How many people will have to die?

Question

It seems Americans are the leaders in global warming denial, http://www.worldpublicopinion.org/pipa/articles/home_page/187.php?nid=&id=&pnt=187&lb=hmpg1
How many people will have to die before you understand that man made global warming is real? Do they all have to be Americans, or will people being killed in Bangladesh be enough to convince the holdouts?

Cute B, facts? You want facts do you?
http://www.namnewsnetwork.org/read.php?id=19745

Answer 1

If the skeptics distract us long enough to delay action, we'll probably get to 8 to 9 billion before crashing to 500million, so for a round number, call it 8 billion.

Answer 2

There are no simple answers here. The global climate is arguably the most complex of all complex systems with which we routinely interact; we frankly know very little about it.

Global warming is real, although it appears to be abating. Is it caused by people? People certainly have an impact on the climate. For example, re-forestation (not de-forestation) in North America has been going on now for about 125 years - that has an effect. Does increased carbon dioxide in the atmosphere affect the climate? Probably. Those who claim there is no human effect on the global climate are only slightly less arrogant than those who claim the scientific debate is over.

People are dying by the thousands today in Bangladesh because of one of the more recent "save the planet" hysteria campaigns. That one effectively outlawed the use of DDT because birds ate the dead insects and there were decreases in bird populations. Deaths from malaria skyrocketed in third world countries, but the bird population did slightly better. That is an example of a complex system - the DDT controlled the mosquitos who carried malaria and killed millions every year; overlooking the other influences and actors in a complex system when fixating on a single slice of the issue is always dangerous, sometimes fatally so.

I am not in denial about global warming, I accept that human activity affects the climate. I'm not in a rush to accept a single prescription that focuses on only one part of the system - carbon dioxide - and refuses to look at the others. Yes, we can significantly reduce carbon dioxide emissions by significantly reducing the income of the developed countries. However, that's where the research is likely to occur that will lead to not just a better understanding of the complex system, but also to what may be better solutions.

When deciding to pigeon-hole me, please don't use the "in denial" slot, use the "proceed with caution because we are woefully ignorant" slot. The current hysteria (I can think of no better term for it) is reminiscent of the anti-nuclear power hysteria of 30 years ago. The same attitude, "We have total knowledge and complete understanding and anybody who opposes our prescription just doesn't care about people and the planet." As a result of that movement we now produce about two-thirds of our electricity from fossil fuels, emitting enormous millions of tons of carbon dioxide every year. Had we stood up to the thugs then and kept pace with France in building nuclear generating capability, we would be emitting half of the carbon dioxide we are today.

My objection is not to doing something about anthropogenic global warming, it is to charging ahead with "Execute this radical plan immediately." We just don't know enough about the complex system with which we are tinkering.

Answer 3

I remain skeptical of global Warming.

The earth goes through cycles--these cycles are sometimes extreme. The best example is the Start and end of the ICE AGE. Done long before the SUV was ever invented and long before fire was widely known to humankind.

What caused and what ended it?

Here is a good example of why I remain skeptical.
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http://www.telegraph.co.uk/news/main.jhtml?xml=/news/2004/07/18/wsun18.xml

"The Sun's radiance may well have an impact on climate change but it needs to be looked at in conjunction with other factors such as greenhouse gases, sulphate aerosols and volcano activity," he said. The research adds weight to the views of David Bellamy, the conservationist. "Global warming - at least the modern nightmare version - is a myth," he said. "I am sure of it and so are a growing number of scientists. But what is really worrying is that the world's politicians and policy-makers are not.

"Instead, they have an unshakeable faith in what has, unfortunately, become one of the central credos of the environmental movement: humans burn fossil fuels, which release increased levels of carbon dioxide - the principal so-called greenhouse gas - into the atmosphere, causing the atmosphere to heat up. They say this is global warming: I say this is poppycock."
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This would also explain why Mars is warming too.

Answer 4

There are approximately 5.5 billion people on this planet. Over population is a direct contributor to global warming, pollution and environmental destruction.
So what's the problem if several hundred million or a billion die?

There would be a positive effect on all the environmental problems.
So make up your mind do you want to save people or the environment?

Answer 5

We got a lot of hurting folks here in the N.W. We got hit by what has been called "a 1,000 year storm" ! We've been hit by several"100 year storms" in the last 10 years! Every year,the storms are more devastating. This storm we had record high daytime temp,24 hrs earlier, we sent a record low daytime temp,record snowfall,followed by record rainfall,along with record winds! All from 1 storm. Look at what is going on in the rest of the country. Yeah it's winter,but the sheer size and scope of the storm is just crazy! 1,000,000 without power,and it'll be awhile before some of them see power. Hope you're safe where you are!

Answer 6

Germany killed 6 million because they thought Eugenics was real science. I wonder how many will die in defense of the pseudo science of "global warming"?

No one has died because of "global warming"

Answer 7

Convincing MILLIONS of people about any mildly complicated topic with little proof that they can all see in person has NEVER been easy. Don't try to guilt trip the informed, inform the uninformed.

Answer 8

Actually, severe weather related deaths are down a lot in recent years. Don't let the facts get in the way.

Answer 9

All will Die

Answer 10

all people are going to die, even you greenies.....your just going to die the same way you live.... miserably