Just a brief shout out to Climate Change Deniers -- who'd rather prosecute Scientists, than look out their windows -- HELLOOO!
Heed warning on climate
A new report says action is vital “as soon as possible”
Register Guard Eugene Oregon, Editorial -- May 14, 2011,
The effort to combat global warming has waned in this country, as many Republicans express skepticism about the science of climate change. The federal debt and other issues have preoccupied lawmakers and the American public. A new report by the National Research Council makes a powerful argument that putting off the problem any longer would be folly.
The council, which represents the nation’s scientific establishment, warns that global warming is real and that action should be taken “as soon as possible” to reduce carbon emissions from the burning of fossil fuels.
Contrary to the claims of climate skeptics, the report emphasizes that warming trends cannot be explained by natural factors such as changes in incoming energy from the sun or natural climate variability. The report says the effects of climate change on human and natural systems will intensify as warming continues.
That’s a timely reminder on the heels of a recent disastrous stretch of weather in this country. So far in 2011, the United States has been slammed with 5 weather disaster costing more than $1 billion each.
Swarms of F-5 Killer Tornadoes, Boundless Floods of the Century (that seem to happen every-other year), Massive Snowstorms that can grind New York City to a halt --
and THESE are just SOME of the Climate-related Disasters, just WITHIN our Borders this year ...
That's $5,000,000,000 plus, and counting, in destruction of American's property and livelihoods -- in 2011 ... just put it on our National Debt Tab. ... Far fewer Middle Class Incomes to tax, too. Oh well.
"Nope. There is No Climate Change ... we can ignore it -- and it won't cost us a thing" ... according to the Science illiterates now controlling the House of Representatives, that is.
And if those Oil-loving Congress reps, would just look BEYOND America's Borders, they'd see that the eventual Price Tag for these Climate-related events is only expected to get Higher -- much, much Higher.
Forget about being the World's Policeman -- we will soon be drafted as the World's Disaster Relief Corps ... (... wonder how much that will cost, eh?)
Climate Change Seen as Threat to U.S. Security
by John M. Broder, NYTimes -- Aug 8, 2009
[...]
Recent war games and intelligence studies conclude that over the next 20 to 30 years, vulnerable regions, particularly sub-Saharan Africa, the Middle East and South and Southeast Asia, will face the prospect of food shortages, water crises and catastrophic flooding driven by climate change that could demand an American humanitarian relief or military response.
[...]
Much of the public and political debate on global warming has focused on finding substitutes for fossil fuels, reducing emissions that contribute to greenhouse gases and furthering negotiations toward an international climate treaty -- not potential security challenges.
But a growing number of policy makers say that the world’s rising temperatures, surging seas and melting glaciers are a direct threat to the national interest.
Got to watch out for those "surging seas", New York and L.A. Better get busy building those Sea Walls to protect that valuable real estate -- Whoa! THAT can't be Cheap.
And the Navy, Coast Guard, Marines, are getting some NEW National Security warnings of their own -- ALL due to the Geo-political Havoc that Climate Change is expected to cause all around the world.
Sooner or later it's bound to effect a Country, we actually "care about", Republicans. The Admirals are listening -- ARE you?
National Academy of Sciences
National Security Implications of Climate Change for U.S. Naval Forces:
Letter Report (2010)
Naval Studies Board (NSB)
NATIONAL RESEARCH COUNCIL OF THE NATIONAL ACADEMIES
Washington, DC 20001
FINDINGS AND RECOMMENDATIONS
[Pg 3]
The committee focused its initial assessments either on climate change issues that it believes will have the greatest effects on naval forces or on issues that may require immediate planning. The committee views global climate change as a long-term issue that will play out over the next several decades. However, because of the long lead times in developing and changing naval capabilities and because of the potential for global climate change to have a significant impact on future naval missions, near-term awareness, planning, and decisions are needed by the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard.
The following sections of this report, in which appropriate supporting data are provided, present the committee’s findings and recommendations [...]
Naval Forces Responses in Future Climate-Change-Related Events
[Pg 4]
[...] Viewed from a national security standpoint, these changes would likely amplify stresses on weaker nations and generate geopolitical instability in already-vulnerable regions.9 A range of military missions might be necessary as a result of such conditions, including the sorts of antipiracy and counterterrorism missions now being conducted off the waters of Somalia. However, the clearest implications are for humanitarian assistance and disaster relief (HA/DR) missions, which may increase in frequency, thereby straining military transportation resources and the supporting force structures. [...]
Allied Forces Responses in Future Climate-Change-Related Events
[Pg 5]
An issue closely related to U.S. naval capabilities and global response to projected climate change is the role of allied forces partnerships. The committee received briefings from the National Intelligence Council suggesting that, in addition to the security challenges discussed above, the impact of projected severe climate change on food or water supplies and on disease patterns in certain regions of the world may lead to large-scale regional population movements, resulting potentially in millions of what some have termed “climate refugees” fleeing environmental “hotspots.”14,15 [...]
Recommendation 1:
[Pg 6]
[...] All of the U.S. naval forces (the U.S. Navy, Marine Corps, and Coast Guard) should begin to consider potential specific force-structure capabilities and training standards over the next 10 years for conducting missions arising from the effects of climate change. [...]
You'd think that with all the local and global security threats being generated by Climate Change Chaos:
Tornado Swarms,
Boundless Floods,
Massive Snowstorms;
humanitarian relief corps,
water wars,
city seawalls;
geopolitical instability,
humanitarian assistance and disaster relief,
severe impacts on food and water supplies and on disease outbreaks,
population displacements soon to be known as 'climate refugees'
You'd think that Republicans would take up Climate-related issues, just in terms of the Budget Implications for all these new National Security threats alone ... you'd think that -- but you'd be wrong.
SOOO ... the brief shout out to Climate Change Deniers -- who'd rather promote slogans like "Cap and Tax", than look out your windows -- than to read the Navy's National Security report ...
just remember this one Fact, old-school dudes:
The Cost of Inaction, when it comes to ever greater Climate Disasters, will ultimately cost Multitudes More, than whatever, trivial Market-based incentives we could use NOW to move us away from the long-term consequences of relying upon Carbon-based Fuels.
"Cap and Trade" -- It's just a Market-based solution -- with the True Price of Carbon already priced in, right off the top.
That kind of solution should be right up your alley GOP -- just let "the market" deal with those Ultimate Climate Costs, that it has created -- HELLOOO!
(... Psst, you can pass the cost on to "the consumers", dudes. Duh!
Maybe it IS -- finally Time for Action, eh? )
You'd think!