Global Warming Thread: Recent Articles: BIG Trouble Ahead

[G_j]

All these powerful and alarming stories have come out in the past few weeks. It is major news in Europe where 35,000 people were lost in last summer's heat, but not even close to headline news in the US. The Story about the Inuit bringing a case againt the Bush admin. was a top BBC story, yet not even reported here that I know of.
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**Global Warming is Here Now, Say U.N. Delegates http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/121403G.shtml
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**Global Warming Kills 150,000 People a Year, Warns UN
http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/121303G.shtml
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**The Four Degrees (7.2 degrees Fahrenheit): How Europe's Hottest Summer Shows Global Warming is Transforming Our World

By Michael McCarthy, Environment Editor
08 December 2003

http://news.independent.co.uk/europe/story.jsp?story=471135

It was the summer, scientists now realise, when global warming at last made itself unmistakably felt.
We knew that summer 2003 was remarkable: Britain experienced its record high temperature and continental Europe saw forest fires raging out of control, great rivers drying to a trickle and thousands of heat-related deaths. But just how remarkable is only now becoming clear.
...more...
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Also, check out the web site links at the bottom of the article for National Climate Data Center graphs comparing last summer's temperatures in Europe to other summers, and last years global average temperatures to global average temperatures of other years (beginning with the year 1880).
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**Earth Warming at Faster Pace, Say Top Science Group's Leaders
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1218-01.htm

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http://www.commondreams.org/headlines03/1204-04.htm
**Climate Change Laid to Humans

Report Warns There's 'No Doubt' Industry is Primary Cause

by David Perlman

New evidence found by teams of climate researchers leaves no doubt that industrial emissions of greenhouse gases are responsible for increasing global temperatures -- an ominous trend that has speeded up in the past 50 years and threatens to continue for centuries, according to a report by two of the nation's leading atmospheric scientists.
...more...
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**Melting Ice 'Will Swamp Capitals'

http://www.truthout.org/docs_03/120903H.shtml

By Geoffrey Lean
Independent UK
Sunday 07 December 2003

Measures to fight global warming will have to be at least four times stronger than the Kyoto Protocol if they are to avoid the melting of the polar ice caps, inundating central London and many of the world's biggest cities, concludes a new official report.

The report, by a German government body, says that even if it is fully implemented, the protocol will only have a "marginal attenuating effect" on the climate change. But last week even this was thrown into doubt amid contradictory signals from the Russian government as to whether it will allow the treaty to come into effect.
...more...
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www.theage.com.au/articles/2003/12/15/1071336885565.html

**Inuit begin rights case over global warming

By Paul Brown
Milan
December 16, 2003

The Inuit of Canada and Alaska are launching a human rights case against the Bush Administration, arguing they face extinction because of global warming.

By repudiating the Kyoto Protocol and refusing to cut carbon dioxide emissions, which constitute 25 per cent of the world's total, Washington is violating their human rights, the Inuit claim.

They are inviting the Inter-American Commission on Human Rights, based in Washington, to visit the Arctic Circle to witness the devastation caused by global warming.
...more...
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http://www.news-leader.com/today/1203-Globalwarm-232039.html
**Global warming imperils ski slopes
Resorts need to move uphill as snow line continues retreat.

By Andrew Dampf
Associated Press

Turin, Italy — Global warming is threatening the world's ski resorts, with melting at lower altitudes forcing the sport to move higher and higher up mountains, according to a United Nations study released Tuesday.

Downhill skiing could disappear altogether at some resorts, while at others, a retreating snow line will cut off base villages from their ski runs as soon as 2030, warned the report by the U.N. Environment Program.
"Climate change is happening now. We can measure it," said Klaus Toepfer, executive director of the U.N. program.
...more...

[Kolesar]

1. this week the EPA issued two policies to encourage more Coal usage

1. Lax Mercury standards that would require scant expense on pollution control equipment to keep people consuming cheap electricity.

2. Lax particulate and smog producing gas standards tha would also keep electricity "cheap" and discourage conservation.

Tie these issues together with huge political contributions and the coal industry and you have a political issue to use against the gop.

[G_j]

6. I live in a beautiful city

surounded by mountains, Asheville NC.
We have some of the worst air in the country, thanks to coal fired power plants and pollution that finds it's way here from Atlanta and Charlotte. The cost of health insurance is higher here because of the increase of respiratory illness. Children are especially at risk. The famous mountain views on the Blue Ridge parkway once averaged 17 miles, now it's closer to 3 miles. The trees at Mt. Mitchell (the highest) are dead and dying and higher streams are as acidic as lemon juice. Bush's 'clean air' policies are like a nail in the coffin. You can actually SEE it happening.

[Nlighten1]

2. Global Warming?

What global warming?

[Oggy]

3. Nicely put together

I dispare of the world at the moment. I may be in The UK (i.e. Europe), working in an organisation which promotes Energy efficency and Emmission control, but I can see not enough is being done. The two biggest issues in the worlds history ( for Mankind ) are Global Warming and Peak Oil ( my view ), and all the govts of the world are swabbling about things that can cause millions of deaths, not billions that will be caused by these two events.

[G_j]

8. and I read somewhere that oil peaked in 2000,

gotta build some more SUVs. :-(

and you are right about the importance of these issues. To future generations there will be no doubt about this and there's no doubt that today's leaders will be judged as criminally irresponsible.

[muriel_volestrangler]

11. too early to tell where the true peak is

World oil production was high (3.23 billion tons) in 1979, then declined for 4 years in a row, then gradually increased until it finally beat the 1979 peak in 1994.

http://production.investis.com/bp/ia/stat/#

But you are right that 2000 was higher than 2001 or 2002.

[G_j]

12. thanks

that is a helpful link!

[0rganism]

4. We'll pay attention when half of Manhattan is underwater

Until then, it's far more important to deregulate the energy and automotive industries.

[xchrom]

5. questionable science

is what bush will call it...
but he's an idiot -- unfortunately, he's the idiot in charge.

[G_j]

7. I don't know about * himself

but "they" the people around him, Cheney etc. know very well whats happening. Since Bush doesn't read newspapers, maybe they tell him it's a wacko liberal lie or a rumor started by the French. But Cheney probably knows more than we do. Might as well grab what they can before it all turns to shit.

[opihimoimoi]

9. Save Florida, help build dikes

[Kolesar]

13. We will see continuously climbing oil prices and Cheney &co. will profit

Wealthy and powerful people in the energy industry have taken over the governments of several important oil producing countries. Iraq, the United States, come to mind as conquests by the energy industry. They tried to take Venezuela in 2002, they will try again. Even though production is declining, the profits will be higher than ever. We must make Americans see this.

[GreenPartyVoter]

10. You want irony? The Bu$h crawford compound

is a paradise of energy conservation.

"The (geothermal) heat pumps, though still something of a novelty, are completely proven and save so much money that President Bush installed a system at his new ranch home in Crawford, Tex., Mr. Cheney's official home, the Naval Observatory in Washington, also uses geothermal heat pumps to cut down on its energy bill."

"It is truly ironic that one of those on the cutting edge of consumer conservation is W himself, whose ranch in Crawford, Texas, has been described as “an environmentally sensitive showplace” designed with “state-of-the-art energy efficiency.” The house is filled with energy-saving devices, while the ranch’s lawn and fruit orchard are irrigated with recycled water. He’s acting locally, he just can’t think globally."

(both quotes from commondreams.org)

[G_j]

24. amazing!

is someone planning for something?

[adriennel]

14. in all fairness

I am very concerned with the environmental state of the world, and the fact that BushCo denies that global warming exists and says we need more research to discover the causes & effects (duh! humans!)is pure shite.
However, in the past couple of years I have been more concerned with Bush NOT blowing up the world with his war toys and cowboy ego. And having a job to pay for rent and food.
I'm not saying environmental regulation is not necessary at this time--quite the contrary, we need the EPA to reverse its backwards slide and be more aggressive on the side of regulation. I just think that it's not so much environmental apathy going on as some people are too worried about the here and now to think of 5, 10, 20 years from now.

[opihimoimoi]

15. Do we stop the people drillin holes in the life boat(Earth) now, or do we

wait till the boat start LIST?

By then, it may be too little too late. It may be too late now and hell to pay fix it but if we wait longer it will be double hell to pay, our choice....

[adriennel]

19. first

we need to stop the back and forth. Clinton instituted a number of environmental regulations that BushCo is now rolling back. When a Dem is elected president in 2004, hopefully he/she will re-institute regulations from the Clinton era and move forward. But the next time a Repug is elected president, he/she will again start rolling back regulations. In terms of official environmental policy, we're going absolutely nowhere.

again, I'm not saying environmental protection is unnecessary or can wait. I have just been thinking lately about why green issues aren't more prevalent among the general population, even compared to the last presidential election. And the fact is BushCo is doing a lot of seriously stupid things right now-it's hard to focus on just one.

[GreenPartyVoter]

16. We don't have a lot of time here

At the rate the ice caps are melting and the forests are dwindling, the rate of acceleration of global warming and weather catastrophes is only going to speed up further.

And no, we aren't good at looking down the road. On ANY of our policies.

[G_j]

20. Another risk

I borrowed this post from Vitruvius from a past thread about global warming where she or he addresses methane. (thanks Vitruvius!)  


>Worse still, "Another risk is the so-called "runaway greenhouse effect"
where rising temperatures lead to the release of huge reservoirs methane stored in permafrost and the oceans, adding to global warming and starting a self-reinforcing cycle that would eventually make the earth uninhabitable.

To avoid such catastrophe, the report says that industrialised countries will have to cut emissions of greenhouse gases like carbon dioxide by at least 20 per cent by 2020, and by up to 60 per cent by 2050. The Kyoto Protocol would at best cut them by 5 per cent by 2012 <SNIP> In the meantime the world looks as if it will greatly exceed the targets; <SNIP> global emissions of greenhouse gases could increase by 75 per cent by 2020, "putting the world well on the way to doomsday".
---------------- ----
FYI, methane is an even worse greenhouse gas than carbon dioxide; the solubility of methane in water decreases as the temperature is increased; hence increasing the temperature of the oceans can release enormous quantities of methane, causing further warming, releasing more methane, and possibly leading to a runaway greenhouse effect.

Will we end up like Venus -- with a surface temperature that melts lead? The answer is: nobody knows; the research hasn't been done yet. But back-of-the-envelope calculations suggest that we might.

I'm optimistic; I think we might have enough time after the problems become obvious and undeniable to avoid pushing things to utter disaster.

But in the meantime, a lot of poor people living near the equator will pay dearly. With the global warming that is already "locked in", enough of the ice caps will melt to submerge Bangladesh. They're gone. Africa will become almost uninhabitable, at best. And so on.

And the worst of it is: the people living near the equator who will pay first and worst for global warming had nothing to do with creating it. We did it, they will pay.

P.S: I suspect that within our lifetimes, international law may consider our reckless burning of fossil fuels, our reckless contributions to global warming to be acts of aggression; acts of war against the whole world.

[Kolesar]

18. Tax breaks subsidize coal and discourage conservation

Electricity prices at the meter are artifically low due to federal policy. That would be the first fix.

[IrateCitizen]

23. As Ralph Nader once said (don't flame, read!)

"You show me a polluter, and I'll show you a subsidy."

[G_j]

35. the private sector waits for "demand"

SOLAR COMES TO (PART OF THE) EARTH
David Morris, AlterNet

As with hybrid cars, Japanese companies are taking the lead in the solar cell revolution, while in the U.S., the private sector waits for demand to build. http://www.alternet.org/story.html?StoryID=17416

[Logansquare]

21. I'm afraid you may be right

This will devastate mostly poor countries at first. And our citizenry will yawn and change the channel. The landmass that makes up Bangladesh may cease to exist before the next century.
100,000 Killed By Global Warming
http://www.commondreams.org/headlines/071600-02.htm

[Lydia Leftcoast]

17. And it doesn't help a bit

that Republicans are largely opposed to alternatives to automobile usage, and that China (perhaps under the influence of some well-paced bribes to officials) is "modernizing" by encouraging people to buy cars.

(I saw China in 1990, when it was still mostly bicycles and pedicabs, and I cannot imagine how horrible those same streets will be when they are full of cars.)

[IrateCitizen]

22. So few people realize how much of a domino effect this all is

Thanks for posting these articles, G_j. The environment is such a pressing issue -- IMHO, the most pressing one of all, because it means the life or death of our species, plain and simple.

Global warming does not mean simply that average temperatures will go up a few degrees. It does not just mean that polar ice caps will melt and oceans will rise. It also means that fresh drinking water supplies will be rapidly diminished. It means that arable soil will dry up to dust and be carried off in the wind. It means a global outbreak of famine, the likes of which we have never seen before. Species will continue to die off at exponentially increasing rates -- we're already at the point of the biggest mass-extinction since the end of the dinosaurs -- resulting in collapsing ecosystems. It will become apparent that one too many threads will have been pulled from the tapestry of life, resulting in the entire cloth unraveling.

Not even Americans will be immune to it. Our insane agricultural practices have so ravaged our water and soil over the past 20 years that much of it will be gone in a very short time. The only ones assured of survival will be the ultra-rich, and those who have made the effort to set up some cooperative networks of varying degrees of self-sufficiency (i.e. cooperative organic farms, etc.). Much of the economy will shrink spectacularly, returning to more of a barter system in rural areas.

Whatever the case, the results of this will be catastrophic. Others I know think that I'm an alarmist for saying stuff like this -- but after reading books like David Suzuki's The Sacred Balance and coming to the realization of how far out of whack things REALLY are, I don't see any other conclusion to come to.

[Smokie]

25. some economics of global warming

The present day economy would shrink were we to begin the conservation measures needed to reduce global warming.

The elites who now profit from this economy are going to fight to keep economic changes from happening. This is of course a very selfish and shortsighted exercise. Global warming will end their reign and they know it, but their evil ways won't let them change.

Many new economic possibilities will emerge as the changes grow. Chief among these will be the basics: Supplying food, water, and shelter in a changing environment. Our present day extended supply lines will be very much shortened and local supplies will become the only affordable items.

Relocation of global warming refugees is going to place tremendous pressures upon supplies and the communities to which the refugees spread. However, with little capital, refugees will become such a huge economic burden that their lives will be devalued. It now happens every day, eh?

What to do? Quit buying into the present day economy and become more community oriented. Prepare you and your's for the changes to come and hope that you will survive.

[IrateCitizen]

27. Yup, you hit it all right.

Bush even admitted as much as you surmise here when he explained his reasons for withdrawing from Kyoto -- "It would hurt the American economy."

What to do? Quit buying into the present day economy and become more community oriented. Prepare you and your's for the changes to come and hope that you will survive.

Yup. That's another one. I've already told my wife that when we get a house, I want to install solar panels and a small-scale wind generator on the property. A large organic garden will be a must too. Of course, she thinks I'm nuts -- until I show her stuff from some of the books I have read.

Reduce, re-use and recycle. That's the only way that ANY of us will get through this. Oh, and cooperate too.

[IrateCitizen]

29. BTW Smokie, welcome to DU!

I think that based on that post, you'll be a most welcome addition.

:beer:

[G_j]

33. unfortunately you are right

And our "leaders' are not wise. If they were wise they would recognise their responsibilities to future generations and the earth that supports them. They would perhaps make every decision based on how it will effect the next seven generations. They would resist pressure from the selfish and powerful in recognising their sacred duty to the welfare of all. Because our leaders do not recognise their responsibilities and are beholding to the short sighted interests of the powerful few, the people would do well to band together and prepare on their own, learning sustainability, while finding ways to change the systems where the so-called leaders are put into power by the powerful and shirk their true responsibilities to the people.
Until then, it's up to us to lead.


p.s. welcome to DU! :toast:

[The Zanti Regent]

37. The Republicans don't care bcause Jesus is coming to take them away...

They don't care who they hurt or destroy. After All, Jesus is coming in a week or two to take them away...

[G_j]

38. the sooner the better :-) n/t

[newyawker99]

41. Hi Smokie!!

Welcome to DU!! :toast:

[G_j]

26. not an alarmest at all

but a realist. The state of the environment will no doubt eclipse all other issues in the not so distant future because every human on the planet will be effected.

As usual, a very thoughtful post.

[IrateCitizen]

28. Only an alarmist to the many who are ignorant of reality (nt)

[Karenina]

30. If you're not alarmed

YOU ARE SIMPLY NOT PAYING ATTENTION!!!!
Hi Chris!!! :toast: :loveya: :toast:

[Lorien]

36. Yep

I've got a scientist friend in Antarctica who has been studying climate change for fourty years. From what he says, we'll be lucky if we have another 50 years left. :-(

[G_j]

42. it is such a shame

that Bush has caused so many problems on so many fronts we barely have a chance to focus. 50 years is essentialy 'tomorrow' for the next generation.

[TEXASYANKEE]

31. Sssshhhhh.

The sheeple are watching Survivor and Average Joe. Can't be bothering 'em with "real" news.

[G_j]

34. funny

we'll all be playing survivor someday soon.

[NewYorkerfromMass]

32. Vote for Kerry AND his wife

they're the best on the environment

[Blue_Tires]

39. ttt

can't drink the water, breathe the air, or eat the food...Temps are rising, corporations bury and then conviently "forget" about radioactive waste...The sad part is nowhere near the number of people needed are even interested or want to make a change. A lot of RW attitudes i've come across about the environment go like "I'll be dead and gone before things really start to get bad, so who cares?"...I'm no biologist, but our species is screwed unless we change some viewpoints, or start evolving to adapt really fast

[G_j]

40. the human race

unlike the dinosaurs we have a choice.
We are at the crossroads, but as you say, not enough seem to care. I think people will start to care when their lives are significantly effected in a negative way, but it will probably be too late.

[Karenina]

43. And we're talking

REAL FAST!!! I was freaked out about our environmental trajectory at 12, annoying some of my teachers with my "Chicken Little" fantasies. It's decades later and progressing MUCH FASTER than I, in my worst nightmares, ever imagined. Fasten your seatbelts kids, it's going to be a very bumpy ride. :toast:

[WEagle]

44. and pleeeez

DO NOT buy an SUV!

[MoonRiver]

45. There is no hope, imho.

I have believed for several decades that the human species is fatally flawed and will self-destruct. We have committed the cardinal sin of evolution: becoming over specialized. Our incredibly developed brain has done us in. Yes, we are capable of amazing brilliance and creativity, but we also have an unprecedented capacity to wreak havoc on every living thing. Part of the problem is that while our brains are highly advanced, we are still very influenced by the reptilian brain stem. Given enough time we might evolve into a higher level being, transcending our primitive origins while utilizing an ever growing cerebral cortex for the purpose of bringing peace and harmony to this world. I just don't think we'll survive long enough to do so. Looking at us right now, I predict annihilation from selfish indifference.

[muriel_volestrangler]

46. Annihilation seems unlikely to me

because while destructive, we're not at all specialised - we're the most adaptable large animal (maybe the most adaptable of any single species) - look at the environments we can survive in, from the arctic to the desert. Only complete nuclear devastation or an incredibly deadly disease seem likely to take out the entire race (and it would be very difficult for a disease to spread fast enough before it kills its hosts to get all humans before some can put themselves in isolation).

Global warming has the potential to change environments, and maybe make some unlivable, or very unproductive at least. Mass starvation, and even 'the end of civilisation as we know it' could be possible (though I doubt the latter - someone will be organised, and perhaps selfish enough, to hang on to resources and knowledge sufficient to preserve much of what we know now).

As for evolving - for this to work via natural selection, there needs to be a benefit to the offspring of the 'more altruistic' types, compared with the 'reptilian brain stem' types. Ironically, this would mean they'd have to exclude the 'selfish' ones from the benefits. I can't see a way out of this paradox. Genetic engineering could be another way; but that brings up more ethical questions, and potential for destructive behaviour.

[DemBones DemBones]

47. "Not with a bang, but a whimper."

Or a gasp.

[IrateCitizen]

48. At least it's heartening to see this thread still up there...

Usually these kinds of discussions are met with board apathy -- or the various "Bjorn Lomborg" types trying to refute the existence of global warming.

This is SUCH a serious issue, we cannot continue to destroy the very ecosystems upon which we depend for our very survival. And yet we DO continue to do exactly that. One of the great failings of the US is that our system of governance is not favored toward those who are willing to discuss such hard truths -- but rather those predisposed to ignore them and tell everyone that "everything will be all right".

[Name removed]

49. Deleted message

Message removed by moderator. Click here to review the message board rules.

[IrateCitizen]

50. There are none who are more blind than those who refuse to see

Temperature changes ARE cyclical, but the overwhelming majority of scientists studying the current rising temperatures across the globe concur that they are the result of human causes, at least to SOME degree.

But since you think we're all so alarmist, would you say that the greatest mass-extinction since the dinosaurs (without the accompanying natural disaster) is simply part of the "natural order"? Do you think that consuming 33% more resources than the earth is able to replenish each year (clean freshwater, clean air, arable soil) is part of the "natural order"? Because these events are happening -- and they are all intertwined.

Ignore your dependence on the health of the planet at your own risk, but I won't sit by and allow you to ignore it at everyone else's as well.

[rman]

54. cycle post # 53

-

[PackedForPerth]

51. skiing disappears...

Downhill skiing could disappear altogether at some resorts, while at others, a retreating snow line will cut off base villages from their ski runs as soon as 2030, warned the report by the U.N. Environment Program.

Oh my God! What will we do? LOL! :)

[Toucano]

52. How long until this is tied

to Clinton's penis?

[rman]

53. last 143 years; 10 hottest years are since 1990; 4 hottest: 98, 01, 02, 03

(source: WMO http://www.wmo.ch)

just coincidence of course