cricketman

No, I have a degree and Masters in Chemistry

Would you like to share your credentials?

jimenato

The point is that it doesn't actually matter whether or not man-made CO2 is changing anything. We are going to run out of fossil fuels at some point anyway so we might as well be doing something about it now.

jackytoo

Love it

A degree in chemistry doesn't make you an expert in global warming. I thought you once told us you didn't go to University

jojojojojo

You dont need credentials silly!! Its classroom stuff - GCSE level!! But you could put my letters after my name if you like MB.BS.FPC

Jo xxxx

jackytoo

I agree we should take care of the worlds resources. I bet all those GW supporters here had xmas lights....wasn't there a debate on here about lights in the villages with some complaining they weren't as good as last year

What makes me laugh is when booking a flight they always ask if you want to offset the carbon emission...what do they do with the money?

cricketman

Again you are confusing science with politics/business

Carbon offsetting is nonsense, it is a marketing tool as are most the policies the government makes up. They use climate change as an excuse

Any change needs to be much more radical than anyone has ever proposed and must involve population control and allocation/rationing of resources e.g. 1 child families, energy rations per family, an increase in the number of trees globally, banning of fossil fuels, changing the stupid EU agricultural rules which ships fruit and veg all over Europe when people should be eating local etc

The problem is these policies go completely against the concept of capitalism and economic growth so will not be adopted until its too late

amideislas

Degree in Chemistry and still lives with mum. Life is good.

cricketman

Don't know where you get that info from

jimenato

You are quite right it is junior school stuff. Human activities (basically burning fossil fuels and to a certain extent deforestation) raise the amount of CO2 in the atmosphere. The fact that a higher level of CO2 in the atmosphere has a so-called greenhouse effect - i.e. it traps radiated heat from the sun is also well known. I learnt about that nearly 50 years ago at junior school. None of this is disputable. The only thing that is in question is the extent of the effect and measurements appear to demonstrate that it is happening. Of course it is not in the interests of big power suppliers, airlines, motor companies and the like to admit any of this so perhaps that is what is fuelling the denialism.

jimenato

The effect of increasing amounts of CO2 in the atmosphere is a net increase in temperatures across the world. This will have different local outcomes. For instance it is possible that the British Isles will revert to a cold Alaskan climate if warming causes the North Atlantic Drift to stop functioning. This is why 'Global Warming' was changed to 'Climate Change' - to stop silly people pointing to each cooling event and saying "There - told you so - global warming my arse..."

By the way - you are making the common error of confusing climate and weather.

jojojojojo

I agree with that too. We certainly need to at least find a different source of energy, Nuclear seems to be the most effective, and once they can produce it safely, I think that could be the way forward??!!

But for us humans to be as vain and stupid as to think that we could change the planets surface temperature permanently is silly. Its a wonderful ploy by the governments to make money and to put a bit of fear into the population - Fear is the best way to control the masses, that is something I learnt when studying. We've caused smog and pollution, but the earth is more than capable of cleaning that up and does - afterall, everything we use on this planet is a product of this planet - so we're not adding anything extra, but yes, we're making a bit of a mess!

In a few generations time, the population will probably look back and laugh at our attempts to "save the planet", their technology will be far more sophisticated than anything we can do now. thats if we havent blown each other to bits warring and fighting - now thats something that should stop. It uses up more of the worlds resources than our standby buttons and kills - what on earth is the point????

Jo xxx

teuchterpete

OK well how about this from another person with a degree in chemistry, and yes I did go to university.

Fact : The fossil fuels that we are burning got their carbon from the carbon dioxide that was originally in the atmosphere, so we are only putting it back where it came from in the first place!
Pete.

jimenato

Correct. Millions of years ago, before humans existed, oil, gas and coal were living things which converted CO2 in the atmosphere so we are putting it back where it came from. Do we really want to return our planet to a state it was in before humans existed?

Garbatellamike

No but you are quite close to the answer methinks. What we need to do is get Benjy Mouse to commission Slartibartfast to build a second planet earth but not include the carbon-based life forms - we can use thar second planet as the control group and put some scientific rigour into a debate that is big on statistics, data extrapolation, emotion, opinion, spin etc etc but woefully short on scientific content.

Which way is Magarthea?

sujee

Global warming (climate change) is rather like passive smoking, a term invented for a non-existent condition by a bunch of control freaks. There is no real scientific evidence for either. Statistics can prove anything you want them to as long as you choose your criteria carefully.