its the last 150 years that has seen the big rise in CO2 - ie the combination of industrialisation and population growth. The fact that these events is so recent is the cause of concern when we can demonstraate that for the previous 599,850 years it isn't normal.
A hotter weather system means we get bigger weather events, which means we get bigger droughts, bigger floods, bigger hurricanes etc etc. I read an article in New Scientist over 25 years ago forecasting exactly this.
People are people, we all want bigger houses, cars, more food, etc etc. We also all want our children to have a better life than we did. The zealots on both sides spoil everything by over stating the facts, and reducing belief in the good science done by so many, but they feel justifed as this is the way to grab headlines, because otherwise people don't listen cos X factor is more important :shakehead
The simple fact is if you can persude 6 billion people (or even a few on here) to think about how the use / waste resources and persuade them to be more frugal and efficient, it will have big impact. Governmants could certainly do more, taxation isn't the answer, tax relief is, but sometimes you need a big stick. If you can't persuade people to behave in a different way, then attacking the pocket tends to work, especially in reference to big business. Governmants can be instrumental in promoting good behaviour like installing solar panels, they can also be winkers in destroying green tech industry. I actually get annoyed by many environmantalists, we should build more hydro-electric, but they keep moaning about destroying the natural landscape - isn't sacrificing 1 or 2 valleys worth providing green energy which in turn protects wildlife elsewhere??
Manator, people die in all urban areas, apart from deprivation, it's mostly down to air pollution, in particlar Nitrous Oxides and fine particulates, especially from diesel vehicles
