Humans Creating New “Geological Age”

[Karl]

(Read Full Article: Humans creating new 'geological age' | Herald Sun)

A leading environmental scientist from Australia asserts that humans are causing such unprecedented climatic change and mass extinctions it is creating a new geological age. The planet is already amid a "human-induced mass extinction event'' which is defining a new geological age known as the Anthropocene, says Professor Will Steffen, director of the Centre for Resource and Environmental Studies at Canberra's Australian National University.

"The facts speak for themselves,'' Prof Steffen told the Second International Salinity Forum in Adelaide. "In 2005, the Millennium Ecosystem Assessment published a report on the changes in species diversity and found the current rate of species loss is higher than the background rate inferred in the fossil record. "Another 10-30% of birds, mammals and amphibians are currently threatened with extinction. "This rapid rate in the loss of species diversity is similar in intensity to the event around 65 million years ago which wiped out the dinosaurs and other species.'' Damming nearly all of the world's major rivers had left 75% of the world's fisheries exploited or depleted, he said. The human impact has been pronounced in Australia, due to the highly variable climate, unique wildlife and poor soils, he said.

"Human history is littered with examples of civilisations that have collapsed because of their inability to adjust to environmental change - such as the Mayans in Meso-America, the Norse colonies in southern Greenland and the Akkadian civilisation, which was located in what is now Syria.''

With no one sure what the tipping point was, the best course of action was to mitigate climate change and reduce greenhouse gas emissions as soon as possible, he said.

[forfismum]

Originally Posted by Karl

"Human history is littered with examples of civilisations that have collapsed because of their inability to adjust to environmental change - such as the Mayans in Meso-America, the Norse colonies in southern Greenland and the Akkadian civilisation, which was located in what is now Syria.''

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If only there had been a few Australian experts around at the time,none of this would have happened.

[cbacba]

The closest tipping point is for glaciation. Normally, they don't happen very often with co2 concentrations above about 1000 ppm. Unfortunately, we are well within the danger zone at present time and it's thought it will be only a matter of time before we lapse into another glaciation period of a full bore ice age as our current interglacial period has already lasted longer than most. On the warmer side of things, our next tipping point probably involves the evaporation of the oceans - either that or 100% permanent cloud cover. This will probably happen within the next billion years or so as the sun continues to heat up as it ages. However, it's expected that quite a few warming and cooling cycles will continue to happen in the interim - at least until substantial increases in CO2 concentrations occur and move us away from the dangers of ice age cycles.