Comments on: Why we should be worried about global warming http://hourann.com/blog/2007/04/06/why-we-should-be-worried-about-global-warming Hourann’s illogical blog Mon, 01 Mar 2010 16:40:55 +0000 http://wordpress.org/?v=2.8.6 hourly 1 By: Mark Glossop http://hourann.com/blog/2007/04/06/why-we-should-be-worried-about-global-warming/comment-page-1#comment-13116 Mark Glossop Tue, 10 Apr 2007 07:46:04 +0000 http://hourann.com/blog/2007/04/06/why-we-should-be-worried-about-global-warming#comment-13116 I take your point (or "their" point in fact) - nevertheless, we are a point in our planet's history where technological and ecological awareness have (for the first time possibly) provided us with the ability to take action to adjust/repair our global climate. So the debate has shifted from "if" it's real, to "who/what" caused it? Regardless, global warming is going to be deleterious to not only humans, but fauna and flora across the planet. Just following the "logic" a little further: * If you believe that global warming is a "natural cycle" of the planet, then the fact that we don't have evidence for climate change in the last several centuries indicate that the timescales involved for a "natural planetary climate cycle" are approximately centuries in length: improvement of conditions given current trends (before we run out of water and arable land for food) requires technological intervention. That is just simple mathematics. * If you believe that global warming is man-made in the first instance - again, improvement of conditions (before we run out of water and arable land for food) requires technological intervention to fix the problems caused by previous (mis)use of technology and resources. Either way, the "cause" is moot - intervention (call it interference if it helps you sleep better) is required. So the question is - who's going to be first to step up to the plate and say "hey - this is a problem"? Some companies do it now - why can't we have triple-bottom line federal and state budgets? Y'know - lead from the front? [Damn, when did I turn into a global warming apologist? :-)] M. I take your point (or “their” point in fact) – nevertheless, we are a point in our planet’s history where technological and ecological awareness have (for the first time possibly) provided us with the ability to take action to adjust/repair our global climate. So the debate has shifted from “if” it’s real, to “who/what” caused it? Regardless, global warming is going to be deleterious to not only humans, but fauna and flora across the planet. Just following the “logic” a little further:
* If you believe that global warming is a “natural cycle” of the planet, then the fact that we don’t have evidence for climate change in the last several centuries indicate that the timescales involved for a “natural planetary climate cycle” are approximately centuries in length: improvement of conditions given current trends (before we run out of water and arable land for food) requires technological intervention. That is just simple mathematics.
* If you believe that global warming is man-made in the first instance – again, improvement of conditions (before we run out of water and arable land for food) requires technological intervention to fix the problems caused by previous (mis)use of technology and resources.
Either way, the “cause” is moot – intervention (call it interference if it helps you sleep better) is required. So the question is – who’s going to be first to step up to the plate and say “hey – this is a problem”?

Some companies do it now – why can’t we have triple-bottom line federal and state budgets? Y’know – lead from the front?

[Damn, when did I turn into a global warming apologist? :-) ]

M.

]]> By: azza-bazoo http://hourann.com/blog/2007/04/06/why-we-should-be-worried-about-global-warming/comment-page-1#comment-13115 azza-bazoo Tue, 10 Apr 2007 04:02:00 +0000 http://hourann.com/blog/2007/04/06/why-we-should-be-worried-about-global-warming#comment-13115 One of the arguments used by people saying that global warming isn't a problem is to say that any climate changes we're now observing are just part of the planet's natural cycles, and therefore no reason to impose limits on polluters. But also, my description is likely inaccurate, so a <a href="http://www.ipcc.ch/SPM2feb07.pdf" rel="nofollow">quote</a> may be in order. <blockquote>The Working Group I contribution to the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report describes progress in understanding of the human and natural drivers of climate change, observed climate change, climate processes and attribution, and estimates of projected future climate change.</blockquote> One of the arguments used by people saying that global warming isn’t a problem is to say that any climate changes we’re now observing are just part of the planet’s natural cycles, and therefore no reason to impose limits on polluters.

But also, my description is likely inaccurate, so a quote may be in order.

The Working Group I contribution to the IPCC Fourth Assessment Report describes progress in understanding of the human and natural drivers of climate change, observed climate change, climate processes and attribution, and estimates of projected future climate change.

]]> By: Mark Glossop http://hourann.com/blog/2007/04/06/why-we-should-be-worried-about-global-warming/comment-page-1#comment-13114 Mark Glossop Tue, 10 Apr 2007 03:20:23 +0000 http://hourann.com/blog/2007/04/06/why-we-should-be-worried-about-global-warming#comment-13114 I do find it slightly strange that the two questions "the first asked whether climate change is real and whether it’s caused by humans" were combined together. If it's real - which the cumulative evidence and scientific opinion seems to now indicate very strongly - then isn't it irrelevant whether "we all" caused it or not? An old aphorism comes to mind in this case - "it's not my fault, but it's my problem"...frequently used when one has inherited "problems" in a new job from a predecessor, but could equally well be applied to the climate issue. I've long been a Liberal voter - and I don't think Labor has got it right on climate issues as yet either - but I can see this becoming a pivotal election issue...if anyone has the politcal cojones to make it one, they may just get my vote regardless of economic and/or social credentials - because in the long term, economics (and relative capacity for social reform) is going to be dictated by how we handle the climate issue. $0.02 just spent... I do find it slightly strange that the two questions “the first asked whether climate change is real and whether it’s caused by humans” were combined together. If it’s real – which the cumulative evidence and scientific opinion seems to now indicate very strongly – then isn’t it irrelevant whether “we all” caused it or not? An old aphorism comes to mind in this case – “it’s not my fault, but it’s my problem”…frequently used when one has inherited “problems” in a new job from a predecessor, but could equally well be applied to the climate issue.

I’ve long been a Liberal voter – and I don’t think Labor has got it right on climate issues as yet either – but I can see this becoming a pivotal election issue…if anyone has the politcal cojones to make it one, they may just get my vote regardless of economic and/or social credentials – because in the long term, economics (and relative capacity for social reform) is going to be dictated by how we handle the climate issue.

$0.02 just spent…

]]> By: Club Troppo » Missing Link http://hourann.com/blog/2007/04/06/why-we-should-be-worried-about-global-warming/comment-page-1#comment-13111 Club Troppo » Missing Link Mon, 09 Apr 2007 06:19:16 +0000 http://hourann.com/blog/2007/04/06/why-we-should-be-worried-about-global-warming#comment-13111 [...] Working Group II report on climate change, called Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability , while the Pencil Guy also covers the [...] [...] Working Group II report on climate change, called Impacts, Adaptation and Vulnerability , while the Pencil Guy also covers the [...]

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