   Wow, Americans are against climate talks?
AtricleSo the summary is that Canada is inviting 189 nations for a 2 year sceintific talk on what to do to reduce greenhouse emissions. US rejected participating in it rightaway.As I understand, US was one of the countries who was hit the hardest by the recent global warming issues. 2005 was a record hurricane year, as well as being the warmest one in record, and US was hit really badly by this flood of hurricanes this year.Why would you still go against reducing the greenhouse effects if you were the one who is suffering from it the most?The article also mentions that US is responsible for a quarter of the greehouse gas emissions in the world. I understand that the dependency on oil is extremely difficult to eliminate, and it makes sense that the government doesn't want to jump into replacing it all of a sudden because of the extreme cost of it. But at least you need to start somewhere. Why do they even refuse to get started on it and carry it out over a long term plan?   
Quote:Original post by PouyaWhy would you still go against reducing the greenhouse effects if you were the one who is suffering from it the most?Money. Lots of corporate money. All flowing towards campaign funds.   ;Quote:Original post by PouyaAs I understand, US was one of the countries who was hit the hardest by the recent global warming issues. 2005 was a record hurricane year, as well as being the warmest one in record, and US was hit really badly by this flood of hurricanes this year.Why would you still go against reducing the greenhouse effects if you were the one who is suffering from it the most?Because they still don't want to offically recognise that the two are linked?   ;Quote:Original post by SanderMoney. Lots of corporate money. All flowing towards campaign funds.I'm sure I talked about the money issue right on the paragraph after that quote.   ;  It is probably because whoever was in charge of making the decisions realized that such scientific talks are bonus and nothing beneficial actually ever comes out of them. It would be a waste of tax dollars to put a few of our politicians into a Candian five star hotel to to talk about how to save the world and then come home and have absolutely nothing done about it.That being said, greenhouse effects had absolutely no effect on the hurricanes this year at all. They were caused by the raise in temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico by a couple of degrees, which is apparently a cyclical process that happened as early ago as the 40s. Yes, Louisiana was hit really hard sixty years ago, and for some reason everybody moved back... kinda like they're doing again.   ;Quote:Original post by zer0wolfIt would be a waste of tax dollars to put a few of our politicians into a Candian five star hotel to to talk about how to save the world and then come home and have absolutely nothing done about it.How do you know that absolutely nothing would be done about it? Kinda impressive foresight. Why haven't your government hired you to predict the future already?I know I'm grasping at straws here, but maybe, if the coutry responsible for 25% of the greenhouse emissions actually pretended to show a bit of interest in its own damn planet, there might actually be something done about it.Apart from this, there's been a lot done about "it" without the US already. The Kyoto protocol is up and running, just to name one example.Quote:That being said, greenhouse effects had absolutely no effect on the hurricanes this year at all. They were caused by the raise in temperatures in the Gulf of Mexico by a couple of degrees, which is apparently a cyclical process that happened as early ago as the 40s. Yes, Louisiana was hit really hard sixty years ago, and for some reason everybody moved back... kinda like they're doing again.That's not true.That hurricanes tend to follow this cycle is true, and that it's peaking again around now is true, but that doesn't mean that nothing else could possibly have contributed. If you have proof of that, I suggest you publicize it in a scientific forum. Because in addition to the cushy government job you secured above, this could very well give you a nobel prize.Oh wait, or maybe you should just get your facts straight before you dismiss things you don't know enough about.But to answer the original question, I think it's because the US seems to have worked up a culture where anything said by an american is infinitely more valid than anything said by anyone else. Regardless of how much they each actually know about the topic.Bush doesn't believe global warming is an issue because other Americans told him so. Average Americans don't believe it's an issue because Bush told them so. And so on. It's a nice little circle that means no one ever has to hear anything new or uncomfortable.(And of course, I'm exaggerating. Some Americans do actually try to get their facts from reliable sources, so not every American on the forum has to feel hurt now [wink])   ;  Relevant bits from the article:Quote:The United States, a source of a quarter of all greenhouse gases, has repeatedly said it is not interested in U.N.-led talks on the long-term, seeing them as a prelude to caps on emissions like under the U.N.'s Kyoto Protocol. Washington opposes Kyoto....Bill Hare, climate director of environmental group Greenpeace said the Canadian proposal was "anodyne, almost meaningless" and accused Ottawa of lowering ambitions too far in a vain drive to enlist Washington.;Quote:Original post by SpoonbenderThat's not true.That hurricanes tend to follow this cycle is true, and that it's peaking again around now is true, but that doesn't mean that nothing else could possibly have contributed. If you have proof of that, I suggest you publicize it in a scientific forum. Because in addition to the cushy government job you secured above, this could very well give you a nobel prize.But it is okay to say that the hurricanes are the fault of global warming as if it is a fact?   ;  The proportion of people with advanced degrees in climatology and meterological physics in the Lounge must be astronomically high relative to the rest of the population. Honestly, statements like "greenhouse gases couldn't possibly be responsible for X" or "global warming is the direct cause of Y, and only Z is a good solution" just make you look silly. [smile]   ;  Actually, warming is the cause for the hurricanes. As said on many sources, the amount of hurricanes was due to the warm waters over the Atlantic ocean and Mexican gulf.The question is whether we're the ones causing the warming, or is it just a normal thing that happens by itself periodically.That one, I don't think any of us can answer. But I think it's pretty ignorant to sit around and not do anything about it even if it was natural, and even more ignorant if it eneded up being our own fault.   