NASA: Increasing Carbon Emissions Risk Megadroughts

An anonymous reader writes: Droughts in the western U.S. have been bad recently, but not as bad as they could be. Researchers from NASA, Cornell, and Columbia are now warning that if we don't slow the rate at which we produce greenhouse gases, then we're dramatically increasing our odds of a drought that lasts upwards of three decades. "The scientists were interested in megadroughts that took place between 1100 and 1300 in North America. These medieval-period droughts, on a year-to-year basis, were no worse than droughts seen in the recent past. But they lasted, in some cases, 30 to 50 years. When these past megadroughts are compared side-by-side with computer model projections of the 21st century, both the moderate and business-as-usual emissions scenarios are drier, and the risk of droughts lasting 30 years or longer increases significantly."

Comments

Giving everyone on the planet a billion dollars

[MillionthMonkey]

Pros:

• Everyone gets a billion dollars.
• Income inequality would go down.

Cons:

• Prices would go up.
• Charles Koch would still still have $42 billion more than me.

Re:Climate models

[ganjadude]

you could use the inverse arguments to describe the AGW zealots as well

if its colder than predicted - its weather

if its the same temp as predicted - it shows "the models are right

if its warmer than predicted - OMG global warming!!!!

Re:In other news

[PopeRatzo]

I know Earth history and geology well to know that AGW is bunk, bad science

Uh huh. Those damn NASA scientists trying to put one over on old cheesybagel, you betcha. And those other scientists from Woods Hole Oceanographic Institution who confirmed the findings, they're in on it, too. They'll have to get up pretty early in the morning if they want to fool an expert in "Earth history and geology" such as yourself.

Re:Climate models

[cbeaudry]

I learned this from the global warming alarmists:

1. If its warm its global warming, lets have a press release and call for the end of the world.
2. If its cold its climate change, lets have a press release and call for the end of the world.
3. If it rains its climate change, lets have a press release and call for the end of the world.
4. If it doesn't rain its climate change, lets have a press release and call for the end of the world.
5. If its humid its climate change, lets have a press release and call for the end of the world.
6. If its dry its climate change, lets have a press release and call for the end of the world.
7. If we get a breeze its climate change, lets have a press release and call for the end of the world.