For the first time in 24 years Global Climate Change was not mentioned at all in the presidential debates. Zip, zilch, nada. Following on the coattails of record droughts, heat waves, storm frequency and intensity both candidates studiously avoided the issue. Why?
Head below the orange toroidal whirlpool for some additional resources and discussion.
This is not the only issue that has been either not mentioned much in the debates (i.e. drug-policy or Europe besides "a road to Greece" to name a few) or an issue that will be tackled after November 6th (drones or Bush-era foreign policy being continued by the current administration). However it is arguably the most critical foreign-policy issue for decades to come.
As an aside, for those concerned I am saying there is nothing different between the two candidates let me be very clear. While President Obama has some room to grow on this issue and it is concerning that he is avoiding the issue for political reasons, he may be the greenest president in a generation. Romney on the other hand will be an incontrovertible one way ticket back to a political Neanderthal era, along with hastening a zombie apocalypse.
In all seriousness, this is very serious. There have been a number of recent writings on the frightening math associated with global warming such as Rolling Stone, Bill McKibben's 350 Do the Math tour, and the Carbon Tracker Initiative. Yes folks this is a ticking time bomb and time is running out.
Sandy is a result of global warming??? Individual incidents are notoriously difficult for scientists to associate with long range climate processes however I can safely say that climate change is not helping in this case. One thing that it is doing however is changing the discussion. Parallels to global sea-waters rise and severe weather are difficult not to see when New Jersey forecasters are warning that,
"The high waves slamming ashore will add to the high probability for severe damage," they wrote. "Anything within 15 feet of normal sea levels is in harm's way." [italics mine]
This is an issue that needs to be talked about. I want to be clear that my and I am sure all Kossacks prayers are with East Coast residents in the lead up to this monster storm. However the connection, at very least through the lens of public perception, between this storm as well as future and more deadly ones and global climate change is apparent. If Climate Change is an issue that is going to be continually ignored in Washington, then all I can say is, Nature Bats Last.