SOIL CARBON AND CLIMATE CHANGE NEWS
From Kansas State University's:
Consortium for Agricultural Soils Mitigation of Greenhouse Gases (CASMGS)
http://soilcarboncenter.k-state.edu
Charles W. Rice, K-State Department of Agronomy, National CASMGS Director
(785) 532-7217 cwrice@ksu.edu
Scott Staggenborg, K-State Department of Agronomy (785) 532-7214 sstaggen@ksu.edu
Steve Watson, CASMGS Communications (785) 532-7105 swatson@ksu.edu
September 8, 2010
No. 79
Key Indicators of Global Warming:
U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration Report
In July, the U.S. National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) released a report titled "The 2009 State of the Climate Report." A summary of the report states:
A comprehensive review of key climate indicators confirms the world is warming and the past decade was the warmest on record. More than 300 scientists from 48 countries analyzed data on 37 climate indicators, including sea ice, glaciers and air temperatures. A more detailed review of 10 of these indicators, selected because they are clearly and directly related to surface temperatures, all tell the same story: global warming is undeniable.
For example, the surface air temperature record is compiled from weather stations around the world, and analyses of those temperatures from four different institutions show an unmistakable upward trend across the globe. But even without those measurements, nine other major indicators of climate change agree: the earth is growing warmer and has been for more than three decades.
A warmer climate means higher sea level, humidity and temperatures in the air and ocean. A warmer climate also means less snow cover, melting Arctic sea ice and shrinking glaciers.
Seven of these indicators would be expected to increase in a warming world and observations show that they are, in fact, increasing. Three would be expected to decrease and they are, in fact, decreasing.
Highlights of the NOAA report can be seen at:
http://www1.ncdc.noaa.gov/pub/data/cmb/bams-sotc/2009/bams-sotc-2009-brochure-lo-rez.pdf
The entire NOAA report can be seen at: