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Things that climate change discussions rarely talk about: 1. We have a climate that is greatly affected by the sun. The sun varies in the amount of light we ge

Things that climate change discussions rarely talk about: 1. We have a climate that is greatly affected by the sun. The sun varies in the amount of light we get from it. We have truly, absolutely zero ability to modify anything about the sun. We couldn't even place a probe or device within 10,000 miles of the surface of the sun, if our survival depended on it. 2. Even if the USA cuts their emissions in half tomorrow, with China and India increasing their use of autos and other emissions producing devices, would that be enough? And how exactly is it that USA spends more on reducing emissions while others spend zero? How much of a hit to the economy does this entail, for essentially zero world wide benefit? How many remember Canada's 180 degree turnaround a few years ago, when they realized that conforming to the Kyoto protocol meant a 10% GDP hit?

SamPhillips 9y ago
1. 100% of the problem that climatologists discuss is heat from the sun, trapped, by greenhouse gasses that we release. As you rightly point out, we can't control the sun, so we must control how much insulating gas we put in the atmosphere. 2. Even it China cuts is emissions, with the USA outputting more than 4 times per person, would that be enough? How exactly is it that China spends more on reducing emissions while USA spends zero? This is a collective action problem (much like CFC's were in the 1980s, or not peeing in the lake you depend on for drinking water), it requires grown-up behavior from all nations now so as to no despoil the inheritance we might leave to our children.
- patrickg_zill 9y ago
  1. Very few talk about how the sun changes its levels of radiance and how this affects climate on Earth. The sun is not a "constant". 2. Maybe I phrased that part of my statement rather lumpily. I meant, if USA spends to reduce emissions and China and India do not spend.
  - SamPhillips 9y ago
    1. They don't talk about it because it is not the primary cause of the warming we see. [0] 2. China and India have agreed to reduce emissions, as part of the Paris agreement. 45% of all solar installed worldwide in 2016 was installed in China. Every country needs to do its part. [1] https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-whats-warming-the-world/ https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-whats-warming-the-wo... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_by_country https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_by_country

SamPhillips 9y ago

1. 100% of the problem that climatologists discuss is heat from the sun, trapped, by greenhouse gasses that we release. As you rightly point out, we can't control the sun, so we must control how much insulating gas we put in the atmosphere. 2. Even it China cuts is emissions, with the USA outputting more than 4 times per person, would that be enough? How exactly is it that China spends more on reducing emissions while USA spends zero? This is a collective action problem (much like CFC's were in the 1980s, or not peeing in the lake you depend on for drinking water), it requires grown-up behavior from all nations now so as to no despoil the inheritance we might leave to our children.

patrickg_zill 9y ago
1. Very few talk about how the sun changes its levels of radiance and how this affects climate on Earth. The sun is not a "constant". 2. Maybe I phrased that part of my statement rather lumpily. I meant, if USA spends to reduce emissions and China and India do not spend.
- SamPhillips 9y ago
  1. They don't talk about it because it is not the primary cause of the warming we see. [0] 2. China and India have agreed to reduce emissions, as part of the Paris agreement. 45% of all solar installed worldwide in 2016 was installed in China. Every country needs to do its part. [1] https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-whats-warming-the-world/ https://www.bloomberg.com/graphics/2015-whats-warming-the-wo... https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_by_country https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Solar_power_by_country