Climate target is not radical enough - study

[flashl]

Source: Guardian UK


NASA scientist warns the world must urgently make huge CO2 reductions

One of the world's leading climate scientists warns today that the EU and its international partners must urgently rethink targets for cutting carbon dioxide in the atmosphere because of fears they have grossly underestimated the scale of the problem.

In a startling reappraisal of the threat, James Hansen, head of the Nasa Goddard Institute for Space Studies in New York, calls for a sharp reduction in C02 limits.

Hansen says the EU target of 550 parts per million of C02 - the most stringent in the world - should be slashed to 350ppm. He argues the cut is needed if "humanity wishes to preserve a planet similar to that on which civilisation developed". A final version of the paper Hansen co-authored with eight other climate scientists, is posted today on the Archive website. Instead of using theoretical models to estimate the sensitivity of the climate, his team turned to evidence from the Earth's history, which they say gives a much more accurate picture.

...

The revised target is likely to prompt criticism that he is setting the bar unrealistically high. With the US administration still acting as a drag on international efforts, climate campaigners are struggling even to get a 450ppm target to stick.

Guardian UK

Read more: http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2008/apr/07/climatechange.carbonemissions

[SteinbachMB]

1. Oh

please.

[DRoseDARs]

2. Oh please... what? To what do you take issue?

And welcome to DU. :hi:

[SteinbachMB]

3. Hansen is asking for too much, IMO.

Meanwhile , China will lead the world in CO2 emissions (I think they already do) by far in the coming years.

Thanks for the welcome.

[Ordr]

4. Agreed.

and welcome :)

[Tyler Durden]

5. When a man is dying of thirst, offering a sip next week won't help.

Perhaps the view of a scientist is the last thing anyone should be pooh-poohing. Personally, I'm not thrilled with the idea of Orlando and Houston becoming Port Cities, and New Orleans becoming a new spot for vacationing scuba divers.

We might not agree with the possibility of the needed level of change, but the NEED for that level of change does not disappear simply because we don't think it will happen, for whatever idiotic reason that humanity scrapes out of the back of its narcissistic skull.

Saw the Rand quote. Not a fan of Objectivism myself: found it the worst excuse for selfish and self-centered behavior I ever saw. I would pay money to get back the time I spent reading Rand's books, both as literature requirements for college, and to try and winnow some value out of her self-absorbed diatribe.

No PERSONAL offense intended, mind you.

"It is an enormous pity that someone of Rand's genius and determination should have created something as intellectually dubious and morally contemptible as Atlas Shrugged. Rand's life, along with her philosophy, present us with the pathetic spectacle of an unedifying tragedy."

—Greg Nyquist

http://aynrandcontrahumannature.blogspot.com/2006/10/whittaker-chambers-review-of-atlas.html

[Ordr]

6. None taken.

And I believe that our civilization isn't nearly ready for that philosophy yet. We're far too immature and the vast majority of us would be harmed by it. It is, in my opinion, only something to strive for after many decades (or even centuries) of prospering in this country. I see it as something to hope for.

[Tyler Durden]

7. I don't think it ever would or will work.

Sort of an "...In the country of the blind, the one eyed man is king."

Whenever exploitation CAN exist, it WILL exist in my not so humble opinion. Humans left to their own devices, as demonstrated time and time again, will GLADLY see their friends, neighbors and even relatives off the The Camps as long as their own skins are at risk. Something that requires a future maturity and enlightenment of the species doesn't stand much chance of working even then (I don't accept Rand and her philosophies for other reasons, but I'll settle for impractical).

Global Warming is a classic example of Rand-ian thinking gone horribly wrong: China as Howard Roark so to speak. And as a Democratic Socialist from the beginning of my political awareness, her demonizing of Socialism has always been distasteful.

I am constantly amazed that the worship of some "god" such as Cthulu who promises to eat his followers last and painlessly has never caught on.

[Ordr]

8. I think you're slightly mistaken.

With regards to the global-warming thing: if a company (or companies) is polluting and causing definitive, tangible harm, it is acting immorally. That immorality (just using her terminology) would be illegal and then subject to regulation because it is harming the fabric of society.

I, personally, am not a Rand worshiper :). I just like some of her ideas.

[dysfunctional press]

9. Houston already is a port city.

http://www.portofhouston.com/

[Tyler Durden]

11. I know, I used to live there...I meant OCEANFRONT.

Nothing but flat between there and Galveston.

[fascisthunter]

10. Nah... I Think We Should Just all Die

Can't get in the way of rich people making profits. Everything else should take a back seat... :crazy:

I think those arguing against the severity of Global Warming and efforts to cut back on CO2 are out of their minds. People have no problem with a severe reaction to a severe event like war, but when it comes to saving lives those same folks argue against drastic actions to prevent more death and destruction. kinda says it all, doesn't it?

[Uncle Joe]

12. Kicked and recommended.

Thanks for the thread, flashl.

[Exodus 3-14]

13. Once Again

As in the other forum thread:

If this issue is defined properly/framed correctly(an 'Eco-System Meltdown'; and that is Man-Made),
no more bickering would occur, and the critical time-line we have left would impress itself upon the Global Community and we would address this now(not too will be an incomprehendable horror/tragedy).
What comes around goes around, just look at what happens in countries which have their Environment/Eco-System 'raped'/destroyed; that is true tragedy.

Just wondering where 'CO2' levels currently stand?
I say again: We could address the global economic crisis with this issue, and literally create full employment and bring an end to most wars if we understand this for what it is. We could also create full employment at the same time.

Jeff in Philadelphia