Hansen keeps sounding the alarm

Is anyone listening?

Posted by David Roberts at 4:30 PM on 19 Jun 2007

Read more about: climate | climate change impacts | climate science | James Hansen

James Hansen has a new paper out, co-authored with six other scientists: "Climate Change and trace gases." It appears in the current issue of the Philosophical Transactions of the Royal Society, and Hansen says: "In my opinion, among our papers this one probably does the best job of making clear that the Earth is getting perilously close to climate changes that could run out of our control."

Steve Connor has a writeup in The Independent. Sounds like scary stuff:

"Civilisation developed, and constructed extensive infrastructure, during a period of unusual climate stability, the Holocene, now almost 12,000 years in duration. That period is about to end," the scientists warn. Humanity cannot afford to burn the Earth's remaining underground reserves of fossil fuel. "To do so would guarantee dramatic climate change, yielding a different planet from the one on which civilisation developed and for which extensive physical infrastructure has been built," they say.

Yes, but what about the coal executives and corn conglomerates? Are we willing to sacrifice their interests just to save the world?

For story: Hansen keeps sounding the alarm
8 Comments | Post a Comment

Maybe We're Burning It for A Reason

Maybe we need to burn that hydrocarbon fuel as part of natural development.

After all, as Gold tells us, it's abiotic and inexhaustible.

by jabailo at 5:36 PM on 19 Jun 2007

uhg

Maybe we need to burn that hydrocarbon fuel as part of natural development.
After all, as Gold tells us, it's abiotic and inexhaustible.

Has nothing to do with exhausting the supplies of carbon on the planet.

It has to do with the temperature of the planet.

Elements on the other hand survive in even the most harsh planets.
Humans, don't.

Last I checked, we'd like humans to stick around on this planet.

-David Ahlport

by GreyFlcn at 6:58 PM on 19 Jun 2007
[ Parent ]

Hansen for Pope!

To paraphrase Stalin's response on being told that the Pope was concerned about Soviet treatment of Eastern Europeans ("How many divisions does the Pope have?"), how many lobbyists and campaign contributions does Hansen bring to this debate?

Seriously, everyone should read this paper.

by Steve Bloom at 8:10 PM on 19 Jun 2007

Serious ?

>> Seriously, everyone should read this paper.

Hey it is much easier to ignore reality, after all what can any single person do ?

Hansen is not stupid, though I am sure you wish he was.

S O S Save OurSelves, omegafour.com

by JohnCaley at 3:43 AM on 20 Jun 2007

The cataetrophe and the anti-Nuk Chicken Littles

David, if you and your fellow environmentalist anti-Nuk Chicken Littles would introduce yourselves to the world of sanity, we might find a solution. Every second you waist fighting nuclear power plays directly into the coal industry's hands. Grow up, and stop serving coal interests.

Charles Barton

by Charles Barton at 9:48 AM on 20 Jun 2007

yeah...

Every second you waist fighting nuclear power plays directly into the coal industry's hands. Grow up, and stop serving coal interests.

"You either want to invade Iraq, or you're on the side of the terrorists"

False Dichotomy isn't something anyone with a legit arguement should need to use.

-David Ahlport

by GreyFlcn at 6:05 PM on 20 Jun 2007
[ Parent ]

False Dichotomy or an indispensable part of the so

Thinking in terms of False Dichotomy is part of the problem. It is so irrational to compare nuclear power to invading Iraq. It is just so insane.

Charles Barton

by Charles Barton at 6:52 PM on 20 Jun 2007

It's actually rather appropriate.

It is so irrational to compare nuclear power to invading Iraq.

It's actually rather appropriate.
Nuclear is the reason we invaded in the first place.

-David Ahlport

by GreyFlcn at 6:59 PM on 20 Jun 2007
[ Parent ]

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