Climate Change

[Hamilton]

Well why the mr 5% comment then when I was in fact correct as you now admit

Oh good gracious. Read the news. You are sadly in a minority when it comes to what most scientists think.

Sadly, you are in a vociferous and significant minority when it comes to what the public think. 19% of the UK public do not see climate change as a significant problem.

95% of scientists do, and they do see links between climate change and the increase in temperatures over the long-term. 19% of the public don't - and it's fuelled by climate sceptics.

 

[Papa Lazarou]

If global warming hasn't got anything to do with us can I stop washing out My baked bean cans and throw them in the normal rubbish ?

No, of course not. There isn't a limitless supply of useful materials on the planet. Even if we somehow dodge this bullet, we're pretty much over the realistic carrying capacity of the planet for any long term survival of our society in it's current form. Recycle and re-use in imperative alongside some form of population control (which will be controversial). of course we could just let nature sort it out for us, but that will get messy.

 

[APACHE]

The real problem is that we think we can do something to turn this around, IMHO we can't for the simple reason the third world countries want what the west has got and those millions of people are only now starting on the path that we took 200 years ago. Mankind has been on this planet only a blink of an eye and we think that we can control everything,well this time we may have started something we can't stop.

 

[Hamilton]

The real problem is that we think we can do something to turn this around, IMHO we can't for the simple reason the third world countries want what the west has got and those millions of people are only now starting on the path that we took 200 years ago. Mankind has been on this planet only a blink of an eye and we think that we can control everything,well this time we may have started something we can't stop.

So, let's crack open another beer and just make sure our kids don't have any more kids.

 

[Bold Seagull]

The real problem is that we think we can do something to turn this around, IMHO we can't for the simple reason the third world countries want what the west has got and those millions of people are only now starting on the path that we took 200 years ago. Mankind has been on this planet only a blink of an eye and we think that we can control everything,well this time we may have started something we can't stop.

Of course we can. We have the technology right now to do it. 3rd world countries can be empowered to make their own difference. North African countries are already starting to make revenues through setting up solar farms and selling the energy back to europe. It's clean, sustainable, and sets up economies to those that previously had none.

We can't control the planet, but we can control what we contribute to it, and look after it better than we have done. It is far from beyond saving, but it has to be done now, if the developed world does change, then the emerging economies will also have to be dragged into it. You can't sell petrol driven cars if the west is now only using hydro, or electric. You can't sell oil or gas if we're using solar, wind, wave etc. There is a great potential to change the world.

The key thing is WE HAVE TO TRY!

 

[ozseagull]

Oh good gracious. Read the news. You are sadly in a minority when it comes to what most scientists think.

Sadly, you are in a vociferous and significant minority when it comes to what the public think. 19% of the UK public do not see climate change as a significant problem.

95% of scientists do, and they do see links between climate change and the increase in temperatures over the long-term. 19% of the public don't - and it's fuelled by climate sceptics.

I didn't say I didn't think it was a problem. I was just offering an alternative to the argument which is that the earths temperature has fluctuated up and down historically so this COULD be (not is) a similar event.

My actual opinion is that I am concerned about global warning and our impact I just like to explore other explanations. I stand by my comment that the government does use the global warning scare mongering to impose excessive green taxes ie airport taxes etc.

 

[blue2]

Millennium bug all over again

 

[nicko31]

The problem is politicians in democratic countries only think short term and what will win them the next election, they have been talking green wash since the Rio summit in 1992, but progress is pathetic. We have an infinite amount of renewable energy in planet earth, if someone would seriously invest I'm sure we'd be on the way to a soluton..

 

[Gwylan]

The problem is politicians in democratic countries only think short term and what will win them the next election...

That's the problem with a lot of political issues. I think PFI has been pretty disastrous but, no worries, it's not our generation that will deal with the fallout. Climate change is just another aspect of this issue - I've no idea what the answer is though. Giving politicians 20-year mandates is no answer - perhaps we should just abolish politicians

 

[deletebeepbeepbeep]

I recommend everyone read kolbert's book field notes from a catastrophe which focuses on the actual changes rather than the theory and statistics, if you still a sceptic after then well I don't know what to say.

But you won't because you'd prefer to live in ignorance.

 

[ozseagull]

I recommend everyone read kolbert's book field notes from a catastrophe which focuses on the actual changes rather than the theory and statistics, if you still a sceptic after then well I don't know what to say.

But you won't because you'd prefer to live in ignorance.

This book just shows what effect a warming planet are having such as rising sea levels and harsh droughts etc. it doesn't in any way explain the causes of global warming be it human fault or natural deviations in temperature. In fact I would argue that it supports the latter as chapter 5 suggests the Mayans and other historical settlements died out due to a similar change in temperature and subsequent weather events.

Must have been all those cars and industrial units the Mayan settlements were famous for polluting the hills of Peru.

Like I said I prefer to be open minded. It could be mans fault or it could be the natural progression of the planet. Nobody knows for sure. Whatever the cause though the damage is well under way and seems to not be holding back.

 

[beorhthelm]

I recommend everyone read kolbert's book field notes from a catastrophe which focuses on the actual changes rather than the theory and statistics, if you still a sceptic after then well I don't know what to say.

the problem with "actual changes" is direct causal linking to the effects and sometime even verification of the change. i dont know if he addresses such concerns in his examples. a couple ive read about in popular scientific media are the Himalayan glaciers which were supposed to be receding but they then found where actually increasing, and the sea level rises based on readings that didnt account for tectonic movment. its a shame that "sceptic" has come to be seen as a dirty word as really all good science is progressed through scepticism and its bed fellow falsification.

 

[banjo]

No, of course not. There isn't a limitless supply of useful materials on the planet. Even if we somehow dodge this bullet, we're pretty much over the realistic carrying capacity of the planet for any long term survival of our society in it's current form. Recycle and re-use in imperative alongside some form of population control (which will be controversial). of course we could just let nature sort it out for us, but that will get messy.

I won't throw away the scrubber then.

 

[dougdeep]

I recommend everyone read kolbert's book field notes from a catastrophe which focuses on the actual changes rather than the theory and statistics, if you still a sceptic after then well I don't know what to say.

But you won't because you'd prefer to live in ignorance.

Ignorance is bliss. Worry is bad for you.

 

[melias shoes]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24292615

Are people still going to deny?!

Over 1000 individual scientific experts published this report.

Obviously there are going to be consequences when we continue to cut down rainforests and pump more and more greenhouse gases into the environment. It's just lucky for us in the west that the first affected are poorer African Nations.

Actually I know many people who don't believe a word of it.

 

[Albumen]

Theres quite a few on NSC who consider that anybody that thinks global warming is down to anything man made is an idiot...

Haha **** me. They're living in an idiot bubble.

 

[Leighgull]

It's interesting how many people seem so utterly convinced that these climatologists and meteorologists don't know what they're talking about. Do any of you deniers actually have ANY qualifications or any understanding whatsoever of this complex science? If the answer is, as I suspect, NO then what are you? Gifted ****ing amateurs? Don't you realise how utterly, utterly ridiculous you sound?

I think I'll listen to the Professors and PhDs over the opinions of idiiots on a football message board if that's OK with you?

 

[Wellesley]

From the IPCC report "The period from 1983-2012 in the Northern Hemisphere was likely the warmest 30-year period of the last 1,400 years. Each of the last three decades has got successively warmer, and these decades have all been warmer than any of the preceding decades since 1850."

Happy Days!!

 

[worthingseagull123]

http://www.bbc.co.uk/news/science-environment-24292615

Are people still going to deny?!

Over 1000 individual scientific experts published this report.

Obviously there are going to be consequences when we continue to cut down rainforests and pump more and more greenhouse gases into the environment. It's just lucky for us in the west that the first affected are poorer African Nations.

There was an independent report complied by experts last week, on the same matter, that does not agree with today's report. I can't be bothered to find it though. That is what I think of this subject. Just Marxist conspiracies probably.

 

[BadFish]

Cool.

So, what shall we do about it?

kill the farmers