Peter Garbutt from the GreenParty made the first presentation, explaining the extreme risks we face from climate change and emphasising that we all need to work together to avoid the possibility of climate catastrophy.
Martin Mayer from
Unite then followed up explaining the benefits that action on climate change will have, producing new jobs and energy security. This video includes some of the question and answer session chaired by Chris Broome of Sheffield Climate Alliance.
Up to 2006 I believed in man made global warming, after working for a Carbon Management company my belief disappeared. The rise in Temperature up to 1998 was due to the sun, there has been no rise since. It was warmer in the Romans times than now, very cold in the dark ages when the Thames froze over. You can see NASA photographs showing a 60% increase in Artic sea ice since last August. I do have concerns about real pollutants, but C02 is a natural substance, produced by nature. My largest concerns would be about a slow down in food production, due to a Maunder minimum period setting in.
Hi Tim
Thanks for your comments. I’ll respond briefly, but welcome any further questions.
Three points; although the RISE in temperatures at surface level is not as steep, the actual temperatures are at record levels. The temperature of Roman Britain is only a valid argument if taken in conjunction with temperatures from all over the world.
But the most important point to make is that these measures ARE just surface temperatures; recent research has revealed some serious warming in the deep oceans, and scientists are beginning to understand the decadal flows that cause this. Like El Nino/La Nina, the flow reverses from time to time; but the time period is in decades, not years. When it reverses back again, the oceans will release the heat they’ve stored back into the atmosphere. That in itself could trigger a whole mass of feedback loops. It’s a scary scenario, and our politicians must face it. At the moment, the only Party which recognises this is the Green Party. Other parties have policies on climate change, but they’re tack-on policies, unlikely to adequately address the full possible gravity of the situation speedily enough. UKIP have been presumptuous enough to deny the science altogether, and have NO policy on climate change.
Hi Tim,
Do you like graphs?
1. Solar Activity vs Temperature
http://icons.wxug.com/metgraphics/climate/facts/Solar_vs_Temp_basic.gif
2. Rise since 1998:
http://tamino.wordpress.com/2014/02/25/by-request/
4. Medieval times vs Modern times (compare local to global)
Then
http://www.skepticalscience.com/images/Temperature_Pattern_MWP.gif
Now
http://www.skepticalscience.com/images/Temp_Pattern_1999_2008_NOAA.jpg
5. Arctic sea ice decline
http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/en/2/2d/Arctic_September_sea_ice_decline.png
Maybe you should consider revisiting your views from 2006.
Thanks for the graphs todaysguestis.The debate about whether climate change is happening or whether people are causing it is over. The debate must now move to how we adapt to a warming world and how we stop our addiction to fossil fuels as soon as possible.