How Conservatives Destroyed the Environment

[chequita guevara]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7852628.stm

Global warming is 'irreversible'
Politicians must offset damage from man-made pollution, the report says

A team of environmental researchers in the US has warned many effects of climate change are irreversible.

The scientists concluded global temperatures could remain high for 1,000 years, even if carbon emissions can somehow be halted.

The report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Colorado comes as President Obama announces a review of vehicle emission standards.

It appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The scientists have been researching global warming and the consequences for policymakers.


People have imagined that if we stopped emitting carbon dioxide the climate would go back to normal in 100 years, 200 year - that's not true
Susan Solomon
Lead author

The team warned that, if carbon levels in the atmosphere continued to rise, there would be less rainfall in already dry areas of southern Europe, North America, parts of Africa and Australia.

The scientists say the oceans are currently slowing down global warming by absorbing heat, but they will eventually release that heat back into the air.

They say politicians must now offset environmental damage already done by man-made pollution.

"People have imagined that if we stopped emitting carbon dioxide the climate would go back to normal in 100 years, 200 year - that's not true," said researcher Susan Solomon, the lead author of the report, quoted by AP news agency.

Their conclusions come as President Obama ordered the US Environmental Protection Agency to review rules on carbon emissions from passenger vehicles.

Thanks for your obstructionism.

[chequita guevara]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7890988.stm

Global warming 'underestimated'

Prof Field said rising temperatures could thaw Arctic permafrost

The severity of global warming over the next century will be much worse than previously believed, a leading climate scientist has warned.

Professor Chris Field, an author of a 2007 landmark report on climate change, said future temperatures "will be beyond anything" predicted.

Prof Field said the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) report had underestimated the rate of change.

He said warming is likely to cause more environmental damage than forecast.

Speaking at the American Science conference in Chicago, Prof Field said fresh data showed greenhouse gas emissions between 2000 and 2007 increased far more rapidly than expected.

"We are basically looking now at a future climate that is beyond anything that we've considered seriously in climate policy," he said.

Prof Field said the 2007 report, which predicted temperature rises between 1.1C and 6.4C over the next century, seriously underestimated the scale of the problem.

He said the increases in carbon dioxide have been caused, principally, by the burning of coal for electric power in India and China.

Wildfires

Prof Field said the impact on temperatures is as yet unknown, but warming is likely to accelerate at a much faster pace and cause more environmental damage than had been predicted.

The BBC's science reporter Matt McGrath says the most recent data is also worrying because it threatens to kick-start what climate scientists call negative feedback effects.

Prof Field says that a warming planet will dry out forests in tropical areas making them much more likely to suffer from wildfires.

The rising temperatures could also speed up the melting of the permafrost, vastly increasing the amount of carbon in the atmosphere.

[Dis]

and you really expected people to just forgo advancement? If the conservatives didn't do it, people would have elected people who would. You think our population would just sit idly by as the world passes us up in technology?

This world was ****ed from day one. humans will adapt and survive.

[notyoueither]

The BBC's science reporter Matt McGrath says the most recent data is also worrying because it threatens to kick-start what climate scientists call negative feedback effects.

Who said they're negative?

-20c here today.

[Felch]

humans will adapt and survive.

Humans are more adaptable and resilient than environmentalists give us credit for. So's nature for that matter. Think of all the huge changes that have rocked the planet, and then think about how we're all still here. Life will be different, but the world won't end.

[Q Classic]

The BBC's science reporter Matt McGrath says the most recent data is also worrying because it threatens to kick-start what climate scientists call negative feedback effects.

Who said they're negative?

-20c here today.

That's always the pithy answer, but it's not an actual one.

[Theben]

Not that this information isn't distressing, and that I for one am always willing to heap scorn upon evil right-wingers, but this article didn't mention anything about conservatives by themselves screwing up the planet.

[SlowwHand]

Let's all just blow off, for Che's sake, that there have been democrats in the office of president, too. I'm assuming his mindless assertions are directed at republicans.
I don't know that there's anything out there for you to grab that will guarantee you getting a grip.

[Dis]

of course there could be runaway effect and we turn into Venus, in that case we don't survive. Oh well. I think it's fruitless to think you can control the desires of almost 7 billion people. Good luck with that.

[notyoueither]

That's always the pithy answer, but it's not an actual one.

Why do you say that?

Do you live where it reaches -20 or -30c?

As for the permafrost melting, how is this a bad thing for Canada or Russia?

Relax, eco-dude. The climate of the planet changes all on its own. It's not as if the activities of man will do something radical like change the orbit, hopefully.

So shush your tut-tuting.

[Agathon]

and you really expected people to just forgo advancement? If the conservatives didn't do it, people would have elected people who would. You think our population would just sit idly by as the world passes us up in technology?

This is why democracy is wrong.

This world was ****ed from day one. humans will adapt and survive.

Woot, for faith based politics.

Sorry, dude. Some people will survive, but this will kill shedloads of people. Imagine the Potato famine and then apply it to about 1/3 of humanity.

Before they get too hungry, I expect them to turn up in rich countries and off a few of us. Can't really blame them myself.

[MOBIUS]

http://news.bbc.co.uk/2/hi/science/nature/7852628.stm

Global warming is 'irreversible'
Politicians must offset damage from man-made pollution, the report says

A team of environmental researchers in the US has warned many effects of climate change are irreversible.

The scientists concluded global temperatures could remain high for 1,000 years, even if carbon emissions can somehow be halted.

The report by the National Oceanic and Atmospheric Administration in Colorado comes as President Obama announces a review of vehicle emission standards.

It appears in the journal Proceedings of the National Academy of Sciences.

The scientists have been researching global warming and the consequences for policymakers.


People have imagined that if we stopped emitting carbon dioxide the climate would go back to normal in 100 years, 200 year - that's not true
Susan Solomon
Lead author

The team warned that, if carbon levels in the atmosphere continued to rise, there would be less rainfall in already dry areas of southern Europe, North America, parts of Africa and Australia.

The scientists say the oceans are currently slowing down global warming by absorbing heat, but they will eventually release that heat back into the air.

They say politicians must now offset environmental damage already done by man-made pollution.

"People have imagined that if we stopped emitting carbon dioxide the climate would go back to normal in 100 years, 200 year - that's not true," said researcher Susan Solomon, the lead author of the report, quoted by AP news agency.

Their conclusions come as President Obama ordered the US Environmental Protection Agency to review rules on carbon emissions from passenger vehicles.

Thanks for your obstructionism.

Why do you bother Che?

Most of the conservatives on this forum still don't actually believe in, or understand, global warming even now, hence some of the answers on this thread already...

Not that this information isn't distressing, and that I for one am always willing to heap scorn upon evil right-wingers, but this article didn't mention anything about conservatives by themselves screwing up the planet.

Conservatives the world over resisted Kyoto to the maximum of their abilities. Conservatives overwhelmingly run the world's most CO2 polluting industries.

When selfish greed was involved, the world's climate never stood a chance...

All we can do now, is climate-proof our lives as much as possible.

[Traianvs]

Humans are more adaptable and resilient than environmentalists give us credit for. So's nature for that matter. Think of all the huge changes that have rocked the planet, and then think about how we're all still here. Life will be different, but the world won't end.

The world will not end, albeit it will live on quite differently in a short amount of time. Short being interpreted in earthly time scales of course.

The whole thing about ecologism is preserving a balance, with enough leeway both ways to absorb sudden ecological shocks. These shocks in turn, should they occur, have a powerful effect on us (as we're part of the ecological balance) and our economies. It's surprising that our money-grubbing capitalist friends don't see that.

There are plenty of civilizations that were destabilized by climate changes and were annihilated in the end. Back in the days great civs imagined themselves the kings of the world too, but they still ended up being eradicated. Nowadays western man things we'll have the means and technology to survive it all comfortably, but they're forgetting the climate problems ancient civs experienced, are of a magnitude far greater today.

Sure, some people won't be affected, but most people will. Again, people in third world countries will bear the grunt of the suffering. Not taking action or at least supporting others who do is selfish. The cynics are loathsome egocentrical (and in many cases well-to-do) bastards

[Tuberski]

“I believe in making the world safe for our children, but not our children's children, because I don't think children should be having sex.”

ACK!

[Darius871]

How Conservatives Destroyed the Environment

Just them? You'll note that the mainstream left wouldn't have eliminated emissions either, and instead would have made only marginal decreases. Not to mention those decreases would only be in the first world and would induce increases in the third world, particularly China (though I guess you could make the argument that their leadership is also conservative).

Basically the only people who wouldn't have destroyed the environment had they been in charge are the hardcore ecofanatics living in the woods, and maybe the Amish.