So what action do we take ?
We reduce GHG emissions. That basically means:
• Apply carbon taxes
• Do more R&D on sustainable energy supplies and GHG mitigation (e.g. CO2 capture)
• Fix the grid to make it more efficient (and while we're at it, more robust)
• Enhance public transportation, human-powered vehicles and electric vehicle charging
• Help developing nations as well as Brazil, India and China switch to sustainable energy instead of building fossil fuel infrastructure
• Realize that emitting huge amounts of GHGs is not sustainable and has consequences
What empirical proof is there it will work ?
We know carbon taxes will work.
Does a Carbon Tax Work? Ask British Columbia - The New York Times
Carbon capture is in early stages. We know it can't single-handedly fix the problems, but it might help.
We know that sustainable energy works, and its main challenges.
We know that revising transportation can be efficient and effective.
We also know that doing nothing will cause massive problems in the not-too-distant future.
What is this 'ideal' temperature target and why are todays temperatures somehow all wrong?
sigh
The planet doesn't have a thermostat. It's not that there is a One True Temperature that it's supposed to be at. The issue is that the rapid rise in temperatures is causing issues,
and locking in further warming, in time scales that doesn't give humans or other wildlife much time to adjust.
That said, we'd be in much better shape if CO2 levels had stayed around 200ppm.
As to what's wrong? Here's a highly condensed and nowhere near complete list:
• Sea levels are rising rapidly, which is a huge threat to coastal areas, where 40% of the world's population lives
• Higher temperatures means more heat waves, more forest fires, more deforestation, more desertification
• Higher temperatures increases water vapor in the atmosphere, which means more extreme weather events
• Wildlife populations are negatively impacted by higher temperatures (including oceans warming and becoming more acidic)
• Higher temperatures puts strains on both agricultural capacity and fresh water supplies
• Global temperatures are already reaching tipping points that will lock in decades, if not centuries, of additional warming (e.g. melting permafrost will result in massive amounts of carbon and methane releases into the atmosphere)
How many in the third world should be denied affordable electrification in order to achieve it ?
Ideally, none. That's why we should try to ensure that they construct a sustainable energy generation infrastructure.
Why aren't you outside the Chinese and Indian embassies protesting their emissions ?
India has one of the most aggressive GHG targets in the world. China also has aggressive targets. There is also lots of international pressure already put on those nations.
While China and India definitely have more work to do, it should be obvious that right now it's the government of the United States that needs to get its act in gear.
If extra CO2 is so bad why is the planet actually 'greening' as a consequence of it ?
The greening is mostly due to human activity, notably increased agriculture and forest conservation programs in China.
Human Activity in China and India Dominates the Greening of Earth | NASA
I don't know about you but I like my species
Then maybe you should show it, by caring about the impacts of climate change on our species -- and millions of other species as well.
