Posted on 12/06/2004 10:20:56 AM PST by cogitator
Excerpts:
""We're learning fast, but part of what we're learning is the climate system is really complicated. . . . I don't think we'll ever make the kind of prediction Bush would want," said Wallace S. Broecker, a geochemist at Columbia University's Lamont-Doherty Earth Observatory. Broecker believes the United States has to act quickly to counter its contribution to global warming. "If we don't pick up the pace, we're not going to get there." . . .
"Scientists have also refined their understanding of other factors that could accelerate or temper climate change. At one point, researchers thought warming would cause more water to evaporate and form clouds, which cool the atmosphere. They recently discovered this was not the case. They also have begun to grasp the complex role that aerosols -- the fine particles emitted by cars, power plants and other sources -- play. Lighter-colored aerosols, such as car exhaust and power plant pollution, reflect sunlight and have a cooling effect, while darker ones, such as soot, absorb it. Both types of emissions will affect warming in the future, though scientists are still gauging their influence." . . .
"[Atmospheric scientist John R.] Christy said, given the economic costs of imposing tighter controls on energy production, "The Bush administration is doing a more reasonable approach, considering that mandating carbon restrictions will have no measurable effect on what the climate will do."
"Several senior administration officials said that while they agree that greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide contribute to climate change, restricting these emissions right now would cost jobs. Instead, they said, the government should continue to focus its efforts on promoting technologies that will curb pollution."
(Excerpt) Read more at washingtonpost.com ...
Did anyone read Michael Crighton's article in this past Sunday's Parade magazine? Interesting and insightful, it was.
Yawwwwnnnn....
What was it about?
Yep, that's the one. That was fast - nice work!
Basically, it was about our history of people trying to scare us about future events that have never materialized. In the 70's, for example, "experts" warned that the earth was going to undergo global cooling, their would be mass starvation on the planet, and the population would reach 15 Billion, all within 30 years.
Cogitator, your comment is very apt:
The Buenos Aires hot air meeting.
According to this post (http://www.freerepublic.com/focus/f-news/786012/posts)all this talk of climate change is a big waste of time.
Sun's rays to roast Earth as poles flip
(And this is not about somersaulting residents of Poland.)
The major product of most diplomatic conferences of this nature is hot air.
BTTT!!!!!!
ALSO check out: "ARE WE SCARING OURSELVES TO DEATH?"
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