Can we stop global warming?
2007-09-18 08:47
Dear Editor,
I'm not very popular with my friends for being a global warming sceptic, but the truth of the matter is I'm open to both views and - not being a scientist - there's no way I could really have a educated view on the subject.
That, however, doesn't stop me from having an opinion. I believe that the contribution of CO2 from humans is significantly smaller than what is generated by the planet, and from the little research I have done I must say that not even scientists can agree on out impact. In fact pro-global warming scientists receive more airtime at the moment than anti-global warming scientists so debate is not open on the subject.
My main argument is that at the moment the earth is in a receding ice age so nature is warming the planet anyway. This happens between each ice age - if not there would only be ice ages - plus the most chaotic system known to man is the weather.
How can we, based on 150 years of temperature measurements, predict the future or even analyse the present? Some of the hottest weather in history occurred in the 1940s anyway.
If you look at the amount of damage just one volcano can do to our CO2 levels you'll see that our impact pales in comparison. There was a super volcano that blocked out the sun and covered the earth with acid and ash, sending the earth into an ice age over 20 000 years ago. This left a two-mile thick glacier over most parts of North America, effectively destroying all vegetation in the northern hemisphere.
The earth recovered from that by heating up, didn't it? Mt St Helens in one eruption created more CO2 than the industrial revolution did, never mind the constant CO2 emissions from the oceans mid-Atlantic ridges and eruptions all over the globe. Plus CFCs, CO2, ozone and the like are natural occurrences. If they weren't the earth would be 30 degrees colder and inhabitable.
I'm not saying our pollution isn't causing some damage, and yes it is adding to the problem, but I don't believe our contribution will in 150 years change a 4.5 billion-year-old weather system that has changed more times than we can imagine.
Our impact is to the local ecologies and wildlife, the quality of air we breathe and the poisoning of rivers and lakes. But as far as changing the earth's climate I don't know.
We do have to conserve energy because it is a finite element. We must lessen our pollution because we are harming the environment but putting money into stopping global warming will only make a few scientists rich.
Lets put our efforts where they are needed and not into something that is as real as the 1970s ice age predictions.
Brett
Centurion