Climate Change Expectations

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From TreeHugger:

For anyone who doesn't have Superman vision, the text from this striking image says: "Don't let this be our future. Save our rainforest, stop global warming".

Sure it's creative and interesting. Alarmist to some and frightening to others. As for me, I'm reminded of Charles Dickens 'A Christmas Carol'--An artistic foreboding image of a potential 'Earth Yet to Come.' Our future's uncertain and depends on whether we act to change the way we live. I for one have great expectations that we'll curb our pesky carbon emissions, calm this planetary fever, and Tiny Tim lives.

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I for one have great expectations that we'll curb our pesky carbon emissions, calm this planetary fever, and Tiny Tim lives.

Ya, I am 55 years old so I have gotten to see a lot of impossible things accomplished. Thanks for the breath of fresh air! It is good to spend a little bit of time figuring we are going to make it. Actually it probably will give us more drive towards the goals and could turn out to be a self fulfilling prophesy!
Dave Briggs :~)

I agree with Dave! And great photo!

I agree that we will probably solve the problems and Tiny Tim will live, but let's not be naive about the changes in climate that are already built in to the system even if we start cutting back on CO2 production from fossil fuels.

We'll probably avoid the worst-case scenarios (primarily because the worst-case scenarios are limiting cases anyway), but we will have to deal with some short-term changes.

I, for one, am hoping to see more discussion of likely scenarios if governments act in positive, practical ways. That's the thrust of a book by my fellow Pittsburgher Seymour Garte called Where We Stand. Click my name for a review.

Worst case scenarios are fine for emphasizing what we are risking by inaction, but realistic-case scenarios based on reasonable action are, in the end, probably much more useful.

I have an equally plausible prediction. There will never be significant reductions in greenhouse gas emissions, except those created by exhaustion of the resources. I'm less confident that the result would be the worst of all possible catastrophic scenarios, but that's not saying much.

By Eric the Leaf (not verified) on 02 Feb 2008 #permalink