Permafrost Loss Greater Threat Than Deforestation 272
Pierre Bezukhov writes "Emissions from thawing permafrost may contribute more to global warming than deforestation this century, according to commentary in the journal Nature. Arctic warming of 7.5 degrees Celsius (13.5 degrees Fahrenheit) this century may unlock the equivalent of 380 billion tons of carbon dioxide as soils thaw, allowing carbon to escape as CO2 and methane, University of Florida and University of Alaska biologists wrote today in Nature. Two degrees of warming would release a third of that, they said. The Arctic is an important harbinger of climate change because the United Nations calculates it's warming at almost twice the average rate for the planet. The study adds to pressure on United Nations climate treaty negotiators from more than 190 countries attending two weeks of talks in Durban, South Africa that began Nov. 28."
Jobs (Score:4, Funny)
Flawed data (Score:5, Funny)
Arctic temperatures are *not* rising. The data is flawed because the sensors are all set up near Santa's Village, which has been experiencing massive growth over the past few decades as increasing numbers of spoiled kids get more gifts each year. The resulting urban heat island effect (amplified by primitive and inefficient elven HVAC technology) has severely skewed all the Arctic numbers, and the rising temps are just an illusion.
PS - Even France is Better than Germany (Score:4, Funny)
Let's see - France has better looking women, better food, better wine, better movies and better art, and has been a world leader in aeronautics since Bleriot through Arianespace and Bleriot. Their mintel predated and pioneered the idea of a pervasive online service, they've made tremendous contributions in math. And even though they took it on the chin from Germany in World War II, they had incredible artillery and aircraft in World War I, and previously, pioneered everything in engineering from steel warship construction in the La Gloire, and finally, they gave us mayonaisse.