(no subject)

[torkell]

A well-reasoned argument about global warning, explaining the consequences of various decisions. Worth watching (9m30s).

Yay payoff matrices.

Comments

Dom - your housemate

[(Anonymous)]

Not too sure on the catastrophes that he mentions...
When the icebergs melt, the water contained in them will replace the volume of ice found underneath the water. So water levels won't rise.
Shipping will be ruined though. There will be a different density of water. But it should freeze faster, so during those cold winter months the icecaps could easily reform. Air travel *could* also be ruined too. The different density of water, means the air currents above the water won't be as great, and so more power *could* be required to get over water. See Bermuda Triangle for the physics.
Not sure why political ruin will happen.
Social ruin? Oh noes, everyone will be using Eurostar to get to the continent, other than that - your next door neighbour will still be around!
Health - I'm guessing greenhouse gases... Water is the worst green house gas, and yet nobody is harping on about those Hybrid cars...
Deserts will remain deserts, and perhaps grow a little, mountains will remain mountains, and snow will be a novelty - that cold white stuff that brings the country to a halt when we get more than an inch.
If people say that the land will become barren through lack of water, look where in the world you are. Tropics will get more water, equator will get less and hydroponics will start to come into fashion more. It was going to happen anyway. Entire processes will become automated, powered easily by solar panels, leaving loads of farmers to take on other things in the spare time they might well find themselves having.
I'm failing to see downsides...
Dom

Re: Dom - your housemate

[torkell]

He is giving worst-case scenarios - e.g. for "we do something, and we were wrong" he lists global depression as a consequence which is extremely unlikely, but a possible consequence (companies folding through 'green' taxes).