We stand on the eve of the 33rd Group of Eight summit meeting (formally known as the Group of Seven before Russia subscribed in 1997). Although this year's Group of Eight (G8) summit in Heiligendamm, Germany has yet to begin, the last week's pre-emptive strikes from protesters in nearby Rostock have caused it to hit the headlines already. Some question whether the inability of international leaders to listen doesn't provoke violent outbursts, and yet others say the provocation of violence by security forces is part of a plan to marginalise legitimate gripes.

Whether the protests have any effect on putting pressure on the world leaders or not, recent scientific studies certainly should. This last month has seen a few alarming scientific reports come to the fore:

• Southern Ocean Nears CO2 Saturation Point
• Global warming 'is three times faster than worst predictions'
• Arctic melt worse than predictions

Presently, world governments are, at the very best, struggling to come to a united course of action to tackle the low to mid-range forcasts of this year's IPCC reports - reports that have, themselves, been softened and 'tweaked' by political interventions. The scientific reports above give some evidence that perhaps even the IPCC's high water mark, as it were, has been underestimated - or, at least, under-reported....

Sleep well Group of Eight members. Tomorrow is another day. You certainly have your work cut out for you in the morning.

 

 

Update: The G8 Summit - Show's Over Folks