Very troubling....

One of Europe's leading scientists yesterday raised the possibility that the extreme heatwave now settled over at least 30 countries in the northern hemisphere could signal that man-made climate change is accelerating.

"The present heatwave across the northern hemisphere is worrying. There is the small probability that man-made climate change is proceeding much faster and stronger than expected," said Professor John Schellnhuber, former chief scientific adviser to the German government and now head of the UK's leading group of climate scientists at the Tyndall center.

Prof Schellnhuber said "the parching heat experienced now" could be consistent "with a worst-case scenario [of global warming] that nobody wants to come true". He warned that several months' research would be needed to analyze data from around the world before scientists could say why the heatwaves are so intense this year.

"What we are seeing is absolutely unusual," said Prof Schellnhuber. "We know that global warming is proceeding apace, but most of us were thinking that in 20-30 years time we would be seeing hot spells [like this]. But it's happening now. Clearly extreme weather events will increase." [asides are in the original]

While Europe burns and 1,500 people die from heat prostration in India, President Bush continues to scoff at global warming and Republicans blocked efforts last week by Senators John McCain and Joseph Leiberman to force a vote on their bill limiting greenhouse gas emissions. (The vote has been postponed until the fall.)

As that famous margarine commercial used to exclaim—was it in the 1970’s?—“You can’t fool Mother Nature.” We’re risking not only rising sea-levels, but large-scale agricultural failures, droughts and ensuing famines that could make those the world has already experienced pale in comparison.

On the other hand, some scientist fear that the rising temperatures could trigger the next ice-age, which—according to ice-cores in Antarctica and the Arctic—is about due anyway.

What are you doing to help? I’ve traded my gas-guzzling clunker (the only kind of automobile I can afford) for a bicycle. That’s right: I actually live and work in Southern California and do not own a car. It can be done.

Stories here and here.