Friday 17 November, 2006
Dying before our eyes
This article from the Guardian is a review of four books on climate change. It also discusses the new David Attenborough series.
"The most poignant scene in 'Ice Worlds', screened last Sunday as the opening programme in David Attenborough's new Planet Earth TV series, was provided by a polar bear swimming, mile after mile, in search of a solid surface on which to rest. In an Arctic Ocean turned milky warm and ice-free by climate change, it was a desperate quest. Eventually, the animal is seen scrambling on to a scrap of rock inhabited by a colony of walruses. These vast, tusked balls of blubber have little fear of polar bears and made short work of the exhausted carnivore. The final scene shows the dying bear settling down to die on its lonely resting place.
Thus one of the world's most magnificent land carnivores succumbed, before our eyes, to the effects of manmade global warming. And what is true today for the polar bear will be valid tomorrow for the rest of the animal kingdom, ourselves included. The only certainty is that we have to act, says David Attenborough, who has done so much to highlight the wonders now under threat. As he puts it: 'How could I look my grandchildren in the eye and say I knew about this and I did nothing?'"
And just as an aside, when will Tim Blair stop running with posts about how there can't be global warming because its been cold lately. Climate Change is about an overall increase in the temperature of the planet. The result is more extreme weather conditions - hot and, sometimes, cold. The guy's not stupid - but obviously he finds it easier to play dumb than admit he's been wrong. Just because there are sometimes hysterical and extreme statements about Climate Change doesn't mean that it's not happening and that we're (the species, all species, the planet) not in serious trouble. As for all the concern about the economic impact of Kyoto - well, if the Government wants to see economic impact in action, I suggest they do nothing for a few years and see what the economic impact of ignorance is.
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Views from the Floor
sophie Cunningham says:
checking this comment business out.
Dan Ung says:
Climate change -do you know that the natural CO2 emissions (volcanos, animals, other natural processes) that release CO2 and CH4 in the athmosphere are over 200 billion tons per year (plus the variation from year to year). The human activity today releases 8 billion tons per year. Don't you think that the human induced quantity is pretty negligible in the big scheme of things and that even if there is a warming it is most likely natural and would happen anyway. Are you aware that over the earth's 4 billion years history there were many thermal cycles some of them very rapid (which may have lead to various species extintions)long before humans appeared?
Arnold Williams says:
"The result is more extreme weather conditions"
Sadly, this is a moment when established science fails you: there has been no trend toward more extreme weather conditions, and the subject has been thoroughly researched.
koyaanisqatsi says:
science has theories and it has facts. global warming is a theory, as is the idea its caused by man made co2.... neither is proven to be a fact. the world used to be flat ( a theory proven wrong). Gallileo was ex-communicated for saying the earth orbited the sun. established science has enertia... it takes time to break through this enertia- no matter how good your arguent.
the theory of global warming is in fashion... the moden age is all about fashion... in depth understanding is the preserve of a few... most of us are indoctrinated by media fashions and common misconceptions.
Michael Ejercito says:
Dan, what is your source for the total natural CO2 emissions?
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