More Climate Change thoughts and links ...
Version 1 of this page was way too complicated! So try this instead:
The first thing we need to do is get over this false debate about whether climate change is real.
See for example this article: The end of the global warming debate.
Climate change is real, it's happening, and it matters
Links:
and, if you're tempted to believe what you read in the Herald Sun, check out this blog by an Aussie journalist who has more patience to point out their errors than I do!
We can still do something about it
Again, scientists agree that we should act now to slow the rate of Climate change and to reduce the chance of 'catastrophic' climate change.
Mild global warming (as we are now experiencing) leads to both positive and negative changes, but as warming gets more extreme, negatives increasingly outweigh positives.
But - the key point is act now! What we achieve in the next 10 years will decide the future.
So... the second thing we need to do is to decide what we are going to do about it.
Some suggest it's all too hard, or that it will damage the economy (it won't)!
But even if there are some costs: can we afford not to do it?
Now for the good news:
We have the technology for 'clean' power within our reach
Increasing energy efficiency saves money and helps reduce emissions!
Better energy sources (hydro, wind, solar, geothermal) can be introduced progressively, and technological advances fostered
While we still rely on fossil fuel power, it needs to become cleaner, and quickly (this is starting to happen)
Also, trees and other natural carbon sinks need to be well-managed
Renewable energy creates jobs and economic opportunities - especially in Australia!
But businesses want a clear policy framework, so that the transition to a climate-friendly economy is smooth.
Links:
Mandatory Renewable Energy Target Review (The federal government needs to follow the recommendations of its own report!)
Further reading
There are lots of good books on these subjects. One example is:
There are also many informative and up-to-date web portals, for example:
www.climateark.org Climate Change and Global Warming Portal (and Search Engine)
www.ecoequity.org 'An opinionated selection of the recent literature'
The movie 'An inconvenient truth' is also a good starting point.
It covers the facts in an entertaining and informative way, and was rated at 4.5 out of 5 by the cream of Australia's climate scientists!
Click here for my Climate Change email...
Click here to find out who to contact regarding Climate Change...
(Note: The who to contact page also lists some of the many government and community web sites around the world)