THE PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION OF CLIMATE CHANGE
Copyright © 2005 - 2008
Polar bears threatened by
Record thaw across the Arctic
| Global warming, photography, pictures, photos, climate change, science, weather, arctic, antarctica, climate zones, glacier, arctic warming, antarctic warming, documentation, impacts, effects of climate change, paleoclimate, mountain glaciers, coral reefs, tide pools, phenology, sea level |
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THE PHOTOGRAPHIC DOCUMENTATION OF CLIMATE CHANGECopyright © 2005 - 2008 |
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Polar bears threatened by |
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Global warming at the extremes of the earth:
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Polar Bear Listed in Endangered Species Act, but U.S. Government Limits Its Protection The polar bear was officially listed as threatened under the U.S. endangered species act (ESA) on May 14, 2008. This the first creature brought under the act's protection for habitat loss that is linked to global warming. The official reason given was loss of Arctic sea ice and predictions that the ice will continue to decrease. Although global warming has been identified by most atmospheric and polar scientists as the main reason for Arctic warming and melting of sea ice, the U.S. Interior Department did not use this as a reason and clearly signaled it would not apply the law to greenhouse gas emissions. Dirk Kempthorne, Interior Secretary, specifically said the listing would not prevent any sea ice from melting and that he would "make certain the ESA isn't abused to make global warming policies." This despite clear language in the ESA to control any activity causing harm to a listed species and requiring government agencies specifically not to jeopardize species by their actions. The wording of the listing document appears to be an attempt of the government to list the bear due to clear evidence of shrinking habitat yet not take all the steps to limit the loss. It seems analogous to President Bush's notorious "signing statements" limiting his acceptance of a Congressional law. This could set up another court challenge by NGOs like the Center for Biological Diversity which originally brought the proposal and took the Interior Dept to court twice to get action. "Threatened" under the ESA means a plant or animal may soon become endangered (at immediate risk of going extinct) if actions are not taken to protect it and its habitat. See inside for more details on Arctic melting and polar bear habitat. Alaska Link Climate change across the Arctic Link
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The Most Important Things You Can Do about Rapid Climate Change:
This website will help you learn the connection between human-made Carbon Dioxide and rapid climate changes and negative effects around the world. The hard fact is that despite what many nations, companies, cities and people are starting to do to reduce their global warming emissions, the world is putting more CO2 into the air than ever before. The current amount is 385 parts per million (ppm) -- higher than ever in the past 800,000 years. At the same time, renowned American climatologist Dr. James Hansen of NASA says we already have too much CO2 and other greenhouse gases in the air: "If humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilization developed and to which life on Earth is adapted ... CO2 will need to be reduced from its current 385 ppm to at most 350 ppm."
HOW WE KNOW WHAT WE KNOW ABOUT OUR CHANGING CLIMATE: Scientists and
Kids Explore Global Warming. Please see this book's preview and teacher resource site, HowWeKnowClimateChange.com Teachers, school leaders, parents and kids Climate ClimateChangeEducation.Org Portal Web Site Dedicated to: An unparalleled resource for curriculum, lessons, classroom gear, and This site is run by a volunteer organization of docents and interns at California science centers and museums; and students, scientists and staff at the University of California, Berkeley
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This is a rich, informative book, based on this website but with much more information. For information and to order, please click HERE. Vanity Fair's pick as one of 50 Best Environmental Books and movies. "Braasch has told the story of climate change in a new way by bringing together startling and breathtaking imagery with personal accounts and the best available scientific evidence."
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The truth is we all must begin reducing global warming, and fortunately there is much to do. Please go to the ACTIONS page to see how you can help. |
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Photographers' Perspectives on Global Warming |
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Locations documented since April 1999.Site updated June 2008. Text and photography Copyright © 2005 - 2008 by Gary Braasch. World View of Global Warming is funded by donations and grants. If you would like to contribute, please click HERE. |
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"In my view, climate change is the most severe
problem that we are facing today -- more serious even than the threat
of terrorism."
With this warning to an international science meeting in February 2004, David A. King, Chief Scientific Advisor to the British Government, brought the issue of global warming into sharp focus. The World View of Global Warming project is documenting this change through science photography from the Arctic to Antarctica, from glaciers to the oceans, across all climate zones. Rapid climate change and its effects is fast becoming one of the prime events of the 21st century. It is real and it is accelerating across the globe. As the effects of this change combine with overpopulation and weather crises, climate disruptions will affect more people than does war. The 2005 average global temperature equaled (within several hundredths of a degree) the record warm year of 1998, according to meteorologists. 2002-4 and 2006-7 were nearly as warm. The 12 warmest years on record have all occurred since 1990. In response, our planet has been changing with warming winds and rising seas. At the poles and in mountains, ice is under fire and glaciers are receding. Down into the temperate zone, change is rearranging the boundaries of life. The plants and animals with whom we share the planet are adapting and moving -- some even going extinct -- because they have no choice. We six billion humans are being affected, too. Coastal towns are suffering from rising sea level, storms are getting more intense and 35,000 people died in European heat waves in 2003. However, we have choices to make to help correct and ameliorate global warming. This is a story of frightening scale and and great urgency that is just beginning to be told. I began photographing climate change in 1999, about when scientists started to realize how great a change in temperatures is taking place in our time. Past earth temperatures left their mark in tree rings, glaciers and ancient lake and ocean sediments, and the record shows slowly decreasing temperatures over the last 2000 years. In that time there have been warm and cool periods, but nothing like the rise in temperatures in the past 150 years -- and no increase even close to the past 30. This research has created what has become the single most powerful icon of climate change, the so-called "hockey-stick" graph of temperatures. In 2005-6 it was subjected to intense re-analysis. Evidence of previous cool and warm periods has increased, but the rapid and sustained heat gain especially since the 1970s remains unparalleled in recent earth history.
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This project would be impossible without scientists and observers around the world who have provided hundreds of scientific contacts and papers. See Background, Advisors, and Reference for documentation, funders and major advisors, without whom I could not complete the work. This project is privately supported and I seek donations through Blue Earth Alliance. "Polar Thaw," a 30-print exhibit of photographs from locations of Arctic and Antarctic climate warming, is available for museums, science centers and funded public venues. World View of Global Warming is a project of the Blue Earth Alliance, Seattle Washington, a 501(c)3 tax-exempt organization. The project is supported entirely by donations, grants, and license fees for the photographs. Information about how to contribute is on the Blue Earth web site, or contact Gary Braasch. Thank you. This project is featured in The
Nieman Reports, Harvard University, Winter 2002, PRIVACY NOTICE: Photography and text Copyright © 2005 - 2008 (and before) Gary Braasch All rights reserved. Use of photographs in any manner without permission is prohibited by US copyright law. Photography is available for license to publications and other uses. Please contact requestinformation@worldviewofglobalwarming.org. View more of Gary Braasch's photography here.
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Gary Braasch, Photographer PO Box 1465 Portland, OR 97207 USA USA Phone: 503.699.6666 Cell: 503.860.1228 |
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n general global temperatures have risen since the 19th century industrial revolution. There is little scientific question the reason is a steep increase in atmospheric carbon dioxide -- CO2 -- from human use of fossil fuels. Methane, ozone, other gases and dusts have also increased greatly. The mechanism of our atmosphere is that gases like CO2 and methane trap some of the sun's heat reflecting off the Earth and hold it in the lower atmosphere, heating it. The natural greenhouse effect made the Earth warm enough for life, but the effect is much higher now. Ancient ice in ice caps shows that temperature and CO2 have increased and decreased in concert across many 100s of thousands of years. The recent increase in atmospheric CO2 is 200 times as great as any previous change seen in the ice cores. The current level is 385 parts per million, the highest in nearly 800,000 years. It shows no signs of decreasing.
This increase caused earth's average atmospheric temperature to go up
about 1. degree F in the 20th century. Now, according to NOAA, the global
warming rate in the last 25 years has risen to 3.6 degrees F per century.
This tends to confirm the predictions of temperature increases made by
international panels of climate scientists (IPCC). The ocean has actually
absorbed most of the added CO2 and heat -- becoming warmer and very slightly
more acidic. These increases, seemingly small, have a giant effect on
weather, climate zones, plants and animals, sea life, glaciers and river
flow -- and thus human life. My project and this Web site seek to document
these changes. For more on past climate and today's weather, see especially
the Paleoclimate and Weather sections.