Environment minister taking climate-change report "very seriously"
Mike De Souza, CanWest News Service Published:Â Friday, February 02, 2007
OTTAWA - The Harper government says the scientific community’s “unequivocal†warning about climate change is a turning point in history that it is taking “very seriously,†Environment Minister John Baird said on Friday. “I understand the message as does the government of Canada,†Baird said at a news conference in Paris after being briefed on a major scientific report by experts from Environment Canada and other international officials. “...
They predicted that global temperatures will rise faster in the 21st century than in the previous 100 years, with stronger increases for countries in northern regions such as Canada.
Excellent news, nicer and warmer weather to look forward to. I wish there there was more reporting on the BENEFITS of climate change, which probably far outweigh potential problems.
worldwide flooding, desertification, and probably a global situation that resembles Africa's today, only there's no "rich" people out there giving us aid.
if that's your thing, then the benefits are limitless.
worldwide flooding, desertification, and probably a global situation that resembles Africa's today, only there's no "rich" people out there giving us aid.
if that's your thing, then the benefits are limitless.[/quote]
What is the matter with Winnipegers?? Climate change report tells us that MAYBE the world is warming up at the rate of 1.4 to 4 degrees celcious every 100 years- MAYBE- There are so many Dr. Doubtors if you google climate change no- Over 500,000 articles. Last week there was a report from a Dr. of ?? climate change, Jan 26 in the National Post who very eloquently explained that global warming was going on on Mars and Earth and it could be explained only by being cause by the Sun. I read it and I believe it. The Earth is continually changing, and there was another article where the scientist said WHO CARES! It was normal!! My mathematical mind - It is -42 outside! I would be more comfortable if it was 0, therefore in either in 1000 years(4 degrees every 100 years) or in appx 3000 years, if these climatologists are accurate, then Winnipeg will have more reasonable weather, which will mean a huge increase in population?, a longer growing period for farmers, maybe 2 crops, our heating costs will plummet, we'll possibly be outside for more exercise, and a healthier lifestyle, etc. etc. etc. Change isn't bad! The government could do a lot to cut back on carbon emissions- Insulate all the homes to a greater degree, Adjust Manitoba Hydro rates to 1/2 for heating, thus cutting our heating costs by 25%- and outlawing natural gas at the same time. What else??
So... one journalist in the unapolagetically anti-environmentalist Nat Post writes a piece quoting somebody who says global warming is caused by the sun...?
The data being used in yesterday's ICCP report, which states that global warming is 90% likely to be caused by humans, was gathered and interpreted by thousands of scientists all over the world over the course of several years. This includes people of every political and socio-economic background, people who are interested not in the *politics* of climate change, but in the *science* of it. To me, that carries far more weight than some guy in a newspaper that has openly denied climate change and its causes since they started printing.
And no, change as a concept isn't bad. But most of the world's major cities, including the Peg, are in low-lying spots that are vulnerable to even minor changes in water levels. All of southeast asia, for e.g., where the majority of the world's population now lives.
And yes, the earth is continually changing, and has gone through cycles of warming and cooling since it began.
Just ask the dinosaurs, and they'll tell you all about it. Oh... wait. They're extinct-- because of changes in the earth's climate.
[quote][cite] wolfboy:[/cite]And yes, the earth is continually changing, and has gone through cycles of warming and cooling since it began.
Just ask the dinosaurs, and they'll tell you all about it. Oh... wait. They're extinct-- because of changes in the earth's climate.[/quote]
That has always made me wonder as well. If the praries had dinosaurs and glaciers at some point prior to industry what is to say that the earth might change into a more tropical place before we all ironically freeze to death in the middle of a glacier.
[quote][cite] wolfboy:[/cite] The data being used in yesterday's ICCP report, which states that global warming is 90% likely to be caused by humans, was gathered and interpreted by thousands of scientists all over the world over the course of several years. This includes people of every political and socio-economic background, people who are interested not in the *politics* of climate change, but in the *science* of it.[/quote]
Just how many scientists in the last 15 to 20 years have published papers that were NOT climate change mainstream and still managed to get jobs and grants for research. The politics of science are pretty harsh and it's fairly easy to be selected out if your science is not accepted by the peers. Your posters and presentations are not accepted at conferences, your publications don't pass peer review, you don't get tenure etc. On the other hand, if you do popular science you have big grants flowing freely. Working on climate change opens the scientific honey pot of fame and fortune. How many scientists with real integrity do you expect to be left over working in the field after 15 to 20 years or more of this selective process?
This explains the Earth fluctuating temperatures a lot better than so called scientists who can't predict next weeks weather, let alone what will happen in 50 years.
The earth is near (in astronomical terms) a large fusion reactor we call the sun. One half of the surface of the earth subtends a very small solid angle of the solar sphere absorbing the life giving energy flux (we call this daytime). The amount of energy produced by the sun is immense and what the earth can absorb is tiny. The amount absorbed is proportional to the solid angle subtended of the solar flux. A reasonable estimate is 6 ten-billionths, a very tiny fraction overall. A miniscule variation in solar output would thus have a dramatic change on the earth and its ecosystems.
......................................................................................................................... Did someone mention benefits of global warming?
From the same article.
Let's look at some secondary school science. Carbon Dioxide is a basic food for the plant kingdom. The process of photosynthesis converts carbon dioxide into complex carbohydrates using sunlight as the free energy input on which the entire animal kingdom ultimately depends for food. The increase in carbon dioxide is measured in a few parts per million, whereas the oxygen content is almost 20%, a massive differential. Anybody think having more oxygen is a bad idea? Oxygen is the waste product of plant respiration.
We learned (should have anyway) in junior high science that a system which is disturbed from equilibrium will tend to oppose the disturbance over time. This might occur through higher crop yields which will mean more food produced at a lower cost for the world’s hungry. Anybody think this is a bad idea?
[quote][cite] rosencrentz:[/cite]What is the matter with Winnipegers?? Climate change report tells us that MAYBE the world is warming up at the rate of 1.4 to 4 degrees celcious every 100 years- MAYBE- [/quote]
Even if that was true, which is not, a 20 degree change over 500 years is serious. Maybe you don't have any grandkids or you don't care about them, but Burton does!
[quote][cite] rosencrentz:[/cite]What is the matter with Winnipegers?? Climate change report tells us that MAYBE the world is warming up at the rate of 1.4 to 4 degrees celcious every 100 years- MAYBE- [/quote]
1.4 degrees is next to nothing in daily temperature, but taken as an average over the whole globe, it is huge. It means that drastic changes are occurring to the very systems (hydrological, meteorological) that humans has come to take as being fairly constant over its existence, and grown accustomed to. The effects of such changes as the earth slowly (slowly) adjusts to a new "normal" will be dramatic as none of these changes will have been observed in real-time before. And much of the world's human population (let alone natural populations of plants and animals) are not equipped to handle the magnitude of these changes in the relatively short amount of time that they'll be occurring in.
The whole point of changes over 1000 or 3000 years, is that the very slow change allows man , beasts, plants, etcetra to adjust with the very minute changes. Our Manitoba, we are told was completely covered with ice years ago!! That tells me that our area has been warming up, as a natural very slow process. That is what may be happening, but the scientists are telling us that the Earth MAY be warming up at a faster pace! But they are still talking of thousands of years for our beloved Winnipeg, and that is all I care about! Winnipeg and all of Canada can handle at least 3000 years of warming, in my calculations. The problem with predictions is that there is a Russian Scientist, who has explained that in his opinion the Earth is warming as a result of the Sun's rays, and that also explains the rise in CO2. Furthermore he is predicting the start of a cooling in the year 2040. I have his article at my workplace, and I will put up the information. It was an article published Jan 26 in the National Post. I think I put that information up on one of the other discussion pages. I look forward to Winnipeg low being only 0, instead of the -42. Hurray for global warming!! How cold would it be today without global warming??
[quote]Science Digest (February 1973) reported that "the world's climatologists are agreed" that we must "prepare for the next ice age."[/quote]
Now I hear the the Liberal Environment critic says that, if elected, the Liberals would shut down Alberta's tar sands.
[quote]Senior Dion Libs are telling Bourque that the MP Mark Holland's shocking comments about the Party's secret plans to socialize Alberta's oil sands industry have caused the Party significant negative impact in the West at a time when the Liberals are desperate to build support for their cause across the land. [/quote]
With countries like China, India and Russia apparently doing all the damage, perhaps we should shift our focus to having those countries do something to help our environment, if indeed what some scientists say may be true.
I forgot that the worst countries, supposedly, are USA,China ,Russia and India, all of whom have not signed up to save the world! Canada signed up and promptly increased their CO2 emissions by 38%, but not before spending 5 Billion dollars, of which they cannot report, where the money went! I know where the Liberals spent the money! They gave it to all the ad executives that were cut off from receiving funds, but who opened up new companies to report on the effects of global warming!! How can we trust the government to spend money efficiently?? Liberals estimate $2 million dollars on their gun control , spend a billion dollars over ,what 5 years, and we have nothing to show for it! The globe has been warming up for many years! Get used to it and stop wasting valuable space in the paper- Can you imagine the governments of the world, less USA, China, Russia, and India trying to accomplish anything?? I hear Uganda is working hard to sell their global warming credits, and our "stupid" former Liberal government was seriosly considering buying billions of dollars worth of credits?? When are we going to send representatives to Ottawa who have some common sense?
Tigerman the trees are disappearing faster than being replaced thats part of the promblem. Today there were 8 different cars and one HUMMER idiling while there owners were in shopping at the mall. Each car produces enough pollution to drop you faster than any cigarete can try breathing it for 10 mins and see if you are standing