Skeptics of global warming are using the record-setting snows to mock those who warn of dangerous human-driven climate change — this looks more like global cooling, they taunt.

Most climate scientists respond that the ferocious storms are consistent with forecasts that a heating planet will produce more frequent and more intense weather events.

But some independent climate experts say the blizzards in the Northeast no more prove that the planet is cooling than the lack of snow in Vancouver or the downpours in Southern California prove that it is warming.”

via NYTimes.com

Here you can find an interesting video showing the US perspective of the recent COP15 meeting in Copenhagen.
from: Center of American Progress

Timeline:
• 08:10 Stern begins speech
• 26:40 speech ends, Q&A begins. First question: What is the process for climate negotiations in 2010?
• 30:15 What is the effect of the lack of U.S. climate legislation on international negotiations?
• 33:00 What is the role of heads of state in climate negotiations in 2010?
• 33:40 Do we need a new forum for climate negotiations?
• 35:50 Can we reach a binding climate agreement in 2010?
• 37:56 What has been the impact on international negotiations and on U.S. domestic legislation by the loss of credibility of the IPCC (Intergovernmental Panel on climate change – the scientific panel)?
• 41:00 What are China’s preferences between the Copenhagen Accord, the Kyoto Protocol track under UNFCCC, and the Long-Term Cooperative Actions track under UNFCCC?
• 44:00 END Q&A. Begin panel discussion that does not include Todd Stern.
• 1:22:00 End of video

via NYTimes.com

via TreeHugger.com

Excerpt: ”WASHINGTON — One of the largest winter storms the Mid-Atlantic region has seen in decades swept into Washington and Baltimore on Friday, grounding flights, closing schools and government offices, and sending residents racing to stock up on groceries and rock salt before the snow accumulated to what are expected to be record-setting depths.”

via NYTimes.com

A very icy Serpentine in Hyde Park, London

Just a couple of weeks ago I took this photo of the Serpentine in Hyde Park. It was very cold and not even the ducks dared try to ice-skate on its surface. It was a beautiful sight, though. Some really heavy snows challenged the British islands. I had never seen London with that much snow. I was here last year in February and, same thing, a lot of unexpected snow in the country, but London seemed snow-proof.

Snowy Cirencester, 2 weeks ago

Now, today in Cirencester we could experience the ultimate All-in-One climate change. This morning the sky wasn’t too promising, but still, no rain. Then before lunch, a rain shower, quickly followed by a beautiful open sky. Nice, a couple of hours of warm sunshine right before going back to work. It was much appreciated, given the cold temperatures we’ve been having for about 2 months now. But it was too much hoping the sun would keep shining a little longer. In the afternoon we had some hail, followed by some heavy snow. So now we are covered again. Luckily it snowed for only about an hour or so, not much is left in the street, just a little bit in the fields. But temperatures are, once again, below zero and the freezing wind isn’t helping. It was fun though, seeing the weather change so quickly within minutes! Next time I’ll take some photos of each ‘phase’. I guess climate is really changing after all.

Click here to read the Scientific American article.

PS: Ellis, I wanna see that in Brooklyn!