Will we react to global warming before it's too late?

Answer 1

While the existence of, and the potential dangers of Global Warming caused by CO2 emissions can be validly debated, I believe there will certainly be a vast reduction in CO2 in the atmosphere over the next 30 years - well before it is "too late" by anyone's standards.

There are more than enough people reacting to the potential existence of a problem to adequately address the issue.
For example, an organization in Africa has just started the "Billion Tree Initiative" Planting one billion new trees around the world will remove over 250 million tons of CO2 from the atmosphere.

For example,the amount of trees lost over the past 15 years in the Amazon Rain forest alone is responsible for over 1 billion tons of CO2 currently in the atmosphere.
Tree planting and forest management alone can alleviate over 20% of the CO2 "problem" just by itself.

Simple conservation of electricity in the home and workplace reduces the amount of fossil fuels burned, as does reducing gasoline consumption with more efficient autos and less unnecessary driving. These simple conservation methods can also address nearly 20% of the "problem"

In addition, in the US and in Europe, technology is being develpoed and will be commercially available wtihin 10 years to allow power plants and major fossil fuel burning industries to capture almost all of their CO2 emissions before it is emitted to the atmospere.

And lets not forget that the most effective removal device for CO2 is plankton and other plant life in the ocean.
As CO2 levels in the atmosphere increase, the amount of ocean plant life will increase (its like fertilzing a plant). Therefore, a good part of the CO2 buildup is self correcting.

Personally, as a scientist, I have no great concern about a worldwide "disaster" from Global warming; The earth has gone through many climate cycles all by itself over many, many centuries and milleniums. Most of these naturally occuring changes were of a magnitude far greater than even the ridiculously exaggerated disaster portrayed in Al Gore's "An Inconvienent Truth".
While I am sure that AL Gores passionately believes in the validity of his movie, we should keep in mind that Al Gore is not a scientist, nor has he any scientific training, and, as is the case with most politicians, tends to listen only to the opinions of people who agree with him.

The same fraternity of scientist that are today predicing Global Warming were predicting Global Cooling and an impending new Ice age just 25 years ago. (There is even an entire Time Magazine from the 70's that was devoted to preventing the global cooling/ice age disaster that was immenent).

The Sahara desert was once a plush green rain forest, similar to the Amazon rain forest. Naturally occuring climate changes converted this rain forest into the worlds largest desert long before man added pollution and CO2 into the atmosphere.

The eruption of one single volcano in the mid 1800's (Krakatoa) affected the entire world climate for over 3 years, and raised the earths average temperature by about 1-1/2 degrees (nearly the same amount being predicted by the Global Warming fraternity.

Man cannot do ANYTHING to surpass the natural cycles and events occuring in the earth.

My advice: Take some practical measures such as conservation and tree planting, drive a fuel efficient automobile, and quit worrying.

And, I should also add, don't believe more than 10% of anything coming out of a politicians mouth regarding anythng of a scientific nature.

I can assure you that ours and future generations have a much greater chance of being affected by an earthquake, or an earthquake caused tsunami, or by a huge vocanic eruption, than by any man caused climate alteration.

Answer 2

Yes. I sorry to say you are wrong. During the 1990s there wasn't enough data to say whether it was human activity or natural cycle that was causing global warming. In fact you may (or may not, depending on age) remember that in the 1970s the perceived threat from nature was not global warming but the onset of the next Ice Age! However, since the 90s the computer models have been refined as more data has become available. Many of the latest systems run thousands upon thousands of scenarios, with the results being clustered. All of them come to the conclusion that it is human activity in causing the massive release of carbon into the atmosphere that has caused the warming that has been monitored directly since the 1950s, and can be traced back through study of ice cores, tree-rings and the like, to the 1700s and the start of the industrial revolution. Only the likes of President Bush stand in the face of the science now. Ten years ago your view point may have been valid. No longer.

Answer 3

Global Warming enthusiasts have distorted and grossly exaggerated figures. Such transparent wrongful data has harmed their cause substantially. The US government has actually cut back on related energy research and many people are seeing Global Warming as bunk.

In the new year the UN will say that mankind has had less effect on global warming than previously supposed. It will reduce its overall estimate of Global Warming by 25%. This will include halving the predictions for sea-level rise in the next hundred years from 34 in to 17 in.

But there is a real problem that is called Climate change. Most scientists in the field and most sensible people interested in the environment have recognised it for years. Many of the effects put down to global warming are in fact climate and weather related. A change in the world weather pattern pushed warm air over the ice sheets, melting them. The same amount of rain is falling just in different places.

Whilst the dire prediction of the Global Warmers are grossly exaggerated they do detract and distract from the real problems of the world climate. They have become the real problem and threat to the world!!!

So yes I think the world of science and politics is waking up to the reality of the exagerations and hype and have already started to ditch the discredited term ‘Global Warming’, recognised the term ‘Climate Change’ and are now likely to get on with the problem of identifying, quantifying and seeking solutions. We need to curb carbon emissions, find new power sources and fuels, but most of all we need some good scientific research and honest and open minded debate.

Answer 4

No. In the 1980's one could find a blurb about it here and there. It sounded like science fiction and reports were so brief or scattered, few paid attention. Those few sounded like imaginative nuts. It didnt seem, to the individual, that in this great big world they could do any harm or good. The world was much too massively large. Now we try to change lightbulbs, walk, and co-operate with our fellow man instead of acting like an island. 26 precious years have gone by-it will take many more to conquer global apathy. As long as people dont care about themselves, they wont care about anything outside of themselves either. Those who care will have to become one loud voice-if its not already too late. Apathy and indifference has allowed global warming. There are many many world problems. Its evident it is easier to close the door and forget them all.

Answer 5

Global warming is the most overhyped and exaggerated issue in recorded history. This planet is one that is marked by cycles. Ice Ages have come and gone, etc. What happened to the terrible hurricane season that every global warming clown predicted for this year. Gee, it didn't happen. Global warming groupies will reject these singular examples, but will accept them if it suits their purposes (for example, Katrina). Most of these people will immediately reject any opposing scientific data. My advice: pull your heads out of your posteriors. As George Carlin has stated: "This planet is not going anywhere...we are." Stop believing that global warming is a major crisis simply because some politician or actor says it is. Try to engage in some critical analysis and conduct your own investigation. This planet is not in any catastrophic danger. Are you telling me that plastic, smoke, and cow flatulence are going to destroy this planet? LMAO! The Earth is much more durable than that and has existed for billions of years amidst much turmoil. Yet, global warming kooks claim that human beings are going to bring about its demise. As I have stated, use some logic and don't take Al Gore's word for it. You will be much more enlightened and better off in the long run.

Answer 6

Not likely, based on all those who deny global warming is real on this site.

Few politicians are going to want to fight that. Not when the problem likely won't hit until they're out of office.

This country really suffers in the area of long term planning.

Answer 7

We will react its just a question of how we react and if it has the effect we desire lol. For all we know going to solar power has its huge unforseen problems so ya never know.

Answer 8

probably not, it isn't in man's nature to react before we have to regret something we ignore.