Around July 11th a trillion tonne chunk of Larson C ice shelf broke off and become the roughly 2,200 sq mile Iceberg A-68. The news was reported by scientists observing the growing crack through the Project Midas website.
Martin O’Leary a Research Officer at Swansea University and expert in ice flow modeling was quoted and has been re-quoted ad nauseum saying:
“Although this is a natural event and we’re not aware of any link to human-induced climate change, this puts the ice shelf in a very vulnerable position.”
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Larsen C Ice Shelf - February 21, 2017
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Huge Antarctic iceberg finally breaks free - Larsen Ice Shelf, Antarctica
July 12, 2017
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I understand there’s valid reasons for scientists being ultra-conservative in making connections, but that "no link" suggestion is simply weird, pollyannaish even. Reads like it was penned by a Trump team member rather than a dedicated researcher. Or, perhaps it was penned by someone deeply frightened by the Trump Administration and funding concerns.
Before labeling me a scientist basher understand my years worth of blogging has been all about defending the solid integrity of scientists, and the work they have been sharing with a public that has a right to know the unvarnished truth without constantly being deluged by lies, slander and disingenuous distractions into irrelevance.
{PS. Check out the latest news, once again exposing how all this 'Seepage' started:
Utilities Knew: Documenting Electric Utilities’ Early Knowledge and Ongoing Deception on
Climate Change From 1968-2017 http://www.energyandpolicy.org/utilities-knew-about-climate-change/
It’s true, I’m only a high school grad, class of ’73, but I’ve been actively keeping up on climate science developments and global observations ever since. Does that give me the right to lecture experienced professionals on communicating science?
Well if they continue spinning reality into an intellectual parlor game that ignores the existential crisis we have collectively created for ourselves, … if their message sidesteps common sense geophysical interconnections. You bet !
So long as I can support my indictment with rational arguments and valid evidence.
This post will be about the mountain of evidence pointing to this recent calving event being part and parcel of an interconnected global climate engine that is being warmed by society’s fossil fuel burning emissions! It will also spotlight other examples of gratuitous misleading words injected into reports purely for their soothing value and political cover.
Not having every single detail of every dynamic interconnection mapped out in it’s entirety is no justification for ignoring obvious dynamics and cascading consequences.