It's those stronger hurricanes, stupid!
The New York Times is reporting on two new studies that connect recent hurriacanes like Katrina and Rita back to global warming: "Climate researchers at Purdue University and the Massachusetts Institute of Technology separately reported new evidence yesterday supporting the idea that global warming is causing stronger hurricanes."
No, there's no conclusive link, but the evidence is building. See also here, for example.
Let me repeat what I've written before (because I can think of no better way of saying it differently at the moment): "In my view, given the inconclusive evidence and the disagreement among experts, shouldn't we err on the side of caution and take global warming seriously? It may not be the only cause of more and stronger hurricanes, but it's likely a cause. At the very least, how can it be ruled out as a cause? Besides, there are other consequences to global warming besides more and stronger hurricanes. Clearly, we ignore this problem at our own peril."
Let's not be stupid anymore. This is important in a future-of-humanity sort of way. Doesn't that appeal to your innate sense of self-interest?
No, there's no conclusive link, but the evidence is building. See also here, for example.
Let me repeat what I've written before (because I can think of no better way of saying it differently at the moment): "In my view, given the inconclusive evidence and the disagreement among experts, shouldn't we err on the side of caution and take global warming seriously? It may not be the only cause of more and stronger hurricanes, but it's likely a cause. At the very least, how can it be ruled out as a cause? Besides, there are other consequences to global warming besides more and stronger hurricanes. Clearly, we ignore this problem at our own peril."
Let's not be stupid anymore. This is important in a future-of-humanity sort of way. Doesn't that appeal to your innate sense of self-interest?
posted by Michael J.W. Stickings at
11:37 PM
2 Comments:
You know - I used to think that those people who professed themselves nonbelievers in the very concept of global warming as simply in need of a good education (or a swift kick to the ass – whichever seemed best). After all – it’s not just us using this planet. Future generations will need to live here too - our future generations. Destroying the world for profit only condemns our children and grandchildren to difficult and perhaps abbreviated lives. And who in their right mind would want their children to suffer? What I had not taken into consideration were the religious nut-jobs. Those who believe the world has a god-decided expiration date; a date that is imminent - meaning any mess left behind in pursuit of gross wealth will not have to be cleaned up – by anyone. So they do not care if the world becomes a heat sink, choked with pollution, poisoned beyond redemption. Their place in heaven has been decided - so to hell with the rest of us. That is why people like George Bush gnash their teeth and rail against the inevitable. That is why, despite overwhelming evidence to the contrary – they choose to disbelieve. We as a species can no longer waste time trying to convince the ostrich to pull its head out of the proverbial sand. We must go through them, or around them; whatever’s necessary to save our future. If we don’t – we may as well join Bush and Cheney in waiting for the rapture to commence.
By
TFLS, at 11:22 PM
Excellent comment, TFLS. I'm with you all the way.
By
Michael J.W. Stickings, at 9:30 PM
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