Is global warming an urban myth?

BISHI

At the end of the day and in the long run it will not be the planet earth that suffers, all that will change are the 'comfortable ' living conditions for humans. The Earth has been hotter and colder than now many times in its past and life and there have been many times the number of species go extinct than exist today. Extinction events are natural and the polar bear and panda chose a dead end niche to fill. All that really matters in the lohg run is that life continues to evolve. All that really matters in the short term is that Homo Sapiens survive this next potential environmental crisis.......... which it inevitabely will.

johntheexpat

On a very basic Darwinism type level that may be true, but on a more 'human' level, surely we should do what we can to ensure that most of humanity survives and doesn't suffer too much?  If we can take action now that ensures a softer transition to warmer climates, a transition that is less devastating on the species, then surely we should adopt it?

BISHI

There are a finite amount of resources on the planet that support all life, human civilization and its associated massive population growth means that these resources are stripped from the natural world to facillitate our growing civilization - Rainforest and savanna give way to agricultural monoculture - watercourses are tamed into massive reservoirs and the seas are fished out to make Sushi !!! The world is Darwinian and the obvious conclusion will be humanity being THE major selection factor driving evolution. You and I may not like it but unless we control our population and greed this will happen.

DPinBucks

Whatever we do or don't do about climate change or the environment, it's happening and will happen. Look up anthropocene.

Not all selection is natural in the sense that it reacts to random events. It's arguable that the most successful large animal in the history of the planet is not homo sapiens; it's the Red Junglefowl. That's manipulated us into providing an unnatural non-random environment which allows it to breed in huge numbers, in the process creating a new sub-species: the domestic chicken.

Your point seems to imply that you think that's a bad thing. It isn't; it's just one of a whole raft of possible futures for the planet. Nature does not imply morality.

Steve.J.Davies

I think people need to re-read that link but more carefully.

BISHI

Human beings are a natural event and it could be argued that pressure excerted by humanity is also therefore natural.
The domestic chicken might be the most successful species on the planet right now by becoming a cornerstone of modern human success, it's success however is totally dependent on human intervention. All of the most genetically successful species are now dependent on humanity for their success - Wheat, maize, rice, cows, pigs etc. I do not think this is a bad thing, it's just the way it isand I find it really interesting.

johntheexpat

Perhaps you would like to summarise it as you seem to think its point has been missed?

DPinBucks

Yes, absolutely.  I go along with all that.  Hence the anthropocene reference.

Apologies: I think I may have slightly misinterpreted your post.  

BISHI

I think we are on a the threshold of a totally new era where Darwinian natural selection ceases to be a driving force in evolution in all but the most challenging of ecological niches ( where evolution has effectively ceased anyway and the life forms already there have persisted for hundreds of millions of years already). The Earth is on the cusp of becoming biological system that exists mainly to support a single species at the top of a decreasingly complex foodchain. Human dominance simply means that those species not contributing towards its success will become increasingly irrelevant and eventually extinct. Genetic engineering will also result in 'accelerated evolution' whereby beneficial traits of other species will incorporated into others and thereby further human success at dominating the planet. Global warming is a by product of human success and development and therefore probably necessary. I also think that global dominance of all systems ( biological/geological/hydrological etc) will be a pre -requisite for humanity taking life beyond the planet and into the solar system and beyond.

BISHI

Anthropocene - just read what it means. There was also a group of geologists who jokingly said that , in millions of years time, the sedimentry rocks will overwhelingly contain evidence of human rubbish, especialy plastic.
They wanted to call this era the - Plasticene !!