Paul, returning from a trip, I notice your comment "I think Faustino has hit the nail on the head when he (or she?) says that it will be impossible for any government to enforce reduction in carbon emissions." Well, thank you. Faustino is masculine, the feminine is Faustina. Though as it's my nom-de-net rather than given name, who can tell? :-)

Although one or two respondents have assumed I'm Hispanic, I'm actually a much-travelled Geordie man.

Michael G

Having read the Time article you recommended closely, then skimmed the chris harris one & found more on Wikipedia (just found LOADS more), I agree with Arjay. I think that on the balance of probabilities, man-made global warming is happening. But I think it is still a theory, & a long way from being fact. Also think a lot of it is alarmist, & the doomday scenarios are greatly exaggerated.

There are still quite a number of scientists who dispute a lot re the "global warming THEORY" (not my words, Wikipedia's words). Are all of these people really on the payroll of big industry?

The Time article you sourced me is laced with melodramatic language and that for me is a real turn off on such a seemingly important issue.

"the global climate seems to be crashing around us"
"The last 12 months have been alarming."
"habitats crashing"
"There will be no polar ice by 2060," says Larry Schweiger,
"environmental collapse happening in so many places at once"
"the crisis is upon us"
"something has gone grievously wrong. That something is global warming"
"Pump enough CO2 into the sky...& that turns a pot of hot water into a plume of billowing steam"
"Nature, it seems, has finally got a bellyful of us"

and of course:

"the naysayers--many of whom were on the payroll of energy companies"
(contd next post)

(from previous post)

There are loads of contradictions even among those who support the theory. Eg re the effect of global warming over Europe, the Time article on p4 talks for 3 whole paragraphs about the cooling of Europe:

"In a global-warming world, it's unlikely that any amount of cooling that resulted from this would be sufficient to support glaciers, but it could make things awfully uncomfortable...We in the U.K. are on the same latitude as Alaska. The reason we can live here is the Gulf Stream."

BUT Wiki quotes the IPCC thus:
"the IPCC notes, "However, even in models where the THC weakens, there is still a warming over Europe...However, the idea intrigues the public mind and is often over-hyped; it formed the basis of the scientifically inaccurate film The Day After Tomorrow."
http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Global_cooling

Wiki also points out that from the 1940s to 70s, the theory of
GLOBAL COOLING was popular, when the earth's temps cooled during this period, & people thought this had something to do with the ice-age cycles.

To quote Wiki again on global cooling (but could equally be applied to global warming):
"However, the idea intrigues the public mind and is often over-hyped;"

BUT, if it takes an alarmist approach to develop alternatives to fossil fuels, wean us off oil, cut pollution, cut the loss of biodiversity & get us out of the Middle East, & do this all relatively cheaply (eg Harris) I say bring it on!

TNT, you are a rare one -- someone who will go and check sources with an open mind rather than just sticking to a rusted-on, received opinion! Respect.

I agree, global warming is a theory just like evolution. But it's a very well supported theory which seems to be coming true. So just in case it's right, we need to be taking measures to reduce our exposure to risk.

There are many ways to do that eg solar thermal (available now) vs 'clean' coal (still just a theory) but they will all cost money. On the other hand a lot of employment can be generated in renewable energy to absorb the loss to the coal industry, and in 30 years, after the capital costs have been paid off, we will leave our grandkids a cheap, sustainable power source.

The choice is clear to me...

Michael G. Thanks & same to you. It was your measured style (& assistance with the URLs) which made me want to check the issue out further. It will be interesting to see how this issue progresses over the coming months & years