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Fact 1: We're dumping huge amounts of CO2 into the atmosphere by burning fossil fuels. That's not up for debate.
Fact 2: It's well know that CO2 is a major greenhouse gas. In fact, if we didn't have CO2 in the atmosphere, the earth would be much colder. Adding CO2 to the atmosphere will increase the earth's average temperature. None of that is up for debate.
Fact 3: The earth's temperature has been steadily rising. It's been measured on land, at sea, and from space. Arctic sea ice is melting rapidly, and ocean temperatures are increasing. None of that is up for debate either.
The conclusion seems rather obvious, doesn't it? Burning fossil fuels is increasing the earth's temperature. We probably shouldn't keep doing this long term, since we only have one atmosphere. If we screw up the climate, we don't have a back-up planet to move to.
Nobody is suggesting that we shut down the global economy. But it would seem prudent to find other ways of getting economical energy that doesn't involve burning fossil fuels. Or if that is not possible, find a way to capture the CO2 instead of dumping it into the atmosphere.
I don't understand why this is a Left vs. Right issue. Quite a bit of the USA's agricultural production is in climate-sensitive areas like the Great Plains and California. Do we Good God Fearin' Amurricans really want secular Canada and Russia becoming the bread baskets and super powers of the world, with the USA becoming a food-poor third-world country like Mexico?
The conclusion seems rather obvious, doesn't it? Burning fossil fuels is increasing the earth's temperature. We probably shouldn't keep doing this long term, since we only have one atmosphere. If we screw up the climate, we don't have a back-up planet to move to.
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That depends on how deep you look at the problem. Warmer = less ice. Less ice = Younger Dryas. Younger Dryas = colder.
Typical, you rely too much on your personal bias, and cherished stereotypes.
I've been around the world, and yes, there are a lot of countries with foul air and horrible water; and that's even after it comes out of the tap.
You could have fooled me....
If you had been around the world, you would have experienced air pollution so bad that is stings the skin. So I'm not really sure why you are pulling that ignorant, "attacking the producers" nonsense earlier. Over reliance of fossil fuels causes short term pollution and contributes to climate change in the longer term.
That's what you base everything on. We are lucky enough to be in a natural warming cycle, and you fools have convinced yourselves that CO2 is causing it. We should be lucky enough to still be living in the Little Ice-Age, if not for humans burning their fossil fuels.
If the climate we are experiencing now, had been the one from a few hundred years ago, and we were heading into the LIA, and a get rich scheme, and a power-grab could be had for politicians, the same people would blame humans for the LIA too.
Huh?
I don't know what's so hard to understand the mankind's actions are affecting Earth's natural climate mechanisms. You don't dispute that increased geological activity has caused climate change in the past? Why can't mankind's action of releasing gigatons of greenhouses effect climate? Are the emissions between a tail pipe and a volcanic vent inherently different?
Obviously it would be better if people weren't stupid enough to believe the BS in opinion columns, right wing blogs, and threads on forums like this one... but since that's not going to happen, this is probably the next best thing. In fact, it should happen more often.
That's a California house bill. Not an op Ed piece.
Someone with a PhD can be willing to ignore the truth, for enough grant money.
Or oil and gas money. Or freight money. Or mineral extractors money. Or manufacturing money.
See how silly your argument is.
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