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Our Oceans: What Could Happen

Thursday 15 January 2009

by: NOW  |  t r u t h o u t | Programming Note

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Scientists have found that climate change is impacting the chemistry and currents of the world's oceans. (Photo: Getty Images)

    The most recent NOW on PBS is available for free viewing: RIGHT NOW by clicking here.

    A rise in sea levels isn't the only impact global warming is having on the world's oceans. A growing body of evidence suggests that climate change is also affecting ocean currents and the chemistry of the seas, with potentially catastrophic results.

    This week, NOW travels deep into the oceans with scientists from the Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution (WHOI) with help from other researchers for a firsthand look at this stunning sea change, and what we can do about it.

    "We've been aware of global warming for several decades now. We haven't taken any substantive action, and we're now what many scientists would call at tipping points," said Ruth Curry, an ocean scientist at the WHOI.

    In a simple experiment, using ice cubes, a beaker of water and a hot plate, Curry shows NOW's David Brancaccio how ice acts as a heat buffer in the oceans. When the ice melts, the buffer collapses, and may cause a rapid rise in ocean temperatures, with unpredictable results.

    Some ocean scientists believe that if action isn't taken quickly to address climate change, our oceans could face their biggest shock in 100 million years.

    The world's oceans face a global-warming catastrophe. President-elect Barack Obama has pledged to act quickly to fight climate change, but can his administration make a difference?

  

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Comments

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There are those among the

 Fri, 01/16/2009 - 01:26 — Anonymous (not verified)
There are those among the general population who know that we must change. NOw that we've just about disposed to the bad president, perhaps, with honesty and leadership, our country can reduce our polution, and thereby set an example for the world.

I often ponder the thought

 Fri, 01/16/2009 - 01:31 — Anonymous (not verified)
I often ponder the thought that Kansas will be one day again, a massive ocean from the melted waters of the arctic. It will resemble the great Niobrara or Western Seaway before the great Rockies rose up. What we have here on the plains is flat land and a perfect channel once again for another insland sea. Can you imagine if anyone survives that in millions of years instead of finding fossils as we do here in abunance we will see the remains of all the trash which is adrift throughout the ocean and in some spots like a volcano of trash from every nation in the world. Then, the survivors ofsome sophisticated age in years in the future can make this a living museum for what was once a thriving planet of nest foulers who made a mess of it all. Good luck Obama. Godd luck America.

Unfortunately, if the

 Fri, 01/16/2009 - 17:43 — Tom Camfield (not verified)
Unfortunately, if the average citizen doesn't see dramatic climate change in his own back yard, he's not really much concerned about it. Even those suffering in areas of increased storms, drought and flooding don't seem to get their minds around connecting it with melting glaciers. But it's been becoming obvious in recent years that ocean currents have been playing a major role in the severity of storms, etc.--and related air currents have changed rainfall patterns, bought on unseasonal flooding, etc. In some areas, a couple of "100-year floods" within 15 or 20 years should be a pretty good indication of what's going on.

Quite possibly the biggest

 Sun, 01/18/2009 - 09:24 — Chris L (not verified)
Quite possibly the biggest flaw that we humans, as a species, have is our inability to appreciate long term consequences or to see the big picture. I was talking to a person advocating for more coal on the basis that it is cheaper. I told him that coal power is also responsible for respiratory illnesses, acid rain, and the fact that we have a finite supply alone should question the wisdom of using it. He just stared at me like he never thought about that (which he probably never did). I am afraid that our society will, like those on Easter Island, the Mayans, and many other failed civilizations, pay a very heavy price for our ignorance and denial of reality.