Dear Robert, You are absolutely right that habitat loss is one of the major problems of today. Focus on climate change is not because it is the only problem the world faces. There is a number of planetary boundaries that all will lead to catastrophic outcomes if we continue on our non-sustainable path. See:
http://www.tallbergfoundation.org/T%C3%84LLBERGFORUM/T%C3%A4llbergForum2008/Exploringplanetaryboundaries/tabid/487/Default.aspx Habitat loss and climate change are just one of them. However, climate change is likely the one closest to irreversible tipping points, see http://researchpages.net/ESMG/people/tim-lenton/tipping-points/ The extreme challenge of avoiding such tipping points is that climate change is a symptom of our unsustainable way of living - in all areas, not just in the way we burn fossil fuels, but in how we overfish the oceans, destroy habitats, add chemicals to our groundwaters, etc pp. Stopping coal-fired power plants is absolutely essential to avoid passing tipping points in the climate system. But even that will not help if we continue to exploit the rest of the earth and destroy all natural habitats, poison the groundwater,.... I hope that by thinking and feeling through the climate crisis we learn to better understand our place on earth. BTW, the fact that the poor have to endure the worst effects of climate change although they least caused it, is a major issue in climate policies, and one of the huge issues that urgently needs to get resolved at the UN climate conference in Copenhagen this December. I don't know where you heard that the rich are supposed to be causing fewer emissions than the poor. Of course that's completely wrong. Just all the stuff we buy causes almost 1/3 of the CO2 emissions of the average German. For sure the rich buy and use up a lot more than the poor, no? I am also not sure where you get the information that effects of climate change are not extremely worrisome. Check out the IPCC 4'th assessment report (http://www.ipcc.ch/) from 2007. To appreciate what you read you need to know that recent research has demonstrated that the increase in global temperature, in CO2 concentration and in sea level rise, as well as the melting of the Arctic sea-ice and the disintegration of the West Antarctic ice sheet is as fast or faster than the most pessimistic models of the IPCC described. Because the IPCC report is outdated, there will be an emergency conference on climate science next week in Copenhagen (which I am luckily to be able to attend). You might want to check out its webpage (http://climatecongress.ku.dk/) to see the overwhelming amount of scientific evidence for the increasing speed of climate change impacts that will be presented. For an interesting reading, also see: http://www.tallbergfoundation.org/Default.aspx?tabid=555 I will summarize my findings from the survey next week and send it to you all. Thanks for all the input! Maiken > Don't know if you want to post a contrasting view, but I'll offer one up. > > No question that human generated CO2 is causing global warming, in my opinion. There is, however, no evidence of a deleterious effect, especially given the fact that the climate does and will change one way or another anyways. Models predicting catastrophes have been overblown to a degree that is embarrassing to an informed scientist, and results a in classic "boy who cried wolf" type loss of credibility for informed scientists. > > With respect to our ecological impact, habitat destruction is the #1 negative human impact, and the overall ecological footprint is the real issue, not just the "carbon footprint". There is no activity we engage in as humans that is worse than the building of modern cities, > especially when you factor in the type of agricultural practices needed to support those cities. The carbon footprint approach also strongly discriminates against those living in poorer, more rural areas, singling out the activities that support the economies in those areas as the major problem, as opposed to the much more destructive activities of people who live in urban areas, particularly modern urban areas. It's obvuiously more politically prudent to attack the weak. > > There is an issue with global warming, but it is relatively minor, as far as we know at this point in time, and it appears to be just another way of deflecting the real issue, habitat conversion. Allowing people in large modern cities to feel good about themselves re environmental issues while continuing on with the most destructive of lifestyles. > > I recall reading many months ago about Leonardo DeCaprio wanting to buy a tropical island and build an eco friendly resort being presented as evidence of some sort of environmentally responsible act. Ridiculous, of course, but one of the best examples of the sort or poor thinking that drives a lot of the pop culture based environmental movement. > > Rob Hamilton > > > > "So easy it seemed once found, which yet > unfound most would have thought impossible" > > John Milton > ________________________________________ > > Robert G. Hamilton > Department of Biological Sciences > Mississippi College > P.O. Box 4045 > 200 South Capitol Street > Clinton, MS 39058 > Phone: (601) 925-3872 > FAX (601) 925-3978 >
