North Canterbury News: January 18, 2024

6 The
OPINION
North Canterbury News, January 18, 2024
Scientistentersdebate on global warming
DudleyFranklin, aretired Forestry scientist from Rangiora, saysitwould be areal shame if mankind concentrated on reducing carbon in the
atmosphere and neglected to reduce the real culprit —water vapour.
There has been much mention recently
in the various media about the need to
de­carbonise the atmospheretohalt
global warming.
This will not achieve much on its own
if huge amountsofwater vapour are
continuallybeing added.
Water Forbore is the major
greenhouse gas in the atmosphere,
both because of its concentration — it
normally forms between 0.5 percent,
and 2% of the lower atmosphere—and
becauseofits ability to absorbmost of
the heat content of infra­red radiation.
Some 30% of the sun’s heat reaching
the Earth is reflectedbackinto Space
by clouds, snow, ice and other shiny
surfaces.
The remaining 70% is absorbed and
heats the Earth’s surface.
Some of this heat is radiated backout
towards Space as infra­red radiation.
Greenhouse gases are capable of
absorbing some of this heat and reradiating
about half of it back to Earth.
Columbia University has calculated
if there were no greenhouse gases
present in the atmosphere, theaverage
temperature of the Earth would be
about minus 15°C, instead of the
present average of plus 15°C.
The concentration of water vapour in
the atmosphere can vary considerably
in both time and space, but except in
the driest and coldest locations, its size
is normally at least an order of
magnitude greater than that of carbon
dioxide.
Although it has arelatively short life,
vapour is continuously maintained at a
high level by evaporation from water
surfaces, by transpiration of vegetation
and by burning of organic matter.
The lower atmosphere, where most
warming occurs, is seldomclose to
saturation with vapour.
But as air rises to the upper
atmosphere, it cools untileventually
the vapour reaches its dewpoint, and
condenses as cloud droplets.
Clouds reflect the sun’s heat from the
upper surfaces, but they also trap some
of the infra­red heat arising from the
ground beneath them.
The net effect of clouds on global
warming is uncertain, andthe subject
of much scientific debate.
Carbon dioxide is the next most
importantgreenhouse gas,but because
of its low concentration in the
atmosphere (less than 0.05 %), and the
fact that it can absorb less than 10% of
the heat of infra­red radiation, it is of
relatively minor importance.
Other greenhouse gases such as
methane and nitrous oxide, are at such
alow concentration in the atmosphere
(a few parts per million), that their
input to global warming is negligible.
About 200 years ago, mankind started
mining coal in abig way andburning it
to produce energy andwarmth.
Burningthe coal converted it to
carbon dioxide, and although Earth
has various ways of recycling carbon
dioxide, this influx was just too much
for these outlets to handle.
As aresult the atmospheric
concentration gradually increased to
the present day.
Thisincrease resultedinminimal
warming at first, but in the mid 20th
century, mankindstarted extracting oil
and gas in large and increasing
amounts.
Burning these fossil hydrocarbons
converted them into roughly equal
amounts of both water vapour and
carbon dioxide.
At the same time, thousands of cubic
metres of freshwater was diverted for
irrigation of crops, which transpired it
as billions of tonnes of water vapour
annually, as they grew.
The influx of extra water vapour into
the atmosphere from both sources has
greatly increased its warming ability,
and today we find that nine of the last
10 years, have been the warmest on
record.
As it condensed, this extra water
vapour has probably increased the
incidence of cloudbursts around the
globe, resulting in local floods and
land erosion.
It would be agreat pity if mankind
concentrated on reducing carbon in
the atmosphere and neglected to
reduce the real culprit, water vapour
This can only be done on an effective
scale by greatly reducing the burning
of fossil hydrocarbons.
The worst option is to promote
hydrogen as an alternative fuel, as this
will only add to the problem by adding
more water vapour when it is burnt.
Whiterock landfill proposal
By DAVID HILL
Local Democracy Reporter
Aproposal to establish alandfill
near Rangiora has met with
mixed reaction from residents.
Protranz Earthmoving Ltd has
completed aleaflet drop to
neighbours of the Whiterock
lime quarry at 150 and 174
Quarry Road, Loburn, outlining
its proposal to restore the
quarry to near its previous
landform by filling it with
managed fill.
The company said it was
seeking feedback from residents
before lodging resource consent
applications with Environment
Canterbury and the
Waimakariri District Council.
Residents have taken to social
media to express their
concerns.
Some have already compared
it to aproposed landfill at View
Hill, near Oxford, which has
generated widespread
community opposition.
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Others suggested it would ‘‘be
great for the area’’ as it would
help clean up old dump sites on
river banks and gullies in the
area.
In its leaflet, Protranz said the
quarry dated back to the 1950s.
The company said it was
proposed aclass 3landfill with
managed fill and would only
accept‘‘inert and sorted
construction and demolition
waste’’ and contaminated soil
material’’.
It wouldnot accept
uncontrolled construction and
demolition waste, or municipal
solid or green waste.
The landfill would be
availabletoProtranz operators
and approved external users.
The capacity of the proposed
landfill was estimated at 520,000
cubic metres and would be
filled at an average of 30,000
cubic metres ayear.
‘‘The filling of the site will
occur in stagesand is expected
to commencewithin one year of
Best
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obtaining resource consent and
continue over a 15 to 20 year
duration, subject to demand,’’
the company said.
Environment Canterbury
consents delivery regional
leader Henry Winchester said
there have been initial
conversations with Protranz, but
no formal consent application
has been lodged.
‘‘Weare aware of this and
have had some initial
conversations about it as part of
our pre­application service.’’
Consents staff will follow the
standard Resource
Management Act processing.
Mr Winchester said Protranz
had referred queries to
consultants WSPat(03) 5464301
or
CommunityEngagement@wsp.
com.
Protranz has been contacted
for comment.
LDR is local body journalism
co­funded by RNZand NZ On
Air.
RANGIORA OCEANWATCH
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AT THE LIBRARY
There’s aCure for
This, by Emma
Espiner
The striking
debut memoir
from awardwinning
doctor
and writer, Emma
Espiner. Clear,
irreverent and
beautiful, this
book offers a
candid and moving
examination of what it means to be human when it seems like
nothing less than superhuman will do.
Butter, Butter, by Petra Galler
Butter, Butter is divided into five sections:
Cakes, Pastry, Dough, Cookies and Slices
and Savoury. The flavours are deep, spicy
and alittle exotic.
Empress of the Nile, by Lynne Olson
The remarkable story of the intrepid
French archaeologist who led the
international effort to save ancient
Egyptian temples from the floodwaters of
the Aswan Dam.
Find out more about recent additions to
the library collection by going to the library
catalogue at waimakariri.kotui.org.nz or
hurunui.kotui.org.nz.
Best 12:17pm
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Times
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fresh E
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Pegasus Bay
Tide Chart
3
2
NE 0.8 m E0.8 m NE 0.9 m NE 0.9 m NE 1.0 m NE 1.2 m E1.2 m
3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9 3 6 9 NOON 3 6 9
1
0
Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows Highs Lows
Waimakariri 11:23am 2.5 5:05am 0.5
6:05am 0.5 12:48am 2.4 7:06am 0.6 1:48am 2.4 8:07am 0.6 2:47am 2.4 9:05am 0.7 3:43am 2.4 9:59am 0.7 4:35am 2.4 10:50am 0.7
Mouth
11:51pm 2.4 5:38pm 0.5 12:20pm 2.4 6:35pm 0.5 1:18pm 2.3 7:31pm 0.5 2:15pm 2.3 8:26pm 0.6 3:11pm 2.2 9:21pm 0.6 4:04pm 2.2 10:14pm 0.6 4:53pm 2.2 11:04pm 0.6
Amberley 11:23am 2.5 5:05am 0.5
6:05am 0.5 12:48am 2.4 7:06am 0.6 1:48am 2.4 8:07am 0.6 2:47am 2.4 9:05am 0.7 3:43am 2.4 9:59am 0.7 4:35am 2.4 10:50am 0.7
Beach
11:51pm 2.4 5:38pm 0.5 12:20pm 2.4 6:35pm 0.5 1:18pm 2.3 7:31pm 0.5 2:15pm 2.3 8:26pm 0.6 3:11pm 2.2 9:21pm 0.6 4:04pm 2.2 10:14pm 0.6 4:53pm 2.2 11:04pm 0.6
11:32am 2.5 5:14am 0.5 12:00am 2.4 6:14am 0.5 12:57am 2.4 7:15am 0.6 1:57am 2.4 8:16am 0.6 2:56am 2.4 9:14am 0.7 3:52am 2.4 10:08am 0.7 4:44am 2.4 10:59am 0.7
Motunau
5:47pm 0.5 12:29pm 2.4 6:44pm 0.5 1:27pm 2.3 7:40pm 0.5 2:24pm 2.3 8:35pm 0.6 3:20pm 2.2 9:30pm 0.6 4:13pm 2.2 10:23pm 0.6 5:02pm 2.2 11:13pm 0.6
11:34am 2.5 5:16am 0.5 12:02am 2.4 6:16am 0.5 12:59am 2.4 7:17am 0.6 1:59am 2.4 8:18am 0.6 2:58am 2.4 9:16am 0.7 3:54am 2.4 10:10am 0.7 4:46am 2.4 11:01am 0.7
Gore Bay
5:49pm 0.5 12:31pm 2.4 6:46pm 0.5 1:29pm 2.3 7:42pm 0.5 2:26pm 2.3 8:37pm 0.6 3:22pm 2.2 9:32pm 0.6 4:15pm 2.2 10:25pm 0.6 5:04pm 2.2 11:15pm 0.6
11:33am 1.7 5:13am 0.2
6:14am 0.2 12:55am 1.7 7:14am 0.2 1:52am 1.6 8:14am 0.3 2:49am 1.6 9:11am 0.3 3:44am 1.6 10:05am 0.3 4:36am 1.6 10:55am 0.3
Kaikoura 11:57pm 1.7 5:47pm 0.2 12:31pm 1.6 6:42pm 0.2 1:28pm 1.6 7:36pm 0.3 2:23pm 1.5 8:29pm 0.3 3:17pm 1.5 9:22pm 0.3 4:08pm 1.5 10:14pm 0.3 4:58pm 1.4 11:04pm 0.3
*Not for navigational purposes. Wind and swell are based on apoint off Gore Bay. Maori Fishing Guide by Bill Hohepa. www.ofu.co.nz www.tidespy.com Graphic supplied by OceanFun Publishing Ltd.
RANGIORA