Mr Jungle wrote "17. Is mankind having an effect? Yes without a doubt, but how much. Using data from the Vostok ice core samples we can calculate gas levels from 2000 years ago, and compare them with atmospheric samples today."
Mr. J,
My question to you is; How bad does it have to get before we decide to do something about it here?
Seven of the last ten years on record have been the hottest in recorded history. You are saying yourself that mankind is having an effect on our climate, does it matter how much? Isn't it our responsibility as the guardians of this planet to try to limit our greenhouse gas emissions as much as possible.
I also agree that India and China got a free pass in the Kyoto protocol. Does that relieve us in the US from the responsibility to do what is right? America has an opportunity to be an example for the developing nations around the globe of how to be successful financially and still be eco-friendly. We give the europeans a lot of crap on this forum about this and that, but they are already trying to do their part to reduce pollution. The US wouldn't be the only country out there trying to set a good example.
Energy, and its various sources, has always been key to the creation of economic wealth. When the Dutch figured out how to harness wind back in the 1600's they became the superpower of Europe. In the 1800's, the industrial revolution was lit when the Brits figured out the power of coal. The US became, and still is, the current superpower by its use of oil. Each one of these energy sources enabled the discovering country to become a superpower. The reign of the Dutch lasted 150 years, the Brits for roughly a hundred, and the US is coming up on a hundred here in a couple of years.
The US has an excellent opportunity to remain the economical power house it is today, if it can discover the next form of energy.
I realize that the planet has had its ups and downs as far as the global temperatures go. This, however, is the only time that CO2 and other greenhouse gases have increased in ppm without a verifiable disaster as the culprit.
You mentioned how small the percentage of CO2 in the atmosphere is, and how you couldn't understand what kind of an impact such a small percentage makes. Our atmosphere is balanced to the point that if the level of oxygen in the atmosphere was off by just a percent or two in either direction, life on the planet would not be what is today. It doesn't take a hell of a whole lot to upset the balance of the planet.
Lastly, history shows that the earth has an amazing ability to recover from various assaults on it. The only problem is that it takes a long time. If we can figure out a way to contain or retrieve these pollutants from the atmosphere, we can continue to burn up the coal and oil until it is all gone! There is some serious money to be made here.