And So It Is Written

Climate Panel Issues Urgent Warning.

That's the lead story in The Times this morning. Lead para:

"The world is already committed to centuries of warming, shifting weather patterns and rising seas from the atmospheric buildup of gases that trap heat, but the warming can be substantially blunted by prompt action, an international network of climate experts said today."

Hundreds of scientists from all over the world have determined with over 90% certainty that human activity is the main driver in warming.

"If carbon dioxide concentrations reach twice their pre-industrial levels, the report said, the climate will likely warm some 3.5 to 8 degrees. But there would be more than a one in 10 chance of much greater warming, a situation many earth scientists say poses an unacceptable risk. "

It's likely we'll have more than double this concentration, the panel says.

Unacceptable risk.

In all reasonable quarters of the world, the debate on global warming is indeed over. But, we will continue to politicize it, to waffle over it, to wring our hands as we hop into our Hummers, to drive our cars every time we need to go more than a hundred yards at a stretch, to build horribly outdated power plants, to waste in the most ridiculous ways.

Thing is, we can do something about this. We can do a lot about this. We just have to be thoughtful in our consumption. We have to make some sacrifices.

We're not terribly good at doing that, but it's getting to the point where we have no choice.

Sorry for dumping blame here, but The Greatest Generation has failed us miserably. It's time for the next generations to stand up and solve this problem.

More to come on that. For now, read the report, think about what you can do every day to change this. Because that's what it'll take: Normal people doing many small things every day. That's me and you.