Scientists say it is too late to stop Ocean Warming: Beyond the tipping point.

http://www.ringoffireradio.com/2015/07/beyond-the-tipping-point-scientists-say-its-too-late-to-stop-ocean-warming-what-does-this-mean/

This month, the American Meteorological Society (AMS) issued a report entitled “State of the Climate in 2014.” Over 400 scientists from nearly 60 different countries have come to a grim conclusion: no matter what we do to reduce the emission of  greenhouse gases (primarily CO2, methane and nitrous oxide), ocean temperatures are going to keep rising.

According to the report, concentrations of greenhouse gases in the planet’s atmosphere are at record levels. Carbon dioxide levels alone are approaching 400 parts per million. At the same time, surface temperatures throughout the world were higher in 2014 than they have been at any time since 1880. It’s not just the western US: countries around the world on every inhabited continent reported high temperatures at record or near-record levels. 90% of this heat is absorbed by the oceans.

Even if we were able to stop all greenhouse gas emissions tomorrow, the effects on the world’s oceans will last for hundreds – or even thousands – of years.  The reason: inertia, the tendency of static forces to remain static and moving forces to remain in motion. Because of its density, water temperatures change quite slowly compared to air temperatures. Correspondingly, water retains its heat for much longer periods of time. Greg Johnson, a scientist at the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA) explained it to the UK Guardian in mechanical terms: “think of it more like a fly wheel or a freight train. It takes a big push to get it going but it is moving now, and will continue to move long after  we…[stop] pushing it.”