This is so very grim, it is inevitable that the terms of debate will shift
more an more to social control of the environment and the global economy.
Every unexpected weather problem will now be interpreted in terms of this.
Indeed the more humans try to control the environment, the more the efforts
may be just as likely to add to the problems and require even more
intervention to stabilise an exponentially destabilising system.
The political battle will be about whether the measures of social control
are in the interests of finance capital, or of the people of the world.
It's going to be a long battle (longer than our lifetimes), but short in
terms of geological time.
Chris Burford
At 06:25 20/02/01 +0000, you wrote:
>Paul Brown and Peter Capella in Geneva
>Tuesday February 20, 2001
>The Guardian
>
>Impacts of climate change will be far worse than previously thought and beyond
>the capacity of mankind to adapt unless greenhouse gas emissions are cut
>substantially, 700 scientists say in a report published yesterday.
>Loss of food crops, disappearance of fisheries, melting of glaciers which
>provide millions of people with summer water supply, and a rise in sea levels
>will cause massive economic disruption and migration, it says.
>
>The Arctic, which is already known to be suffering ice loss, could be
>completely ice-free in summer and the melting giant icecap on Greenland may
>cause faster sea level rise than previously thought.
>
>Africa will be worst hit, forcing people off the land in ever greater numbers,
>and creating the possibility of millions of people migrating to survive.
>Europe, where rainfall will be plentiful - so much so that it will cause
>regular flooding of the type seen this winter in Britain - will increasingly
>be seen as the promised land for people in Africa and the Middle East.
>
>The Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report is intended to guide
>politicians on problems they face as temperatures rise. Yesterday's
>assessments mean the world is heading for disasters on an unprecedented scale.
>
>"Climate change, amongst other issues, threatens basic human needs of food
>clean water and a healthy environment," said Robert Watson, co-chairman of the
>report.
>
>James MacCarthy, the second co-chairman, said some some temperate countries
>might gain because of increased crops and faster tree growth, but others would
>lose.
>
>Scientists have documented links between climate change and impacts in over
>420 habitats. Already alpine plants in Europe are moving between three and
>12ft higher each decade.
>
>Africa was "highly vulnerable", with climate change affecting water resources
>and food production, expanding deserts and causing more frequent outbreaks of
>diseases such as cholera. Glaciers in the mountain ranges of tropical regions
>were also threatened.
>
>Himalayan glaciers, for example, are the main source of water for the Ganges
>and Indus on which 500m people depend. If they disappear, so does the summer
>water supply. John Prescott, deputy prime minister, who took part in the
>failed climate talks at the Hague last November, said every effort must be
>made to restart the negotiations and begin cutting greenhouse gas emissions.
>
>"The new report shows that we risk major irreversible changes unless we
>significantly cut emissions of greenhouse gases," he said.
>
>"How much more evidence do we need before governments take real action to
>tackle climate change?" asked Russell Marsh, WWF climate change campaigner.
>"The UK government should take a lead at the G8 summit and use its special
>relationship with the US to secure their participation in solutions to the
>problem of climate change."
>
>
>
>
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