WELL, DR. MALTHUS, THEN WE'LL CHANGE THE ATMOSPHERE. (Via <~text text="Samizdata">

The real 'greenhouse effect' (Roger Highfield, Telegraph, 6/06/2003).

The world has become a greener place in the past two decades as a result of climate change, according to a major study published today.

As the climate has warmed, the Earth has become more lush and rich with vegetation, notably in the Amazon rainforests, according to a study jointly funded by the US space agency Nasa and the US Department of Energy.

The research, published today in the journal Science, describes how global warming has allowed plants to flourish where climatic conditions previously limited growth.

In general, where temperatures restricted plant growth, it became warmer; where sunlight was needed, clouds dissipated; and where it was too dry, it rained more. . . .

The past two decades have been the warmest recorded, but whether this is due to long-term trends - the greenhouse effect - or short-term trends is unclear: there were three intense El Nino events, in 1982-83, 1987-88 and 1997-98; changes in tropical cloudiness and monsoon dynamics; and an almost 10 per cent rise in atmospheric carbon dioxide.

So, to sum up, the greenhouse effect may not be real, but if it is, it's good. Posted by David Cohen at June 6, 2003 05:30 PM