Climate Change Debates Heat Up

From the facts and stories that I have read and listened to on the news, I believe that we do have a real big issue with climate change. And from what I can see is that the ice lands are melting and the water is rising. And this has been going on for some time now and it is getting worst. So in that case I believe that we as a nation should take concern with that issue ASAP. I'm not sure as to the remedy, but, neither are the scientists. It is a real concern that we need to take into account. I hope that we as a nation can find a remedy to this growing problem.

Man-made global warming does not exist. Both the IPCC and the CSIRO should be challenged to justify their reckless and baseless climate scare-mongering.

In Australia, many long term temperature records show that for the last century rural temperatures were stable or falling, but temperatures recorded in the big cities show slight warming. There is ZERO global warming of the atmosphere, just a bit of urban heating near big cities. This heating is caused, not by carbon dioxide in the atmosphere, but by heat generated from increasing urban human activities - heaters, appliances, air-conditioners, cars, trains, planes, concrete and bitumen all pumping new heat into the air. And the temperature measuring spots that were once in bushy outer suburbs are now surrounded by cars, concrete and airports. This urban heat causes hot air to rise, may generate a storm or two, and the heat is lost harmlessly to space.

Climate fluctuations continue in modern times, but not in step with industrial man's carbon dioxide emissions. When industry declined in the Great Depression of the 1930s, CO2 emissions fell but temperatures rose to a peak. Then during the immediate post war boom in industry, emissions soared but temperatures fell and there were fears of a new ice age starting. Now, since the start of the new century, with emissions from China and India booming, world temperatures are again falling.

A mere 20,000 years ago, massive ice sheets covered much of the earth. The sparse population led a cold hungry existence. Then just 12,000 years ago, there was dramatic natural global warming - ice sheets melted, sea levels rose and the warming seas expelled carbon dioxide. The warmth and extra carbon dioxide plant food in the atmosphere encouraged the spread of grasslands, forests, animals and humans over lands once covered by thick, barren sheets of ice. None of these beneficial climate changes were caused by emissions from the camp fires of the Cave Men. Since then earth has experienced a see-saw of minor natural heating and cooling. The most recent warming phase started at the depth of the Little Ice Age about 300 years ago, before James Watt invented the steam engine. There were no emissions from cars, trucks, trains, planes or cement plants, but still the planet warmed up.

First off, the melting of the polar ice caps is a supposedly 'strong? piece of evidence that supports global warming. Let me throw a year out for you: 1914. Still don't get it? Let me throw a ship out for you (like God did with this one): the Titanic. It ran into a floating iceberg! Ice has been melting since before we had cars. Ever left an ice cube tray out after using a couple cubes because you were too lazy to put it back? Notice that the next day, your hungover ass found that ice cube tray completely melted?in your air-conditioned home? Ice melts anywhere, in any condition, in any temperature (well, not in temperatures below freezing, but whatevs).

We can not alter climate changes. The earth goes through a cycle, just as it always has since it has existed.

I think there's way too many people who still believe that these are all lies. I definitely feel that this is an issue that we need to care more about, but I think organizations and individuals need to raise awareness in a more effective manner. How? I can't say that I would even know, but what I do know is we've got to do something fast, otherwise we're going to wake up one day to a world of nothing.

You're right, it is common sense. But we have been recycling and conserving, and teaching about it in the schools for years before Gore made it into a monopoly! I'm sorry, but he has politicized it and made it virtually impossible for scientists to be honest in their recent findings and to have a solid educated debate over it.

Yes climate change has been happening the entire existence of earth itself, but yes we have also had an effect on the acceleration of it. Who cares about Al Gore's scare tactics. If it's scaring people into recycling and putting up solar panels then keep it coming. Being conscious about the environment which we live in and breath the air in is a good thing. It's not a political argument. It's common sense.

I believe there has always been climate change, otherwise we wouldn't have had the death of the dinosaurs, an ice age, an end to the ice age (by the way, it is still ending), and weird plant fossils and sea shell fossils showing up in the the most unlikely of climates. It is indeed the way of the world. I also believe Al Gore has made millions from his scare tactics while living in a huge un-green house and riding un-green cars and planes. That said, I am all for conserving, recycling, and saving the environment wherever and whenever we can. I believed in that before Gore created a monster. We should be earth's care-takers, but let us not get all OCD about it!

Things need to change and we need to put more input in our planet. Ofcourse climate changes have been present always but there's been more disasters lately and I think we all have to do with that. We need to take care of our planet at least by doing simple things. If we dont, who will?

I'm in total agreement with amberdana. The alarmists only seem to report the science that supports climate change (Global Warming?) and conveniently leave out other info that doesn't. The finest meteorologists in the world cannot predict the weather two weeks in advance, let alone the climate for the rest of the century. Can Al Gore? Follow the money, who's getting fat and laughing all the way to the bank. And carbon credits???

It is about time that we take responsibility for our planet. You have heard the saying "we are what we put in our mouths" well the same goes for the planet. It is as good as we treat it. It is too easy for someone living in distant land to ignore the plight of the animals who are loosing their habitats due to global warming. I hear others say "that does not affect me" when in fact it does affect us all in some form. It does not take much and everyone has the ability to make a difference. Simple steps such as recycling or using recycle bags instead of plastic bags collectively work towards helping the plant. I truly hope that each and every person sees this as worth the effort. You do not have to do a lot, just do something!!

I highly recommend the November/December issue of Mother Jones, which highlights climate change issues. The editorial had a great comment about the argument that you can't expect people to care about the environment in the global recession: "One, if that were true, it would apply globally," but only Americans are (statistically shown to be) so unconcerned. The second reason really struck me, too: "[C]limate change isn't chiefly an environmental issue. It's a massive social and technological challenge that will...force the wholesale transformation of our economy." Entire nations, like Tuvalu, face displacement. Take a read if you have a chance. And don't forget all the things that can help that not only don't cost money, but will save you money - turning of lights and computers, turning down the heat, driving less, etc. Plus