On the Climate change front - 2016 is already heating up.

[Alate_One]

It's still getting hotter after 2015 was the hottest year on record by a large margin.

We've seen huge areas of the great barrier reef corals bleach as ocean temperatures rise.

Odds are good that many of these now white corals will die since they lack the photosynthetic symbiotes that provide most of their food and with them many fish that people use as food.

This April and the previous 12 months was also the warmest on record as far as global air temperature goes.

2016 is already making 2015 look cool by comparison and we're only 4 months in . . .

I guess the coral and the ice floes are all in on the hoax eh?

 

[ok doser]

yeah baby!


another beautiful sunny day in nny! :banana:

 

[HisServant]

Climate changes and water is wet.

I don't believe there is anything humans can do to change either... we will have to adapt.

 

[Alate_One]

The atmosphere doesn't care what you believe. The physics of CO2 being a greenhouse gas has been understood since the 1900s.

Human activity has changed the world around us - spikes in background radiation due to atmospheric nuclear testing. Do you think burning billions of tons of oil and coal does nothing? Since 1949 the US alone has burned enough coal to cover an area of 500 square miles 700 feet deep in coal.

We only blew up a few hundred, relatively small atomic bombs and increased levels of background radiation are still detectable across the planet 50 years after such tests were banned.

 

[ok doser]

The atmosphere doesn't care what you believe. The physics of CO2 being a greenhouse gas has been understood since the 1900s.

and methane and water vapor are each much more powerful greenhouse gases

 

[Alate_One]

yeah baby!


another beautiful sunny day in nny! :banana:

Enjoy your Zika virus, Lyme disease and in the future, Malaria and Dengue. Cold temperatures are actually a good thing.

 

[PureX]

The atmosphere doesn't care what you believe. The physics of CO2 being a greenhouse gas has been understood since the 1900s.

Yes, but to a "believer", belief trumps reality. Evidence, or how it was achieved, means nothing. Belief, itself, equals righteousness.

This is the horribly destructive result of authoritarian-type religion on the human minds that engage in it.

 

[Alate_One]

And Methane is also increasing, but it is at much lower concentration than CO2. Water vapor hasn't changed that much. CO2 has increased a lot.

 

[CabinetMaker]

and methane and water vapor are each much more powerful greenhouse gases

The industrialized world also happens to produce a lot water vapor and methane as well as CO2.

 

[Jose Fly]

Global warming....yet another scientific issue that conservatives are on the wrong side of.

Just add it to the list I guess....

 

[HisServant]

The atmosphere doesn't care what you believe. The physics of CO2 being a greenhouse gas has been understood since the 1900s.

Human activity has changed the world around us - spikes in background radiation due to atmospheric nuclear testing. Do you think burning billions of tons of oil and coal does nothing? Since 1949 the US alone has burned enough coal to cover an area of 500 square miles 700 feet deep in coal.

We only blew up a few hundred, relatively small atomic bombs and increased levels of background radiation are still detectable across the planet 50 years after such tests were banned.

If you think that the same has not happened in the past... you are delusional. The carbon had to get in the ground at one point, and most scientists believe the coal was all deposited within a relatively short period of time.. geological speaking.

The reality is that in the past, there was probably way more CO2 and methane in the atmosphere than there is now... and the earth survived.

 

[Alate_One]

If you think that the same has not happened in the past... you are delusional. The carbon had to get in the ground at one point, and most scientists believe the coal was all deposited within a relatively short period of time.. geological speaking.

Actually no. The coal was depositved over a long period of time, a very long time ago. How do we know? The fossils of plants in the coal are of plants that no longer exist today.

The reality is that in the past, there was probably way more CO2 and methane in the atmosphere than there is now... and the earth survived.

If you go far back enough, yes, there was more CO2. But the sun was also cooler back then. There was also the Permian extinction where 95% of all life on earth died which many scientists now think was due to runaway climate change caused by rising CO2 levels. It was so hot at the time, the equatorial regions of the earth were uninhabitable by anything other than bacteria. Almost all life in the oceans died, especially the shelled organisms - a strong indicator of ocean acidification due to high CO2 levels. Sound familiar?

Also, I'm not worried about *earth* surviving I'm worried about the RATE at which we are changing the atmosphere, which is almost certainly unprecedented. Human culture has developed and survived under relatively stable climate conditions. The crazier climate goes, the worse political upheavals will be. People will die and it will make the war in Syria (likely kicked off by a drought) look like a playground brawl. We'll end up with disease and dictatorship all over the world unless we develop and follow plans to deal with the problem.

You like the USA and freedom? We need to deal with the climate problem to keep them.

 

[HisServant]

Actually no. The coal was depositved over a long period of time, a very long time ago. How do we know? The fossils of plants in the coal are of plants that no longer exist today.

If you go far back enough, yes, there was more CO2. But the sun was also cooler back then. There was also the Permian extinction where 95% of all life on earth died which many scientists now think was due to runaway climate change caused by rising CO2 levels. It was so hot at the time, the equatorial regions of the earth were uninhabitable by anything other than bacteria. Almost all life in the oceans died, especially the shelled organisms - a strong indicator of ocean acidification due to high CO2 levels. Sound familiar?

Also, I'm not worried about *earth* surviving I'm worried about the RATE at which we are changing the atmosphere, which is almost certainly unprecedented. Human culture has developed and survived under relatively stable climate conditions. The crazier climate goes, the worse political upheavals will be. People will die and it will make the war in Syria (likely kicked off by a drought) look like a playground brawl. We'll end up with disease and dictatorship all over the world unless we develop and follow plans to deal with the problem.

You like the USA and freedom? We need to deal with the climate problem to keep them.

Famine will happen all over the world and only countries like the US that can be self sufficient can survive.

And I disagree with most of what you said above as scientifically inaccurate.

The real question is can we unite the world to forestall the eventuality of what is going to happen? Nope, as we reduce our footprint, countries like China and India increase theirs to balance things out. The recent climate deal allows this.. and if you think that in 10 years or so when they are obligated to start reducing their emissions that they will... I have some swamp land in Florida to sell you.

We need be prepared for the worse and hope for the best.

 

[rexlunae]

and methane and water vapor are each much more powerful greenhouse gases

Yes. And your point is...?

 

[rexlunae]

Famine will happen all over the world and only countries like the US that can be self sufficient can survive.

What makes you think the US is special? We do import quite a lot, from energy to food to consumer goods.

And I disagree with most of what you said above as scientifically inaccurate.

Whoa, slow down there. Don't overwhelm us with evidence, or anything.

The real question is can we unite the world to forestall the eventuality of what is going to happen? Nope, as we reduce our footprint, countries like China and India increase theirs to balance things out.

Well that's just great. They're our excuse, and meanwhile, we serve as theirs. It's like a planetary suicide pact.

The fact is though, China recognizes the need to address climate change and pollution, for one thing because it's in their interests to do so. India is a tougher case, and outside countries are probably going to have to help India become the first major country to industrialize sustainably. But it would be well worth it if we do.

The recent climate deal allows this.. and if you think that in 10 years or so when they are obligated to start reducing their emissions that they will... I have some swamp land in Florida to sell you.

We need be prepared for the worse and hope for the best.

I think we should also try our best. We're not victims to fate here. We can do something about it if we try.

 

[HisServant]

We're not victims to fate here. We can do something about it if we try.

I disagree, what is happening was going to happen naturally, we are just giving it a little extra boost... all we can do is slow down what is going to happen, not avoid it.

 

[Alate_One]

Famine will happen all over the world and only countries like the US that can be self sufficient can survive.

This is the problem, climate is going to destroy a lot of our food producing areas.

And I disagree with most of what you said above as scientifically inaccurate.

Feel free to cite a source that contradicts what I said.

The real question is can we unite the world to forestall the eventuality of what is going to happen? Nope, as we reduce our footprint, countries like China and India increase theirs to balance things out. The recent climate deal allows this.. and if you think that in 10 years or so when they are obligated to start reducing their emissions that they will... I have some swamp land in Florida to sell you.

China knows they're going to be in trouble if climate change keeps going business as usual, India and China will suffer tremendously, likely more than the US will.

We need be prepared for the worse and hope for the best.

On this point I do agree with you.

 

[Alate_One]

I disagree, what is happening was going to happen naturally, we are just giving it a little extra boost... all we can do is slow down what is going to happen, not avoid it.

No, the natural tendency was towards cooling, not warming.

 

[rexlunae]

I disagree, what is happening was going to happen naturally, we are just giving it a little extra boost... all we can do is slow down what is going to happen, not avoid it.

Not true. There's no natural process that would have brought all of the carbon and methane stored deep inside the planet to the surface on anything like the scale of human activity. The climate would have changed naturally, but probably on a much slower timetable that life has been adapting to for billions of years.

 

[The Berean]

The question is what are we (mankind) going to do about it? People always talk about polution but rarely offer any possible solutions. IMO what will probably happen is it will get a lot worse, a lot of people will suffer and die in places like China and India, nations like Bangledesh will likley disappear, and all those people will be forced to move elsewhere. Ther will be wars over farm land and water sources. At some point in about 80-100 years from now only then will mankind be desperate enough to actually do something on a global scale. Then mankind will move on, probably with a lower global population than we have today.