GlobalWarming

1、Global Warming: Whose Problem is it Anyway?It no longer seems to make a difference who started the global warming problem, and by“problem,”I am referring to the likely enhancement of the naturally occurring greenhouse effect as aresult of human activities. Those activities primarily center on the re

2、lease of carbon dioxide through theburning of fossil fuels such as coal, oil and natural gas. Other heat-trapping greenhouse gases includemethane, nitrous oxide and chlorofluorocarbons (CFCs).In their march to industrialization, rich countries have basically saturated the atmosphere withthese heat-t

3、rapping gases. Each year, the atmospheric concentration of carbon dioxide (arguably themost important of the greenhouse gases) increases by more than a partper million by volume. Doesnt that sound infinitesimal? It does tome. But, infinitesimal concentrations become significant when accumulating in

4、the atmosphere yearafter year, as carbon dioxide has since the onset of the Industrial Revolution in the mid-1700s.As we settle into the 21st century, new major greenhouse-gas-producing nations are appearing onthe scene, such as India and China. They want to develop their economies, and they have a

5、right, aswell as a responsibility, to their citizens to do so. But they are also going to be emitting a larger share ofheat-trapping gases, overtaking the industrialized countries that have been the dominant producers ofgreenhouse gases in the past. Now what?A couple of decades ago, I chose to divid

6、e the observers of global warming into three groups:hawks, doves and owls. In the mid-1980s, there were some hawks (those who are convinced beyond areasonable doubt that human activities not only can, but also are, altering the chemical composition ofthe atmosphere in ways that influence global clim

7、ate); some doves (those who believe that Earthsatmosphere is so robustthat it can absorb any insult that humans might do to it. Besides, if it gets really serious, eithertechnology will save us, or we Americans can move north into Canada);and mostly owls (those who lean either toward the hawksor the

8、 dovesview, butstill not sure what the truth is).Twenty-five years later, the hawks have increased in number, while the doves are about the samewith maybe a fewmore vocal personalities. And the owlsnumbershave reduced due to new scientific informationappearing in the media alongside scary photos ofd

9、isintegrating ice sheets in the Antarctic and depletion of sea ice in the Arctic, stories about a seeminginrcease in various“superstorms,”andadvertisements from Shell and BP telling us that they too are worried about global warming.Since 1985, however, another category has emerged: the ostrich. The

10、ostriches include those whorefuse to think about global warming as a problem, who refuse to consider any new scientific research,and who think that someone somewhere will solve this problem before it becomes a crisis.Global warming is not a hoax. It actually happens naturally. Industrialization proc

11、esses in richcountries and now in developing ones are abetting the naturally occurring greenhouse effect.Some say we are spinning out of control, pointing to the Arctic as a“canarythe global warming mine.”The Inuit are worried. They are on the proveinrbgial firline, according to scientists who remin

12、d us that a 1 degree warming in the mid-latitudes will beassociated with a 3 to 4 degree warming in the higher latitudes. What we are hearing from the scientistsis that we are at or near tipping points irreversible thresholds of changefor certain species,countries and civilizations.But although we t

13、alk a lot about doing something about global warming, we do not have a whole lotof meaningful action.“Let them eat carbon dioxide”seemsthe current response of various governments, despite words of concern. Is anyone trying to cut back oncarbon dioxide emissions?Cutting back on carbon dioxide product

14、ion is much easier to say than to do. The task of cuttingback worldwide is made much more difficult because of the virtual lack of participation of the UnitedStates as a leader on the global warming issue in the international community. It is hard to keep bailingout the water at one end of a sinking

15、 boat, while someone at the other end insists on drilling holes in thehull.The business community, at-risk cities and island nations are increasingly calling for action tocombat human-induced global warming. What is needed? Only an active government policy aroundwhich a coalition can rally will thor

16、oughly address the complex issue.Alas, the issue demands government leadership from the“bully pulpit”for and wholeheartedly supports an allo- ut“war on global warming.”In my view, it isthat cathe only way to address the global warming problem with some sense of optimism.Societies need to find new an

17、d more efficient ways to fuel their growing economies. The wars oncrime, prostitution, alcohol, drugs and even terror are not really winnable wars. They are not winnable inthe sense that views on these issues represent underlying differences of opinion. However, the physicsof the atmospheresuggests

18、that we (civilizations) are on a collision course with Mother Nature, and ifatmospheric science is correct, there is little time for delay.The war on global warming should begin now. With government support (moral and financial) anda search for new ways to keep our industries progressing without add

19、ing greenhouse gases to theatmosphere, there is a real chance for the global community to pull together.Technology alone, especially if it is expected to be applied only at the proverbial 11th hour, cantsave us from many of the projected and foreseeable negative impacts of global warming. For anexam

20、ple of thinking ahead, take the Netherlands.The Dutch have successfully fought off the floods of the North Sea for centuries, with few breachesin recent times (1953 comes to mind). The Netherlands have even contracted with the U.S. federalgovernment for a few hundred million dollars, to assist in developing levees that can withstand certainintensities of tropical storms around New Orleans.Despite their levee-making skills, however, the Dutch know their limits. The Neth