My question to climate change skeptics is this..."Would it really be so bad if we cleaned up our air, our polluted waters and soil, and stopped burning fossil fuels?"

Even if these 100s of thousands of scientists who are claiming there is an emergency were WRONG, we'd all benefit from a cleaner world and fewer species would go extinct due to warming/climate change/loss of habitation.

You know, at the beginning of every disaster movie, there's a scientist trying to warn us but he's always ignored.

I have personally never seen any compelling evidence that proves there is man-made global warming, much less a sudden emergency.

In fact, just last month 500 scientists sent a letter to the Secretary General of the United Nations asking for a long-overdue, high-level, open debate on climate change.

They say things like:

"There is no climate emergency. Therefore, there is no cause for panic and alarm."

And...

"We urge you to follow a climate policy based on sound science, realistic economics and genuine concern for those harmed by costly but unnecessary attempts at mitigation."

You can view the full article at:

See: https://www.breitbart.com/environment/2019/09/24/500-experts-write-u-n-there-is-no-climate-emergency/

My takeaway?

There will always be naysayers who bleat "The end is nigh!" but I wouldn't start panicking just yet. :)

Having the pomposity to believe that man can control eath's climate change (which has been in existence forever) without a realistic long-term plan may cause more problems for man than it solves. These knee-jerk ... sounds good ... feels good reactions are more dangerous than making adjustments to accept and adapt to climate change (its been happening for BILLIONS OF YEARS WITHOUT MAN). It will be a at least a million years of data before we can say with certainty that the models being used by scientists today are accurate. The data on solar forcing has only been available since 1978, and that information is chock full of scientific holes in data collection techniques. The effects of space on the equipment used for data collection purposes (wear and tear), the discrepancies in measurements from different scientists using different equipment during the same time periods, the differences in measurements from within our atmosphere versus outside our atmosphjere (space), and the fact that TSI versus SSI observation has only been happening since the 1990's, and much much more ... we do not have enough data to make grandiose conclusions (so there are only THEORIES at this point). We are NEOPHITES in the scientific endeavor of determining cause and effect of climate changes (which have been going on for BILLIONS OF YEARS).

Of course we need to take care of our planet, stop polluting and stop reducing carbon sinks, etc., .. but acting like we KNOW all the causes and effects is pure nonsense, and basing a tax system on what we think we know now is ludicrous, as is over-reacting without the facts (i.e. stop eating meat, stop using fossil fuels, etc). Based on the changes I have seen in EVERYTHING scientific just during my lifetime (the past 60 years) leads me to realize with near certainty that a million years from now, when we look back at what we are saying today, it will be MUCH more hilarious than flat earth theorists are viewed today versus the past. Use your common sense. There is a POLITICAL agenda at play here and it stinks that FEAR of climate change is being used to scare people for political purposes. Taxes will not do anything to change the impact of man on the planet. It will do no good at all to tax and legislate Americans out of business while China, India, and other major contributors to pollution do not have to do anything for decades from now (see Paris Accord NDC's - problems with self-reporting - having different time-frames for different countries to achieve "results" ... it is NONSENSICAL IF YOU ARE TRULY CONCERNED TO ALL ACT NOW TO SAVE THE PLANET). Please - do not jump on this bandwagon without taking the time (each person) to LEARN as much as you can about this emotionally charged and volatile issue. If you are realistic, you will know that it is way too early to make final conclusions. We have only just begun to study it. Do not allow anyone to scare you into "spread the wealth" actions as if it will help to prevent a disaster that may or may not happen. Let's be wise - not foolish.

Of course we need to do things better (we always have and always will). Be smart, not emotionally reactive to feel good stuff that has weak foundation and uneven practicality. In other words - the worst use of our money is to put it in Governments hands to deal with these issues. The private business sector (widely blamed for causing the problem) is actually the best long-term solution. Instead of PUNISHING the private sector - we need to INCENTIVIZE it - THAT is the best way to make positive long-term change. Think for a minute here - is it best to PUNSIH to get results, or does creating positive incentives work better? You all know the answer to this. Do not be fooled into sending your hard-earned money to Governments to spend on "saving the planet." It is fiction. There is much CORRUPTION out there that will take advantage of our money.

If you will take the time to actually read the Paris Accord and all the INDC's and NDC's, you will easily conclude that this is not going to get the job done, not even close. It is pure political drama, and our current President is smart enough to realize we were put into a bad deal. Read it - you will see .. it is not a smart agreement for the US and PLEASE read the NDC's. They are the PROOF that this whole Paris Accord is not going to solve the climate change challenges, but will create an unfair advantage for non-US countries. Please read and bring your comments! Here are some links to check out:

https://unfccc.int/resource/bigpicture/index.html#content-indcs-and-ndcs

https://www4.unfccc.int/sites/NDCStaging/Pages/All.aspx

If you really want to know what is going on, then you need to read all of these NDC's for yourself. You will learn how weak this whole climate effort is. It sounds and feels good, but in reality - it has no chance to save the world as written and being implemented. It is VERY WEAK and uneven.

The Media probably has you believing the US is not in compliance with the Paris Accord. Well, the Media is twisting the facts, as usual. As you may read for yourself, The United States of America is in full compliance to date. We will not officially be "out" of the Agreement until 11/04/2020. Also, the Media would have you believe that the current President will destroy the earth if allowed, which is utter nonsense - he aims to do BETTER than the Paris Accord for planet earth, and will if given the opportunity. Believe more in what you see with your own eyes, and what you can reason with your own brain, not what the Media reports. This is a complicated long-term issue for mankind. It deserves a better plan.

I Am Also Very Concerned. I Started A Fundraising Campaign On FB.
Hubby Mcdonald: https://www.facebook.com/hubbytrance/

http://tiny.cc/83evfz
JUSTGIVING.COM
Read Ryan's story
Ryan is raising money to help Just One Ocean

The simple answer to the title question is, yes we are. Among the many reasons why this is being perptuated and not dealt with in the manner in which we think it should be, two come to mind. Yet again, they are simple. Money/power is one and the second which actually is harder for people to get their heads round is 'generational thinking'.
The first can be easily argued but as with most of these discussions they can become circular and books have been written on that very thought. The second is explained by trying to get those that be, to think past a generation.
I did touch on this subject in a post last month. Twack's Kitchen Cabinet (I Could Use Your Help) Alex gave a detailed reply which helped me no end with what I was working on at the time.
What is happening around the world, that can be directly attributed to climate change, is relevant to those who are directly effected by it. For the rest it is easy not to give it to much thought because it doesn't register to the level required for them to take action. This isn't a slight towards them, it's just how we tend to be as a species.
This, if you choose to believe it, is more hard-wired than you might think. Evolution (theories within) would indicate that that sole underlying truth is that our purpose is to prolong the life of the 'gene' , if you choose to believe that.
As individuals, we have the power to do something about it that could make a differnce but only if we act as a whole. There's the irony.

Yes. I am very concerned. We are staging rallies here in Australia because it is obvious we are having a major climate shift.

40 years ago I remember as a teenager that the climate was very predictable, we had four seasons. We had drought times but they were reasonably short term.

Unfortunately, if major changes are not made in the way we live there will be water and food wars. I'm not sure mankind will survive.

Very worried.
Thanks Stanley for posting this blog

Lily

The climate emergency is real and we all need to act now.

Remember the 3 R's - Reduce, Reuse, Recycle

If we all do our bit it will help

We just need government and big companies to start doing their bit too

Andrew

The sad thing is that a lot of people from the generation who actually started the crisis (those born in the 70' and 80' when heavy industry started booming) still are denying it and diminishing it.. there's a big wave of young people starting to protest and who will be affected the worst. While the older generation just says that they are exaggerating or just being stupid.

It is a real emergency and we are seeing mother earth trying to make corrections everywhere! For example, here in Chennai, India, there were floods in 2015 and farmlands have been constantly converted to concrete complexes. So the water is getting further depleted and rain water which is in ample supply has no way to seep into the soil due to the concrete structures. There are tsunamis, floods, forest fires and earthquakes occurring around the world. I sincerely hope more people realize we only have one beautiful earth and it is in all our bests interests to love and care for our earth!

Thank you Stanley for writing about this massive issue that will effect each one of us. We can't hide our heads in the sand any more.