We’ve lived so long under the spell of hierarchy—from god-kings to feudal lords to party bosses—that only recently have we awakened to see not only that “regular” citizens have the capacity for self-governance, but that without their engagement our huge global crises cannot be addressed. The changes needed for human society simply to survive, let alone thrive, are so profound that the only way we will move toward them is if we ourselves, regular citizens, feel meaningful ownership of solutions through direct engagement. Our problems are too big, interrelated, and pervasive to yield to directives from on high.
—Frances Moore Lappé, excerpt from Time for Progressives to Grow Up

Sunday, July 15, 2012

NOAA releases comprehensive 2011 State of the Climate report

Click here to access article by Matt Daniel from EarthSky. 
Bottom line: NOAA released the State of the Climate 2011 report that was compiled by 378 scientists from 48 countries around the world. The report shows human fingerprints identified in more than two dozen climate indicators examined by climate scientists.
I spent some time examining various parts of this NOAA report, and I can't find any indication in the report that the scientists linked human activity with the overwhelming evidence they present of dramatic climate changes that have occurred and will likely accelerate in the future. The report provides tons of data, all of which indicates climate change, but not linkage to human activity. (Here is a good place to see the highlights of the report.)

Yes, it's true (see this) as the author states...
...the vast majority of climate scientists believe humans are influencing climate change in the recent decades. Even after looking at natural cycles – such as solar cycles and volcanoes – it appears that something else is influencing our climate. Studies have shown again and again that the vast majority of climate scientists believe we humans are the something else: human activities, specifically the increase in greenhouse gases, are causing Earth to warm.
However, it is much more important what the public believes, and what they believe is to a considerable extent influenced by the information they receive from the One Percent's mainstream media. Recent evidence suggests--no doubt because of numerous recent extreme weather events and related catastrophes (widespread forest fires)--that public attitudes are shifting from climate change denial to acceptance. A recent poll suggests that a majority of the public are beginning to not only believe that climate change is real and poses a serious threat, but they also are vaguely linking it to human activity. In spite of these recent changes, major media continues to ignore nearly all references to climate change in their news reports.

Unfortunately, most environmental advocates are placing emphasis on "mitigating" the effects of climate change through measures that will ameliorate the damage and increase coping methods after the damage has occurred. (See this) Thus, they are encouraging people to simply accept the inevitability of extreme weather, and learn ways to cope with, and mitigate the effects of it. They somehow fantasize that during this effort they will come to accept human activity as a cause and do something more effective--whatever that is.

Unless things change dramatically, there is still a long way to go before most people see that the most powerful factor driving human ecology-destroying activity is the basic organizing system of capitalism which requires growth for its existence. And, to be sure, the world's ruling One Percents will do their best to make sure people don't make this critical connection.