Global Warming: What needs to be done?

[ianlippert]

So the IPCC study just came out and things dont look pretty. It looks like the we can expect more heat waves and more hurricanes over the next century. But what I hear very little of is what we can do. I read that even if Kyoto was implemented tomorrow, it would have very little impact on the current trends. What exactly must be done? How much are we going to have to scale back our economies so that we can survive this? Has anyone even developed a realistic plan?

(Please dont turn this thread into a global warming debate. For the sake of discussion I am assuming that the report is true)

[Nielsio]

Temperature history
http://photos1.blogger.com/x/blogger...125/Graph1.jpg

[iron81]

Like it or not, solving this problem is going to require a fundamental change in our society. Here's a list of where I would start:

Tougher CAFE standards
Zoning restrictions to encourage more compact neighborhoods, reduce driving times
Increase gas tax
Sign and implement Kyoto
Loosen regs on nuclear power
Money for mass transit

[HeavilyArmed]

[ QUOTE ]
Loosen regs on nuclear power

[/ QUOTE ]

Instead of using the state to beat people down, why not simply do the above in a big way. I know that ruins the liberal rush of micro-managing everyone's life but nuke power will, by itself, end most carbon dependence.

[mosdef]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Loosen regs on nuclear power

[/ QUOTE ]

Instead of using the state to beat people down, why not simply do the above in a big way. I know that ruins the liberal rush of micro-managing everyone's life but nuke power will, by itself, end most carbon dependence.

[/ QUOTE ]

And create a new problem - nuclear waste is not easy to deal with. If we simply add a ton of nuclear reactors to the planet, we replace the problem of spewing carbon emissions into the air with the problem of spewing nuclear waste into the ground.

I agree that nuclear power is likely our only hope, but current technology does not adequately deal with the byproducts of nuclear consumption. This "solution" is not "ready" for implementation.

[Zeno]

[ QUOTE ]
we replace the problem of spewing carbon emissions into the air with the problem of spewing nuclear waste into the ground.


[/ QUOTE ]


By-products of nuclear generating plants are not simply "spewed into the ground". Storage of this radioactive waste is not unmanageable and can be done wisely and technological advancement in this area is promising.

-Zeno

[Brainwalter]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Loosen regs on nuclear power

[/ QUOTE ]

Instead of using the state to beat people down, why not simply do the above in a big way. I know that ruins the liberal rush of micro-managing everyone's life but nuke power will, by itself, end most carbon dependence.

[/ QUOTE ]

And create a new problem - nuclear waste is not easy to deal with. If we simply add a ton of nuclear reactors to the planet, we replace the problem of spewing carbon emissions into the air with the problem of spewing nuclear waste into space.

[/ QUOTE ]

[HeavilyArmed]

[ QUOTE ]
And create a new problem - nuclear waste is not easy to deal with.

[/ QUOTE ]

Ignorant BS.

[Al68]

[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
[ QUOTE ]
Loosen regs on nuclear power

[/ QUOTE ]

Instead of using the state to beat people down, why not simply do the above in a big way. I know that ruins the liberal rush of micro-managing everyone's life but nuke power will, by itself, end most carbon dependence.

[/ QUOTE ]

And create a new problem - nuclear waste is not easy to deal with. If we simply add a ton of nuclear reactors to the planet, we replace the problem of spewing carbon emissions into the air with the problem of spewing nuclear waste into the ground.

I agree that nuclear power is likely our only hope, but current technology does not adequately deal with the byproducts of nuclear consumption. This "solution" is not "ready" for implementation.

[/ QUOTE ]
I think the standard to use here should not be whether or not it is "adequate", but whether or not it is better than the alternative.

Nuclear power definitely meets the standard of being the lesser of two evils.

[Zeno]

[ QUOTE ]
....but nuke power will, by itself, end most carbon dependence.

[/ QUOTE ]

Building viable Nuclear power plants will reduce carbon emmissions it will not end carbon emissions or reliance on fossil fuels for other things, transportion is one example but there are many others.

-Zeno