Tech | November 28, 2011 | 30 comments

Killer Floods Strike Durban At Start Of Climate Talks UPDATE

source: http://thinkprogress.org/green/2011/11/28/376665/killer-floods-strike-durban-at-start-of-cli...

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coolplanet
Highlighting the threat of global warming pollution, killer floods have struck Durban, South Africa, as international climate talks begin there. Ten people along South Africa’s east coast were killed, 700 houses destroyed, and thousands left homeless following torrential rains on Sunday:

According to the South Africa Weather Bureau, 2.5 inches of rain fell last night in Durban, which had already recorded 8.2 inches for November, almost double its average.

Some beach-related activities of the United Nations climate conference have been delayed by a day.

This record-setting killer flooding is part of a long-term trend of climate change. Over a decade ago, climate scientists had already measured a significant increase in extreme rainfall on South Africa’s eastern coast, finding “increases of over 50% in the intensity of 10-year high rainfall events” from 1930 to 1990. A 2006 analysis found that global warming pollution will continue to increase overall precipitation and extreme rainfall events during the South African summer (December through February).

Heavy rains are expected to continue for the rest of the week.

“How high needs the water to get in this conference center before negotiators start deciding?” asked Artur Runge-Metzger, the European Union’s lead negotiator, referring to the deadly floods.

By Brad Johnson on Nov 28, 2011
  1. groups:
    Community,   Tech,   Green,   Upstream,   3 more
  2. tags:
    Climate Change,  Global Warming,  ecocollapse,  climate scam
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30 comments // Killer Floods Strike Durban At Start Of Climate Talks UPDATE

  • coolplanet
    • 0
      coolplanet  

    • Dear Delta Downer,
      Next time your troops sweep in to 'vote' us all down at least have the honor or balls to leave a comment as to why.
      This piss and run is really chickenshit!

    • 6 months ago
  • Delta_55N
  • coolplanet
    • -2
      coolplanet  
    • Delta_55N:

      I only wish I had that kind of power.
      Poof, you're gone.
      I was about to out you as one of the invisible down voters when your very mean post suddenly vanished. I'm glad whoever did it did it!
      We need more moderation like that around here.

    • 6 months ago
  • coolplanet
  • coolplanet
  • JanforGore
    • +1
      JanforGore  
    • coolplanet:

      There is already discord over the Green Fund. Seems the U.S. doesn't want to help farmers in developing nations experiencing effects of this unless they can unload GMO crap on them. I am so disappointed and embarrassed for this country and its absolute weak leadership on this.

    • 6 months ago
  • coolplanet
  • JanforGore
  • coolplanet
  • JanforGore
  • JanforGore
  • JanforGore
    • +1
      JanforGore  

    • "Some beach-related activities of the United Nations climate conference have been delayed by a day."

      Was it the celebrity volleyball tournament?::snark::. Nothing ticks me off more than to understand the importance of this wishing I could be a part of it and see people going there to sightsee and play golf. It truly conveys the essence of the urgency of this, no?

    • 6 months ago
  • coolplanet
  • JanforGore
  • JanforGore
  • JanforGore
  • JanforGore
    • +1
      JanforGore  

    • And this just after the snowstorm they had a few months back that was totally uncharacteristic. Climate change has hit South Africa hard as well. However, they will still not come to an agreement because China and the U.S will be at odds, while the indigenous and poor of this world will once again be marginalized and ignored because corporations sit in their seats and the World Bank is there no doubt looking for some way to steal their trees and water. But at least this made the front page to be seen since no one looks past page two and it is obvious other posts placed here about it are voted down profusely... I was going to try to cover the talks here as much as possible, but I don't even think many people care about this. It's disheartening to those of us who see the importance of this. But maybe I can find some nice little you tube video of a meowing cat or some other diversion to post that will make it to the top instead...since it appears that monopolizing and seeing your name on the front page multiple times here is more important than the information you are posting.

    • 6 months ago
  • coolplanet
    • +1
      coolplanet  
    • JanforGore:

      Ain't THAT the truth!
      It makes me want to scream.
      Yesterday I saw a story in the top 10 that was a 30 year old clip about the ozone hole. I thought 'What the hell does this have to do with what's going on CURRENTLY'?
      Please cover these crucial talks here as much as possible! I always vote you up.

    • 6 months ago
  • JanforGore
    • +1
      JanforGore  
    • coolplanet:

      Thanks, and you know, I won't be able to stop myself. ;-) I've been going to Twitter to give my views on this. If you have a Twitter account you can go right there to #COP17. Tell them how you feel.

    • 6 months ago
  • alexandrek
  • JanforGore
  • alexandrek
  • JanforGore
    • +1
      JanforGore  
    • alexandrek:

      "sorry but i don't believe in those summit"

      And where do you see me approving of it? It isn't the summit that is the problem in context however, it is the interests that take it over. And what is the point of saying you care and want action if everything is a scam to you? What is your answer then? TAXING IT AT THE SOURCE should be the plan. Is that a scam too though? Doesn't matter anyway I suppose because for all of their talk, people are nothing in the end but hypocrites.

    • 6 months ago
  • JanforGore
    • +1
      JanforGore  
    • alexandrek:

      I pushed nothing on you. I just stated I wouldn't call this type of event "brilliant" and asked you what your answer was for this since you think everything is a scam. That isn't pushing your view on me as you have stated that to me over and over again here? And aren't many of those who profess to care that frequent these events just hypocrites? You don't agree? You obviously don't have an answer so you lash out at me? Whatever. And yes, I do think politics is a waste of time these days. It is corrupted, foul, treacherous and the cause of much of the misery in this country and this world. And please excuse me, but with all the other B-S going down on this site you choose to vent at me over a civil on topic response? All you had to do was tell me what your solution to this is. If you don't have one, don't try to demonize me for at least having the guts to express myself honestly here because I happen to be one of the few here who actually care.

      "stop pushing your own personal point of view to all, like a christians fundamentalist would"

      Absolutely exaggerated and actually an insult to me. Post where I pushed my views on anyone here. At this point I think this site is fortunate to have the few left who actually have a passionate view to share here without all the extraneous baggage attached to it. But yes, happy "xmas" season to you too.

      Oh and on edit, the words in caps were actually for emphasis. I wasn't shouting at you. Maybe Current should get some sort of feature here to bold words so we don't have to use caps when we want to emphasize something that is important to us.

    • 6 months ago
  • coolplanet
    • +1
      coolplanet  
    • alexandrek:

      Please.
      What the hell is going on here at Current? It seems like many are at each other's throat. I never would have expected to read an insulting comment like this from you, alexandrek, especially to JanforGore!
      Must be the cosmic rays from that solar flare the other day.

    • 6 months ago
  • coolplanet
    • +1
      coolplanet  
    • alexandrek:

      Well the Rio Climate Summit successfully ended the production of most chloroflurocarbons destroying stratospheric ozone (led by Al Gore in 1990).
      And the cap and trade 'tax' placed upon SO2 from coal burning electric plants back in 1992 drastically reduced acid rain and actually made the companies money in the process.
      So what's not to 'believe'?

    • 6 months ago
  • JanforGore
    • 0
      JanforGore  
    • coolplanet:

      Actually I think it is residual from the threads on the EU (particularly regarding Greece and their proposed referendum that got sacked) when I called them Fascistas for their current policies in the wake of Berlusconi's departure. And so it goes.

    • 6 months ago
  • coolplanet
  • coolplanet
  • coolplanet
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