US Drought: Climate Change or part of cyclical weather cycle? This is not the question. On a planet with a healthy political climate and a sustainable economic model (one that doesn’t treat our environment as an externality), the inhabitants would have considered decades ago there was enough information and evidence to realize Climate Change was a strong possible explanation of extreme weather. So, rather than continually ‘wait and see’ and agonize over every heat wave, every flood, every year’s dwindling of Arctic ice, they would have acted as if Climate Change were happening and do everything in their power to reduce manmade greenhouse gases and adapt to a warmer climate. Presently, because political forces and economic ruthlessness puts the burden of proof of Climate Change on the exact relationship between each and every extreme weather event, we find ourselves in an endless purgatory of hand wringing—hoping and praying that our demand that Nature fit our cultural constructs prevail. All we are really doing is deluding ourselves that our ‘wait and see’ approach will allow us to continue business as usual.
Posted on: Wed, 07 Aug 2013 11:42:11 +0000