Warming climate causing drastic forest decline

In various regions of the world, huge tracts of trees are perishing. Scientists have observed that a common factor of their often sudden demise has been increased heat and drought.

Across western North America, for instance, forest die-off has been especially disastrous, with 70,000 square miles being lost in the Canadian and US Rocky Mountains to beetle infestation as warming temperatures cause the insects to move to higher and higher altitudes.

In Australia, a recent report stated that nearly a third of the trees had died in a 20,000 square-mile savanna area, while a study in Russia of 9,400 square miles of tree-covered land also observed significant losses, with hot, dry conditions in forested regions like Siberia bringing extreme wildfires in eight of the last 10 years.

In Africa, climate change is being identified as the cause of demise for local trees such as the quiver tree, camel-thorn, and the giant 30-foot-tall succulent known as euphorbia.

Although when alive, these wondrous lungs of our Earth are continuously absorbing carbon dioxide, US Geological Survey ecologist Dr. Craig Allen, who has studied forests around the world, warns that as the trees perish, they actually become a source of greenhouse gases. We thank Dr. Allen and all international researchers for this reminder that our own well-being is truly linked to the health of the world’s forests.

May we all attend now to their silent calls of distress through our own swift adoption of more life-sustaining ways. Supreme Master Ching Hai has long highlighted the need to care for the ecosphere, including the world’s trees, and shield them from the tolls of global warming, as during a videoconference in Formosa (Taiwan) in July 2008.

Everyone knows by now that protecting the environment, protecting the animals, are actually protecting ourselves. So we must protect the environment.

We should have more rules, more guidelines, to protect natural habitats. Because sometimes we overlook the long run effect. Then the consequence is very, very detrimental to ourselves and to the planet, just like what we are facing right now.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: People must be more aware of our dire situation and that everyone’s responsible action does help to minimize or stop global warming. We should act fast.

Be veg. Go green.

http://e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2252
http://blog.climateandenergy.org/2010/03/16/forest-die-offs-in-the-rocky-mtns-and...
http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2010/mar/16/forests-insects
http://e360.yale.edu/content/feature.msp?id=2252
http://wildfiremag.com/tactics/russian_fire_season/

Trees absorb less carbon as climate warms

A new study by the University of Colorado at Boulder in the USA indicates that forests actually soak up less CO2 in longer, warmer growing seasons. Contrary to what was previously understood, this new research shows that decreased snowpack associated with climate change causes a corresponding decrease
in CO2 absorption by sub-alpine forests.

In analyzing the water content of the stems and needles of trees, the researchers found that even as late as September and October, 60% of the moisture contained in the trees could be traced back to spring snow melt.

As noted by evolutionary biology professor Russell Monson, “Snow is much more effective than rain in delivering water to these forests.

If a warmer climate brings more rain, this won't offset the carbon uptake potential being lost due to declining snowpacks.” Professor Monson and fellow University of Colorado at Boulder scientists, many thanks for these detailed findings about the intricacies of water and carbon absorption in the forests.

Let us act now to preserve the delicate balance of life on our planet. Supreme Master Ching Hai has long emphasized the need for prayer and compassionate living to overcome the dangerous impacts of global warming, as in this August 2009 videoconference with Supreme Master Television staff.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Even living forests, alive forests, if the atmosphere is too hot, the forests also cannot absorb CO2 and they could even release CO2 themselves as well.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: We just need to be patient, and praying a lot, praying a lot to all the gods and goddesses, all the divine beings, all the angels, to manifest themselves physically onto this planet and help each and every citizen of the world to awaken to a compassionate lifestyle so that they can escape from this planetary climate change.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: There’s only one escape route that I have told you already Be Veg. That’s the path to go, then maybe we still can have time.

http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases/2010/01/100107183136.htm

Carbon Sinks Losing The Battle With Rising Emissions

Emissions rising too fast for oceans and forests. Dr. Mike Raupach, co-chair of the Global Carbon Project and scientist at Australia’s Commonwealth Scientific and Industrial Research Organisation (CSIRO), has reported that the elements of nature such as forests, grasslands and oceans have been absorbing CO2 at unprecedented rates because of a continued increase in human-caused carbon emissions. In fact, these natural carbon absorbers can no longer keep up. Dr. Andreas Fischlin of the Swiss Federal Institute of Technology explains how this situation could lead to a serious global warming tipping point.

Dr. Andreas Fischlin – Swiss Federal Institute of Technology (M): Land ecosystems, which are currently sequestering about one quarter of all emissions, will stop doing that, and they will actually switch into becoming a source of CO2, so they will add to our own emissions, which will require us even to more compensate this if we would get to this point. So they would accelerate climate change instead what they’re doing now, they are slowing it down. So we must not lose that service from land ecosystems. The point where you actually switch from being a sink and sequestering carbon and to becoming a source in emitting carbon is a tipping point.

VOICE: Knowing this, Dr. Mike Raupach stated, “Such a change would have drastic consequences for the predicted magnitude or speed of climate change occurring.”

We appreciate your insights, Drs. Raupach and Fischlin. Our prayers that this knowledge will help bring about quick and effective actions to avoid irreversible trends such as these.

In a videoconference in February with the 12th President of the Philippines, His Excellency Mr. Fidel Ramos, during his visit to our Association’s Center in Taipei, Formosa (Taiwan), Supreme Master Ching Hai described the benefits of organic farming, together with minimizing livestock production, to quickly remove harmful greenhouse gas emissions from the environment.

Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai
and 12th President of the Philippines, Mr. Fidel Ramos
Act Now! - For a More Peaceful and Safer World Taipei, Formosa (Taiwan) February 21, 2009

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Now scientific studies have found that organic farming not only reduces energy usage and produces less CO2, which helps lower greenhouse gases, but it actually allows the soil to absorb even 40% of presently in the air CO2 emission. Before we even invent any technology to reduce CO2, or before we even reduce all the cars and transportations, if we go organic we reduce 40% of the current CO2 in the air already, and the daily emission.

If we reduce the livestock raising, then we can reduce all the toxic gases lingering in our air right now. Hydrogen sulfide, Yes. that is one of the toxic gases, deadly gases which is emitted fromlivestock, yes. Another is methane. Another is, of course, CO2. And the methane can even trigger more CO2 if it warm the climate. So, encourage organic farming. Be vegan.