Climate Change; Can it be Stopped?

A full length article for Environmental Politics class on one of the most debated subjects today.  As I always try to add context no matter the issue, I hope you take this as part of the greater debate we all must be a part of.

Enjoy.

 

Global Climate Change; Can it be stopped?

The question for our age and one which has no solid answer.  I have studied planetary climate models for years and have tried to read as much as has been published, spoken and recorded, and if there is an answer to whether we can abate or reverse this change, it is no.  At this stage in our evolution, even if we completely shut down all industry today and completely revamp civilisational structure, the effect over the long term (30,000+ years) will be negligible.

The raging debate is on anthropogenic effects and how much, if any is causing what we see as climate change.  The problem is there is no consensus; even as thousands of climate scientists (and others) agree that the change is happening, and there are some who ferverently believe that it is 100% mankinds fault, there is not, at this time any concrete analysis of anthropogenic change being solely responsible for climate change.  Even the IPCC reports use words such as “possible” or “chance” or “might be” to show that their research does not give them enough confidence to make ironclad claims.

With all the debate and so much unknown it is difficult for any scientist to say with confidence that man-made creation of CO2 is the only regulator of climate.  Methane is 20X more dangerous than CO2 yet it is not treated as such when calculating climate models, if it is included at all.  Water vapor is a major regulator of weather, as are the Maunder min/max, solar radiation, earth orbit and axis tilt, the Coriolis effect, El Nino, the Pacific Decadel oscillation, the El Nino Decadel oscillation, Hadley and Polar cells, ocean currents and temperature and the ongoing disputes over where weather data collection stations are located.  Add to the mix volcanoes, forest fires, natural coal fires, constantly changing adiabatic collapse rates and the shift in earths albedo depending on all of the above factors and you have a mixed salad of incomplete facts and untested science.  There is no study undertaken so far which takes all of these (and other) variables into effect in computer modeling.  Usually modeling is done which proves the scientists preconceived notions rather than disproving those notions, a very deceiving method of science indeed.

From James Hansen to Roy Spencer the disagreement over exact causal relationships in weather and climate is ongoing, and it appears no one has the right answer.  Yes the climate is changing.  Yes we all need to be much more mindful of what we do and the impact it may have.  Yes our technologies and growth have placed us in a precarious position as to our future, and yes we know all this yet there is very little direct effect we can have on the days climate.  Living simply is a start, challenging commonly accepted beliefs must be done, and changes must be made based in what, as Spock said is “the needs of the many, not the few or the one”

I live simply, and do so by choice because I know it is the best way to manage my life and provide for my neighbors an example of living well by living simply.  I would like all to follow my example, but I cannot force my beliefs on others, I can only try to inform and encourage honest and open debate.  Changes that come will have to be based in common acceptance that the good of all requires us to be good to our home, not on scare tactics, fear of the unknown or false science.  We can be the best stewards for the planet, it is a matter of truth and knowledge and how to use those guidelines for the greatest benefit.

PS, Al Gore just bought a second home.  No recycling, no solar or alternate power sources(yet), a hugh utility bill and a carbon footprint bigger than all of us in class put together.  Anyone see hippocracy here, because I sure do.

PPS; here is a link to MIT and a scientist claiming to have the solution to global climate changes.  Interesting theory that appears to have the potential to work.  http://www.technologyreview.com/featuredstory/511016/a-cheap-and-easy-plan-to-stop-global-warming/