REAL WORLD EVENT DISCUSSIONS

U.N. Panel Says Global Warming Dials Up Risks

POSTED BY: 1KIKI
UPDATED: Monday, April 7, 2014 19:44
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Monday, April 7, 2014 5:44 PM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.


http://www.laboratoryequipment.com/news/2014/03/un-panel-says-global-w
arming-dials-risks?et_cid=3854523&et_rid=366206770&type=headline


U.N. Panel Says Global Warming Dials Up Risks

If the world doesn't cut pollution of heat-trapping gases, the already noticeable harms of global warming could spiral "out of control," the head of a United Nations scientific panel warned Monday.

And he's not alone. The Obama White House says it is taking this new report as a call for action, with Secretary of State John Kerry saying "the costs of inaction are catastrophic."

Rajendra Pachauri, chairman of the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change that issued the 32-volume, 2,610-page report early Monday, told The Associated Press, "It is a call for action." Without reductions in emissions, he said, impacts from warming "could get out of control."

One of the study's authors, Maarten van Aalst, a top official at the International Federation of the Red Cross and Red Crescent Societies, says, "If we don't reduce greenhouse gases soon, risks will get out of hand. And the risks have already risen."

Twenty-first century disasters such as killer heat waves in Europe, wildfires in the U.S., droughts in Australia and deadly flooding in Mozambique, Thailand and Pakistan highlight how vulnerable humanity is to extreme weather, according to the report from the Nobel Prize-winning group of scientists. The dangers are going to worsen as the climate changes even more, the report's authors say.

"We're now in an era where climate change isn't some kind of future hypothetical," says the overall lead author of the report, Chris Field of the Carnegie Institution for Science in California. "We live in an area where impacts from climate change are already widespread and consequential."

Nobody is immune, Pachauri and other scientists say.

"We're all sitting ducks," Princeton Univ. professor Michael Oppenheimer, one of the main authors of the report, says.

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 ½ times per page.

"Changes are occurring rapidly and they are sort of building up that risk," Field says.

These risks are both big and small, according to the report. They are now and in the future. They hit farmers and big cities. Some places will have too much water, some not enough, including drinking water. Other risks mentioned in the report involve the price and availability of food, and to a lesser and more qualified extent some diseases, financial costs and even world peace.

"Things are worse than we had predicted" in 2007, when the group of scientists last issued this type of report, says report co-author Saleemul Huq, director of the International Centre for Climate Change and Development at the Independent Univ. in Bangladesh. "We are going to see more and more impacts, faster and sooner than we had anticipated."

The problems have gotten so bad that the panel had to add a new and dangerous level of risks. In 2007, the biggest risk level in one key summary graphic was "high" and colored blazing red. The latest report adds a new level, "very high," and colors it deep purple.

You might as well call it a "horrible" risk level, says van Aalst, "The horrible is something quite likely, and we won't be able to do anything about it."

The report predicts that the highest level of risk would first hit plants and animals, both on land and the acidifying oceans.

Climate change will worsen problems that society already has, such as poverty, sickness, violence and refugees, according to the report. And on the other end, it will act as a brake slowing down the benefits of a modernizing society, such as regular economic growth and more efficient crop production, it says.

"In recent decades, changes in climate have caused impacts on natural and human systems on all continents and across the oceans," the report says.

And if society doesn't change, the future looks even worse, it says, "Increasing magnitudes of warming increase the likelihood of severe, pervasive, and irreversible impacts."

While the problems from global warming will hit everyone in some way, the magnitude of the harm won't be equal, coming down harder on people who can least afford it, the report says. It will increase the gaps between the rich and poor, healthy and sick, young and old, and men and women, van Aalst says.

But the report's authors say this is not a modern day version of the Four Horsemen of the Apocalypse. Much of what they warn of are more nuanced troubles that grow by degrees and worsen other societal ills. The report also concedes that there are uncertainties in understanding and predicting future climate risks.

The report, the fifth on warming's impacts, includes risks to the ecosystems of the Earth, including a thawing Arctic, but it is far more oriented to what it means to people than past versions.

The report also notes that one major area of risk is that with increased warming, incredibly dramatic but ultra-rare single major climate events, sometimes called tipping points, become more possible with huge consequences for the globe. These are events like the melting of the Greenland ice sheet, which would take more than 1,000 years.

"I can't think of a better word for what it means to society than the word 'risk,'" says Virginia Burkett of the U.S. Geological Survey, one of the study's main authors. She calls global warming "maybe one of the greatest known risks we face."

Global warming is triggered by heat-trapping gases, such as carbon dioxide, that stay in the atmosphere for a century. Much of the gases still in the air and trapping heat came from the U.S. and other industrial nations. China is now by far the No. 1 carbon dioxide polluter, followed by the U.S. and India.

Unlike in past reports, where the scientists tried to limit examples of extremes to disasters that computer simulations can attribute partly to man-made warming, this version broadens what it looks at because it includes the larger issues of risk and vulnerability, van Aalst says.

Freaky storms like 2013's Typhoon Haiyan, 2012's Superstorm Sandy and 2008's ultra-deadly Cyclone Nargis may not have been caused by warming, but their fatal storm surges were augmented by climate change's ever rising seas, he says.

And in the cases of the big storms like Haiyan, Sandy and Hurricane Katrina in 2005, the poor were the most vulnerable, Oppenheimer and van Aalst says. The report talks about climate change helping create new pockets of poverty and "hotspots of hunger" even in richer countries, increasing inequality between rich and poor.

Report co-author Maggie Opondo of the Univ. of Nairobi says that especially in places like Africa, climate change and extreme events mean "people are going to become more vulnerable to sinking deeper into poverty." And other study authors talked about the fairness issue with climate change.

"Rich people benefit from using all these fossil fuels," Univ. of Sussex economist Richard Tol says. "Poorer people lose out."

Huq says he had hope because richer nations and people are being hit more, and "when it hits the rich, then it's a problem" and people start acting on it.

Part of the report talks about what can be done: reducing carbon pollution and adapting to and preparing for changing climates with smarter development.

The report echoes an earlier U.N. climate science panel that said if greenhouse gases continue to rise, the world is looking at another about 6 or 7 F (3.5 or 4 C) of warming by 2100 instead of the international goal of not allowing temperatures to rise more than 2 F (1.2 C). The difference between those two outcomes, Princeton's Oppenheimer says, "is the difference between driving on an icy road at 30 mph versus 90 mph. It's risky at 30, but deadly at 90."

Tol, who is in the minority of experts here, had his name removed from the summary because he found it "too alarmist," harping too much on risk.

But the panel vice chairman, Jean-Pascal van Ypersele, says that's not quite right, "We are pointing for reasons for alarm... It's because the facts and the science and the data show that there are reasons to be alarmed. It's not because we're alarmist."

The report is based on more than 12,000 peer reviewed scientific studies. Michel Jarraud, secretary general of the World Meteorological Organization, a co-sponsor of the climate panel, says this report was "the most solid evidence you can get in any scientific discipline."

Michael Mann, a climate scientist at Pennsylvania State Univ. who wasn't part of this report, says he found the report "very conservative" because it is based on only peer reviewed studies and had to be approved unanimously.

There is still time to adapt to some of the coming changes and reduce heat-trapping emissions, so it's not all bad, says study co-author Patricia Romero-Lankao of the National Center for Atmospheric Research in Colorado.

"We have a closing window of opportunity," she says. "We do have choices. We need to act now."


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Monday, April 7, 2014 5:45 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!



So, the collectivists in the UN have upped the ante on the plan to redistribute the wealth from the " haves " to the " have-nots " ?

Got it.


Exactly where are these " noticeable harms " ?

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

I'm just a red pill guy in a room full of blue pill addicts.

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Monday, April 7, 2014 5:53 PM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.





To argue with a man who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead. - Thomas Paine The American Crisis
OONJERAH - We are too dumb to live and smart enough to wipe ourselves out.
"You, who live in any kind of comfort or convenience, do not know how these people can survive these things, do you? They will endure because there is no immediate escape from endurance. Some will die, the rest must live."

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Monday, April 7, 2014 5:55 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


17+ years of no global warming, and zero examples of " harms " ?

Really?

Huh.

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

I'm just a red pill guy in a room full of blue pill addicts.

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Monday, April 7, 2014 6:16 PM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.





To argue with a man who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead. - Thomas Paine The American Crisis
OONJERAH - We are too dumb to live and smart enough to wipe ourselves out.
"You, who live in any kind of comfort or convenience, do not know how these people can survive these things, do you? They will endure because there is no immediate escape from endurance. Some will die, the rest must live."

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Monday, April 7, 2014 6:23 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


I love it. Given EVERY opportunity to post " harms " , you keep NOT doing it.

Why ?

1 real good reason comes to mind.

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

I'm just a red pill guy in a room full of blue pill addicts.

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Monday, April 7, 2014 6:33 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
1 real good reason comes to mind.


Yeah, because you're a shithead & it doesn't matter what evidence is presented to you, you're "mind" (such as it is) is already made up without the use of any actual data.

To the topic:
It's good that finally the people in charge are realizing that addressing the issue head on beats the ostrich method...

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Monday, April 7, 2014 6:37 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!



Posting zero evidence and then bitching that " it doesn't matter! " that you've posted zero evidence, and anyone who is a denier is a shit head... wow. Convincing!


Quote:

It's good that finally the people in charge are realizing that addressing the issue head on beats the ostrich method...


You voted for the commie thugs in the UN ? Really?

Huh.

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

I'm just a red pill guy in a room full of blue pill addicts.

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Monday, April 7, 2014 6:38 PM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.





To argue with a man who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead. - Thomas Paine The American Crisis
OONJERAH - We are too dumb to live and smart enough to wipe ourselves out.
"You, who live in any kind of comfort or convenience, do not know how these people can survive these things, do you? They will endure because there is no immediate escape from endurance. Some will die, the rest must live."

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Monday, April 7, 2014 6:39 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!



Again w/ the zero evidence.


Crassic!

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

I'm just a red pill guy in a room full of blue pill addicts.

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Monday, April 7, 2014 6:42 PM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.


You are childishly demanding what you've already been given. If you didn't read the article where the risks are enumerated, I can't help you.




To argue with a man who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead. - Thomas Paine The American Crisis
OONJERAH - We are too dumb to live and smart enough to wipe ourselves out.
"You, who live in any kind of comfort or convenience, do not know how these people can survive these things, do you? They will endure because there is no immediate escape from endurance. Some will die, the rest must live."

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Monday, April 7, 2014 6:44 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:

and anyone who is a denier is a shit head...

No, YOU'RE a shithead.
This, like everything else, is about YOU after all.

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Monday, April 7, 2014 6:50 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by 1kiki:
You are childishly demanding what you've already been given. If you didn't read the article where the risks are enumerated, I can't help you.

But this is an enormous first step IMO! For climate change to be understood at this level means that pretty soon the word will spread. Not everyone Tom, Dick & Rappy can view satellite pictures of vanishing ice fields & expanding dry areas & make any real sense of it all...

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Monday, April 7, 2014 6:52 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by 1kiki:
You are childishly demanding what you've already been given. If you didn't read the article where the risks are enumerated, I can't help you.



" noticeable harms "

Yeah. I got that. But sorry, droughts, fires, etc... all part of Earth's normal climate since the dawn of time.

Wanna try some REAL evidence ?

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

I'm just a red pill guy in a room full of blue pill addicts.

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Monday, April 7, 2014 6:56 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Wanna try some REAL evidence ?

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/phytoplankton-population/
Oh, sorry though, reading & a certain degree of extrapolation is required, I'm afraid.

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Monday, April 7, 2014 7:01 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:

Originally posted by CHRISISALL:
Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Wanna try some REAL evidence ?

http://www.scientificamerican.com/article/phytoplankton-population/
Oh, sorry though, reading & a certain degree of extrapolation is required, I'm afraid.



Anecdotal.

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

I'm just a red pill guy in a room full of blue pill addicts.

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Monday, April 7, 2014 7:04 PM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:

" noticeable harms "

Yeah. I got that. But sorry, droughts, fires, etc... all part of Earth's normal climate since the dawn of time.



So, you dismiss the evidence you demanded. I suspect it wouldn't matter to you how much I brought. You would not read or accept it.


To argue with a man who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead. - Thomas Paine The American Crisis
OONJERAH - We are too dumb to live and smart enough to wipe ourselves out.
"You, who live in any kind of comfort or convenience, do not know how these people can survive these things, do you? They will endure because there is no immediate escape from endurance. Some will die, the rest must live."

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Monday, April 7, 2014 7:13 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Quote:



So, you dismiss the evidence you demanded.




There could be lots of reasons why the plankton population is dropping, and lots of reasons why the temp. is rising, and none of which has anything to do w/ AGW.

Plankton which feasts on carbon dioxide ? Seems they'd be loving the INCREASE OF CO2, don't ya think ?

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

I'm just a red pill guy in a room full of blue pill addicts.

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Monday, April 7, 2014 7:13 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
Anecdotal.

See? I give you something you could possibly handle.
'Anecdotal'.
If I hunt down a scientific research peer reviewed paper, you wouldn't be able to understand it anyway & you'd claim 'bad science' or some such. Why the fuck would we go farther out of our way for you on this, brat?
Give this boy a bib.
He needs his Momma.

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Monday, April 7, 2014 7:14 PM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.


You still didn't read the first article it seems, where current and future costs were listed.


To argue with a man who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead. - Thomas Paine The American Crisis
OONJERAH - We are too dumb to live and smart enough to wipe ourselves out.
"You, who live in any kind of comfort or convenience, do not know how these people can survive these things, do you? They will endure because there is no immediate escape from endurance. Some will die, the rest must live."

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Monday, April 7, 2014 7:21 PM

AURAPTOR

America loves a winner!


Salem witch trials here.

Everyone has WITCH on their mind, so any damn thing that doesn't look kosher or is a convenient explanation for something, WITCH !

Hell, it's more like Monty Python.. " They dressed me up like this ! "

BURN HER !

So frelling sick of this bullshit. I HATE cult mentality !

Fathom the hypocrisy of a government that requires every citizen to prove they are insured... but not everyone must prove they are a citizen

I'm just a red pill guy in a room full of blue pill addicts.

" AU, that was great, LOL!! " - Chrisisall

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Monday, April 7, 2014 7:29 PM

CHRISISALL


Quote:

Originally posted by AURaptor:
So frelling sick of this bullshit. I HATE cult mentality !


But you do weigh the same as a duck. Just sayin'.

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Monday, April 7, 2014 7:31 PM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.


"So frelling sick of this bullshit. I HATE cult mentality !"

All without having discussed a single fact.


To argue with a man who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead. - Thomas Paine The American Crisis
OONJERAH - We are too dumb to live and smart enough to wipe ourselves out.
"You, who live in any kind of comfort or convenience, do not know how these people can survive these things, do you? They will endure because there is no immediate escape from endurance. Some will die, the rest must live."

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Monday, April 7, 2014 7:37 PM

1KIKI

Goodbye, kind world (George Monbiot) - In common with all those generations which have contemplated catastrophe, we appear to be incapable of understanding what confronts us.


http://www.ipcc.ch/report/ar5/wg1/

http://climate.nasa.gov/effects

Global climate change has already had observable effects on the environment. Glaciers have shrunk, ice on rivers and lakes is breaking up earlier, plant and animal ranges have shifted and trees are flowering sooner.

Effects that scientists had predicted in the past would result from global climate change are now occurring: loss of sea ice, accelerated sea level rise and longer, more intense heat waves.
Quote:

To argue with a man who has renounced the use of reason is like administering medicine to the dead. - Thomas Paine The American Crisis
OONJERAH - We are too dumb to live and smart enough to wipe ourselves out.
"You, who live in any kind of comfort or convenience, do not know how these people can survive these things, do you? They will endure because there is no immediate escape from endurance. Some will die, the rest must live."

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Monday, April 7, 2014 7:44 PM

CHRISISALL


Hell, rain in the Arctic circle with freezing temperatures south of? Isn't THAT enough to tell you something ain't right?

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