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| | | Coral Reef Mapping |
Maintained by NOAA
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| | Coral Reef Mapping | | | | The first global map of tropical shallow water has been created through joint effort of NASA and NOAA. Nearly 44,000 SeaWiFS (Sea-viewing Wide Field-of-View Sensor) scenes collected over five years were processed to 1 sq.km cells by NASA Space Flight Center using algorithms developed by NOAA for water shallower than 20-30 meters. NOAA is working with the UNEP World Consdervation Monitoring Centre to use this data set to improve the database of coral reef locations used in ReefBase.
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 | | | | | CLIMATE CHANGE II: First US Assessment Shows Broad Impact
by UN Wire, UN Wire 01 June 2000 | |
| | UNWire, 12.6.2000 CLIMATE CHANGE II: First US Assessment Shows Broad Impact The first national assessment of the possible effects of global warming on the United States to be released today predicts a dramatic impact on the country's climate in the coming decades. The report, prepared by a panel of government officials, academics, industry representatives and nongovernmental organizations, predicts US temperatures will rise 5 to 10 degrees Fahrenheit over the next century. The predictions include an increase in droughts and floods; rising sea levels, which will shrink coastal wetlands and increase storm surges; disproportionately hotter cities; and more heat waves (CNN.com ). The report includes regional and national effects, including predictions that Pacific Northwest salmon are likely to be harmed by rising water temperatures; forests could replace deserts in the southwest; and Native Alaskans will have more difficulty hunting ice-dwelling seals, an effect they have already begun to experience. The report also includes some positive impacts of warming, such as increased agricultural yield and fewer ice-hindered shipping lanes in Alaska and the Great Lakes (Andrew Rifkin, New York Times ). Global warming skeptics pointed to discrepancies in the study's two computer models as evidence of inaccuracy. "Look at North Dakota. One [model] turns it into a desert, the other a swamp," said S. Fred Singer of the Science and Environmental Policy Project . "Neither will probably happen" (Curt Suplee, Washington Post ). Environmental groups applauded the draft report as a "balanced assessment" of the potential impacts of warming. "America's alarm bells should go off today," said World Wildlife Fund Climate Change Campaign Director Jennifer Morgan. "The national assessment shows that now more than ever the United States must act to protect its national treasures" (Union of Concerned Scientists release , 9 Jun). (All cites 12 June unless otherwise noted.) (Back to Contents) |
| Serge Garcia
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1076 Topics - 5135 Related Knowledge - 2534 Members - 34 Editors |
generationTime:2005/01/13 12:54:36 |
