The political discussion begins when we accept the fact that anthropogenic global warming is real. Then we have to decide what to do about it. For instance, it may likely be the case that the USA can handle the coming changes with few problems, but that the developing nations will suffer greatly if we dont make sacrifices. We will have to decide what our responsibility is to the rest of the world- do we have an obligation to humanity first and foremost, or is our current standard of living more important?
It could be the case that global disaster can only be averted if ALL nations make severe CO2 cutbacks, we then have to decide just how much pressure we are willing to put on india and china. Will we be willing to help fund massive nuclear power initiatives world wide, or will we demand that the developing nations go nuclear 'or else'.
Ultimately, for better or worse, these will be political issues based on our values and our beliefs on what is 'moral', and what is acceptable sacrifice... all science can do is inform the decisions, not make them for us.
I believe we can all agree that to make these decisions in ignorance, to ignore the science because we do not like what it says or who is saying it, is 'objectively' immoral no matter what our values are.
Space/Science » in reply to I don't think you will find a post by me ever claiming that there arent some alarmist statements out there...
Where the politics belongs...
The whole thread (59 posts)
- Part 1: Global Warming and Sea Level Change READ TO THE END before responding
- Temperature rise
- How much new arable land becomes available due to a global warming cycle?
- For temperature rise on the low side of the range...
- The world will definitely be worse, much worse.
- re: Part 1: Global Warming and Sea Level Change READ TO THE END before responding
- Thermocline and temperature structure of the ocean
- Thermal expansion of ocean water.
- re: Global Warming and Sea Level Change
- re the antarctica data...
- Okay, are you sure you put the right link?
- I will go over the points in detail later today, but let me just say this now
- sea ice extent currently is BELOW the recent mean
- Ocean temperature update
- Arrrrgh, not sure how it became IIPC it should read IPCC (n/t)