I hear the same thing, time and time again from people in their advanced years, I'm bloody glad your pensions are gonna be worth shit to be honest, its your generation that has consumed like greedy fat pigs.

Global warming has turned into a new age religion really, complete with zealots.

Of course its a theory, until it has happened thats all it can be, a theoretical prediction! Basically, the so called experts invented a predictive computer programme and loaded all the variables in. The computer has analysed the data and decided that the worlds surface/atmospheric temperature will rise by 5C in the next 500 years (something like that) and that this will destroy everything as we know it. The "experts" have reported this to the government who have then sponsored more and more research. Big business has come along and true to form have looked at ways of making money.. the whole band wagon has become huge and therefore its almost impossible now to see exactly whats true and whats not - certainly for us mere mortals. but the bit we all agree on is that it wont make any difference in our life time, apart from us having to pay... oh and switch off our standby buttons!

Jo xxx

Religions are based on faith - not evidence.

I think that was exactly the point

The theory has been around for a century or more - way before any 'predictive computer program (note sp)'. The observed data appears to show that it is a real phenomenon however it is complex and no-one can be 100% sure. The fact that a theory predicts it and that observations appear to support the theory has convinced the majority of scientists. The stuff about big business is non-scientific irrelevance. Switching off standby buttons is also irrelevant (as you well know)

You should try to ignore irrelevances and concentrate on the core issue which is entirely science based.

It depends whose science you read - and there are so many different versions - all from eminent and respected sources!! For everyone one scientist who "believes", there will be another who is just as well qualified who doesnt. The only difference tends to be that the "believer" is sponsored by the government or big business.

Jo xxx

You are just wrong about that - there is a vast majority of scientists who 'believe' but don't let that fact change your mind. Let's just drop it huh?

There is a lot more information being released now i.e. today and it does seem to be going against the warmers.

Read it this morning in the Mail but i'm sure that will change.

Regards

Jim

Just a quick bump as the subject at hand is raising its controversial head again.....

Just over five years ago, one of the last reports from the intergovernmental panel on ‘ Climate change’ predicted a gloomy scenario of the planets future. Now so-called ‘ Climate scientists’ who are compiling the next report due in 2014 are already reporting several reasons why the future is looking even grimmer than it was.

1. Extreme weather is becoming more extreme.
2. Food production is taking a massive hit.
3. The Artic region is warming faster than expected.
4. Heat stress means huge problems.
5. Sea levels will rise faster than predicted.
6. Greenhouse gas levels could keep rising even though we stop our emissions of said beastly things.
7. At the present moment we are emitting more greenhouse gases than ever.


Projected global warming by 2100 based on average figures between 1980 to 1999 depends on which report you read....

- IPCC worst case scenario (2007) was 2.5 to 6.5 C with a median of 4 C.
- MIT integrated model (2009) was 3.5 to 7.3 C with a median of 5.2 C.
- UK Met Office model (2011) was 4.3 to 7.2 C with a median of 5.6 C.

( Info gleaned from the ' New Scientist' )

Now for me; the smart people should not be flying around the globe emitting larger carbon footprints than a small city, discussing ways and means to lower emissions by spanking the world with taxes and promoting alternative sources that don’t work....They should be finding ways to adapt. We cannot stop climate change, we can only adapt to it! The longer those numpties with their hands on the tiller fail to prepare and adapt, the greater and more severe the eventual impact will be.
American businesses have lobbied their government for action re ‘ Climate change’ as the annual variants of the catastrophic weather conditions are having adverse effects on their businesses....Read PROFITS!

Once the US can see $$$ in recognising climate change then perhaps they will accept it

Yes, the answer is two fold as climate change cannot be reversed now, but can (probably) be slowed, so:
1. Change the economic model from a throw-away consumer society to one of sustainability
2. Invest in high-tech models to counter climate-change and protect from extreme weather

However, I have a feeling that we are not going to see 1. until its too late

I gave up hoping a long time ago that governments and big business would ever do anything other than talk and make treaties they don't keep.

Its important to remember that it's not us individuals who are doing the main damage, but the industries who make things they decide we need. Nevertheless governments make us feel guilty about using plastic bags etc etc, which is a complete distraction from the real issues.

Even as individuals we can each make a tiny difference, but it means lifestyle changes that people are very reluctant to make. It is more than just recycling and using low-energy bulbs, it involves not buying things you really want, boycotting companies which don't respect the environment, not making unnecessary journeys, etc.

If climate change is caused by humans then the answer is simple.

Reduce the number of humans

Where do we start?

With the ones who pollute the most, of course!