New report on climate change released today

[southernhybrid]

https://www.nytimes.com/2018/11/23/climate/us-climate-report.html?action=click&module=Top%20Stories&pgtype=Homepage

The report, which was mandated by Congress and made public by the White House, is notable not only for the precision of its calculations and bluntness of its conclusions, but also because its findings are directly at odds with President Trump’s agenda of environmental deregulation, which he asserts will spur economic growth.

Mr. Trump has taken aggressive steps to allow more planet-warming pollution from vehicle tailpipes and power plant smokestacks, and has vowed to pull the United States out of the Paris Agreement, under which nearly every country in the world pledged to cut carbon emissions. Just this week, he mocked the science of climate change because of a cold snap in the Northeast, tweeting, “Whatever happened to Global Warming?”

But in direct language, the 1,656-page assessment lays out the devastating effects of a changing climate on the economy, health and environment, including record wildfires in California, crop failures in the Midwest and crumbling infrastructure in the South. Going forward, American exports and supply chains could be disrupted, agricultural yields could fall to 1980s levels by midcentury and fire season could spread to the Southeast, the report finds.

It looks like we're fucked. Just yesterday the so called president tweeted "what ever happened to global warming" because it was cold outside.

 

[Jolly_Penguin]

Saddest part for me about global climate change is that those who had the biggest hand in causing it either own't be alive when it is at its worst (because they were a generation ago) or won't be as badly effected by it because they are rich. I can assure you that folks living without air conditioning in the Philippines feel climate change quite readily. They don't call it a myth. Same goes for others around the world who are effected without the means to mitigate those effects.

 

[TSwizzle]

I'm baffled as to why people think the earth's climate should never fluctuate. These irresponsible proclamations of death and destruction are not based on science or evidence.

 

[ruby sparks]

Oh look. A wingnut on the internet. Maybe I should pay attention.

 

[Tom Sawyer]

I'm baffled as to why people think the earth's climate should never fluctuate. These irresponsible proclamations of death and destruction are not based on science or evidence.

I’m baffled how you’d think a statement like that was relevant to the ... oh, never mind.

 

[untermensche]

I'm baffled as to why people think the earth's climate should never fluctuate. These irresponsible proclamations of death and destruction are not based on science or evidence.

Besides the fact that you don't understand any of the science.

They most certainly are based on evidence, nothing but evidence.

And even the simple evidence is clear.

Like average temperatures are at the highest ever recorder.

That the strength of average hurricanes is increasing.

That the polar ice and ice in general is shrinking.

These are not in line with any previously recorded fluctuations.

Current climate data is filled with outliers which is in accordance with what has been predicted about the wild shifts expected in weather.

 

[southernhybrid]

I'm baffled as to why people think the earth's climate should never fluctuate. These irresponsible proclamations of death and destruction are not based on science or evidence.

About 10 or so years ago, I attended a lecture by a geology professor who explained in great detail just how human activity, starting around the time of the industrial revolution, had an impact on climate and global temperatures. He had charts and graphs and it was all very convincing. If you were open minded and did some serious reading from actual scientists who specialize in such things, maybe you too would understand how we humans have impacted our environment and climate.

Why, I dare to ask, do you reject the evidence that has been consistently presented by something like 98% of climate scientists?

Whether we can do something about it at this point in time that will be effective is a different matter. Humans have a very, very long history of destroying their environment. Maybe we're just prone to denial when the facts don't support our beliefs, or when the truth would require large changes in our habits and life styles. We can each do some small things to help, but without the actions of government, individuals will never be able to do enough to make a difference. Considering that we have a "leader" who recklessly denies all the evidence......Sad.

Even China is working towards using more renewable energy. India needs to do something about the awful pollution that exists in that country. But, at least in the past, America was looked to as a leader when it came to progress, but it looks like those days are in the past.


I don't put the blame on any generation because the early damage that was done was done out of ignorance. But, there is still a lot of ignorance and denial when it comes to climate change and pollution. Unfortunately, many conservatives see this as a partisan issues, which it is not. I also find it ironic that conservatives don't seem interested in conserving the environment. You would think that even those on the far right would want to conserve the quality of our air and water.

 

[Elixir]

I don't put the blame on any generation because the early damage that was done was done out of ignorance...

And the harm continues - now it's out of greed. And not national greed; this is all about one person - "INDIVIDUAL-1" whose personal fortune is tied up in promises about oil.

 

[fast]

I'm baffled as to why people think the earth's climate should never fluctuate.

It's not that they don't think it should never fluctuate; rather, they think the degree of fluctuation is being substantially altered because of human action.

 

[Harry Bosch]

I'm baffled as to why people think the earth's climate should never fluctuate.

It's not that they don't think it should never fluctuate; rather, they think the degree of fluctuation is being substantially altered because of human action.

Yes, and they are correct. It's wonderful to not be shackled by religion and be able to evaluate the evidence without prejudice!

 

[Tammuz]

I'm baffled as to why people think the earth's climate should never fluctuate.

It's not that they don't think it should never fluctuate; rather, they think the degree of fluctuation is being substantially altered because of human action.

Yes. Climate change could be turning the Earth to a climate that was tens of millions of years ago.

 

[Harry Bosch]

I'm baffled as to why people think the earth's climate should never fluctuate.

It's not that they don't think it should never fluctuate; rather, they think the degree of fluctuation is being substantially altered because of human action.

Yes. Climate change could be turning the Earth to a climate that was tens of millions of years ago.

And if true, how is that a good thing? Who should bear the economic cost of the change in the weather? It's estimated that the current cost is around 400 Billion. But there is billions to follow. Secondly, other countries lead by saner governments will bypass us technologically and capture the new jobs while we fall behind.

 

[fast]

I'm baffled as to why people think the earth's climate should never fluctuate.

It's not that they don't think it should never fluctuate; rather, they think the degree of fluctuation is being substantially altered because of human action.

Yes, and they are correct. It's wonderful to not be shackled by religion and be able to evaluate the evidence without prejudice!

I'm not sure what religion has to do with anything, but one can be just as shackled by science, especially by those that side with science and all the while ignorant of it.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Yes, and they are correct. It's wonderful to not be shackled by religion and be able to evaluate the evidence without prejudice!

I'm not sure what religion has to do with anything, but one can be just as shackled by science, especially by those that side with science and all the while ignorant of it.

Please tell me where I'm wrong or ignorant regarding science. Do you have a published scientific paper that supports your position?

 

[Tammuz]

Saddest part for me about global climate change is that those who had the biggest hand in causing it either own't be alive when it is at its worst (because they were a generation ago) or won't be as badly effected by it because they are rich. I can assure you that folks living without air conditioning in the Philippines feel climate change quite readily. They don't call it a myth. Same goes for others around the world who are effected without the means to mitigate those effects.

One would hope that the repeatedly re-occurring droughts and fires in California, or hurricanes in the south-eastern US would wake the American voters up to the reality of it all. But apparently not.

I read somewhere, quoted from a scientist, that anyone today younger than age 30 has not experienced a normal climate.

It's really sad that we have the technological ability to resolve the problem, but not the political will. I read just today that the new Brazilian government is planning to cut down rainforest of an areal about the same size as France.

 

[fast]

Yes, and they are correct. It's wonderful to not be shackled by religion and be able to evaluate the evidence without prejudice!

I'm not sure what religion has to do with anything, but one can be just as shackled by science, especially by those that side with science and all the while ignorant of it.

Please tell me where I'm wrong or ignorant regarding science. Do you have a published scientific paper that supports your position?

I will not do that (hell, I cannot do that), for I don't think you are wrong or ignorant of it. Maybe there's been a miscommunication?

 

[Tammuz]

Yes. Climate change could be turning the Earth to a climate that was tens of millions of years ago.

And if true, how is that a good thing? Who should bear the economic cost of the change in the weather? It's estimated that the current cost is around 400 Billion. But there is billions to follow. Secondly, other countries lead by saner governments will bypass us technologically and capture the new jobs while we fall behind.

I'm not saying it's a good thing. I think is a very bad thing, that could, in the worst case, end our civilization. I think working to reduce climate change and mitigate its effects should be a top priority, and it seems to me that it is not a major issue in any political election anywhere. And with Trump, the US (a major emissioner of greenhouse gases) is having four lost years, potentially eight lost years, of contributing to that work. Not that I think Clinton would have done enough, but it would at least have been something, and not blanket denial of scientific facts a la Trump.

 

[Harry Bosch]

Yes. Climate change could be turning the Earth to a climate that was tens of millions of years ago.

And if true, how is that a good thing? Who should bear the economic cost of the change in the weather? It's estimated that the current cost is around 400 Billion. But there is billions to follow. Secondly, other countries lead by saner governments will bypass us technologically and capture the new jobs while we fall behind.

I'm not saying it's a good thing. I think is a very bad thing, that could, in the worst case, end our civilization. I think working to reduce climate change and mitigate its effects should be a top priority, and it seems to me that it is not a major issue in any political election anywhere. And with Trump, the US (a major emissioner of greenhouse gases) is having four lost years, potentially eight lost years, of contributing to that work. Not that I think Clinton would have done enough, but it would at least have been something, and not blanket denial of scientific facts a la Trump.

It won't end our civilization. But it will cause massive economic correction, perhaps causing the largest depression in world history. It will kill millions of people. I believe that it will set back our civilization back substantially. The big crime that the republicans committed was delegitimizing the Paris accords and pulling us out of the international agreement. Our only hope is to come together and find a global solution. I hate to say it but there are very few republicans with the courage to speak out against Trump regarding this.

 

[TSwizzle]

About 10 or so years ago, I attended a lecture by a geology professor who explained in great detail just how human activity, starting around the time of the industrial revolution, had an impact on climate and global temperatures. He had charts and graphs and it was all very convincing. If you were open minded and did some serious reading from actual scientists who specialize in such things, maybe you too would understand how we humans have impacted our environment and climate.

And thirty years before that he was probably banging on about he coming ice age.

Environment yes, climate...not so much.

Why, I dare to ask, do you reject the evidence that has been consistently presented by something like 98% of climate scientists?

Scant evidence presented. Lots of rapture like rhetoric though.

 

[Elixir]

I'm not saying it's a good thing. I think is a very bad thing, that could, in the worst case, end our civilization. I think working to reduce climate change and mitigate its effects should be a top priority, and it seems to me that it is not a major issue in any political election anywhere. And with Trump, the US (a major emissioner of greenhouse gases) is having four lost years, potentially eight lost years, of contributing to that work. Not that I think Clinton would have done enough, but it would at least have been something, and not blanket denial of scientific facts a la Trump.

It won't end our civilization. But it will cause massive economic correction, perhaps causing the largest depression in world history. It will kill millions of people. I believe that it will set back our civilization back substantially. The big crime that the republicans committed was delegitimizing the Paris accords and pulling us out of the international agreement. Our only hope is to come together and find a global solution. I hate to say it but there are very few republicans with the courage to speak out against Trump regarding this.

Why wouldn't ending our civilization be a good thing? Hey, a few generations of declining human population, war, disease and general mayhem might be just what the doctor ordered. Get the global population down to a half billion or so, and everyone could be happy.