Hurricane Katrina: An Example of the Effect of Global Warming

A quick Google dredged up these three articles regarding Hurricanes and Global Warming ...

The dramatic increase in tropical storms during the past decade has sparked a widening debate among meteorologists about whether global warming is playing a role in hurricane formation and intensity.

Some researchers say global warming is causing more active hurricane seasons. Others say global warming is not causing more storms to form, but is causing them to become more powerful.

and

Hurricanes have grown significantly more powerful and destructive over the last three decades due in part to global warming, says an MIT professor who warns that this trend could continue.

"My results suggest that future warming may lead to an upward trend in [hurricanes'] destructive potential, and--taking into account an increasing coastal population--a substantial increase in hurricane-related losses in the 21st century," reports Kerry Emanuel in a paper appearing in the July 31 online edition of the journal Nature.

and

Is global warming making hurricanes more ferocious? New research suggests the answer is yes.

Scientists call the findings both surprising and 'alarming' because they suggest global warming is influencing storms now — rather than in the distant future.

It's ironic that the country that contributes most to global climate change, and one that constantly refuses to do anything about it, is suffering the effects in the form of hurricanes of increased intensity.

Hundreds of lives lost and billions of dollars damage is the cost of ignoring the effects of releasing greenhouse gasses into the atmosphere. Insurance premiums will rise globally to cover the damage payout and increased risk. Living in Australia will not insulate us from these increases.

It's time for the nay sayers to acknowledge that climate change is happening and it's caused by human activity. Time to start taking measures to limit emissions of green house gasses. Time to acknowledge the potential terrible effects of global climate change. Time to do something about it while the process is still able to be controlled.