AGW - trying to sum it up in a "sound byte" (almost) manner

[War Horse]

1. CO2 traps heat in an atmosphere. This is demonstrable in a greenhouse or any number of other experiments.

2. The concentration of CO2 in the atmosphere is rising in proportions that correlate closely with the amount of CO2 that mankind has been putting out into the atmosphere.

3. An increase in heat has been observed, as expected with CO2 increasing.

Whichever properties CO2 may have (plants need it or whatever) has NOTHING to do with AGW.

Does this work at all?

[Imajika]

1. It won't matter how you package it...

When our economy sucks, AGW becomes a back burner issue to the vast majority of the public. They are simply not interested in it right now. Poor Al Gore is beating his head against a wall on this one.

AGW will progress as most climate scientists predict, and there is probably nothing we or much of the world can or will do about it. We'll just have to learn to live with it. Also, even if the Western world cuts CO2 emissions, China and India are rapidly spewing more and more - and they are not going to do much other than pay lip service to the problem.

[War Horse]

2. I know...

Last ditch effort, I guess

[War Horse]

3. It's just that

Whoever solves the energy/sustainability engineering question is going to be the dominant economy of the next century.

Not that that seems to matter...

[Imajika]

4. I sympathize, I really do...

I'm just saying that AGW as an issue is simply not on the American people's radar at all right now. It not only a backburner issue, it's an issue many/most Americans suspect might mean higher energy costs for them and as a result, in these terrible economic times, they don't even want to hear about it. When people are hurting they do not want to "sacrifice" for any additional causes.