The world has just 10 years to reverse surging greenhouse gas emissions or risk runaway climate change that could make many parts of the planet uninhabitable.The stark warning comes from scientists who are working on the final draft of a new report by the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change (IPCC).
The report, due to be published this week, will draw together the work of thousands of scientists from around the world who have been studying changes in the world’s climate and predicting how they might accelerate.
It's kind of amusing how these doomsday scenarios slot neatly into nice round numbers. I recall that noted oceanographer, Ted Danson (link doesn't lead to the quote -- it was made before the Internet turned commercial) predicting the "death of the oceans" by the year 2000 if something (what, precisely, he didn't say) wasn't done.
Even though the death of the oceans made me sad, I've gotten over it by now. I'm resilient that way.
Comments (4)
'Runaway climate change' - what a load of BS! The propaganda these guys produce is simply unbelievable - yet there is such a large market for this kind of stuff. It is sad that scientific illiteracy is so prevalent, and so promoted, in a modern society.
Posted by Philanthropist | January 29, 2007 10:35 PM
Posted on January 29, 2007 22:35
back in the 70s high school students were regularly told by their teachers that oil would run out by 2000. the year 2000 was a great number for a lot of propagandists. good times.
but realistically, nice round numbers (or the nifty ones) have always disappointed our expectations. was any historically prominent figure born on January 1, 1111? did anything catastrophic happen on June 6, 666? no? damn! next thing you know, year 2000 will come and go, just like year 1000.
Posted by Steve | January 29, 2007 11:13 PM
Posted on January 29, 2007 23:13
Remember back in the 70's how the next ice age was coming very soon. Pack the woolies, kids.
The only reason climate change (notice they've changed it from global warming) is the #1 priority is because the media has told us it is with daily and hourly stories about so called "weird weather" - like blizzards on the prairies in January - I mean, how weird is that.
Posted by Alberta Girl | January 30, 2007 5:26 AM
Posted on January 30, 2007 05:26
Every canadian experiences climate change four times a year. Of course they would say they believe in it. WINTER, SPRING, SUMMER AND FALL. Who doesn't know that.
Posted by maryT | February 4, 2007 5:22 PM
Posted on February 4, 2007 17:22