Next month. Copenhagen. Scientists from around the world intend to rally to shake politicians out of their stupor over global warming while there's still time to act.
From The Guardian:
Climate experts from across the world will gather in Copenhagen next month to agree a stark message to policy makers, which they hope will break the political deadlock on efforts to curb rising temperatures. The meeting follows "disturbing" studies that suggest global warming could strike harder and faster than expected.
Katherine Richardson, a marine biologist at the University of Copenhagen, who is organising next month's event, said: "This is not a regular scientific conference. This is a deliberate attempt to influence policy."
One issue to be addressed next month is whether it is still possible to limit average global temperature rise to 2C, which the EU defines as dangerous. Richardson said a key question for politicians is the balance between efforts to limit warming and steps to adapt to the likely consequences. Watson has warned that nations should prepare for an average rise of 4C. The IPCC said temperatures could soar by up to 6C by 2100 if current rates of carbon pollution continue.
A number of "disturbing" trends seem to have accelerated since the IPCC report was published, he said, such as a decrease in the amount of carbon pollution absorbed in the oceans, and an increase in Greenland ice melt. But he denied that the new findings made the IPCC report obsolete. "They are not so radical as to undermine the report. They reinforce it."
Truth be told, if the IPCC reports were a mine canary you would wind up with a lot of dead miners. The reports are consensus based, meaning that their findings - and forecasts (or warnings) - are significantly diluted by just a handful of holdouts. What you're reading are the results the holdouts are willing to accept. That's why the reports continuously understate the magnitude of the problem and the pace of its onset.
But don't worry, we have Stephen Harper to step in to protect Canada and other nations. Sorry, take that back, you should worry.
I hope it works.
ReplyDeleteThey were quite outspoken during the election.
Andrew Weaver and other climatologists were supporting the Green Shift and a carbon tax.
Two years ago I went electric. Got an e bike and use my automobile only for emergencies. This for me was more important than any other action.
I do all those other minor things, like light bulbs, local food and cloth shopping bag.
Giving up the auto habit is something most people dont want to hear about.
As for convincing folks about climate change, global warming, reading all those comments on CBC,
the G&M,etc the past year, including this winter,tells me we have some heavy red neck resistance. I wonder if the majority of them are Conservative Party voters? Most likely.
Now, with this budget we are back to the separation of economy and environment. Where do they think our resources and plants and people and food come from? Exponential growth.?
China has a huge drought.
Why aren't we coming together and helping each other out?
Use the military to send water bombs and Bambis to Australia and China instead of bombing people and their habitats and environment.