Climate change is a fact of nature

by Bill
(Wilkes-Barre PA)

Climate change is a basic fact of nature, and it is probably driven by changes in solar activity. The world got into and out of several Ice Ages without any assistance or impediment from human beings. What are now Canada and New England were once covered by glaciers (which also created New York's Finger Lakes and the Pocono Mountains), and these regions were made habitable by "global warming."

Humans and animals adapt successfully to climate change through migration. If warming turns some regions into deserts, it makes others suitable for agriculture. Scandinavians moved into Greenland during a global warming period, but they had to leave when the world later became colder. Migration is probably a far more cost effective way to deal with the problem than to spend billions of dollars to attempt to mitigate the problem, if in fact it is even a problem.

Advocates of carbon taxes claim that global warming is harmful to human health (e.g. rising sea levels, warmer temperatures). Poverty, which carbon taxes would create by making utilities, fuel, and manufactured goods more expensive, is also harmful to human health. I accordingly oppose the Obama administration's agenda to impose such taxes. Furthermore, they would probably not even get rid of the carbon dioxide because corporations could opt out of paying them by moving energy-intensive jobs offshore at the expense of American workers.

Barry's Response - Yes, Bill. Historians and geologists have noted and recorded numerous changes in climate in the past. And the planet survived, believe it or not.

Poverty and global warming both affect human health, but in different ways.

Poverty affects basic needs such as clean water, nutritious food, adequate healthcare, and safe housing. Human health can be affected by malnutrition, increased susceptibility to diseases, limited access to healthcare, and poor living conditions.

Climate change and global warming are also said to pose a wide range of health risks. Temperature rises can exacerbate heat-related illnesses, spread vector-borne diseases and increase air pollution, causing respiratory problems. Changes in precipitation patterns can cause droughts or floods, affecting food security and waterborne diseases. Moreover, natural disasters fueled by climate change, like hurricanes and wildfires, can cause injuries, displacements, and mental health problems.

Poverty and global warming are both big challenges that need attention. Poverty affects immediate well-being, but global warming affects individuals and communities long-term, as well as the planet's sustainability. Both issues need to be addressed holistically, promoting social and economic development to alleviate poverty and implementing climate change adaptation and mitigation measures to safeguard human health.



Search this site for more information now.

Just to recap, changes in solar radiation, volcanic activity, and variations in Earth's orbit around the sun all contribute to natural climate change. Burning fossil fuels, deforestation, and agricultural practices are also thought to contribute to global warming.