martine wrote:Climate change may or may not be controllable but probably best to give it a try I'd have thought.
What are the objectives? To halt climate change in its tracks? If so then King Canute had some wise words to say about that. To halt the part of climate change for which mankind is responsible? Well, that might be possible but first we'd need to work out whether we're having a significant effect, and then to work out a reasonable balance between having an effect and having the benefits that we currently enjoy. If concerns about oil reserves running out are correct then, irrespective of whether increased levels of carbon dioxide and other gases are really an issue, that will have a limiting effect on our ability to increase levels of pollution.
I worry about the unintended consequences of using 'green' energy - if we make significant use of the wind what are the downsides? If we make significant use of wave power around our shores, what ecological disasters might we incur? If we change to using a nuclear base-load, which I'm convinced is our only long-term option given current technological knowledge, then will our energy generation cause significant warming without polluting? And would it be a problem?
there is only the road, nothing but the road ...