Tuesday, January 25, 2005

the ice is thinning, but we're still doing nothing... More impressive and disturbing news about ice melting in both the Artic and Antartic regions, something that is happening at a much higher rate than previously thought. Something that could have dire consequences for the world's climate and geography -- including the possibility of dramatic raises in sea levels that could obliterate many current island nations. The consequences of all this could be immense, both ecologically and economically. And yet, the Bush administration is stalling action and calling for new studies, because there is still some controversy among scientists on the real causes of global warming (though at this point nobody seems to deny that the globe is indeed warming up!). This isn't only criminal stupidity, it's also a fundamental misunderstanding of how science works. Scientists are human beings, some of them will always disagree on something, from global warming to the theory of evolution. But in the case of global warming what is at stakes is much, much more than a fascinating academic dispute. That is why we should be proactive even in the absence of a consensus, assume that human activities have at least something to do with the warming trend, and act now. If we are wrong, we will have suffered some economic loss and hardship; but if we don't do anything, we could loose civilization as we know it. Is that risk worth the pleasure of driving your SUV? 9:23:15 PM    comment []