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Record high temperatures threatening Greenland's ice sheets.
During a five-month summer expedition to the region, Dr. Alun Hubbard and a team of 15 researchers from Aberystwyth and Swansea Universities in the United Kingdom used a variety of earthquake-measuring techniques to evaluate the thickness, speed of thinning, atmospheric temperature and other information about the Greenland ice sheet.

Greenland melt is considered the second highest cause of sea level rise after Antarctica, with a combined potential of raising global sea levels by seven meters if all were to melt into the ocean.

Scientists such as oceanographer Dr. Igor Belkin of the University of Rhode Island, USA confirm that this phenomenon is already happening.

Dr. Igor Belkin - Oceanographer, University of Rhode Island, USA (M): As a consequence of Greenland melt, the sea level is rising. So Greenland melt is a major contributor to the sea level rise, which has global consequences especially to those countries that are not very high above sea level.

VOICE: Based on an analysis of their recent five-months of data collection, Dr. Hubbard concluded that the ice sheet's future is grim, with extensive retreating and thinning after a year of extreme temperatures highs.

Meanwhile, Dr. Belkin explained some of the factors involved in the rapid receding of Greenland.
Dr. Igor Belkin (M): Over the last half-a-century or less, the average air temperature around Greenland increased by about two degrees Centigrade, and that's a lot. Now, we also have ocean circulation around Greenland. Such currents are East Greenland current, West Greenland current, etc.

They go around Greenland and they affect glaciers, especially glaciers that come down to the sea. We have warm Irminger Current that carries warm waters to Greenland, and this current it warms these tidal water glaciers, warms from below, increasing basal melt.

VOICE: Our appreciation, Dr. Belkin, Dr. Hubbard and colleagues, for alerting us to the critical situation of the Greenland ice sheets and their threat to global sea level rise. May research such as yours help speed our efforts to halt these and other adverse effects of climate change.

During an October 2009 videoconference in Germany, Supreme Master Ching Hai urged for the most certain way to stop such alarming conditions as the Greenland ice sheet melt. 

Supreme Master Ching Hai : the vast ice beneath Greenland is also melting even faster than previously predicted. Many researchers are saying that at the rate of current warming, there is almost no way for our world to stay within the limits of a 2 degree Celsius temperature rise, which is the maximum that will still ensure the safety of most life on the planet.

But even though our predicament is very grave, we do still have time if we act now. And the solution is still very simple.

It's the vegan diet - no animal products. No more killing, no more torturing, no more even experimenting with animals, no more raising animals for meat or any other purposes, except to protect, love, and take care of the animals.
http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/uk-wales-mid-wales-11993455
http://www.gso.uri.edu/users/belkin

Extra News
flooding described as being of Biblical proportions in Queensland, Australia, the country's National Association of Retail Grocers warns consumers to expect significantly higher produce prices due to crop failures and transportation issues.
http://english.aljazeera.net/news/americas/2011/01/20111111304434584.html, http://www.theaustralian.com.au/news/nation/fruit-vegie-prices-set-to-soar-as-floods-hit-
supplies/story-e6frg6nf-1225980644681


A recent study finds that four species of bumble bees, which are vital for plant pollination, have declined 96% over the past two decades in North America alone, raising grave concerns for human food production.
http://www.france24.com/en/20110103-us-sees-massive-drop-bumble-bees-studyumble http://www.huffingtonpost.com/2011/01/03/bumble-bee-decline_n_803896.html
http://www.edmontonsun.com/news/world/2011/01/03/16746241.html http://democratifi.com/news/Decline-in-bumblebees-alarming-1490917.html

As part of an effort to reduce the country's emissions, China's Ministry of Finance announces that subsidies for energy- efficient automobiles in the world's largest auto market will continue to be available in 2011.
http://www.spa.gov.sa/English/details.php?id=851134 http://www.taipeitimes.com/News/biz/archives/2011/01/01/2003492358

Based on the results of an engineering study, Peru's leading conservation organization ProNaturaleza recommends against a planned hydropower project, saying that it would cause the destruction of 1.5 million hectares of rainforest and the loss of many endangered species.
http://ipsnews.net/news.asp?idnews=53975