‘The Great Big Book of Horrible Things’: WWII and Climate Change

[GliderGuider]

http://abcnews.go.com/blogs/technology/2012/05/the-great-big-book-of-horrible-things-wwii-and-climate-change/

‘The Great Big Book of Horrible Things’: WWII and Climate Change

And with a growing number of the world’s climate scientists now speaking publicly about the grave global “catastrophe” and the imminent “threat to global civilization” now building in the form of manmade global warming, White’s book offers a simple, painful lesson. It reminds us that humanity has often and recently failed to prevent collective calamity, even when many people can see it coming and try to warn everyone.

But this time, say today’s climate scientists, the rapidly approaching climate catastrophe threatens to kill far more people than all of White’s 100 Deadliest atrocities combined.

Estimates heard in private conversations with scientists and economists reach even into the billions of people who could perish well within this century if the warming is not somehow controlled.

This reporter has heard figures in measured conversation, for example, such as this: If humanity does not now manage somehow to drastically cut carbon emissions so that the global temperature levels off at around 2 degrees centigrade above pre-industrial times, but reaches instead 4 degrees centigrade, it could mean some 4 billion people dying within this century because the world couldn’t grow enough food in such heat and the drought it will bring — rice harvests, for one, would be decimated.

[RobertEarl]

1. True

Billions of people will die this century.

7 billion alive now. How many will live for 88 more years? Eh?

Now, if these guys want to say billions will die sooner because of global warming, they have some news.

Scientist have known for over a hundred years about CO2. Why hasn't our esteemed government and other elites besides Al Gore done a damn thing? Do they want us to suffer?

Or is it that asking us to sacrifice some comfort today for a hamburger tomorrow will get them popeyed ?

[GliderGuider]

2. Well, I'm figuring on a global pop of 3 billion by 2100.

For exactly the reasons they state.

And it's not quite as simple as "They didn't do anything." How about convincing the entire world to stop driving private automobiles, close all the world's coal and gas power plants, and stop half the world's farming and forestry. Not Monday, but tomorrow.

That's what it would take to (maybe) avoid this thing. Hands up all those who want to do what it would really take.

[RobertEarl]

3. I don't see any hands!

I am about the only person I know who at least makes an effort.

Odd thing is, I am actually more comfortable by using less.

Everyone else, fer as i can tell, wants more and more.

So that's why politicians won't touch CC?

[WriteWrong]

5. I was convinced in the seventies, as were a fair number. Early victims of the class war.

Telling young people you don't have to consume is treated like you're telling them they don't have to have sex.

[NYC_SKP]

4. Kick.

Nice to see this from a very mainstream source, abcnews.

Thanks!

[pansypoo53219]

6. or pray for a new krakatoa.