[jolinar of malkshor]

Originally Posted by Iowa_Flames_Fan

jolinar, I never actually said that I thought Kyoto was a great idea either. I'm a little confused as to how this suddenly has become a debate about the merits of Kyoto, which is only one proposal, and a very short-term one at that.

Well.....here's the thing....Kyoto is "THE PLAN" as far as most people are concerned with CO2 reduction. So what else is there to talk about? I have said that reduction is required....if you are not talking about Kyoto....what are you talking about?

I'm also a bit puzzled. Climate science is, in your view, too complicated for scientists to make accurate predictions. Yet economics is not so complicated that you won't believe off-the-cuff predictions from Chamber-of-Commerce types?

Please tell me you aren't saying that economics is as complex as climatology! And I posted more than just the Chamber of Commerce version.

That's a little weird. One group is trained in making predictions in a field where trends are by and large predictable in the longer term. The other group lacks academic training and is working in a field where predictions have historically been impossible. Why are you willing to believe the second group and not the first?

Humans and their activity have a tendancy to be predictable.....climate on the other hand.....not so much.

I'm not suggesting that I know what the economic impact of Kyoto or any other proposal would be. All I'm saying is that we must FIND a way to reduce greenhouse gas emissions while preserving our way of life, finding alternative sources of energy, cultivating environmentally responsibly uses of resources, etc. This has to be done on a global level, not only a national one--but of course the largest offenders MUST be brought on board for any initiative to make any sense at all.

This is exactly what I want aswell.

It isn't realistic to suggest that we can stop using fossil fuels overnight. But it is long past time to start developing alternatives. And I'm not the only one who thinks this. Oil companies have started spending millions of dollars researching alternatives so that they can make the transition when it inevitably must happen. If THEY believe that this is important, why can't everybody else?

Most people do, including myself.....but lets do it in a responsible manner.

Even GEORGE W. BUSH has acknowledged that there's a need to address climate change. Other "socialists" who have said that this must be a priority in the next little while include Rudolph Giuliani, John McCain, and a host of both Republicans AND democrats in the U.S.

No-one's saying it's going to be easy--what we are saying is that it must be done. When even Bush comes on board, you know that it's time to sit up and listen.

Not sure why you are bringing this up??? I have said many, many times that something needs to be done....so...???

I'm even more confused by your comment about the Liberals. Nothing in the Liberals' history inclines me to believe that they will take swift, decisive action on global warming. This isn't about party politics. It's about the Earth, which is kind of important because we need it to live on.

I brought the Liberals into the equation because their main priority is Kyoto.....nothing is more important than Kyoto.....they calim they will stop and no end to meet Kyoto targets.....that is what people are talking about, that is what the movie is about......that is why I am talking about Kyoto.....