[Peakoil] This Tuesday: Climate tipping points: the science and the politics

[Katja]

Dear all,

You're welcome to this, as are any email networks you happen to have.

*Climate tipping points: the science and the politics*

Climate change is threatening to reach abrupt tipping points, similar to
those it has reached at other times in the Earth's history. This makes
stopping further warming a more critical priority than ever. Meanwhile
public debate is dealing with the wrong questions while real opportunities
to solve our problems are ignored. Politics is failing.

Andrew Glickson will discuss the science of tipping points then Geoff Davies
will talk about the politics.

*PART 1 - by Andrew Glikson -- Earth scientist researching the history of
Earth, mass extinction of species and climate change.
*
Studies of Antarctica and Greenland ice cores indicate abrupt warming events
during the recent history of Earth, triggered by solar forcing and reaching
decade-scale tipping points, were related to ice melt/warm water feedback
effects and carbon cycle feedbacks from warming oceans and drying biosphere.
Current climate change, forced by the infrared radiation effects of CO2 and
CH4 derived from the burning of over 300 billion tons of Carbon, accelerated
from the mid-1970s, is threatening to reach tipping points. According to
leading US climate scientists the current CO2 levels of 387 ppm are already
at dangerous levels, calling for urgent reduction in carbon emissions as
well as attempts at developing CO2 draw-down technologies.

*Part 2 - by Geoff Davies - The Hopeful, Neglected Path
*
Most of the public discussion of global warming misses key points, and our
best opportunities. The policy debate should not be about whether
human-caused global warming is "proven" - in strictest terms it is not. The
policy debate should start from the best collective judgement of scientists,
which is very clear, that there's a high risk we are causing global warming.
The quickest and cheapest way to cut greenhouse emissions is to cut energy
waste dramatically. This will actually save money in the early stages.
Renewable energy sources then become sufficient and cost-effective. Politics
as usual is failing. The major parties only hear the polluters whispering in
their ears. We need people to reclaim politics and the Parliament.
*
When: 6 - 7:30pm  9th September
Where: Manning Clarke T1*

Kind regards,

-- 
Katja Grace
BSc/Econ Undergraduate
President, ANU Zero Emissions Society
e: katjasolveig at gmail.com
m: 0407124549
p: 02 62491216
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