Sunday, February 14, 2010
The Global Warming Theater
Here's the way that I see it, folks. The issue of global warming can essentially be broken down into four distinct groups. Group one would comprise the global warming deniers (the Sean Hannities, in other words). Group two would be the folks who think that global warming is real, but that human beings aren't in fact responsible for it. Group three (the group that I would probably place myself in) would be the people who think that global warming is real AND that human beings are at least partially the cause of it. But these people also think that we need to be prudent in our attempts to address it (I would refer you to the works of Bjorn Lomborg). Group four would be the people who not only believe in global warming/man's contribution to it, they also believe in an aggressive (their opponents would probably instead call it radical) approach to the amelioration of it. They, in other words, are the truest of the true believers............................................................................................Just exactly which of these groups is the closest to the truth on global warming, I couldn't even begin to tell you (hell, I probably shouldn't even be writing on the issue, period). What I CAN tell you, though, is that whoever in fact wins this argument, POLITICALLY, is going to have one big hell of a bulls-eye on 'em. THAT I can guarantee.
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9 comments:
Your conclusion is apt! Will. I would be among Group 4. :-) I liked the post...
Hi Will,
Yeah I guess I'm in group 4 too. You can spot us by our blue hats with LA for Less Aerosol.
Seriously, some of the extreme positions scare the hell outta me. I really need to read up on it cause I don't know enough to argue the Group 4 talking points so kinda stay out of it, although I think the ones who deny it's even happening or think it's an offense to Christianity to question anything are pretty screwed up.
Is there a group five? If not then i'll settle for four.
I am in group 4! I see climate change, exacerbated by man-made global warming, as the greatest threat mankind has ever faced. Great post.
Welcome everybody. I'm pretty much with you on this issue. I'm just concerned that if we don't get China and India on board, whatever it is that we do, just might not be enough AND it could put us at an economic disadvantage. P.S. I think that Obama showed some real courage the other day on the nuclear issue. He took a tough (and, yes, I think necessary) stance on a very tough issue. Rock solid leadership, I think. Now if we could only get Al Gore to eat a little less meat.
I need vastly more education, too, Oso. I found this one site called globalwarming-factorfiction.com. From what I can gather, it's a nonpartisan site that examines the issue pretty thoughtfully. I think that I might end up going there more often.
I would be in group 4 but one thing that worries me about those who feel global warming is a natural occurrence is that they overlook the ramifications.
Even if Climate change is natural it will still displace millions if not hundreds of millions of people across a globe that has long since been divided up. Such movements will cause wars, famines, and plagues. My point is that while deniers and those who feel climate change is natural may win out no wall will be able to keep out the mass movements of people looking for food and water.
As much as the Chinese might not like to admit it the Great Wall was in reality a massive failure in ultimately keeping unwanted people out of China. With the planet approaching seven billion people nothing we could do will in the long run work any better.
The fact is that we are all in this boat together and denying that will only keeps our small segment of humanity safe for a short time. Ultimately what affects one will come to affect us all.
Anyway, no matter what the business crowd on some of the Fox News business shows I have seen say about how lame “green energy jobs” are China ain’t heard it. If you read some recent articles they are going full force in developing wind and solar energy in their own country and moving to corner the market in green energy technology.
By the way, that Fox business show was or is called "Cashing In". The panel regularly trashes green technology.
Excellent points (per usual), double b. It reminds me of a Fareed Zackaria article that I read a couple of years ago. He seems to think that the effects of global warming are at least somewhat irreversible....and that we probably should be spending at least as much on adaptations as we do on prevention. Some of it's pretty damn scary stuff and, yeah, I think that people (Hannity, Beck, etc.) who've throwing around terms such as "hoax" and "myth" have really dumbed the matter down a lot.
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