Quote:
Originally Posted by a700hitter
This leads to my second question. What will be the cataclysmic consequences if we don't take action? The IPCC itself predicts that sea levels will rise between 7 to 24 inches in the next 100 years. The worst case scenario is 1/4 inch per year. I feel to see any reliable evidence that this will have cataclysmic consequences.
|
Now you want me to explain the consequences of global warming? Geez. I think I'll pass. If you can't find enough information about why it will be bad online, in the paper, in the debates and in books and movies, I'm not going to have any impact.
Here's more data about warming trends... just for S & G.
http://www.sciencedaily.com/releases...1213101419.htm
"One is the combined dataset maintained by both the Hadley Centre of the UK Meteorological Office, and the Climatic Research Unit, University of East Anglia, UK, which at this stage ranked 2007 as the seventh warmest on record. The other dataset is maintained by the US Department of Commerce’s National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration (NOAA), which indicated that 2007 is likely to be the fifth warmest on record.
Since the start of the 20th century, the global average surface temperature has risen by 0.74°C. But this rise has not been continuous. The linear warming trend over the last 50 years (0.13°C per decade) is nearly twice that for the last 100 years.
According to the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change’s 4th Assessment (Synthesis) Report, 2007, “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 average sea level.”
You are right though, a700, it might be more accurate to talk about climate change rather than global warming. That simply makes it more complicated and more important to understand the complex ramifications it may have.
Perhaps global climate change deserves it's own thread?
Given the amount of evidence--acknowledged by many of you--indicating that humans have at least SOME responsibility for the CO2 emissions, and the CO2 emissions at least have SOME responsibility for the warming trend, particularly in the arctic, I am not going to be convinced to just sweep it under the rug. I am going to continue to believe it is important that our next president pay great attention to it and begin laying the groundwork for addressing it over the next decade or two.