State Shift in Earth's Biosphere

[Sotha]

Interesting read:

 

http://www.nature.co...ature11018.html

 

In short:

It may be that instead of hundreds of years, we may have only some decades before a critical transition in global Earth's biosphere occur as enough separate local ecosystems have reached a critical threshold.

[jay pettitt]

It's easy to get paralysed by the enormity of this kind of stuff - so I'm enjoying Earth, The Operator's Manual on PBS, which spends as much time detailing fixes as problems. Richard Alley is quickly becoming my favourite science guy.

[stumpy]

its likely there's a backup system where the earth comes up with a virus to kill all humans, as viruses have been around since the beginning they are probably a get out of jail free card. as in what happened to the dinosaurs, although that may have been the earth working with the sun and an asteroid.

although if the biosphere gets any bigger we're going to die anyway not enought food or water to sustain it.

[7upMan]

Na, that's all just a lie. There is no climate change, just ask the friendly guys from FOX NEWS.

[Sotha]

My favourite quote from the article:

 

Humans have already changed the biosphere substantially, so much so

that some argue for recognizing the time in which we live as a new

geologic epoch, the Anthropocene. Comparison of the present

extent of planetary change with that characterizing past global-scale

state shifts, and the enormous global forcings we continue to exert,

suggests that another global-scale state shift is highly plausible within

decades to centuries, if it has not already been initiated.

[RPGista]

http://www.guardian....ent-bureaucrats

I could post so much more... But no point really knowing the facts if we are not willing to contemplate action. On other news regarding the summit, developing countries will refuse to commit untill the rich countries are ready to give up some of the unfair monopoly they have "conquered" on trade agreements and technology patents (which will forever doom them to continue as raw materials producing, indebbted nations), something they will obviously never do either. http://www.guardian.co.uk/environment/2012/jun/06/rio-earth-summit-wwf Politicians are useless; its once again up to the worlds populations to push for fairness and social policy over the ineptitude of those in power...

Edited June 8, 2012 by RPGista

[RPGista]

It is funny however to see the subject going from environmental protection and heritage to carbon policy and energy savings - and the focus going to (individuals) consummerism alone, when we know very well that the overwhelming amount of environmental desctruction and resource hogging is caused by global industry.