Please read this interview with Nobel laureate Mario Molina who won Nobel prize for his work on the ozone layer. He says: Another myth is that it would be very costly to do anything about climate change. Very serious economic analyses have shown that we have alternative energy sources and that at a relatively modest cost—about 1 or 2 percent of global GDP [gross domestic product]—we could take measures to decrease the risk very significantly. We don’t have to cut all the emissions in the near future; that would be very costly. But we can agree as a planet to decrease emissions within a certain timetable so that these unacceptable risks are minimized. One more point is communicating effectively to the public. In a recent report called “What We Know” well-known climate scientists summarize the main scientific findings. What we haven’t done yet—and it is our next step—is to make a public communication campaign so that these findings are well communicated. ...What is likely to happen in the future if we don’t do anything to minimize the impacts of climate change? The average surface temperature of the planet will probably increase this century by 4, 5 or more degrees Celcius. We know that the planet has not been that warm for millions of years, but it was that warm at some point in time and it was a very different planet—with crocodiles at the North Pole. A big worry is that if the temperature increases by that many degrees, we’ll reach tipping points—there might be abrupt climate changes that would be very disruptive for society. Furthermore, the sea level will rise further and many coastal cities will be flooded; island states are likely to disappear. We already know that the sea level is increasing. Heat waves are also occurring more frequently and they have consequences such as increased mortality. What can an average person do to help manage the effects of climate change? One action society needs to take is to use energy much more efficiently. Instead of incandescent light bulbs you could switch to LEDs that consume a lot less electricity, for example. But as important as it is for people to change, the problem cannot be solved just with voluntary personal actions. The most important action that people can take is to press the government so that there is an international agreement. Because only then will the entire planet begin to change. Society must let governments know that people are worried and expect changes—because no one country can solve the problem. We know it’s feasible—we’ve done it with the stratospheric ozone. We can also do it with climate change, but we must try harder.
Posted on: Thu, 22 Jan 2015 12:50:08 +0000
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