Climate Change Questions

Gerald Brand I am not sure it is true that consensus at high percentages is unusual in science. In fact, I would counter that consensus is often the norm and that social factors often help maintain consensus and put down dissent. In this case, I have listened to a number of high level weather, climate, and economic experts who examine that data and disagree with the consensus at a number of levels, but who are routinely called deniers or unscientific because they don't go along lockstep with the supposed consensus.

There may be political, financial, or social reasons to doubt global warming, but there are certainly just as many if not more reasons not to question the consensus. You can pay a heavy toll even questioning it.

Here are some questions that I think remain up in the air.

Do we have a good enough global record for long enough to understand a global average temperature and compare it to anything accurate in the past?

Do we have an accurate understanding of the significant factors that cause climate change to be able to then accurately predict future states? If the models and predictions have so far proven in many cases, can we say with certain that we know enough now to make changes based on those models?

Can CO2 changes cause disastrous climate change? It is a strong enough greenhouse gas to warm the earth or to act as a catalyst to start other changes that will lead to disaster? For instance, CO2 levels have almost certainly been much higher in the past (up to 1000- 1200 ppm vs. 300 ppm today), so did it cause extinction level changes at those times? If not, why not? Do we have enough information to know?

What is the right temperature for the earth? Haven't global temperatures been higher and lower in the past? Are all changes from higher temperatures and higher CO2 levels bad? Wouldn't more CO2 be good for plant life and help green the planet?

If greenhouse gases are causing significant risk to the planet, what are the best solutions for reducing the risk? Can renewables actually replace our current energy for a similar cost? What are the environmental impacts of trying to use that many renewables? How much damage will be done to get rare earth minerals for batteries and elements for solar panels for instance? If developing countries cannot get cheap energy what harm might come to their people and what kind of social unrest might develop? Will they be more or less likely to care about future environmental states if they poorer?

If people