Refugees, disease, water and food shortages to result from global warming

[leftchick]

http://story.news.yahoo.com/news?tmpl=story&cid=1504&ncid=1504&e=4&u=/afp/20050202/ts_afp/scienceclimateimpacts_050202125126

EXETER, England (AFP) - Global warming (news - web sites) will boost outbreaks of infectious disease, worsen shortages of water and food in vulnerable countries and create an army of climate refugees fleeing uninhabitable regions, a conference here was told.


The scale of these impacts -- the theme of the second day of the major scientific forum on global warming -- varies according to how quickly fossil fuel pollution is tackled, how fast the world's population grows and how well countries can adapt to climate shift.


But a common expectation is that widespread misery is lurking, a few decades down the road.

According to a study quoted by Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the UN's top scientific authority on climate change, by 2050 as many as 150 million "environmental refugees" may have fled coastlines vulnerable to rising sea levels, storms or floods, or agricultural land that became too arid to cultivate.



Close-up of a melting glacier. Global warming (news - web sites) will boost outbreaks of infectious disease, worsen shortages of water and food in vulnerable countries and create an army of climate refugees fleeing uninhabitable regions, a conference in Exeter, England was told.(AFP/File/Jorge Vinueza)

[izzie]

1. As Bush would say. It is not getting warmer the ice is just melting.

==

[Poppyseedman]

2. I'm all for being environmentally friendly

and protecting our planet.

But, I'm still waiting for the coming ice age, coming fuel shortage and coming food shortage predicted way back in the 70's and 80's to come true before I buy into the extreme effects of global warming today.

Whatever food shortages are currently present, has all to do with geopolitics's rather than weather.

As much action as Chicken Little gets, I'll bet the farm

I know, it's not a popular opinion. There's plenty of evidence out there that debunks global warming is caused by green house gases.

edit for clarifcation

[leftchick]

3. evidence?

show me some links that are not connected to RW sites debunking Global Warming.

[JNelson6563]

4. I second that request

hoping to see some of this much touted (by the reich-wingers) "evidence" that global warming is all hype.

Julie

[Poppyseedman]

7. My point really is

we spend tons of money chasing this "theory" down, when those resources could be more wisely spent on issues really impacting our environment.

Even a former Green Peace activist thinks we are spending way too much money on this issue and that in the long run will have every little effect at all and we should better spend our money on research that will be impact full today

[PaulaFarrell]

10. yeah let's do more research, THAT's what's needed

(not). I guess can even former Greenpeace activists can stick their heads up their asses if they choose to. BTW, already having an effect - ice caps melting, islands like Tuvalu being inundated.

[Poppyseedman]

5. M.I.T. good enough for you

http://www.technologyreview.com/articles/04/10/wo_muller101504.asp

http://www.google.com/search?hl=en&q=debunking+global+warming&btnG=Google+Search

Googled the page for you.

I hate to tell you this, but the majority of the hype built around global warming is about getting grant money.

That's right..................you want the truth about something..................follow the money.

[leftchick]

8. Here are some facts for you....

http://www.scottchurchimages.com/enviro/ccskeptics.asp


Nearly every think tank in existence today that questions the reality of global warming is funded by industry and/or ultra-conservative interests and reports to these interests regarding it's activities.

<snip>
Noteworthy examples include the Science & Environmental Policy Project (started in 1990 under the auspices of the Washington Institute for Values in Public Policy - a Unification Church front group, and now funded by industry and various ultra-conservative foundations), the Heritage Foundation (arguably the richest think tank of any persuasion in the world today, and also funded by a wide range of ultra-conservative foundations such as the Scaife Foundation, the Olin Foundation, the Coors empire, and others), the Greening Earth Society (funded by coal fired power interests such as Western Fuels), and many others. There are no examples of established scientific research institutes that are publicly funded and do not have ties to fossil fuel and extractive industries, Wise Use movement groups, or any ultra-conservative interests (such as the National Academy of Sciences or the Goddard Space Institute for instance), yet doubt the existence of global warming. In addition to the previously mentioned Science & Environmental Policy Project, many ultra-conservative advocacy groups also have ties to frings cult groups like the Lyndon LaRouche Movement and the Unification Church (the "Moonies"). The UC in particular has been particularly active in funding such groups. Given the bizarre messianic theology of their leader (who believes he is the "Lord of the Second Advent" who will supercede Jesus Christ as the world's savior), their extensive holdings in polluting and extractive industries, and the role these industries play in financing the church's objectives, they have much to gain from circumventing any and all environmental restrictions. Hence, their interest in funding anti-environmental advocacy groups.

... how these Groups spend their money...

One example among many was the 1993 campaign by the American Petroleum Institute to block the proposed BTU tax on fossil fuels. The American Petroleum Institute is a creation of the fossil fuel industry and the public relations firm Burson-Marsteller Inc. Burson-Marsteller was paid $1.8 million to launch a public relations campaign against this tax. That one single contribution from one industry front group, nearly exceeded the entire global warming awareness budgets of the five largest environmental groups in the world, including the Environmental Defense Fund, the Natural Resources Defense Council, the Sierra Club, the Union of Concerned Scientists and the World Wildlife Fund ($2.1 million total according to financial reports from each of the five).

Harper's Magazine, December, 1995


... "follow the money" indeed. :eyes:

[muriel_volestrangler]

9. The hockey stick is not a fundamental part of climate change predictions

Even if the mathematical methods are shown to produce a hockey stick with no trends, that does not mean anything for the actual observations of global warming over the past century, nor for the climate simulations that predict the warming for the next hundred.

'Follow the money' equally well takes you to oil and coal companies who don't want anyone discouraging their consumers from using ever-increasing amounts of their product.

Have you something that actually concerns the predictions, rather than the estimates of past temperatures?

[leftchick]

16. .....

<chirping crickets>

[Viking12]

14. Educate yourself.

Your posts reflect a very poor understanding of the topic. I would go so far to say that you have absolutely no idea what you're talking about. But then,"Climate science is one of those fields where anyone, regardless of their lack of expertise or understanding, feels qualified to comment on new papers and ongoing controversies."

http://www.realclimate.org/index.php?p=1

[Rockerdem]

11. I agree. The hellfire scenario is over the top

Maybe its because Im over 50 and have heard these predictions time and time again with nothing ever materializing. Its the flipside of terra alerts. After so many bogus alarms, the batteries in ones BS meter goes dead.

[yinkaafrica]

13. People better wake up and smell the coffee

I am visiting the parents this week.
Should be between minus 5 and 20 above this time of year.
The next ten days show a range of between 21 and 42.
Winter weather used to run from October thru April.
This year we first got cold weather in late December and it
looks like it should be done by March. We have gone from seven months
of Winter to four.
Sames as last year, and the year before that, and the year before that.
Sure, there is a shift in weather patterns. But there can be no doubt
that overall things are heating up, and fast.
I now live over a thousand miles from where I am visiting
this week. Rednecks have not been able to drive their cars
on the lakes at all this year. Ice is too thin.
Same as last year and the year before and the year before.
Something has gone bad wrong, and that something is Global Warming.

[Rockerdem]

15. We understand the phenomenon

But all the Armageddon talk just makes people roll their eyes and tune out. Even in your described microclimate, people would call it a benefit, not an end-of-the-world disaster. Calmer tongues will convince more listeners.

[ZR2]

12. Global warming began at the end of the last ice age

It is not a theory, it is fact. The BIG question is, how much has man influenced global warming ?

[Mr. Progress]

21. The Problem with Global Warming

is not what is happening right now, its what will happen in the future. There is no magic off switch that will fix the problem once we realize were in trouble. If global warming really is the problem most scientists see it as being we have to expect the climate to continue to rise for some time even after we do something to counteract it. If we wait too long, the atmosphere could get hot enough to release methane from underwater methane hydrate deposits which is also known to contribute to global warming.

[indepat]

6. Such eventualities must not be allowed to stand in the way of the neocon/

PNAC vision being fully implemented.

[cliss]

17. 1st: I would like to take a moment

to thank you for all the awesome information and links, LC. I would like to nominate the DU for some kind of award as a journalistic cutting-edge news resource.

I see our articles being referenced in many places on the web. Several newsgroups make references to our threads all the time. I know that people in political circles read our stuff. Journalists, writers come here to get the scoop on what's happening.

People try to debate me every once in a while on politics: they shouldn't even try. I have an armada of facts, and I got them right here at the DU.

And it's in no small part to all the work you do. I for one appreciate it. (besides, I love to win at arguments!!!!)

-----------------------

Global warming: I think the world is going to fix the problem of us pesky humans in the near future. I love the post that someone wrote about Mother Earth ridding herself of the 'pesky fleas' that are causing her trouble. She's going to scrape us off, so life can get back to normal.

[BeHereNow]

18. That's my theory too Cliss-

WE are the problem in the eco system.
We are the only life on this planet that
actively destroys it's host.
Unfortunately, we also detroy the home
for other species.
Mother earth has no choice but to get rid of us.
I predict it will come in the form of a virus.
What worries me though is the garbage we
will leave behind when we are gone.
What of all the nuclear plants and weapons?
How will the animals survive them when
people are not here to manage the deterioration
of all of the nuclear garbage?
WE have mucked the planet up so badly.
We have destroyed the future for all living
things.
BHN

[leftchick]

19. what a nice post cliss!

I agree with your theory as well. I read that a week or so ago and it is hard to argue with. I agree with BHN, what about all of that nuclear waste that lasts, well, forever?

My other feeling, being Religious, is that smirk** and co are indeed the evil that was fortold would come in the bible and... this is it! Which is hard because I have two young boys that I am desperately hoping will have a future. It isn't looking so great.

:(

[cliss]

22. Thanks! I agree with you.

I've got 3 teen-age boys who I worry about, for obvious reasons.

I once wrote a post which I called the "Parasite's Handbook" on another news group.

Here it is.

Parasite's Handbook

Rule #1. Do not destroy your host. As you live within the intestines or body of your benefactor, diverting essential foodstuffs for its own survival, you must take care to never take too much.

You must take care to never become too large, or let your offspring become too numerous within your host's intestines, lest your host become weakened.

For when your host dies, you die as well.

[leftchick]

23. very well said.....

and here is another link for you. Interesting and scary at the same time...

http://www.climatehotmap.org/



The vast North American continent ranges from the lush sub-tropical climate of Florida to the frozen ice and tundra of the Arctic. Within these extremes are two wealthy industrialized countries with diverse ecosystems at risk. Yet the United States and Canada are two of the largest global emitters of the greenhouse gases that contribute to a warming climate. Examples of all 10 of the "hotspot" categories can be found in this region, including changes such as polar warming in Alaska, coral reef bleaching in Florida, animal range shifts in California, glaciers melting in Montana, and marsh loss in the Chesapeake Bay.

For North America we have many more hotspots than for some other regions of the world, although impact studies have been emerging in larger numbers in recent years from previously under-studied regions. This higher density of early warning signs in the US and Canada is due in part to the fact that these regions have more readily accessible climatic data and more comprehensive programs to monitor and study environmental change, in part to the disproportionate warming that has been observed over the mid-to-high-latitude continents compared to other regions during the last century, and in part to capture the attention of North Americans who need to take action now to reduce greenhouse gas emissions.

[ernstbass]

20. The chimp is still fiddling

while the world is destroyed