Greenland becomes green land; Brazil gets good news

A newly published study shows the ice melt on Greenland is accelerating. And it is contributing ever more to rising sea levels.

The rate of ice melt in Greenland has increased markedly in the past few years, says this report.

OK, I admit the nations of the world are not looking likely to take any serious action on trying to curtail global warming. So maybe we should think of about moving our coastal cities uphill? The study just published says if Greenland loses all its ice cover the oceans will rise about 23 feet. At that point most of Miami would no longer be visible from the plane. You'd need a snorkel to find it. And those levees around New Orleans? Another two stories higher, please.

AMAZONIA

Down in South America the deforestation of the Amazon Basin has slowed to its lowest rate in the 21 years it has been tracked. The Brazilian government is pleased by the news and the country's president has declared global warming to be the most severe threat facing the world. Some skeptics point out the economic downturn has reduced the economic incentives for cutting down the forest.