h2g2 The Hitchhiker's Guide to the Galaxy: Earth Edition

I shall describe the broad details of this point and post a link to more detailed articles which will convince you further.


Global warming is a FACT.

Human responsibility in global warming, lies only in the slight acceleration of a natural phenomena. (in 2004, the greatest pollutor in the greatest polluting nation, the US, was... a volcano, Mt St Helens.)

Global warming CANNOT be stopped or reduced.

Now to the point.
The Oceanic Gulf Stream is what keeps Europe nice and warm with a temperate climate. Global warming is melting the ice caps. This is loading an immense volume of soft water into the saline ocean. The salinity of the ocean has a key role in the motoring of the Gulf Stream.

As thousands of cubic kilometers of soft water are released from the caps and the increased volume from the inland glacial melt down, the motor that drives the Gulf Stream is going to break down!!

The result of a lack of gulf stream will be a sudden drop in temperature in under 20 years! The next ice age will be upon us, Britain will be smothered under layers of ice, Social cultural and economical pillars of our civilisation will become irrelevent.

We have a blind spot as to long term planning. Most people can hardly see past the next pay check or the end of their life 20 to 50 years ahead let alone how nature can change over what is in reality a very short period. We must look, not at ways of lowering our emmissions, but developping alternatives actively, and prepare for a complete change in our way of life. How will we live? Where will we live?
Are the institutions that we have set upon our society to govern and manage our countries so short sighted that they don't care (that'll be the next government's job) or are they simply ducking their heads and hope that it'll dissapear?

I hate to be a voice of Doom but I beleive that it should be a reality that must be faced and acted upon.

to see further:
http://www.bbc.co.uk/science/horizon/2003/bigchillqa.shtml
http://www.firstscience.com/site/articles/gribbin.asp

Matthieu

OK. So what do you want me to do?

B

just a thoght ,once the gulf stream collapesthings get cold and the ice age begins and oceon levels will fall again but what time span?