Some months ago, I posted an article in this column that showed the changes in average earth temperatures over the last 30 years. I was alarmed at the rate of the temperature increase in the northern polar areas of the planet. I had downloaded the temperature data from the NOAA website and then completed a linear regression showing the average temperature changes over the last 30 years since 1978. The results were alarming.

The trend lines were stark, showing negative or slow increases in all but the northern polar region. In that area, temperatures were clearly climbing at an alarming rate. I had no explanation, and urged readers to let me know if there was any explanation. I heard nothing.

Recently, I was provided with a clipping that provided an interesting explanation. It seems that in the latter part of the last century, acid rain treaties resulted in a dramatic reduction in sulfur emissions and this in turn removed a reflective component from the air in the northern polar areas. Temperatures that would normally have been rising for years were being held down by the presence of a reflective layer of sulfur that was removed when acid rain treaties were implemented… This is clearly not good news. The only encouragement that was offered was the fact that new coal fired electricity plants in China would soon restore some of the sulfur to the air, and if we are lucky, the temperature increase will stop – for a while.

One wonders what temperature increase will start to release the stored methane that is frozen in the northern tundra, because if or when this begins to melt and is released into the air the process may well accelerate. Not good news…