Climate change

For those who live in the cities (or large towns) .. and may not be entirely "in touch" with what is happening with climate change in relation to crop growing ... this is an interesting article.

'As dry as a chip': How the weather is affecting our fruit and vegetables

I admit, where we are on the land, the changes we've noticed in the last 6 years are - the winters aren't as frosty - the summers are hotter and longer - the rain doesn't fall or it falls in massive 10 minute downpours - the plants don't bud and flower at the times they used to and even the white grape vines are re-sprouting when they should be losing their leaves - the garlic crop gets confused and does some weird growing

Climate change is happening at a pace it is not necessarily visible to city folk - but it's happening damn quick for us country bumpkins

 

I agee. Ive lived my whole life in country NSW and I work outside so I am physically connected to the weather.
This last winter we only had a couple of rain days and no more than 5mm in each front. The temperature was warmer with light frosts if any. We also endured our first week above 45'c.
Im currently travelling around Australia and noticing climate related changes. We have travelled from Vic to WA and the whole bottom half of the country is very, very dry.
Man made or natural cycle - who knows? The Nullabor Plain was once under water and could be again in the future.
A couple of things are certain. Humans have had a huge impact on the earth and the last 200 years has been tough on mother nature here in Australia. The question isnt 'is climate change real?' - its 'are we happy with where our environment is going?'.

 

It's the rate of change that is very noticeable - nature can't keep up with evolution.

Interesting to read there was a massive tree clearing that went on in WA, in an area that historically got good rain ... once the trees were cleared, the rain moved offshore. It was the trees that was attracting the moisture.

Land clearing caused drop in rainfall in South West of Australia « JoNova

Similar with Broken Hill, which once used to be a semi-lush tropical environment. When the trees were all removed to feed the steel mill it turned into desert as there was no foliage to attract the rainclouds

 

I stand by my previous comments made on this thread: Will Western Sydney become Unlivable in the Future? [NSW]

 

Hasn't it always been?

 

Lizzie !! The Broken Hill area became Arid 20,000 years ago when it reached reached peak aridity. The Av mean rainfall for the 30 yeays from when mining began until 1920 was 240mm, the average rainfall has been increasing it is now 265mm ( BOM records). The mines actually done revegetation to stop sand burying the mines. If man affects climate and you use Broken Hill to prove it you would have to say man has a positive affect. Any way the area was under the sea once, if changes are bad I guess we should let the sea rise so it goes under water again like it used to be.

 

There was a fab ABC doco on what the climate of Broken Hill was like prior to BHP - when it was surrounded by bush - compared to now ... can't find the damn thing

 

I haven’t noticed any difference. You get freak years where summer is cooler than usual or a warmer April but overall nothing out of the ordinary. Australia has had droughts forever, we’re 90% desert, what are you expecting it to be like?

 

Climate change is much more complicated than what is happening in the last 6 years, yet alone what recent articles are written or shows on ABC presented.
IMHO there are opinions and then there are facts which even today are mainly questions raised...as it is rather a very complicated study that unfortunately surpasses human's life!
If you wish to be truly informed and are interested to read from both sides of view then I suggest you read a book called "Climate Change The Facts 2017" published by Institute of Public Affairs.
Download [PDF] Climate Change The Facts 2017 Read online
Around 23 contributors and specialists in their fields state their views there...however I know some will never read their views yet form their own opinions or those they read or heard somewhere...

 

Interesting website here if anyone is interested. I think it's the site I found before, looks like it, where they look at climate skeptic claims then look at the science behind the claims (or in most cases lack of science behind the claims).

Global Warming and Climate Change skepticism examined

The side bar "myths" are good, backing up the science to refute each one. The "There is no consensus" is interesting, as in actual fact looking ta the reports 97% of climate studies are in consensus that humans are causing climate change.

The 97% consensus on global warming

 

Genghis Khan was one of the first environmentalists.

When the hordes swept through, they did not decimate the populations. They annihilated them.

Forests then grew back.

 

Last time CO2 levels were this high, there were trees at the South Pole

 

And humans presumably weren't responsible for CO2 levels then either

 

One thing I have noticed in the last 10 years, is that it is windier. We

What are you trying to say? That 200 years of accelerated CO2 emissions is somehow equivalent to millions of years of natural changes? No one disputes that natural changes don't happen, but the rate of change is the danger here.

I look forward to actual useful contributions you can make to this thread.

 

Nah - we can blame the volcano's then as they were a heck of a lot more active than they are now.

And Geek is right - it's the rate of change where nature cannot keep up in terms of evolution and hence simply dies off

 

Whats the rate of change, 1deg in 100 years?

Could easily cool by the same in less years, who ya gonna blame then, God?

 

I'm apologise in advance, but you'll be waiting a long time..............it's my fav hobby horse at the present time - arguing with the "warmers".

 

Playing Devils advocate here @Propertunity but do you have any links to research arguing that human activities are NOT responsible for accelerated warming? Serious question, I am genuinely interested to read more on the "climate skeptics" side.

 

I don't disagree that the climate is changing - although I think it always has been. I do think we should look after the planet. It annoys me when I see for example, some years ago now, that the Russians had dumped 44 gallon drums of uranium waste in the ocean, and the drums were found rusting. I like my seafood that does not glow in the dark - thank you very much!

But I do think we give ourselves far too much credit for our (human) contributions to the current situation.

I will post some links to research that favours the skeptics POV for you. It might be a little while coming back to you due to work commitments, but I will do it

 

Another extinction due to human activity:

https://www.downtoearth.org.in/news...ime-the-yangtze-giant-soft-shell-turtle-64005