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(...continued)
Among those working to get a clearer picture is the Ouranos Consortium in Montreal. The consortium, founded in 2002 and backed by Quebec, Hydro-Québec, Environment Canada and several universities, is developing scenarios for global warming and how to cope with its impacts.
The latest evidence is that the ocean circulation has slowed by about 20 per cent, but the data are called "pretty shallow" by Georges Beauchemin, chair of the Ouranos board. Ouranos won't have results from its work for three years.
"There are some tantalizing hints that something is happening, but we still have to use them with caution," says Hengeveld.
Even so, he offers a warning against complacency.
"This business of abrupt, catastrophic flips in the climate is something we don't understand well. That shouldn't be a comfort. The picture may be worse than we think."
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