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Anorak News | Global Warming Caused Japan Earthquake: Fact

Global Warming Caused Japan Earthquake: Fact

by | 13th, March 2011

THE Japan Earthquake was caused by… Well, if in doubt, blame climate change and man:

Treehugger knows:

I know headlines like that might just make most folks roll their eyes at this point — I mean, what doesn’t climate change cause these days, am I right? And I realize that people are skeptical of news-cycle tie-ins, like this very story appears to be. But just because it’s sort of depressing to keep tabs on all of the myriad impacts of ol’ climate change occurring the world over, doesn’t mean we should be glossing over facts like this: Geologists believe that global warming may already be causing more earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic eruptions. After all, screwing with the world’s ornery climate system to the extent which we have is bound to have far-reaching effects — effects like huge amounts of melting ice causing the earth’s crust to “bounce” up, potentially triggering earthquakes.

Which makes sense. And if you ask me, now is a perfectly apt time to be analyzing such possible causal relationships, like the one between climate change and earthquakes (which set off tsunamis). You are, after all, perhaps turning to a green site like TreeHugger to examine the environmental implications of various world events. But some insist this reeks of opportunism (especially those amongst the anti-climate crowd) — and therefore should be immediately written off as sensationalism.

Don Surber reacts: “Are these people mentally ill?”

Grist knows. This below a headline to Christopher Mimms’ story that thunders:

Today’s tsunami: This is what climate change looks like

In a little-heeded warning issued at a 2009 conference on the subject, experts outlined a range of mechanisms by which climate change could already be causing more earthquakes, tsunamis, and volcanic activity. “When the ice is lost, the earth’s crust bounces back up again and that triggers earthquakes, which trigger submarine landslides, which cause tsunamis,” Bill McGuire, professor at University College London, told Reuters.

Melting ice masses change the pressures on the underlying earth, which can lead to earthquakes and tsunamis, but that’s just the beginning. Rising seas also change the balance of mass across earth’s surface, putting new strain on old earthquake faults, and may have been partly to blame for the devastating 2004 tsunami that struck Southeast Asia, according to experts from the China Meteorological Administration.

CBullit reacts:

Just as predictably as the Catlin crew calling for rescue from the arctic ice, the Eco-tards at Grist instantly blamed last night’s 8.9-scale earthquake, and the resulting tsunami that wiped out Kurihara, Japan on Global WarmingClimate ChangeGlobal Climate Disruption, Thermageddon.

Because, like, earthquakes and tidal waves never happened before industrialization.

Never let a crisis go to go to waste, eh Grist? Especially one with a massive death toll. You realize, don’t you, that we all saw this coming, that someone in the AGW Alarmosphere would make this imbecilic claim.  You win the hat pool, dickwads.

Amanda Carey spots this gem:

The president of the European Economic and Social Committee, Staffan Nilsson, issued a statement calling for solidarity in tackling the global warming problem.

“Some islands affected by climate change have been hit,” said Nilsson. “Has not the time come to demonstrate on solidarity — not least solidarity in combating and adapting to climate change and global warming?”

“Mother Nature has again given us a sign that that is what we need to do,”

Is it Mother Nature’s mighty power we are in awe of – or our own?

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Posted: 13th, March 2011 | In: Key Posts Comments (19) | TrackBack | Permalink