[Ironhide]

Here's an interesting video that attempts to clear the air on the whole climate change concept. Simple and well explained, the Q&A session covers the whole gamut - including that of the impact of human activity.

From their own description :

Many view climate change as the most pressing issue of our time. But how, specifically, is it going to affect us and our planet? Is there still time to make a difference? And what does it mean to believe "both sides" of climate change science? CBC's Bob McDonald weighs-in.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=zRQvxLuvtX0

Answers a whole lot of questions for the uninitiated.

Video Courtesy : https://www.youtube.com/channel/UCKj...JE1EFcHVqXC3_g

Cheers !

[Ironhide]

An article in Business Insider , & another in The Guardian talks about contribution of global warming on extinction of species. Apparently the last mass extinction on a global scale happened because of climate change and it seems that we are headed there, slowly but surely.

To paraphrase

The Permian extinction, known as the "Great Dying," killed off most marine and land animals about 252 million years ago.Scientists have suggested various causes of this catastrophe, from methane-spewing microbes to volcanic eruptions that acidified the oceans.In a new study, a team of researchers found that the primary cause for the extinction was actually climate change, which led the oceans to lose oxygen.The study's authors warn that Earth is on the path to another devastating mass extinction.

Up to 96% of all marine species and 70% of land animals were killed off during this event, which was even more deadly than the extinction of dinosaurs. Research published in March 2014 suggests the extinction took place over a period of 60,000 years, a very short timeframe in the grand scheme of Earth's history.

Another mass extinction tied to rising ocean temperatures is on track to occur again, the scientists said.

By 2100, Earth could see temperature levels as high as 3 degrees Celsius above pre-industrial levels by 2100. Study co-author Curtis Deutsch, a professor at the University of Washington, told The Atlantic that from there, 10 degrees wouldn't be "that far off the charts."

"This study shows that we're on that same road toward extinction, and the question is how far down it we go," lead author Justin Penn, a doctoral student at the University of Washington, told The Atlantic

Article courtesy : https://www.businessinsider.in
https://www.theguardian.com

[V.Narayan]

Global Warming is what I am, sadly, bequeathing to my (yet to be born) grand children. They will be adults when the full affect of this temperature change shows up.

[Ironhide]

Here is another video, by Sir David Attenborough where he looks at the science of climate change and how irreversibly have we damaged our planet. Frankly it is quite scary and serves as a stark reminder of things to come if we do not wake up and get our act together in reversing Climate Change.

https://youtu.be/0ypaUH57MO4

Though, there have been efforts from individuals and small groups, they are like drops in the ocean. Other than making individual changes in altering our consumption pattern and lifestyles, it would take sustained and concerted efforts from governments to institute changes in public policy, consumption behaviour and spending more on research on discovering new technology that is not as damaging to the environment to mitigate or reverse the damage that we have already done.

(PS: Here is a summary of global warming and climate change myths, sorted by recent popularity vs what science says)


Video Courtesy : YouTube
Myths Courtesy : www.skepticalscience.com

[voldemort]

A little bit guilty, but I'm not going to lose sleep over it. At least, not at this point.

If there were no humans on earth, none of the climate change problems would exist. Or would it? Remember, the ice-ages and subsequent melts did happen.

Originally Posted by theMAG

While the US continues to be the largest polluter with 60% of all air pollution on earth, should us - the Indian automotive-user community who's only just started integrating automobiles into our daily essentials, be contemplative of this problem ?

IMO the Indian auto-industry/users must do what it can to minimize pollution. I don't know if that would make a noticeable difference in the grand scheme of things though. However, just because there are more polluting countries in the world doesn't mean we can be irresponsible.

Now, you all should see this; here's what a US Senator did to "disprove" global warming

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UXtG8GrW6EQ

I don't know whether to laugh or cry.

[Ironhide]

Here is another viewpoint on the contribution of what we eat towards global warming / climate change. Apparently fossil fuels are not the only things warming the planet .

This is a shorter version

https://youtu.be/dSjE8xw_-Dg

And here's the entire documentary

https://youtu.be/e93yAWa5KJ4

Video courtesy: YouTube

Here's an interesting infographic from their website on the effect animal agriculture has on climate change / global warming. Please click on the picture for a higher resolution image.

Source



The website also lists verifiable facts about animal agriculture and global warming, some of which are quite alarming.

[Ironhide]

Here is another contrarian view - something that forces you to think.

https://youtu.be/ZU6JBBO2NKg

Video Courtesy : YouTube

[alpha1]

Unlike the other demand-supply related problems that can be solved by capitalism; the global warming problem can never be solved by the public (or the markets) on their own - because each individual's (short term) self interest bears more than the rest of the humanity.
The less I speak about corporates ... the better.

Addressing global warming means making a choice between comfortable and cheap vs uncomfortable and expensive.

[AltoLXI]

Europe heatwave is breaking the previous records.

Link

“The latest forecasts leave little room for doubt: we are heading for a new national record,” said Guillaume Woznica, a French forecaster, noting Météo-France was now predicting peaks of 45C (113F) in the southern towns of Nîmes and Carpentras on Friday.

A heatmap for France for 27 June, tweeted by the university meteorologist Ruben Hallali, next to the Edvard Munch painting The Scream, was widely shared on social media.

[AltoLXI]

Share of global carbon emissions.

China: 28%
US: 15%
India: 6%
Russia: 5%
Japan: 4%
Germany: 2%
South Korea: 2%
Iran: 2%
Canada: 2%
Saudi Arabia: 2%
Brazil: 1%
Mexico: 1%
Australia: 1%
Indonesia: 1%
South Africa: 1%
UK: 1%
Italy: 1%
Turkey: 1%
France: 1%
Poland: 1%

(IEA)

[srini1785]

Reviving an (not so)old thread:

Now that this pandemic has caused reduction in green house gases (two months now ) why is the North experiencing a heat wave?.

P.S: Just thought that i would bring back the "Climate change " thing back into focus. Sick of always hearing Corona related news.

[Chetan_Rao]

Originally Posted by srini1785

...Now that this pandemic has caused reduction in green house gases (two months now ) why is the North experiencing a heat wave?...

Two things.

One, climate change doesn't happen overnight, applies both ways.

Two, you're mixing up weather and climate.

[srishiva]

Just look at how Yamuna and Ganga have become cleaner. Now since people are still bathing etc, the majority of the blame should lie with factories and commercial activities. It also lies with the agencies that dont enforce water treatment.

This pandemic has shown that having a less corrupt and efficient govt agencies could bring some change in a couple of months in certain areas.

[narayans80]

Originally Posted by srini1785

why is the North experiencing a heat wave?.

Not just North. We had 3 continuous days of 40-42 C in Madras, while it was mid 30s all days around it. The dramatic rise in temperatures across the board was thanks to Cyclone Amphan that made landfall last week.

[srini1785]

^^
Duly noted. Being an ex madrasi ( when it was called that) myself, 40-42 in madras is not a new thing. 50 deg in churu is.

Question was basically to understand quantitative green benefits of this lockdown.