Ignorning global warming is gambling with the future

By STEVE MUROV

last updated: May 09, 2008 02:57:21 AM

The best models scientists have reveal very close correlations of carbon dioxide with temperature increases over the last several decades. The models project disastrous effects from increasing temperatures if carbon dioxide concentrations continue to increase. The 90 percent probability statements of the 2007 Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change report are weighty scientific statements that should not be ignored.

The question is whether we can afford to gamble with the future of Earth's life-support systems.

Everything we do to develop alternate energy sources to combat possible global warming, we should be doing anyway because of other very serious negative effects of fossil fuels (oil spills, air pollution, wars, etc.).

Some suggest we should wait to act until we know for sure if global warming caused by humans is occurring. The problem is that actions to level or reverse the effects of fossil fuel use require many decades to implement. In other words, definitive evidence might not be produced until it is too late to avert widespread and serious damage.

We need to learn from the ozone depletion problem that was predicted by scientists in the early 1970s. Fortunately, in that case, the United States and later the world listened to scientists and took action. Today, evidence indicates we have minimized the serious effects that would have resulted had we continued to use Freon.

Global warming models indicate we will have increasingly serious problems if we do not act to decrease our dependence on fossil fuels. Neglect is not an intelligent response to our climate situation.

Murov is an emeritus professor of chemistry at Modesto Junior College.