Global Warning Worriers... Say A-Men

[Edcrab]

Heh, same old problem- different portions of the scientific community bickering and claiming their rivals are scaremongering/in the pockets of heavy industry. This is no revelation- most everyone knows about the ensuing climate debate, and Prof. Lindzen comes across as sounding very insecure about the media stance, but of course it's not fully representative of his opinion.

The argument that we shouldn't take any precautions because we "don't understand" the planet's ecological cycles sounds fairly weak to me- surely (worst-case scenario, admittedly) the risk of billions of wasted dollars is far less repulsive than billions of wasted lives.

That out of the way, I believe Global Warming is a very real issue- it's just not going to have any great impact on our lives, or even two generations from now. The doomsday theories read like propaganda to me- selective information designed to shock governments and corporations into reducing their carbon emissions and suchlike.

The Kyoto Treaty isn't exactly the most well-rounded proposal, but reducing pollution is never a bad thing (provided pollution is actually reduced, rather than levys paid).

The US doesn't want to reduce it's industrial and economic strength, but considering its major rivals are subjecting themselves to the processes, it sounds like America just wants to be even further ahead than usual.

So, to summarise my opinion on this consistently controversial topic- an issue, and a potentially dangerous one in the long term, which we could easily solve provided we act within the next decade or so.

 

[Hot Soup]

That's exactly the problem, it could go either way. But the earth is at most going to get warmer by one degree in 1000 years, and the sea level isn't going anywhere.

The temps already been clocked as going 0.5 degree's in the past century and IPCC scientitsts have conservatively estimated up to 6 degrees by the end of this century. Agreed that there needs to be additional research into the climate and weather.

But there are plenty of warning signs at the moment. El Nino increasing in ferocity, numerous freak weather, increased hurricane and typhoon seasons etc etc

There's no sense in not starting now.

 

[Sgt_Shellback]

you're not helping here :dozey:

His comment helped as much as yours...

I'm not sure about the whole global warming thing. But I am sure that science doesn't know butkiss about global weather patterns beyond record keeping.

To think that any deviation beyond what we know is abnormal is a little egotistical.

 

[Korgoth]

No shellback, whats egotistical is pretending to know more about a subject that scientists who have studied the records and events their entire lives.

 

[Sgt_Shellback]

No shellback, whats egotistical is pretending to know more about a subject that scientists who have studied the records and events their entire lives.

Well that's what this thread is about... An MIT scientist coming out and saying that in his profession as a scientist it's hearsay to say global warming is bunk...

Amen.

 

[GhostFox]

No shellback, whats egotistical is pretending to know more about a subject that scientists who have studied the records and events their entire lives.

The problem with the whole global warming debate is that there are just as many reputable scientists who say it is nonsense as there are who think it is real. The real truth is that we could be decades away from having enough evidence for signifigant human influenced climate change to be proven/disproven. The amount of information we have today doesn't even begin to approach the amount needed to end this debate. In 50 years we might know. Until then this debate will rage on the same as it is now.

 

[Sgt_Shellback]

To think that we as humans control the enviroment puts us as somewhat god like...

So the theory that we are directing global climates is a good feeling to some.

Evidence is inconclusive but the point is that to speak out against global warming is similar to say that there is no god.