Siberian Arctic temperatures and methane emissions sharply increased

Scientists from the University of Alaska at Fairbanks in the USA have reported that the shallow undersea permafrost in Siberia, which until recent years was stable, is now noted as releasing significant amounts of methane, even more than the record highs from Summer 2008.

According to lead scientist Professor Igor Semiletov, who is also head of the International Siberian Shelf Study (ISSS), the region is experiencing the fastest temperature rise of the planet.

Springtime air is currently measured at an average of 4 degrees Celsius higher than in the last three decades of the 20th century. Sudden releases of methane gas are linked to runaway global warming and are considered a factor in the past mass extinction of species.

The Alaskan researchers state that if the current warming conditions continue, the melting of underwater Siberian permafrost would release catastrophic amounts of methane.

Dr. Sergey Kirpotin – Tomsk University (Quote in Russian): As more permafrost melts, more greenhouse gases are released into the atmosphere. It is absolutely evident. We could be uncertain in quantitative terms, but the fact that this process has a global character, global importance and global scale is absolutely evident.

Vladimir Chuprov – Greenpeace Russia Representative (Quote in Russian): It is essential to come up with a new international agreement that could guarantee the reduction of greenhouse gas emissions – the causes of the global climate change.

Only then could we slow down these negative processes that take place also in the Russian Arctic. Professor Semiletov and University of Alaska colleagues, we appreciate this clarion call about the dire signals being conveyed by our Earth.

May we all deeply realize the grave nature of climate change and act now to protect our shared planetary home. As on many occasions, Supreme Master Ching Hai explained during an October 2009 videoconference in Hong Kong the urgent situation of methane gas release, while offering the surest solution.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: There are massive quantities of gases, poisonous and explosive, such as under the permafrost. The gas released then causes more warming, which causes even more gas to be released. This is like a vicious circle. They even call this vicious feedback cycle a so-called “climate time bomb.” We are running out of time, we must wake up soon; we must make a small sacrifice and changes.

I am hopeful. I’m having a positive feeling that it won’t happen to Earth, but we all must work; we cannot sit there and wait for a miracle to happen. God needs us to represent Hirm in compassion, in merciful heart, in the way we live a godly life, befitting God’s children. If we all become vegan and live a virtuous, compassionate life, it won’t happen.

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/8437703.stm

Antarctic melting could trigger mass extinction

Following the release of reports that our planet is on track to experience a 6-degree Celsius temperature rise by the year 2100, new studies from the University of Texas, USA show that since 2006, eastern Antarctica has been shedding around 57 billion tons of ice each year. This study coincided with the recent sighting of hundreds of Antarctic icebergs that have broken away and are now floating towards New Zealand, an event that has caused officials to issue warnings for ships in the region.

Another study by the British Antarctic Survey states that past records, current temperature indications and total Antarctic ice volume measurements all point toward a 6 meter sea level rise in the coming years.
This finding has caused a revisiting of the 2007 report by UK’s Guardian news science journalist Mark Lynas, which describes the effects of such devastating climate-related change.

The report stated, “It would cause a mass extinction of almost all life and probably reduce humanity to a few struggling groups of embattled survivors clinging to life near the poles. Very few species could adapt in time to the abruptness of the transition.” Mr. Lynas, UK Guardian, University of Texas and British Antarctic Survey scientists, we are grateful for your work in revealing these findings, despite their disturbing nature.

Let us act swiftly in loving stewardship of our ecosphere while there still is time. Supreme Master Ching Hai has often emphasized the urgency of our planetary crisis while encouraging people to take action, as during an interview for the July 12, 2009 edition of the Irish Sunday Independent.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: The truth is that, scientifically speaking, we have a short time left because we have already waited too long to act. Leading scientists and organizations are now saying this as well, especially as they find that the tipping points, which indicate irreversible damage to the Earth, are being reached much faster than anyone had previously thought and calculated.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: There are truly too many confirmations of the urgency of our planetary situation to even name. It is better we concentrate on the solution to save the Earth. We can still do it.

See, We need the solution, which is organic life-saving vegan diet, then our future is transformed. Life will quickly become better than what you could even imagine. So, let us all act now to ensure the future that we want, and the one we want for our children. That is Be Veg, Go Green, Save the Planet.

http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/6597757/Rising-CO2-will-cause-catastrophic-sea-level-rise-finds-Antarctic-study.html
http://www.france24.com/en/node/4931234,
http://www.france24.com/en/node/4931468,
http://www.france24.com/en/node/4931459
http://www.nzherald.co.nz/environment/news/article.cfm?c_id=39&objectid=10610140
http://www.guardian.co.uk/books/2007/apr/23/scienceandnature.climatechange
http://www.telegraph.co.uk/earth/earthnews/6597757/Rising-CO2-will-cause-catastrophic-sea-level-rise-finds-Antarctic-study.html

Earth may be headed for sixth mass extinction

Using risk factors and computer modeling to predict the rates at which mammals will become extinct, Dr. Ana Davidson of the University of New Mexico, USA and other animal conservationists state that a quarter of all mammals are now at risk of vanishing permanently.

With 83% of the Earth’s land surface now impacted by humans, the species included for consideration were drawn from a list of over 1,100 endangered mammals, compiled by the International Union for the Conservation of Nature (IUC N).

Factors considered in the extinction risk calculations included climate change, deforestation, and illegal poaching. While it saddens our hearts for the loss of precious beings, we offer our gratitude, Dr. Davidson and associates, for these insights to help us further protect

our precious co-inhabitants. Blessed be endeavors such as yours to safeguard all beings in the ecosphere.
In a March 2009 climate change videoconference in Mexico, Supreme Master Ching Hai conveyed once more her care for Earth’s inhabitants, including a reminder of the irreplaceable enrichment provided by animals on our planet.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: Just return to compassion and respect for all the life. That is the principle we must uphold to ensure that the animals do not disappear, because, that would be tragic for us humans, too.
Imagine our planet without animals at all. All the dogs gone, cats gone, birds gone, fish gone, buffalos gone, elephants gone; imagine, none of the animals survive, how would we live?

If all humanity lives with the animal-free diet, and lives in respect to nature and other life, then we will have a Heaven on Earth.

Reference
http://www.voanews.com/english/2009-06-18-voa20.cfm,
http://biology.unm.edu/jhbrown/LabMembers.html

Global warming may trigger carbon 'time bomb', scientist warns

Runaway explosive gas from a warming Arctic. At the Copenhagen Climate Congress this past week, climate researcher Dr. Philippe Ciais of the French Laboratory for Climate Sciences and the Environment warned that just a 2 degree Celsius rise in average world temperature could instigate a carbon “time bomb” in the vast regions of Arctic permafrost. The sustained warming of the soil would initiate bacterial composting, leading to a cycle of accelerated temperature increase and the possibly explosive, fatal release of billions of tons of greenhouse gases into the atmosphere.

In a recent phone interview with Supreme Master Television, Dr. Isobel Simpson of the University of California – Irvine, USA, shared her views and concern about the current situation of thawing in the Arctic.

Dr. Isobel Simpson – Atmosphere chemist, University of California – Irvine, USA (F): A lot of the climate change feed back scenarios involve methane. You know there is all this methane trapped in the permafrost in the Arctic, and you already get research coming out saying, these lakes are thawing in Siberia and you’re getting all this methane released from these thawed lakes. There’s so much methane trapped under the permafrost, orders of magnitude more than what’s in the atmosphere now and the concern is, at what point does that methane start being released under melting scenarios?

That is what would keep me awake at night, is thinking about the future and where are the methane reservoirs. How stable are they? How fast is the change occurring in the Arctic? And can we get carbon dioxide under control before something catastrophic happens?

VOICE: Drs. Simpson, Ciais and colleagues, we thank you for alerting us to the dire situation caused by the warming atmosphere to our Earth. We pray that the world’s citizens quickly transition to a kinder, more considerate lifestyle to preserve all life on our beautiful globe.

During a videoconference with Supreme Master Television staff members in California, USA in January 2009, Supreme Master Ching Hai revealed through her insight and inner contact with inhabitants of Mars some truths about their history of climate change. Only a tiny minority had survived the runaway events, whose beginnings were similar in many ways to the current situation on Earth.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: The mass extinction came; they die, not only human beings on there, but the animals also; they die by two main poisonous gases. Namely, hydrogen sulfide and nitrous oxide, plus methane as the third cause. But hydrogen sulfide and methane from the livestock begun to warm the climate and then triggered more other gases from the ocean, from permafrost and glacier around their planet. Just like what is happening to our planet right now.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: As the destruction happened too fast and no one can help anyone. Only 0.2% of them escaped, around 2 million, into the underground caves. And that’s how they survive.

Supreme Master Ching Hai: They retain the history of what happened, so that the descendants know how to take care of what they have and not to be careless, and not to be so destructive anymore but more virtuous and spiritual.