The Science has been in for a while, but global warming is happening and it is being caused by our pollution and our collective future will be grim if political leaders refuse to act…
Climate change: ‘We need to act now’
Global warming is driving humanity toward a whole new level of many risks, a United Nations scientific panel reports, warning that the wild climate ride has only just begun.Twenty-first century disasters such as killer heat waves in Europe, wildfires in the US, droughts in Australia and deadly flooding in Mozambique, Thailand and Pakistan highlight how vulnerable humanity is to extreme weather, says a massive new report from a Nobel Prize-winning group of scientists released early Monday.
The dangers are going to worsen as the climate changes even more, the report’s authors say, adding that no one is immune.
“We’re all sitting ducks,” Princeton University professor Michael Oppenheimer, one of the main authors of the 32-volume report from the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change, said in an interview.
After several days of late-night wrangling, more than 100 governments unanimously approved the scientist-written 49-page summary – which is aimed at world political leaders. The summary mentions the word “risk” an average of about 5 1/2 times per page.
…those clinging to quack science to pretend that global warming is being caused by the planets, or volcanoes or the Sun are lying to themselves and others. This stopped being a debate about science a long time ago. Those who are politically advantaged by the status quo will always find ways to muddy the debate by questioning the link between global warming and human activity the same way the Tobacco Industry questioned the link between smoking and cancer for decades.
Climate deniers are the creationists at an evolution conference. As magically as the Universe being created in 6 days, climate deniers would have us all believe that the pollution we mercilessly pump into our atmosphere has zero impact on the planet.
We can not allow the David Farrars, the Cameron Slaters and the Leighton Smiths of NZ punditry to continue their climate denial views going unchallenged. The denial is a wilful ignorance to deny any action that may erode their political power base, they aren’t arguing to save the planet, they are arguing to stymie the unpicking of the political vested interests they represent.
Global warming is happening, humans are causing it and we need real solutions now despite the vested political-economic interests they challenge or else our grandchildren’s futures will be bleak.
Where has David Farrar ever denied the science behind climate change?
David is a very important Climate Denier Gosman, he plays the ‘I don’t doubt there is warming, but I think climate alarmists are making much of it up’ role. The same role you play Gosman. I still remember you boasting on Tumeke how you went over to Hot Topic and kicked their arse, you are as much of a denier as Farrar is. I note you don’t play that card nearly as much as the science has been rolled out and proved you wrong. Slater of course is full blown climate denier, David is the lite right version. And that’s very much David’s modus operandi, he is hard right masquerading ads lite right.
My God! It had never occurred to me that Gosman frequents lots of other blogs as well. Maybe it is his job after all.
Gossy, how do you get a job like that? Go on, let us in on the secret, I could do with a little extra cash.
And yes I know it sounds naive not to have known this but I don’t have the time to go reading all the other kiwi political blogs out there – or the stomach for that matter.
From what I’ve seen of Farrar, he’s one of the idiots saying that warming is now inevitable, so we must adapt. In my view, this position is now being taken by the global elite because they think they have smashed people power and militarised society to the extent that they will be able to build their refuges in a zone of amenable climate, high above the sea. They also think they have control of the energy supplies and, through Monsanto, global food. They’ll push the rest of us out at gunpoint.
Unfortunately this brave new world will close its gates to penguins, men disguised as geese, and lumps of foul smelling blubber. The useful idiots will turn out to just be idiots after all.
The truly bizarre sight though was Susan Wood of National Party president past, absolutely gob smacked by the new and inspirational Act leader Jamie Whyte, who beats even Farrar to the finishing line of most deluded, when he declared Act would do nothing in response to climate change. (Q and A Sunday) His reasoning?!? It woud be morally irresponsible to our children to prepare for climate change or reduce carbon consumption because no one else is going to. Arghhhhhh! Unbelievable BS. And this person calls himself a philosopher. Aristotle will be rolling in his grave and grinding his teeth.
Are you sure Susan Wood the interviewer is the same person as Susan Wood the former National Party president? I thought it was one of those names that more than one person has 😉
I dont think Farrar is an idiot for saying lets adapt, I think he’s a buffoon for say lets do nothing. To imagine some how the elitists and ruling class can extracate themselves from the consequences of large change shows how out of touch with reality they are.
Ignorance is bliss, thats why so many happy shiny people vote for the right and they do it willingly
Gosman – can you say something without putting a questionmark at the end of it?
jaqing off
http://rationalwiki.org/wiki/Just_asking_questions
Did you read the caveat to that article?
Perhaps you glossed over the second paragraph in the caveat section, Gosman,…
“”Just asking questions” takes over when the answers are already well known, where the question embodies a point refuted a thousand times, or where the questioner exhibits willful ignorance.
Socratic method? me thinks not; it will be interesting to see how Aaron grades your latest question.
“Global Warming denial is no longer a scientific issue, it’s a cultural callowness”
… and bloody irresponsible as such.
It amuses me when I see the high prices of beach front property here in NZ. Clearly most people are happy to assume that the scientists are wrong and the oil industry does not spread disinformation and propaganda.
Yes,they assume that the science is wrong. Everyone does.
Sea levels are doing nothing unusual ( chch sea level hasn’t changed in 10 years. This was reported in the Tonkin and Taylor report)
The sea level rise projections are based on computer models and only idiots take them seriously.
I mean really, NIWA? What a joke.
Of course, AndyS.
Science, computers, NASA, orbiting satellites, climatologists, etc, are all wrong.
You, on the other hand are “right”. (Note: sarcasm)
You epitomise the incredible human capacity at denial. I can see you now; denying rising sea levels even as waves are lapping at your feet…
It would be amusing, if the problem wasn’t so serious.
Frank, the Tonkin and Taylor report has a graph that shows projections of sea level rise between 20cm and 1 metre for the next century
There is no probability distribution applied to this graph, so I have no idea whether 20cm is more or less likely than 1m
Why is it “denial” to ask why this report gets taken seriously? If it was a first year undergraduate project, it would have failed.
Nothing was worse than the absolute rubbish spouted by Sean Plunket on Radio Live this morning! He was trying to convince his listeners that climate change was good for New Zealand with the potential for increased grass growth! Yes, you read that right. New Zealand is going to be one giant farm anyway. He also said who cares if a few animals go extinct, we just need to adapt. How can a person this jaded, apathetic and cynical be given a salary. Not only that but he has access to a platform where he can espouse his ignorance. The attitude seems to be that as long as life in your own backyard is somewhat normal then who cares what is going on globally. Well I care, and so do many others. Are we to wash our hands of this problem and then pass it down to the next generation. It is easier it seems to allow the global change in the climate than change our own behaviour. I will never listen to Sean Plunket again that kind of status quo thinking, the mindless acceptance of our fate as the boiling frog, makes him extremely dangerous. Human apathy is dangerous. Human ignorance is dangerous. To do nothing, to refuse to confront this issue and think about the consequences, leaves a sickening feeling in the pit of my stomach. The time to think and act is now!
Did you hear Jane Kelsey give him his come uppance though.
Even if NZ shut down its entire economy tomorrow, it would have no measurable effect on emissions or the climate.
17 years with no surface warming.
I sure hope for you guys that warming picks up again soon, otherwise this “denial” BS will start to wear pretty thin with the public.
Especially when they are being taken to the cleaners on renewable energy scams
I have said this before and will say it again…So what is the solution you guys/Bomber?? I have huge concerns with the ETScheme….I have always known that market driven solutions devised by the likes of the World Bank” is NOT the answer to combat climate change..In fact..quite the opposite. Just check out this disturbing video of the continued proof of the ETS corrupt and unethical practices which is happening with impunity by the large polluting Corporations. and used as another guise/ploy to continue their wholesale takeover and destruction of indigenous lands/natural forest (whats left!!). And of course for us, any TPP deals that gothrough, could lock us into more unethical, dubious land grabs.etc The Emissions Trading Scheme enables polluters the way it is set up ,to offset their polluting with some other dubious venture elsewhere.! This video needs to be seen by everyone.
A Darker Shade of Green–New GJEP/GFC Video on REDD Released
http://www.carbontradewatch.org
New Zealand’s pathetic so-called ETS represents perhaps the biggest transfer of wealth from individual taxpayers to corporate polluters in the country’s entire history. Don’t have the numbers on hand, but over the long-run estimated to gift polluting firms/industries of the order hundreds of billions.
Andy – I thought of you when I saw this: http://4.bp.blogspot.com/-DsoKS-Fo7Y4/Ta94RMCpKzI/AAAAAAAAAC8/qEujR_YiXvs/s1600/canute.jpg
Frank, as I have pointed out before, we have abandoned our coastal property damaged by the quake, and are moving to 700 m above sea level,
What happens to Christchurch has no interest to me, other than an academic one
The deep oceans are warming quite well though. That means that global warming has continued.
People just don’t want to believe in AGW. Only a very few can contemplate, with equanimity, a life without an automobile.
Is any political party in NZ advocating for the end of the automobile?
Unfortunately, no.
Seems they are all climate deniers then. According to some people’s warped logic at least.
No, it just means that most people haven’t figured out the reality yet.
Subject was addressed in Global Report 1982 from UN commission on environment and development. Subsequently, polarisation has occurred.
What was said then, and is true now regardless of what side of the debate you take, is that caution action with regard to release of carbon and other gases known to degrade ozone is prudent. The call was to halt the rate of acceleration of release of these gases.
The past has seen dramatic climatic shifts due to various factors. Regardless of what side of the debate, we may have witnessed a kick-starting of a natural response from Gaia the planet, one that we kick and scream about because we know its dire and we don’t know what will happen or what miracle might see something to stop the pollution.
Meanwhile, from an even larger distance, the 11 and 22 solar cycles and the 22,000 year magnetic reversal cycle are all relevant now.
What is so unknown, is the response of the chemical balance maintaining biosphere to all of this.
The wisdom of the street….
http://www.stuff.co.nz/world/9887196/Climate-change-Report-a-wake-up-call-for-NZ
Increasingly, the question being asked; ‘Where’s the leadership?’
The wisdom of the street?! “Yeah, definitely!”
http://www.monbiot.com/2014/03/31/loss-adjustment/
Members of parliament please heed the call
Don’t stand in the doorway
Don’t block up the hall
For he who is lost….
Is he who has stalled.
Outside the hurricane’s raging
Will shatter your windows
And rattle your walls
For the climate is changing
…and we have very little to do with it.
We have been hearing about climate change for years to the point of saturation. In this state people accept it as inevitable. Whenever a major weather event happens the govt doesn’t have to do anything – they can blame it on climate change thus deflecting the fact that they did nothing to prevent it in the first place. Its like shutting the door after the horse has bolted.
Assuming that children being born in New Zealand today get to live to the present age that we expect (75-85), in fact it will be they who will be the first to bear the full brunt of global warming. They will share this with their children. Generations after that will simply be trying to survive in the new paradigm which will be the norm for the rest of the time that the human race is on the planet. We won’t be getting any of the 50 percent or more of lifeforms back. Anyone 18 to 50 today will be around to witness the full effects start to roll out.
http://www.democracynow.org/2014/2/11/the_sixth_extinction_elizabeth_kolbert_on
And? If what you are saying is correct we’ll simply join the long list of other species that have walked, crawled, flew or swum on this planet and disappeared. And the planet will live on without us.
And????
and our children and our grandchildren will live with the consequences of what we have done and continue to do, and they too will probably continue to do as well
the end of a species is not pretty, and nor is a huge decline in species numbers. either way, not a pretty way to go
famine, war, environmental degradation… this is the reality for the next few generations
this includes my son and any child / ren he may have, of whom I hope to see born before I go
so this matters to people we see NOW
that should make a difference surely?
and yeah, the ETS scheme is a bloody stupid waste of time
as if problems caused by free market ideology can be fixed by free market ideology. quite silly really
If you actually believe this end of the species claptrap, don’t you think it is a bit irresponsible having children?
How do you suggest I un-have the one child I had 13 years ago before I was aware of climate change and the possible impacts?
your comment is really dumb AndyS
To begin, the time scale for extinction is not within our lifetime, or perhaps even our children’s. And I say again, so what? If we can’t adapt, other species will simply take our place. That’s the evolutionary paradigm, surely?
Or, to take another angle, the alarmist rhetoric is simply wearing thin. There has been no warming for almost 2 decades, and virtually every dire prediction from the IPCC and fellow travellers has been horribly wrong. The weather events and climate change we are observing is not new, and in fact have been a part of the planets history for millions of years. So one could argue that the planet’s not going anywhere, and neither are we.
Comments are closed.