Page 28 - ARUBA TODAY

A28 SCIENCE
Tuesday 7 November 2017

U.S. report contradicts Trump team: Warming mostly man-made

By SETH BORENSTEIN ed how different climate
AP Science Writer change-caused events
WASHINGTON (AP) — A can interact in a complex
massive U.S. report con- way to make life worse
cludes the evidence of such as the California wild-
global warming is stronger fires and Superstorm Sandy
than ever, contradicting five years ago.
a favorite talking point of The world's oceans are un-
top Trump administration der a "triple threat" — the
officials, who downplay water is getting warmer,
humans' role in climate more acidic and seeing a
change. drop in oxygen levels, Hay-
The report released Friday is hoe said.
one of two scientific assess- In a 1,504-page draft report
ments required every four on the impacts of climate
years. A draft showing how change, scientists detailed
warming affects the U.S. dozens of ways global
was also published. warming is already affect-
Despite fears by some sci- ing parts of the U.S.
entists and environmental Scientists said global warm-
advocates, David Fahey ing is already sickening, in-
of the National Oceanic juring and killing Americans
and Atmospheric Adminis- with changes to weather,
tration and several authors In this Saturday, Sept. 3, 2016 file photo, water from Roanoke Sound pounds the Virginia Dare food, air, water and dis-
said there was no political Trail in Manteo, N.C., as Tropical Storm Hermine passes the Outer Banks. Associated Press eases. And it's expected
interference or censoring to get worse, hurting the
of the 477-page final re- tion Agency chief Scott percent. It's more than 100 They include the slowing economy, wildlife and en-
port. Pruitt have repeatedly said percent on one end, be- down of the giant Atlantic ergy supply.
"A lot of what we've been carbon dioxide isn't the pri- cause some natural forces Ocean circulation system "Risks range from the incon-
learning over the last four mary contributor to global — such as volcanoes and that could dramatically venient, such as increasing
years suggests the possibil- warming. orbital cycle — are work- warp weather worldwide, high tide flooding along the
ity that things may have It's "extremely likely" — ing to cool Earth, but are much stronger El Ninos, ma- East Coast related to sea
been more serious than we meaning with 95 to 100 per- being overwhelmed by jor decreases in ice sheets level rise, to ... the forced
think," said Robert Kopp of cent certainty — that glob- the effects of greenhouse in Greenland and Antarc- relocation of coastal com-
Rutgers University, one of al warming is man-made, gases, said study co-author tica, which would spike munities in Alaska and
dozens of scientists inside mostly from the spewing of Katharine Hayhoe of Texas sea level rise, and massive along the Gulf Coast," the
and outside the govern- carbon dioxide into the at- Tech. release of methane and draft report said.
ment who wrote the re- mosphere from the burning "This period is now the carbon dioxide from thaw- Outside experts said the
ports. of coal, oil and natural gas, warmest in the history of ing permafrost that could reports are the most up-to-
Since 1900, Earth has scientists concluded. modern civilization," she turbo-charge warming. date summary of climate
warmed by 1.8 degrees (1 "Over the last century, said. Researchers did not pro- science.
degree Celsius) and seas there are no convincing al- For the first time, scientists vide an estimate of how "It shows that if anything the
have risen by 8 inches. ternative explanations," the highlighted a dozen "tip- likely tipping points would findings of scientists have
Heat waves, downpours report said. ping points" of potential occur, but "there is certain- become more dire" since
and wildfires have become Scientists calculated that dangers that could hap- ly some chance of some of 2013, said University of Cali-
frequent. human contribution to pen from warming, things these things happening," fornia, Berkeley climate sci-
Energy Secretary Rick Perry warming since 1950 is be- that Hayhoe said "keep me Fahey said. entist Zeke Hausfather, who
and Environmental Protec- tween 92 percent and 123 up at night." The report also document- wasn't part of the work.q