It ain't natural

What global warming could do to national parks

Posted by Kate Sheppard at 4:02 PM on 17 Jul 2007

Read more about: climate | climate change impacts | national parks

The National Parks Conservation Association released a new report last week, "Unnatural Disaster" (PDF), which explores the impact of global warming on national parks, and as you'd expect, the news is pretty grim. From the intro:

The gradual, accelerated warming of our planet will have disastrous consequences for America's national parks. Glaciers in the national parks of Alaska as well as North Cascades and Mount Rainier National Parks will continue to disappear; Joshua trees will no longer exist at Joshua Tree National Park; and a rising sea will drown Everglades National Park and portions of historic sites such as Colonial National Historical Park, site of the first permanent English settlement at Jamestown.

The report is handy, albeit depressing. But it tries to be upbeat about the opportunity to avert the most serious consequences of climate change with a strong mitigation plan.

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It ain't Natural

Kate Sheppard naturally takes a close look at the effects Global Warming will have on the USA, focusing on the Parks in every part of the country. Global Warming, however, is not limited to such a near-sighted view of the world but affects every continent without exception. The acceleration of the icemelt process she worries about in the future is unfortunately happening right now, and like any acceleration just keeps on going faster and faster. Estimates of forty or fifty years before Global Warming goes out of control are proven wrong but still get used by politicians, etc., to soothe the public and avoid the necessity of doing something - anything - now!

The Canadian Arctic melt-down is well ahead of former time estimates, and Greenland's icesheet is falling into the northern Atlantic at a phenomenal rate. When the movie, 'The Snows of Kilimanjaro,' was shot in Africa fifty years ago there was a lot of snow and ice contained in that glacier; now there is no snow and only a little wall of glacial ice for travelers to see. Time is no longer on our side.

Des Emery

by Des Emery at 6:18 PM on 17 Jul 2007

"albeit depressing"

Yes, very depressing. Not least because the people who love the parks and monuments, especially the great naturalists and historians who work there, can only sit by and observe, but personally are able to do little or nothing by way of stopping the destruction.

It is ironic that Jamestown should figure so prominently, on the 400th anniversary of the English settlement there, following an impressive reconstruction of the site, and a visit from none other than the Queen.

Des Emery, your attention to global matters, and problems affecting places outside the US, is well done and welcome. But surely Kate knows about those things too. Meanwhile, it is often useful to focus on details, even as we should never forget the big picture.

Chickens deserve our true friendship! So do fish! So do other sentient beings! Let us learn to be kind.

by caniscandida at 12:51 AM on 18 Jul 2007

Kent, WA 98030 Global Warming Report

It was nice and sunny on the 4th of July, unlike every other year in the Puget Sound when it was cold and rainy.

Chalk up one for Global Warming.

Hoo-ray.

by jabailo at 3:24 AM on 18 Jul 2007

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