoengineering, and the need to act cautiously if at all in implementing it. Since the pace of greenhouse gas emissions is increasing, and the resulting warming of the planet grows accordingly, stratagems such as discussed in this conference should be pursued with all deliberate speed.   Avoiding the worsening effects of global warming may well rely on transnational and extra-governme...