The authors of the scientific work are a group of young climatologists from Lanzhou University. They investigated the change in the timing of the onset of different seasons based on observations of air temperature. The time period was considered from 1952 to 2011.
The zone of the northern hemisphere between the 30th and 60th degrees of latitude was chosen as the most indicative; in this part of the planet, the change of seasons is much more pronounced than anywhere else. The specified area of the globe was divided into squares measuring 3.75 degrees in longitude and 2.5 degrees in latitude.
From each such cell, data on the average daily air temperature for the period under consideration were entered into the mathematical model. Schedules were drawn up for the start and end of the seasons.
The results of data processing showed that from 1952 to 2011, the length of summer increased from an average of 4 days every 10 years, while winter, on the contrary, became shorter by 2 days. If this trend continues, then the end of the 21st century, according to Chinese scientists, summer in mid-latitudes will last from May 6 to October 19, and winter – from mid-December to mid-January.
“We made a forecast for 80 years. This is a lot for one person, but for humanity this is a short period. We need to look at what the next generations will get. If we do not deal with the environment and its protection, our descendants will face these consequences,” said Yuping Guang, Researcher, Laboratory of Oceanography, Institute of Oceanology, Chinese Academy of Sciences.
A lot of negative climate scenarios have already been published. Scientists from China have chosen criteria that are clear to everyone: too hot a long summer, lack of snow in winter attracted attention to the forecast. Russian climatologists, on the contrary, do not exclude that winters in the northern hemisphere will be more and more severe.
“A very funny situation can arise in which all the ice in the Arctic Ocean melts, and winters, on the contrary, will become more severe – both in our country and in Western Europe. This is a paradox, which is only at first glance a paradox, because global warming leads to an increase in the nervousness of the climate, which we, of course, feel ourselves, and an increase in the frequency of dangerous weather and climatic events, “noted Pavel Konstantinov, Associate Professor of the Faculty of Geography, Moscow State University. Lomonosov, Ph.D. in Geography, two-time winner of the European Meteorological Union Prize.
The nervousness of the climate, like the nervousness of mankind about climate forecasts, is growing. In pursuit of reducing CO2 emissions, ecologically progressive countries are growing forests of wind generators, reducing populations of migratory birds at a catastrophic rate.
Windmills are getting taller and more powerful. Over 40 years of operation, they have significantly evolved: the height and wingspan increased almost 7 times. The rotation speed with an average wind is 90 meters per second.
Birds have not yet learned how to notice and avoid collisions with such an obstacle. According to the Spanish Ornithological Society alone, 18 thousand wind turbines operating in the country have destroyed millions of birds. Migration routes of several migratory species pass through Gibraltar. So the impact of wind power is reflected in the populations of a large proportion of the Northern Hemisphere.
Against the backdrop of loud statements about a long summer by the end of the century, another important scientific study on the topic of climate change looks much more modest. The Norwegian Rainforest Foundation this week released data on the extent of deforestation and the ability of forests to strengthen the soil, retain moisture in the soil and absorb carbon dioxide.
“Rainforests trap half of all the carbon found in trees and plants around the world. This means that when rainforests are cut down or destroyed, huge stores of CO2 are thrown out,” said Anders Krogh, special adviser and researcher at the Norwegian Rainforest Foundation.
Approximately 10 percent of emissions from human activities originate from the destruction or destruction of tropical forests. We need to deal with this problem if we want to solve the problem of global warming.
What should mankind choose: a forest in 10 years or a drought for six months by the end of the century? But these can be links of the same chain.
