Global Warming Hotspots
Recently, scientists issued a warning that ice is being discharged from Greenland and the West Antarctic Peninsula at a much greater rate than previously thought possible. Before that, an entirely separate study warned that irreversible ‘climate meltdown’ is just ten years away, after a deep ice core drilled out of the Antarctic permafrost revealed a shocking rate of change in carbon dioxide concentrations.
Concerned yet? Probably not. After all, scientific reports warning of the imminent demise of the planet hurtle from your chosen form of media at the rate of at least three a week.
This year, the film ‘An Inconvenient Truth’, hit cinemas everywhere. It follows Al Gore on his path to raise awareness of the deadly progress of global warming. Gore suggests that we have just ten years to avert a series of catastrophic disasters that could ultimately destroy the planet. Also this year, research released by the Met Office provided evidence of Britain’s changing climate with the news that grapes for red wine are being grown in Surrey while olives are being produced in Devon.
Concerned? Of course you are. Climate change is an undeniable truth and its impact is beginning to be felt by all of us. We know this because of the changes in weather patterns we witness at first-hand. We know this because of the countless scientific reports and research published each year.
In fact, it’s often this bombardment of scientific doom that can lead us to bury our heads in the sand as we seek to avoid the inevitable truth – if we don’t do something soon, we’re going to royally wreck the planet.
To help you, and us, make sense of the impact of global warming, we’ve put together a Windows Live Local collection which attempts to offer a snapshot of global warming hotspots across the planet. On the map below, each pushpin represents an area referred to in a report on global warming and the likely impact on that area of the continued effects of climate change. Following the more info link on each pushpin will take you to the website from which we’ve sourced it. And if you think you’ve spotted an area of the globe which is looking happily untouched, I regret to inform you that this is an ongoing project and we’ll be adding more pushpins over time.
Coffee With Kate 
Whilst I understand the threat,sadly 300 million ostriches in the usa refuse to so – why should I be concerned I will be dead and buried when the east and west coasts of that country sink beneath the waves of apathy.
Hi KateWell the petition is going fine. The Parliament want me to also put in an epetition for online discussion .. will have to see how that one goes, but I hope to encourange others to file similar motions …. and have some other things up my sleeve of course.The global warming debate is very interesting, although I’m a bit concerned at the way both sides seem to promote their own business interests – the pollutters v the cleaners, so to speak .. or maybe it’s just that I’ve become too cynical with the fight against the legal profession.Anyway, its our planet, and we all live under one roof .. if we ruin it, that’s it – no going off to live next door, because there isn’t a next door in terms of another planet .. so time for us all to clean up our act .. and those who keep churning out the pollution will, I’m sure, live to regret their actions.*Just thinking how all those lawyers pollute society .. what to do about it … [insert thought here]*Have a good day, already got a new article up since your visit ! .. must be the cold which energised me.Peter
Thanks for your kinds words. I hope you’ll come back and visit again.
Laird, I’m not sure all 300 million of us refuse to believe there’s a threat but plenty will be getting their tail feathers wet.
Morning Kate. Frightening stuff, but I think the ‘World’ in general has left it all too late. The warnings have been there for years, as long as I can remember, and I think it’s all too little too late now. This generation will probably be ok, but it’s the future generations that will really suffer. Such a beautiful planet too.
Bye for now
"Phewww", I’m sweating like one of Apollo’s horses stamping at the gate already.