Mont Blanc glacier almost doubles in size
in four years
Headlines blame global warming
15 Oct 07 - That’s what the headline should have said. Instead, it shouted "Global warming makes Mont Blanc grow," in what I consider a blatant attempt to hide the truth. A different paper entitled the story "Climate change making Mont Blanc even higher."
Here’s how the stories went:
"Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in France and western Europe, has grown more than two metres in two years ... ironically as a result of global warming."
"Generations of French schoolchildren were taught the famous peak was 4,807 metres tall, but it has been growing since 2003 and at a faster rate in recent months.
Now let’s get down to the truth:
"The volume of ice on Mont Blanc's slopes over 4800 metres high was first calculated at 14,600 cubic metres in 2003. It dropped to 14,300 cubic metres two years later, but then almost doubled to 24,100 cubic metres in 2007.
It's size almost doubled in four years!
Such "growth" in mountains is specific to higher Alpine peaks, said Yan Giezendanner, a meteorologist."Glaciers at high altitude seem to be growing, while those situated at mid or low altitude are melting, shrinking and threatened with extinction," he said.
You decide. Were those headlines honest?
in four years
Headlines blame global warming
15 Oct 07 - That’s what the headline should have said. Instead, it shouted "Global warming makes Mont Blanc grow," in what I consider a blatant attempt to hide the truth. A different paper entitled the story "Climate change making Mont Blanc even higher."
Here’s how the stories went:
"Mont Blanc, the highest mountain in France and western Europe, has grown more than two metres in two years ... ironically as a result of global warming."
"Generations of French schoolchildren were taught the famous peak was 4,807 metres tall, but it has been growing since 2003 and at a faster rate in recent months.
Now let’s get down to the truth:
"The volume of ice on Mont Blanc's slopes over 4800 metres high was first calculated at 14,600 cubic metres in 2003. It dropped to 14,300 cubic metres two years later, but then almost doubled to 24,100 cubic metres in 2007.
It's size almost doubled in four years!
Such "growth" in mountains is specific to higher Alpine peaks, said Yan Giezendanner, a meteorologist."Glaciers at high altitude seem to be growing, while those situated at mid or low altitude are melting, shrinking and threatened with extinction," he said.
You decide. Were those headlines honest?
