Adapting to Climate Change Quickly - A Lesson from the Birds?

On the eve of the Copenhagen Climate Change Conference (COP 15 - see http://en.cop15.dk/) it is disappointing to see so little light at the end of what has been a long tunnel of preparation meetings and conferences.  Expectations for the event are being dialled back daily and it now looks like there has to be even more unfocussed meetings and delays before global leaders link arms to address the most pressing threat to the future of humanity. 
I appreciate that reducing greenhouse gas emissions is a difficult task, but the world has previously acted in unison to address critical threats to our life support systems (e.g. Montreal Protocol on CFCs)... so what is holding us up now?
As a reforming scientist, I have been fascinated by recent attempts to obscuficate the science of climate change.  In a presentation to the City of Kenai last week (see http://www.webcasting.com/kenai/player.php?clientname=kenai&eventname=-board&eventdate=11.24.2009), I explained that the science of CC is clear - we are now in new climate territory and so need to think differently.  In that regard, I have been delighted by the willingness of many Alaska Councils to sign on to a Coastal Climate Change Compact that creates momentum towards climate change adaptation (see http://www.akmarine.org/pressroom/alaska-coastal-communities-global-climate-change-compact/).

Its a pity that such collaboration is apparently so much harder to achieve at higher political levels, but always the optimist, I am still hopeful that humans will make the adjustments we need to make (and have the capacity to do so) in time to avoid creating an unlivable planet.  I'll be watching the Copenhagen debates with great interest and truly hope that we can take positive steps to make the changes we need to make in time to avoid the worst effects of warming.

This week an article was posted about how nature has begun to make its own change - see http://www.theglobeandmail.com/news/technology/science/british-birds-rapid-evolution-signals-human-impact/article1387804/.  In the article, a combination of warmer temperatures and human feeding of birds in Britain has led to marked changes in the physiology of blackcap warblers (pictured in center frame above) in just a  few decades!

The article is fascinating reminder that species such as birds can adapt quickly, but will likely need a helping hand... one can only hope that the importance of such principles is not lost on those diplomats gathering in Copenhagen.