Global Climate Change -- we are our own worst enemy

I’ve been quiet on the merits of global climate change for a while, but not because I changed my mind about the validity of that claim, nor about my belief that human activity plays a role in the warming trend. It seems to me that a global warming trend will significantly alter the geo-political reality and place enormous long term pressure on the ability of governments to effectively deal with the effects of resettlement, changing sea levels, and other global impacts. I have not bothered to engage or comment on the various nay-sayers that use cherry-picked data to “proof” their point, because, frankly, what does my opinion really account for or matter.

But it seems the Associated Press did take notice and wanted to get to the bottom of the global cooling trend claim. An AP Science Writer article on today’s MSNBC website details a “blind” analysis by independent statisticians and concludes that the data shows a continued global warming trend. Unfortunately, the article itself does fall in the same trap it accuses the nay-sayers of – in the end, the author cherry-picks scientists and data to make inflammatory predictions about near-term trends. In this case, the dim-witted author regurgitates a claim that next year’s El Nino will produce a record breaking 2010 so that “a cooling trend will never be talked about again.” He should have left well-enough alone!!!

The Next Crisis

While I am by no means an avid diver or naturalist, I do marvel at the beauty and biodiversity found beneath the water's surface. A fifth of the world's coral reefs, one of the most extraordinary sights I've seen, is currently considered lost. These structures, oases in a vast water waste land, are under attack from rising water acidity (due to CO2 absorption) and rising water temperatures. Now I know that in the past I have voiced my thoughts about the human role in global warming (not in this blog) and I will go on record here to state unequivocally that I believe we are the primary reason for our current changes in climate. The report accompanying the global survey claims we need to limit climate change to the absolute minimum and substantially cut emissions if we want to save coral reefs.

DUH!!!

I wholeheartely agree and I am willing to do my part. But we do have bigger problems than the disappearing coral reefs, their undeniable beauty notwithstanding. It seems to me that the preservation of the reefs would be a very welcome side effect of the more strategic imperatives of reducing our dependence on fossil fuels and creating a new, more sustainable, economic model that will preserve our leadership role in the world. With "pay-option" mortgages coming as the next wave of defaults and foreclosures, unemployment claims at a 26-year high, extremists in Belgium (of all places), and snow in New Orleans, it is hard to figure out where our next crisis will come from. I wonder if FDR's inaugural quote (paraphrased) still holds true; that all we have to fear is fear itself.

I surely hope so.....