The point of no return on global warming

(Thanks to my friend Holly, one of The Moderate Voice's co-bloggers, for sending me the story linked below.)

ABC News is reporting on the potential irreversibility of global warming: "Human-fueled global warming has reached a 'tipping point,' according to a new survey of scientific research that found warming would continue even if greenhouse gas emissions halted immediately."

This is bad, very bad. Essentially, "a kind of thermal inertia would ensure that global temperatures continue their upward trend". Or, to put it another way, we started the fire, but we can't put it out, at least not completely.

There is still much that can be done to prevent a worsening of the situation -- after all, the rate of global warming may yet slow down with increased environmental responsibility, that is, with more responsible stewardship of our environment. That should at least give us some hope in the wake of such a dire prediction.

Concerted efforts to reduce carbon emissions are needed. To many of us, that's obvious -- so obvious it shouldn't even have to be said, let alone argued, anymore. Unfortunately, too many of those in positions to do anything about the problem, including those at the very top, don't take it seriously, if they even recognize it at all. In the end, we may all suffer for their neglect of what is perhaps the most far-reaching crisis of our time.