SUPERSTORM SANDY gives us yet another look at the future of the weather, climate change, global warming. One begins to wonder how much evidence we need. Landowners along the shore of chesapeake bay are telling us that their land is sinking under rising water.
Over the past few weeks we have been treated to three presidential debates between obama and romney, and the topic of climate change (global warming) was not mentioned, not even once. In a way, that's appropiate, reflective of the general public's attitude; denial.
The rising of the sea level is not a matter of debate; it is really happening, measurably, and faster than we ever would have thought. Yet we keep building human habitat and enterprises right on the coastlines around the world, seemingly unconcerned about the problems we will face later; namely, it will all vanish beneath the waves.
Among some people there is the lingering perception that the debate over global warming has not yet been settled, that all opinions are still in play, and that we do not yet know for certain if climate change is real.
We have to get over this in a hurry. Years ago al gore announced that the debate is over, an inconvenient truth. That is not far from the truth. The agreement is nearly unanimous among people well educated in science. Global warming is real, and caused by us.
Sandy caused at least fifty billion dollars worth of damage and damge from future climate related disasters, including tornados, hurricanes, superstorms, floods, and drought, is likely to cost trillions. Unfortunately, it is too late to prevent the consequences from the climate change that has already occured. Its time to enter response mode.
Further climate change might be mitigated, or slowed, but it cannot, at this point, be eliminated. IN the near future, resources will be needed more for emergency weather disaster relief than military power and protection. The time has come to beat swords into plowshares and flood control.
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