Chemistry and geochemistry were my worst subjects, but I've heard that coal emits twice the CO2 as natural gas per unit of energy. I've heard it enough places that I think it is just a fact. I just read the article (Thanks Beth!), and it does not say CO2: it says emissions, and they go on to talk about other pollutants that may have a cooling effect.

While the article seems legitimate, and this is important, I'm still a little cautious. First, everywhere else I've heard that warming has continued the last decade, and that most or all of the warmest 10 years for the globe in history are 1998 and later. 1998 was exceptionally warm, so if you take that as a starting point, then the rate of warming may look like it decreases. So, I'd be real interested if someone would dig deeper.

Warming is not the only risk. Ocean acidification is another. There are two mysteries for me on this island. The blue mussels have largely disappeared from the cove where we have picked them all our lives, for the last 6 years, as well as from other parts of the island less exposed to ocean waves.

And, the rate of apparent sea level rise has not increased since 1930, and may looks to have actually decreased after the couple decades after 1930, at Newport Rhode Island. Apparent sea level rise in Rhode Island includes 1.5 mm/yr of sinking, related to collapse of ice sheet edge bulge, and it gets really complicated, including ocean currents. The global true sea level rise is about an additional 1.5 mm/yr and may have doubled to 3 mm/yr in the last decade or two. Newport is on Narragansett Bay, and I keep hearing the water temperature has increased by more than 1 deg C, which should make a rise by thermal expansion. So, I don't understand this local stuff.

Chris