Weather, Water, Energy 10-04-06

Don't read Climate Progress any time soon if you want to, well, be okay. One post deals with the coming desertification of the planet under global warming (1/3rd of the planet by 2100, and that's not the worst scenario), and another quotes the head of the American Association for the Advancement of Science saying, “It is too late for avoiding dangerous climate change. We must focus now on avoiding catastrophic climate change.” All righty, then . . . . Sort of anti-climactic therefore to note that environmental meeting in Mexico where the globe's big powers heard a British gov official (former World Bank chief economist) warn that failing to act on global warming "has high cost" and "the longer action is delayed, the more expensive it is." The judgment of an environmentalist? "Unfortunately it may well be that this week's meeting is another case of lots of talk but little action." . . . A U of KY report says changing rainfall patterns also change how leaves on forest floors decompose, with less rain leading to faster decay, making predictions of the impact of global warming on forest ecology even that much trickier. . . . A UN report warns that rapid coastal urbanization with its waste products is becoming a major source of marine pollution, in fact estimated at 80%. 40% of the world's population lives on coastal bands? That's wise when oceans are rising? Oh, wait, sorry to bring up wisdom. . . . OR water officials are trying to get the gov there to budget $890,000 to study state water needs and possible storage sites. Already some critics over environmental impacts, over whether cities or farms are the priority, IOW, exactly what all coming water policies will have to deal with. We'll try to stay on top of this portent for all of us. Water storage, your entrepreneurial opportunity come true.