Why is climate change considered the most important environmental problem?

Everybody seems to agree that climate change is the most important environmental issue yet no-one seems to be able to answer the question as to why it is so much more important than massive population growth or severely depleted food-stocks and bio-diversity. Even in "An Inconvenient Truth" he says "this is the most important environmental problem on the planet" but never gets round to explaining why he thinks that.



I don't doubt that it is happening, I work in an industry where it can be plainly seen on a daily basis, but I'm just confused as to why it is considered so much more important than, say, the imminent starvation of the entire planet due to massive over-harvesting of limited resources and the associated destruction of entire eco-systems.



I can't help get the feeling it is because harvesting of endangered species makes money and stopping it has no economic benefit whereas convincing everyone that they need to buy a new type of car or hot water system and throwing on an associated tax is big business and is going to make countries and companies who jump on the band-wagon literally billions of dollars. I keep feeling conned



Just before you abuse me I'll re-iterate I BELIEVE CLIMATE CHANGE IS HAPPENING AND I'M RELATIVELY CERTAIN IT'S US WHO'S CAUSING IT. That's not what I'm asking.Why is climate change considered the most important environmental problem?I am fairly sure humans aren't causing global warming and I am nearly certain warming isn't even happening at the present.

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http://www.drudgereport.com/

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Giving me a thumbs down won't make those record cold temperatures and record snow storms go away.



Wake up to reality. You have been led astray by the Pied Piper, brainwashed, and deceived by the world's biggest lie.Why is climate change considered the most important environmental problem?
It is the one where they have attached the myth that it is caused by CO2. That lets the leftist activists punish capitalists. It also gives politicians power to regulate who gets to use energy. It is a leftist political movement that has nothing to do with helping the environment. It is about taxing, not reducing CO2 which would be completely pointless.



There really is no comparison to even all the endangered species compared to the scale of the global warming fleece.Why is climate change considered the most important environmental problem?Climate change is the biggest problem because a warmer planet is a wetter planet.

Global warming will increase the evaporation of our Oceans, leading to rain in areas that have become deserts in recent years. Who wants the dry centres of Australia, Africa, China, Arabia and America to turn into fertile rain-forests? That would make environmentalists irrelevant, and threaten Greenies with extinction!

Something has to be done!Why is climate change considered the most important environmental problem?
I suspect you're a victim of delusional syndrome because increasing food production and global warming ductrine can't go together. Simply because Alarmist/Environmentalist are anti-progression from the fact these people are pro-depopulation.



Are you in favour of reducing the world population because our planet earth can't sustain the number of people living in? I assume your answer is Yes, very sad...Why is climate change considered the most important environmental problem?Climate change has the potential to affect the food production and biodiversity that you mention, as well as a host of other things that human civilization depends on. It is not an "environmental" issue as much as a humanitarian one.
Follow the Money Its about Cap and Tax more money for Al Gore , GE and Goldman

Saks . Maurice Strong will get some cash too.



GE has a sweetheart deal with Obama that's why NBC is so lovey dovey to him .



That's bigger than Watergate and more corrupt.Why is climate change considered the most important environmental problem?
he does get around to answering it, it is the most important because it will affect all the other problems. As deserts grow, how do you suppose that effects our ability to feed the population?
It's not, but it is a catch all. Reminds me of a bunch of mad scientist trying to eliminate viruses and bacteria. What the hey!...go for it.Why is climate change considered the most important environmental problem?
Nobody will tell the truth about AGW, there are simply too many people.
Actually, your wrong. many polls taken across America shows that the Citizens of this country put the global warming hoax near last on the list of important things.

Not everyone agree's that its a concern, because climate change is just the latest greatest catch phrase. They couldn't prove global warming, rather embarrassing to try since global temps have been standing still or going down for about a decade now. So this crowd has seen the writing on the wall and have tried to change it to "climate change" now.....which is harder to prove....Because the climate is always changing, so with all the liar scientists out there, all the bad weather models, manipulated temp data and inaccuracy of even the best weather scientists......Just which one is arrogant enough to step up and claim they know EXACTLY what the climate should be and therefore be able to then tell the world how 'man' is effecting it.

The whole lot of these losers are nothing more than an aetheist cult gathering for mother earth. They can't prove jack, they've never proven jack but they will gladly rob you to save the planet .....even when it doesn't need saving.
The problems are connected if you think about the possible actions:



Immediately:conservation, including things like better bus and rail transport, home insulation, painting roofs paler colours in areas that use air conditioning, lower mileage vehicles. Medium-term, nuclear and renewables. Possibly, hydrogen as a way of making the energy from these portable.



WARNING: some so-called renewables, like corn alcohol, release as much carbon dioxide as they save



Long-term: serious lifestyle changes. Slowing down population growth. (Empowering women is the best way to do that - sorry if that sounds awfully PC). Possibly, CO2 sequestration and novel renewables e.g. algae, but those are still untested.



And anyone who thinks that population isn't an issue clearly doesn't know enough math to multiply by ten billion.



BTW: As for "They couldn't prove global warming ... So this crowd has seen the writing on the wall and have tried to change it to "climate change" now.....which is harder to prove." [I think nightw meant disprove], that is Today's Special Lie; seen it twice already. Itys been IPCC NOT IPGW since it was set up.
Well now. As the temp increases so does the acidity of the oceans. There are changes in where rain falls and doesn't fall which effects farming.

No the last great extinction 55 million yrs ago was due to a rise in CO2 and an 18F rise in global temp. So far for us that 2F looking at a 6 to 7F rise by 2100AD. As the temp rises so does CO2 and the ability of plant life to exist - farming and animals got to eat. And an acidic ocean kills fish and plants in the water. I would rather not go there but Hell you and I will be dead by the time we screw the world over so who cares?