New Earth Rising as Ecological Internet Declared Greenwash Free ZoneLooking Climate Change in the Eye
Global media is abuzz with discussion regarding whether the massive and deadly heatwaves hitting Europe, Asia and the United States, particularly California, are caused by and/or an indicator of global warming [more | more2 | news search]. Many capture the fact that while no single weather event can be conclusively linked to climate change, clearly it plays an important part in current global record temperatures. Scientists explain using probability metaphors, speaking of "stacked decks of cards" or "weighed dice". What human caused global warming does is increase the likelihood, duration and severity of not only heatwaves but also hurricanes, droughts, flooding and other extreme weather events. To deny what is happening now globally in terms of extreme weather events is delusional, deadly wishfulness.
Yes, we must adapt to climate change happening now. But just as importantly we MUST begin a program to reduce emissions immediately and substantially to avoid mid to long term impacts that are beyond the capacity of the Earth and society to withstand. Make no mistake, climate change is not only real, it is well advanced. The only questions of any real importance now is whether it can be recognized as such, its ramifications and remedies better understood, and societal changes on a massive scale developed and pursued in time to save us all. And this almost certainly is going to involve strict regulation, carbon taxes and even carbon rationing [more].
Comments
Yes, both adaptation and mitigation. The concern is that events like this could create an impression for decision makers that (a) it's too late to worry about mitigation, and/or (b) a whole climate change policy package would include adaptation, thereby taking funds away from mitigation work. They should be separate programmes of action with their own separate budgets, even though linkages are possible with some adaptation/mitigation measures.
Posted by: Nathan | July 27, 2006 7:51 PM
Adaptation about the situation of global warming is starting to be too near.
Carbon taxes are very good idea and every country should take the tax to the budget. Western world should
stop also using and robbing other continents like Africa and South America and let them produce their own products like electricity for example in Kongo with help and equality of Western world people, instead of using them of money collecting purposes.
Posted by: Anna Vainio-Petsorowo | July 29, 2006 12:25 AM