Climate Change

What is Climate Change?

Climate Change is a long term (at least decades) variation from expected weather averages. It can be natural or, as indicated by current scientific thinking, influenced by man in the form of global warming from the burning of fossil fuels and the polluting of our physical environment. It is the variance of temperature, precipitation and wind often in the form of severe weather such as tornadoes, hurricanes, flooding and bushfires, and scientists believe it can be manifested in changes such as increased acidity levels in rain or the oceans.

The common term is Greenhouse Effect as more of the sun's rays are reflected back to earth because of the greenhouse gases such as carbon dioxide (CO2) and methane, or more heat is absorbed by land and sea as polar ice melts.

Scientists also refer to natural changes such as the sun's generated heat increasing by approximately 25% since its inception, which is an effect of aging.

Why does current climate change science believe that man has become a significant factor in the "Greenhouse Effect"?

There is an old saying that says that it isn't wise to "shit in the nest".

At this point in history there are a lot more people and they are doing a lot more "shitting"!

Looking at the published data indicates the following approximate numbers:

5 million people in 10,000 BC
100 million people in 500 BC
170 million people in 1 AD
Over 250 million people in 1000 AD
Over 500 million people in 1600 AD
Over 1 billion people in 1850 AD
About 2.5 billion people in 1950
About 6.75 Billion people now
And an expected 9 billion by 2050

We have seen how the amount of consumption has risen dramatically in western nations during this time and it is also obvious how the economies of large nations such as China and India have expanded. This naturally leads to their populations having the entirely reasonable expectations to share in the products that are produced. The creation, transportation and disposal of these products lead to expanded amounts of greenhouse gases, land stripping and pollution.

Why is Climate Change so dangerous?

Many scientists believe that as well as gradual degradation of our living conditions, there could be "Tipping points" which could have drastic consequences in a comparatively short amount of time.

An example given is the possible disruption to the Gulf Stream (which warms Europe) should there be continued melting of the Arctic and Greenland ice. The concept is that the currents of the ocean are linked in what is referred to as "The Global Ocean Conveyor Belt" and a significant melting of the ice could interrupt the region where colder and saltier water drops to provide the momentum.

How do you find out more?

Included on the right of this page are links to four of the most prominent writers about these phenomenon.

Al Gore, the previous Vice President, became famous after losing the highly controversial USA presidential election to George Bush and then going on to release the An Inconvenient Truth film and An Inconvenient Truth: The Crisis of Global Warming book. His efforts have since earned him a Nobel Prize. His newer book Our Choice: A Plan to Solve the Climate Crisis provides suggested actions for people to take to address the situation.

James Lovelock became well known for his book Gaia: A New Look at Life on Earth which promotes the view of earth as a self regulating whole which behaves as a living organism, rather than the more clinical spaceship earth metaphore. His book The Revenge of Gaia: Earth's Climate Crisis & The Fate of Humanity discusses how mankind's global heating excesses are making it increasingly difficult for the planet to regulate at a level that will remain comfortable for us. He has been a Fellow of the Royal Society since 1974 and was made a Companion of Honour by Her Majesty the Queen in 2003.

Tim Flannery, is a writer, explorer and scientist based at Macquarie University and a member of several of the leading institutions regarding Climate Change. In 2007 he was made the Australian of the Year. The Future Eaters: An Ecological History of the Australasian Lands and People has became a classic and his current The Weather Makers : How Man Is Changing the Climate and What It Means for Life on Earth is a must read.

Originally born and educated in Poland, Ron Nielson has conducted research at the Australian National University and in a number of research institutes in Europe. His book The Little Green Handbook: Seven Trends Shaping the Future of Our Planet is interesting in that so many things, which many would have challenged, have come to pass in just a few years since it was first written.

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