January 2010 Environmental News from David YoungBack1.- The FutureDo you worry that so many people don't care about the dangers that the human race faces? If so you are not alone. The latest survey shows that 8% of UK people believe we have now left it too late to fix the world's perils. They agree with Private Fraser of Dad's Army - "We are all doomed". 7% (including me) say that we must NOT give up the survival-struggle yet. Nobody knows what the future holds. World politicians must be nagged into taking co-ordinated action. We must strive to allow the next generation to live full lives. Evidence has been found of activity by our ancestors from 1.8 million years ago. With all the years that humans have been on the planet, it is ridiculous to do nothing about the world's perils and allow the sixth mass extinction to arrive by say 2100. 85% say one of the following: A. I'm not bothered. The dangers won't affect my life and I don't care about the problems of future generations. B. I'm not bothered. I don't believe the scientific experts. C. I'm not bothered. Our all-powerful God will rescue us. It's all part of his plan. D. I'm not bothered. Something will turn up. It always does.
I say to Group A - What gives the human race the right to behave worse than animals by showing no concern for the future (i.e. fouling its own environment, over use of resources and overbreeding)? I note that the primary concern for most animals is for their offspring. I say to Group B - All the independant peer-reviewed papers from climatologists for nearly 25 years say you are wrong. Have a looked at MET Office and Climate Doubts? I say to Group C - Over all of human life, many past peoples have relied on all-powerful gods. But they found themselves wrong: e.g. the peoples of Easter Island and the Incas. Why do you think you own deity will rescue you? What do you think will happen to the next generation if there is no all-powerful God, or that he/she is not the God you choose to worship? I say to Group D - I dearly wish you were right. What do you think will happen to the next generation if your optimism is unfounded? We can't pin the current lethargy of world politicians to hopes that carbon capture and storage will suddenly be found to be viable or that the world's population will all decide, without education by governments, to reduce consumption and its birthrate. 2.- IPCC errorPity about the error in their report that predicted that there would be no Himalayan glaciers left by 2035. Total nonsense. Elsewhere in their 3000 page report, their work has been found to be too optimistic, e.g. over the loss of Arctic ice that is actually thawing much quicker than IPCC and Al Gore expected. Nobody predicted that the North West Passage would become sufficiently ice-free to become commercially viable to use in summer 2009. 3. My recent letter published in the Bracknell papersGlobal warming is probably responsible for our current cold weather. Let me explain! The Gulf Stream, with its warm south west wind, is the main factor in our climate. It has shut down several times in the planet's history causing a ten degree centigrade drop in our temperature. It could easily shut down again by 2040. We don't need to take the risk. Global warming has caused Arctic ice to melt resulting in a marked loss in Gulf Stream strength. No longer does it have the power to push the current treacherous weather away. We need the Gulf Stream. Without it we would have the current cold temperatures, or worse, for 5-6 months every year. And by then there won't be sufficient home energy to keep us warm. Carbon dioxide is the main cause of global warming. Its level is currently two thirds higher than the average pre industrial amount. We have to tell our politicians that the quantity in our atmosphere must be reduced. We need to use huge amounts of renewable energy, properly tax air travel and have better buildings insulation. And we have to give this message at the 2010 election. By 2014 it will be too late. MY BEST WISHES FOR AN ENJOYABLE FEBRUARY.
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