Huh? I was always under the impression that volcanic eruptions were responsible for cooling, not warming. But then this isn't a science blog.

Oh dear, you really did no research before writing this eh? I can't believe you think that a volcano contributes to global warming.

Volcanic eruptions are cooling. They emit large quantities of sulfates, which have the opposite effect of carbon dioxide. Not enough to make a permanent difference but a very large eruption in 1816 caused the 'year without a summer'.

And, of course, the eruption is preventing hundreds of thousands of tons of emissions from aircraft flights each day.

It's so weird how someone with a basic misunderstanding of the issue gets paid to display their ignorance and spread it to others.

Could possibly be offset by the fact they have cancelled 63,000 flights so far. That is scary! That many flights just in europe in 4 odd days, no wonder there is so much pollution!!

I love it.

Icelandic banks lose billions of the UK's money, and the UK gets all nasty with Iceland.

Iceland returns the favour by sending massive clouds of ash over the UK, closing all the airports. Noticably Iceland's main airport is still open and operational.

That would have to be the best comeback of all.

Wow Dave, I hope your feet are small...

The whole carbon debate is not about global warming as that has been debunked as the earth decided to cool in the late '90s, thus ruining a good rant topic for environmental communists. So they changed it to the nebulous 'climate change' and that meant any seasonal variation was sufficient for them to self justify anything at all.

This eruption is important as it proves to all us silly people that we are not in charge of the planet and all our plans can be undone in an instant.

As to to carbon credits, debits, taxing and trading. Not one politician has said where all that tax money will be put to help the planet. Something concrete like replanting rainforests for example. No, Dave is correct, we'll be ripped off yet again. It'll be like our road taxes on fuel. It will disappear into some vaguely named fund never to be seen again. The only ones to gain out of carbon trading will be commodities dealers and brokers as they do their usual act of making profits being parasitic middle-people.

@ #1 and #2

Global warming also can cause cooling in some parts of the world.... its just what he called it...global warming, i think he meant climate change.

Perhaps it is u who needs to do the research :)

wow in just one week this valcano has emmited more florine and polution than the u.s. has in 100 years. that should shut up the enviro whackos. we do polute the water, have trash dumps and change the landscape but to change the climate? we could change it with atomic bombs but not with our every day industry.

Wow. That's so dumb. You're talking about an event that has a cooling effect as if it contributes to climate change. How can I get a job where I just write whatver I feel like without even having to do basic fact checking?

diggy, nah. While it is true that climate change may result in cooling in areas, climate change is due to us putting more greenhouse gases into the atmosphere. Volcanos release more 'anti'-greenhouse gases than greenhouse gases. Volcanic events do not contribute to warming anywhere, they are not part of the enhanced greenhouse effect that is causing global warming that is resulting in climate change.

(that last sentence is for people like Arthur who get confused by different terms used to describe related things)

Lol at k2 #4 - it is a pretty awesome comeback isnt it?

On the green side - just think how much less pollutants from aircraft there has been in the last 5 days. A volcano belches out far less than aircraft do....