Arctic a hot topic at global climate talks The World
Meteorological Organization issued a “Provisional Statement on
the State of Global Climate in 2012” highlighting the record
crash of Arctic sea ice this year. WMO Secretary-General Michel
Jarraud said “The alarming rate of its melt this year
highlighted the far-reaching changes taking place on Earth’s
oceans and biosphere. Climate change is taking place before our
eyes and will continue to do so as a result of the
concentrations of greenhouse gases in the atmosphere, which have
risen constantly and again reached new records.” While the WMO
noted present Arctic impacts, the United Nations Environment
Programme was looking ahead at the potential for thawing Arctic
permafrost to release large amounts of warming gases into the
atmosphere, speeding up global climate change. WWF is at the
climate meetings offering solutions to wrenching Arctic and
global change, and pushing nations at the talks to take up those
solutions. “We’re hopeful that countries will respon