Copenhagen and all that Jazz

I am a climate change sceptic.Not a denier in the sense that I deny that Global warming is man made but a sceptic about our ability to do anything about it. I accept James Lovelock's foresight that we have passed the tipping point. Read what he says;

Most of the things we have been told to do might make us feel better, but they won't make any difference. Global warming has passed the tipping point, and catastrophe is unstoppable.
"It's just too late for it," he says. "Perhaps if we'd gone along routes like that in 1967, it might have helped. But we don't have time. All these standard green things, like sustainable development, I think these are just words that mean nothing. I get an awful lot of people coming to me saying you can't say that, because it gives us nothing to do. I say on the contrary, it gives us an immense amount to do. Just not the kinds of things you want to do.

I also see it another way. I don't think we will be prepared to lower our standard of living sufficiently to make any difference. The world's population is rushing headlong to 9 billion people,that's 9000,000,000. All these people are adding to the degradation of the planet's with limited resources.

China don't see why they should not reach the standard of living of the West and they have the ability to do it.

At Copenhagen the US climate change special envoy Todd Stern said emissions weren't about "morality or politics", they were "just maths", with China projected to emit 60% more CO2 than the US by 2030. But Stern ignored the more transparent measure of pollution per capita; the US emits 20 tonnes per person every year, compared to China's six tonnes.

and

• Mark Lynas seems to skim over a fundamental issue: justice. He points out that China's massive growth depends on cheap coal, but fails to note that other nations have depended on coal to achieve huge global power. The UK used coal to help it dominate the world, and its current wealth is due to this. With no real reparations available, it is not difficult to understand why China is scared that a climate deal will prevent it from growing to be in the UK's situation. The problem is more with the concept of unlimited economic growth. This and environmental sustainability cannot go hand in hand. To find these kinds of critiques you have to look outside the Bella Centre, at the protesters in the streets. It seems once again these views are not being heard.
Guy Mitchell

There is something else that seems to have been forgotten. China and India have become the world's factory. The US and other countries in the West have transferred all their manufacturing capacity that uses fossil fuels to these two countries and then buy the finished products back.in order to produce all these products energy is required.

Lovelock believes global warming is now irreversible, and that nothing can prevent large parts of the planet becoming too hot to inhabit, or sinking underwater, resulting in mass migration, famine and epidemics. Britain is going to become a lifeboat for refugees from mainland Europe,

Is not bad news for all countries. Some will gain by becoming warmer, like Greenland and Siberia. It seems Africa and Australia will be the big loosers, yet Australia's population could just move North. Lets look on the bright side and as Lovelock says"Enjoy life while you can. Because if you're lucky it's going to be 20 years before it hits the fan."

I'm back to growing trees for sale.Open all hours.