Do you think this is worth covering?

NWF   |   March 9, 2010

By Larry J. Schweiger

Scientists from the University of Alaska have discovered that much larger amounts of methane gas are leaking from beneath the Arctic seabed that had been estimated or even likely considered. Because the frozen seabed is thawing and is no longer able to act as a ‘cap’ to contain the methane beneath it, more methane is being released each year from the East Siberian Arctic Shelf than had been thought to be the total for all the world’s ocean’s combined. Considering that release of “even a small fraction of the methane” stored in the shelf “could trigger abrupt climate warming,” wouldn’t it seem that this news would receive more coverage? Yet to my knowledge none of the major outlets gave it even a mention.

I’m glad to be heading to Nebraska this week to help Nebraska Wildlife Federation celebrate 40 years of success protecting the state’s greatest natural resources. Understanding how important it is to confront climate change to save what they care about, its statewide members have been effectively working to pass energy and climate legislation that will safeguard Nebraska’s wildlife. And I’ll be speaking at University of Nebraska – Lincoln Wednesday.

Networks might not be covering the big climate stories but I’m so glad the people I’ll be seeing this week understand how important it is to confront climate change to protect wildlife and people.