Its gettin hot in hurr (global warming strut)
ZEN2
1,540 Posts
http://www.cnn.com/2007/TECH/science/02/02/climate.talks.ap/index.htmlGlobal warming 'likely man-made'PARIS, France (AP) -- The words of warning about global warming from the top panel of international scientists Friday were purposely blunt: "Warming of the climate system is unequivocal," the cause is "very likely" man-made, and "would continue for centuries."Officially releasing a 21-page report in Paris on the hows and the what of global warming -- though not telling the world what to do about it -- the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change gave a bleak observation of what is happening now and an even more dire prediction for the future."Warming of the climate system is unequivocal, as is now evident from observations of increases in global average air and ocean temperatures, widespread melting of snow and ice, and rising global mean sea level," the report said...Could this be the policy-changing tool needed to finally get Dubya's crew to own up to the reality of our environmental situation? Or will it be business as usual?
Comments
Homepage of the Interngovernmental Panel on Climate Change, if anyone's interested.
Some criticism and random thoughts...
I think the emphasis on man-made effects are way too centered on the fuel-burning aspect of the issue. It only counts for about half of the increase in CO2 levels. The other half, growth destruction/modification (wiping out rain-forests, etc) never really gets talked about, at least not in my country. The lobbyists probably won that one. Plus, I guess people don't make the connection as easily between the the products (f.ex. fancy wood) that they get out of it, if it doesnt have an exhaust pipe (e.g. a visual representation of ecological harm/impact).
It's also important to note that the sun has a massive influence on Earths' climate. For example, the popular statement that 2005 was the hottest year since the 1800s is very misleading. The truth is, when you take all things into account, that 1935 was overall warmer. This is the suns doing. There are also reports that show that compared to 2005, or even the last few centuries, the temperature measured higher than current peaks, f.ex. in the years 800 - 900 A.D.
So take the scare tactics presently spouted with a grain of salt. I personally feel that it's not the proper way to address the issue. The ideal method would be information through learning, not information through scare tactics. Shocking people into preferred behaviour is not a good agenda in my opinion.
Now, as an environmentalist, I do feel that we people as a whole have to start treating the Earth with more respect. The thing is that it doesn't start and end with fuel-burning, as many people ultimately feel is THE issue. It's everything from, indeed, fuel-burning, to which products you consume (as in, was it produced regionally or is it imported?), what is the origin of the products you consume (as in, where did this piece of wood come from?), to how efficient your use of water is, to how our cities are built (as in, are we diverting to much water away from the soil and straight into rivers/oceans/etc.), etc.
I think it's crucial to understand that we will not wipe out the Earth, the Earth will wipe us out. I can see how people sometimes overlook that fact entirely, since one could argue that the current dominant ideology of a lot of cultures/states/countries/etc... is that one is now born into "the human world" vs. into "nature". The emphasis is on the human spirit, forgetting that we are first and foremost an organic life-form, provided by nature, a capsule if you will. That inevitably leads to; no capsule on Earth => no human spirit on Earth.*
We should do our best to treat the Earth with respect as long as we're here. That is if we want to prolong our stay here. I doesn't really take too much effort.
* this is not a discussion on wether the human spirit/soul/etc can exist in some entirely other realm, the argument is based solely on the human spirit as it relates to our environment.