Home > Uncategorized > 10-minute climate science

10-minute climate science

May 7, 2011

I’m fascinated by the minds of people who worry about the economic effects of global climate change mitigation. They’re worried that alternative energy and various lifestyle changes might hurt economic growth (even though new technologies have a pretty good track record of expanding economies). What do they think flooded cities, the collapse of oceanic fisheries, expanding desertification of arable land, water shortages and droughts, and unprecedented refugee problems will do to the economy?

The science, summarized in this video, is solid. If there was this much evidence that an enemy was about to attack us, we’d move, brother. We wouldn’t let it happen. But we are twiddling our thumbs in a fog of well-funded denialism.

Especially important is the chemical signature of the carbon dioxide emissions; we know the increase is coming from fossil fuel. Which is to say; it was locked away from the biosphere and we’re putting it back, after millions of years. The effect shows up in thousands of ways, from animal migratory patterns and other biological markers, radiative heat measurements, glacier movements, sea level, sea chemistry, precipitation and storm events, and the movement together of atmospheric chemistry and average temperature.

There are a lot of things we need to do but step one is to quit denying it’s a problem, and quit wishing it would all just go away. We just spent three trillion dollars because of 9/11 with… questionable results. Here’s a much bigger, scientifically verified existential threat and we’re still arguing over light bulbs. We need to open the closet door and face it.

(h/t Orac)

Categories: Uncategorized
  1. marcia
    May 8, 2011 at 14:08 | #1

    Thank God it’s not just me that’s in a blue funk over climate change! How the hell do we get our governments to take it seriously and do something? I’m terrified for my grandchildren.

  2. May 9, 2011 at 09:29 | #2

    At least one scientist is predicting that up to 80% of the earth’s human population could die off over the next century or so due to climate change. I’m no economist, but if that scientist is even half right, such a die off could have a wee little on the economy.

  3. May 9, 2011 at 11:47 | #3

    Denial is always much easier than dealing with the consequences of acceptance. At least it’s providing great fodder for science fiction.

  4. May 10, 2011 at 21:33 | #4

    I just hope that the scientists predicting it may be too late are wrong.

Comments are closed.