Quote:
Originally Posted by Yug
Still beating this dead horse? We have had temp increases in the far past, too. I wonder what those were from? Also, what makes you so sure that man should survive if man is the cause of problems? Let the planet do what it will do, and perhaps man survives, perhaps not. Besides, unless India and commie China stop what they are doing, you are wasting your time, and punishing one of the few industrialized nations that actually cares. When the 'don't-give-a-damn' nations take over, they dictate terms to us, and all you (and people that think like you) have done is waste your time, and ruin our nation & livlihood. Think the issue through to the end, and you'll see. Until you and the other 'chicken-little's' can compel all nations to do something about it - all you are doing is hurting us. (if we are stupid enough to buy into it) Why do you hate the U.S. so much?
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I have an idea, Yug. Let's play a logic game. So let's assume for a moment that climate change/global warming isn't really happening for whatever reason. And that we take no action. What happens then? Nothing. Everything is the same. Now let's assume that it is not happening and we DO take action. The world economy suffers a bit because of our clamping down on fossil fuels. Developing nations suffer particularly, and countries such as the United States and China who rely heavily on fossil fuels might have recessions due to rapid shifts in the energy economy. But eventually everything turns out fine within a few decades.
Now, let's assume that it IS happening. And we take action. We successfully mitigate the crisis. A few economic setbacks, pretty much the same as stated above, and the damage done so far by climate change has been minimized. Now, let's assume that it is happening and we take NO action. Worldwide economic collapse, sea level rise, mass extinction, and perhaps the collapse of civilization altogether in some areas of the globe that are more vulnerable to climate disruption. Perhaps a billion or so people die within a few decades, and a billion or so more are displaced and become climate refugees. Resource wars, famine, mass migration, and the collapse of many countries' political, social, and economic systems becomes the new norm. This could all potentially happen in this last scenario, it is entirely possible.
Let's make another assumption. Assume that we have no way of knowing that climate change/global warming is actually happening. As many distinguished "climate skeptics" argue, the evidence is inconclusive. Now, we have to pick a path to take given the four scenarios above. Take no action, or do something about it. Given the benefits and consequences of each potential scenario, what do you think is the best course of action?