Climate Change ?

[Observer II]

Seems another apocalyptic report is calling for some draconian changes in our lifestyles, to avert global warming.   But our we prepared to respond ?   They're even talking about gas fired CH boilers causing the problem, so what do we use instead ?  And does this mean that fracking for gas is now a waste of time ?   I can't help thinking, that if the warnings are so dire, it's already too late to reverse a process that has been over a hundred years in the making.     

[P J]

We are probably now seeing out the worst generation of human beings to ever populate the planet, let's hope the next generation can put right the damage we have caused.

[asperity]

Grow up PJ.

[Dizzy]

4 hours ago, P J said:

We are probably now seeing out the worst generation of human beings to ever populate the planet, let's hope the next generation can put right the damage we have caused.

 

1 hour ago, asperity said:

Grow up PJ.

But surely PJ does have a point there Asp.

Past and to some extent current generations of us 'human beings' have probably added to the problem of global warming/climate change and problems we are now seeing and which could get worse.  

When you think of all the industrial type factories and works in just Warrington alone over the last century with tall chimneys everywhere bellowing out smoke and other fumes it surely can't have been good for the environment but it was simply the way things were.  While these sorts of factories and works are not as rife now in our area and rules are more stringent  I guess things like car fumes and other pollutants have take over from the factory poisons...oh an we chop down all our trees and build on green space now too...does that help or hinder our planet? 

Maybe the newer generations to follow on from us WILL grow up more aware of the planet and it's issues and actually make a difference.....if they can all get off their mobile phones,  electronic game stations etc for long enough though lol 

[Observer II]

Reminds me of the tale of the frog and the scorpion;  scorpion asks frog to carry him across a steam. Frog responds "but you'll kill me". "No frog, I need to get to the other side". On climbing the bank on the other side, scorpion stings frog,  and with a dying gasp, frog says "what have you done that for". To which scorpion replies, "it's my nature" !     It has been the nature of mankind to attempt to alter nature to provide a more suitable enviroment and to exploit anything and everything in the name of progress, a "progress" that provides all the technologies we now covet. I fear such arrogance will not change, and that we will not give up our comforts (like even eating meat !), or the belief that we are superior to the forces of nature won't change in the time "the experts" advise. And the idea that we can suddenly reverse natural forces that have been in play for over a century, is in itself an arrogance.  

[Davy51]

Unless people are really committed to the cause & are climate change zealots , the majority of the world's population will be in no position to change anything  anyway,& will soldier on regardless. How many others will just adopt the "I'm alright Jack attitude "?

[asperity]

Climate change is real but not because of anything that mankind has done, it's always changing. It cycles between periods of hot and cold, and believe me you don't want to be around for the next ice age!. Global warming is not a thing caused by mankind either, it's a construct of people manipulating numbers. They say that if the global temperature rises by 1.5 degrees we're doomed - where did they pluck that number from? It was 2 degrees they were claiming  last month, 5 degrees a few years ago. They don't actually know what the global temperature is now with any accuracy, let alone what it was 500 or a thousand or 5000 years ago with any accuracy without involving a lot of dodgy guesswork. So called climate scientists aren't going to deny the existance of the fabled man made climate change because to do so would see their funding stopped.

[Observer II]

That would seem to tie in with the history of the planet Asp;  after all. the reason why humans migrated to inhabit every corner of the earth in the first place, was due to climate changes.  So whether man made or not,  I can't see mankind reversing the remorseless momentum of nature in any case, even if they tried.  We just have to adapt to survive, as always.  What it will create is conflict, as peoples try to migrate from devastated areas, and resources become scarce;  so perhaps it's such conflict will see an end to us ?    

[asperity]

Are these mythological devestated areas created by the mythological ever worsening storms? Are the resources becoming scarce because of the ever increasing crop yields globally? Doesn't seem to add up really.

[Observer II]

So all those relentless TV appeals for famines in Africa are fake news then ?   Thanks for that Asp, now glad I don't donate !    

[P J]

13 hours ago, asperity said:

Climate change is real but not because of anything that mankind has done, it's always changing. It cycles between periods of hot and cold, and believe me you don't want to be around for the next ice age!. Global warming is not a thing caused by mankind either, it's a construct of people manipulating numbers. They say that if the global temperature rises by 1.5 degrees we're doomed - where did they pluck that number from? It was 2 degrees they were claiming  last month, 5 degrees a few years ago. They don't actually know what the global temperature is now with any accuracy, let alone what it was 500 or a thousand or 5000 years ago with any accuracy without involving a lot of dodgy guesswork. So called climate scientists aren't going to deny the existance of the fabled man made climate change because to do so would see their funding stopped.

[Davy51]

7 hours ago, Observer II said:

So all those relentless TV appeals for famines in Africa are fake news then ?   Thanks for that Asp, now glad I don't donate !    

In the 21st century there shouldn't be any obstacles to the world's nations coming together to turn these parched countries into the breadbaskets of the world so they can at least be self supporting  & food wise self sufficient. Hang on though, if we did that these nations would no longer be beholden to "the west ".

[Observer II]

Zimbabwe used to be called the bread basket of Africa - what happened ?

[asperity]

1 hour ago, Observer II said:

Zimbabwe used to be called the bread basket of Africa - what happened ?

Socialism happened. Don't mistake the stupidity and greed of the politicians for climate change/global warming.

[Observer II]

Thought it was Magabe, that happened.    

[asperity]

Stupidity + Greed = Mugabe yes? And any other of a number of socialist dictators worldwide (Venezuela anybody?)

[Observer II]

The way things are going we may finish up with one in No 10 !!!      

[asperity]

14 hours ago, P J said:

An excellent self-portrait there PJ.

[asperity]

According to the latest IPCC report we now have 12 years to avert climate catastrophe. That might not sound long, but it means we are a good deal further away from doom that we were in 2007, when the WWF said we had five years to save the world. The doomsday clock hadn’t moved in 2011 when the International Energy Agency warned us that we had five years to start slashing carbon emissions or lose the chance forever. By last year it had shortened to three years, according to Christiana Figueres, the executive secretary of the UN Framework Convention on Climate Change. But now it’s right up at 12 years, presumably meaning that we can pretty twiddle our thumbs until 2030 – a whole 18 years after the WWF told us the world would come to an end if we didn’t slash carbon emissions….

[asperity]

Whoops, we're 18 years too late apparently:

https://www.apnews.com/bd45c372caf118ec99964ea547880cd0

(Note the date of that article).

[Bill]

Yes it's not really an exact science as that article clearly shows but at least some of the proposals being put forward could have long term benefits in making the earth a cleaner place to live. It wasn't that long back when there were people on this forum suggesting we should all give up our cars and stop using energy to save the world. Entertaining as this was, it highlighted the vast differences in opinions as to the cause of climate change and what if anything could be done to change things.

 

Bill

[asperity]

The earth is a cleaner place to live, certainly a lot cleaner than it was 50 or 60 years ago!

[Bill]

Cleaner for sure but then again, those pushing for dramatic action would argue it's the stuff you can't see that's doing most of the damage, look at the ozone issue for example. I don't think many of us are in a position to argue with the experts in this field but with such big variations in their predictions a very large pinch of salt need to be used. I've never doubted that the climate does change or the fact that we are part of the problem but just how big a part we play is again just guesswork and I'm not prepared to make radical changes in my lifestyle on a guess. 

 

Bill

[Observer II]

It could all be a vegan plot, the latest idea is that we should all give up eating meat !    

[Evil Sid]

so we stop eating meat and increase the methane levels instead.