우연히 구글에 들어가 봤는데...메인화면에 조금씩 변동이 있네요. 무슨 날인가? 하고 보니 지구의 날이라는 군요.

지구의 날이란...? * Earthday Scandal2010 지난 세기, 화석연료는 인간에게는 풍요를 주었지만 그 풍요로운 삶이  온실가스를 배출하고 인간의 무분별한 자원 낭비 습관을 가져 왔습니다. 이로 인해 지구온난화가 진행되어 해수면이 상승하고 폭우, 폭풍, 해일등 거대한 자연의 재앙이 밀려오고 있습니다. 남태평양의 작은섬 투발루는 지구온난화로 해수면이 상승하면서 50년 후엔 지구상에 사라져버릴 위기에 처해 있습니다. 투발루는 2001년 국토 포기선언 이후 호주, 뉴질랜드, 미국 등 기후 난민으로 주변국가로 떠나고 있는 상황입니다. 하지만 지구온난화를 초래한 선진국들은 투발루재앙의 대한 책임보다는 외면하고 있는 것이 더 가슴아프게 합니다. 이러한 기후문제는 더이상 투발루만의 문제가 아닙니다. 기후학자들은 현 상태가 지속되면 2100년에는 전 지구의 88cm가 상승하여 남태평양과 인도양의 1100개의 섬이 모두 물속에 잠기며 수백년 뒤에는 인류전체가 지구를 떠나야만 하는 상황이 벌어질 지 모릅니다. 지구온난화 뿐만아니라 초대형 자연재앙이 바로 지금 우리의 일상에서도 볼 수 있습니다. 이제 나 하나쯤이야라는 생각보다 나 부터라도 실천을 해야 할 때입니다. 환경보호 운동에 동참해 온실가스를 줄이고, 자원을 아끼며 지구의 온도를 조금씩 줄여 나간다면 소중한 지구를 살릴 수 있습니다. 전 지구적 환경문제를 시민들과의 공감대를 형성하고 실천을 유도하기위해 지구의 날 스캔들 2010 체험행사를 기획하게 되었습니다. 4월 22일은 지구의 날입니다. “세상을 떠들썩하게 하는 지구의 날”을 만들어 봅시다. 자라나는 우리 아이들과 함께 지구의 날의 의미를 생각해 볼 수 있는 기회가 되었으면 합니다. 작은 실천을 배울 수 있는 이번 체험을 통해 지구를 지켜나아갑시다. 라는 취지로 캠페인을 벌이고 있는데 그 기점이 되는 날인 것 같네요.  구글의 메인이 바뀌었길래 궁굼한 마음에 여기저기 아는 검색사이트 들을 들어가 봤습니다.[야밤에 뻘짓이군요..] 구글과 야후는 지구의 날을 기념하는 메인 이미지들이 추가 된 반면, 드림위즈와 파란은 천안함 사건 희생 장병들을 추모하는 아이콘과 메시지를 추가해놨더군요. 그리고 그 이외의 네이버나 다음, 라이코스, 네이트,천리안 등은 평상시의 모습과 별반 다르지 않은 모습이었습니다.

7. The Matterhorn

Many often wonder why Europeans get so hot and bothered about climate change. Perhaps it has something to do with the fact that they are in direct, daily contact with one very sobering reality — their ice is vanishing.

European glaciers have been some of the hardest hit by climate change. Since the first half of the 19th century, about two-thirds of the ice cover was lost in the Pyrenees with a marked acceleration after 1980 (Chueca et al. 2005 via: UNEP) and in the Alps, home to the world famous Matterhorn, nearly half the glaciers have disappeared since record keeping began.

Often called the "water tower" of Europe, the Alps contain 40 percent of Europe's fresh water supply. The dramatic disappearance of ice on the Matterhorn last year has prompted the need for the border between Switzerland and Italy to be redrawn.

6. Alaska

 
(Photo: Muir Glacier, 1941)

 

(Photo: Muir Glacier, 2004)

It's always struck me as a bit ironic that Alaska, home to several of the most famous gubernatorial climate skeptics (including Sarah Palin) is also home to some of the most dramatic examples of climate change.

The astonishing recession of the massive Muir glacier is just one example among dozens, causing many scientists to warn of earthquakes triggered by tectonic plates with suddenly lightened loads.

5. Himalayas

(Photo: NASA)

Home to the planet's largest body of ice outside the polar caps, the Himalayas feed several of the world's largest rivers, supporting close to a billion people. In the western region of Himachal Pradesh, new evidence tracks an annual ice loss of nearly 3 feet in thickness per year, doubling in the past decade from the decade prior (Berthier et al, 2007).

Will the Himalayan glaciers disappear this century? Not likely, but Chinese government officials are growing concerned that retreating ice may spell the end of reliable water supplies for China.

4. Greenland

 

 
(Photo: Helheim Glacier, Spring 2001)

 
(Photo: Helheim Glacier, Spring 2005)

Satellite images of Greenland’s Helheim Glacier dating back to the 50s shows that this massive glacier has remained in tact for decades. But In 2000 it suddenly began disappearing.

By 2005 the glacier had retreated a total of 4 1/2 miles — at an average rate of 110 feet per day. Ironically, retreating glaciers in Greenland have enabled dozens of new oil and gas exploration projects as vanishing ice makes room for heavy drilling equipment.

3. Mount Kilimanjaro

 
(Photo: Mount Kilimanjaro, February 1993 & February 2000)

Last week a band of celebrities hiked up Mount Kilimanjaro to raise awareness for the African water crisis. The famous snow-cap formed 11,000 years ago but has diminished more than 85 percent since 1912, and nearby Mount Kenya has lost nearly ALL of its ice at an average of 1 meter per year, threatening water supplies for millions of people. 

Scientists now predict that the last great African glaciers could be gone within 20 years.

2. The Andes

 
(Photo: Dr. Edson Ramirez/AP; Universidad Mayor de San Andres)

The Chacaltaya glacier, once the highest ski resorts on earth, has completely vanished in the relative blink of an eye. A study on Bolivian glaciers in 1998 predicted the glacier’s disappearance by the year 2015, a claim that at the time was dismissed as overly dramatic. But early last year, it was officially announced that the glacier "... no longer exists," an event which threatens both water and power supplies in the Andean region.

Melting has tripled in the last decade, and it is expected that several adjoining clusters could have less than 30 years to survive.

1. Glacier National Monument

 
(Photo: Glacial National Park — 1938 & 2005)

Based on the latest reports, Montana may have to think of a new name for its famous Glacier National Monument. Of the 38 square-mile area once covered by glaciers, less than 25 percent remains.

Researchers believe that by the year 2030, the vast majority of ice in Glacier National Park will be gone unless current climate patterns are reversed.

ADDENDUM: The GRID Report (PDF) has just released new data for its upcoming 2007/2008 report which shows ever-increasing rates of deglaciation. It's filled with dozens of almost incomprehensible graphs that shows how of the 16 major glaciers studied, all 16 are rapidly melting.

For a primer on basic glacier science click on Part 1 of this post. To learn more about the IPCC Glacier Goof-up read the oh-so-controversial post.

Karl Burkart is a regular contributor to Mother Nature Network, where a version of this post originally appeared.

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