Videoconference in San Jose, California, USA with Supreme Master Ching Hai.

 On Thursday, our Association members in San Jose had the chance to speak with Supreme Master Ching Hai about their concerns related to global climate change. Many questions were asked about the possibilities for our future. Supreme Master Ching Hai emphasized that in addition to sustaining our efforts, a good attitude toward the world also helps.

Videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai
with San Jose Center, California, USA – July 10, 2008

Our Association member (F): I was wondering, what will happen to planet Earth by the end of 2009?

Supreme Master Ching Hai: We have gained more time now, as more people join in the vegetarian circle and cut off much bad karma recently. And also people have tried to be more green, recycle, plant trees, frugal in all their using, helping each other more, and more tolerance, more peace talks. And the more people join in the vegetarian diet, that is more important, means the less bad karma we will have, and the more time we will gain. So be positive. Even the governments and many groups go green and they’re vegetarian. Maybe we will have longer time. And now I want you to focus more also on what you want the world to be. Like veg, green, good.

Our Association member (F): Yes, Master. Thank you very much.

Supreme Master Ching Hai : You’re welcome. But still continue do your job, like distributing flyers, meditation, praying, helping each other, helping others. Meanwhile, having a very positive vision and attitude. Things might change overnight. Who knows? Yes, it could happen!

VOICE: What an exciting prospect! We thank Supreme Master Ching Hai for her fully loving support and tireless endeavors to help all Earth’s inhabitants. May our world continue to keep a hope-filled heart for a loving and peaceful future on the planet.

Please tune in to Supreme Master Television at a later date for the broadcast of this videoconference with Supreme Master Ching Hai, with multi-language subtitles.

Climate models give indications of the Earth’s past and future.

Thousands of researchers around the world rely on the calculations resulting from climate models to understand complex global climate systems. These were the basis for the reports of the United Nations Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC). Dr. Jouni Raisanen, one of the contributors to the IPCC report, explains:

Dr. Jouni Raisanen, Climatologist, Helsinki University, Finland, IPCC member: Under this scenario, we would get a global warming of about 2.5 degrees. But as we see over most of the land here where people are actually living, the warming will exceed the global average.

VOICE: Climate models are most effective when combined with other means of study, such as satellite data and an understanding of the Earth’s history.

Dr. Jouni Raisanen: So, 20,000 years ago it was just the end of the last glaciation. Then, CO2 concentration was quite low, at the order of 180 parts per million in the atmosphere. Then, because of natural processes it rose to 280 parts per million, but this took several thousands of years. But now, during the last 200 years, it has risen by over 100 units, so as much as during the 10,000 years before.

VOICE: Along with carbon dioxide, scientists are increasingly paying attention to methane gas, which results in atmospheric heat trapping that is at least 23 times more potent than CO2. The single largest source of methane today is animal agriculture.

Dr. Jouni Raisanen: Agriculture is important, particularly for methane. If this can be reduced, it would be quite an efficient and cheap way to mitigate the global warming.

VOICE: Dr. Raisanen echoes the worries of all IPCC scientists about the urgent need to drastically reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

Dr. Jouni Raisanen: Unfortunately it has been urgent for quite some time, and we have woken up, a little bit too late. But really this is an issue that will require big efforts from mankind and without any additional delay.

VOICE: We thank Dr. Raisanen and all climate scientists for your diligent efforts and concern for the planet. May your endeavors continue to awaken us toward swift and sure actions to reduce global warming.

Korea changes due to global warming.

According to a government report, climate change measured over the past five years alone has been noted to cause dramatic changes in Korea’s ecosystems. Plants are seen to bud and flower much earlier than usual, with summer bird populations significantly increased but climate change-sensitive amphibians on the decline.

We share your concern, Korea, about the effects of global warming on this delicate interconnectedness. With Heaven’s grace, may our genuine efforts to reverse this situation yield a restored balance of our Earth.

http://www.koreatimes.co.kr/www/news/nation/2008/07/117_27399.html

Russia faces potential climate change disaster.

 Global conservation organization WWF and the British non-profit Oxfam have published a report that describes the likely effects of a warming climate on Russia. As 60 percent of the country is covered by permafrost, the frozen soil that turns to mud upon melting, these warming temperatures will result in unavoidable damage to the infrastructure, increased disease such as malaria and the drying of water supplies.

We are thankful for this timely warning and pray that all world leaders enact planet-cooling measures to minimize these adverse effects.

http://thestar.com.my/news/story.asp?file=/2008/7/9/worldupdates/2008-07-08T230730Z_01_NOOTR_RTRMDNC_0_-344315-1&sec=Worldupdates, http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7503060.stm

Methane effects on global warming previously underestimated. 

Following an in-depth report by Dr. Ross Garnaut on the devastating future consequences of global warming in Australia, three scientists noted in Australian newspaper “The Age” the severe underestimation of methane effects on the climate.  The largest single source of methane due to human activities is from cows and sheep raised for meat, dairy and wool.  Methane is typically reported to be 25 times more potent than CO2 emissions. However, the scientists point out that this potency is averaged over a 100-year period. The scientists state, “Methane is mostly switched off after just a decade, and almost entirely gone after 20 years, so averaging it over a century dramatically reduces its apparent impact.” Per their revised calculations, methane is actually 72 times more potent than CO2 over a 20-year period. 

We appreciate your careful research, scientists. Our prayers that all people act swiftly to reduce harmful methane greenhouse gases by forgoing animal products and going veg instead.

 http://www.theage.com.au/opinion/the-missing-link-in-the-garnaut-report-20080709-3cjh.html, http://www.fao.org/docrep/010/a0701e/a0701e00.htm, http://www.grida.no/climate/ipcc_tar/wg1/248.htm#tab67 

Coral reefs drastically affected by global warming.

Researchers at the International Coral Research Symposium (ICRS) in Fort Lauderdale, Florida, USA, have called for immediate action to reduce carbon emissions. Nearly one-third of over 700 coral species assessed globally are now at risk of extinction due to climate change and ocean acidification.

Researchers, your have our gratitude for your caring voice to save the coral reefs. May all nations quickly reduce the consumption of meat, oil, gas and coal to lessen greenhouse gas emissions and restore our precious biodiversity.

http://www.thewest.com.au/aapstory.aspx?StoryName=496795, http://latimesblogs.latimes.com/greenspace/2008/07/coral-reef-buil.html,

Antarctic ice shelf continues melting in the midst of winter. 

Scientists announced on Thursday that the Wilkins Ice Shelf, a part of which had dramatically broken up 15 years ahead of predictions last March, maintains a tenuous hold to the continent by a small ice bridge, which is expected to disintegrate soon. Dr. David Vaughan of the British Antarctic Survey states, “Wilkins Ice Shelf is the most recent in a long, and growing, list of ice shelves on the Antarctic Peninsula that are responding to the rapid warming that has occurred in this area over the last 50 years. Current events are showing that we were being too conservative when we made the prediction in the early 1990s that Wilkins Ice Shelf would be lost within thirty years - the truth is it is going more quickly than we guessed.” 

Many thanks for your work scientists, in bringing us this alarming and awakening news about the Antarctic ice shelf. We pray for a more rapid global embrace of eco-friendly practices to stabilize our life-sustaining biosphere. 

http://news.xinhuanet.com/english/2008-07/11/content_8529248.htm