Is our planet still warming?

It may not seem that way to us but scientists continue to claim that our planet is still warming, and that climate change is very much a reality we live in. This was the conclusion of the newest review of climate data that included 26 climate scientists from eight countries, and all these scientists agreed how Earth is really warming, and how the global warming could reach as high as 7 degrees temperature increase by the end of the century if greenhouse gases growth continues its current trend.

Is huge sea level rise likely to happen?

Most climate change predictions have concluded that sea levels will globally rise around 1 meter by the end of this century. Such sea level rise is already huge, but a major review of climate change in Antarctica conducted by the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research (SCAR)come up with even bigger numbers, namely that sea levels could rise 1,4m by the end of this century.

Hope to stop the climate change is already lost?

Climate talks have failed in the most important issue, namely to specify the carbon emission cuts, and the only thing that can be characterized as some sort of success is the "agreement" that outlined a goal of providing $100bn a year by 2020 to help poor countries and also promised to deliver $30bn of aid for developing nations over the next three years. These are significant commitments but are they enough for us to be optimistic?

Difficult to say. China and India did not want legally binding targets about carbon emissions because they want to continue their impressive economic growth at any cost, and though most delegates backed a US proposal that included limiting temperature rises to less than 2C, at the end the 193-nation summit ended with delegates taking "note" of the deal. Taking note is definitely not enough.

Though you have the general feeling like for the first time in human history both developed and developing countries look ready to fight the climate change problem, somehow it still looks like the differences between these countries are still making things extremely difficult in reaching new climate deal.

And the result of this is that we now have a declaration, instead of legally obliging deal. So much hopes, so much talks, so much world leaders on one place, such an important issues, and all we have is a declaration. It should have been so much more.

Climate talks will likely be the main topic in the upcoming months but from the current point of view it definitely does not look like the climate deal will be struck in any time soon.

After so many months of hope, hope that world has finally reach the point to put aside the difference in opinion, and struck deal about this vital issue, all we are left with is an empty accord with no legally binding targets, and no money guaranteed to be over and above existing aid budgets.

World has yet again showed its true face by showing how little we care for our planet. Pathetic and embarrassing.

Germany to continue with significant CO2 reduction targets

Despite the climate deal has very much failed this will not stop Germany to continue with very ambitious target of 40% less CO2 emissions by 2020. Of course to do so, the emphasis will be on even bigger share of renewable energy sources in domestic energy supply. This highly industrialized country is the sixth largest CO2 emitter in the world, and any significant decrease from its part would be more than welcome to tackle climate change on global level.

This won't be very easy to do, because Germany being highly industrialized country, also has some powerful industry lobbies that have already started talking how such ambitious target would hurt German industry too much, causing lot of people to lose their jobs.

On the other hand such CO2 reduction target could also give further boost to German renewable energy sector, and could give German economy the edge in the clean energy race.

Since Copenhagen climate deal turned out to be a major setback, world really needs much more positive examples, or otherwise temperature increase will cause devastating damage to our planet, and irreversibly change our current way of life. It is nice to see that some countries are well aware of that.

From the current point of view it certainly looks like the Germany will be the leading country, and the driving force behind the EU's clean energy policy.

Forests are the best ally in fight against climate change

Though Copenhagen climate deal turned out to be one major disappointment still almost all world leaders agreed that one of the most important thing to do to tackle climate change is to save our forests, particularly rainforests that play one of the most important roles in regulating climate on our planet. Has world finally started realizing how important our forests and rainforests really are?

Forests do not only help regulate climate by absorbing large quantities of CO2 from the atmosphere but they are also the home to millions of plants and animals, and also protect soils and watersheds from erosion. Of course, in fight against the climate change their most wanted ability is to store carbon by absorbing greenhouse gases and preventing their release into the atmosphere.

So how can we save our forests that are so vital ally in fight against the climate change? Currently the most popular idea is that rich countries pay developing nations to protect and manage their tropical forests in order to reduce the global carbon emissions that result from massive deforestation. The largest rainforests in the world belong to developing countries, and without money from rich countries they will continue to destroy forests to primarily make more rooms for farms and more cattle pasture areas.

Globally deforestaion is the second main cause of global warming problem behind fossil fuels burning, and we would do great deal for tackling the climate change by halting deforestation. The solution really looks to be simple, namely the developed countries pay for the right to emit carbon emissions, and developing nations with vast forest areas are paid to keep these forests intact.

But in order for this solution to work it is vital to ensure that the money ends up in right place, and not in pockets of dirty politicians. This could be a big problem because many developed countries are struggling with corruption problems, and it would definitely not be easy to unsure the total transparency of the funds.

This problem still shouldn't prevent rich countries to finance funds against deforestation. All what these countries need to ensure is some sort of mechanisms that would ensure total transparency of these funds to ensure that money will end up in the right place. We must not forget that by saving our forests we are also saving the future of our planet.

Water vapor - Effect on climate change

According to the latest scientific study the water vapor plays much bigger role in global warming phenomenon than previously expected, and according to the new study a 10 percent drop in water vapor ten miles above Earth's surface significantly increased the impact on global warming. The results of this study could also explain the mystery of why temperatures have not risen as fast in the last ten years as they did in the 1980s and 1990s.

The satellite images show that water vapor was increasing in the 1980s and 1990s, and then dropping after 2000, and according to the scientists these ups and downs occurred precisely in a narrow altitude region of the stratosphere where they played the biggest possible role on climate.

Water vapor is one of the less known greenhouse gases, not as famous as its close relatives carbon dioxide, and methane but still important part of greenhouse gases family that plays crucial role in climate change.

Satellite images show that water vapor in the stratosphere decreased by about 10 percent in the last 10 years, and reasons for that are still unknown. Though we still don't know the reason of this decrease, this was quite helpful scenario that was mainly responsible for cooling by causing surface temperatures to increase about 25 percent more slowly than they would have otherwise, with the ongoing increases in carbon dioxide and other greenhouse gases.

Scientists have also concluded that an increase in stratospheric water vapor in the 1990s likely had the opposite effect of increasing the rate of warming by about 30 percent. Once the mystery what triggers the increase and decrease in stratospheric water vapor gets solved we will know much more about the role of water vapor in climate change.

How will climate change impact water supplies?

Climate change experts agree that climate change will have very negative impact on global water supplies. Many impact of global warming are connected with water supplies. The list includes melting glaciers, heat waves, cyclones or water-borne diseases such as cholera, desertification, and floods.

Climate change will result in shortage of water, and shortage of water could lead to open conflicts, and even wars between some countries. People will only see how precious water really is once there won't be enough water, and this could happen in not so far future from now.

Shortage of water presents by many the most important threat to future peace in the world, and many countries should already start to cooperate in searching for the best possible solutions to overcome water shortages in years to come.

The most affected regions will be Central Asia and northern Africa. According to latest U.N. estimates up to 250 million people in Africa could suffer from insufficient water supplies by 2020.

Water issue will very soon become the most important issues though currently many people do not see it so important. But once water shortages become more frequent many people will see why the water is the most precious resource on our planet.

It would be wise to count how much water we are using for certain "not so relevant" uses, for instance one study showed that it took 15,000 litres to produce a pair of blue jeans. Such examples definitely do not help water conservation cause. Industrial water use should be definitely put under the magnifier.

What should the world first do against the climate change?

If we accept the current dominant climate change theory then climate change is already happening with the worst yet to come once temperatures increase too much. This means that we cannot stop climate change since climate change is already here, and the only two things we can do is make sure not to increase climate change impact even further, and also to adapt to new climate conditions the best we can.

In order not to make things even worse we should significantly decrease the amount of CO2 emissions that are released in atmosphere. Fossil fuels burning is the main reason behind excessive emissions so we should be doing everything that is in our power to replace fossil fuels with clean, renewable energy sources. Sadly, energy demand keeps on growing, and clean energy sources are still not developed enough to provide significant share of world's total energy since they lack both tradition, as well as powerful lobbies that would support them.

If we accept the fact that climate change impact will become more powerful as the years will go by then each country must do its maximum to ensure painless adaptation to new climate change. Rich countries shouldn't have too much problem with it but what about poor developing countries? Dozens billions of dollar each year are needed to ensure the best possible adaptation to climate change for developing countries, and as climate conditions will become worse even more money will be needed with each new year.

Developing countries feel that the rich countries are not to be trusted since many of them have broken their promises to cut their own emissions which has created mistrust on global level that is definitely one of the main reasons that certainly played major role in undermining climate talks in Copenhagen.

But the positive factor in this whole story could be the global clean energy race. Clean energy sources are becoming increasingly popular, and it looks like all the big players want not only to participate in this race but have also set their sights on medals.

However, international climate deal is still needed, because political promises are worthless without legally binding document. Hopefully next climate talks will be able to deliver the international climate deal, so the world could actually witness that not all political promises are false.

Climate change impact on forests and rainforests - Facts

Forests, especially rainforests play vital role in decreasing the impact of climate change because they absorb large quantities of CO2 from the atmosphere. This is the reason why forests are sometimes called as "the nature's answer to global warming".

With the increased temperatures that are expected in years to come there will be also an increased chance of wildfires and they are very likely to become more frequent and powerful enough to destroy many of forests on our planet.

Old tropical rainforests that are absorbing the most of carbon emission are disappearing very fast because of high rates of deforestation.

Current rates of deforestation in many parts of the world are horrific and with less forests remaining less CO2 can be absorbed from the atmosphere.

Old ancient rainforests absorb most of CO2, and they should be preserved at any cost if we want to avoid the worst of climate change. Rainforests are also home to many unique species, and areas with he richest biodiversity in the world so if we destroy them many animal species will go extinct.

Old ancient rainforests absorb large quantities of CO2 from the atmosphere which prevents further temperature increase.

The world's largest rainforest is Amazon rainforest. Deforestation of Amazon rainforest contributes to three quarters of total Brazil's greenhouse gas emissions.

Forest funding is one of the best options to stop deforestation in developing countries and should be used much more if we want to preserve our forests and rainforests.

Deforestation on global level is responsible for about one fifth of total world's greenhouse emissions. The more forest we lose the more CO2 remains in the atmosphere.

Stronger evidence for human caused climate change

Despite the recent increase in number of climate change skeptics due to some controversies about former climate change studies majority of the scientists still believe that human activity caused climate change, and that climate change impact is becoming stronger and stronger.

The UK Met Office study, after assessing 110 research papers on the climate change concluded that the climate change evidence is stronger now compared to time when the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change carried out its last assessment in 2007.

According to this report our climate is changing rapidly, and mostly due to the increase in greenhouse gases that are result of human activity (fossil fuels burning).

What scientists in this study did found out is that changes in Arctic sea ice, atmospheric moisture, saltiness of parts of the Atlantic Ocean and temperature changes in the Antarctic are consistent with human influence on our climate, and all these factors point out to the global picture of warming world.

This study hasn't only looked at the regional and global temperatures but also the changes in Arctic sea ice, changes in rainfall patterns, and humidity of atmosphere. And according to Dr Stott, one of the lead authors of this study "all these different aspects of the climate system are adding up to a picture of the effects of a human influence on our climate."

And yet despite so many studies that say how Earth is changing rapidly because of human caused climate change world is still not doing necessary things to halt further strengthening of the climate change impact. The same old story again and again, lots of talk and promises, and no necessary action.