Problem is tha t largely the effects of global warming are being felt outside of the US, so as a result I imagine that about 80% of Americans have no idea about it whatsoever...

S

Only 80% would be hopeful. Although Katrina was a bit of a wake up call...

anyhow, off to fill up a jiffy bag with ice cubes and post it to the polar bears before heading to bed now

Recycled water ice cubes or rain water ones?

S

Katrina wasnt a wake up call, America is prone to huge hurricanes, as can be seen here http://miami.about.com/gi/dynamic/of...1900storm.com/

I hope the 'so what were aussies why should we do anything,' gives poeple contemplating a move to Aus the sort of irritiating ignorant type of insular crap you get here.

They should care, OK they dont care about anyone else, so look on your own doorstep, if the barrier reef continues to die at the rate its going now it will be gone in 20 years.

Fortunatley not all aussies are entirely head us ass on this, brilliant moment when howard awarded leading aussie scientist 'aussie of the year award' the scientist responsed by cutting him down him for not signing kyoto.

Australia cant excuse itself because it has a small population, its ranking on many pollution scales per head is around 27, indias and chinas pollution per head is 1. Would seem then there is plenty australians could do, if only they could be arsed.

Australia could and should do more but China, US and India need to do even more.
The fact that this scientist slagged off Howard shows the strength of our democracy and freedom of speech. Same would not happen in China.
The danger of global warming (if it is actually happening and I have my doubts) is that it will affect the whole world, not just the countries that pollute the most.

So true! Global warming doesn't even enter into forward planning for NZ, it's purely focused on population growth, try to factor-in climate change and the shutters just come down.

As for Kyoto...well NZ couldn't even get its sums right with that one

My oh my we are in a bad mood. Think you'll find there are many Aussies that do care.

Lets be pragmatic about this.

Quite simply, Australia is not 'ready' for Kyoto - it is as simple as that - and yes, its their 'fault' - it is not as easy as for Europe to sign lets face it. Both the US and Australia have similar problems in this regard. I think actual actions are more important that treaties.

The recent QLD announcement was a step in the right direction - I think this reflects a sort of sea-change in opinion - waking up to what needs to be done.

Kyoto probably was not the right answer - like many things it was mainly to show politicians "doing something".

Some of he signatories have actually increased their CO2 emissions substantially - Canada springs to mind.

The thing that really amuses me no end in this is the number of articles, debates, TV docs, Al Gore films etc etc - yet almost never is the fact that the global population is increasing at an astronomical rate mentioned!

The world population doubled, IIRC, between the sixties and now and is "due" to almost double again over the next few decades. So, in round terms, if we all halved our consumption - in 50 years we will be in exactly the same state!

Please don't frighten the kiddies.....

Yes, very true. And with all those people perpetually breathing out carbon dioxide all the time, the very nature of human existance is going to start contributing to additional warming...

S

Being slightly cynical about it, the only things likely to have any real positive effect are Islamic suicide bombers, H5N1 flu, a few good wars in Africa and the middle east and a year or two of powerful hurricanes, typhoons and cyclones. Your guess is as good as mine as to which will help most.....

I think it may take more than all of those things put together. Maybe a paradigm shift in thinking about contraceptives from the Pope would help...

On this count, at least the Chinese are making an effort. Though it may seem harsh, the 'one set of parents, one child' birth control regime is a step in the right direction.


S

AIDS might help as well, I don't know why they spend so much money trying to combat it.

(Remaining in cynical mode) At least in the Western world, the AIDS profile doesn't really fit in with the procreation one....

>> I think it may take more than all of those things put together. Maybe a paradigm shift in thinking about contraceptives from the Pope would help... <<

Absolutely - but can you see God changing his mind merely because the human race is about to self destruct?

>> On this count, at least the Chinese are making an effort. Though it may seem harsh, the 'one set of parents, one child' birth control regime is a step in the right direction. <<

Absolutely.

Isn't it comical how many of the politicians and the great & the good who are banging on about the "environment" have done more than their share of increasing the population?

Tony Blair: 4 children
Al Gore : 3 children
Morris Iemma: 4 children
Duke of Edinburgh: 4 children
Tony Abbott: 3 children

How on earth do they expect to be taken seriously when the root cause of environmental degradation is, fundamentally, too many people: too few resources?