Climate chage and Global warming

You are correct, Erica, about the difference between global warming and climate change. I would add that climate change is continuous. Not all of the changes we notice in climate and weather can be linked to CO2 or other emissions in the atmosphere.
Nevertheless, it is time to take stock of our activities. The root cause of the problem seems to be the priority given to economics over other considerations in human activity. This has not only de-humanised humans but also resulted in the present woes faced by society.
A forest or a landscape should not be viewed only in terms of economic benefits it can provide. One's time on Earth, this precious gift of life, should not be reduced entirely to a rate of so much money per hour. Economists please note?
While economics is undoubtedly important, consideration for our neighbours that share this planet is equally important. This love, respect, empathy can only be inculcated in childhood, if a person does not possess it naturally. Educators and parents please note?
While many things make our lives easier or add enjoyment, nevertheless a vast amount of resources are being directed to the production of what can safely be called junk. Forests are being cut down to make disposable chop sticks, etc, etc. Producers and consumers please note?
Basically, everyone has to look hard at themselves and what they are doing.By making small changes all around, big changes will result which will put us on the heading for a sustainable civilisation. What do you think?

Peter Smetacek

Hi Erica,
Hi Peter,

Nice to have this headline for the forum. Though climate change scenarios are continuous (Peter's note) and their fluctuation is a matter of time, the mankind is just a factor of making it worse. The CO2 in atmosphere was stable at 280 microliters/liter for thousands of years untill nearly 100 years ago (when it was probably measured properly). Nowadays, its concentration is ca 370 mcl/l. Anticipations are to double it by the end of the century.

Some (politicians, scientists etc.) speculate on the real peril of the climate change, or they simply do not recognize it as a problem created/caused by the human factor but going on only naturally. But I think it is not only 'nature' of making it worse. Who will be responsible for this increase of CO2 concentrations? And what will be the real consequences of this increase? Hard to predict it in, and I am not so opitimistc.

I agree, Peter, this respect and empathy and 'love' for nature are to be created by parents and educators and whatsoever during childhood. So, proper education should help and prevent the negative attitude. I feel pain when a tree is cut off and waste is thrown directly in the forests or field. We are forced to cut off trees, but are we planting them enough to have this right to destroy the ecosystem?

I agree, Erica, let's join hands to try to cope with the challenge of changing climate.

With warm regards,
Aurel

Well, that's six hands to start with......Peter Smetacek

Thanks for joining the discussion and brainstroming on the topic. We must not only discuss but as a nature conservationist we must also act to halt the degradation processes.

There are lots of big projects going on for climate change research and ecosystem degradation due to this all over the world; policy for carbon trade, kyoto protocol and so many things ..... that one should be aware of. Are the polily makers in developing and under depeloped countries are aware in this regard? how can these countries get optimum benefit from the developed countries who are well known for depleting the natural resources and now realizing their mistakes and promoting conservation activities in former mentioned countries? What about environmental justice and environment ethic? Who is responsible and to what extend? these philosophical thinking is also critical while talking about climate change.

I want to request RSG members to contribute giving their opinions and also to write the facts and figures of their research and experiences or case studies so that this forum can also be an educational site for the students (who are honored by RSG support)to help elaborated knowledge in this topic.

Erica Udas

In my opinion, climate change can not be taken as single independent aspect as it happens due to cumulation of adverse effects of varying natural and anthropogenic factors on the earth. It is essential to include climate change component in every environmental and development projects. Multidisciplinary projects are key to deal with climate change issue for long run!

Gandhiv Kafle
Nepal

Well, a bucket is composed of drops of water. The Kyoto Protocol, carbon credits, and so on: multidisciplinary projects: do you really think they can work without convincing the individual?
Is it not more economical to go directly to the individual instead of bickering around a conference table and then weaseling out of committments with cheap tricks like carbon credits and what not? The point of the matter is that the people or rather, lobbies responsible for the present polluted state of the world are not going to loosen their hold so easily. It is a global empire.
There are only two ways of tackling an empire: by force, as recorded in history books and secondly, by following Mahatma Gandhi's strategy: go to the individual. Once the individual is convinced that something is wrong, no commercial empire can force him or trick him into doing that.
Gandhi did not go to every Indian household and plead his point: he simply set an example by doing what he preached. The rest followed. So when I say, above, that there are six hands and presumably eight hands, counting Gandhiv, now, well, the thing to do is to practise what one feels strongly about rather than preach. Modern day prophets, are you listening?
Peter Smetacek