[debate] global warming is b/s? nice hatchet job

[chris at blask.org]

Hey Anton!

--- On Sat, 7/11/09, Anton Chuvakin <anton at chuvakin.org> wrote:
> Chris spake:

>> So let me ask, is there anyone on this list who doesn't believe mankind is capable of impacting global climate?

>Still misses it, since it overlooks the following scenario:

>"... mankind is capable of impacting global climate AND with 100%
probability overcoming a possible naturally occurring opposite trend?"

Separate questions.

1.  Is mankind *capable* of doing enough stuff to impact climate?

2.  Given current climate trends (climate is always changing one way or another), is what mankind is *currently* doing going with or against that trend?


I posit that the answer to 1 is: "yes, obviously".  If we set off on a global campaign to burn every piece of combustible matter on the planet as quickly as possible I am certain we would introduce enough matter into the atmosphere to cause a change in climate.  We are more than *capable* of impacting climate, whatever views are of whether we *are* and whether it matters (or is good or bad).

The answer to 2 may be the kicker.  It is entirely possible that we *should* be doing everything we can to warm the planet because natural trends are in the opposite direction.  It is also possible that the trend is towards a warmer environment, in which case we would now be accelerating that change, which would be bad.

I have seen reports that the sun seems to be entering a cooler period, so maybe we will find that all our carbon emissions have been a good thing and that efforts to slow them down will be bad.  But we can't forecast solar trends worth a hill of beans yet, so really we just don't know.

-chris