Southern Europe - Greece, Macedonia and Italy - have been seeing temperatures never recorded before, and fires are sweeping through the dry and baked landscapes. Athens is sweltering under temperatures I associate with Phoenix, Arizona, breaking 114 degree F.
Of course all the side effects are there, too. Electrical power failures due to overload, due to maximum reliance on air conditioning and fans. Deaths and health crises. Brush fires impossible to control.
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The "temperatures never recorded" as linked to above, should have pointed to this Reuters article describing the heat wave that "broke temperature records across the Balkans." Thanks to Ron for catching that error. My apologies.
Thursday, July 26, 2007
Cooking Greece - Record Temps and Fires
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7 comments:
Cliff,
Your link to the heat wave in Greece said 'temperatures never recorded before' but I couldn't find that in the article. Can you point me to where you found that information?
Ron, thanks for catching that linking error. I meant to connect it to a Reuters story here: http://www.alertnet.org/thenews/newsdesk/L24777825.htm
I'm adding a correction to the article.
Ah, yes. It says the record high was in Macedonia, 45 degrees celsius (113 F). That's dang hot alright. And probably humid, too. I live in the US Southwest and we often see much higher temps, but "it's a dry heat" as they say LOL. The article also says 44 degrees celsius in Bulgaria, which is the hottest temp in 120 years. I'm now wondering about the cause/effect link with attributing this to manmade global warming. I wonder why it was so hot back in 1887. Is anybody saying this is because of manmade global warming? If so, do you have a link to that info as well?
I personally believe that there's a strong causal relationship between manmade greenhouse gas emmissions and the resulting changes in climatic conditions. I'm not a scientist; I just find too many scientists who also believe that way. Plus, it just makes sense if you think about it.
But Climate Frog doesn't care how you answer that question. Weather events are happening - regardless of cause - and some people are beginnng to take action after assessing the risks of NOT taking action. Will Macedonians change anything if record heat waves become common?
Ron, I can also point you to the Web page, "Global Warming Myths and Facts" by the group Environmental Defense. I believe everthing on that page is true.
http://www.environmentaldefense.org/page.cfm?tagID=1011
Thanks, i'll check that out.
I'm wondering, though: If it turns out that the climate is warming, but we are not to blame, I guess there would be no risk in not taking action. We would save a bunch of money.
And what if it's not really warming? I've heard some scientists say that, too.
Ron, what you believe is up to you, based on the research you do for yourself.
Nobody can prove the future. You can just do the science and then make your best forecast, subject to frequent readjustment.
Look out on your local highway. Does it look to you like many people have changed their habits at this point? I don't see much danger of a hysterical overreaction to global warming.
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