Could America lead the world on global warming?
Leaders from three steadfastly right-wing arenas - church, military and industry - are now calling for limits on US emissions. Jim Giles surveys America's green stampede.
When politicians start to run out of analogies, you know a subject must be hot. And in Washington right now, they are scraping the bottom of the barrel.
Al Gore has for months been using the 'sick child' story to explain the scientific consensus on global warming: if nine out of ten doctors say your kid needs antibiotics, you don't choose to go with the single dissenter. Which means: listen to the consensus report on the causes and effects of climate change, ignore the skeptics.
Comments
This will come as news to a million or so viewers of America's premier televangelist ,The Rev. Doctor Jerry Falwell.
In a TV sermon this March, the Liberty University President pronounced global warming to be:
"Satan's attempt to redirect the church's primary focus."
I had no idea Falwell was aware of the potential of brimstone aerosols for altering radiative forcing, but it's good to know someone well connected to the supply side is on the case.
Posted by: Russell Seitz | April 21, 2007 12:53 PM
It seems a shame that a journal of Nature's standing should publish the idea of an 80% cut in GHGs by 2050 as being radical.
The majority of readers will be well aware that it is anything but radical.
It is aiming to spend 43 years adding to the problem of excess airborne GHGs.
More to the point, it is entirely declaratory and effectively unworkable without first having resolved the "After You Claude" problem -
that is the agreement of a Treaty of the Atmospheric Commons,
whereby all nations accept equitable GHG-emission rights that finally decline to per capita parity.
Let the US establishment start discussing its role in such a treaty now, if it wishes to be taken seriously.
Lewis Cleverdon
Posted by: Lewis Cleverdon | April 22, 2007 09:56 AM
Maybe the US could do something, but only once they get serious.
How long has it been since we first heard the politicians say "clean coal"? What was done about it since than? Nothing!
Look what I found on Yahoo News today: http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20070422/sc_afp/climateenvironmentjapanuschinaskoreaindia_070422060316
US + 4 Asian countries are planning to build the 1-st experimental clean coal plant with carbon sequestration.
So we had years of cheap talk and now we have: ... planning. In the meantime, China is building 1 "regular" coal powerplant per week.
At this pace, we might as well forget about cutting the CO2 emissions and simply brace for the climate change to come.
Posted by: Mircea Coliu | April 23, 2007 01:33 PM
the US doesn't think beyond next week, let alone next year, next climate cycle, next 50 years etc... maybe a few more 'natural' disasters such as Katrina and it might expand their horizons. Until then the political establishment just say 'we can fix it' or 'who gives a feck'....
Posted by: Joe Cleverdon | August 2, 2007 04:58 AM
We all have a carbon footprint make sure yours is environment friendly.
Ever since mankind gathered wood for the fire we have suffered from global warming it is nothing new today it’s the word on everybody’s lips
Ø Carbon Footprint
Ø Green House Gasses
Ø C02 Emissions
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I use to work for a multi sports company looking after clients making sure they had everything they needed to make their meeting run smoothly. I was also involved with general admin work, which included looking after the company’s website this included weekly updating the website. I have had to take early retirement due to the lack of employment BUT decided it is not for me I decided to set-up my own internet-based company. This website was born out of several of my hobbies and interest.
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I feel that no matter what age we are we are all responsible for the environment we live in. It is up to every individual to make sure that we leave our fragile planet a cleaner greener pollution free world for future generations
There is a big push by Government's around the world to save or fragile planet from global warming, for future generations by going green and lowering CO2 emissions. I feel that no matter what age we are we are all responsible for the environment we live in. It is up to every individual to make sure that we leave our fragile planet a cleaner greener pollution free world for future generations I am doing my part to lower CO2 emissions
What we need is everyday to be a green day. Join the green revolution like myself be one of the responsible companies that cares about the fragile condition of our planet. And yes I to am trying to make a living out of the website by providing a service to members of the public worldwide giving then the necessary information about green companies, green companies can advertise there environmentally friendly products so members of the public that want to be green can get in touch with them and purchase environment friendly products.
My experience to date shows that companies are only thinking about green issues because it is in the media spotlight out of sight would mean out of mind, the government need to be more aggressive with there campaign and force the green issue. NOW
*** Stop Global Warming ***
*** Lower CO2 Emissions NOW ***
Posted by: robert allott | December 19, 2007 10:54 AM