A Global Warning on Global Warming
– Weird Weather
By Judite Chan
Living in Macau for years, it’s hard for us to imagine anything devastating that disrupts life in the entire planet. Macau had no natural disasters. And in fact, many adversities, from natural disasters as to aircraft accidents and even terrorist attacks, have caused worldwide panic but the impact is usually bounded to regional and not the whole world. Things are changing.
In recent years, Macau is undergoing erratic changes in the weather. The number of typhoon activities in Macau is decreasing every year and temperature is rising in recent decade. We hardly notice these little changes that are taking place until last year. It is recorded by the Macau Meteorological Geophysical Services that typhoon signals are only hosted for three times in 2007 which is 8 times less compared to the year 2006 and 2001 respectively. In 2006 the annual mean
temperature is 23.1 degrees Celsius which is higher by 0.5 degrees Celsius than in 2000, and compared with the average values of the period of 1971-2000, the average temperature rose by 0.7 degrees Celsius. There are few weeks in which the temperature is recorded at its lowest as 9.1degrees Celsius in 2007, yet it is 4.9 degrees Celsius higher than in 2005 in which the lowest temperature is 4.2 degrees Celsius.
Even in a report released by Hong Kong Observatory recently which predicts that there will be no more winter in 20 to 40 years, the subject did not seem to alarm us. What will happen in Hong Kong would actually happen in Macau too. It is observed that we have a low degree for the concern. We are alarmed at consequences brought by the gaming industry but we are oblivious to environmental problems. Have we underestimated the effects of Global warming or do we just think that the effects are not overwhelming just because there are no obvious consequences happening on us? Have you ever thought that human life is actually getting harder notwithstanding advanced technologies we have? In fact global warming is not just the matter of temperature swinging up; it is closely related to many damaging disasters.
Global warming did not occur in recent 10 years, according to National Aeronautics and Space Administration (NASA), it has been happening since late 1800’s due to human activities which enhanced the Earth’s natural greenhouse effect. In 1900, the whole world has warmed up by around 0.8 degrees centigrade but in late 21st century, the temperature is likely to increase by 2 to 5 degrees centigrade. The increase would sound much overwhelming when we compare to that during last Ice Age. Since the Ice Age, the temperature is increased by 5 degrees over around 5000 years but today the same amount of warming is produced in just a century.
We only knew that glaciers show the starkest signs of rising temperature, but did you notice the accelerating speed on the melt? The World Glacier Monitoring Services (WGMS) found that mountain glaciers are shrinking three times faster than they were in the 1980’s, which is on average 60-70cm of ice thinner, after studying 30 glaciers around the world. Glaciers play a very significant role in our lives. It does not only affect the ecosystem which might lead to extinction of polar bears, but it is also the major sources of water for many rivers which people depend for drinking water, agriculture and industrial use. Imagine that rising sea levels displace coastal populations. Besides, it is this massive piece of ice that glues the plates underneath which has naturally prevented disastrous earthquakes.
As world warms, tropics expand. Yes, it definitely means a longer growing season, but unreliable rain could be bad for farming and food control. According to studies presented at the Royal Society in London, global food production is actually decreasing. Researchers predict in the coming decades, higher temperatures and droughts caused by climate change will sadden crop yields in many places. Consequence of global warming covers a diversity of concern which has a deep effect on human lives. The subject is a global emergency which we have to reflect. It is already too late to prevent more climate change in the next few decades, but it is not too late to forestall severe consequences. Though we cannot stop it but keeping the rate of global warming as low as possible, is a de facto way we can try. By using less energy, the emission of carbon dioxide can be reduced, and by planting more trees and protecting the vast forest, global warming may stop accelerating.
