> -----Original Message----- > From: [EMAIL PROTECTED] [mailto:[EMAIL PROTECTED] On > Behalf Of Doug Pensinger > Sent: Monday, August 28, 2006 12:01 AM > To: Killer Bs Discussion > Subject: Re: Jobs, not trees! (Collapse, Chapter 2) > > > > As another example, you seem to indicate that we should be sparing no > > cost in order to combat global warming. > > No. I'm saying we should make it a top priority.
Can you quantify this? For example, in order to stop global warming by 2050, the costs would be overwhelming. The only quantitative estimates that I've seen are in the tens of trillions of dollars. > > We have little or no control over these phenomenon, and there is little > likelihood that even if we did spare no expense that we would be able to > do anything about them. Maybe with gamma ray bursts, but an asteroid warning/prevention system should be far less expensive than stopping global warming. > > None of which have anywhere near the potential for disaster that warming > does. Well, a brand new estimate for this century has just come up. It is given at: http://news.yahoo.com/s/nm/20060902/sc_nm/environment_climate_australia_dc_1 <quote> SYDNEY (Reuters) - The world's top climate scientists are slightly less pessimistic in their latest forecasts for global warming over the next 100 years, the Australian newspaper reported on Saturday. A draft report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change obtained by the newspaper says the temperature increase could be contained to two degrees Celsius by 2100, if greenhouse gas emissions were held at current levels. A three-degree Celsius rise in the average global daily temperature is projected if no action is taken to cut emissions. The panel's Draft Fourth Assessment report narrows the band of predicted temperature rises by 2100 to 2-4.5 degrees Celsius, from 1.4-5.8 degrees in the previous assessment in 2001. Sea levels are now forecast to rise by between 14 cm (5.5 in) and 43 cm (17 in). The IPCC was established by the World Meteorological Organization and the United Nations Environment Program in 1988 to investigate the impact of climate change and recommend options for its mitigation. Its fourth assessment report is due to be completed in 2007. <end quote> This type of change, while certainly having negative consequences, is not a catastrophe. I'd argue that the potential for disaster from an asteroid hit is far higher than from global warming. Dan M. _______________________________________________ http://www.mccmedia.com/mailman/listinfo/brin-l
