But is it "catastrophic?"
I'm expecting to hear a lot of scary stuff about climate change this week, and for quite a while to come. The problem is so huge, the consequences are so dire... There's a danger that people will forget it's a man made disaster, and one we can still do something about.
So, some recent remarks from the head of the UN Environment Program are a welcome reminder that with smarter energy policy and use, we still have time to fix our climate. As reporter under the headline, "Global warming happens: but is it 'catastrophic?'":
"I'm a bit preoccupied that the media, having contributed to every day making another doomsday news headline, then in six weeks time will declare it hysteria and move on," said Achim Steiner, head of the U.N. Environment Program.Still, Steiner said it was clearly right to use words like "catastrophe" to describe effects such as a projected rise in sea levels in coming centuries that could swamp Pacific island states or cities from Shanghai to Buenos Aires.
"It is legitimate to use those words in specific scenarios," he told Reuters. "But does that mean that the whole climate change debate should be about doom and gloom? No, because we are finding that we can do something about it."
Umm, but soon, as in right now, is when we need to do something.
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Comments
I think your comments on apple computer are way off.. it looks like you are going for the donations from the computer companys and not telling the truth..what else is new..robin
Posted by: robin metze | April 4, 2007 7:19 PM
And while we are at it... combating overfishing anyone? People are getting interested in their environment again so this is as good a time as any, or better, to work on that! It surely has some rather good doom and gloom stories :)
Posted by: Pepijn | April 4, 2007 9:46 PM
You speak as if you have some proof. The U.N.'s IPCC has plenty of critics, and I'm one of them. I happen to agree that it's the "topic of the month" and it should be toned down. Take a look at my blog blogassault.townhall.com and click on THE LIST!!!!! and there you will find a small starting list of the hysteria that is printed over and over and over....
Posted by: BLOGASSAULT | April 5, 2007 12:39 AM
Robin: offtopic in this thread, but the notion that we're looking for donations from other computer companies can't stick: we accept NO corporate donations whatsoever, precisely so we can't be accused of favoritism or held hostage to donations.
We're independent, funded by small donations from lots of people.
The reason we're going after Apple, and ALL of the tech industry, to clean up their act can be summarised by this image.
These kids cook circuit boards to free usable components and recycle solder. In the process, they touch, breathe, and ingest a toxic soup that they don't need to.
Posted by: Brianfit | April 5, 2007 10:51 AM
Actually, the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change has mountains of proof, and the backing of the vast majority of climate scientists. So lots of credibility.
Your site, on the other hand, says one of the causes of climate change is "Aliens" - citing a science fiction writer. (Though I think this is meant as a joke. Not sure.)
For more about the (real) causes of climate change, see our site, or the BBC climate change site.
Posted by: Andrew | April 5, 2007 2:36 PM