[Graeme]

THE HEAT IS ON
FLANNERY PUTS TO REST DOUBTS OVER GLOBAL WARMING
Reviewed by Steve Heilig

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'B')ut Tim Flannery, a respected Australian paleontologist and author of previous books on science for the public, argues persuasively in "The Weather Makers" that the time for "controversy" is past. And, he laments, "one of the biggest obstacles to making a start on climate change is that it has become a cliche before it has even been understood."

Flannery's main effort is in answering, as authoritatively as possible given existing scientific knowledge, how much of the climate change is due to human activity, what the impacts of that are likely to be in the future, and what might, or rather, might not, be done about it. First, Flannery notes, we need to recognize the Earth as an ecosystem, where changes in one element -- temperature, in this case -- affect almost everything else, from the massive currents in the ocean to the habitat of a tiny insect. The gases carbon dioxide and methane, produced by our use of oil and coal, are the most important factors here, as they capture heat energy in our atmosphere and are slow to let it go. CO2 is responsible for around 80 percent of global warming, and the rise of that gas alone in recent decades is, according to Flannery, unprecedented.

"The twentieth century opened on a world that was home to little more than a billion people and closed on a world of 6 billion, and every one of those 6 billion is using on average four times as much energy as their forefathers did 100 years before," Flannery writes. He is unequivocal: The climate change we are seeing "results from air pollution." And "if we pursue business as usual, an increase of 5 [degrees] F (give or take 3 [degrees] F) over the twenty-first century seems inevitable." He further notes this is a rate of change 30 times faster than ever recorded, including during previous ice ages.

[Graeme]

Scientist: Global warming is near its tipping point

$this->bbcode_second_pass_quote('', 'T')im Flannery isn't one to paint a hopeless picture of climate change. By taking personal responsibility for the dilemma and forcing a shift in government policies and regulations, the noted Australian scientist and author says there is still time to stave off the most egregious impacts of global warming.

"This is the most serious issue facing the planet," Flannery said, noting that just about everything else, including overpopulation, pales in comparison.

[bart]

For anyone in the San Jose (Calif) area, Flannery will be speaking April 11 at mid-day:

http://www.commonwealthclub.org/sv.html

[coyote]

Well Rockdoc, here's a 'respected paleontologist' for you. Going to rip apart his work?