New Short Video: Problem in Antarctica affecting major sea level rise

You may have seen reference in the mainstream media to several scientific papers last month that concluded that massive ice melting and sea level rise is now unstoppable — though there is still great uncertainty as to just how quickly it will happen.

Peter Sinclair does a great job explaining many aspects of climate change with short video documentaries. This week he has assembled a 5 minute documentary illustrating the problems with the instability in the Antarctic Ice Sheet.

In Sinclair’s piece you will see references to what happened 14,000 years ago when sea level rose 65 feet (20 meters) in four centuries, as well as reference to possible catastrophic rise in the next 200 years, or sooner if the rate of warming keeps accelerating.

Note that the way the scientists state the case is still not about the worst case. As I have explained, their methodolgy and discipline generally causes them to omit anything they cannot quantify with high confidence — perfectly understandable. That is why the warming, the melting of the Arctic sea ice, and sea level rise generally keep exceeding most of the projections. There are “tipping points” that we still cannot quantify.

I encourage you to watch Peter Sinclair’s 5 minute video. It is part of a new program, “Yale Climate Connections.” Please share.

Btw, for those familiar with my book High Tide On Main Street: Rising Sea Level and the Coming Coastal Crisis, you can find a some more information, particularly starting on page 58. (See www.johnenglander.net/book ) All of the people he interviews on camera are quoted and cited in the book.

By John Englander June 3, 2014 Sea Level Rise