Mankind to blame for warming but can slow damage - Reuters

[Eugene]

Source: Reuters

Mankind to blame for warming but can slow damage
Wed Aug 29, 2007 9:38AM EDT

By Alister Doyle, Environment Correspondent

VIENNA (Reuters) - Mankind is to blame for climate
change but governments still have time to slow
accelerating damage at moderate cost if they act
quickly, a draft U.N. report shows.

Underlining the need for speed, it says a European
Union goal of holding temperature rises to a maximum
2 Celsius (3.6 Fahrenheit) above pre-industrial times
is almost out of reach.

The 21-page study, due for release in November, lays
out possible responses to global warming but cautions
that some impacts are already inevitable, such as a
gradual rise in sea levels that is set to last for
centuries.

-snip-

"Very likely" means at least 90 percent probability,
up from 66 percent in a previous report by the U.N.'s
Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC) in
2001 when the link was only judged "likely." The IPCC
draws on work by 2,500 scientists.

-snip-

Read more: http://www.reuters.com/article/environmentNews/idUSL2929478220070829

[GliderGuider]

1. I'm gonna get a reputation as a Grinch, I just know it.

I see a ferocious Catch-22 lurking in these results.

Let's say we do slow down Climate Chaos. Let's say we don't impact the global economies too much in the process. Let's say the global economy keeps growing. Let's say the growing global economy permits a continuation of the industrialization of the world. Let's say the growth in industrialization permits more and more poor people to live "better" lives, involving higher levels of development and consumption. Let's say that increasing Climate Chaos doesn't directly impact this process for an extra 100 years. Outside of the climate, what do we think the rest of the world (i.e. the oceans, the land and all the species that now live therein) will look like after another 100 years of that?

[The2ndWheel]

2. The three words that best describe you are as follows and I quote

Stink, stank, stunk.

But seriously, I think your heart grew three sizes.

I love what you said. I have the same thoughts in my head, but if I try and write them down, I'll confuse myself more than anyone. You certainly can say it better than I could. Our impact will not diminish with a greater use of energy. Our energy use will not go down(it never has). The more energy we use, the more the world(and all life on it) must conform to our wants/needs/desires. That, in turn, will cause more energy to be used.

[GliderGuider]

4. The thing I will catch the most shit for is:

"It will be better for the rest of the biosphere and the human survivors if we hit the wall sooner rather than later."

[The2ndWheel]

6. Yeah, that won't get you elected

Maybe in Who-ville though. The Who's seem like they could take it in stride.

The good thing is that nobody can really build that wall. The bad thing is that nobody can really build that wall. Not sure how it's going to go down the road, but if we can't keep the engine running, it'll be interesting. On the other hand, if we can keep the engine running, it'll be interesting. We can't stop, but we can't not stop. We can't go back, but we can't continue forward. That leaves us in an odd place. That brings us back to the slogan for your campaign.

[GliderGuider]

7. Campaign slogan: "Estamos Jodidos."

Or how about, "I'd rather have a frontal lobotomy than a bottleneck in front of me."

[phantom power]

3. Even shorter version...

The earth is finite. If we don't hit the wall at Population N, then we'll most likely just keep increasing N until we hit the wall.

[kestrel91316]

5. Mankind CAN make a difference..........but won't.

Except for a few individuals who put the future of the human race ahead of their own short-term personal financial gain.......