Let's assume that prevailing scientific opinion about the current climate change being primarily man-made is correct. I have two questions.
1. How do we know that the present climate distribution is optimal, and that a few degrees warmer would be a disaster? After all, large areas of Siberia and northern Canada would then become temperate.
2. We do know that a few degrees colder would lead to another ice age, as has occurred at regular intervals in the past, and that certainly WOULD be a disaster. We also know from the Vostok ice cores that we are on the cusp of a descent into a new ice age, so are we sure that man-made global warming (if that's what it is) could not have happened at a better time?
I can only answer your first question because I honestly can't think of an answer to your second question at this time.
To your first question:
"1. How do we know that the present climate distribution is optimal, and that a few degrees warmer would be a disaster? After all, large areas of Siberia and northern Canada would then become temperate."
Siberia and Northern Canada are Arctic climates. They depend on the ice that normally covers the area. If they become temperate climates, all the ice would melt, thus cause catastrophic flooding, not to mention rising ocean levels as a result. And, current temperate climates would become tropical climates...hence why I said New Jersey is becoming like Florida or any Gulf Coast state in my rant.
Warmer temperatures would mean larger and more intense storms, including tropical cyclones. A warmer planet would cause damage to many crops that we depend on for food and agriculture. But, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Plants and animals would die off...and, so would we in the long run. If that's not considered a disaster, I'd hate to know what you would consider a disaster.
Summers are definitely much longer than they used to be. Spring is almost non-existent with maybe a few weeks of it before Summer comes along and stays through much of Autumn. As I said in my rant above, Christmas is usually cold with average highs near 40. But, last Christmas felt like May at least with those 60s and 70s. Is that not unusual? We haven't had a White Christmas since the mid 1990s. And, if this keeps up, we'll never have another one again. Of course, warm weather lovers won't care about that. They'd probably say something like: "Oh, boo-hoo...no more White Christmases. Get over it."
Apparently, this seems to be the new "normal" ever since the 21st century began. While we didn't have Y2K, things did go from bad to worse. 9/11/2001. The 2004 tsunami. Earth off its axis. Significantly rising temperatures. Bigger storms. Devastating floods. Extreme droughts. If it's not global warming, then it's definitely something unusual that should not be occurring on this planet. Do we agree on this at least?
"...all the ice would melt, thus cause catastrophic flooding, not to mention rising ocean levels as a result."
Well, first of all, northern Canada and Siberia are not covered with glaciers (except in the mountains, or until you get VERY far north). And even allowing for rising ocean levels (the Greenland ice cap would melt), yes, populations would have to move over the course of hundreds of years, or build dikes (as the Dutch have done for many centuries). This by itself would not be catastrophic, and may even be good for the economy, creating lots of construction jobs. (remember, every major city in Germany had to be almost completely rebuilt after WW2).
"Warmer temperatures would mean larger and more intense storms, including tropical cyclones."
I looked at deaths from hurricanes in the US since 1850, and the number of deaths (I would assume mostly by drowning) has not changed significantly in 50-year periods between the years 1850-1900, 1900-1950, and 1950-2000. And so far, 2000-2015, is right in keeping with previous experience. I can show you the stats if you are interested.
"A warmer planet would cause damage to many crops that we depend on for food and agriculture."
Crops that are now dependent on a temperate climate would have to move north, but plenty of stuff can be grown in a tropical climate. We might have to get used to eating more bananas and citrus fruit, papayas, etc.
"As I said in my rant above, Christmas is usually cold with average highs near 40. But, last Christmas felt like May at least with those 60s and 70s. Is that not unusual?"
Well, as this graph shows, the worldwide average surface temperature increased about 0.5 deg F
since 1980, and almost no change between 2002-2011, so if your area was unusually warm, others must have been unusually cold.
"Plants and animals would die off...and, so would we in the long run."
If you look at the graph I showed in my previous post, you will see that temperatures were about 6 degrees F higher than today on two occasions, about 120,000 and 320,000 years ago, so our remote primitive ancestors seem to have had no trouble surviving a much warmer climate than what we have today, so I would guess extinction would not be an issue.
"Extreme droughts. If it's not global warming, then it's definitely something unusual that should not be occurring on this planet. Do we agree on this at least?"
I'm not sure. Are these extreme droughts as extreme, for example, as the Dust Bowl of the 30s?
I think not.
Dale should tell Hank that the record high temperature in Texas is 120 deg F, first established in 1936, and that if he can't take the heat, he should move to Alberta.
1. How do we know that the present climate distribution is optimal, and that a few degrees warmer would be a disaster? After all, large areas of Siberia and northern Canada would then become temperate.
2. We do know that a few degrees colder would lead to another ice age, as has occurred at regular intervals in the past, and that certainly WOULD be a disaster. We also know from the Vostok ice cores that we are on the cusp of a descent into a new ice age, so are we sure that man-made global warming (if that's what it is) could not have happened at a better time?
I can only answer your first question because I honestly can't think of an answer to your second question at this time.
To your first question:
"1. How do we know that the present climate distribution is optimal, and that a few degrees warmer would be a disaster? After all, large areas of Siberia and northern Canada would then become temperate."
Siberia and Northern Canada are Arctic climates. They depend on the ice that normally covers the area. If they become temperate climates, all the ice would melt, thus cause catastrophic flooding, not to mention rising ocean levels as a result. And, current temperate climates would become tropical climates...hence why I said New Jersey is becoming like Florida or any Gulf Coast state in my rant.
Warmer temperatures would mean larger and more intense storms, including tropical cyclones. A warmer planet would cause damage to many crops that we depend on for food and agriculture. But, that's just the tip of the iceberg. Plants and animals would die off...and, so would we in the long run. If that's not considered a disaster, I'd hate to know what you would consider a disaster.
Summers are definitely much longer than they used to be. Spring is almost non-existent with maybe a few weeks of it before Summer comes along and stays through much of Autumn. As I said in my rant above, Christmas is usually cold with average highs near 40. But, last Christmas felt like May at least with those 60s and 70s. Is that not unusual? We haven't had a White Christmas since the mid 1990s. And, if this keeps up, we'll never have another one again. Of course, warm weather lovers won't care about that. They'd probably say something like: "Oh, boo-hoo...no more White Christmases. Get over it."
Apparently, this seems to be the new "normal" ever since the 21st century began. While we didn't have Y2K, things did go from bad to worse. 9/11/2001. The 2004 tsunami. Earth off its axis. Significantly rising temperatures. Bigger storms. Devastating floods. Extreme droughts. If it's not global warming, then it's definitely something unusual that should not be occurring on this planet. Do we agree on this at least?
Ok, let's take your points one at a time:
"...all the ice would melt, thus cause catastrophic flooding, not to mention rising ocean levels as a result."
Well, first of all, northern Canada and Siberia are not covered with glaciers (except in the mountains, or until you get VERY far north). And even allowing for rising ocean levels (the Greenland ice cap would melt), yes, populations would have to move over the course of hundreds of years, or build dikes (as the Dutch have done for many centuries). This by itself would not be catastrophic, and may even be good for the economy, creating lots of construction jobs. (remember, every major city in Germany had to be almost completely rebuilt after WW2).
I looked at deaths from hurricanes in the US since 1850, and the number of deaths (I would assume mostly by drowning) has not changed significantly in 50-year periods between the years 1850-1900, 1900-1950, and 1950-2000. And so far, 2000-2015, is right in keeping with previous experience. I can show you the stats if you are interested.
"A warmer planet would cause damage to many crops that we depend on for food and agriculture."
Crops that are now dependent on a temperate climate would have to move north, but plenty of stuff can be grown in a tropical climate. We might have to get used to eating more bananas and citrus fruit, papayas, etc.
"As I said in my rant above, Christmas is usually cold with average highs near 40. But, last Christmas felt like May at least with those 60s and 70s. Is that not unusual?"
Well, as this graph shows, the worldwide average surface temperature increased about 0.5 deg F
since 1980, and almost no change between 2002-2011, so if your area was unusually warm, others must have been unusually cold.
"Plants and animals would die off...and, so would we in the long run."
If you look at the graph I showed in my previous post, you will see that temperatures were about 6 degrees F higher than today on two occasions, about 120,000 and 320,000 years ago, so our remote primitive ancestors seem to have had no trouble surviving a much warmer climate than what we have today, so I would guess extinction would not be an issue.
"Extreme droughts. If it's not global warming, then it's definitely something unusual that should not be occurring on this planet. Do we agree on this at least?"
I'm not sure. Are these extreme droughts as extreme, for example, as the Dust Bowl of the 30s?
I think not.
King of the hill episode 1-1 mentions this.
Dale gribble: I say let the poles melt, we will grow oranges in Alaska . We'll see what butos butos Gaulle has to say about that!
hank hill : dale, you gibblet head, it's already 112 here in Texas, and if it gets 1 degree hotter, I'm going to kick your ass!!!!
Dale should tell Hank that the record high temperature in Texas is 120 deg F, first established in 1936, and that if he can't take the heat, he should move to Alberta.
They need propane there too.
Even Pope Francis says Global Warming is for real.