Posted on 09/01/2005 6:34:05 PM PDT by dennisw
There is a lot of hysterical posturing from the reality-based community, claiming that if the US had signed Kyoto, Hurricane Katrina would not have happened.
But in the real real world, heres what would have happened if the Kyoto Protocol had gone into effect this year (6 months ago):
1. The increase in CO2 without Kyoto would be about 1 ppm.
2. The US contribution would have been 0.25 ppm.
3. If the US had reduced its emissions immediately on Feb 17 to 7% below 1990 levels, or about 20% below present levels, the CO2 contribution would be reduced by 0.05 ppm.
4. Using an IPCC sensitivity of 3 C for a CO2 doubling, the reduction in temperature would have been 0.00057 C, a ridiculously small number.
5. No measurable effect on weather or hurricances would have occurred.
6. Following the Kyoto advocates wishes, the above course of action would have reduced US GDP by 2 to 4% and would cost about $100B to $200B dollars, compared to Katrinas cost of about $25B.
On a cost/benefit basis, their arguments make no sense.
P.S. You can say these numbers come from a climatologist who was active in the field for more than 30 years.
bttt
Even my liberal son-in-law was laughing today at internet stories that the Bush administration had a secret hurricane machine that caused the disaster.
But I'm afraid there's no way you'll convince a true believer that global warming isn't a real problem.
Not just that, but the guy who does the predictions for the number of Hurricanes each year (William Gray?) doesn't believe in Global Warming nor that it had any effect on the hurricanes we are seeing these days.
Oh WOW, I'm stealing that!
Science is NEVER influenced by politics, and science is always 100% correct. The scientist have the scientific method, peer review, etc., and thus you can take their results to the bank.
It is all part of the "Closing of the American Mind."
been the tagline on my emails for two years... :)
"Global Warming" is a religion. You can no more talk liberals out of this than they could convince you that Jesus Christ was resurrected. Now, that the earth is warming very, very slightly is a generally true statement. But its also true that Jesus Christ walked the Earth. Taking the step from one to the other requires a belief in something bigger than oneself. For liberals, climate change is their God and they think there is a second coming awaiting them. (If it could come and take just those who believe in it, I'd start a freon plant tomorrow to hasten its arrival)
I don't think I needed a science degree to figure that one out, but I appreciate the statistics.
The Kyoto Accord was a joke. China, India, and Mexico, who pollute far more than the United States, were exempt. It was not designed to protect the environment but to cripple the United States economically. Even 'Rats in the U.S. Senate wouldn't support it.
I'm waiting for the next opportunity on this. Typically these folks talk about "believing in" global warming as well as describing it as settled science. If they are the believe type I want to ask them if they believe in gravity and then ask them what's the difference. If they are of the settled science type I want to ask them if they would insist today upon the settled science of treating stomach ulcers with milk and cream. Would they insist upon the settled 1970s science of global cooling?
Religion works with beliefs. Advocacy works with a cause. Science works with facts. Which one is global warming?
Absolutely my friend. Absolutely.
No, not exactly... Rove was the architect of the machine Halliburton built in Dick Cheney's basement so he could generate hurricanes to make George Bush's oil buddies get better profits this quarter. This is why Jeb Bush had no businees letting that hurricane get by Florida...
The truth of the matter is that Clinton signed it and the Senate rejected it 98-0.
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