Is the earth really dying?

[Pulmonata]

As awareness of global warming and climate change soars, we are ever hearing apocalyptic phrases like "the earth is dying", or Prince Charles' "we have 100 months to save the world".

This might just be an argument in semantics, but is the earth really dying?

My argument is based on the fact that life on earth has flourished since life began, and that the entire evolutionary principal is based on change and adaptation. Throughout the ages of evolution, the earth has undergone massive changes in all aspects including climate. Geological climate change makes our current situation look like a minor blip. During the course of all of these changes, many species died out and many adapted, and it is to this that we owe the entire biodiversity of the earth today.

Despite this, climate change worries people (some more than others). This is for two reasons. Firstly, we can actually see it. The rate of change is such that we can actually observe the change in climate and measure its effects on the environment. Effects popular in the media are the melting of polar ice and increased extinction rates as species fail to adapt, classically though unfortunately illustrated by the polar bear, struggling to exist as the polar ice recedes.

As we observe these effects, the fear is that humankind, the pinnacle of evolutionary creativity, might not be able to adapt to impending environmental changes. This is a well founded fear; if crops persistently fail then food shortages will follow and this really could be catastrophic. In a worst case scenario, food would become so scarce so that the human population would not be able to sustain itself at today's level and crash to that similar of prehistoric times. If the environment changes beyond that to which we can adapt, then the legacy of most will be an evolutionary event, a punctuated equilibrium facilitated by rapid environmental change. Simply, life would again be a struggle for existence.

But here's the point, however catastrophic the impact of climate change might be on today's society, humans will probably survive in some form and life on earth will continue. The effects of climate change on humans could turn out to be negligible or it could be catastrophic. Either way, life goes on.

These are natural laws and rhythms observed throughout geological time, only now we are can we view these principals with a certain amount of dreaded self-application.

Mankind might be dying, but the earth is not.

[Cellarman]

In 10 or so's time years time, the same doom and gloom people who are crying out about global warming will probably be telling us how we are heading for an ice age. We're just going through an inter-glacial period with a perfectly natural fluctuation in our climate.

[meinchewster]

Originally Posted by Pulmonata

As awareness of global warming and climate change soars, we are ever hearing apocalyptic phrases like "the earth is dying", or Prince Charles' "we have 100 months to save the world".

This might just be an argument in semantics, but is the earth really dying?

My argument is based on the fact that life on earth has flourished since life began, and that the entire evolutionary principal is based on change and adaptation. Throughout the ages of evolution, the earth has undergone massive changes in all aspects including climate. Geological climate change makes our current situation look like a minor blip. During the course of all of these changes, many species died out and many adapted, and it is to this that we owe the entire biodiversity of the earth today.

Despite this, climate change worries people (some more than others). This is for two reasons. Firstly, we can actually see it. The rate of change is such that we can actually observe the change in climate and measure its effects on the environment. Effects popular in the media are the melting of polar ice and increased extinction rates as species fail to adapt, classically though unfortunately illustrated by the polar bear, struggling to exist as the polar ice recedes.

As we observe these effects, the fear is that humankind, the pinnacle of evolutionary creativity, might not be able to adapt to impending environmental changes. This is a well founded fear; if crops persistently fail then food shortages will follow and this really could be catastrophic. In a worst case scenario, food would become so scarce so that the human population would not be able to sustain itself at today's level and crash to that similar of prehistoric times. If the environment changes beyond that to which we can adapt, then the legacy of most will be an evolutionary event, a punctuated equilibrium facilitated by rapid environmental change. Simply, life would again be a struggle for existence.

But here's the point, however catastrophic the impact of climate change might be on today's society, humans will probably survive in some form and life on earth will continue. The effects of climate change on humans could turn out to be negligible or it could be catastrophic. Either way, life goes on.

These are natural laws and rhythms observed throughout geological time, only now we are can we view these principals with a certain amount of dreaded self-application.

Mankind might be dying, but the earth is not.

I think it is a little more complicated a question than is the earth dying: the biggest issue is that although climate change and mass extinctions have been a constant in the earths history, we are standing on the epoch of possibly the greatest mass extinction and more importantly, this wave of extinction will be brought about by human activity rather than a natural occurance. The question is do we as a species have the right to impact on the diversity of life in this manner....of course not. However i doubt very much, even when presented with such a prospect, most people will be more than happy to carry on as normal, ignoring the impending catastrophe until, along with the vast majority of species on the planet, our fate will be sealed.

[Jim Ford]

Originally Posted by Pulmonata

Prince Charles' "we have 100 months to save the world".

Hmm, I wonder what the 'carbon footprint' of the Royal Family is?

Jim

[Paul mabbott]

Originally Posted by Jim Ford

Hmm, I wonder what the 'carbon footprint' of the Royal Family is?

Jim

Some are worse than others!
Will he EVER learn? Airmiles Andy racks up new £100,000 private jet bill for taxpayers.. and sells his house for £15 million| News | This is London

[Paul mabbott]

The Earth is being killed by the pressure of human population. Quite possibly, if the numbers of humans and their crops were reduced massively then there might be a chance of recovery but something needs to be done soon and in a big way.
Humans are destroying large numbers of species of animals and plants as well as their habitats. I effect soon nothing will be able to live on the Earth - it will become like millions of other planets.
Extinctions ar of two types, sometimes a whole evoltionary line disappears but in many cases the organism has evolved into a different species. We are reaching the state where evolution of complex organisms will become impossible ......
Truly the climate &c of he Earth has varied enormously but slowly: organisms have been able to adapt to it. Now climate change is so rapid that life will not be able to adapt either genetically or technologically.

Originally Posted by Pulmonata

............ on the fact that life on earth has flourished since life began, and that the entire evolutionary principal is based on change and adaptation. Throughout the ages of evolution, the earth has undergone massive changes in all aspects including climate. Geological climate change makes our current situation look like a minor blip. During the course of all of these changes, many species died out and many adapted, and it is to this that we owe the entire biodiversity of the earth today.

Despite this, climate change worries people (some more than others). This is for two reasons. Firstly, we can actually see it. The rate of change is such that we can actually observe the change in climate and measure its effects on the environment. Effects popular in the media are the melting of polar ice and increased extinction rates as species fail to adapt, classically though unfortunately illustrated by the polar bear, struggling to exist as the polar ice recedes.

As we observe these effects, the fear is that humankind, the pinnacle of evolutionary creativity, might not be able to adapt to impending environmental changes. This is a well founded fear; if crops persistently fail then food shortages will follow and this really could be catastrophic. In a worst case scenario, food would become so scarce so that the human population would not be able to sustain itself at today's level and crash to that similar of prehistoric times. If the environment changes beyond that to which we can adapt, then the legacy of most will be an evolutionary event, a punctuated equilibrium facilitated by rapid environmental change. Simply, life would again be a struggle for existence.

But here's the point, however catastrophic the impact of climate change might be on today's society, humans will probably survive in some form and life on earth will continue. The effects of climate change on humans could turn out to be negligible or it could be catastrophic. Either way, life goes on.

These are natural laws and rhythms observed throughout geological time, only now we are can we view these principals with a certain amount of dreaded self-application.

Mankind might be dying, but the earth is not.

[Jim Ford]

I pretty much hold the same pessimistic view of Paul, above!

Jim

[Bullseye]

Polar Bear populations are actually increasing,the Icecaps are not getting smaller and temperatures have actually fallen slightly in the last 10 years.Al (I'm making $millions from carbon trading) Gore . I've been seriously researching this for the last few years,only about 20% of the scientists of the IPCC were climatologists,many have refuted the whole thing,look up "hockey stick","state of fear" and "sunspot cycle 24",thats just a start,might take a few weeks,but then make your own mind up !.
The really sad thing about this is that you can no longer say that "certain establishments,eerghhumm,Auntie Beebthat were always impartial"are no longer so,very sad

[Hedera]

On the one hand we read of global afforestation dying, coral reefs at risk and the structure of sustenance failing; then of the enormous amount of food wastage per annum. Perhaps if we had to be more selfsufficient, and food cost more, this might solve the problem to a certain extent. Obesity would be ruled out at least, and if we had to work at growing our own food a bit we'd soon slim down.

[monkeypoo]

The Earth is not dying because the worst humans can do is wipe out ourselves and most other wildlife. In time the Earth will be full of life again.

All humans can do is try to make sure we don't do that, for our own sake, but the Earth will go on no matter what we do to mess it up.