Good news you may not have heard − the air we breathe is a bit better. NASA’s Aura satellite released pictures in the last week of June that show significant reductions in air pol­lution levels across the United States. In particular, at least one pollutant, nitrogen dioxide, has decreased substantially over the past decade.

The decrease is particularly prominent in the Northeast, the Ohio River Valley, and other major US cities. For example, NASA reported a 32% decrease in New York City and a 42%decrease in Atlanta between the periods of 2005-2007 and 2009-2011.This air pollution decreased even though population and the number of cars on the roads have increased. Con­gratulations – and as a reward to yourself, take a deep breath of cleaner air.

 

Location, location, location and some more good news -- the sea ice surrounding Antarctica, hit a new all-time record high for areal coverage. On June 28, the University of Illinois at Urbana-Champaign’s The Cryosphere Today site showed that the ice encircl­ing the Antarctica is 2.074 million sq. km (801,000 sq. miles). That is .99 million square kilometers more than average!

What! You thought the ice was shrinking. Look at Figure 14 and notice the tip of the peninsula sticking out of the growing ice. Guess what our satellite pictures show – the icebergs breaking off that peninsula. The ice on the peninsula is shrinking but the ice in East Antarctica is growing. Unfortu­nately, pictures of growing ice are too boring to make the news.

We are now hearing scientists telling us that the shrinking ice in the north is more important to global climate circulation than that pesky ice growing in the south. Tell that to the Aussies!

David Fuller's view

Here is the Browning Letter.

Alex Seagle tells me that Evelyn Browning Garriss is completing an extensive speaking tour of Asia for CLSA.  Her presentations at the Contrary Opinion Forum which I have heard in past years have been very good so I hope some subscribers in Asia will have had the opportunity to attend her latest lectures.