Canada anxious about snow melting in Arctic

[Nottingham]

http://newsfromrussia.com/world/2003/09/29/50234.html

Canada anxious about snow melting in Arctic

Snow melting in the Arctic as a result of global warming can pose a threat to the population of Canada's northern provinces, said Canadian Environment Minister David Anderson at the World Conference on Climate Change held in Moscow on Monday.

"Climate changes already pose a serious threat in the Arctic, and this bears directly on Canada," he pointed out. In this connection the Canadian minister did not rule out a possibility of resettling the population of the country's northern districts.

Canadian experts cooperate closely with Russian scientists, receiving information on climate change from them, Anderson recalled. "Scientific reports sound frightening, but to sit twiddling one's thumbs is a risky policy," he emphasized.

According to Norwegian Environment Minister Borge Brende, in the recent decades global warming has become evident.
more.....

Well looks like the people in the North knows somethin is up! :bounce:

[Lisa]

1. Back in 2000 ...

I attended a global warming conference, and the Canadian Broadcasting Corporation asked if I could be available for interviews with some of their local stations. I spoke with 7 or 8 places in total, over the course of 2 hours or so (they each got me for 15 minutes, and could ask me whichever questions they wanted).

Luckily I read a lot of impacts studies, so I was able to explain some of the climate model results as they applied to local conditions (sea level rise for the Vancouver guy, drought and forest fires for the Prairie people, Great Lakes water levels for the Ontario stations, etc.) -- most of the interviewers asked me a couple of questions then left it up to me to raise points that I thought might interest their listeners.

But the two northern stations that called, from the Yukon and Nunavut -- not only did they have a whole list of questions, but the hosts seemed genuinely perturbed and kept bringing in personal observations like "my grandmother says it's never been this dry in the summers, what does this mean?". They were definitely on top of things, and claimed that a lot of people up there have been noticing a shift in conditions.

[Nottingham]

2. Lisa what got my attention is the moving of peopleNorth to

other residences. They expect the sea levels to definitely rise!

:bounce:

[stevedeshazer]

3. It is obvious in western North America

I've traveled to and hiked in much of the West, from Alaska to Alberta, Montana to Mexico since my youth. I've seen glaciers shrink over the years since the 1960's.

I can see how global warming is taking place. For example, I've lived within five miles of the lower Columbia River all my life, and every winter we got snow in the '60's and '70's, but none since 1996.

Glaciers that I hiked to and around in my youth are very diminished or completely absent today.

Drier, warmer weather seems nice at first glance, but it completely messes up the ecosystem in the long term.

[farmboxer]

4. But Bush Claims There Is No Global Warming!

Bush and his extremely rich pals only care about a few rich people.

[canuck]

5. shrub says this will be a good thing...

I cant find the quote, but it was something like: it will mean a longer recreation season and will therefore help businesses" or some bullshit like that.

And then when the northwest passage opens up for ships, the US will claim it is international waters rather than Canadian inland waters (like it damn well is).

OOOOOOO, dammit, its not good to get all mad before you go to bed, dammit dammit dammit. (-: