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<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2>Lovelock's comment:</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006>"Almost all of the
systems that have been looked at are in positive feedback ... and soon those
effects will be larger than any of the effects of carbon dioxide emissions from
industry and so on around the world."</SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2>...has interesting implications. If true (and he's not
alone here), it implies that not only is immediate 'zero-minus' action necessary
(to reduce the effect of CO2 already in the atmosphere) - it will also be
necessary to try to break those feedback loops with massive planetary scale
interventions. </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2>The feedback loops eventually push tipping points
eg:</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2><A
href="http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2006/11/13th_tipping_point.html">http://www.motherjones.com/news/feature/2006/11/13th_tipping_point.html</A></FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2><BR>(Excellent article: biology, climate science,
sociology)</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2>I've read of all sorts of giant schemes (umbrellas in
space, a circle of wind turbines around the arctic etc.) </FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2>Setting aside the difficulties in being sure of not
triggering unintended consequences, what kind of entity on this planet would
have the resources and power to pull these interventions off (assuming they
could get resources, scientific consensus and anything approaching public
approval)?</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2>Remembering that by the time this becomes clear, we are
likely to be in free-fall energy descent.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2>Optimist answer: 'All of us' is the only entity that could
do this.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2>Pessimist answer: 'We're toast'.</FONT></SPAN></DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2></FONT></SPAN> </DIV>
<DIV dir=ltr align=left><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana
color=#000080 size=2>Happy to hear of a third answer. And I agree with Adrian -
a way forward that justifies the word 'hope' still has to be
important. </FONT> </SPAN></DIV>
<DIV><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080 size=2></FONT> </DIV>
<DIV align=left><SPAN class=594123104-17112004><FONT face=Verdana color=#000000
size=2><FONT size=2>
<P>Sandy Pollard<BR><BR></FONT></FONT></SPAN>
<HR tabIndex=-1>
<FONT face=Tahoma size=2><B>From:</B>
peakoil-bounces+sandy.pollard=dewr.gov.au@act-peakoil.org
[mailto:peakoil-bounces+sandy.pollard=dewr.gov.au@act-peakoil.org] <B>On Behalf
Of </B>Adrian Whitehead<BR><B>Sent:</B> Thursday, November 30, 2006 9:30
AM<BR><B>To:</B> Peakoil Discussion<BR><B>Subject:</B> [Peakoil] This is the
end? Lovelock comments.<BR></FONT><BR></P></DIV>
<DIV></DIV><SPAN class=gmail_quote></SPAN><SPAN
class=gmail_quote></SPAN>Lovelock's comments (see article below), though
possibly correct are clearly couched in terms of a pessimism that sees little
chance of our society making the big changes needed to give us any change of
dealing with the threat of climate change. <BR><BR>One reason for a lack of
effective responce to date is Lovelock types are saying were are doomed, while
Gore and others are telling us to change a light globe, creating confusion in
the public mind as to the severity of what we are actually facing.<BR><BR>Once
people actually realise the situation we face in its full depth the outcry will
be enormous and the resulting response huge as the energy people have directed
in getting us to this point of crisis today will be redirected into solving the
problem, hopefully before its too late. <BR><BR>If anything Lovelock's comments
emphasize the importance of the work being done by Beyond Zero Emission and
other groups working on the zero emission minus goal, for it is only through the
attainment of this goal that will we give the future a chance. Likewise it is
the only goal that correctly frames the problem in a way that solutions become
obvious. <BR><BR>We must continue to push the zero emission minus goal, educate
the public about the seriousness of the problem and give them a way forward that
justifies the word "hope".<BR><BR>Adrian<BR><SPAN class=gmail_quote><BR></SPAN>
<DIV bgcolor="#ffffff" link="#000066" alink="#cc0000" vlink="#000066"
text="#000000"><SPAN class=268400700-30112006><FONT face=Verdana color=#000080
size=2>[snip]</FONT></SPAN></DIV>Notice:
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