September 2006

Is Our Earth Irreversibly Damaged?

Photography by Susanna Sayler

Global warming is not “a very serious problem,” according to 59 percent of Americans. And although 64 percent believe there is “a lot of disagreement” among scientists on the basic facts of the issue, it’s just not so—the scientific community’s unified voice is calling for immediate action.

By photographing landscapes throughout the world that are either currently undergoing dramatic transformation or are vulnerable to predicted changes to come, The Canary Project hopes to convey the urgent reality of global warming.

Cofounder Susannah Sayler’s images, together with established scientific research in 16 locations, present stark evidence that global warming is affecting every place on earth.

Dead Sea Fan and Elkhorn Corals in Belize’s Barrier Reef
Photo at right, top

Sustained increases in water temperatures of 3 to 4 degrees C above average over a six-month period can cause significant coral mortality; short-term increases on the order of only 1 to 2 degrees C can cause shorter-term “coral bleaching.” The Elkhorn coral in the background was likely damaged in 1998, according to Craig Downs, executive director of Haereticus Environmental Laboratory, caused by very high sea surface temperature due to global warming and El Nino—events unprecedented over at least the previous 3,000 years.

The sea fan in the foreground was probably the victim of Aspergillosis fungus, which can kill a variety of organisms, particularly when they are weakened from other environmental stresses.

Church of St. Michele, Venice, Italy 2006
Photo at right, bottom

Venice is estimated by a recent study to have subsided as much as 24 cm over the last century. With global average sea levels expected to rise between 9 and 88 cm between 1990 and 2100—due to both human-caused and naturally occurring subsidence—Venice is particularly vulnerable.

This church is located on the cemetery island in the open waters north of Venice. The metal breakwater surrounding the corner of the island protects the church from the constant waves that are especially strong during high tide.

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